Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

P rince Aeralis stretched his wings, letting his fury fuel him with power. He clenched his fists at his sides and shook his head in disbelief. “We were so close to getting the powerful object. Yet it escaped our grasp!” He hated failure.

Vesmona nodded, her voice soft as silk. “I share your frustration, my Prince. The humans have taken the magical object and vanished without a trace. It’s as if they were spirited away.”

Stopping abruptly, he turned toward her, his lip quivering as he sneered, “Spirited away? By whom, Vesmona?” He twirled his fingers before him, mocking her. “Humans can’t cloak themselves from my Vralgari soldiers or your demon horde!”

Cautiously stepping back one foot at a time, she swallowed. “Perhaps...perhaps they had help. Someone or something intervened, shielding them from our detection. It’s the only explanation.”

“And who would dare defy me? Who would risk my wrath for these insignificant humans on a mining colony?” He rubbed his chin, resuming his pacing.

Vesmona sighed in relief he didn’t continue coming in her direction. He knew she was well aware he believed her demon horde should have captured the humans before they escaped.

“Well?” he shrieked, looking at her for answers. “You’re the head of my demon intelligence! Who would interfere?”

Choosing her words carefully, she said, “Someone who knew what you were after. Someone hellbent on stopping you from rising in power.”

“No one would be so bold! It would sign their death warrant!” he shouted, pondering who could have pulled it off. I have many enemies among the Vralgari Red Fae Court, who vie for my father’s attention. But they would never challenge me. No, this is different. This is someone with a vendetta!

He walked to the window, gazing out over Crelentia, his voice thick with worry. “They had pure magic, Vesmona. Dangerous magic! The kind we rarely encounter. And now they’ve slipped through our fingers.”

She was thoughtful as she took his side, looking out the window at the magical world of Crelentia, a world they had seized. “Pure magic...and a powerful artifact could rival our powers.”

He bristled as the truth in her words sent a shiver down his spine. His wings unfurled, his claws hungry for flesh to rip and tear. He turned to face her. “And now, someone else knows about it. Someone who doesn’t belong in this equation. We will find them before they threaten our hibernating army and our rise to godhood.”

“There are rumors among the mining locals...whispers of ancient protectors. Of beings with magic older than our history. We are interrogating the locals as we speak, my Prince. We won’t rest until we find whoever dared to defy the House of Vralgari!”

He thought about the distant stars where his people were from. “Good. We cannot afford to underestimate our adversaries. Especially when they wield powers that we’ve only begun to comprehend.”

“We’ll find them, Prince Aeralis. And reclaim what is rightfully yours. And when we do, they’ll answer for their interference.”

“Indeed they will, Vesmona. Indeed they will.” He kissed her hand, inhaling her demon magic. If he weren’t so angry, he’d act on the delicious desire her scent created in him.

“Bring the mining locals to the throne room. I’ll interrogate them myself.”

He walked through the glorious halls of the castle, which once flowed with light magic. It was beautiful, a testament to the architectural feats of the Crelentians who used to dwell here long ago.

Sitting upon the golden ancient throne in the center of the throne room, Prince Aeralis basked in the light flowing through the many windows. Vesmona took the seat next to him. The throne room had two chairs of equal size, though no one would doubt he ruled and not her.

His father would strike him down if he saw Vesmona sitting beside him. A lowly demoness next to a proud Vralgari Prince. But Vesmona would die for him, and that loyalty deserved to be rewarded. And besides, she was a great lover.

“This throne has seen empires rise and fall. It was once bathed in the radiance of the Light Queens of the South and the North, revered by all. Yet—” he bent over in laughter, “their throne is now shrouded in the blood of our eternal reign.”

Vesmona’s gaze swept over the ornate carvings. “Imagine the tales it could tell if thrones could speak. Of golden purity extinguished by bloodred darkness and divine Crelentian grace yielding to Vralgari Fae power.”

“The Light Queens used to hold court in these chambers where people would come to hear their words of inspiration and hope. Now it’s the center of our dominion and a symbol of our unyielding strength.” Prince Aeralis was proud of his people.

He ran his fingers along the polished surface of the throne chair. “The House of Vralgari will enlighten all in this galaxy. They will kneel to the descendants of gods or, like the Crelentians, will die on their thrones, their bones desecrated beneath my boots.”

Vesmona’s throaty laughter filled the vast space, looking at him as her clawed fingers pointed to the vaulted ceiling with large terraces once used for the Light Queens’ dragons to land. “Do you ever wonder what they would say if they could see us now?”

He paused, thinking before hitting his knee with absolute joy. “They would tell us to get the fuck out of their chairs!” He laughed, knowing the Light Queens and their dragons would have been difficult to kill had they not attacked them without warning. They were relics of the past, and he, a mighty Prince from the House of Vralgari, was a symbol of blood, power, and eternal dominion.

The doors opened as his Vralgari lieutenants and a small tactical squad of thirty Vralgari entered. They were followed by the demon horde, who pulled chains attached to three men wearing filthy uniforms.

The three men were guards from the Picard mine, where the explosion had occurred on Mineva. They were on duty when the strange energy source was detected.

Prince Aeralis sized up each man, noting all three had considerable magic. It was how they had kept the people in the mining colony nearly enslaved and bowing to their will. It was fitting to see them shake in their chains, looking around, wondering where they were.

The men were battered and bruised. They had fought bravely when the demon horde kidnapped them and their families and then hauled them to Crelentia for interrogation. Their magic wouldn’t save them now.

But Prince Aeralis knew men like this would fight until the bitter end. He didn’t need them to fight. He needed them to give him the information he sought.

“Give them some water,” he barked at a few demons, who ran on all fours to fetch the water. They returned quickly, rising on hind legs to hand the water to the terrified men.

“Do not be afraid,” said Prince Aeralis. “My demon friends will not harm you or your families, who we are holding in our cells.” He knew his words would resonate, as the men wouldn’t dare attempt to use their magic against him, knowing their families would be slaughtered.

“I’m Prince Aeralis. It’s a pleasure to meet you. ”

“Please tell us what you want,” said the most muscular man as his eyes swept over Prince Aeralis’s bloodred markings on his face and neck. His uniform marked him as the captain of the guards. “We have money, gold, and other valuables. I’m sure we can strike a deal.”

He laughed, his lieutenants following suit. The horde sneered, saliva slipping from their mouths as thick black tongues licked their sharp teeth.

“Yes...yes, that’s the spirit.” Prince Aeralis clapped his hands as his wings lifted higher in the seat behind him. He crossed his legs, leaning back on the throne. He saw the men taking in his wealth as they looked at the rings adorning each of his fingers. And they stared at his red crown.

“Now, tell me what you told my lieutenant about the explosion at the mine.”

The men told them they worked as guards during the night of the explosion. They ticked off the names of the humans who worked that night, mostly women and young teens who lived at the science outpost. One man said the women were orphans stranded on the mining colony. Prince Aeralis buried this nugget of information in the back of his mind for further investigation, but for now, he just needed to know if these women had the power source.

The men said that the explosion would have killed everyone, including them, if it weren’t for a magical amulet worn by one of the women.

Sitting up, Prince Aeralis interjected, “Are you sure the energy came from an amulet around the woman’s neck?”

“Yes, Aeralis—I mean, Prince Aeralis,” said the man. “I felt the mining shaft begin to tremble. We knew an explosion was imminent. The woman’s amulet shot a bright light into the air as magical symbols floated around it,” said the man, the memory so terrifying he could barely finish speaking. Another man stepped forward to finish the story, bravely patting the first man on the shoulder.

“A shield formed around everyone. And then light burst from the hands of several women as they shielded the younger teens from the blast felt across the mining colony. Fire was everywhere, but the shield held for nearly an hour before the women used magic to put the fire out,” said the man. “They saved us all that day, Prince Aeralis.”

“And all the women had magic, you said?” asked Vesmona. The man nodded, as did the other two guards. She shifted into her demoness form next to the guard, raking her claws along his jawline, tilting his eyes to look into hers. The man stuttered, claiming the young women had worked in the mines their entire lives and hadn’t used magic before.

He was so afraid of Vesmona’s questioning that he peed his pants.

“Vesmona, leave the man be!” shouted Prince Aeralis. “He’s souring the smell of his magic!”

Vesmona flicked her tongue at him as she returned to his side at the throne. Leaning in, she whispered, “How easily people fear demons. Yet, they fail to see that the Vralgari Prince with the sandy-colored ethereal skin, pointy ears peaking beneath dark red hair, and a crown is the true predator in the room.”

He snickered. “My ears aren’t that pointy!”

“Yes, they are!” she murmured ruefully.

He looked at the mining guards, enjoying putting on the show.

“I’m a merciful Prince. I have one more question before I free you and your families.” The men shook in fear as Vesmona hissed at them, shifting back into her beautiful body and retaking her seat on the throne.

“Someone helped the women leave the mining colony. We heard rumors of ‘protectors’ being on the Mineva mining colony. Did you see any strangers around the women?” But the men shook their heads, replying that they had seen no one. They claimed the colony was often visited by traders from far and wide but had no idea how the women could have escaped.

He thanked the men for helping them. Prince Aeralis smiled. “Go clean up for dinner. Tonight, you and your families will feast with us. And then I’ll send you to where you belong.”

The men were grateful, praising him for his mercy. Their magic hummed around them as their chains were removed. The horde escorted them out to rejoin their families.

“The amulet is a magical artifact of untold power,” he said thoughtfully.

“We must find the magical amulet! Just imagine the power I would have if I possessed its magic!” Prince Aeralis sang, his wings extending as he stood. “My father would be proud.” His Vralgari soldiers and the demons cheered.

“And we cannot let this powerful artifact become a weapon against us.” Everyone bowed, swearing they wouldn’t let that happen.

He rose, taking his men to check on their slumbering army. He’d been away too long, worry etched on his brow. A dangerous artifact slipped through his fingers. He had an enemy out there—who had something he wanted. He couldn’t let anyone pose a danger to his slumbering army, knowing they would be needed to take over the galaxy and rise to godhood.

They walked through tunnels leading to a chamber where a massive Vralgari military ship was docked. It was covered in faux rock, appearing like part of the mountain to an untrained eye that didn’t know it was there. Inputting his biometrics, Prince Aeralis used a sophisticated locking mechanism to open the door.

The military guards saluted and announced Prince Aeralis’s arrival on the communications system. He greeted them warmly and then headed deep within the ship.

“Amazing!” He pointed at the rows of hibernation chambers.

“Here lies one of the greatest Vralgari armies to exist—the first-strike force!” He walked along the rows. “And the deadliest!”

Dimly lit, the high-tech ship conserved its power. The hibernation pods for the Vralgari Red Fae army exuded an eerie yet sophisticated aura. The pods used advanced biotechnology to sustain the nearly immortal Fae warriors.

The pods were sleek, cylindrical capsules of polished alloys filled with ambient light. Red Fae symbols were etched along the edges and pulsated with energy. Each pod contained a Vralgari soldier with claw-tipped wings folded in suspended animation. They appeared serene in their slumber, though their deadly aura was unmistakable.

Ships with hibernation chambers were an integral part of the Vralgari military and were strategically positioned to provide rapid deployment capabilities when duty was called. They were linked via secure communications channels to military facilities the Vralgari King commanded.

“You’ve done well, my Vralgari army. Rest now, for soon, my father will need your strength again,” said Prince Aeralis.

He gazed at the nearest pod, his voice tinged with pride. “These soldiers will bring countless beings to their knees. All will bear witness to the rise of the descendants of gods. The Vralgari!”

These Vralgari soldiers had helped him attack and destroy the Crelentians long ago. The first strike in this galaxy—a strike they won, even though it hadn’t gone exactly as ordered.

Prince Aeralis bristled. My father keeps things from me about when and where he will strike next. Punishment for one vrexing failure—a failure my father isn’t willing to forgive!

He was relegated to caretaker of their hibernating army. Undoubtedly, it was an important task, and he was proud of the vital role. But he was a warrior and battle strategist. My talents are best served by my father’s side, not babysitting!

But he knew it was only a matter of time before his father would learn that he left Crelentia on a secret mission. He needed to get the amulet so that when his father confronted him with yet another failure to follow protocol, he would have something to show for his disobedience.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t hear the urgent rush of wings enter the tunnel.

“Prince Aeralis, come quickly. The last of our troops have returned from interrogating locals from Mineva. You’re going to want to see this,” said one lieutenant, turning and flying back the way he came.

He and his Vralgari soldiers flew behind the lieutenant. Vesmona shifted into her demoness form. She and her horde followed them quickly outside to the grounds where his military was returning with the news. His troops carried among them a dead body.

Prince Aeralis approached the body, bending over it before he let out a bark of anger. The Vralgari spread their wings, hissing as their fangs dropped. Their high-pitched sound filled the skies, causing the demon horde to cover their ears.

The dead Vralgari soldier had been found lying amid scorched ground near the science outpost where they had waged battle. Torn apart, the dark red metal plates of the soldier’s armor were twisted and melted in places. The emblem of the House of Vralgari, etched in crimson red symbols, was barely recognizable amid the warrior’s charred remnants.

The soldier’s pale skin, usually resilient to most mortal wounds, was burned, and his wings were shredded. His stiff fingers, once skilled in wielding enchanted Red Fae weapons, were now open and lifeless—his fingers frozen in a final grasp that spoke of his futile defense. As Prince Aeralis inspected the body, it was a grim testament to the violence that unfolded in the last seconds of his prized Fae soldier’s life.

“Only one creature can do this to a Vralgari soldier,” Prince Aeralis screamed, opening his clawed wings wide. “A vile creature with a searing breath of flames that can melt souls. A horrid, winged beast with talons and a barbed tail that can unleash crushing blows.”

He looked at his army, his words echoing—not fear but pure hatred. “A Celestial dragon!”

Everything fell into place at once. Suddenly, he had answers to his questions about what happened on Mineva, and who had interfered with him getting the amulet.

“Only one man could have concealed the humans in shadows to avoid detection. Only one man would dare defy my rise to power. And only one man commands Celestial dragons.”

His men called out in unison. “Warlord Jaxxon Hammer!”