In the wide world there was a particular forest, it was this place where few dared to venture that our story begins. This forest was not a deadly, dreary place filled with spiders and monsters intent on killing all who entered. No, this was a bright forest, filled with woodland animals and peace. The forest was filled with tall, thick trees and had a canopy of leaves to block the sun and provide shade to the residents living within it. The ground was a heathy color, filled with fallen leaves and newly growing plants sprouting with their green stems reaching to the sky. Deer would run peacefully through the open clearings without worry, as there were few being that were predators living in this forest. However there was a reason why so few entered this forest, and the reason was not something deadly; it was that the forrest was particularly unimportant.
This forest was filled with natural magics, and in turn it had a habit of turning all who entered away from it. Now this wasn’t something uncommon in the world as magic saturated everything in existence and places like this were fairly common to find. As this effect was such a common occurrence in the world, the intelligent races developed ways to work with ever the changing magics. Over time some people could see magic and walk where few could ever go, and others could manipulate magic to help or harm. It was in this forest that a certain kingdom rose to power, it was a kingdom surrounded by the maze of trees that was incredibly hard to find, something seen as a myth to most who would go to this place. However this kingdom held a dark secret so black that none who knew it were able to leave alive- a secret so dark that even the peasants would tremble in fear every day.
In this kingdom there was a castle, it was a tall structure made of stone that rose high into the sky, far above the trees. Curiously, the closer one came to this castle the harder it was to see it, and it was in this place that there were three people. They were in a dark room filled with ritual stones and magic circles, and in the middle of one circle was a baby boy. This baby was like any other baby, it had hair just beginning to start growing in and cried as it was hungry or frightened. This baby had grey eyes that looked like storm clouds and was currently screaming as it lay in the center or a red circle filled with strange symbols. The circle and symbols were not quite red, but they were the color of dried blood. As for the other two people in the room, one had a majestic crown on his head, adorned with jewels and other precious stones. He wore a regal cloak and was wearing a red shirt on his muscular torso, this man was a giant compared to the baby, but in reality was only a little over six feet tall. He stood with a regal aura, and his golden eyes looked around the room in expectation as his brown hair rustled slightly with an unseen wind. The person next to the regal man was a woman of similar stature, she was just under six feet tall herself, and she was wearing a dark cloak with a similar red shirt on her chest. She had deep golden hair that was pulled elegantly behind her head, her golden eyes looked about the room and she smiled as she looked at the ring containing the baby.
For above the baby was a darkness forming, it was swirling as it churned in the air- the substance oozing dark ichor that pooled onto the cold stone floor. Forming around the baby the ichor rose, taking the form of a black, clawed hand that held the child as it rose from the pool. Soon the hand had become an arm and the arm was next to a head, and a torso rose to connect the body parts. In a few moments the room was eerily quiet, even the newly born baby had stopped crying as the demon took shape. And take its shape it did, the demon was a tall figure, taller then the man in the room, and had spiraling black horns on its head. This being had blood red eyes and a mouth filled with dark knife like fangs, it had no other facial features then this, and the rest of the demon’s body was obscured by thick clothing. However through the clothes one could easily see the well toned muscles and capable stance the monster took as it stood in the room, the blood red circle beneath it shining with a dark, evil light. Holding the child the demon caressed its cheek and looked at the two standing before it for a moment, the air of amusement forming around it. After all, why wouldn’t it be amused at the antics of the two people (if one could call them that) in front of it, these people would call itself from the abyss every few decades and offer a young, pure soul to keep themselves from growing old. Right now the demon had taken countless souls from the two, but ironically couldn’t take their souls should they be offered. Demons would only work with the pure, and Angels would only work with the damned- it was just the way things worked, and rules were rules no matter how much one might disagree with them.
Not that it minded. The demon had gained substantial power from the innocent souls it had devoured, and was at a comfortable standing in the netherworld. It was now a ‘Duke’ of sorts in it’s native realm, and it was only growing in power as the couple offered more and more souls to feed it. After all, the three had worked out a deal when they had began this exchange long ago. The two would act as “Guardians” of the pure and innocent child after obtaining the rights to care for the innocent soul through various means, and then they would give the soul of the child to the demon. It was a simple deal that exploited a loophole in the law of heaven and the netherworld, and for the last few hundred years it was something beneficial to both parties. Looking closer at this child’s soul the demon smiled, it was not a smile of kindness- it was the smile of a predator who had found suitable prey.
With a deep rumbling voice the demon spoke, gently holding the babe in its arms, “So, its time for us to continue our contract? You seem to have found a good soul here- I will give you two an extra few decades of time. This soul is worth a century of youth, and it quite pure- It must have been difficult getting a newborn like this. ” Its voice echoed in the chamber, and the two people laughed together in joy. Every soul they exchanged would give them a period of youth- and the younger and more pure the soul the more time they received from the demon. With this child they kindly received from a recently deceased family within the kingdom they would easily have a century of youth to enjoy. And nothing could stop them. Grinning the man spoke, “Alright, lets sign the contract and be on our ways, we look forward to our next meeting.” Chuckling softly the demon casually opened a hand in front of the couple, and with a burst of dark energy a contract appeared- it was a contract to give ownership of a soul to the demon to do with as he pleased. Taking the contract the man and woman smiled, and then bit their fingers to sign with a bloody thumbprint. Just as the man pressed his thumb onto the contract a loud explosion echoed through the castle, it was a sound so powerful that it rock the room the contract was occurring in and the building itself groaned aloud.
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Outside the castle was a single man in a white robe, the man was fairly old, with wrinkles on his face and grey hair on his head. He had sharp eyes and the winds blew through his balding head, his hands had wrinkles on them and he looked around tiredly. He was holding a book, and around him were the burned bodies of hundreds of nobles and guards. Looking closer at the bodies one could tell that they were not quite human. These people had fangs that took the place of their canines and their eyes were narrow slits, the burning flesh bubbled as sunlight touched them and the man took out an object from his robe. This object was a shield made of pure silver, a religious object of a certain church that was known through the land. This man held the item in front of him and screams were released by the burned bodies around him, “Minions of the Damned! I banish you- With the power invested in me by the holy light I purge this place from your evil! With my light I will tear your illusions apart- be purged!” With that a burst of blinding white light burst from the mans body, spreading outwards in a sphere as all the “humans” that were around him disintegrated and turned to ash. When the light cleared the castle was no longer something that was made of stone, it no longer had the majestic appearance of a place where a just ruler will reside. No, now the bricks and walls of the place were black with the deeds that had corrupted this place, looking at the building in front of him the priest suddenly felt a wave of vertigo. Would anyone else look at the castle they would see a black brick building with moss growing on the well kept walls, however the priest saw something quite different. Upon looking at the building he could see blood oozing from the walls and feel the hate of many souls that had been sacrificed here. Looking at the castle he took a deep breath and walked inside- he had a job to do.
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The Queen looked at the King in surprise, and the demon looked at them, waiting for the contract to be completed- for the sake of closing any loopholes. Having finished his side of the contract the King gestured for the Queen to do her part, and without hesitation she signed the seal with her own thumbprint. Looking over the contract the demon smiled toothily, and turned about to walk into the writhing darkness that he had entered holding the baby in it's arms.
*BANG*
The door to the room burst open as a priest walked in, he was covered in soot and ash and looking at the demon holding a child he spoke, “Return to your realm demon. Or I will end your existence here, I claim this child in the name of Inocuis, the holy god. Be gone!” Laughing at the pulse of power the priest released the demon grinned as he watched the King and Queen rapidly age as his magic to give them their youth again was destroyed. Looking at his withered hands the King let out a scratchy croak of rage and despair as he reached to the demon before falling over, the Queen falling next to him as the two continued to rapidly age, their bodies turning to dust in moments. Laughing the demon looked at the priest, “So you destroyed the statute to give them their youth. Amusing, but your too late Priest. You just killed the two who gave me guardianship over this child- he’s mine by all rights now.” With his face showing no expression the priest looked at the demon, “Well. If thats the case I just have to -” In the middle of his sentence the priest took out a bookmark from his bible and held it in front of him, a golden light shining on the piece of cloth as he instantly rushed at the demon making it gently drop the child to the ground. With a roar of anger the demon raised one hand and summoned a sword to block the priest, “THAT BOY IS MINE BY THE RIGHTS OF HEAVEN AND THE NETHERWORLD.” pulling another sword out of the darkness the demon chopped down towards the priest’s head. Stepping to the side the priest easily dodged the attack and was immediately hit by the demon’s other sword, sending him flying into a wall across the room. Coughing some blood the priest stood up once more, preparing to attack.
Curiously, the baby wasn’t making a sound despite the battle around it, this was because the moment the demon touched it, the baby was inflicted with a coma causing spell to keep it quiet. While the child was in his slumber the priest desperately fought against the demon, the creature of the netherworld easily sending the holy man flying with each hit. Looking at the demon the priest finally realized, “You shouldn’t be in this realm- Your a Arcduke!” Laughing the demon grinned wryly, “I can go where I wish, and where I am called to.” Blood quickly fading from the outmatched priest’s face, he looked at the demon once more and took a small vial from his pocket. This vial was the size of a persons index finger, and was filled with a sparkling liquid with specks of gold within. The cork stopping the liquid from leaving was firmly attached to the vial, and some runes were carved into it. Instantly throwing the vial the priest watched it slam into the demon’s sword as it cut the projectile by instinct, and the priest smiled. When the vial broke the liquid inside spread out into the air, and wherever the liquid touched the demon the flesh bubbled and bled. Crying out in pain the demon jumped back to the portal, his eyes seething with hate, “Mark my words priest. That boy is mine, and nothing can stop me from taking him. I have all the time in the world, so a few moments longer won’t mean much.” Disappearing into the portal the demon was gone from the realm, and with the demon returned the portal blinked out of existence. Looking at the many blood painted runes in the room the priest got to work purifying it, after he prevented this place from being able to bring that demon back the priest would take the child out of this accursed kingdom.
During the battle the priest and demon didn’t notice one thing. It was not a small thing, nor was it something of substantial importance. it was however something that would end up affecting the child in his future, when the demon bled and the holy water spread into the air a droplet of both substances entered the sleeping child’s mouth through sheer coincidence. However as this was not noticed, neither the child, the priest, nor the demon knew about just what had happened and never would. Finishing purifying the room the priest nodded, he had destroyed the magic circles used to summon the demon, and he even went so far as to fill the room and saturate the stones with holy magic to rid of any lingering evil. With a heavy sigh the priest shook his head, “I’m glad the Archbishop insisted on giving everyone those Angel blessed vials, otherwise I would be dead right now. Now for the child…” Looking at the sleeping baby the priest shook his head and made a sling to carry the baby. It was going to be a long journey back to the church, and almost on cue the baby woke crying loudly in the castle with the priest.
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Several weeks of walking had passed, and walking into the church the priest groaned with deep dark rings under his eyes. He had been caring for the child on his back for the last few weeks as he traveled through the forest, and part of him wanted to leave the kid in the woods. However if he did that then his fight against the demon would have been wasted, and besides he had no reason to do such a thing other then because of being bitter about a lack of sleep. Lucky the child had fallen asleep and he was able to hand him off to a nun, telling her to alert the Archbishop to his arrival. Walking to a door, carved out of wood with a few holy runes of protection on it, the priest knocked on the door. From inside the room he heard an energetic voice, “ Come in!” Opening the door the priest saw a long man sitting on a chair hunched over a manuscript, getting up and stretching the young man hastily ran his hand through his black hair and looked at the priest with his deep blue eyes. He was wearing a similar robe to the priest, however his was lined with red accents to mark his rank within the church. Smiling slyly the Archbishop spoke, “Welcome back Ardasil! You look older then normal…” With an eye twitching the priest looked at the Archbishop taking a deep breath, “Because you decided to make me look- and feel- like and old man this time! I nearly died at that place, there was an ARCHDUKE. AN ARCHDUKE I TELL YOU!” Laughing the Archbishop wiped tears from his eyes, and with a simple gesture the priest returned to normal. HIs balding, grey hair turned red and his face became younger by 40 years. Rubbing his face Ardasil gutted unhappily, being made to look and feel like a 60 year old man and then be sent on a mission to ‘purge a hidden kingdom from evil’ because the Archbishop was bored was not something anyone would consider fun. Especially when said Archbishop had Angels to help him when he needed to do something important- or pull off a good prank.
After grumbling for a while and complaining silently the priest finally spoke, “I did as you asked, also as the source of the evil in that kingdom was the entire upper cast I had to purify the area, nothing of dark nature will step foot there for a few years as the forest absorbs the magic. I found an orphan as well, he was signed over to the Archduke I told you about earlier. As he has no family left in the kingdom, and is the last resident alive of that place, I brought him here to be cared for by the church.” Looking at Ardasil the Archbishop nodded and let his friend continue, “Also, why did you send me in with a book? A book of all things! I’m a holy knight not some church chanter for heaven’s sake! I had to fight with a bookmark- do you know how embarrassing it is to face off against a demon with a bloody piece of cloth!?!” Laughing heartily the Archbishop knelt over, imagining the scene of the fight. after several minutes of laughter and complaining from Ardasil, the two finally became more serious. Looking at the priest the Archbishop spoke, “So you brought an orphan from that place? Well, he should be safe here, and when he turns of age he will get the rights to his soul back. So we will just raise him here and teach him a few things before setting him loose in the world- don’t worry about him. Also I have another mission for you.” With a cry of rage Ardasil walked out of the room and slammed the door behind him, not seeing the Archbishop laughing as he enjoyed the scene he had orchestrated.