Re: Never Surrender (Open, could be mature)

[questor]

Nick emerged from another side room. He had bathed and now was ready to get a bit of sleep before again taking up the reigns of ruling. When he emerged he saw her laying on the bed and grinned. He doubted that she was there to fullfil her duty as his pleasure slave. He sat on the edge of the large bed. "Have you decided to share my bed?" he asked in a light voice.

He would probably have to give her alot more time before she would willingly come to him. He would not force her. Some felt that was the best thing to do. Break them and make them do as you wanted. A willing slave was much better and one that truely wished to please the master. Crimson nosed the door to the bedchamber open and looked in cocking his head to one side.

Across the boarder on the human side, the military commander paced back and force. He had not liked having the war end, and being placed in a garrison on the boarder of the Demon lands. He had enjoyed the thrill of battle, the feel of his sword cutting through the enemy. He wished that some how someone would break the treaty and once again let the blood flow.

[Rose for the Hunter]

One of her wings moved and she opened one eye “what is it?” she asked “they kicked me out of the other rooms saying they were in use, it was either here or outside, the library is too dusty before you say anything, it’s freezing outside and even I can pick up the lust for bloodshed still within some of the demons, I’m not an idiot to sleep outside in those conditions either” she muttered half mumbling. One of her wings motioned to the storm raging outside.

Her wings fell back over her once more. “Let me sleep, I’m exhausted” she said in almost a whisper. Deadly stirred lying at the side of the bed giving a yawn she gave a light growl at Crimson Death. She still didn’t like him. At least it wasn’t as bad as she thought; she had heard stories from others who had been taken into her position before by other demons. Their stories weren’t exactly great. She moved her wings once more and drifted off, she really was exhusted.

Draco picked up the lust for war within the other demon and rustled his wings wondering what to do. Unlike the other race they had dreaded the war, their numbed so little their race was already dead. Rustling his hair he sighed a little and went to the elder to seek advice. “I wonder what we should do. Should I inform her,them?”
“I do not know. She might break her word to protect something, she has done it before remember” she said “We should be careful though. Do you have your bird?”
“Of course, shall I send a message by bird?”
“In our language, she’ll only understand it”

[questor]

He smiled. Perhaps one day soon she would come to him. He lether go to sleep and pulled the cuvers over him and made sure she to was covered. Castles were always a bit drafty and keeping a fire going in the fire place was hard to do when you didn't want to be disturbed. Crimson came up to the bed and laid down on the floor giving a low growl. He still didn't know what to make of the female.

Nick reached down and petted Crimson's head. "Easy boy. Women are hard to figure out and get them to trust you." he rolled over onto his side and took a deep breath, before letting himself fall asleep. The hours passed and it was noon. He opened his eyes as there was a knock on the main doors to his chambers. Sighing he rose and put on a robe and went to the door. Standing there with a number of guards stood the other two Utopians, a male and Female around his slaves age. His old healer and Wizard moved forward. "All put back the way they were, sire."

He looked at the two of them and invited them into his chambers. "It was a close call you two had." he moved back towards the bed chamber to see if his slave girl was awake. She still had not given him her name. "The others are in a village at the edge of my domain and you will be going there as well to join them. Draco has been made the military commander of the garrison there." Both of them looked bewildered and looked at him. He had been their enemy but now treated them as if they had been allies.

[Rose for the Hunter]

Deadly simply snarled back at him and also at Nick for his comment, but for him it was more of a warning, before she too went back to sleep. She remained asleep most of the day giving a slight groan, she moved a little when she heard a knock at the door as well her wings moved a little on her back as she reawakened after he had left the room.

The male Utopian stayed close to the female protectively at first but they both picked up her presence and seemed to relax a little at least. Their wings moved and they gave a light nod. “Yes indeed. We thought such an art was rarely used” they said as they walked in hesitantly. Seclusion was awake she blinked a few times and her wings wrapped around her. They both greet her giving her a bit of a shock with their hug. “Good to see you two” she smiled softly and they smiled back, clearly glad to see each other once more. She looked to the balcony and a bird sat there.

She turned her attention and whistled. Landing gently on her arm she took the message from the pitch black bird and read it she gave the note to Deadly and spoke to the bird. As they both listened to what he said. Shocked they looked to her for confirmation and she gave a light nod closing her eyes briefly.

“Take them back to the others, Elder Kana will know how to treat them better there, plus they are nearer to our old hunting grounds as well” she said in her ancient language the raven screeched and turned to them landing on the young males arm. “We give you our word, to help you and we also give our loyalty, just as our prince has” they said in unison, giving a slight bow before waiting for his reply.

[questor]

Going back into his study, he returned with two more of the wrist bands. These he gave to them. "These will get you through my domain to the village. Once there find Draco. Now go and enjoy your new lives." Once they took off into the air from the balcony he turned back to Seclusion. "It seems those two are perhaps lovers or mated." he smiled, "I wonder how Draco and the other two will take it seeing them alive........" he rubbed his chin, "Well now I still do not know your name you know. You never gave it to anyone when you were captured. You know it is akward trying to talk to you with out knowing it."

He walked over to a cabinet and took out a bottle of dark color liquid and poured some into a glass. He sipped it as he looked at her. The bird that had come into the bed chamber it seemed had talked to her and she had said something back to it in her own language. Would she tell him what it was?

[Rose for the Hunter]

They both nodded and went to the balcony, Seclusion let the bird lead them there watching briefly, before her gaze turned to him. “They’ll be welcomed; they were from our group before the war apparently. Draco will most likely in shocked and those healers and wizards of yours didn’t do half a bad job, but the link was damaged, easily fixed but it happens naturally when we die” she said shaking her head a little.

She turned herself round completely to face him “You really don’t listen much, do you?” she gave a light sigh still debating whether to tell him or not and turned her head to Deadly who sat beside her. “We’ll be staying here for a while, so we might as well introduce ourselves” she said, giving a light sigh she moved bits of hair from her face before Deadly spoke “My given name was Deadly Score, former resident of hell” she said in the polite motherly voice of hers. Seclusion raised her head a little afterwards “My name is Seclusion Ash Soul, or Alma as some might remember… rather few do now days” she said with a laugh.

She noted the dark coloured liquid but did not even wish to know what it was, she soon just decided to settled herself where she could sitting down and grooming her wings, they needed to be cared for otherwise they’d fail her, with bits of leaves and other things within them. Her hand ran over the soft feathers carefully, delicately as if they were made of glass, able to pick out when something was abnormal.

Deadly lay down and stretched beforehand. She flicked her tail a little and rested her head on her paws staying close to Seclusion as usual like a protective mother wolf and their young. She thought a little before she stoped folding her wings and looked to him "Draco.. picked up something within the former captian there. However, we both do not know whether you would find it of any concern." she said, she had stopped snapping at him but still refused to follow orders unless it was to do with her own race.

[questor]

Seclusion and Deadly, now there as a pair of names for sure he thought. Crimson moved forward and laid by Nick's feet and looked over at Deadly. Nick sipped his drink and watched Seclusion pick things out of her wings. "Yes they will do well there, but only because Draco has been given power over the Lesser Demons that dwell there. Oh they will still feel the hatred from the Lesser Demons, the mistrust, because they are different and have been former enemies. Draco has a real chore ahead of him, making them see that he is not their enemy anymore and not their conqurer." he wondered if she would see any simalarities. "But if he is a fair and just leader, yet one that governs with an iron hand, he may begin to win them over."

He moved over to the fire place and threw on some more wood so the fire the other slaves had started would not die out. "We are not much unalike to the humans that originally inhabited this world before our arrival. We are more powerful in some ways, have different laws and traditions but we all seek to make what we can of the world. The Lower demons he now guards only want to live a good life, make a living that lets them enjoy themselves." he chuckled. "Us higher demons though we want power over each other. We keep what we take so to speak."

When she mentioned what news the bird had brought he nodded. "What did he pick up from the former garrison commander?" he asked.

[Rose for the Hunter]

“You really do not listen, Draco Alma, he knows exactly how to deal with those kinds of people, after all some of us were closer to demons, some we almost mistook for demons at times, some were a mix and others were more angelic…” she trailed off flicking her wings a little, she had settled herself in a chair quite contently. Because we are older races does not mean we are more powerful, our bodies have had more time to adapt to the world, to learn through memories how to hunt and fend for ourselves, that does create strength yes, but of a much different kind.” She listened to what he said next with no comment.

She looked up once more her gaze going to the freshly burning fire. “Draco said he picked up a lust for war, bloodshed, he wishes for the treaty to be broken somehow, but in truth we all know that every single race involved is exhusted, the world needs to recover from the battles and bloodshed” she said. The fact they could read into the very depths of someone’s heart, someone’s soul was a talent that was well earned and because of this it was rare for utopians to lie, for in their cities, it was almost impossible to do so. “In other words, you’ll have to be very careful” she stayed in the seat pulling on knee up to her chest again humming softly as she thought, her mind trailing off once more before Deadly gave a light smile hearing the light humming from her companion. She flicked through her small black book finding old legends told throughout the years by the elders, old fables, stories and small events.

She got up getting, going voer to him she kissed his cheek "Thank you, you don't know the extent of what you have done" walking off a little bored after a bit rustling her wings on her back. She thought of going out since there was not much to do in this place, she had explored it enough already, figured out where everything was and even where everyone usually was during certain parts of the day. Deadly nipped her and laughed a little. Seclusion flicked her wing at Deadly playfully.

[questor]

Nick smiled. He had not been wrong about Draco. A born leader and one that would serve him well. What she said about their races were true to some extent. The Demons though they could be killed were stronger then the humans and fiercer in battle. Ever since the gate between the two worlds had been opened the demons had pushed the humans aside taking land, slaves and such. That had been a very long time ago. The gateway to their home world had been closed by the humans that had accidently opened it. They had opened two more gateways hoping to find help and stem the tide of the Demons conquests.

That had been the Angelic race and the Utopians. They had been the mortal enemy of the Demons since time had begun. Between the two worlds of demons and angelics there had been perment gateways and wars had been waged. The Utopians had been a completely different race that neither side had seen before. Both the Angelic and Utopians were stronger more agile and could fly. The battles between demons and angelics had caused great devistation at times and the gateways to all the worlds had been closed, trapping those on the world of the humans.

Each felt that they were superior to the humans but it seemed that he humans had more dealings with the Angelics. They tried to protect the humans from the Demons, where the Utopians seemed to be neutral, until the Old Demon King declared war on them

When she came over and kissed him on the cheek he snapped out of his inherited memories of the past. "Would you care to fly with me about my domain?" he asked her. "It would be something to do and you could see what is mine to control."

[Rose for the Hunter]

She clicked her fingers in front of him a few times before he snapped out of it and crossed her arms over her chest. “Maybe, it would be good to stretch my wings a little more” she said simply. Rustling her hair a little, she closed her red eye. “And most demons, can’t fly, they don’t have wings” she said simply. “So I’m guessing you can fly, otherwise such an offer would be pointless” Deadly listened “At least you’re not biting at his throat” she laughed. “Well, he doesn’t seem as bad as I thought, shows you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover” she said in Galician, her language and Deadly laughed a little. “Oh if only you could have understood her then, you would’ve had a heart attack” she said and Seclusion raised an eyebrow.

“Whenever you’re ready slow coach” she said and sat on the edge of the balcony waiting. She flicked her wings out. “Deadly you want to come?” she asked, shaking her head “I feel like keeping my feet on the ground” she said. “I might even play one of your old ‘games’”
“Oh very funny” she said waiting in silence humming slightly.

She began to think through things, she closed her eyes and thought back, she wondered what had become of their home, most likely in ruins now… It was most likely a forgotten place to, within the human lands, maybe the angelic or demons. She didn’t know where they were now, All the lands had changed now. She did wonder about the treaty though, what were the terms, they had been told nothing of it, most thought they were completely gone. The utopians were a completely neutral race normally; they tried to keep the peace but got dragged into wars.

She snapped out of her thoughts swiftly, she lifted her head a bit hair falling from her eyes over the ivory skin that covered her. “Just a bird…” she muttered.

[questor]

Nick removed his shirt and moved to the balcony he again gritted his teeth, for it was a bit painful when he transformed. His bat like wings with the soft brown feathers on the edges of them emerged from his back. His skin tuned a paler color. His ears became pointed and his nails became like tallons. He cracked his wings as he oppened them up fully, streaching them. "Yes one of only a handfull that have wings." he said.

Jumping up ontot he balcony's railing he leaped into the air, gliding for a moment before using his wings to gain altitude. With powerful strokes of his wings he climbed higher into the sky, looking back to see if Seclution was following. He leveled off and began to glide.

Below Crimson sat on the balcony and watched. "Interesting." he said and then turned to reenter the room. He saw Deadly. "Well now I guess it is going to be a while before they get back. Come on and I will introduce you to the others in the armory." Nick had a number of weapons that had demon souls with in them. Some he had taken from the fallen in the many battles he had been in. It was not good to leave such honored weapons to be taken up and used against the demons.

[Rose for the Hunter]

She looked over her shoulder briefly; his wings were certainly unusual, to her anyway. She waited a little before she stretched her wings standing on the balcony edge and practically jumped from it her wings catching her before she flapped them gaining height easily. “Their certainly different I’ll give you that” she said She followed as he gained height and began to glide.

She stretched her wings out in the sky letting the feathers catch the wind following a little to the side and behind, giving herself enough room for her wings though. She looked below, curious at all she could see remaining silence as she picked up different types of demons, buildings and even some ruins from the war being re-built. "Guess everyone lost a lot, but that is enevtiable after such times" she said.

Deadly nodded a little “Indeed, and I might as well.” She said giving a sigh her tail and ears flicked a little. She was the only weapon that Seclusion had with a demon soul, In fact she was the only one in her companions tribe, as some might call it, that had a demon soul; Others were made the traditional way.
She examined the other weapons, “demons souls weapons, there are certainly a lot, I’m guess you’re his favourite then, considering your always around” she said

[questor]

"I was created for him." Crimson said. These here were made for other Demon Lords that fell in battle. Nick..... Nickodemus brought them from the battlefields to have a home. As you can see there is no door and they are free to wander if they please. But most have gone into a deep sleep until they are required again. I think you know how it is to be away from the one you have been made for. I can only imagine it is not a good feeling.

One of the weapons, a bow, shimmered and became like a small dragon and sat on the perch the bow had been laid upon. It sniffed the air and gave a small screaching sound. "Ahhhhhhhhhhh Sister, you are alive." The little dragon fluttered down to the floor and appoached Deadly. "I thought you lost forever."

In the sky above his domain he turned east flying towards what was considered the neutral lands. An area between Angelic and Demon lands that had been deemed neutral and a buffer zone between the two hereditary enemies. Angelics and Demons as well as humans could enter the lands but could not lay claim to any. One could mine minerals but could not own the mine. Any and all could take from the land what they wanted. For the most part though it was empty of the four races. Only a few humans went in to hunt, trap, and perhaps do some lumbering.

"Yes alot was destroyed and needs to be rebuilt. Back at the castle you said the Captain that Draco replaced wished for war still. I am afraid that that he is not the only one. Some of the council think we should not have ended the war, that we could have won and owned everything. Fools the lot of them. If there is nothing left, what is there to rule." They soon entered the airspace of the netural lands. His Domain boared the humans and the neutral lands. Turning slightly to the north he continued on towards a lone mountain. "Look familar." he asked her.

[Rose for the Hunter]

“True enough I know that feeling, but something felt wrong with who I was made for, I was made for Death himself, but he had no weakness that needed to cover. I am a scythe that was made to defend and protect, not to take lives. Chucked aside after finding that fact up, I was stolen by Seclusion as a rusty old blade… So I have not been away from who I was made for, for very long” she said simply. “Hello, sister… how nice it is to see you once again, how has it been?” she asked.

“I know that, it is quite obvious, but something that needs to be settled, no one would be able to handle anymore fighting.” She said “and that is true, if there is nothing left, there is nothing to rules and it cannot even be called a domain or kingdom” she said simply. She looked towards the neutral lands and followed as he turned north towards a lone mountain. She looked below “Why? Should it” she said, it felt familiar, but she couldn’t exactly remember why, but something was missing from here. Like a puzzle it was missing something great. She spotted something and turned her wings she landed on the earth there and looked around. A settlement had once been here and she searched around for anything that was left of it.

“It feels familiar, what used to be here, answer me” she said demanding he answered her; she wasn’t going to let him go without him giving her an answer. He clearly knew something and that fierceness returned. “These are in the neutral lands correct, what used to be here?”
“Answer!” she demanded looking him straight in the eye. She knew this was a place important to her but something was missing.

[questor]

He followed he down to the ground. "Not this place, but the mountain. Can you see the city at its base." he pointed. One could see the graceful tall cylindars of the city, the soft colors of the stone that made them seem warm and bright in the light of the sun. "It took some doing, but my voice in the treaty negotiations held some weight. There were those of the Demon council that wanted this land as did the Angelics. But it now neutral territory."

He shook his head and wondered if she could truely recgonize the land that was once the Utopians. Their grand city still stood, though damaged and abandoned, from the war. The area they were standing at had been a settlement that had been completely destroyed. He walked over to a statue that had fallen over or perhaps had been knocked over. He squated down and looked at the image of the woman that the statue had been carved to resemble. "One of the nobles of your people I beleive." he ran a hand over the face of it as he closed his eyes.

He slowly opened them and it looked as if he still was hearing something or was focused on something in his mind.

[Rose for the Hunter]

She looked to the crumbled statue and saddened, she remembered who it was and her fingers reached towards it and she traced the face onto it with slender fingers. “Your right, she was a noble… once she was so together, torn apart quickly, she didn’t last long in the war, that was our first queen, after she died another took over. The second one got killed by one of her own, she was destroying us enough”

“And that is understandable, this is where the heart of Utopia is, it’s died though. A precious gem, one of kind if I remember correctly, it is yet to be found though, I can hear it, deep within. No one is ever going to find it, for there will only ever be one way to get the gem” she said almost pleased with that. Something the utopians would be remembered for at least, as long as it was legend it would be fine.

She calmed down, the shock of seeing the once beautiful landscape now in ruins; she hadn’t been hope for so many years, it seemed almost impossible. “This place isn’t half of what it used to be, there used to be festivals around this time of year, such grand festivals for the entire city to enjoy, not just for the rich or poor.” She said and settled herself on the stone wall of a crumbling old well, it seemed bottomless as well. She closed her eyes and everything fell silent, listening. It was so quiet, there really was nothing left now.

[questor]

"Yes she was a good queen from what I have been able to find out." he said with a catch in his voice. He rose quickly from the statue and moved further into the village ruins. "Did you know her?" he asked. It had been a hundred years since the war had begun. Seclusion may have, but then again as she said she had died early on in the war, before the Utopians had been dragged into it.

He took a deep breath as if composing himself before turning to look at Secluion. He had only heard stories of her, well written stories actually. When he was made a general the war had been going on for some time and he had found written documents that had told of her achievements and some of her life, in a village much like what the ruined one they stood in, but it had not been destroyed.

"What was she like?" he asked.

[Rose for the Hunter]

“Of course I knew her, she was beautiful, she was such a fair queen; she could understand the pain of others. The king and queen were opposites but they were still kind.” Closing her eyes she thought back “From what I can remember of her, she used to sing a lot, a sweet voice, resembled her but it never went sad. She was more of the angelic kind of our race though; the king was more of the demonic side.”

“I cannot remember very much of them, it has been so long since I last spoke to her” she tried to recall what she could but could not remember very much at all. “Lots of stories travelled around, I heard a few of them, I used to be a general as well you know and such tales travel fast.”

“The second queen, Pandora was crueller, she drove us to our deaths, can’t believe I was blinded by that” she said laughing. “Oh well, she’s rotting now” she lifted her hand up and a raven landed on it holding an arum lily, pure white but was known as the flower of death, it grew here now. “Hmm, so even the earth has found this dead place.”
She dropped it in the well listening for something but nothing was heard. She gave a light sigh begining to sing softly for all thsoe lost, not just for her race but for the others. She sang sweetly, softly it was almost angelic.

[questor]

That was what he had read from the documents he had managed to find and save. The king was a cruel and hated man. The war had been blamed on him in part for the Utopians. He had been the one that refused to join the Demons in the war with the Angelics, even when such a move would have possibly saved alot more of their race then had. As Seclusion had said he was more demon like then Utopian. It was that reason that lead most to think he would, but for some reason he refused. It was shortly after that that the Utopians was at war with the Demons and the Queen died suddenly. Not much was written about her death, not even how she had died. The King took a second wife that became th queen that had been mostly responsible for the demise of the Utopians. The king fell in battle and she had not been ready to take command.

He went to the well, "It will take time for the land to heal." he told her. He listened to the song she was singing remembering another soft and soothing voice, one with out a face, and one that all to soon went away. Again he closed his eyes and seemed to be in another world of sorts. Opening his eyes, he shook his head to clear it. "The city is virtually untouched. There is some damage but it still stands."

[Rose for the Hunter]

“Half the story is missing from those documents, the second queen, my oldest sibling Pandora, after Draco, was killed through assassination near the end of the war. One of the generals saw through such lies in the end it seems.” She ruffled her wings after she stopped the song noticing he kept going to his won world. “What are you thinking about, you seem to wonder off through thoughts quite often” she said touching his cheek a little to get his attention.

“Anyway, it is never good to dwell in the past, in the end it’ll rot your soul form the inside out, you can only look forward and hope for the best” she said rustling her hair. “Careful not to fall in, you won’t come back up” she said fiddling with an arum lily in her hands once more. It was like a puzzle to her. “They are the colour of innocence yet they are the flower of death, such things are confusing” she said looking at the spiralling petals before dropping it down the well behind her. She stood up and stretched her wings out. “Everything takes time to heal, that is the world and it is also life” she said.

[questor]

To little to late was what Nick tought. Had they gotten rid of the queen earlier they might have been able to do something that would have helped save them. When she asked him about what he was thinking, he shook his head. "Nothing of importance." he told her. What was going on inside his head was something only two people knew. That was him and his father. At the moment it was something that he didn't want his enemies at court to find out about.

He turned his head slightly to look at her. At the moment she was not one that he could trust to keep it quiet. One slip and everything he had built up would fall apart. He looked down at the well and the darkness below. "It goes deep doesn't it he said and smiled. He was wanting to change the subject. "How far do you think the well goes down." He looked back up and towards the city, and the way the land scape was formed.

In the distance he could see the dark specks in the sky. "I think it is time to go. There are Angelics out there and might be heading this way. He gently took her by the arm and lead her out into the open once more. He leaped into the air. He didn't want to meet any of his ancient enemies, even in the neutral zone. It was no time to be goaded into a fight.

[Rose for the Hunter]

The queen they had gotten rid of was the second one, not the first, the second one was corrupt; she was killing them. She was tempted to find out what it was but found it was locked deep inside him. “The well goes right down to the heart of this place, deep into the earth, the heart is dead now though” she said simply noticing him wanting to change the subject.

Lifting her head she spotted pure white souls. “You are right on the one, the angels are coming.” She said. She didn’t pull her arms away this time but still didn’t like getting dragged into the open, spreading her wings she was soon in the air as well. She picked a path “Ahead, four ahead, four behind… how fun” she laughed and took the lead this time remembering the way back, her wings being smaller were a lot swifter, they were faster as well and easier to control.

She stopped briefly turning a little “your slow” she said to him. Hovering in the air, “Another thing, they knew we were there, their eyes aren’t as sensitive but one or two every few centuries can pick up souls, also one more thing, if you’re trying to change subject don’t make it so obvious next time, you clearly have many secrets locked up in your heart, not even I can read them” she said touching his cheek softly her fingers tangled in a bit of his hair as well, giving a light smile.

Moving her hand away quickly she landed back on the balcony folding her wings neatly on her back and lifted her head a little to pick up where Deadly was.

[questor]

Cain followed her back to the castle, leaving the Angelics behind. He imagined they hoped to take him prisoner and find out what he knew of the Demons plans and defenses. A lone Demon was rare and probably would not have been missed. He placed a hand on his cheek where she had touched it and smiled. The harsness in her voice and her manerism had changed greatly in a short time.

Upon his return there was work to be done. He had to hold Judgemental Court as he called it. Cases of misconduct, cimes and things that every Demon Lord had to deal with. "Would you like to come and listen to some criminal cases." At that time Crimson and Deadly along with Soul Weaver came into the room. Soul Weaver rode on the back of Deadly. Nick raised a brow at another weapon being out of the armory. But he then smiled. "Do you think your friend Draco would like or could use something like Soul Weaver. He held out his hand and the little dragon flew to his hand and turned back into the bow.

He handed it to Seclusion. "Seems like Soul Weaver is the sister of Deadly." Crisom spoke up. "They have been catching up while the two of you have been gone."

[Rose for the Hunter]

Deadly looked up and greeted Seclusion by licking her cheek “It’s fine, If I get bored I can find my way there, I just want to check something out in the library” she said “Plus they are all the same, pleading for innocence, even the naked eye can see distiguish the guilty fromt he inoccen, most times” she said simply. It was not that she had changed, it was just another part of her and she had other things to consider on top of that, a home for the remaining was important to keep, even if it was within strange lands far from their home. She thought it better to act more careuly, plus he didn't seem all too bad compared to most. Her race were usually rather accpting of the others, they didn't mind them too much at all until the war started of course. Plus, she'd be here for a while, no point in making life too hard for herself.

“He might, depends on which weapon though, bows is something he needs to work on.” She said rustling her wings. She was becoming more at ease around some of them, but she had noticed one thing within the library, there were record of every demon within his family but his mother, his mother was missing, there was nothing that mentioned her at all. It was something she was curious about now.

She walked out turning her back once more and walked down towards the dusty library and searched again, she was just curious she didn’t read them but it was just odd, she had learnt that they kept records of everyone in their family. “I wonder…” she muttered. “Oh dear, what has she found” said Deadly looking to Soul Weaver, “At least her brother doesn’t get so curious,that he'll wonder off into the abyss and end up nearly killing himself for the sake of an answer.” Seclusion kept many secrets herself, there was so much she hid from others that if people heard them than they would think differently of her, they might understand something better. But she kept it to herself, everyone had their secrets locked away from any prying eyes, but this time she was more curious than ever, it was almsot like a puzzle to her, so many peices were missing.

The pieces she had were; for an enemy he seemed unusually tolerant of her rebellioness beforehand, she had picked up her had a personal reason, not just power for helping the others of her race, even bringing two back form the dead; which had shocked her as well, he had taken her to the ruins and asked her about the queen; specifically about the first queen, there were no records of his mother, everyone else, even him but not his mother. “Maybe…” she didn’t finish her sentence aloud knowing if anyone overheard it would not be good for him and she did of course remember the collar. But there was one mroe thing, he appeared to know mroe about the Utopians than most other demons as well, why though?

[questor]

Seeing the three demon souled weapons together was intresting. Deadly now seemed a bit more friendly with Crimson and Soul Weaver wasthe sister of Deadly. Soul Weaver and Crimson had fought along side each other during the war. Her owner had been killed in a battle to hold a pass against the Angelics. They had in their other forms become close friends. Perhaps Soul Weaver would be the bridge between Deadly and Crimson to help them become friends.

She talked to Deadly a moment and then headed off again. He let hr go for it seemed she had not desire to see crminals punished. He went to his throne room and took his seat on the throne as guards brought in the accused. His Chief Justice, a demon that knew the laws in and out brought the accused to him one at a time and explained what had been done. They stood upon a circle enlaid in the floor, the circle of truth. As each one was questioned about the crime the circle would glow if they lied. The brighter the glow the worse the lie, and only he as a High Demon could see it. Not even the Chief Justice knew what it was. Only he and his healer/wizard knew. For the old demon wizard had created it for him.

The first one to be brought forth was one accused of murder. It was alright for demons to kill each other, but in legal and public duels. It was their way. You kept what you killed. If one killed another demon in a fair fight, then what the loser owned belonged to the winner. This helped keep the demons fit and on their toes, and constantly striving to become better. But if you killed otherwise it was considered murder and you would be prosacuted. In this case the demon contended that he had been the victim and he only defended himself. There was only a light glow on the circle. He was lieing but probably not about everything. Nick questioned him more telling him he was not telling the complete truth, and implied the punishment that he would recieve if he was found guilty. Finally he confessed that he had goaded the other demon.

Nick leaned back in his thone. The truth had been found out and yes the other demon attacked the one trying to kill him, but only after being driven to it by the survivor. "Ten years in the gold mines." he decreed. It was not death though ten years in the mines were hard and some died there. The rest delt with petty thefts, disputes over land and the like. Some of those that stole had done so to feed their families. Evidently thier landlords had been charging them more for rent then they should have or they had been fired from their jobs because of a differnce in oppinon. Those he felt had been injustly wornged he gave gold to and had his soldiers go arrest the landlords or business owner. They would be jailed until his next court hearing to think over why they had been arrested.

Others though were out right thieves and he sentenced them to death and to have their heads put on sharpened poles and placed in the city's square for all to see.

In the Library there was the book on the kings linage. But no mention of the mother of Nick. It was as if there had been something that the old king had wanted hidden. Hidden behind other books was one that did not look like the others. It was really not a book but a wodden box made to look like one. In it was reports to the old king from spies in the Utopian kingdom that reported the queen was pregnant and had secluded herself at a village for the term of it. More reports of the progress of the term and then the birth. And others of the queen returning to the Utopian city with out a child, claiming that it had died during birth.

One last report was made twenty years later when the war between Angelic and humans had begun. It reported that the Utopian King had in a rage murdered his queen and it had something to do with the birth of the child she had. That it had been made to look as an accident. It had been shortly after that the old Demon King had declared war on the Utopians.

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