The Lost Quest

 

 

Alice Of The Hallway

 

 

 

“Welcome to Peninha, lord Yannic!” “The New Heir!”

 

“Welcome to Peninha, lord Yannic!” “The New Heir!”

Yannic turned around. There was a person wearing a cloak over standing in front of him. A long slender wand, in his hand. His eyes were lightening blue into the darkness.

“That’s not where you belong, my lord!” The little yellow squeaky lights started squeaking harder in the evil darkness.

“Shut up you all!!” Shouted the man in the cloak. “He is just another heir ready to pour his blood into the hallway. He ain’t going to free you. ”

“YOU FREAKING SOULS!!!”

With the thunder of his large roar, the dark blue light of evil slowly started spreading all over the room whereas the lights of squeaking good souls in the cages slowly faded away. With the spreading of the evil light, on each sides, number of people standing aligned with the dark cloak covering their faces with the cap of the cloak, he saw. The demons seemed like aligned with their ranks of strength. The shadow talking to him suddenly started approaching farther and got merged to the person sitting on a throne, made up of silver, opposite to the golden throne.

“Who are you? Where am I?” asked Yannic.

“Didn’t you recognize me?” laughed the demon. You might recognize this. With the clap of his hands, a servant of demon in the black cloak brought a small crafted wooden box. The demon opened the box. A sparkling light coming from it.

“The ring!” said Yannic. “Tiara’s ring! Where is she? Where’s Tiara?” shouted Yannic. The demon threw a current of blue lights towards Yannic through his magic wand. The blue current from the wand hit Yannic and threw him onto the floor.

“What did you do to her? Where’s she?” shouted Yannic.

“She was really beautiful, huh?” The shadow of demon came swinging towards him slowly sat down on the floor to look Yannic. “Yaa! Brown curls. Milky white skin.” Laughed the demon.

“What did you do to her? You demon! ”said Yannic as he raised from the floor.

The demon moved his wand again, hitting Yannic and throwing him back to the floor.

“Sushhh! She didn’t give up till her last breath. I finished the beloved of our lord, with my own soft hands. No one else got to touch her.” “Hahaha!” Demon gave a wink.

“Demon! You’ll die! You’ll die screaming.”

“Shut up! You weakling of a weak ancestor.”

Other demons in the cloak started giggling pointing Yannic and giggled harder and louder.

“Susshhh! What are you doing?  You’re making our lord angry.” Said the demon.

Yannic tried to stand again but the blue current of the wand threw him back to the floor.

“I have something else to offer, to my dear friend. Look there!”  He pointed towards the throne. Beside the throne he saw a spot light falling upon. A person tied in chain screaming for mercy and then falling on the floor. He heard the rattling of the chains as he creeped on the floor and uttered “Brother!”

“Aiden! Aiden!”  Yannic tried to stand up but the demon again used his wand. He crawled on the floor.

“Who do you think you are? You’ll get destroyed. You don’t know the power of the true heir,” shouted Aiden.

“I am the lord of Peninha, Alice, blood of greatest Ariman! I am ruler of the land,” Blabbered the demon.

He again hit him with the current of magical wand, Yannic fell down on the floor.

“You’re not the Lord of Peninha. But I am!” Yannic stared at him and shouted. “You are no one but offspring of a coward, who poisoned his own friend. You cannot even survive on your own. You need powers of good souls, royal bloods.”

“No! No! No!! I thought I would kill you first and let your little one go but you stupid human! You don’t deserve my few moments of grace.”

“Guards!!” the demon clapped. Three minions of the demon came rushing towards Aiden. They opened the chains and dragged him towards the hallway.

“Brother! Brother!” shouted Aiden. “Save me!” The scream of the lad echoed all over the hallway.

“Aiden!” Yannic crawled on the floor. “Leave him! You’ve got the heir now. Leave him you demon!”

“You petty man! You stupid petty man! All your way down here I sent you the signals to stop you from seeing this. But you had to. You had to see him dying. Now watch him die slowly.” Laughed the demon. “Flunky!” shouted the demon.

A group of flunky dragged Aiden down to the hallway near the pond. Everyone in the hall could hear him screaming.

“Don’t kill him. Let him go.” Shouted Yannic from the floor. He tried to get up but the blue current from Alice’s wand would hit him and throw him to the floor.

“Aiden!  ” Yannic shouted as he crawled on the floor. Then big slayer stepping ahead, his large mustache on that grey hateful face, his sweaty abs and blue evil light on his eyes indicated the evil running through his vein. He pulled out a heavy yet carefully jazzed up sharp and slender sword. “DON’T!” shouted Yannic from the floor. The slayer slowly lifted his heavy metal sword. Below the weaponry, lied the lad crying the tears for mercy. Everyone in the hall, from the weakest minions to the strongest Czars, Alice, with rage in his eyes and Yannic thrown on floor, everyone stared at the slow motion of the metal sword, falling towards the neck of the terrified lad. Suddenly, with a bang on the door, they saw the main door turn into pieces and the parts flying through the hallway. A huge ball of red current came swinging towards the slayer. It was an instant or numerous minutes no one could ever do anything but watch the giant ball rolling through the hallway. Aiden slipped away from the sword. The rolling ball of the red current took away.

 

 

“You have to walk past me to reach my lords!!

 

Everyone was shunned, they could see aligned red current floating through the air towards the hallway through the entrance which made a shield around Yannic, who had helplessly on the floor all this time.

“You have to walk past me to reach my lords.” A large roar everyone heard from the entrance. There stood a tall old man with long beard and a wand in his hand. He had an immerging crystal ball on his hand.

“Zohar!” said Yannic as his weakened and terrified eyes glittered with hope and happiness.

“Who is this frantic old man? Who are you?” shouted Alice, from the throne.

“I am Zohar. I am a wizard of Peninha, protector of my lords, lord Aerius!”

“Aerius? This is a crazy man!” Everyone in the hallway started laughing. “Guards!!”Commanded Alice.

Some guards with the black cloak on, started approaching Zohar. Zohar closed his eyes as he mumbled some chants. They saw the red crystal light immerging on his hand grow larger and larger and making a shield like bubble around him which started getting wider with every passing second. The guards approaching the wizard couldn’t get past it but with the touch of the bubble, little flame started immerging in their body which soon turned huge flame burning them into ashes.

“Lord! Put on the cloak! Put on the cloak!” Shouted Zohar. That moment, Yannic realized he had been wearing the cloak of invisibility all this time. He pulled the cap and wore it over the head. Yannic got invisible.

 “What are you doing? Where did the heir go?” shouted Alice enraged.

“Your reign is over now! Good souls will be back. They will rule Peninha.”

“Where did the heir go? What did you tell him?” “Guards!!” Alice roared louder this time. Again, Zohar mumbled some chants and threw the immerging red current ball towards the demons which turned them into ashes. Looking at this, other little minions of the hallway fled away.

“Czars!” shouted Alice. A group of demons sitting on either side of the silver throne stood up and started approaching the wizard. He again mumbled the chants and threw the red whirling current towards the Czars. Even the strongest Czars could not cross the bubble.

“So, you want to play with demonic power?” asked Alice.

“No, I want us to conquer your demonic power.” Shouted back Zohar.

“Dark wizards!” commanded Alice. A group of demons with a long dark beard, dark black cloak, a tall dark cap and evil blue light on their eyes stood up from the seats, at the each side of the throne on the hallway.

“Destroy him!!” Alice pointed Zohar. Zohar smiled and closed his eyes. He raised a hand and mumbled chants, they could see a red crystal light immerging from his hands which he soon threw towards the dark wizards. The dark wizards seemed to distant themselves from the bubble. All of the wizards, surrounded the bubble from every side and lifted their wands. The blue evil current flowing through the wands slowly started dissolving the red bubble around the wizard.

“Sit on the throne, lord Aerius! Sit on the throne!” shouted Zohar.

He closed his eyes and again mumbled chants, the red crystal he threw towards the wizards was again dissolved by the whirl of green current from their wands. The dark wizard approached Zohar surrounding him from all the sides, not giving him a single chance to mumble the complete chants which caused immerging crystal get weaker and weaker. The crystal could not resist the currents of dark wizard. They started hitting Zohar one after another.

“Hit him Harder! Hit him Harder!” shouted Alice.

They threw the blue current one after another towards Zohar. Zohar fell onto the floor.

They started hitting him harder shaking his hurt bleeding body. Bleeding Zohar lying on the floor slowly muttered.

“Sit on the Throne Lord! Sit on the throne lord Aerius!”

“Kill him!”  Alice stood from his silver throne.

“Hades! Get the lad.” shouted the demon as he moved the wand. “As you command, your highness!” he bowed down. He dragged Aiden who had been hiding beneath the golden throne to the hallway near the bloody pool.

Suddenly, the squeaky light inside the cage on the walls started squeaking harder. The demons, the dark wizards, Zohar, Hades, heard the swinging sound of opening cage. The lights floated towards the golden throne and started spreading the glitters over the throne.

“Cut the throat!” shouted Alice. The demon slit opened Aiden’s throat. The blood flowing from his throat to the hallway started dripping into the pool. The glitters of the souls slowly formed a shadow sitting on the throne. The shadow slowly started getting distinct as they could see a golden cloth on, with a green cape behind which symbolized the wealth. A shimmering shine upon his face which symbolized a high born. His finely shining sword resembled power and a huge golden throne above his head represented the authority. In front of them, sat lord Aerius, the greatest of all, the lord of Peninha. The golden lightening souls above the head of lord Aerius started spreading the beams of light all around him which slowly started lightening and brightening the desolated chamber, the hallway.

The king pointed towards Aiden, who had been lying dead on the floor bathing on the pool of his own blood. One little golden light floated towards the place where his throat had been slit, reversing the flow of the blood. The cut was healed. Aiden slowly opened his eyes. “Brother!” muttered Aiden and he ran beneath the golden throne under the protection of lord of Peninha.

 

 

In front of them, sat lord Aerius. The greatest of all, the lord of Peninha

 

Yannic again swayed his hand towards bleeding Zohar on the floor. Another lightening soul floated and glittered over his head healing him slowly.

All the Demons, Minions, Czars, Dark wizards, Hades and Alice remained stunned at this sight. They could not believe their eyes. They saw the lights of good souls spreading all over the chamber, dimming their evil light.

They heard the soft buzz soon turning into the clear sound as the beam grew stronger and powerful around Yannic.

“Dark Wizards!” shouted Alice. The dark wizards turned towards Yannic, moved their wands but the green floating current got bounced back from the shield of beam and fired back towards them. The dark wizards fired again but the current got fired back again through the shield of the holy beams of good souls around the king.

“Czars!” shouted Alice. Czars stepped ahead and mumbled chants which threw a blast of arrows towards Yannic but those didn’t penetrate the shield either but got fired back. They threw the arrow of the chants again as it got fired back. The buzz of the floating souls above the throne got louder and clearer.

“Long live the lord!”

“Long live the lord!”

“Long live the lord!

The words floated all around the hallway, through the entrance all around the palace. The light grew brighter and sound got louder.

“Long live the lord!”

“Long live the lord!”

Alice sitting on the throne got furious. He stood up and raised his wand.

“Today your Lord’s going to die from my hand.” The whirling motion of the green current passed towards the lord of Peninha which got wrapped around his body tying him like a magical rope. He threw another aligned beam of green current which floated towards the souls spinning above the head of the Lord. The beam surrounded the souls and caged them up. The bright spreading light slowly started fading away.

“Who says my reign’s over?” the demon smiled in pride. Yannic smiled back from the golden throne. He gently shook his body, the magical rope wrapped around his body fell down. He lifted his hand and waved it a little. The cage opened and the souls came out swinging towards the evil Alice. They started throwing arrows towards him. His evil blood could not endure the arrows thrown by the holy souls. “Dark Wizards!” “Czars!” shouted Alice, and he climbed down the stairs from the throne. The dark wizard and Czars surrounded to protect him against the holy arrows and took him towards a small alley that led to the dark chamber, the one that used to be the chamber of Ariman before he killed the King.

“Go back to your dark world! Don’t ever comeback” shouted the good souls. Yannic walked down the stairs. His green cape floated on the body of the stairs. After him were the good souls floating and mumbling.

“Long live the Lord!”

“Long live the Lord!”

The good souls floated above the empty pool pouring a crystal clear water. The hall way brightened more and more.  Yannic got closer to Zohar lying on the floor. Zohar got up and knelt down

“Long live the lord!” said Zohar.

The sound echoed all over the palace. The good souls floated through the exit to the dreary land around the palace turning every part lively.  Warm shimmering light fell upon the face of dead grey land slowly turning into beautiful heavenly shrine.

 

 

 

 

 

Into The Tunnel

 

 

 

It was not an ordinary chamber but a tunnel, a dark long tunnel

 

Yannic stood on the garden. He heard the people on the main entrance still screaming “Power!”

“Power!” “Put the blood on the hallway, Give us the Power!”

Yannic swayed his hands towards the people standing on the main entrance. Golden lights slowly floated towards them and spread the warm beam of light to their dead grey skin. The light scattered all over their skin that seemed to bring the lost light into their dead souls. The glimmered light turned the skin pinkish. They finally looked alive. They all stopped muttering “Power!”  A drop of power they had been thirsty for, they got an ocean full of it.

They all looked at Yannic. There stood their savior, Lord of Peninha, Lord Aerius!  Yannic could see the happiness in their eyes, grateful they seemed. One of them knelt down and shouted.

“Long live lord!”

“Long live lord!” “Long live lord!” followed others.

“Long live lord!” this prayer buzzed all over Peninha. Along with the sound, floated the glittering golden souls which spread their beams to turn the dull grey land of Peninha into bright magnificent shrine. Yannic looked at the beautiful land, where the sun beam had fallen after hundreds of years. Behind him, stood Zohar looking at everything so lively and beautiful. “You did it, my lord!” “You freed the holy souls. You saved the long lost land! You completed your quest!” said Zohar as he approached Yannic.

 “No!” said Yannic. He turned around. “I haven’t completed what I came for, Zohar.”

“What are you talking about, my lord?

“I’ve lost my love, my Tiara to it. He killed her and I can’t let him get away like this.”

“Let them go! Lord! They have entered the dark chamber where they belong. They are never coming back. They are going to rot and finish in there.”

“I don’t know what she’d been through. That Demon ripped her off. How hard she might have cried. How bad she might have missed me. I can’t let him get away like this, Zohar. My Tiara wouldn’t go on rest like this.” Continued Yannic.

Zohar saw tears flowing through the flames burning into his eyes. The fierce rage that would amplify his power which was the indication of a terrific destruction, a huge battle. Zohar got scared.

“Let them go. My lord!” said Zohar as he grasped Yannic. Aiden helped him stop the King. But he won’t, he shuddered and freed the grasp. The fire of his lost love made him move frantically towards the hallway to the dark chamber. Zohar and Aiden followed him. On the way, Yannic looked at the pool of crystal clear water in the hallway. He saw his reflection, the flames ready to destroy the evil. He entered to an alley where the demons had ran into erstwhile. It lead to a huge wooden door, crafted with the powers of demon. He hit the door with his leg. The door got broken into pieces. No one knew where the pieces fell but it was a huge terrific sound which scared Zohar and Aiden following him. Yannic, he was determined, he wouldn’t rest until he had got the murderer. They entered the chamber. It was not an ordinary chamber but a tunnel, a dark long tunnel, where evil would be prayed and strengthened, the place where Ariman used to perform his black wizardry. Yannic moved furiously inside the tunnel. At a distance, they could hear a sudden buzzing as if some kind of weird ritual was taking place. They got near, they saw Dark wizards and Czars holding hands in a circle and muttering something weird.  Inside the circle sat Alice, their master, surrounded by the circle of candles all around.

“What are they doing?” said Yannic as he turned towards Zohar.

On heeding carefully, they heard “Father of the demon! We need you. Come to us! Help us conquer!

“Oh father of Evil! Hear our prayers! Come to us!!” muttered everyone.

“They are calling their father, the supreme power of the Evil”, whispered Zohar from behind.

“Call all your ancestors, if you want. No one’s going to save you today, Demons!!” yelled Yannic. He threw a swirling flash of light to the demons in the circle. The dark wizards and the Czars got crashed against the wall of the tunnel.

“You can’t kill the demon. You don’t know the power he owns,” shouted Alice as he got tossed on the ground.

“You tore my Tiara with these hands.” He fired the flash of lights to his hands. The demon tried to get up and reach the wand that had fallen beside him but another flash of current hurled from his roar that smashed Alice on a wall of the tunnel.  Alice looked all around for his dark wizards and Czars.  All of them had fled away. Alice was left alone with Yannic’s furious flurry. “She was innocent. She was the one I loved all my life and you watched her suffer with these eyes?” bellowed Yannic. He threw a gust of his fury to Alice’s lightening blue eyes. Alice screamed with pain.

“Scream harder!”   Howled Yannic.

The scream exploded all over the tunnel.

“SCREAM HARDER!” shouted Yannic and he darted another beam of powerful flash into his eyes.

“You can’t conquer Demons!”
“I am Aerius, you Devil. I can conquer with all my goodness, my piousness, my blessings of the holy souls.”

“Your goodness is going to kill you. You can’t conquer the demon, my friend. You’re going to be finished like your loved ones,” said the demon lying on the floor.

Then Alice started muttering something strange. “Thee Father of Demon! Please come to save our reign. I offer my life to you. Accept my oblation.” Alice slowly lifted his hand. On his finger, was the ring with a shining gem on it.He sipped and then got broken into pieces. The parts of the demon got stumbled and slammed against the wall. The blast of his scream thundered the tunnel.

Yannic wheezed as if his blast of fury, was slowly receding. Behind him stood Zohar and Aiden looking at the wreck his anger had made. Then Yannic fell onto the floor after a while.

“We need to go back Yannic. The rage ain’t good, his last words were cursed. The supreme power of demons going to come.

We have to get out of it as soon as possible,” Zohar said in terrified voice.

Yannic could feel the warmth of the land fading away, he again started getting the dreary feeling into his heart. The dark tunnel started getting colder.

“Tiara! She’s gone. Whom I’d return back to?” He wept tears for his lost love. Aiden ran to his brother and wrapped him from behind.

“Tiara! I’m not sure that she’s dead,” said Zohar who was staring Yannic from behind.

“What are you talking about?” Yannic wiped his tears and he turned towards Zohar.

“She may not be dead.”

“But that ring!  That demon! All that we’ve seen in the suicide forest.” It seemed confusing.

“He may have captured her. But the demons wouldn’t kill her. The next heir after you is preserved in her womb. They won’t let Peninha be heirless. They will always need a royal blood, pure line of the family, to feed on their power.”

“Where is she, then?” asked Yannic. There sparkled hope into his eyes.

“We can connect to her. Dead or alive.”

“Connect? How do we do that?”

“Ouza board! Spirit recorder! We can talk to spirits through that.” said Aiden as he stepped ahead.

“Yes! We had found one on the bag in the suicide forest.” Said Zohar.

“I had the bag till the grassy alley at the entrance to Peninha. Then I wore your cloak and left the bag there.”

 

 

Yannic wheezed as the blast of fury inside him was slowly receding

 

“On the grassy alley! I’ll go get that for you.” Aiden stepped away from the tunnel. “Wait!” Zohar spoke and mumbled some chants the bag appeared right in front of him.

 “Zohar! You do magic. Why don’t you bring Tiara to us?”

“My Lord! My magic’s limited to few people and things. I cannot shake a tiny little hair of any supreme power and demons may have captured her.”

 “But you can.” continued Zohar. “You are Lord Aerius, with all the blessings of holy souls, you can call any spirit. Good or bad, holy or evil, dead or alive. You’ve got the power.”

Zohar handed him the bag and Yannic slowly unzipped it. He saw the candles, an ouzo board and a spirit recorder. They burnt the candles and placed them on the floor. Beside them they kept the spirit recorder, they would require to connect Tiara. Then, in that dark tunnel, the three men sat around the burning candles holding each other’s hands in circle.

 

 

They burnt the candles and placed them on the floor

 

“Tiara! You’re hearing me? Tiara! Are you with us? Tiara!”

“It’s so spooky in here. I’m freezing. Where’s the foul smell coming from?  I don’t think I can stand this anymore.” Said Aiden.

“No matter what lords, don’t leave the hands, Aiden don’t let go. We’ve reached this far. She is the only one who can help us get through it. We’re trying to communicate.” said Zohar.

“Tiara! We need your help. You’re here? Please give a sign.”

“Tiara!” repeated Yannic.

(The recorder started buzzing like being tuned to any local station, some weird music began to play. In the broken and unclear sound they heard someone sobbing.)

“I! I warned you!”

“Tiara, is that you?”

“I warned you. (Female sobbing voice they could hear) I warned somethings wrong you can’t fight them.”

“He is going to kill you. He killed me. He’ll kill you all. Save your life! Run away Yannic!”

“Run away!”

“Who killed you Tiara? Who’s going to kill us?”

“Run for your life! Ru…”

“Tiara!”

(The sobbing was gone. Random station was tuned. The recorder started rattling weirdly. Heavy manly voice started crackling through the recorder)

 

“It ain’t thy wish when thou arrived, ain’t that be the way thou go,

None have ever defeated the demon, see the power he owe,

The dawn thou want to see is far far away

The elegy of death song has just begun to play

Now until the games over thou have to stay… So Stay!”

 

“My lord! That’s not Tiara. He has arrived.”

“It’s scary brother! Feels like somethings climbing my back.”

(The recorder crackled and made rattling noise. The gentle breeze turned into howling wind. Wind growled harder swinging the men. Rattling grew noisier, the foul smell like that of rotten corpse grew stronger.)

“Don’t leave the hands! Don’t let go! We need to be together. It’s a trick. No matter what.  DON’T LET GO!!”

The swirling wind blew off the candles leaving the men in pitch darkness, feeling the tight grip of each other’s hand.

“I’m scared! It’s all dark now.”

(The boy beside them started shaking vigorously.)

“Aiden’s trembling, Zohar can you feel his hands getting colder?” “Aiden! You’re okay?”

“Lords don’t let go. We need to hold on. She’s going to help us.”

(Storm grew wilder! Men started swinging with wind.)

“HELP!”

“SAVE ME!” (Painful scream they heard)

“Who’s yelling?”

“Aaaahhh” the scream seemed to be fading away.

“It’s like someone’s dragged out of the tunnel.”

“Help! Brother! Save me! He’s taking me away! Zohar!”

The scream grew bitter.

“Holy god, Zohar! That’s Aiden!”

“How’s that possible? Whom are we holding on?”

The sound slowly vanished along with the rattling of recorder, the trembling was all gone. All that left was heavy breaths, bumping hearts in dead silence of the pitch dark tunnel and unknown pair of cold hands that they were still holding on.

 

 

 

 

 

The Last Battle

 

 

 

A gust of wind blew the hair exposing the face

 

The grip was getting stronger. They were struggling to let go but they just could not let the hands get away from the grip. Both of the men saw a blue light glimmering beside them in the darkness. The light of evil. The blown off candles slowly started lighting back by themselves. In the light of candle, they saw a feminine figure with a long floating hair sitting beside them.

“How did you forget, the evil returns with goodness”, mumbled the shadow.

“Who are you? Where did Aiden go?” asked Yannic.

 The flames of the candles started getting brighter.

“Didn’t you recognize me, love?”

The figure turned towards Yannic. A gust of wind blew the hair exposing the face.

“Tiara!”

“No, Ariman.” She said in the manly voice.

“Tiara, how did you get here? What did they do to you?” Yannic tried to get closer but she flung him away to a wall of the tunnel. Zohar freed the grip and ran towards Yannic.

“Zohar! She’s possessed.” Said Yannic as Zohar tried to pick him up.

Zohar looked at her not speaking a word at everything so undeniable. A swirl of current came through her eyes that hit Yannic and threw him to the floor.

“How did you get into her? Leave her! I command leave her Ariman! ” shouted Yannic.

“You petty human. You thought you could win me and end my reign? NEVER!!”

Tiara stepped towards Yannic and hit him harder and knocked his head against the wall of the tunnel. He started bleeding.

“Leave her, Ariman! Leave her body.”

Zohar closed his eyes and mumbled some chants which immersed a current of red bubble from his hand. He threw it towards Tiara. Tiara got stumbled by the force of the fierce current. Zohar again closed his eyes and started chanting in loud sound that echoed all over the place. Yannic ran towards Zohar. “Don’t hit her. She has been possessed. She’s going to get hurt.”

She turned back to Yannic and fired a flash of light to his face.

 Yannic rolled into the floor of the tunnel.

“Lord! Fire back! Use your power.”

Tiara threw another flash of light towards the bleeding Yannic. Yannic could see Zohar chanting. The next crystal ball emerging from his hand. “Zohar! She has been possessed. Don’t hurt her.”

Tiara turned towards Zohar and threw a blast of heavy current slamming him to the wall. They could hear a huge crack which resembled to be breaking all his bones.

“Throw the power. You can kill this demon!”

“Throw the power!” muttered Zohar who fell onto the floor.

“What are you talking about? She’s Tiara!”

“She’s Ariman and you’re Aerius.”

Tiara raised Yannic by his throat up on the air and threw him hard on the floor. The bleeding got worse.

Now, Yannic laid on the pool of his own blood on the tunnel. The pain of the evil in his heart was intensifying with the howling wind. After a moment, he heard the giggling, laughter and a kind of prayer. The army of guards, minions, czars and dark wizards were returning.

“Ariman!”

“Thee, father of demon! Ariman!”

“Ariman!”

 The prayer echoed all over the tunnel.

“Ariman!”

“Long live thee, father of demon!”

Through his blurred vision, Yannic saw the battalion kneel down in front of Tiara. Tiara with her brown curls floating in the howling wind, inside the tunnel, seemed to be giggling as the flashes of demonic light from her eyes struck back and forth on the walls.

“Royal blood! Look! His shimmering face shining in the light.” said one of the demons and got near Yannic. Yannic felt the demon was sniffing into his flesh. Tiara threw a flash of current towards the Czar. “That’s the royal blood. It will go to the pool in the hallway.”

 

 

“Long live thee father of demon! Ariman!”

 

“You can sniff on that one.” Yannic saw Tiara point towards Zohar who laid unconscious on the next side of the tunnel. Yannic wanted to stop them but he could hardly hear and see with his blurred senses.

“We almost thought our reign’s over.” Said one of the dark wizards and he hugged Tiara.

“The true reign’s now begun, my friend.” Said Tiara. She placed her hand on her womb. “Here, lies the next heir, the royal blood, the pure line of the family and son of the demon. He will sit on that golden throne to rule Peninha as its true heir and flourish the demonic power all over Peninha, forever. We will never have to depend upon any other now. Peninha will be truly ours.” bellowed Tiara as if a large thunder had hit the place.

“Peninha will be ours forever!”

“Peninha will be ours forever!” Yannic heard demon humming this all around him.

He saw Tiara kneeling beside his bleeding body. She whispered something into his ear. “You’re goodness always kills you, Aerius.” Yannic got a déjà vu. He had heard that before on the dining hall after he sipped the last syrup gifted by Ariman, his best friend.  “Again the devil won!” laughed Tiara. Her howling sound of manly laugh rebounded all over the place.

The laugh Yannic had heard before. “I am the king now. I am the king again.” A demonic vibe floated all around him. The images of the final dinner flickered into his mind. He saw himself falling down from the chair. His wife and princesses abducted and tortured into the dark jails of the kingdom. He saw the holy saints slotted on their neck and fed with the evil water on the demonic chamber to drag their good souls and capture them for power.

“You lost again, Aerius!”Said Tiara. “Czars!”

Yannic saw a czar bringing a clear bottle full of the demonic blue water, to drag his good soul out for the power.

“Holy saints! Give me the power! Holy saints, Give me the power!” mumbled Yannic in sub consciousness. Then he closed his eyes.

“You lost again Aerius! You lost again!” shouted Tiara. Suddenly, a warm beam of light started entering the tunnel. Good souls heard the prayer and they were coming to save their lord. The golden ray of light floated through the tunnel, over the head of Yannic healing his wounds. The blood reversed its flow. The time reversed its path, healing the lord and inhaling the supreme power. He stood up and threw away the bottle of the evil water on the nearest czar’s hand.

“Not this time Ariman!” He threw a flash of light towards the beasts ready to snatch the flesh of the old wizard.  “You’re game’s over today.” Roared Yannic and threw another beam of current to the wizards and czars which slammed and smashed them on the walls of the tunnel.

The holy souls glimmered and shed light upon their demonic skin burning them to the ashes. Soon, there stood Tiara alone without any of her evil entity to save her.

“I should have done it far before. You’re over Ariman.” Yannic threw a flash of strong beam towards Tiara. She got knocked on the nearest wall and stood back again. “You can’t win me.” She said.

“I am Aerius. My blessings from the good souls and my piousness will invade you.”

He again threw another flash of his huff. Tiara got fell down on the floor but stood again. The good souls threw the beams of light all over her demonic skin. But none was the effect.

“You love me, Aerius. Your huff won’t harm me.” She laughed. Yannic saw Zohar coming into consciousness, he started mumbling something.

“You’re attached!”

“You’re attached!”

All this time throughout his journey these words were humming all around his ears.

“You’re attached. She’s feeding on your power. Break the bond. Finish the demon!” Now he could hear Zohar humming these. Zohar placed his hand to the bottle of the evil water that had fallen next to him and rolled it towards Yannic.

“Yeah!” continued Tiara. “I am where you are. Good and evil comes together, Aerius. Ariman and Aerius, Yannic and Tiara. We’re the two parts of the same coin. No one’s going to harm me till you’re with me. We’re attached.”

“We’re attached.” Yannic murmured. “Maybe, I killing myself would help finish her.” He opened the bottle of demonic water to drink it. “No! No!” said the wizard. The holy souls started squeaking harder. “Oh! Don’t drink it love!” Tiara said in her pretentious voice. As a drop of the evil water fell into his mouth, Yannic fell on the floor.

“You fool! You eased my work!” said Tiara as she pointed at him and laughed harder. On her finger shined the symbol of their attachment, their bond till eternity, their wedding ring. He finally realized what everyone was talking about.

The thing which was saving the evil was his immense love towards her.

“I loved you, with all my heart, my soul, in this life and that. But my love never changed the evil in you. A drop of evil would not destroy the ocean of good power in me. You have to go now. You have to go, Ariman! ” bawled Yannic as he slowly raised up.  Tears floated through his eyes as he took the bottle of evil boiling water, pulled out his wedding ring and dipped into it. The evil water started corroding the ring.

“Yannic!” “Yannic” Tiara started shaking. The golden holy light spread their beam brighter. Finally, the bright light of the golden souls started affecting her evil body. The little sparkles of fire emerged from the several parts. The sparkles soon turned into huge flames, burning her evil demonic skin, her deep blue demonic light and her wicked soul. They heard the female scream from the flame. “You cannot do this to your love! Yannic cannot do this to Tiara. Wear back the ring. Save your Tiara Yannic, you’ve sworn to protect me.”

“Yeah! Yannic had sworn to protect his Tiara but Aerius has also sworn to destroy the evil. You have to go now. I can’t let evil win this time,” Shouted Yannic as he wiped his tears. He could feel the queen, Arina and his three little princesses standing beside him watching the evil burn in the flame of the holy fire.

 

 

 

 

End Or A Beginning

 

 

 

“The same pair!!”

 

Yannic and Zohar felt the warm light of the good souls falling upon the place get stronger and stronger. The awful feeling of the evil was gone. In the demonic chamber glimmered the holy bright light.

“Brother!”  Yannic heard Aiden approaching him.

“Aiden!” He ran towards his little one and hugged him tight.

“The good souls saved me.” He said.

 Two saints were standing behind Aiden. The golden holy light spinning above the head of Yannic started getting larger and taking human shapes. The magnificent human shapes turned into the holy saints.

The seven holy saints, they had long white beard and a white turban on their head, dressed in white silk rob which made them look like god fathers from the heaven.

“Thank you, lord Aerius! You freed us,” Said one of the saints.

All the holy souls bowed their heads down in front of Aerius, as the symbol of respect.

“Long live lord of Peninha!” Everyone said in one voice.

“Long live lord of Peninha!” They all repeated.

“Let’s get out of the tunnel!” said Zohar.

“This way, lords!” said one of them, as they led Yannic, Zohar and Aiden towards another part of the tunnel. After few minutes, they reached to the same grassy alley where they had fallen when they first entered Peninha. Yannic looked at the grass, the greyish grass on the alley had turned all green. The brightness scattered all over the land, he could see.

“I thought it would be a long tunnel.” said Zohar and turned towards the tunnel.

“It was. The bearing place of the whole evil, the spot for the prayers to the supreme demon. But now, Ariman’s gone. So did his evil bearing land. ”

“Thank you lord! For freeing us and saving our land from the demons.”
Oldest of the holy saints turned towards Yannic and said.

“That’s what a lord’s supposed to do,” replied Yannic. “Now I’ll never let anything evil invade Peninha. I’ll rule and protect this land forever.”

“No, my lord!” “Lord Aerius had entered you to destroy the demons. You did your job. You completed your quest. Now, go back to your world. You have to fulfil your responsibilities like other human beings.”

“But whom would I return back to? This is where I belong.”

“You are a human! Your world is where you belong. Live your life.  From now on, there won’t be any heir to Peninha. No one is going to sit on that golden throne. No one is going to fight for the title.  Holy saints will look after Peninha forever. ”

“Hold your hands!” said one of them. All three men Zohar, Yannic and Aiden held their hands. The seven holy saints surrounded the men.

“Supreme power of light! They’ve completed the task. Now send them where they belong!” They saw a flash of the brightest light all around there head. It seemed like something was pulling them upwards, the beam of the holy light. The men fell flying into air like a free bird dragged upon the cool clouds.

Soon, they were out of the pool all drained in water.

“Here we come, back to the pool.” Said Zohar as he squeezed out water from his beard. Aiden sat beside Yannic near the pool. They felt gentle breeze drying their wet clothes in that sunny day.

“So what’s next?” Yannic turned towards Zohar.

“Aren’t you hungry?” asked Zohar.

“What?” Yannic asked. It was something totally unrelated.

“I am so hungry. Let’s have something first.”

He headed inside the forest. Yannic and Aiden followed him. The walk was easier than before. Through the gaps of aligned and straight trees, they could see the old hut of Zohar from a distance. In no time, they reached the hut.

“What about a bowl of mushroom soup?” asked Zohar and started picking up the pink and grey mushrooms over the straw of the roof and near the door.

“Tasty, it is.” Said Aiden as he sipped the soup.

Yannic and Zohar sat next to him on the same wooden block, sipping the soup.

“So, what’s next?” asked Yannic.

“Well! You’ll go to your world and live rest of your life there.”

“And what about you? Won’t you come with us?”

He pulled out the golden pocket watch hung around his neck, opened and looked at it.

“I am a wizard. My role in your world has ended far before. I’ve been living in this forest for ages. My role as your protector ends here. May the divine would give me some other roles in future.” Yannic and Aiden finished the bowl of soup and kept those beneath the stool. They got up and walked towards the stream where Yannic had woken up before.

“No matter, where ever you go. I’ll be looking over you.”

“I never got a chance to say it before. But thank you for protecting us, in this world and that, Grand pa!” Yannic and Aiden hugged him as the last goodbye.

“I’ll be always there for you, in your troubles and dilemma. Any evil will have to step over me to get to you. Just remember me with all your hearts.”

The wizard placed his old heavy hands over their heads and mumbled chants. Yannic got blinded. A calmness surrounded him. His senses got blurred and he could feel himself plunge into a deep serenity.

The next thing he could hear was,

“Beep!” “Beep!” the sounds of horns buzzing on the turn.

“Brother!” He heard someone calling him from the back seat. He was in his black Acura parked at the middle of a turning on a forest. At another side, there was a river flowing deep below. He turned around.

“Beth!” There was the young lad, dressed on a black tux on the back seat of the car.

“Did you fall asleep?” asked Beth.

“How did you get here? You’re all right?” asked Yannic.

“Yup! I got here from villa. Are you okay?”

Yannic could not figure anything out.

He looked at himself. He was all dressed up too. It seemed like they were ready to head for some special ceremony. “Where are  …”

“Look! They have arrived.” Beth interrupted Yannic. Yannic saw two handsome young men in the black tux approaching the car. A fat man was following them.

“We found the mechanic. The car workshop was pretty far from here,” said Aiden. He entered the car and sat on the driver’s seat.

From the window, he heard the conversation of young Sijal and the mechanic.

“Yaa! That one. I think a nail got stuck in there.”

“Okay! Let me check.”

“Aiden! Where had you been? What’s going on? Where’s Zohar? Are we heading somewhere?” asked Yannic.

“Brother! What are you talking about?”

“Who Zohar?” Aiden turned towards Beth. “Was he asleep? What is he talking about?”

“Yaa! He had fallen asleep for a while and started talking all strange. Must have been freaked out about whole marriage thing?” The lads began to laugh. Sijal was laughing from outside, hearing the conversation.

“Brother! You’re finally going to be together with the love of your life. Freaking out ain’t the best thing.” Aiden wrapped his arms around his brother. Yannic pushed him away and asked, “Aiden! Don’t you remember anything? We were kidnapped. And Beth we met at the forest. Don’t you guys remember anything?” Yannic was pissed off.

“Yes! The villa near the forest.” Replied Beth.

“Kidnapped! What happened brother? Did you see a dream or something? Don’t be so nervous.” Said Aiden.

“Okay! The tube’s been repaired.”  Interrupted the mechanic. Aiden handed him few notes.

“Marriage! What marriage?”

“Your marriage.”

“My marriage? I am already married.”

“Brother that’s enough. Don’t speak anything now.”

Sijal entered the car. Aiden drove the car towards the city, over the twists and turning of the woods. Yannic looked out of the wind shield.

A curvy road with long way of woods and deep wide river at another side, lead to a huge meadow couple of hours later, that lied few kilometers before the city. From a distance, he could see a huge church on the meadow. Aiden stopped the car in front of the church.

“We’re here brother!” There were dressed up people gathered all around the church ready for what that seemed like a special ceremony.

Yannic got off the car, walked towards the main gate of the church. Lilies and orchids had decorated the alley. Everyone looked him with a huge grin on their face. “Congratulations Yannic!” an aged man came to Yannic and said as he tapped to his shoulder.  Yannic smiled and Aiden pushed him towards the gate. He entered the church. There was huge statue of Jesus hanging on a cross, which was visible from the main gate. Some knowns and some unknowns, Yannic saw people gathering on the both sides of the aisle smiling and congratulating him. Aiden, Beth and Sijal all lead him towards the stage. The minister of the church was standing below the idol.

“Your grandfather would be so happy, to be here.” said Aunt Margaret, who was standing beside him. She sobbed and handed him the pocket watch. “Where did you get it?” asked Yannic, the old lady.

“You had left it on the cemetery, during the ceremony. I thought today would be the best day to return it back.” Said the lady.

“Aiden! Look…” Yannic showed the pocket watch to Aiden but he gave no reaction.

A beautiful hymn started to play in the hall. Everyone from the hall turned towards the main gate.

The bride entered the church. Tiara on her white long gown and net veil on the top looked like a floating angle.

“That’s Tiara!” said Yannic.

 “See looks so beautiful, doesn’t she?” Aiden nudge him.

“Don’t you remember anything, Aiden? We went to Tilaurai?”

“I am going to Tilaurai brother. I had told you last night about it.”

“But you’ve already been ..”

“Brother! Sussh!”

Tiara got on the stage. Yannic looked at Tiara. She got shy. Yannic could not figure out anything.

 

 

Tiara on her white long gown and net veil on the top looked like a floating angel

 

What was that? Was everything he had been through a dream? The wedding night? Ariman? The magical land Peninha!

“Friends! Family! Today we have gathered here to tie this man and this woman in the bond of holy matrimony…” Yannic could hear traces of the prayers.

“Do you take Yannic as your lawfully wedded husband?” asked the minister.

“I do!” replied Tiara.

“Do you take Tiara as your lawfully wedded wife?” Yannic stared her in silence. “Yannic!” repeated the minister.

Aiden poked him from behind. “I do!” replied Yannic.

The hymn started playing sweeter. “You may now exchange the ring!  The bond of your eternal love.”  Said the minister. Aiden pulled out the rings. Gave it to Yannic, the same pair as he saw one on Tiara’s hand on the wedding night. Yannic looked at everyone in the church.  Yannic was obligated. He could not do anything but perform the ceremony, one after another. Tiara placed the ring on his ring finger. “Now the groom!” said the minister. He looked Tiara as she bowed down with shyness. He took the ring and placed it on her finger. Everyone started cheering and congratulating out of happiness. He stared at Tiara, she looked prettier than any angel.  Suddenly, he saw a blue flash of light glimmering through her eyes. “Wait! What was that?” He looked towards the people on church. Everyone seemed to have the sparks of happiness in their eyes. No one noticed the blue flash of demonic light. He looked towards Aiden, lads were nudging him in excitement. He again looked at Tiara. She was bowing down, smiling with her pretty syrupy lips.

What was happening? Was he dreaming? Or what’s happening now a hallucination? No one was there who could realize a trace of everything he was going through. He slipped his hand to his pocket and felt the pocket watch. He pulled it out “Zohar! I wish you were here,” he thought to himself. He was confused and terrified about what the next moment had to bring. He was unaware, was that the end or the beginning of his lost dark quest? He looked far from the door of the church, opposite to the stage. Far on meadow, stood a shaggy familiar figure on a long cloak and tall white cap with a long wand in his hand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saru Pokharel

Saru Pokharel is a final year student of B.Sc., microbiology, Tri Chandra Multiple Campus, Kathmandu, Nepal. In addition to being author of The Lost Quest, she is an adept hand in both prose and poetry writing.