When the sun graced the sky, Eldrick and Thorne, embarked on their journey to Azurath. Thorne, expressing concern, questioned the sleeping potions' duration. "How long is it supposed to last? She's been asleep for quite a while.
"I hope she's not -dead."
Eldrick, with a lack of certainty, responded, "Let's hope she's not. Because I have no idea." The duo crosses the crystal lake, anticipation building as they approach the realm of Azurath.
Upon their arrival, King Azazel, still groggy from sleep, is informed of their presence. "Eldrick and Thorne wish to see you," Queen Ravenna announces, rousing him from his slumber. Intrigued, the king rushes to meet them without bothering to change his attire.
"So, were you able to find her?" King Azazel inquires, hopeful. Eldrick, bubbling with excitement, replies, "Yes, my lord." The king instructs them to bring her in, and Eldrick eagerly retrieves the bag, presenting it to the monarch.
The king's mood took a drastic turn when he discovered the mannequin instead of Yen. Filled with anger, he questioned,
"What do you two take me for?"
Eldrick, now bewildered, reassures him that Yen was in the bag and they have no idea how she escaped.
The king, surprisingly calm, demanded a detailed account of their journey. After hearing their explanation, he erupted in fury, berating them. "You had one job! One!! And you come to me on the fourth day with a mannequin??" The insults continue, with the king blaming Thorne for succumbing to Eldrick's stupidity.
"Fools!!"He shouts.
As the king regains composure, his eyes ablaze with fury, he shifts his focus to the revelation that Yen resides in the palace of Almira. Outraged, he bellows, "How is that even possible? And how dare they accommodate my slave?" Eldrick and Thorne, still baffled, affirm the information, was about leaving the king to seethe with anger and plot his next move.
"Wait..." King Azazel interrupts, his voice a thunderous echo, as he shifts his focus to the guards who are about to leave.
"I don't recall dismissing you." The king's piercing gaze bore into them as he slowly stood up from his throne. Eldrick and Thorne, paralyzed with fear, were short of words and had nothing to say.
"I send you on a 7 DAY JOURNEY!! And you come back empty. Do you know who that girl is... Do you even know why I lock her up?" His words laced with venom, Azazel's anger intensified, his disdain evident.
"You two imbeciles," he spat, "must revel in your incompetence. Bringing me a mannequin instead of my prized possession. I should have sent you to a kindergarten instead of a mission." His eyes narrowed, tone dripping with disdain.
Before Azazel, the king, turns away, he delivers a final blow, "If I don't find Yen before the next full moon, you two will remain at the mercy of the shadows for the rest of your miserable lives." The guards, aware of the gravity of the situation, begged Azazel.
"My lord... I beg of you. Please do not do this," Thorne and Eldrick pleaded, desperation evident in their voices.
"We don't wish to face such consequences."
"No one wishes to endure such a fate," the king retorted with a cold smirk. "If you value your lives, just hope I find her."
As the echoes of the king's wrath linger in the air, Thorne and Eldrick find themselves escorted away by the guards, their footsteps resonating ominously down the corridor, leading toward the unforgiving depths of the kingdom's hidden dungeon.
Now left alone in the silence of the Throne room and bothered about the situation at hand, the king was forced to take a ride down memory lane;
" I was once a doer of good, you know.-Lucifer, they called me. I always sang my heart out to him, as all my songs were inspired by him. Out of all the angels, I believe I was the greatest. None could be compared to me, and even he knew this. Sadly, he chose denial. Calling me 'pompous and unrighteous' but all I did was serve him. I mean, was he wrong? No, because, all the angels should have bowed down before me!" The devil said, anger evident in his voice as he spoke.
"I deserved it."
"Was it easy to have such talent? My music had power. The power to move mountains, shatter great cities, bloom the herbs of nature, and overall please him.... He chose to cast me down- below, declaring it as 'a punishment,' but I couldn't be more grateful to him. I love it here." He added with a smirk as he spoke to Azazel, who was already trembling with fear, from the sight of the black-cloaked figure which stood before him.
"What do you want from me." Azazel finally asked, and after a long moment of silence, he got a reply.
"You know Azazel, we both have one thing in common. Do you know what that is?
" No... How do you know my name ?" He responded. The devil ignored the question. "We both have a strong desire to be revered." His voice was like a thousand snakes, as he whispered to Azazel.
" I have the power to make you greater than you have ever imagined yourself to be, my son... I have the power to make you A GOD. I can give you immense wealth, and the brawn to rule over nations." He added, showing him all the wealth and power he could attain. Intrigue by all this Azazel asked; you're not bantering now, are you?
Doubt is evident in his tone.
"Of course not ... But it all comes with a price."
" Tell me, what do I have to do."
"Good ...All you have to do, is to denounce the God you once worshipped as a child."
"Is that all?" Azazel asked.
"Well then, as from this moment, I denounce him. I never knew him, neither did I worship him nor believe in him." He added without hesitation.
"EXCELLENT." The devil said with a satisfied smirk on his face.
" You also have to donate your soul." He said, so casually.
Azazel, taken aback by this, took quite some time before responding.
"I ... I agree." He stammered."
"Beautiful. Wow! You're the easiest one I've ever come across."
The easiest?
" Now, with haste, journey to a land called Mavahk. For your wealth does not lay here."
"Well... have no idea where that is."
"Don't worry about anything, for I shall stand with you."
"Always?" He asked, doubt evident again in his tone.
"Always!" The devil assured.
Quickly he went home, packed all his belongings setting sail on a ship as he crossed the great lake.
𓆟 𓆝 𓆞 𓆝 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟
"We've arrived, sir."
The captain said, waking Azazel up from slumber- he was the only one left on deck. It had been 6 years since the journey began, and he had just arrived.
"How much is your fee?"
"500 Lumins." The purser said.
The place was a beauty. Beach-like, and tropical as coconut trees graced the rich earth."
" I see 'Mavahk.' " He remarked, gazing upon the beauty of the land. Soon it would be his.
He was at a seaport- where people would pay to sail, and travel to different lands.
"Two bags," He said to a man who sold coconut flakes- a rich treat made by sun drying well seasoned- thinly sliced coconut meat, by the lake's bank.
" That'll be 5 Lumins." The merchant said.
This journey has drenched me off all I have left.
It better be worth a soul.
Azazel thought to himself, as he paid the merchant.
Sitting under a tree, he gazed at passengers, who were going in and out of the ships. His ears also drifted to accommodate the satisfying sounds of seagulls and other birds which sang beautifully.
"So peaceful." He then spotted children playing, and the rest getting excited over a newly caught fish.
Reminds me of my childhood.
Too bad I had to grow up. He thought.
" Are you sure of that?" The devil said, making himself visible.
"Welcome."
" I do find it quite Strange," Azazel said.
" I am not from here, neither did I discover this land."
" Tell me why these people would accommodate a stranger as a king?" He added, trying to make sense out of everything.
"This place has no ruler."
"The people are so supportive and cooperative, they decided they didn't need one." The devil sneered.
" What? " Azazel exclaimed. He had drawn the attention of passersby.
Looking quite demented; it seemed to many like he was conversing with himself. In his entire life, he had never heard of such.
"A land without a ruler sounds like a recipe for disaster."
"Not for them."
"Which is why we have to convince them otherwise."
"And how do we do that?" Azazel asked.
"By putting them under a spell."
"Putting an entire land under a spell... Impossible!" He scoffed.
This turned out to offend the devil more than he had expected.
"Do not mock me, young man. Do not underrate my abilities. For If I have the power to make you, I can also break you."
"Don't forget I'm already greater than your little head can carry." He added.
"Now... I will put the whole land under a spell. Influencing them, to change this 'no leader' mindset of theirs. There will be chaos everywhere, then you'll show up. Presenting yourself decently, boasting of your leadership skills and hidden talents. Impressing them, you will be on their good books. When everyone is asleep, I will bestow powers unto all members of every household. Although, yours shall be greater; You will be a king after all." He said laughing, as he reviewed his plan.
Azazel nodded, afraid to speak.
"You are destined for great things."
The devil's last words before departing.
𓃭
On the fourth midnight, He descended upon the land- casting spells on every household and child.
"Acreihendeio!" He said, along with some very lengthy incantations.
That night, he made a huge mistake -omitting a household, but he was unaware of this.
As promised, he also blessed ALL families with powers. Making Azazel the last, the devil appeared in his sleeping chamber. He gifted the young man with immense wealth and transformed the little hut he resided in, into a great palace.
Days later, Azazel would be made king.
On the day of Azazel's coronation, the devil took the form of an archbishop.
"Does anyone oppose this?" The archbishop asked.... certain that no one would, he proceeded to take the crown out of its bolster.
"Stop ... I oppose ." A voice from the audience yelled, which was followed by gasps and indistinct chatters.
An average-height man alongside his wife and child made their way onto the stage.
"Listen to me please ... You guys are being deceived. I saw everything! You guys are under a spe-"
He noticed everything was still; It felt like time, had come to a halt and it did. It was the devil's doing.
"Do something!" Azazel said. Seeing worry in his eyes, Lucifer wiped the people of their previous memory.
As for the man and his wife ... Well as fate would have it, they were long gone; killed by the king himself.
Their daughter was taken captive by him.
That day Yen's parents had already told her what they saw that night, what they heard. Unfortunately for her, she might never remember.
Shortly after, the coronation proceeded like nothing had happened.
"All hail the king."
The entire kingdom chanted- the crown now laying gracefully on his head.
"You know for all this, I owe you a lot." The king said to Lucifer over brunch.
The devil grins."If you say so, I only ask of one thing; Maintain this land's new reputation as a sinful city- sin is sweet after all." Though I wouldn't call it sin.
" Well then,'' The king laughed.
''Sin city it is."
"Before I leave, you must know one thing. If the name of the God you denounced is ever fully worshipped in this kingdom, it will all come crashing down; your authority, your wealth, the control you have over these people, everything." He warned.
"You have nothing to worry about." King Azazel assured.
"Then, I guess my work here is done. It was nice doing business with you."
That was the last time the king had ever heard anything from Lucifer himself.
𓃭
I should probably let her go. After all, whatever she was told, she had long forgotten. But her powers... The king thought to himself, now in the present moment. For the first time in his life, he had never been so confused about what action to take.
"My love... It's late." Queen Ravenna said, shifting him from his zone of thought.
"Is anything the matter?"
"Uh- No my dear."
"Everything is alright." He added.
I wish not to bother her with anything I'm not sure of -yet.
"What happened to Eldrick and Thorne." The queen asked her husband, now next to him in bed.
"Those.. fools?"
"You need not worry about them."
YOU ARE READING
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐎𝐟 𝐀𝐥𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐚
Historical Fiction"Father, I cannot stand idly while our kingdom crumbles." - Prince Azrael Adored by many, Prince Azrael is a well accomplished gentleman. He initially believes love is a fallacy, but starts developing a change of hea...
