The Thorns King's Wife: The trapped bride

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Moriah

Case 571: Erwin Bach, who is accused of first-degree murder in multiple murders, July 17, 2021. According to the police report, the crime scene indicates that the attack was not premeditated, nor is evidence to suggest a link between the victims or a particular method. It seems like they were chosen at random.

Detectives think the attack was caused by something unknown, and anyone could become aggressive because of it.

From the photos of the crime scenes, anyone could come to the same conclusion. The evidence does not support a prior connection to the victims as a mode of operation, plus the suspect was found at the crime scene by the first enforces that arrived. There are even photographs of him with his victims.

“Mm! This doesn't match what the detective thought.” No evidence existed to suggest a prior connection to the victims, despite the suspect's residence being searched. But the suspect's body language says otherwise.

In the first photo, we see this person sitting on the floor, leaning against a wall, watching his work. There are two victims he is looking at. Samantha Crane and her father, John Crane. It is evident from this same photo that the suspect arranged his victims' bodies.

Two naked people are lying on each other's sides with their arms intertwined, facing each other. The arrangement of a father and his daughter in this manner is extremely disturbing. Using only this information, I have to be able to determine what the suspect was thinking.

In the second photo, you can see Sahara Crane, Samantha's mother, and John's wife, in the corner of the room. The victim was fully clothed as she leaned against the wall with her back against it, in the direction of her husband and daughter. Her body was angled. From the position patterns of the victims, I can begin to figure out what they mean to the suspect.

Photos can be found here, showing the suspect's cruelty against John. Compared to the rest of his victims, it is disproportionate. It is a story that is familiar to me. However, authorities need proof and a psychiatric evaluation before they can take any action.

“Carla, come a moment, please,” she is one of my assistants. With this volume of work, I require highly trained staff.

“Doctor Regina, how can I help you?” My name is Moriah, but I prefer to be addressed as Doctor Regina by my staff.

“Thanks, Carla. Schedule an appointment for me with Our Lady of Piety psychiatric hospital for tomorrow at 4 p.m. Instruct the director to arrange a time to meet with patient number 571. Inform him as well that I want him lucid.”

Carla left the office after taking note of everything, and I decided that it was time to head home when the clock struck seven in the afternoon.

After calling a taxi, I went to the lobby of the building. Since driving in this city is very complicated, I've decided not to add any further complications to my life. I have my office on Victoria Street. This area is one of the busiest and most sought-after areas of Westminster.

I was received by the doorman arriving at my residence, who had opened the door for me. Ronald knew my routine. “Thank you, have a nice afternoon.” I thanked him and continued on my way, taking the exclusive penthouse elevator, my father and I owned it. Besides myself, he was highly regarded as a psychiatrist. There, I acquired the tools necessary to become number one in the country. Competition makes it hard to stay on top. However, here I am.

When I arrived at my house, I went to my room. I am so exhausted that I only want to eat something and sleep, so I will do that. After changing my clothes, I went to the kitchen. I always have food in the refrigerator, but I am not suited to cooking. It is best to reheat the packet and voilà, that has always been the case and, as far as I can tell, it will remain that way.

While I was eating, I looked around, wondering about my life. Every so often when I enter my place, I regret not having a love life, and I know I am the one who has to deal with it. For me, it has been impossible to distinguish between the professional and feminine aspects of myself. I frequently wonder if I even possess a feminine side. My training has helped me become a thinking and analytical machine. I didn’t realize that by putting so much pressure on myself, I was killing another part of me.

Although I don't regret it, my father has been my only family. I believe he has also experienced the same thing as I have. It is impossible for us to maintain a loving relationship beyond a few dates. For my father, the pregnancy of my mother was a blessing. She left me in his care even though she didn't mean to contact him, like she was taking revenge on him, dumping me in his arms.

I'm not aware of what my father said or did to her, but he never wanted to tell me. He was fortunate to have a very life-conscious child. I did not need the attention and affection that other children received from their parents. Or so I thought. Taking care of a child was unknown to my father, of course. Now that he is retired, he has decided to move to France. What is it about France? It's just a country like any other to live in.

I woke up the next day very early, six in the morning to be precise, my usual time is seven in the morning, with my mood a bit strangely upset for some reason. No matter how much I review what I did or what I stopped doing, everything seemed fine. I am a person of habits and rules, so this unusual behaviour of mine does not make sense. Unless the changes are planned, there is no room for this.

But, above all, I was thinking of the suspect who will be interviewed today. There is no reason to feel nervous about meeting him. He isn't the first or the most dangerous candidate I've looked at. In any case, I will put that aside and concentrate on my work today. Not for nothing, I make a lot of money, and the day will get better when I see my bank account with so many zeros. I am a materialist, but I don’t believe in anything else.

As soon as I was ready, I requested a taxi to take me to work. With normal traffic, I am fifteen minutes away. Therefore, if there were no traffic one day, the distance would be extremely short. I've thought about walking, but the city isn't very safe, so I wouldn't risk it because many people's lives depend on me.

As soon as I entered my office, I began checking my pending work because for unknown reasons the random attacks are multiplying. What is happening in this city is unknown to the authorities.

Some say that a new drug has been released on the market that damages users' behaviour to the point of losing their minds. However, no new substances have been found in the attacker's bodies. It has also been suggested that there is a small, rare cult at large. And the most incredible experience I had was when one of my patients said the devil was near. Therefore, the devil is at work.

Over the last 18 months, there have been more crimes of this nature reported to the police. I have to review many cases of this nature with them, suspect number 571 is one of them. The theories are growing, but no one knows why. My morning was spent working with two long-time patients in private sessions. My evaluations of them are frequent, finding out about their schizophrenic tendencies. I need to know if the symptoms have returned and if the therapy kept by treatment and medication is working as it should.

Next, I had lunch with a colleague to discuss one of his cases and then returned to my office. As soon as I arrived, I prepared all my materials for the appointment, and when it was time, I took a taxi to the hospital and told Carla we would meet tomorrow.

Moriah The mental institution It is a place I've visited countless times, however, the security they imposed to let visitors in is simply extreme. Moreover, I'm sure it's easier to leave than to enter this place. Every week, the security guards rotate, and the body scan and identification register are in place. Fortunately, I am not a guest, nor a visitor. For them, it is far worse.

I was let in by the new security guard after he checked every inch of my body. I received a warm welcome from the director personally, who says he enjoys greeting me in person. This situation is more about earning favours or recommendations than anything else from someone like me.

We headed to the high-risk area, found the suspect contained, and the safety protocol was followed.

Erwin Bach, patient 571, 32 years old.

No family.

Multi-homicide suspect.

In this case, the issue is not to prove his guilt, but to determine why he did it, and of course to discover his motive. Individuals of this type are very messy in their actions. The behaviour patterns of these individuals are hard to pinpoint.

“Doctor Carson, any observations or comments in the last few hours?” I asked. Dr Carson reviewed the patient records and found nothing noteworthy. The Interview rooms are places where patients are restricted from head to toe. All kinds of objects are absent from this room, and only two chairs are present, welded to the floor.

Five meters away from the interviewer, the patient sits. Handcuffs are attached to his ankles and anchored to a metal ring on the floor. It is almost impossible to break free. I am accustomed to this type of scene, I have no feelings at all.

When I entered the room, there was only one chair available. Already present, the patient stared at the wall with his head in profile. Observing him, I was able to establish what he was about. His height, weight, skin colour, hair, and eye colour. It appeared that this person didn’t have any symptoms. But something in here was making my hair stand.

I remained silent for a few minutes, observing every move, and as well putting pressure on him. The patient is already in a state of instability. Whenever the reaction comes, I will see it. However, this patient remained motionless, not even blinking. The whole time I watched, but nothing happened. It's similar to a snail leaving its shell in its behaviour. He was a shell, an empty shell. Whether it's true or whether he's faking it, it's time to find out.

With me, I always have my smart digital watch, which is specially designed for Psychiatrists. The sounds on the scale that I use have different frequencies. Depending on where the brain is affected, the patient's reaction is different. This can only be known by trying out various sounds and watching for reactions.

The first sound I released from my scale caused no reaction, so I waited a moment before trying the second. Nothing, so I continued with the seven notes of my scale. At the time of releasing the eighth, the position of the patient remained unchanged, but to my experience level, it was obvious.

He briefly stopped breathing before resuming it. Sweat began to drip from his skin. I haven't seen any movement yet, but there were more than enough signs to distinguish the pathology. In addition to schizophrenia, the patient also suffered from neurotic episodes more likely.

I decide to increase the volume of the Alpha sound, It was then that I noticed the first movement. It seemed he was trying to turn his head towards me as he moved his neck. This gave me everything I needed. This person's diagnosis and possible motives for these crimes. However, my vocation prevented me from retiring as I should have. A vital question for me was whether the patient was able to control his body, even though, psychotic forces were against him.

I could see the subject's head pointing in my direction. At first, his eyes appeared lost, but a flash of unusual brilliance brought them back to life, his pupils completely occupying the iris area. The air caught in my throat, and for the first time in my life, I felt fear.

Although I have seen butchered bodies, and blood everywhere, these eyes have stolen my breath. They are evil.

I turned to the security guy because I needed to see him ready to protect me. But my body was frozen, I couldn't even move an arm. But to my horror, I noted that the guard guy was also unable to move. His face was contorted in panic, and I could see his forehead covered in sweat. Then, I turned my attention to my patience. His all focus was on me now. His wide eyes looked confused as if he knew me from somewhere. We saw each other eye-to-eye, and it seemed as if he was trying to figure out something.

If I didn't know that I was inside a psychiatric facility, I would think I was in the middle of a thunderstorm, as soon as he opened his mouth. His first words felt like lightning.

“You're part of them, aren't you? In the last few years, they have changed their style a lot. Now they send women, which is very unusual.” He said as he looked me up and down.

“You must be powerful, but who are you?”

What does that mean? This is pure gold, and even though I am scared, I can't help but cherish this moment. A case of multiple personalities is extremely rear, could be. I wanted to know if it's some dominant consciousness or personality manifesting. But the words were hard to let them out, so, I was swallowing, summoning all my willpower to talk to this individual.

“Mm! Erwin, this is Dr. Regina. I have a few questions for you. Would you like to talk to me?”

After forming a mocking smile, the patient asked, “Doctor?” His voice entirely changed pitch with each letter. It was unnerving.

I cleared my throat to answer him, “That's right, Erwin. My name is Dr. Regina, and I'm here to help you. Is there anything I can do for you? If so, tell me who you are.”

His mocking smile vanished, and his body start to contort to reach the same level as his head. The sound of bones crunching raked my brain, alerting me to his sudden movement. I started to panic, with an incredible need to flee.

My body incapable to move didn't allow me to stand up, or do anything, so, I remain where I was. With my gaze fixed on those black pools of darkness, I have no choice but to sit in front of him. Furthermore, I felt like they were pulling me in. Then, when I saw deep in them, black clouds spiralling were forming. I felt dizzy, getting lost in them. Suddenly, my consciousness started to fade, and my surroundings turned black.

In the blink of an eye, the darkness dissipated, and my senses returned to normal. I looked all around me, and everything seemed the same. What happened here? The question kept resurfacing in my mind. There cannot be any other explanation for me to experience this, but fatigue, or low sugar. It is why I need to take a break.

I blinked several times to adjust my vision, to regain my composure. Erwin stayed in front of me, still, only his intense gaze swallowing me, following my every move. He is the most terrifying man I have ever seen. My heart was once again shaken by his voice, bringing me to the brink of panic. I stop breathing. His face gave me the impression that realization hit him just right now. As if he just solved the mystery. He smiled at me, and it was a cruel one.

“They chose you even though you are human.”

A human? Then, out of nowhere, I felt my heart in pain, as if pierced by something that anchors around it. I brought my hand to my chest, trying to stop the pain. At that moment, as if my eyes turned inward, my mind saw images of branches twisted piercing my heart. Seconds after, my life was gone, and my heart blackened. I could even hear the tissues being torn. I couldn't breathe.

Suddenly, the mist in the room cleared, and everything was back to normal within seconds. My conscience and body returned as if nothing happened. But my heart never returned to a normal beat. I noticed Erwin was still facing me without moving, with his gaze dark and terrifying, penetrating the depths of my soul. If I were to believe in souls, I would be convinced that he took possession of mine.

Then, without a sound, I jumped up from the chair and left the room as fast as I could.

Moriah

“Doctor Regina, are you listening to me?” The accountant was looking at me, visibly upset with my attitude today. I blinked several times, trying to clarify my thought.

“What did you say, accountant?” I asked as he turned back to his document.

“The taxes for this month have already been paid. There are a few bills that will be collected next month. I want to let you know before you notice an absence at the end of the month.”

“Yes, accountant Sanders, thank you very much. I will consider the use of that money next month.” I turned to look behind him again for a few seconds, before returning my gaze to him. “Thank you for everything,” Sanders replied as he bid farewell.

As he walked out of my office, I followed him with my sight, watching in amazement, and helplessness. Every day I am filled with despair, looking at these things. They are all over the place, and there is nothing I can do to stop this. I don't understand what is going on.

Neither the medicines nor my psychiatric knowledge has stopped or helped me with this huge and terrible problem. I have tried to find a possible solution or explanation for my sudden and unexpected situation, but all the theories I had explored, left me with empty hands.

From the moment I met with patient 571, hallucinations have plagued me. Whenever I encounter someone, I see shadows accompanying them. They can be seen anywhere, including live television, always shadowing someone. There is even more than one per person, and I can't find out why this is. And I can't request help either because I would be ruining my reputation. It is so much my mental state, that I sent some of my patients to other psychiatrists. It is unethical to treat them in my current situation because any mistake could occur. Furthermore, I have also cancelled my upcoming interviews with psychiatric institutions. One of them was with patient 571. I refuse to see him again.

But I have been thinking about the best way to solve this, and there is only one option left, my father. The time has come for me to pay him a visit, and I'm not willing to waste any more time. I am confident that his skills and knowledge will help me find a solution because I'm so desperate. Although he has been retired for more than a decade.

I pick up my phone to call my assistant, and Carla replied immediately, “Yes, Dr. Regina.”

“Please cancel all my appointments for this month, starting right now. I have an emergency trip to take, and I have to leave immediately.”

After a few moments of silence, Carla answered surprised, “Are you certain? Could you please tell me where you are going, in case of an emergency?” Yes, she is right, I would rather not reveal information about my situation, but the responsibility is something I will never escape.

“Okay, Carla, I will go to France. I have something crucial with my father that I need to discuss. I need a one-way ticket today, as I don't know when I will be able to return. Not only that, but I am going to leave everything in your hands. My mobile will be on all the time, so if you require me, call or text me.”

I knew that Carla had many questions, and of course, concerns, yet she did what I asked. After arranging everything in my office, I shut the door. There is no need for them to worry about anything since everything will stay the same. After saying goodbye to all of my employees, I headed home.

At my building, I was greeted by a doorman who opened the door when he saw me, greeting me as usual, without commenting on why I arrived at a different time today. Suddenly, something made me turn around.

Looking behind him, I noticed that he had three shadows across his back. Those things gave me a horrifying feeling that I had never felt before. This felt new, never had I experienced this terrible feeling in their presence until now.

Instantly, I sprinted away, hopped in my elevator, and ascended to my floor. I wanted to stay safe inside my walls, but in two hours, the plane will take off. I cannot waste any more time, and I do have not enough time to pack what I need either. I need to leave. Every hour of the day is busy in London, I need to calculate the time. There's a large and a small suitcase, and whatever I forget or need, I can find in any French store. The house is locked, the taxi is called, and everything is ready.

When I arrived at the airport, I declared my suitcase to the airline, and half an hour later, I was boarding the plane. Getting to the LYS airport in France took us two and a half hours, and from there, to my father’s, which lives in Vienne, in Southeastern France, an hour's drive from the airport.

Already on the road, I noted that the scenery was breathtaking, the whole thing is open country, and I'm here for the second time in my life. Seven years ago, that was a long time ago.

But my attention was drawn to the shadow following the driver as I was trying to admire the scenery. It was immobile for a moment, but out of nowhere, it began releasing smoke. Not only that, it was moving towards me. I shrink on the seat, making myself smaller.

Shadows had kept a strict distance until now. They stayed at the side of their host. Everything has gone from little to more since my situation was getting worse. Initially, they were sensations, then an occasional shadow, then I found them everywhere. As soon as possible, I need to speak to my father about this, he may not have a plausible explanation, but he is the best option, actually, the only one that I have.

After a short time, I could see his house from a distance. It remains the same because my father, like me, is not a big fan of changes. Even though his house is located in the middle of nowhere, it is modern and comfortable. When I arrived at the door, my luggage was left at the entrance by the taxi driver, and he left after I paid him for the trip. Standing in front of my father’s door, several minutes passed before I approached and decided to knock. My goal was to make a story that was a little closer to reality but speaking about smoke and shadows sounds bad. Suddenly, the door opened, and I didn't have to think any more.

Moriah

A suspicious look came across my father's face when he poked his head out.

“Dad, your memory is so bad that you can't remember that you have a daughter? I may have changed, but this much, for you, no longer recognize me? However, I doubt that is the case. Can I come in?” I passed through the door after my dad opened it wide.

“Moriah, it's not that I don't recognize you, or even that I have forgotten about you. But I still find it alarming that you didn't call me to let me know you were coming.”

“I had no time for anything, as you can imagine. My plane ticket was purchased almost three hours ago, and I didn't have your phone number with me. Well, better said, I was too nervous to even think about texting you.”

Then he led me into the living room and told me to make myself comfortable, “I'm going to make some tea,” He said while I was inspecting the surroundings, not noticing any differences from my last visit years ago. This house reveals nothing about its owner's personality. But out of everything, only one photo stood out, so I approached and picked it up. It was a picture of me holding my degree. I graduated from university as a psychiatrist, and that is the first day that I saw him smile.

My father returned a few minutes later with a tray of tea and sandwiches. So, I went back to my seat. He sat in front of me and looked at me intently. Waiting. Despite my efforts, he is the only one who dares to analyze me. It was impossible to refrain from telling him.

“I see that you still can't overcome your obsession with analyzing everything that crosses your path.” My father made a frustrated face.

“That can wait. I have more pressing matters to deal with right now.” My dad narrowed his eyes and waited patiently as I said, “I need your help. It seems like I'm seeing things. The series of events began after I met with a patient in Our Lady of Piety's psychiatric hospital. He is a killer and a very scary one. The interview was to form a diagnosis for the police. In addition to schizophrenia, he suffers from neurotic episodes. But that is all. The strange thing is that he was speaking as if he were from another planet.”

He watched me without any reaction. Anyhow, I continued my story, “After that day, I began experiencing strange sensations, as if I am surrounded by presences. And then, at one point, I started to see things around me. Of course in the beginning I associated it with tiredness and did nothing about it, but the symptoms grew worse. The presence became apparent, now I saw them everywhere, shadows sticking the people.” In an instant, my father put his hand down and angled his entire body towards me. His full attention was focused on me.

“When the shadows appeared, they were sporadic. Each individual is now accompanied by one or more companions. In addition, they were always immobile. Today, for example, the driver who brought me had one of these shadows, but this one was moving toward me.”

My dad began unbuttoning his collar and sleeve, he seemed to be nervous for some reason.

“It seemed as if the substance from which the shadow was forged came to life and moved by itself. It dissolved but never ran out, and the worst part is that it was getting closer to me, something that never happened before. I tried to medicate myself against some issues related to tiredness and insomnia but to no avail.”

I saw my father lean back in the seat and close his eyes, then, he opened them and stared at me. After a pause, he said, “Many years ago, when science was not so developed, and we did not have the current medicines, I had numerous cases like yours. Science and technological advances have led to the replacement of the terms that were historically used to describe these conditions.” I couldn't resist interrupting him.

“What do you mean, Dad?”

As he looked at me sadly, I didn't know how to interpret what he was saying. “It used to be called demonic possession, spiritism, or forces of nature.”

The cup of tea I was holding fell on my legs, fortunately, it was not that hot, and I did not suffer any burns. My dad was there in seconds, “Are you OK, Moriah?” No, nothing is OK. Nevertheless, I nodded to let him know that it was fine. He passed me a cloth, and I tried to dry the tea stain as best I could. My dad returned to his seat and I waited for him to continue.

“The people who used to treat these cases were not doctors from that time, but religious leaders.” I will keep my mind open, these are past events, and I will keep listening.

“Their illnesses were treated with rituals called exorcisms, which were usually performed by a priest and a helper.”

All of this reminded me of the words the patient said to me: “You're part of them, aren't you? In the last few years, they have changed their style a lot. Now they send women, which is very unusual. You must be powerful, but who are you?”

I returned to reality once my father continued to do what he knew. In short, I either became possessed or became the target of some demon.

“Would you say that I am possessed? Am I the victim of a demon? Or am I suffering from a mental health problem?” I hope this trip hasn't been in vain. I know my dad is retired, but he’s not the type to bring up demonic things to justify a pathology.

“I don't know, Moriah; I need to take your vital signs and do a CT scan. We must rule out any physical injury. Able to achieve these results, the next thing will be to discuss some psychological traumas that may have triggered this reaction. Maybe that patient you told me about. There is a possibility that he evokes something in your subconscious.” Yes, that makes more sense.

“For now, pick a room and unpack. The house is yours, I'll see you tomorrow.” He got up and went somewhere in the house. For now, he dismissed me until tomorrow.

At least, I'm glad that I can take this heavy load out of my chest with him.

The rooms facing the front of the house were perfect for me, and I don't need anything else. After unpacking, I decided to inform Carla that I had already arrived. The address and contact information of the house was emailed to her. In the state I'm in, I don't trust myself very much these days. After all that, I took a quick bath and went to bed.

The following morning, I got up and went to the kitchen to eat breakfast. My dad had already prepared it and was reading an article in the newspaper when I said, “Good morning.” As soon as he heard me, he stopped reading and raised his head, letting me know he heard me. When I took a seat and started eating, we remained silent, the way it has always been. It won't change with time or distance. That is, until he spoke, “We have an appointment with the CT scan specialist tomorrow. We will then take blood samples and send them to the laboratory. Is there anything you're unsure of?”

He raised his head to know my answer, and I replied, “No, all is clear. What is the name of the doctor who will be in charge of the results?” My dad nodded his head in understanding.

“He is a colleague of mine. He is still practicing, so don’t worry. In this case, confidentiality is imperative, so I asked him for total discretion. He agreed, there is no need for concern.”

After breakfast, the day passed without incident. I checked my pending emails online to review them and began digging deeper into my medical condition.

Suddenly, I received an email from Our Lady of Piety's psychiatric hospital. My patient 571 has requested that we resume our sessions. My response was that we had only agreed to a police evaluation and nothing more. A report had already been sent to the authorities.

According to the email, the director informs me that the patient has requested my attendance. Not only that but demanding it for some reason as well. There is no explanation for why I need to show up, or why he wants me there. I replied via email, explaining to the director that this is counterproductive since professional ethics may be violated. It is possible to compromise the doctor-patient relationship. There may be something about me that provokes the patient's strange behaviour. Fortunately, the director realized this and gave up. There is something very strange about patient 571. The weird things he told me, and the visions, all began after the interview. And, not only that, but he constantly requests my presence.

I will lose my life, and my career will end if I don't find a solution, and fast. I'm screwed, regardless of the outcome.

The next day, we arrived very early for our appointment with the radiologists. My blood levels were checked first by taking a blood sample, and the scan lasted about forty minutes. My doctor would receive the results immediately, therefore, I can only wait.

Moriah

The specialist called my dad to let him know the results and diagnosis were ready. That same afternoon, Dad scheduled an appointment. I was surprised that all went smoothly because of his contacts, and I admit that it was a quick process. Our meeting with the doctor took place in his office, and I was ready to hear what he has to say.

When we arrived, he shook my dad's hand and introduced himself as Doctor Pasteur. His specialty is very similar to what I do to treat mental disorders, but in his case, he goes for the physiological aspect more than the mental.

Once in the conference room, all my information was displayed on a screen, as he starts explaining. I was told by the doctor that my blood levels were normal and that I was in good health for a person of my age. What confused him next was the third point, “The CT scan we took yesterday showed no abnormalities, except for two areas trying harder than normal.” I knew there would be something wrong. How serious will this be?

“An interesting point, in this case, is that those same areas are not implicated in any mental health issues in your situation, Moriah. In the image, you can see the areas in red that are more prevalent when we have personality disorders. In your case, you don't have activity in that area. Therefore, you're not at risk of dysfunction due to an injury, and there is no indication that this is a mental illness either. In my professional opinion, these visions may have come from other sources.” Yes, it does reassure me.

“However, look at this, these red areas show activity that is above and beyond what is normal for a healthy person. 90% of the activity is found in the anterior cingulate cortex, whereas 80% is located in the visual cortex. Both of these factors contribute to your unusual behaviour. Here there is no disease or sickness implied, just that the brain is working those areas at an exaggerated rate.” I am still unable to figure out the reason for the visions I have.

“Would these areas play any role in schizophrenia and other diseases that result in hallucinations?” I may be able to treat myself successfully if that's the case.

“No, Dr. these areas have nothing to do with hallucinations. Although we are talking about visual areas of the brain, they only transmit information, not generate it.” As I turned to see my father, he was staring at the images without blinking. Based on these results, we don't seem to be able to do much at the moment. Later, I will talk to him about what he thinks.

My father and I headed home after saying goodbye to the doctor. The road was quiet even upon arrival. I don't know where Dad went, and I didn't ask. As for me, I decided to rest in my room, but I was disappointed. Laying on my bed, I was thinking heard in something to do, and with my eyes closed, I search my brain for ideas. I am the number one psychiatrist in the country for a reason, and I know that I will grasp the solution one way or another.

“No one could help you.” WTF, I leaped from the bed and looked around, but there was nothing. The sound was pretty audible, like someone who was with me a second ago. I tried to calm myself down with breathing exercises, since now, is the time to think, not freak out.

After that insidious, and when I calmed myself down, I started to think. The doctor said there is unusual activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, and according to him, that is not the cause of my hallucinations. Individuals' emotional responses are important there, and I think that my father is right. A psychological reaction was triggered in me by Erwin Bach, unconsciously, of course. Even though not everything is his fault, I had a feeling something wasn't right with me before I met him. A little push from him was all he did. Well, in this, case, It's all about controlling my emotions.

Despite sounding simple, I will have to use suppressors to achieve this. Emotions cannot be turned off in the brain at will. But to use them, my body should be in perfect shape, good thing that my blood test was perfect, and the only thing left, was to determine the possible side effects. I would need to research the side effects of beta-blockers if I used them to treat myself.

The voice that I heard before, made me more determined, and I’m not going to waste more time debating it. Using a specific program on my computer, I measured the doses and grams according to my weight and tried several medications. I will start with the three most well—known drugs, those will suit my needs well.

My entire day was spent researching and testing drug dosages using virtual reality. Finding the right formula was getting closer, and my excitement was picking out. But I was distracted by a knock on the door, and without taking my eyes from the screen, I said, “Come in.”

“Moriah,” my dad said.

“What happened?” I was busy looking at the numbers on the data on my computer, but I heard my father's voice beckoning me to leave my study and see what he wanted.

“I know you have a plan, but you should consult me before doing it.”

I am almost there, “Dad, just a second, I'm almost there.” When I checked, the program was 97% done reviewing the data to ensure that the formula was compatible. My screen then showed 100%. “Yes” I turned to see my dad with excitement, “I have it already.”

The moment the results appeared, I handed the computer over to him. I explained it to my dad since he wasn't commenting.

“I will directly target the cingulate cortex so that I am more in control of my emotions. This has yet to be tested, but the variants in the simulator suggest that the effect will be concentrated in this area.”

My father, however, did not say anything. Psychiatrists are usually quite talkative; “do you have something to say to me? Because according to the Dr, I probably had premenstrual syndrome, and nothing else. And how can I be OK if I am going through all this? Can you think of anything that isn't an exorcism, Dad?” My poor father froze when he heard what I told him. Even though I'm right, he doesn't have to pay for my outburst.

“Despite my bitterness, Dad, I am determined to try this new drug. Please let me know what you think. I need your opinion more than anything.”

Dad observed the results after examining them for a while, and then he told me, “It might work. What you did was brilliant and worthy of my daughter. We will follow your lead.” Eventually, I was able to calm my nerves by playing with my stomach. It is an honour to be recognized by my father, one of the greatest psychiatrists of the 20th century.

“Thanks, Dad, I'm very anxious, but I want to start tomorrow. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I experienced a new symptom today.”

“As this disease develops, we must be vigilant,” my dad added. Nevertheless, I need to find out more. It's just the way I am.

“It is interesting that a have to start experiencing voices now. Do you know what I heard? “No one can save you” Can you imagine, Dad?”

My father looked surprised by this, “Moriah, do you know why I retired?” He walked to the chair near the window and contemplated me seriously. He never said it; it was a surprise to me and the entire community of psychiatrists.

Moriah

“I have studied, diagnosed, and cured thousands of patients. However, I failed so many times to treat some conditions, and I realized that some conditions can't be treated by modern medicine.” Modern medicine? Does he mean ancient natural remedies? I waited patiently for him to continue.

“Yesterday, I told you this. You know that not everything can be explained by science. It is impossible to explain everything. We feel the supernatural world, although we cannot see it. Hunches and premonitions are examples.”

I was open-mouthed inside, but I couldn't show disrespect. As a Psychiatrist, I have had the opportunity to work with patients with terrible and remarkable histories. However, I was unable to imagine how fanciful a person who's lost his mind could be. This is not the case with my father, but who knows? He must have understood what I was thinking because he shocked his head. Nevertheless, he continued, “My last case before retiring opened my eyes to all kinds of possibilities. A four-year-old boy was my patient. Nothing much to do there, there was no malice, evil, ulterior motives, nothing. The kid who enjoyed playing with wooden tools.”

The secret of my father's retirement is about to be revealed to me. It's a goldmine for psychiatry. “His father was a carpenter without many resources, but he took good care of his family. Within two blocks of his house, he had a workshop where he worked on whatever clients requested. One day, out of nowhere, the boy attacked his dad with a wood-shaping knife.”

Mm! Although there are few cases of such young children with mental disorders, they do exist. “As he screamed over and over again, he aimed straight for the heart, threatening to send his father to hell. Thereafter, several studies of all kinds were done on that child, and none were omitted. In the morning, the boy was completely healthy and had no memory of the events. When we asked him what those words meant, he didn't know, or remember.” It could have been anything if they didn't find an illness.

“No trace of any substance was found on his body, in case you were wondering.” Yes, true, blood samples must be taken before anything can be done. Nodding my head in acceptance, I agreed.

“Until one day, the father no longer took his son for treatment. It caused me conflict to know that, so I confronted him by asking why he decided not to take his son to treatment any more. As he calmly told me that his son was fine, he offered me the opportunity to see him. I went to the address, the date, and the time he'd given me. The place was the back of a church, where the priest lived. But this one wasn't just any priest. Demonology was one of his specialties, and he had participated in various exorcisms.” All of this was interesting but ridiculous to me at the same time.

“But I will never forget what I saw that day. I won't go into details, but I do want to tell you that there are other entities around us.” I looked into my father's eyes and I saw fear. The silence was no longer an option.

“What are you saying, Father? Are you sharing with me that this is the reason you retired? What a terrible thing, you gave up your passion for that! You helped so many with your knowledge that you should never have given it up.”

What a surprise! Usually, I imagine horrible scenarios that would lead to my father quitting, but this? I don't understand a few things in this world, and this is one of them. My father's voice stopped me in my tracks as I contemplated the terrible mistake my father had made.

“As I experienced it firsthand, you will never completely grasp what I was going through. You have never seen anything like what I saw that day.” I hardly recognize the man who raised me. Psychiatry was his life and his passion. He left everything, including me, for his career. There were times when I questioned whether he remembered me, or not. Days could pass without seeing him. He changed his mind about such a serious matter, it seemed. Okay, there is no turning back.

“I won't say anything else, only that you have to help me in this case.”

“Of course, I'm going to help you, but there are some things that are beyond science.”

∞∞∞

On the next day, my father and I went to the hospital to ask for the formula I developed to treat my symptoms. My dad's job would be to track how my body reacts to the drugs, In addition, to if the symptoms or the drug are affecting me dangerously.

The laboratory received us with extreme efficiency and speed because of who we were. I can open doors for myself anywhere with my credentials, and France is no exception. I am exempt from declaring or explaining things. After we hand over the formula, we were told it would be ready in a week by the pharmacologist. Because it was a new product, the process could not be sped up.

As the week progressed, my symptoms got worse. More shadows were interacting with me. I kept hearing that voice that caused me so much trepidation, reminding me that no one could save me. My father was always around when I was sick with stress, to make sure that I didn't do anything to endanger my health. Because at a certain point, the hallucinations become dangerous, and I was I feared losing my mind to madness.

Many altercations took place during the week, and I spent most of the day locked in my room. It's impossible to look at people without seeing their shadows. Even my dad had shadows. But what I couldn't escape was the voice that was tormenting me day and night. Occasionally, it would talk about how it would come for me soon, that I have no choice, that I’m marked, my destiny.

One of those days, I was relieved to be contacted by the hospital, saying we could pick up the formula. It was my father who did it, my mood was not excellent, and I wanted to avoid the shadows at all costs.

When I had it in my hands, immediately we started the treatment after he arrived with the medicine. As a first step, he took my vital signs, all my body functions must be monitored constantly. My father administered the medication intravenously once the results had been recorded. It is an experimental drug, so I can only guess how long it will take to show results.

On the first day, my symptoms remained the same, I could not detect any changes. During the second day, there was no apparent change either. By the third day, I could tell that the voice was no longer there. It seemed that if things continued as they were, soon all of this would be over. My dad did not leave me even for a moment, so he had to be sure everything was going well.

It had been a week since I started the treatment. Shadows and voices are gone, I can neither see nor hear them. As my spirits recovered, a sense of peace settled over me. I no longer felt the tightness in my chest, as well as the fear caused by that voice, voice. One thing was certain, I was winning the war. I had no idea what I was up against, but I knew I would win. There's no way I'm going down.

Moriah

French vineyards are beautiful, and they have a unique presence. These estates are filled with so much history, and that is why French wines are considered to be the best. Well, not any more, that was before, now I would not neglect the Spanish competition. Mm! Yes, but since we are here, we will enjoy the local treats. A friend of my dad's, who owns this beautiful vineyard, invited us to try his new special line of wine. Am I lucky? Undoubtedly. Monseigneur Aubèrt is one of the most respected winemakers in the region. His wines have achieved wonderful fame and prestige, and I'm here to witness that. The premiere of his new line, the special vintage 2021. By Monsieur Aubèrt, we were introduced to the best wine companies in France. In addition, our surname, Regina, is well-known internationally. Our success is the result of my father and me both working hard. That afternoon was extraordinary. It's been a while since I've had a good time like this. These are the first days of glory after the weeks of terror I endured. I haven't had a hallucination in three weeks. Despite this disease, I was able to fight it. There has been no diagnosis of this as yet. Although I am not sure what may have happened, the doctors who examined me found no abnormalities in me. It's still three months to go until I can claim victory. Relapses are normal but within the norm. But I am healing, and here, in France, was the place for it. I now understand why my father came to this country. Life is beautiful here. While I wandered around admiring the place, I took the opportunity to explore the place after the celebration. Kilometres of vineyards line the landscape. However, something else catches my attention as well. At a distance, several ruins are visible, appearing to be remnants of an old hacienda. My steps led me towards it, so perhaps that place was calling to me. The road was long, and I was the only one around; the few remaining people were still celebrating. But the splendour of those ruins hypnotized me. Immediately, I was drawn to that place. Having walked through the vineyards, I eventually reached the ruins. Standing in front of the ruins, and seeing this structure, the walk was it. Those stones looked ancient, and the structure was fascinating. My finger felt warm upon contact with the surface when I ran it over it. Mm! I found this phenomenon quite strange. As I walked along the wall, I came to a small opening.

The beauty of this place and my curiosity forced me to poke my head in. I couldn't help it, I couldn't let this opportunity pass me by. Furthermore, I managed to sneak through a small gap and looked around me. As I walked forward, I headed towards a hill. I was certain that if I got there, I would be able to see the wonders of this country.

After walking for about ten minutes, I did not realize I had wandered too far. But my reward came when I reached the top of the hill. The view was overwhelming, with green pastures surrounding me. The green was so vivid, that remind me of the hi-tech resolution TV that I have at home; it was so intense that It couldn't be real. There were no dry spots, everything was intense.

Walking down the stairs, my feet began to move on their own, and when I reached the bottom, my heart began to beat faster. My anxiety soared as if something was telling me that I was in danger. Turning from side to side, I noticed that I was the only one in there. I shouldn't be alone in my circumstances.

Even before I realized it, my feet were standing in the centre of the arena. There was an altar in the middle, holding my attention like my body understood what I was doing without my brain’s intervention. I had the urge to go and touch that structure, the altar. I swear that I felt a physical pull towards it. I walked forward, with my arms extended toward the altar as I did so. When I was there, I touched the surface, and my whole body was shocked. Immediately, after I recovered, I noticed something in the centre of it.

It was an embedded dagger, that wasn't there when I saw it for the first time, and its tip pointed upward. My fingers went to it, completely hypnotized by this. I'm not certain how it happened, but my finger started bleeding heavily as if the dagger had stabbed me directly. My complete forearm was dripping blood, bathing the altar surface. When I realized this, I tried to press on the wound, trying to stop it, but it kept gushing out. Suddenly, I felt panic like nothing I'd ever experienced.

I removed my hand from the altar and placed it on my chest, while I began to feel dizzy. It was so bad that my consciousness started to leave me. My eyes stayed fixed on the altar for a reason, unavailable, to take my eyes off it for even a moment. I had to get out of here before something happened. But the worst part of all this is when the altar started to absorb my blood, which was spilt all over. HOW? What is happening here, what is that?

Have the hallucinations returned? I must go back to my father as soon as possible. As I move, my back touched the wall as I took more steps away from this place. The stone wall that once warmed my fingers, was now icy, frozen. My lungs start hurting, and a cloud of mist rose from the floor of the arena. As the bile rose from my oesophagus, I began to cry as I had never done before. I was terrified because of what I saw, and then something dark took control of me, suffocating me. I reach my neck with my hand, and I felt my life getting shorter, “ba dum, ba dum, ba dum, ba dum”. It was absorbing my vitality, fading me away.

As I slid down the wall onto the floor, I felt even colder. By shrinking as much as I could, I tried to keep what little heat I had. My eyes were closing so fast that it was hard to keep them open. As my lips wouldn't move, I could only think that this was my end, “ba dum, ba dum, ba dum”.

For the last time, I looked at the altar, but something horrible was happening there. The dagger was replaced by an ethereal black mass. I was filled with unimaginable terror, even in my state. What took hold of me, was the smell of rotten meat, dread, and despair. As the black mass grew, it became unstoppable.

Deep inside, in the centre, I could see something shiny. I couldn't make out what it was because my vision was failing me. Suddenly, it began to take shape. There were eyes. My first thought was that this thing was pure evil,

“ba dum ...... ba dum”,“ba dum ...... ba dum”.

Now that the black cloud had dissipated, I could see them better. I blink several times to adjust my vision, and with horror, I noted that they were watching me, penetrating directly into my soul. They were the eyes of devastation. Suddenly, they erupted in fire, consuming everything in their path. An enormous black horse appeared from the mass of black smoke. In the air, ashes flowed from its body. Its legs, which were possibly bigger than my head, gave off flames, as did its eyes. The horses' manes were made of thorns’ branches, and they were moving by themselves. The creature's presence was filling all my senses, replacing my thoughts with their devastating ones.

As the hell beast rose on two legs, it whinnied. There were sharp teeth in its mouth, and a very long tongue protruded from it. My heart stopped completely, I couldn't breathe, and I was dying. Its legs fell back to the ground like an earthquake. It cracks all the surrounding ground. My attention was so absorbed in this creature that I didn't realize there was an even more terrifying one riding it. The creature from the depths of the most corrupt, decadent and deranged mind. A being that could rip your soul right out of your hands. My body could not bear it any more, I was losing the battle, and death was only a few seconds away.

“Ba..dum, ba ...... dum”.

Abysses, darkness, despair, and death were reflected in the eyes of this being. I could also feel how my heartbeats were becoming more distant from each other. My brain was dying due to a lack of oxygen in my body. I could feel death coiling around my neck as my mouth tasted bitter. One more heartbeat,

“ba... ... ... ... dum.”

Thorny branches came out from his back, getting larger and larger. They suddenly attacked me with such speed that my eyes couldn't catch up with it. My body was soaked in blood as they wrapped themselves all over me, tearing my skin, and crushing my bones. I was dragged towards the being by the branches. Almost lifeless before him.

I saw the being looking at me with pleasure and satisfaction. His gaze clarified it. For the last time, I closed my eyes and heard him say, “I told you that nothing could save you, you are the one.”

Moriah

Oh! There is nothing but darkness here, and I feel as if I am floating. When someone dies, do you feel this way? The only thing I know for sure is that I am dead. Strange! There is something in me growing, but I don't recognize what it is. It's not part of me, that's for sure. And now, what's next? I have a conscience, I don't know about my body. What am I now? I opened my eyes, but they were useless, or is there only complete darkness surrounding me? Having them open or closed makes no difference at all. I'll try moving my hand, and I did it. Slowly, I opened and closed my fist, then raised my arm. Apparently, my arms worked well; I then turned my attention to my legs, which moved smoothly.

It will be interesting to see how things go when I sit down. Since everything around me was dark, I had no idea where I was. Until now, I hadn't noticed that. What do I have in front of me? If I'm not careful, I may collide with something.

With my hands, I explored what was in front of me, which looked like it was empty. I sat up, turned to my left and right, and searched for a source of light. I didn't know how big or small this place was. With my hands, I felt the place where I was lying, and it was not fabric. More than anything, it reminds me of the texture of a flower petal; it is soft and delicate, and it also smells like plants. I hadn't noticed that until now. What kind of place will this be? For some reason, despite everything around me being dark, I was not afraid. I felt like I was in a cocoon.

To get an idea of where I am, I touch every surface around me, realizing that I was on a platform or bed, after a while. I approached the end of it carefully. Not only that, but I couldn't reach the bottom sitting on the shore with my feet dangling. Will it be an abyss? Is there a bottom to this? I could venture out and let myself drop, there's only one way to find out, after all, I was already dead. What else do I have to lose? What could happen to me? I hesitated at first, but a few seconds later I took the plunge and BANG!

Not seeing means not knowing what's in front of you. The good news is that I didn't fall very far, I felt like I had fallen out of bed, not very tall, just a few inches. I found myself kneeling on a very strange surface. Luckily, there was no abyss, but I have no idea what I am touching. It was on a damp surface, its smell was strong, it smelled like wet earth, and its texture was soft and cushiony. Where am I?

As I stand, I support my weight on a platform where I woke up. This may be a room or something. Then I tentatively took a few steps forward, stretching my hands to see if there was anything in front of me. Thankfully, I didn't bump into anything, but on the other hand, it meant I was in the middle of nowhere. Changing directions, I walked about twenty steps, each step felt like it was shrinking my lungs, and it was hard to breathe until my hands collided with something.

I immediately moved from there, realizing that I had never touched this wall or barrier before. As warm as it felt, it also felt wet, like condensation on the glass. My breathing was failing, and I had difficulty pulling oxygen into my lungs. Taking several steps back, I moved away from the wall. The further I got away, the faster my breathing returned to normal. As I leaned back on the platform, I closed my eyes out of habit.

Time passed, I don't know how long lying there, I couldn't even dream, I couldn't sleep, anything. I wasn't confident how much time had passed since I appeared here, but my logic told me that it had to be. During this time, I walked from side to side, changing directions when I felt pain in my lungs. It was always a sign that I was approaching the barrier. Additionally, sometimes I felt a forceful presence or sensation exploding in my chest. As it came, so it went. It's not just that, but I couldn't find any explanation or rationale for it.

The platform was the only place where I felt comfortable, I didn't know why. It might have been the soft touch that provided me with some sense of shared experience every time I lay down. It transmitted something to me, and I did the same, so I let the time pass.

Throughout this time, I sensed that something was changing. The sensation hitting me inside from time to time was intensifying. It lasted longer and was more common. There were times when I felt a strange sense of déjà vu. The sound of something tearing inside me as it squeezed me and suffocated me. It felt like it had happened before, but I can't recall where or why. But it was calling to me, I could feel its closeness during this darkness.

I was lying on the platform, caressing the velvet of my bed, and then, something suddenly dragged my attention. I turned around and sat down as if I were looking for something. I saw the barrier clearing to my right. After dwelling in the darkness all this time, I was finally able to see through it.

Moriah

Seeing something after so long in the dark was short-lived. The shape of something immense and terrifying took shape. There was a giant man whose skin was grey, not white like mine. He had a straight, pointed nose; his cheekbones were raised, emphasizing his bone structure; his lips were very thin and of blood-red colour. The hair was long and thick, its colour so black that it blended with the surrounding darkness, and it moved like it had a life of its own. Astonishingly, his eyes were black, elongated, and devoid of iris, reflecting such immense power that my breath was taken away.

A pain doubled over my stomach as I froze; it was the sensation, or the presence, that I felt from time to time. I haven't felt anything else since I woke up here. My forehead started sweating, and I began moaning as if I were tearing inside. As my organs exploded, I screamed heartbreakingly over and over again. While I was in agony, he spoke, “I can make your pain go away, and it's simple.”

I couldn't see anything because my tears kept clouding my eyes, blocking my vision, and all I heard was what he was saying in the distance. Between screams and moans, I manage to say, “How?” As my blood began to come out of my mouth, I began to suffocate. I opened my eyes, and the figure in front of me was blurry and out of focus. Having died before, I have no memory of how that first time felt, but the pain seems the same now.

"All you need to do is ask me for my essence because the humans who come here will suffer forever. You will not only not die, but also live in pain forever if you don't.”

No, no, no! This pain was too terrible to bear for one more second, and I only wanted to end it.

“G-give me-your ess-se-nce.”

Laughing out loud, he approached where I was and told me to extend my arm. I had no strength, but I would rather no longer be in this pain, so I stretched. The being took it delicately and carefully observed my wrist telling me, “After this, I have rights over your soul, I will be your owner, master, and lord. You will reign by my side for eternity since you were the chosen one.”

When he finished, he brought his face close to my arm and bit it. The bite didn't hurt as much as when I started to feel something running through my entire body. I strained my back from the pain, trying to release my arm from his grasp, but he held me even tighter.

Nothing compared to the level of pain I was feeling. I could hear my heartbeat going wild, fast, faster until it stopped. Then I began to feel something taking over my entire body. Throughout all of me, I felt like blood was dripping from my pores. Whatever it was, my body went into convulsions. A wave of heat enveloped me, and my body stopped shaking.

My brain couldn't generate a coherent thought, it was just too much, but out of nowhere, everything ended as it began. I was on the platform, without strength and practically without life. I could only move my eyes, and they opened and closed with difficulty. As I blinked several times to focus my sight, I saw the being in front of me. He was watching me with perverse intentions.

Our eyes collided, and at that moment, I was able to see through him. I opened my eyes wide because my head was going to explode. TERRIFIED Images after image assaulted my senses, it was as if they were drilling my brain. Terror consumed me. “AAAA, AAAAA! Stop it, NOOO! AAAHHH. Please, no more AAAHHHHH.”

The being put his hand on my forehead and everything stopped immediately. There was not a trace of what had happened. My body relaxed, and I was finally able to breathe.

As my brain returned to its normal state, I looked at him and spoke, “Who are you?” My gaze was still on him, waiting for an answer. He looked at me too, and after a few seconds, said, “I am your master and lord, and you are my wife.”

“Wife?” That is my name, then? Having no idea what his name was, I asked him, “And what will I call you?”

He grinned, “I'm your husband, call me, husband.”

Husband? “Why do I have no memory? I just appeared here. I believe I died somehow, do you know something?”

As he grinned, showing those menacing pointy teeth, he said,“You are not dead, but you were about to die, but I saved you before that. In that way, I could only bring you here, to our home.” Saying this, he pointed to everything around us, “my world.” The room where I had been confined was in fact a chamber, not a room. There were glass walls that created the illusion of a barrier. Condensation came out of it, keeping the interior cool. There was moss on the ground, which is why the smell was earthy, and the touch was padded.

Turning to look at the platform I had been sleeping on, I was surprised to see it was a giant red leaf, purple almost, with what looked like velvet on top. While I touched the surface, the small and thin hair covering it was moving as if they were happy to have me touching them.

My husband spoke behind me, “It is your nest, the leaf, and you, share the same life. Its energy was responsible for restoring your body after you almost died, so it was necessary to link you to it.”

I looked at him again, and I asked, “Why have you kept me here so long? Until now, you haven't visited me once. What is the reason?”

As he walked toward me, he said, “You will not be allowed to leave until the ritual has been performed.” I opened my mouth, but everything suddenly went dark, the cloud once again engulfed everything. At that moment, I focused my attention on my husband and watched him fade into thin air, his cold, calculating eyes being the last thing I saw.

“No!” I reached out my arm to stop him, but I only caught smoke that tangled in my fingers.

“Don't leave; come back!”

There was a moment when darkness again surrounded me, everything returned to what it was like before my husband came. I walked to my bed and curled up with my leaf and felt at peace. I stroked its soft texture, comforting myself by taking a deep breath.

Time passed slowly. My only source of enjoyment was walking around the chamber. Although my chest pain was still present, I avoided getting too close to the walls. I no longer remember much of what I had learned, and I had no idea what I was doing. Why was everything so dark? Laying down on my leaf, I rested my head there. For the first time since I've been here, I lost consciousness when I closed my eyes. I found myself floating in nothingness and saw myself from a distance as if my body and consciousness were separated.

I recognized my appearance, I knew it was me. As black as night, my hair was long and lush. I can't remember how it looked before I died. Now, my skin was pale and greyish. I had no idea that my skin was that colour. A black dress covered my body, it was long and magnificent. And a silver tiara adorned my head. I could see my sharp, pointed teeth peeking out from my blood-red lips. Suddenly, I saw myself open my eyes. They were dark, slanted, and empty, that's the impression I got from them.

In an instant, I noticed a shadow approaching my body. I was unprepared in how it approached maliciously. I screamed for attention, but the shadow could not see or hear me, as if I were invisible. My body was attacked by that thing with a lot of power. After it exploded into a thousand pieces, my blood, which was no longer red, but silver, spread throughout space.

After the attack, the shadow began to take shape. Initially, it was unclear what it was, but after some time I was able to clearly see that it was a deformed animal's eye. A dragon was the first word that came to my mind. And in the blink of an eye, these wings began to form on the creature, and its skin was covered in scales.

On the back of his skull, he grew two enormous horns that curled to the tip. The dragon's mouth opened, and he gave a screech of power and evil, which squeezed my heart. Then, he turned his head to where I was and, with a single jump, he launched into the attack. I watched in fear as his jaw opened to swallow me whole. But before anything could happen, my entire body felt an electric shock, which brought me back to reality.

Moriah

I opened my eyes, but I didn't see anything, but I could feel that I was trapped inside my leaf. It whispered to me that I was safe and it would protect me. I leaned my head back on it and turned slightly, kissing my leaf several times, in appreciation. For a while, we stayed like this, until I heard a rumble of thunder. I saw through my leaf a series of flashes around me, and I clung to it tighter.

In utter horror, I yelled, “NO!” as I saw the leaf start to open.

“No, don't.” I held on to the leaf as tightly as I could, digging my nails into its delicate surface.

A terrifying presence appeared once my leaf was fully opened. As I levitated out of her, I felt myself at the mercy of the being in front of me. Then he spoke, “Wife.” His voice was like an earthquake, destroying everything around him, absorbing my senses. I was speechless, I didn't think about anything, and I didn't know whether I was breathing or not.

As he rubbed his hand over my leaf, I felt an electric current going through every artery in my body. Then he said, “I felt your pain.” I stared at him, puzzled until I was able to speak.

“Who are you?” Visibly affected by my question, the being relieved me of the force that had been holding me in place. The fall was cushioned, fortunately, by the floor underneath me. Getting up, I hid behind my leaf.

The terrifying being stared at me with its penetrating eyes, but for some reason, I wasn't afraid as I should. There was something familiar about him like I knew him somehow. His scrutiny made me feel vulnerable, so I reached out to touch my leaf for comfort.

Seeing me about to do this, he sternly exclaimed, “NO!” I immediately shifted my hand toward my chest, as though protecting it from him. Once again, the being touched my leaf, causing energy to flow around it. After a moment, his expression turned into total fury. He let out a terrible roar that caused me to fall to my knees. In an attempt to block out the terrifying sound, I cover my ears with my hands and bring my chin to my chest. However, nothing I could have done would have prevented it.

After a while, the being started roaring again, and two creatures appeared out of nowhere. At first, they appeared to be giant bats, but as I explored them in more detail, I was unsure of what they were. Their appearance was disgusting, as the skin was glued to the bones. Parts were dangling, and their eyes were small and white. At first, their wings were spread out, but now they were enveloping their bodies; their heads were bald, and their ears were long and pointed, one of which was crooked. There was a sulphurous smell to them. I leaned closer to my leaf as their presence gave me chills, needing its protection, the leaf promised.

As they turned their backs on me, my arm was raised to reach my leaf, and when my fingers were almost touching it, I felt a sharp feeling run through my spine, causing me to fall to the floor. As the moss cushioned the blow again, I felt it gather near me, attempting to make a nest for me.

I was lost without the protection of my leaf. Why did these creatures come to interrupt my peace, and why will they be here?

My hands held the moss as tightly as I could. Trying to calm the pain still pulsating in my back, I tried to relax. There was nothing I could do though; that pain anchored me to the ground, so I could not sit up, nor could I move. It was in the next second that the being spoke. His voice was like a roar that cut into my soul.

“Someone did this to her nest.” He pointed at me and said, “It's been cursed, I want their heads. What kind of power would be sufficient to break through my barrier? There is no one more powerful than me! WHO? THEIR HEADS, I WANT.”

One of the unpleasant beings said, “Yes, my Lord, that will be done.” They bowed slightly as they left, just as they had come, out of nowhere.

As they referred to him as Lord, his gaze was fixed on me. Seeing his eyes left me feeling like my veins were prickling with ice. They were spinning, like whirlpools that dragged everything in their path. It was the look of destruction, the preamble to pain.

As he knelt in front of me, he lifted my chin with his pointy nails so that he could see my eyes directly. They were very frightening, so I would rather not look but was forced to comply. He ran his hand down my back and I felt him remove something from me. Then I no longer felt the weight that kept me on the ground after that.

Taking me in his arms, he led me away from the leaf, we walked away, and I began to resist his demand. I need to return to my leaf, but he held me tighter, nullifying me completely. My breath was compromised by how tightly he held me.

In the distance, he rotated his hand towards my leaf, and with a movement, everything began to burn. The fire, upon touching it, I felt it burning directly into my skin.

“AAAAA!” I screamed in pain, my skin was melting together with my leaf. The pain was piercing to the bone. He ignored my yelling over and over, but our pain did not affect him.

As I screamed until my throat was unable to take any more, I felt the agonizing pain dissipate, and the searing heat that had consumed me began to subside. When I raised my head to see, I noticed that my leaf had petrified, it had become stone.

I slipped out of his arms and he did not stop me this time. Standing next to it, I stared at my leaf. My moss had also dried out too. As I cried, I fell to the ground in front of it and unconsciousness overtook me.

Moriah

I started opening my eyes very slowly. Although I wanted to sit down, I was fragile. But immediately, In my mind, I began to see images of what had happened, but nothing was clear, everything was blurry. Even though I don't remember what happened, one thing I was certain of, my leaf was dead.

That evil creature did something unforgivable that not only caused my leaf to burn, but it also caused me to feel it. It was as if I were on fire.

As I was thinking about this, I felt my ankle get tangled in something slimy and felt a stinging sensation. The scream that I was going to give caught in my throat when I saw what it was. As my foot became entangled with a thorny branch, I kicked as hard as I could, but the branches would not let go. After seeing, it was useless, and I was not going to get rid of it, I tried to regain my calm.

But after a while, I watched carefully as the branch tangled and untangled from my ankle at will, as if it had a life and movement of its own. My arm reached out to touch it, but I hesitated right before reaching it. However, I was overcome by curiosity, and I pressed my finger against the surface. I felt energy coursing through my veins and throughout my entire body. As I removed my hand from it, I could still feel the power that was left in my fingers.

Starting at my heel, I watched the branch go down to the ground as I followed its trajectory. A large portion of it lay curled, motionless. Then I continued to follow the path until I saw a giant tree, it was completely covered in thorns.

Unlike the branch attached to the ankle, its thorns were long, powerful, and lethal. I watched it for a long time and noticed its roots protruding from the ground. They were really impressive.

I looked again at the branch that was tangled around my ankle and then, at the tree, and noticed that there was only one branch like mine. Getting off the platform where I woke up, my feet touched the floor and I felt it sink slightly. I paid more attention to them and realized that I was stepping on some kind of mud. The smell was peculiar, it didn't bother me at all, on the contrary, it made me feel good. My heart pounded with excitement as I walked towards the tree, taking small steps. It was as if my whole self were urging me to touch this tree.

So, when I stepped a few centimetres away from it and reached out to it, despite the thorns, I gently stroked it, and the thorns did not hurt me, as did the branch that was holding my ankle.

I felt all the knowledge of the universe at the tips of my fingers, and immense power exploded in me. Despite wanting more, a strange presence caused my branch to detach from my ankle and stand in guardian mode in front of me. All the thorns on the tree pointed in the direction of the presence, larger and sharper than they were at the beginning.

My eyes then fell on the stranger, which gave off an aura of power, betrayal, and death. It's hard to explain, but I sensed how dangerous this creature was, and I knew I must be careful.

The thing was covered from head to toe with a black cape; therefore, the creature could not be seen. However, in the next second, it removed the cover, revealing its face.

“A woman?” I looked at my body and I knew she was a woman, but very different from me, unavailable to determine what she was. Her gaze was fixed on the tree, and I heard and saw gnashing her teeth. Her hatred was palpable, even I could smell it.

She followed the single branch sticking out of the tree, that was right there in front of me, ready to pounce on any hint of provocation. I looked into the woman's eyes, and there was an endless pit of despair and malice, similar to the creature who burned my leaf. When I stepped back, I could hear my tree ordering me to comply. The thorns in the tree trunk opened up, allowing me to enter, and my branch continued to wind in front of the woman.

What does she want from me, and who is she? Why does everything seem to be happening to me? Knowing would make everything easier.

A cruel smile spread across her face when she addressed me, “So you're the chosen one, the one destined to give birth to the invincible army? An insignificant bug was chosen by the Tree of Knowledge. Hahaha! Pathetic human.'' Saying that my branch launched into the attack. The ferocity and strength were so much that it was impossible to distinguish the movements. The woman also surprised me, as she responded with the same speed.

Thunder rumbled through the chamber, and the fight was interrupted by a dense and malignant cloud of black smoke, accompanied by stench and sulphur.

Suddenly, something terrifying emerged from the smoke, and instantly, the fight ended, with the woman falling to her knees with her forehead pressed to the ground.

My branch returned to where I was standing, still watching, on guard. But when the smoke dissipates, I saw his face, it was him! The creature that burned my leaf. I clung tighter to the tree, asking him to help me. That creature could burn us all again, but the tree did nothing, it only transmitted calm to me.

The creature glanced at the tree and me for a few seconds before turning its attention to the woman. She was still motionless on the floor.

The being with a thunderous voice spoke to the woman, “Get up.” She immediately arose, raised her head, and smiled at the being. Compared to all the weird things I had seen up to that point, seeing that smile was unmatched.

The woman approached the being in a flirtatious manner, then kissed him on the cheek, and said, “Dear, seeing you makes my heart incredibly happy. Lately, you haven't been able to give me that pleasure.”

“I have been busy, Rodeath, my dear. What brought you here?”

The woman turned her gaze to me, pointing with the tip of her chin in my direction. The being hardened his gaze and instantly made the air unbearable. It was difficult to breathe. But the tree kept me safe and protected from everything that was happening outside. In response to that, Rodeath stepped back and bowed her head. The place went back to normal immediately after this, and both, the heaviness and shortness of breath were gone.

In response, Rodeath shook her head in my direction, carefully not to look at me, saying, “Apart from that,” She continued, referring to me. “I wanted to share with you that the tribulation games will begin soon. The clans are all ready and the tests are approved, you're the only one missing.”

She approached the being again and gently scratched the surface of his neck with her pointed claws. As smoke exploded from him, Rodeath flew straight into the wall. She stood up as if nothing had happened and the being observed her closely before speaking to her again, “Don't touch me again without my permission, and gather the clan leaders, I have something to announce.”

Rodeath turned to me with contempt but quickly masked it with one of complacency. “Of course my Lord, I will do what you ask, consider it done. When and where would you like the meeting to take place?”

The being looked at me for a brief moment before saying, “Tomorrow at midnight, you shall go now.” Seeing me for the last time, Rodeath nodded, “Yes, master.” Fading into nothingness, she winked at me, disappearing from my sight, leaving me at the attention of the being now. Then he said in my direction, “OUT,” and my thorns began to retract, allowing him to see my body.

My frantic cry of “No! No, don't do it. He will burn us all!” was ignored by the tree, which obeyed its master.

Moriah

Looking around for a way out, I realized I was trapped; the being was in front of me, and I had nowhere to go. When I looked him straight in the eyes, my heart was racing. Once again, I found myself floating, “No, No, No, No!” I tried holding on to the tree, but it appeared to be giving me up to him.

I recognized that my position was hopeless and helpless, and I accepted my faith. When I looked up, and the being was only inches from my face, the smell of this creature was nauseating, and disgusting. The whole place was disgusting. His black eyes were as deep as abysses as he stared intensely at me. As my eyes began to fill with tears, I knew there would be no good coming from this creature. He has only brought me misfortune and pain since we met.

After grabbing my hair and tilting my head back, he approaches his face to my neck. He sniffed it, and then he moved toward my shoulder. My skin felt like it was being penetrated by needles. “AAAA, AA, AAAAA! Don't do it! AAAA, AAAAA!” He bit my skin, and I felt something running through my veins. It was cold, and it made me shiver, but soon after that, my inside began to burn. “Nooo! ARRRR! Oh, no! Stop!” I begged him, with chopped words.

I floated again, wrapped in peace and calm, although the creature's teeth were still embedded in my skin. Then, slowly, he released my shoulder and began to lick my pierced skin.

Taking me in his arms, he led me to the platform and laid me down. With small thorns digging into my skin, the branch stuck to my ankle and began to mix its energy with mine. Suddenly, there was a name for the being; it was my husband, or so he told me. I remember now. What happened to my memory? After a great effort, I said, “Husband.” He smiled triumphantly, running his pointed claws over my arm, leaving thin red marks, “I see you remember me now.” Then he added, “Don't ever forget me again because bringing you back will be more painful.”

As he said that, his claw continued running through my skin, living more red marks. The pressure he put on some was greater than on others.

“You said that you are my husband, but what do you mean, and where is this place?” I thought my body was feeling better, I felt no pain or heaviness, so I carried one, “What does this place mean to me?”

Today, I learned something significant from him, when his eyes start to shine, it is because he is unhappy. I felt like I was nothing as he looked down on me, and dug one of his claws into my leg unexpectedly.

“AAAAA!” My scream caught in my throat, and I choked on my saliva. My husband pulled his claw out of my leg, and I saw and felt a silver liquid oozing from the wound. The branch immediately began injecting its energy, and I watched in horror as the liquid stopped pouring from the wound and the skin began to regenerate. I turned to look at my shoulder and the bite was also gone. I noticed from the corner of my eye how the tree was shining, and suddenly, it stopped. My wounds had been completely healed. Then, I turned my head towards him, and my husband's satisfied expression dismayed me.

“Will you take pleasure in torturing me this way, then fixing me up and repeating it?” I felt his gaze run over my body, finally stopping on my belly. He could do anything to me at any time, so I started shaking, but what he said, paralysed me with fear more than what he did. “You will give me a whole army of daughters and sons.”

I became unconscious when strange energy passed from his hand to my body.

∞∞∞

There was a noise, and I couldn't force myself to move my eyelids. Then I felt someone moving my arm. I managed to open them after a lot of effort, and the first thing I noticed were the branches of the thorny tree. There were many of them, and they had grown considerably. The tree had grown so much that I was unable to see its crown. The branches were so abundant that nothing could enter, creating an unbreakable shadow.

Looking at where it was lying, I noticed that I was inside one of its roots. It looked like a canoe, and inside it was covered in moss. I didn't know where I was, but I knew it was the same tree because the same branch was still tangled around my ankle when I looked down. Everything was still the same, but bigger.

The person next to me cleared his throat to get my attention. But as I turned to see, my face was filled with horror, as I saw this thing next to me with fear. In the image that greeted me, I could see myself dying of a heart attack. It isn't something I had imagined waking up to.

Seeing my face, the creature in front of me hurried to say, “Oh, no! My lady, I'm so sorry, I understand. He ran his hand over his face, and instantly it changed shape—now it was a male face, like mine.

My amazement was still evident as I asked, “Who are you, or rather what are you?” I asked. He smiled faintly and replied after a bow, “I am your assistant, my lady; I am responsible for pleasing you in everything you want, no matter how big or small. I am your humble slave, at your feet.” He raised his head, smiling, then continued, “My master entrusted me with this task, and I assure you that I will not disappoint you.” Something about what he said sounded strange to me. What did he say? “Your master? Who is your master?”

His eyes widened in surprise as he tried to comprehend my question. “My lady, this is not possible. Our master is the king of all this world. He reigns from the darkness. Everyone knows him in this world or in others. To him come all the souls of the damned. He is your husband, my lady.”

“What's with you, my husband? I have no idea who he is; he just told me he was my husband. That's all I know. I don't know his name, I don't know where I am, and I don't understand why this tree is always entangled around my foot.” Almost screaming, I looked at him, “The bad part is that I don't remember anything.” With tears in my eyes, I added, “And the worst part of all is that I don't know who I am.”

Moriah

“You need not worry, my lady, my master knows what he is doing. His wisdom is unsurpassed, and he is the strongest demon around. The king of the underworld possesses the power of the universe, and his reign has been glorious, filled with victories, and compared to the past king, our power has risen to unprecedented levels.”

I couldn't resist asking, “Who was the last king?” In shock, the man in front of me contorted his face.

“Lucifer, my lady, he led the revolt against the heavens with some other rebel generals, and his rule lasted millennia.” Does Lucifer still exist? “Legend has it that the clan representatives were tired of being controlled by Lucifer, who made a pact with God. There is no way to determine what Lucifer agreed to, but he kept us all in the underworld. Unless we are summoned for the living, there is no way out.”

So, am I in the underworld? “This is the underworld?” The man, who still had no name, shook his head from side to side in disbelief, then said, “My lady, the underworld is one of many dimensions. Spirits and souls must redeem themselves by going to this place that was originally meant for demons.”

My face fell, my eyes grew wide, and sweat began to form on my palms. “NO! It's not possible. What can I do? I didn't do anything, help me get out of here.” I was dead, and now, a spirit condemned to suffer forever in this place. I grabbed his arm because my despair overpowered me. He saw what I did, and he unentangled himself from my grip, stepping backwards, as if I was poison. His face was filled with horror. How did things get so bad?

“My lady, don't say that; our future relies on you. A new race of demons will rise to conquer everything; we will be invincible.” His face had returned to normal, as well, as the calm of his features. But observing me with a look of determination, he said with a tone of severity, “There is no time to lose, the council of clans is assembled ready for your presentation. It's time to get you ready.”

As he saw me head to toe, his face became one of surprise, “My lady, how rude of me, I didn't tell you my name, I'm Anton.” After saying it out loud, I realized that I wasn't sure of mine.

“And what is my name?” I asked expectantly. Anton widened his eyes and tilted his head to one side as if he was thinking about what to say. A few seconds later, he said, “You don't yet have a name. Our master will give you one when the ritual is performed. The only one who can tell you everything at the appropriate time is our master.”

When I was about to complain about that silly excuse, he waved his arm and a pond appeared on the ground. There was an unusual colour to the water, it was golden. Anton asked me to get in and submerge myself completely. When Anton's face became impatient, I quickly rushed to follow his instructions. Putting my foot in tentatively, I was surprised by how good it felt. The liquid was viscous and warm. My steps were small, taking one at a time until I hit bottom. It was up to my chest, so with a bit of fear, I went under.

The roots of the tree were circling me and I could feel their presence despite the darkness. Several seconds after being submerged, the liquid began to disappear. Standing in the middle of the empty pond, I looked at my arms, and they shone with a golden colour. My whole body did. That's wonderful! It looked incredible.

As I turned my head to Anton, he looked at me adoringly, and moments later he said, “My lady, you are beautiful; I see why the tree of knowledge chose you. Our future rests on your shoulders.” It was hard for me to understand what he was saying, nothing made sense.

Anton asked me to get out of the pond, and once out, he put on me a black cape, while he was saying, “This cape will protect you from the underworld. Your body is not ready to live here, that's why our Lord has kept you connected to the tree. Until the ritual is performed, you will remain in these walls.”

In the instant that the cape touched my skin, waves of energy surrounded my body. At first, they took the air out of my lungs, but over time, I got used to it, until it became one with me. Then Anton told me that it was about time. He pointed to one of the walls, that was opening from side to side.

A shake of his head signalled me to come out. As I took my first step, I was full of uncertainty and fear. I had no idea what I would find. Just as I turned to go back to the chamber, I felt a sting on my wrist. I immediately turned to see what it was, and a piece of the branch had detached from the tree and formed a prickly shackle.

Initially, the thorns dug painfully into my skin, but after a few seconds, the pain subsided, and I turned to see Anton, who nodded approvingly. I took the next step with more confidence, and after leaving the chamber, I was surprised to see where I was. My husband had me in an underground chamber.

The corridor has lights on both sides of the entrance. I approached one to see more clearly what it was. Immediately, I stepped backwards, colliding with the chamber wall. The entryway had already closed, and with anguish, I knew I couldn't go back inside. An imminent scream escaped my mouth as despair grew in my chest. Anton shielded me with his power, assessing dangers everywhere. In front of me, two figures that, I thought, were torches fell to the ground as a sign of submission.

Anton saw the creatures on the floor and immediately understood the dilemma. He relaxed and removed the power barrier that he had created around me. At my feet, the creatures were motionless, as if they were waiting for me. The only sound I could hear was the erratic sound of my breathing until Anton spoke, “I apologize a thousand times to my lady.” He bowed his head in reverence and continued, “I had not taken the time to explain to you who they are.”

As he continued to apologize, I stared in disbelief at the creatures at my feet. They were living skeletons engulfed in flames, wearing heavy armour and carrying long swords tall as them. Their eyes were two empty sockets, terrifying and imposing. I couldn't determine if they were alive or visions.

Moriah

“My lady, only you have the power to command the guards; they are at your service and will protect you until the end of their existence,” he said with more intensity. I could not take my eyes off those skeletons.

At that moment, I stopped being afraid, and some kind of power surged in me, “Get up.” They immediately obeyed and crossed an arm with their fist on their chest.

“They are recognizing you as their mistress. Only our Master and Lord can counter the order from you, my lady. But we have to go now because for nothing would I leave my master waiting.”

Occasionally, I saw my guards following us. The corridors where Anton led me were dirt tunnels. I saw plant roots sticking out of the ceiling and walls, and rocks and even minerals were embedded everywhere. As we went along, It smelled musty, and as we walked forward, the air began to feel hot. To protect my face from the hot breeze, I fastened the cape more firmly to my body. Anton realized this and with his arm, he formed a barrier around me that I couldn't see, but I felt. My skin immediately becomes normal again.

We continued to walk along the road until we came across a stone door in the distance. It was around the door, divided into two halves. It was also square, and there was no lock. After I looked at Anton questioning the door, he said, “My lady, put your hand in the centre square, and it will open. You are the only one who has the power to open this door. It must only be opened by your hand.” Mm! The door snapped in two when I touched the square centre. The light blinded my eyes, so I closed them for the pain, then opened them again, and little by little they adjusted to it.

As I approached the white stone corridor, several fire skeletons were guarding it on either side. When they saw me, they knelt on the ground and bowed. “Get up!” I commanded them without thinking. They all rose and each performed the same ritual with their fist. Anton asked me to continue, and we walked with them, flanking and protecting me from all sides.

Looking at all of them, gave me a bad feeling. Why would I need so much security? Anton didn't tell me the danger I would face, but instinctively, my hands began to sweat; this underworld was not a normal place. There were forces that I did not know existed and powers that I had never heard of.

We reached another door, which was made of metal; Anton told me we would have to wait for them to open it.

Them? But before I could ask more, the door opened, and we walked through it, with my guards beside me. This place was entirely different from anything I had seen so far. The space was huge, the floors were the same white stone as when we entered, and the walls were a smoky black, similar to the chamber I awoke in. The ceiling was also smoky, and I noticed that it reeked of sulphur, rottenness, and death, similar to the smell emitted by my husband.

The centre of the room was occupied by two long tables forming a semicircle, and in the middle of the two tables was a space that led to a white stone pedestal with steps.

Looking ahead, I saw something very familiar, thorny branches. Oh! They were like the ones in that room, but they are forming the shape of a gigantic throne.

The thorny branches were strewn everywhere; some were buried in the floor, others in the walls, and some were meandering in the air. All of this was imposing and terrifying.

What is this place? But Anton calling my name dragged my attention from the branches, “My lady, you must give me the cape.” So, I looked at my body and remembered I had an actual cape on, so I removed it and gave it to him.

“Now, my lady, you have to make your way to the pedestal and wait there for our master. You may not get off the pedestal for any reason.” His gaze intensified, and he repeated his instruction with even more gravity: “Do not get off. This is crucial, regardless of what happens, do not get off. You got it, didn't you?“

“Yes,” I understood and nodded in agreement, that wouldn’t be so hard.

I gathered what little courage I had, and I walked slowly towards the throne of thorns. As I approached it, my blood began to boil, and I felt a lot of pressure in my chest as if my lungs were getting smaller. I could not breathe.

As I turned to look at Anton, I saw his worried expression. But as well, he was encouraging me to go ahead and don't stop.

But the power was overtaking my body quickly, I was sweating profusely, and my eyes were filled with tears. As soon as I tasted blood, I wiped my mouth with my hand, but there was no blood there, but this silver liquid. My head was spinning and I was losing consciousness.

From a distance, I heard Anton say something, but I could not understand it because I was on my knees on the floor. Suddenly, my horrible mental and physical state worsened it, and I realized there was only one thing I could do, reach the pedestal.

The feeling that it was close made me crawl towards it, with my eyes began to fail me. My heart stopped beating because there was no air, and I was dying again. Nevertheless, something encouraged me to take one more step, to exert one more effort.

I touched the pedestal with my fingers, dragging myself towards it until I felt it. My lungs breathed again, and I felt my heartbeat again, as well as my eyes. With tears, I laid my head on the pedestal. But when I could recover a bit, I cursed my existence when I felt various presences enter the chamber. As soon as I got up, I turned around to see what was happening.

The chamber was invaded by seven horrific creatures straight from a horror story. I watched them take their seats at the semi-round table facing the podium and the throne.

As I examined their horrible experiences one by one, I could see the evil intentions behind their eyes, observing me from head to toe. Some of them were pleased, while others couldn't contain their disdain and hatred.

An overwhelming feeling of unimaginable terror engulfed me, and my eyes felt as though they would burst. But the branch latched on me, dug its thorns even deeper, and then I felt something flowing through my veins, annihilating the fear.

The events I was about to experience here weren't something I wish to repeat, ever.

Moriah

As soon as my body returned to normal, another, even more terrifying presence appeared. I turned my gaze from the seven horrible creatures towards the throne, where a dense cloud of burning smoke appeared.

From this cloud emerged the creature that everyone feared, including me. From the incandescent mist appeared my husband's figure, and the other seven creatures knelt before him, touching their foreheads to the ground, shouting and singing something in a foreign language.

An external force pressed on my shoulders, forcing me to my knees until I touched the ground with my forehead. I was unable to resist.

Behind me, I heard the creatures get up and take their seats. The force that was holding me down freed my head, and only then was I able to see intron of me. But my body was still paralysed, on my knees, and I could not get up like the rest.

Without saying anything, my husband sat quietly on his throne of thorns. A branch became entangled in his arm, another in his foot, and one was wrapped around his neck. My curiosity grew as I watched branches meandering around him. It was a vision I will always remember.

In the room, the sound of his voice was like thunder, and immediate silence engulfed the place. No one spoke, not a single sound could be heard. Suddenly, the almighty lord of the underworld called out to the seven chiefs, asking for pledges of loyalty. One by one, the creatures rose and swore eternal fealty to him.

After that, there was silence again, and my husband once more announced, “She is my chosen one. Meet Moriah Regina and pledge loyalty to my house again.” There was silence in the room, but this time with amazement, as all eyes were fixed on me. When I looked at each creature, I saw nothing good; their eyes were filled with death and innumerable pain. I felt like they had deadly intentions. They were going to kill me, and I didn't even know why. I didn't know them.

Another of the seven creatures rose from his chair. This creature had the appearance of a black toad, with his skin looking as if it were filled with liquid. A horizontal line ran from its eye to its nose; its head was covered with three small horns, and its tongue was very long and pointy. As he bowed, he said, “Master and Lord, we do not know whether the prophecy is true. The sister of God, who, in the end, sided with Lucifer, told us this story. We cannot know if it is true that a human would give life to an army of invincible demons that will conquer worlds. And it does not say anything about time and who would be the king of the underworld who would provide the seeds.”

Various creatures were arguing among themselves when my husband raised his hand and the whole room went silent: “Poissonaro, who am I?” Visibly, the creature gulped, and I could see from here that he was in serious trouble.

While the creature lay on its knees, its forehead pressed to the ground, saying, “You are our master and lord, my king and ruler of the underworld, the most powerful demon of all time. The great Armaloth!”

Armaloth! His name is Armaloth. Is he who is the king of the underworld, and the most powerful demon? The Lord of everything? As my thoughts turned in my head continuously, trying to figure out what being a human in this world means, I recall that he said that I was chosen, but by whom and what porpoise?

Suddenly, Armaloth released a tornado of white smoke in Poissonaro; I saw how his skin began to melt and fall apart; the creature remained emotionless, but the thing that fell on his skin must have been extremely painful. Then, he fell to his knees and started to roll from side to side, trying to alleviate the pain. But while he was doing this, all his skin was thrown all over the place, it was disgusting and violent.

After a few minutes, the creature stopped moving, looking like an inflated putrid corpse, scattered on the white ground. The creature was immobile for a few seconds before it got up as if nothing had happened. After taking his seat at the table, he did not speak again.

As Armaloth rose from the throne, branches followed him everywhere, on his way to where I stood. Even in this state, I remembered that every time he is around, my body begins to die. My lungs immediately failed, unable to breathe, my heart weakened, and my mind began to fade.

As my eyes rolled at the back of my skull, Armaloth gently raised my arm, looked at my wrist, and showed it to the seven creatures. In a voice of thunder, he declared: “The tree of knowledge has chosen her, and my Agalariept has made her his mistress. Should anyone question my decision, I would make their filthy bodies part of my Alastor army.” That's the last thing I hear before I pass out.

∞∞∞

Initially, I heard noises and voices far away, but once I regained consciousness, I heard them closer to me. In the end, the pain had gone, and I opened my eyes slowly, realizing with sadness that I was still in the same place: lying on the floor, on the pedestal. The seven creatures were still arguing among themselves when I raised my head to look around me. As Armaloth watched me from his throne, he didn't look away even for a second. I took a deep breath and sat down. Regardless of what they decide, they will let me know one way or another.

Suddenly, a creature with a fearful presence rose from its chair and said, “Lord and Master Armaloth, if this prophecy is true, we believe it. Your decision has been accepted by the representatives of the seven clans, but.” The entire room fell silent, and Armaloth only raised an eyebrow, waiting to hear the rest. “The tribulation games are ready to begin. Each clan's representatives have been trained since birth to fight for the position of Persephone.”

Persephone?

“As representatives of the clans of the underworld, we accept the human as a means of reproduction. But the winner of the tribulation games must receive the title of queen, as dictated by the games, and reign alongside you.”

“Ah! Yes, the games, indeed, Carldeath. I am aware that Rodeath will be the one to represent your Clan, or am I wrong?” The being called Carldeath smiled calculatingly, nodding his head.

“That is true, my master. The strongest and deadliest female demon from the underworld will be representing our Clan in the games.”

“Moriah!” I was shocked to hear his voice calling that name. But he was talking to me, so I slowly rose and responded, “Yes?” It was more of a question than an answer. I looked around at the demons with fear and doubt because they looked at me as if I did something wrong. I turned my fearful gaze to Armaloth and ended with, “Master.” Thinking that that is what they wanted to hear, but the moment I finished speaking, Armaloth rose from the throne with fury in his eyes.

He directed one of the branches filled with thorns in my direction, but I could see with horror that, as it neared me, the branch was becoming a single massive thorn. While I was considering dodging, I remembered Anton's words, telling me to stay on the pedestal despite the consequences.

Moria

Helplessly, I felt the giant thorn pierce my shoulder, sending me flying to the other side of the chamber. As my head collided with the cloud of smoke, I felt my skull explode into pieces. The silver liquid from the wound flowed all over my face when I fell onto the floor. I could feel it flowing from the wound freely. My body lay on the ground, immobile.

Steps began to approach, and my lungs immediately began to fail, making my heart slow. I knew what was happening, Armaloth was close.

I felt how he lifted my lifeless body by my hair, and only my open eyes were conscious. I closed them, waiting for my death. If this is what has to happen for everything to end, so be it.

But none of what I was thinking happened because the giant thorn slipped right out of my body as Armaloth jerked it off me. I felt his face on my neck and heard him sniff it. My lungs weren't working any more, and my heart stopped, with my brain.

Then I was swept up into the arms of this hideous creature and walked to the pedestal. He gently laid my body on the floor as he walked away. As thorny branches emerged from the throne, they entangled themselves around my lifeless body, and the thorns embedded themselves into my skin. But I wasn't present any more.

Then I felt something strange happening. I felt myself evaporate, as I ascended, but my body was not with me, I saw myself floating above it. Despite that, I did not give a damn about what I was leaving behind. All I cared about was rising.

I opened my arms wide and all the black smoke that was in my way slowly dispersed. I saw everything in slow motion, my movements were slow, even for my eyes. When I finished opening them completely, what I saw after that filled my being with unimaginable joy and happiness.

My journey toward eternal peace was waiting for me. Thinking that, I heard a roar, shocking the world behind me. However, I had a goal, and that was to get on that path.

“NOOOOOOOO!” I turned my head to see what was happening, but then, I felt something holding me down. Whatever that is, was stopping me from floating away, free, towards eternal peace. I saw something tangle around my waist, and I tried to shake it off. As I watched it fall to the ground, I immediately felt another one take its place, and then another. The thing was dragging me down, but my purpose was to go up, to go to the place I wanted. So, I resumed my strength, and managed to get rid of each thing until I reached the last one that had me attached; once I did, I felt free again.

Then, I felt a black whirlpool enveloping me while I was trying to continue my way towards that path. But strong winds were making it impossible for me to get there. Even though the wind was dragging me down, I had to achieve it at all costs because my target was at my fingertips.

I stretched my arms to reach it, to touch it, but I couldn’t because the black tornado was stronger than me, and it was useless.

I was dragged down, and I watched in a panic how the path disappeared in front of me, and the black clouds that surrounded me were so powerful, that made the whole place shake.

When I felt claws grasping me, I was pushed down to the ground, and with one blow, I fell where I had left my body. As soon as I touched it, it sucked me in, and we became one again. I instinctively opened my mouth and gulped air, then I opened my eyes, and what I first saw, were those unforgivable eyes.

He gritted his teeth and rubbed his pointy nail all over my face while lightly pressing.

“WHO AM I TO YOU? ANSWER,” I was frozen for a moment, trying to understand what he was saying because my brain was a mess. But then I remember, and the intense fear forced the words out of me, “My hu-sb-an-d.”

“Yes, I am your lord or master, Lord, owner, but you will answer to me as your husband, did you understand?” With wide eyes, I nodded, and the look of fury on his face when he heard me immediately vanished, then he stroked my hair briefly, with devotion, before standing up.

After returning to his throne, he was immediately enveloped in branches. Nobody spoke, and the tension between them was asphyxiating, until Armaloth said, “So be it, leaders of the seven clans. The winner of the tribulation games will be named Persephone.”

All the demons present screamed in joy, celebrating their success. Armaloth stared intensely at me, and the ground started to melt. I felt myself being absorbed by the floor, little by little, until I saw the ground close in my face, trapping me inside, and then everything went black.

∞∞∞

A while later, I found myself lying in the bed that the roots had made for me. The branches were encircling me, brushing my entire body. I glanced down and saw that one of them had become tangled at my ankle, as always.

When I turned to see the tree, everything was the same, so I decided to tour the place and got up. There was not much to do anyway, but to keep walking around.

Meditating while walking, I figured only one thing, the feeling that I had was that I was being a caged animal.

As time passed, my mind became blank. I had forgotten everything I had known and thought about before. Something was causing my mind to reset, but the only thing in my mind was Armaloth's words, telling me not to forget something, but what? So, I repeated his name and what he is to me over and over, until it all lost its meaning. But then, I heard a noise behind me, making me turn around in an uninterested manner to see what it was.

It surprises me to see a creature similar to me, and for some reason, seemed somewhat familiar. As if I knew him somehow. He stared at me and understood what was happening.

“Oh! My lady, who has cursed you? All the demons of the underworld know how important you are to us. The relics have chosen you and declared you the mother of the future. The demon who created the curse will need to die or give up his powers to the tree of knowledge before your mind will recover. And for a demon, eternal death is preferable to losing powers. I have not known one who has chosen not to die.”

I didn't know what he was talking about, but hey, as long as it doesn't bother me, everything will be fine. I turned my back on him, walking aimlessly in the middle of nowhere, looking at nothing. For me, the only purpose of my existence was to exist, nothing else.

∞∞∞

The man carried on talking and talking, but my mind couldn't care less because I was moving further and further away from the reality in which I was. There was nothing I wanted in life, as I was trapped in my mind.

He would turn to see me periodically, and his perseverance was admirable. I wondered what he was up to when he was still around. Having circled for hours, I sat on my bed and stroked the root, marvelling at how my fingers left a bright trail wherever I touched them. It was entertaining until the creature continued to draw my attention. I could see that it would not give up until I mind him and listened to what he had to say.

I looked at him carefully, and then at my hands, they were the same, something different, but we were the same, so I asked him “What are we? The creature looked at me with dismay. Surely, it was not difficult to answer that question.

“Lady, you belong to a human race, and they do not live in the underworld, only demons do.” He and I are no different.

“You and I are no different, and you said I was human.”

“Oh! My lady, I transformed so as not to scare you as last time. I know that my appearance is not very pleasant to your eyes.” Oh, so his appearance is fake.

“Show me who you are then, as you can see, I have nothing else to do.” The being opened its eyes in surprise, but finally nodded and drew back. A black cloud covered him, and when it dissipated, a disgusting, stinking creature appeared. Deformed and corrupt.

My stomach turned a bit and, surely, my face showed the repulsion that his appearance caused me, and I told him. “You are horrible, and your smell is even worse, go back to how you were before.” I was disappointed to learn that he was entirely different from me and that his beautiful appearance from before was not real.

Armaloth

Moloch, the spy who was tasked with finding those who cursed my wife's nest, appeared before me. “My lord and master, I bring you news.”

This is what I was waiting for, “Speak Moloch.” The spy demon bowed, “My beloved lord and owner. Pursom and I followed the trace of the energy that you detected on my lady's nest. As expected, it was sealed with an enchantment so as not to be traced. It was very difficult to identify it, but with Pursom's life energy, we were able to see through the enchantment.”

Oh! Pursom used his life energy, which means he is dead now. Too bad, I will not be able to use him any more. But on second thought, I need at my service demons like him. His ability, along with Moloch's, will make a good front for discovering the traitors. I know that it is not only a demon, but an insurgent movement in my domain, trying to gain power.

I opened the portal of eternal souls, and my thought invoked Pursom. Only I, the king of the underworld, have the power to resurrect eternally dead demons’ souls.

At my feet, Pursom was thrown, wrapped in a slimy cocoon. This is how the demons that are brought to life by the king return to the underworld. Moloch, seeing this, dropped to the floor on his knees and touched the floor with his forehead. Among demons, there is no love, but I understand that they have always been a good team, and it is difficult to find an efficient replacement these days.

Pursom broke the cocoon and slowly stretched out, his wings spread the full length and the energy he sacrificed returned to him. He opened his eyes, and knowing what had happened, he knelt before me. “My lord and master, owner of my destiny, I offer myself as a sacrifice to the great Armaloth. My energy and life are yours.”

I waved my hand to sign that it was enough. The two got up and Moloch started to speak again, “After the seal was broken, we discovered that the curse came from an ancient being. This only could mean one of the seven beasts did it. So we investigated further. The kind of curse planted in our lady's nest has the scent of Draco, the soul eater.”

“ARRRRRRRRRR!” The walls and floor of the throne chamber trembled under my force. For minutes, the room shook without being able to stop. There was enough energy in my fingertip to destroy the entire place.

Moloch and Pursom, came out of the rubble. Around me, was my energy, protecting me and ready to attack. But after a while, my power subsided, and I saw my subjects kneeling on the ground, waiting for my instructions. “What else?” Pursom was the one who spoke this time. “My lord and master, we know that Draco is a lonely demon, and acts only for his benefit. He has never allied himself with another demonic beast or clan, even the celestial ones.”

Yes, I have learned that Draco is nobody's puppet, his strength alone is enough even to defeat the king of the underworld. “But it is definitely his energy. The seven beasts are the only ones strong enough to counteract your power, my master. In this case, Draco is the only one with the answers we seek.” It seems the way to go. Draco will give me the answers I'm looking for.

“Request an audience with Draco, and immediately let me know,” The two demons gulped nervously. Sending them to Draco is a suicide, but their lives are mine. “NOW” I command them.

The two demons disappeared at my demand. I have suspicions of who could be behind this, but I also have to know if there are more involved. It would be a mistake to leave traitors alive in my reign. Something priceless was in danger, and nothing could stop me from protecting her, my wife, the future mother of my invincible army, Moriah.

Within seconds of requesting Anton's presence in the throne chamber, the demon materialized. He touched the ground with his forehead and said, “My Lord and Master, command me.” I watched him coldly. His energy was mixed with my wife’s, but I felt something different. Hers was mutating.

“Give me your report.” Anton rose from the ground and bowed. “My lord and master, my lady is not well. Her energy is corrupting with each passing minute. Everything starts anew when she wakes up. She has no memory, and her consciousness is dying along with her humanity. The curse will consume my lady's whole being in a short period; we are unsure of how she will fare if that occurs.”

I gritted my teeth so hard that sparks flew out of my mouth. My fists formed black holes unconsciously; if I didn't stop now, the whole underworld would be sucked into them. I held the energy and saw my servant lying on the floor with his claws buried in the ground, anchoring his body. He was about to be swallowed by the black hole. The skin on his body was torn away.

Without wasting more time, I was transported to my wife's chamber, and my thoughts drifted to her. I will spend my eternity with her, creating our army of invincible demons. We will rule the world, and my reign will be known as the reign of eternal death.

When I reached her, she was walking from one side to the other. My presence continues to harm her body, even though my wife voluntarily accepted my poison, which must have created a vaccine against death. It should make her mind and body accept my presence without harming her. But the curse ruined everything, and it is causing a rejection reaction towards me. The closer I get to her, the more she will begin to deteriorate, and my plan to dominate the world will crumble. If I copulate with her, my seeds will kill her instantly, so I have no choice but to wait.

From here, I can see how her beautiful face twists in pain. My presence does that. I will remain in the shadows until I destroy the curse. Anton asserted that her conscience was also affected, so if her body survived, her mind would die, leaving behind a useless, empty shell. When I'm around her, I have to be careful not to lose my temper because I forget she's human and has a different body and strength from us. My wife was about to leave me forever, and I swear on behalf of my kingdom that I will not allow this to happen; she is mine, my wife.

Unconsciously, I reached out to touch her and watched furiously as she slumped to the ground. Immediately, I removed my hand and transported myself to the throne room. When Anton saw me, he got on his knees and bowed his head. After passing him, I sat on my throne. “The tribulation games begin today. My wife must be with me. I want the Alastors to be present at all times during the contest, so everyone should know where to stand.” A possible attack on my wife will require me to take additional precautions. “Also, notify the four horsemen and their Agalariept that I want them present.” Anton touched the floor with his head and stood up, “At your orders, my lord, and master.”

As I leaned my head on my throne, the energy of my branches merged with my own, and I also felt Moriah's presence through them. I agree with Anton in what he said, she was losing her humanity and conscience. I could see and feel the emptiness that was forming in her. Only my energy, which was transferred to her through the tree, was keeping her alive, but this was not enough. She would die in the sea of nothingness. This curse needs to be destroyed as soon as possible.

Suddenly, my thoughts were distracted by the presence of someone I knew. Carldeath and Rodeath of the Deathlamb Clan appeared in my chamber. Both of them knelt and touched the ground with their foreheads. I indicated with my hand that they could stand up “My dear sir, my king, greetings” Rodeath said, then it was Carldeath's turn “My lord and master, your humble servant greets you.”

I made a sign with my hand to begin speaking, “Dark lord, the games are ready and we, the seven clans, request your presence as a witness. The participants are ready, and the demons from neighbouring kingdoms have also come to witness the winner of the title of Persephone.”

As Carldeath finished speaking, Rodeath said, “My beloved king, don't worry about who will win, it will certainly be me. The most powerful female demon in the underworld is the best option for you, and our kingdom. Under our reign, the underworld will never be defeated, thanks to the army we will receive from the breeder.”

There was a time when I thought she would be a great choice for me, but not now. But the games must be respected, the clans are essential to keep the demons in check, and I must keep order. Getting up quickly, I said, “Let's go.”

Armaloth

When I left my chamber, I noticed the Alastors were already positioned and following me through the hallways that led to the arena. Once there, I walked to my throne. The branches most always follow me wherever I go. My mighty Agalariept was also by the throne side. The three of us are one entity.

I noticed that my wife had not yet arrived. I contacted Anton, “My Lord, we had a problem when My Lady saw the Alastors. She freaked out, running away from them. So, I had to go after her.” She wakes up every day to a new experience, but that's to be expected in her situation.

Paying attention in front of me, the participants stood in a circle in the centre of the arena. The clan leaders occupied the front row. All sides of the underworld gathered to witness the games, which will determine the underworld's new queen.

Four presences materialized beside me, Death, War, Famine, and Pestilence, and all bowed to me. Nodding my head in acknowledgment, they took their place at my side. They were the horsemen of doom, lethal and immortal. They serve the King of the Underworld, and they will destroy, alongside me, the worlds when the timing is right. But theirs were not the only presence in the room. Finally, my wife arrived.

The reflective cloak was on her. The person wearing it cannot be cursed or affected by demonic energy. I, however, have a different kind of energy. Nothing can keep my power under control, no matter how reflective the surface of the cloak might be.

Her Alastors were flanking her from all directions, and four of them were carrying the transparent box that contained her. This was essential to prevent my power from killing her when she approached me. Additionally, I made sure the thorny branch was latched onto her.

The Alastors placed the box on my right side, and Moriah started to clutch her chest and try to get as far away from me as possible inside the same box, causing my anger to explode. In response to my outburst, all the demons bent down and touched their foreheads to the ground.

I didn't realize that I had released my power. But my energy returned to me as soon as I was able to calm down, and the demons rose their heads, but they were still kneeling. So, I waved my hand for them to stand up, and they did.

Moriah was sweating and holding her chest with her hands, it was rising painfully. I knew that her lungs were failing and that her heart would be next. The crystal box's blocking power increased, and I watched with relief as she regained her skin colour. As I mentioned before, I need to be more careful.

Moriah calmed down after a moment and I saw her turning from side to side with a look of horror and disgust on her face. Although I don't think she finds us attractive, she'll have to adjust.

Turning my attention to the arena, at any moment, the demon of ceremonies will officially announce the start of the games.

They were lined up, facing the crowds. These games are deadly. There will be only one demon left in the end, and the others will perish.

Each clan was represented by one of the seven participants. Rodeath represents the feared Clan Deathlamb, whose reputation is notable for being fearsome and admirable. This clan is capable of killing anything just by their touch. This is a terrifying power, and all members of the clan inherit this ability. However, not all of them have the power to destroy higher-ranking demons. Thus, none of them worries me, for I am King of the Underworld, the most powerful being in the underworld and other words.

Next, Sanloth represents the Lothman clan. A clan that can fill minds with hatred and poison. Demons that have been cursed with this technique will lose their reason for hatred and revenge. Throughout history, this art has murdered entire towns.

The Rottenye clan can rot anything simply by touching it. As they attack, this clan leaves mountains of rotten remains behind. Pestilence is the god that bestowed them with these powers, so they have become invincible. But we will see what Rottenella can do in this case. She is representing her clan in these games.

The Poissonarm clan is represented by Poissona. The art that this clan possesses is very useful and effective. It is one of my favourite weapons against humanity when I am in the mood. The most effective weapon to destroy a kingdom, starting with the ruler, is poison. This, not only, causes physical harm but also weakens the ruler's morale, making them easy prey.

Ridoom, representative of the clan Doomind. I use this ability a lot because it takes the sanity out of beings. It's also one of the funniest weapons against humans. People who lose their sanity and commit disgusting acts against their people are my favourite. Sadly, science has advanced in the area. My wife, for example, she and other people are treating this power with medication and therapy. There is now less fun since they have developed methods that counteract the demonic power because of their intelligence.

Bloodrink clan, one of my favourites, is what humans would call vampires, but it is more complex than that. Drickblood is their champion in these games. Its members are lethal, they feed on the blood of their victims, but they also temporarily acquire their abilities, appearance, or powers. A demon would find that advantageous.

The last clan is Betraynaro, whose representative is Betrayal. Sadly, this clan does not do well at physical combat but does well at manipulating and betraying their enemies. The attackers create doubt in their victims and then manipulate them to kill or betray them. I've used them to end empires as great as Julius Caesar, Henry the Eighth, and even Lucifer himself.

All the demons had their eyes on me, waiting. As if on cue, I waved my hand and the games began.

When the king of the underworld signalled the beginning of the games, the participants were ready, knowing that their lives depended on the outcome. Furthermore, the clan's name and reputation were at stake. But in the benefits, the amount of power that could be accumulated was immense, and none of them wanted to miss out on that chance. It was not the easiest of tests, in this battle, they would need to use their strength and intelligence together. To achieve their goal, in this first part, participants must escape the mythical creature that guards the gates of the underworld. A three-headed animal feared by all demons. Cerberus is the hellhound that no demon dares to confront.

They further claim that a bite will rip through the body and that the daredevil will lose their vital energy, and therefore die, forever. A legend says that Cerberus is the result of a pact that Lucifer made with God, and that is why only the king will be able to deal with this fearsome animal and keep the demonic forces under control. Furthermore, Cerberus craves human flesh, so he prevents not just demons from leaving but also the living from entering, devouring their souls, and making them serve as slaves in the underworld. In all history, there have only been three people who have defeated Cerberus. All participants knew what this meant: either they or everyone else could die inexorably, and only the most intelligent and powerful would survive.

The participants were all transported to the gates of the underworld. Where Cerberus, blessed by the gods with omnipresence, could see everything, and be everywhere simultaneously. As soon as the hell dog detected the energy, it launched an attack.

Drickblood was the first to dodge, due to her vampire strength and speed. She avoided being bitten by the Cerberus by flying over. Ridoom took advantage of this opportunity by striking directly at one of the heads with her power. As the Cerberus roared and jerked, it caused the ground to shake violently and split into two halves. Ridoom lost her balance and was swept off her feet by the incredibly destructive Cerberus waves. Her world was about to crumble under the weight of the giant leg of the animal.

In a flash, the monster turned, forgetting about the demon on the ground. Now, the beast was focused on Rodeath, as she held the animal's tail in her hands, her incantations ringing throughout. But the Cerberus didn’t state still, but attacked, unfortunately for the beast, she managed to escape. However, nothing will stop this beast because it was invincible.

In a swooping flight, Drickblood flew right at the neck of one of the heads, attempting to pierce the skin with her fangs. The Cerberus skin was so hard that nobody could do any damage to it. And most of all, no one was counting on a single drop of blood that the Cerberus spilled, but this was enough. In an instant, immense power exploded within the vampire as the Hell Hound's powers flooded her veins. Even the King could not end Cerberus' reign if the pact wasn't present. She was now, undoubtedly, the most powerful entity among the demons.

As the demon's ambitions merged with the power of the animal, the demon began to transform into the beast itself. It was a deadly, and devastating confrontation between two terrifying beasts from the bowels of hell. As it stared at its opponent, the Cerberus roared until the depths of hell trembled. With a brutal attack, the mythical beast charged at its opponent, who was just as strong and deadly as itself. It was a bloody and brutal battle. Several heads, trying to tear themselves apart, all around shook with every blow and thud of each beast.

Rodeath, Sanloth, Ridoom, Bettra, and Poissona took advantage of the opportunity to escape the battle. As they were about to cross the barrier, the Cerberus noticed it. As it twisted its neck to see the portal, Drickblood took advantage of the distraction and buried the teeth of its three heads in the body of the beast. The mythical animal howled. From its skin, flames sprang up, until the creature faded away until nothing was left. The seemingly invincible hellhound had been defeated.

After falling to the ground, Drickblood began to convulse until her body had returned to its original form. Having regained her senses, she walked towards the portal. The others stood at the entrance, almost in shock at what had happened. They looked at her, terrified. There was no sound until the ceremonial demon appeared and transported everyone back to the arena.

Back at the place where it all began, the king sat on his throne of thorns, coldly, watching the events unfold. His attention was drawn to the clan Bloodrink as they celebrated the champion's victory. The Alastors' army was put on guard by the power that the clan was emitting.

Watching the scene with interest, were the four horsemen of the apocalypse. And the wife of the King of the underworld did not bother with anything.

Upon raising his hand, the ceremonial demon silenced the entire audience. “The champion of these encounters is the clan Bloodrink.” Drikblood had won the test, but what surprised everyone was the announcement that Rottenella, “the representative of the clan Rotteneye, had been found dead. It was confirmed that her life force had been drained, thereby disqualifying the Clan.”

Nobody knew what happened to her, and there is no evidence that the Beast had any connection with her death; the cause of death will be investigated later. The next test could not wait.

The remaining competitors had to retrieve their sword of Damocles which was in the middle of the Acheron River. It is said that the sword is a reminder of how kings are constantly threatened. Symbolizing misfortune and tragedy. It represents the tragic outcomes people will encounter in their quest for power. Constant death is the price of satisfying the greed and hunger of the rulers.

For demons, the Acheron River was one of the most lethal and dangerous places. Throughout history, souls of all times have roamed that river, filled with despair and resentment. Souls trapped in hell are desperate to escape, and the ones who attempt to cross, run the risk of being dragged down with them forever.

The ancient King of the underworld tricked an old hunter by promising him rabbit stew. The old man accepted and followed the ancestral demon. In the end, he caught him forever bypassing the souls of the dead from one side of the river to the other for just two coins.

The ferryman from hell was so pathetic that not even desperate souls wanted him, so he has become the ferryman from the underworld. Passing souls from one side to another since the ancient King of the underworld. After Lucifer tricked him, the ferryman vowed not to allow himself to be played again by one of them, so he has remained silent ever since.

The competitors were transported to the banks of the Acheron River. The place was sinister, and even demons would have been overwhelmed by the poisonous steam coming from the lake. A black substance coated the stones on the riverbank and a decomposing organic material that has been around for millennia.

All the competitors looked at each other at the same time, asking what to do. No one knew exactly how to reach the sword. Sanloth took a step forward and, with a look of confidence and determination on her demonic face, raised her arms and began to cast a spell.

Sanloth, who was one of the most powerful members of her clan, was capable of performing enchantments and unleashing hatred on her victims. The power of this clan was not considered to be feared, but years of practice allowed Sanloth to master this ability, causing harm not only to one victim but to everything around her. Something that the participants present were unaware of.

She conjured her curse with such strength, that all the souls in the rivers began to convulse. The next thing that happened was spectacular. All the contenders started attacking each other. Seeing Rodeath and Bettra engaged in a death struggle, Sanloth looked around with satisfaction. Drickblood had Ridoom sprawling on the ground, holding her neck with her sharp claws, trying to sink her fangs into it.

When Poissona joined the battle against Drickblood, she poked her eyes with her fingers and injected the venom, which rendered her useless. It was alarming to see the ferocity with which those demons fought. Although the Lothman clan was known for its power, Sanloth took it to the extreme. It was greater than she could have ever imagined. It was now her sword, and she would soon have it in her hands.

She launched herself across the river and the souls didn't seem to notice her because they were fighting with one another. Getting to the centre of the river was an uphill battle, but she finally made it. As she looked around, her eyes still focused on how the souls were caught in battle. Before the enchantment loses its power, she must grab the sword and return to the river bank.

She stared at the precious object. There was a glow surrounding it; it was as if the sword were calling to her. Everything around Sanloth faded away; all that was left was the reward.

With her arms outstretched, she launched herself to take it for herself, but before she could touch it, a figure came out of nowhere charging at her. Both, her body, and Bettra's end up in the middle of the river after being dragged. It was a terrible battle between these demons as they plunged into the middle of the raging of souls. As claws and teeth shattered the skin, the battle lasted until the souls around began to notice their presence. These souls were unable to resist the scent of demons, so one by one, they turned toward them. Bettra and Sanloth were still immersed in their battle for the sword, unaware of the thousands of souls surrounding them.

Bettra is shocked, as Sanloth is ripped from her grasp. She turns to see what has happened, and to her horror, she sees a tide of souls ripping through her inert body and dragging her into the depths of eternal despair. Watching the fate of her adversary in terror, the petrified demon did not know that her own would follow the same path. A horde of souls was tearing at her very skin, while she kept her eyes fixed on the butchered body of Sanloth disappearing into the depths.

Pieces ripped from Bettra's body sank along with her dreams of greatness. Where, for all eternity, despair will be their only crown.

Meanwhile, on the surface, Rodeath watched as desperate souls ate the bodies of her adversaries. After being neutralized by Bettra, Rodeath remained on the ground for a few seconds, trying to regain her strength. She watched as the traitorous demon threw herself at the centre of the lake, straight to the sword. She found this to be unacceptable, since her clan was one of the most powerful, along with the clan Bloodrink. Her status as head of the clan would not be the same if she lost to the Betraynaro clan. With the strength left, she invokes the power of death. In a flash of renewed strength, she directed one bolt of power into the sword, which exploded everywhere. The demons Sanloth and Bettra, with their focus on the battle, were not aware that death had come. Rodeath, the demon of death, has cursed them.

Watching from the heights as they were massacred, Rodeath did not waste any more time, took the sword, and returned to the shore, risking that the souls would recover completely and attack her.

Upon reaching it, with the sword in hand, Poissona, Drickblood, and Ridoom, still enraged from the fierce battle, stared at her in astonishment and resentment. As the sword was recovered, the ceremonial demon made its appearance. He transported the remaining competitors to the arena, where the clans eagerly awaited the outcome of this trial.

As the Demon of Ceremonies bowed before the king of the underworld, he began his task. “The Clan Deathlamb won the sword of Damocles.” The Deathlamb clan was chanting and casting incantations in triumph. Any demon who wasn't prepared could be killed in an instant.

But the demon of ceremonies continued, “Sanloth of The Lothman clan, and Bettra of The clan Betraynaro have been disqualified. Their bodies will remain in the river Acheron forever.” There was total silence in the arena. Ending up in the lake of despair was one of the most feared deaths for demons.

A few minutes later, the ceremonial demon announced the last test. They will fight to the death in the final round. This would be the third and last contest in the competition. The arena will be the place where the future Persephone will be crowned. Demons will be limited to using only their demonic powers. They will also have to show their intelligence and strength at the same time.

The place of the confrontation will be sealed by a dome that will contain their powers during the battle. Nobody will be able to enter, and only one will be able to leave. The battle started when Ridoom launched a brutal attack that no one was expecting. She knew her only chance was to attack first and use the other demons as weapons. She targeted Drickblood first; she never saw it coming; she was expecting Rodeath's attack, not others.

Ridoom hit Drickblood on the head while reciting her incantation. Madness took possession of her instantly. Ridoom now controlled her mind and the first order was to attack Rodeath. The vampire's power was incredible, and without further notice, she launched directly at her victim's neck with fangs fanned out, ready to rip.

Rodeath saw her coming, dodging the attack so deftly that Drickblood fell face down to the ground. Ridoom was calculating everything from the line, but she didn't see Poissona stalking her. Drickblood, gave a terrifying scream and jumped up and attacked again. The force of her powers was unexpected. This class of demons is extremely strong, their opponents have few opportunities in close combat.

Rodeath was crushed with the body of the demon, it seemed as if a mountain had fallen on her. The ruthless way in which the vampire attacked had not been seen before. Rodeath tried to get the beast off her back, but could not achieve it. After the vampire dropped her head and pierced the neck of the subdued demon, Rodeath, realized she was near death. But she managed to gather the few powers she had left and completed the enchantment.

Rodeath's power penetrated the vampire's brain, twisting in agony. This was her only chance to escape the vile creature. With a push, Drickblood flew out, falling to the other side of the arena.

Rodeath crawled until she was a good distance from the vampire demon. As the battle unfolded, the Demon King watched from above. And with extreme interest, he watches the members of the Deathlamb, Poissonarm, and Bloodrink clans very closely for a while. This was the outcome of the battles that he was expecting, his infernal royal power gave him an advantage over all other demons because he can see through all.

No one knew or could imagine how powerful the King of the underworld is, so he let them act freely. Very soon everyone would fall, waving his hand, and Alastor immediately heeded his lord's call. The King of the underworld whispered something to him, and the guard nodded his head, and after bowing, he left.

The powerful Armaloth turned to see his wife, who was peacefully asleep in the box. The apathy and disinterest that she showed in everything bothered him unimaginably. The curse was taking root, worried that he didn't know how long his wife will last.

But returning to the battle, Rodeath knew that she had to regain her stolen energy, or everything would be lost. So, she held her head with her two hands and began to shout incantations. She was invoking the power of her ancestors. Meanwhile, Ridoom watches Rodeath summon her power back and decides to give her the final blow before she can recover completely. Her plan was working wonderfully, the most powerful demons were destroying each other.

But she did not see the attack coming from behind. Poissona extended her claws and pierced Ridoom's neck, releasing all the poison that was at her disposal. She was aware that her physique would be compromised by releasing so much of her powers, but this was an opportunity she couldn't pass up. In the midst of Ridoom's convulsions, a stinking green vapour poured from her mouth, and her eyes disintegrated, leaving only the empty sockets behind. When the demon's internal organs exploded, the contents were vomited in the form of black liquid. There was a pool of this substance surrounding the body. These are the rotten organs decomposing because of Poissona’s poison.

The poisonous demon, could not sing victory yet because the two most powerful demons were still alive. And unfortunately, it would take some time for the poison and its powers to be generated again. She has to avoid contact with either of the two remaining opponents. She knew that the vampire and Rodeath were severely injured, but their powers would soon be restored, especially Drickblood, now that Ridoom no longer had control of her mind. So, she decided from a distance, spying on the survivors, hoping not to be noticed by either of them. Wishing more than anything that they would kill each other.

At the other end of the arena, Drickblood was ready. Rodeath's powers could not harm her as intended. After drinking Rodeath's blood and absorbing her powers, she was immune to the demonic arts of the Deathlamb clan. Ultimately, she would have the crown of Persephone, the most powerful vampire ever, and she would not let this golden opportunity slip if she could avoid it.

To defeat Rodeath, the vampire needed more blood, which meant multiplying her power. It was clear to her that her strength was being regrouped and that she would soon be able to fight back. In order for Drickblood to restore her power points, she rebuilt her chakras and allowed her energies to rebalance. Her power flowed like magma through each cell, refilling them. This technique can only be mastered by the best, and it is an exclusive art of the Bloodrink clan.

Now, it was time. She finally opened her eyes, allowing her vampire vision to fill her with every living thing around her. Every particle, even the air itself. Unlimited power was available to her, but she still needed more. It was Poissona who caught her attention and saw how that insignificant demon was hiding, waiting to strike from the back at the right time.

The poisoned heart of Poissona leapt, as she watched Drickblood disappear. Where did she go? She wondered fearfully. It did not take long to find out where she went. From behind her, she felt the vampire grabbing her head and, with a strong pull, the demon exposed her neck.

Poissona tried to escape from the clutches of the bloodsucker, but she was no match for Drickblood's powerful bite. A thousand times she kicked, screamed, scratched, and cursed Drickblood, but it was all in vain. The vampire demon would not let her until she sucks the last of her blood. Drickblood drank poisonous blood from the demon to the end, and then, to finish off, she ripped off Poissona's neck with her teeth. Her head was halfway falling from her body.

With half of her head hanging, Drickblood threw the dead demon's inert body to the ground and watched with satisfaction as it disintegrated.

The vampire realized there was only one more left. She had not only Rodeath's blood but Poissona's as well, so the combined energy of two demons and hers was enough to defeat anyone. So, with determination, she raised her head in Rodeath's direction.

As for Rodeath, she had summoned enough ancient strength to recover from her blood loss. There was nothing that could stop her because she was surrounded by death. Unprepared, Rodeath felt the presence of the vampire; it was different now, more terrifying, and lethal. Why was she able to resurface with such incredible power? It puzzled her. Drickblood's first blow struck her directly in the chest, and she wasn't sure what it was until she saw Drickblood's face in front of hers.

Rodeath jumped back, that little blow couldn't hurt her, she was aware that she had to stay clear of her lethal fangs. The last time she bit her, she lost almost all. She was unable to expose herself to that again, so the strategy was to attack by throwing blows from a distance.

Drickblood was unstoppable, her strength had multiplied, and it seemed that no blow that Rodeath threw at her hurt. She was fighting against an indestructible force. This was not right, she had to think about something, and quickly because her dream of being near to her dear king and amassing immense power together could vanish in a second.

No, she would be Persephone, no one else, “ARGGGGGGG!” With a deafening cry, Rodeath charged forward, asking her ancestors for more strength. She attacked with great fury because she could not lose.

“No! I will not lose,” she repeated over and over again. The blows fell in all directions from the two fearsome demons, tearing pieces of skin flying around in all directions. Rodeath just had to stick her nails in and shout the incantation for Drickblood to die.

There was little left, but Drickblood had other plans. Her strength was unrivalled.

All this time she was only toying with her. Facing someone who defeated the fearsome Cerberus was a fool. Rodeath counterattacked with a kick to the head, but the vampire caught her in mid-air in time. Drickblood lifted the leg into the air and twisted it using her claw strength.

Rodeath's body crashed into a stone wall after being thrown several metres away. A loud crack was heard on impact as the skull broke. She won't be deterred for long by this.

Drickblood didn't wait for a second, as she transported herself to where the demon was lying. She was grabbing her by the neck and lifting her into the air. Her eyes glowed red, hell flames coming out of them. It seems Rodeath underestimated this vampire to a miserable extent. Because death was also on her side.

Rodeath froze when she saw the power this vampire possessed. She turned her sight to her beloved king for the very last time.

The king was watching the outcome intensely, waiting for the moment when the vampire would end one more life.

Rodeath kept her sight on him, as Drickblood tore her body into two pieces with her bare hands. Even the King's wife, in all her apathy, was terrified.

Drickblood tossed Rodeath's lifeless body aside, her face completely covered in the blood of her enemies. Her eyes blazing with the euphoria of battle.

She let out a shout of victory that was followed by her entire clan, her fervour caught even other demons. The victory was hers, the crown was hers, and the power was hers.

Drickblood turned to where the king was, knelt, and put her forehead on the ground, waiting. Armaloth, the great demon lord, rose from his throne and transported himself to where Drickblood was.

In front of her, the king watched her from above. He disliked this creature. Someone with so much power should be eliminated, not rewarded with even more power.

In anticipation, the Bloodrink clan eagerly awaited the moment when their champion would be crowned.

The mighty Lord of Death spoke up, “Raise your head and look at me.” Drickblood immediately obeyed, her eyes still shining with a thirst for blood and power. Now, she was face to face with the king, and in a few more moments, she will be the true wife of Armaloth, the king of the underworld.

She will become Persephone, and regarding the imitation that the king has in that cage, she would find the perfect time to get rid of it.

The omnipotent demon stretched its arms up and commanded the earth to be open. The ground split in two with a deafening roar, and from the centre, a pointy silver object emerged, the crown of Persephone.

The power that was given off by this object was overwhelming.

Everyone present had their attention on the crown. In that memento, near to the throne of thorns, nobody saw either how the king's wife writhed in pain in the crystal box. The coronation was so incredible and majestic, that not even the four horsemen of the apocalypse could look away.

The crown ascended until it reached the hands of the all-powerful king of hell. Once in his hands, he guided it towards the head of the victorious demon.

A new Persephone has been born. The moment the king placed the crown on Drickblood's head, the power of the crown travelled through her entire body, making this new creature’s force terrifying.

All the demons bowed their heads to the new queen. At the same time, the wife of the lord of darkness let out a heart-piercing cry. She felt as if her insides were burning. The pain was terrible, unbearable. Her body and mind succumbed to darkness, driven by despair and usurpation.

Armaloth

“Any news?” I asked Anton, who was kneeling alongside my wife's inert body.

Drickblood is my queen now and since then, Moriah has slipped into a coma ever since I crowned her. No precedent in history tells me what happened or how to solve the problem.

The answer is obvious to me, and I hope I'm wrong. Otherwise, Moriah will stay that way forever.

Seeing me, Anton ducked his head until it touched the ground, then raised it again and answered, “My lord and master, our lady has remained the same. There hasn't been any change.” The condition of my wife has not changed or worsened since the coronation took place a month ago. The woman remains inert as if she were sleeping because her breathing is smooth and steady. The thorny branches surround her, providing energy and keeping her alive. But there is no indication that she is in pain or suffering.

On that day, I felt a stab of pain going through my head from side to side as I was crowning Drickblood in the arena. My eyes immediately shifted to the glass box, where Moriah was lying on her stomach.

As soon as I saw her, I knew there was something wrong, so I left the place and appeared next to her. My first task was to take her out of the glass box, take her to her chamber, and put her into the bed that the roots had built for her.

The tree immediately took her in. Then I looked at the thorny branches wedged around her ankle that protected her. I observed the branch was dry. It struck me hard because this was something of mine, a branch from the tree of knowledge. I put it there to protect her because it was my power.

The only thing I am grateful about is that the branch absorbed the damage that was directed towards my wife. Something so deadly that my own thorny branch became stone. Had this not happened, she would have died. And all this happened because I put the crown on the wrong head. I must retrieve it, and place it in the correct place.

“Anton, I have other important things to attend to,” I told him, and from my being, deadly ripples emanated. Anyone who touched them would die instantly. It was just a warning that if something were to happen to my wife, I would not only throw them into the river of despair but also revive them over and over again.

I ascended into my throne chamber, my thorny branches immediately clasped my body, and I sat in my place. Then, I Invoke my Agalariept.

My beautiful infernal steed appeared before me. With soft steps, he headed towards me and his snout went straight to my neck. My beast rested his head on my shoulder, as his thorny branches twirled and snaked around me. We stayed like this for a while, sharing our energy.

My steed broke away and rose on two legs, whinnying fervently. It was time to take the reins of my Agalariept and ride it.

As I raised my arms above my head, I opened the portal to the world of the seven immortal creatures. The spies I sent never returned, which means the Dragon wants to play.

We crossed the portal, and I focused my energy on the dragon. I transformed into a fireball, crossing the worlds until I reached the dragged mountain. I must drill underground until I reach the centre of the place, where the legendary beast would be resting.

With a massive bang, I rushed to where the dragon was hiding in his cave. The Dragon demon puffed up his nose, and my Agalariept whinnied in warning as he pointed the thorny branches at him. The Dragon smiled at him and laughed out loud when he saw this.

“Boy, how come you're here? What do you want from an ancient dragon like me?” Black holes formed on my fingertips, the whole place began to vibrate, and rocks began to fall on the dragon's head. I would not hesitate to destroy this place at the slightest provocation.

The dragon saw his cave crumble and said, “I was just kidding. Can't the great king of the underworld take a joke?” I still held the power for a while longer, this creature would end up respecting me.

Seeing his cave crumbling, the Dragon got up and said, “Okay, king of the underworld, I think that's enough. Please stop before you leave me homeless.” My gaze was filled with rage and destruction. I vowed, “Even legendary beasts can die.” I closed my hands and the power that circulated in them vanished. I turned my head in the direction of the beast and said, “I know that you put the curse on my wife, what are your motives? But that does not matter much because I will end up condemning your soul to serve me for eternity, Dragon.”

The Dragon demon raised his eyebrows as he replied, “Mighty king of the underworld, it will take a lot of effort for you to defeat me, and if you succeed, your condition will be terrible. I'll remind you that your wife and your new queen are alone in your domain. Unless you act quickly, her power will grow with every passing minute, and if you don't, she will rule the underworld alone.”

“Dragon, despite living in a cave, you know a great deal about the outside world, but tell me, beast, what side are you on?” The ancient creature stared at me for a few seconds, then turned its head and stood up.

As the dragon stepped out of its cave, the mountain foundations trembled with each step he took. The fetid and nauseating stench he expelled through his nose made me feel at home.

He went to where I was. And I marvelled because I had never seen him up close. He is an extremely dangerous dragon, and according to legend, its scales are impenetrable, and no weapon has been able to scratch them. There has been no magic or curse strong enough to harm him.

He stepped on the bones and carcasses of his prey, dragging his tail loosely across the cave floor. He stopped a few inches from me, my steed on guard, my thorny branches ready to strike as well. But the legendary creature laughed in my face, but I let him finish. A moment later, he turned to me and said, “You made me laugh much, boy, it has been millennials since I have been able to laugh like this.”

Mad dragon, I thought. “You have a hornet's nest on your hands, king. None of your clan leaders believes the prophecy, and if they do, they won’t care anyway.” Right, I knew that, but the dragon had a few more things to say.

“Apparently, they're eager to defeat you and rule the underworld themselves. They called themselves the Council of Seven, so I heard. Sounds good, doesn't it? After all, this will make everything easier once there is a queen.”

Armaloth

After hearing that, I gritted my teeth. I had no idea all the clans were conspiring against me. This keeps getting more and more bizarre.

“In all this, what are you going to gain?” I asked him. As the dragon widened his eyes in disbelief, he responded, “Are you kidding me? I confess that I was somewhat bored. Living for so long, and without anything to entertain me, is scary. I have wished for death many times before continuing this boredom.” Damned dragon, he was bored?

“And also, I thought that if I made you come here, I could talk to you about some things that you don't know. Oh, yes, also to give you back this pair of foolish demons.” Using his tail, he pointed to the ceiling of the cave and there were my two spies. They were dangling and tied from the feet, but what can I expect? I snapped my fingers and undid the rope that had them tied, and they both fell to the ground like sacks of bones.

With their foreheads on the ground, they immediately fell to their knees and begged for forgiveness.

My attention was then drawn to the dragon, who was clearly enjoying himself. “Remove the curse from my wife,” I told him.

The ancient creature closed his eyes and opened them again, “Consider it done, Demon King of the underworld.” The dragon demon turned his back on me and went to his cave. But before he disappeared inside, I told him, “I owe you one dragon demon.” The creature puffed smoke from his nose and said, “You owe me a lot, Demon King, you owe me a lot.” With that said, the creature was lost in the darkness.

I raised my arms and opened the portal back to the underworld, and we materialized in the throne room. Upon arrival, I was surprised to find Drickblood there, with a retinue of demons.

Across from my throne of thorns stands another, made of metal. The same material was used to make the crown of Persephone.

Mm! The new queen decided to feel at home, it seems. I walked straight ahead, not looking back, until I reached my throne. I stared coldly at the demons in my chamber and shouted at them with a voice of thunder, “OUT” Some disintegrated just by hearing it. Those who remained alive disappeared as soon as they could.

Then I turned to see my queen, “I see that you are getting comfortable.” She observed her new throne with adoration, then she looked at me smiling, “My beloved king, I have not seen you often, so I could only surprise you in this way. We need to discuss many matters. The clans are anxious, and they need your intervention.”

My queen ran her pointed fingernail along my arm, her eyes were flashing with intensity, I could see the hunger for power in them, and the thirst for destruction. “The clan chiefs accepted your breeder, but…” She paused and, looking into my eyes, dragged her fingernail across my chest.

“We must secure our heir, a demon created from the mix of the greatest clan blood and royal blood. He or she will reign for eternity. We will be unstoppable, and with the army that the human will give us, we can conquer even the heavens.”

Drickblood, brought her viper tongue to my neck, running it up. The power of Persephone's crown combined with mine is incomparable, I could feel it. The clash of powers was intoxicating.

Yes, we would be the most powerful front, and of that I have no doubt. The problem is, I didn't trust her.

I formed a shock wave and directed it towards her, my power hit her body hard, knocking her across the chamber. Her body was embedded in the wall, making an indentation.

As my energy continued to emanate from my body, it became a barrier that kept everyone from me.

Drickblood fell to the floor and struggled to get up. Then, she looked at me with shock evident on her face. My eyes were blazed with fury.

“Never touch me without my permission, I AM THE KING! It is my will that will be followed, and whoever challenges it will die.” She knelt immediately, touching the floor with her forehead, her body trembling with fear.

While the thorny branches of my throne swayed in all directions, ready to show their immense power, I sat there, with my branches snaking and tangling around my body.

The voice of Drickblood sounded small and measured, “My king and lord, excuse my daring, I'm your Persephone now, I thought we could come together and cement our relationship.”

“DO NOT!” The throne chamber rumbled at the sound of my voice. “No, I don't need you, to be invincible. I don't need anyone. You will do what I tell you, and everyone else too. Or all of you will feel my fury.”

Drickblood, bit her lip, her eyes shining with rebellion and resentment. I could see that she was struggling with herself not to say more. Fortunately, she saw reason and nodded, saying, “My king and lord, it will be done as you say.” She made one more courtesy and was about to get up to leave, but I surprised her with what I said next, “One more thing, vampire, don't enter the throne chamber without my permission.”

After swallowing, she looked down. I could sense the hatred and anger that was generated through the crown. I gestured to her to leave, and she immediately vanished, leaving behind a cloud of dense smoke.

As I sit on my throne, I rest my head a little and meditate. The clan chiefs must go, the time has come for a new generation of leaders loyal to me to rise. My reign over other worlds is about to consolidate, and nobody will stop me.

As I thought about what I needed to do, I felt the presence of my servant Anton in front of me. After kneeling on the ground, he touched the floor with his forehead. As the good servant that he is, he waited for my command. “Speak,” I said abruptly, Anton raised his head. His face was full of emotions and excitement.

“My god and lord, my lady has awakened.” I got up immediately, feeling the adrenaline rush through all my veins, my body vibrated with tension, finally.

Without saying a word, I materialized into my wife's chamber, and I saw her through the glass that keeps her isolated from everything. There she was, sitting in her nest, watching everything around her with curiosity. My thorny branches began to sway around me, wanting to go towards her, my fists clenched, my blood boiling with anticipation.

Apparently, she sensed my presence because she put her hand to her chest immediately, her breathing began to falter and shake, and I could see the expression of pain on her face. Sweat began to form on her forehead. She rolled onto her side, placing herself in a fetal position, listening as her heartbeat slowed. She was moaning in pain. I knew I had to get away now.

“Until the ritual, Moriah, my wife,” I said aloud.

As I raised my arm and enabled a barrier in front of her, I observed how her breathing immediately began to return to normal. She took a deep breath and looked everywhere nervously, for I know she was feeling me. She's marked, she's mine.

“Anton,” My demon servant materialized before me right away.

“Yes, my master?”

“I will perform the ritual at midnight today, the sacrifices must be pure, be sure of that. I won't waste any more time.” My servant fell to the ground in reverence and disappeared.

As I continued to stare at my prey, I said aloud, “Moriah of Armaloth, nothing can save you from me, your fate is sealed for eternity.” I disappeared, following my path to my catacombs, where I will confine my Moriah forever.

To reach this place, only the underworld rulers are the ones who have the power to open the portal, so only one entrance exists, through me.

Once the ritual is completed, and Moriah sets foot here, she will never be able to escape. She will only exist for me, fulfilling all my wishes and desires, everything I want. Her energy will blend with mine. Our thorny branches will feed on her, consuming every desire, will and thought.

I'm going to be the only one her eyes will see. I will be her universe, she will only have me, and I will be her everything.

Coming Soon

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