The Great Prophecy
Though the Upperworld and Underworld,
Hate each other so; the two worlds will be joined as one.
The one special demon
And the one special girl,
Shall love each other true,
And make the sacred vow,
To be together throughout time.
The demons will calm,
And stand the light
Which they could not before.
Ephron shall be a world of peace.
Prologue
Ephron, a world of turmoil and chaos, yet also a world of peace and tranquility. A world divided, two worlds in one. One and only one gate separates the worlds, unable to fall. Guards positioned on the Upperworld side warn civilians of rogue demons or attacks.
Home to all the beautiful plants and animals known to man, the Upperworld contains the fairies, pixies, centaurs, elves, and good creatures. “Vegetarian” vampires rule the Upperworld, creating peace and tranquility for all its inhabitants.
Sapphire gems inlaid in crowns or jewelry, contain most of the Royal family’s strength and magical power. The King’s inlaid in his crown, the Queen’s in her’s, the Prince’s in his cloak clip, and the Princess’s hanging on a silver chain around her neck.
The Demonworld, home to all the ogres, dragons, trolls, giants, witches, wizards, and all other manner of evil creatures live under the Royal family’s rule, in the rock-filled environment. A family of vampires with blood-red eyes has blood-red rubies to keep their strength and magical powers in check. The king’s inlaid in his crown, the Queen’s hanging from a golden chain, the princess’s on a black ribbon choker, the prince’s in his sword handle, and the Crown Prince’s on a leather bracelet. Their true forms – longer fangs and immensely pale white skin – emerge only during a full moon.
Unable to stand the bright, glowing sun of the Upperworld, the demons may only enter the Upperworld during the night.
Royal family members of both worlds must be cautious not to get their gems taken, for their powers would cease until the gems were returned.
It is in the Demonworld of Ephron, as a young man, with short, messy, blood-red hair, is sneaking out of his room that our story begins....
Chapter One
I opened the door to the dark, cold, and dreary corridor, double-checked that no one was coming, and silently slipped into the corridor and out the nearest window. I ran across the courtyard, pulling my cloak’s hood on. As I ran, townspeople, still out and about, bowed. I reached the gate and looked through to see lights zig-zagging through the trees.
My ruby glowed as my blood-red hair turned dark brown and my clothes to rags. As I stepped through the gate, the guards turned to see me enter and started for their horns. With feigned distress, I said, “Wait, wait! I’m an Upperworlders! I’ve been held captive by the demons for six years, and finally escaped!” At this the guards lowered their horns and let me pass. Stupid Upperworlders, they’ll believe anything.
I slipped silently through the trees, looking at all the plants and flowers that don’t exist in the Demonworld. I slowed to a walk as I sensed someone up ahead. As I passed the next tree, I entered a clearing in which a young woman, with long strawberry-blonde hair, was standing.
I took a step back, snapping a branch. The woman spun around to reveal shocking, liquid blue eyes that seemed to burn with anger as she saw my blood-red eyes. I started to turn, yet was stopped by an invisible cord that wrapped around me like a snake.
“Which demon prince are you? Zero or Jacob?”
I looked at her in puzzlement. “I’m not a demon, much less a prince.”
“If you aren’t a Royal demon, then why do you have blood-red eyes?”
I blinked, my eyes changing to hazel, “My eyes are hazel.”
The woman looked closer at my eyes, puzzled. With a wave of her hand, she looked away. “Sorry. It’s just for a minute I thought they were.”
“It’s fine, but can you undo whatever it is you did?”
“Oh right, sorry. By the way I’m Aeria,” the woman said.
I fell to the ground, after being released from the spell, due to my lack of balance skills. From the ground, I looked up with a shocked expression on my face. “Wait, Aeria as in Princess Aeria?”
“Yeah, that’s me.”
Huh, she’s easier to find than I thought she would be. “Well then Princess, would you mind if I gave you something to remember our encounter, for – believe me – this will not be the last time we meet, Princess,” I said reaching into my pocket and pulling out a ruby.
“I thought you said you weren’t a demon,” Aeria said as she examined the ruby.
“I’m not.”
“Then how did you end up with a ruby? They’re only found in the Demonworld.”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“Try me.”
“Okay, I recently escaped from the Demonworld, and snatched a few to get me started again,” I replied calmly.
“I believe you,” Aeria said, her blue eyes showing her belief.
“Your eyes are the most shocking blue I’ve ever seen.”
Branches snapped as demons came out of the trees. “Bet the Royals will like you for dinner,” a troll said.
I turned around, glaring at the demons, with a glare they knew could only belong to the Crown Prince alone. While the demons were distracted, Aeria stunned them with a bright flash of her sapphire. “Come on,” Aeria whispered, to a dazed Zero.
As Aeria pulled me through the trees, the demons collected themselves and followed them through the trees. As we burst through the tree line, we skidded to a stop at the edge of a gorge, fifteen feet wide and 2,000 feet deep. “Do you trust me?” I asked, looking at Aeria with eyes full of feigned hope.
“Y-yes, why?”
“I’m going to toss you across the gorge and jump over after you. Of course you could just zap a bridge but then the demons could follow much faster that way.”
“Ok,” Aeria said as I prepared to toss her. “I’m ready.”
“Ok, here we go,” I said as I picked her up, ran and tossed her gracefully across the gorge. As she landed on the other side, the demons burst through the trees and grabbed me and began binding me, dragging me back through the trees towards the Demonworld.
Aeria fell to the ground crying for the man, who gave up his ‘freedom’ for her.
Chapter Two
“Alright, alright! You can let me go now,” I growled to the demons after we arrived in the Demonworld. The demons proceeded to untie me. “Did you really have to tie the rope that tight?”
“Sorry your princelyness,” a goblin replied. The demons watched me in silence as I wandered around the cliff top, thinking of Aeria.
“Crown Prince?” a warlock asked cautiously.
“What?” I yelled, glaring.
The warlock flinched, because I have been known to be rather violent when mad. “We were asked to help you in any way you need in the future. Are our services needed?”
“No they are not and who told you to ‘help’ me. All you did was ruin what I was doing. You did not help. You could’ve asked before I left or when I came back. I was with the PRINCESS of the Upperworld. I was closer to the goal than anybody else has ever been before. I could be that demon, she could be that girl. And you went and ruined chances that I could’ve had now I have to make up excuses as to why I escaped again in such a short time, why you guys didn’t watch the ONE prisoner who has ever escaped the Demonworld in about 500 years. Did you even think of that?” I said furious.
“No we did not. We are extremely sorry that your father had us cause you such an inconvience, sire.”
“Unfortunately, what is done is done. Just do not follow me again,” i said heading back towards the palace, trying to cool off before having to face my father, which I always dreaded doing.
* * * *
Aeria stood up, walked to the edge of the gorge, looking over at the spot which the man who gave up his freedom for her safety had briefly sat while being bound. As her sapphire flashed, a bridge popped up in front of her and she slowly walked across the bridge towards the tree line hoping and praying that no one would pass by as she silently mourned the loss of a brave young man.
As Aeria sat against a tree, a young man with short, messy, blonde hair walked out of the bushes and saw her. “Aeria! There you are, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. What have you been doing?”
“Lucas,” Aeria whispered between sobs. “Lucas, there was a man.”
“Yes, what about this man? Did he do something to you? Aeria tell me.”
“H-he gave up his fr-freedom for my life.”
“His freedom? From what?”
“The Underworld. The demons, they just came out of nowhere. I couldn’t do anything. But I don’t want him to die for me,” Aeria said as she burst into tears, falling into Lucas’s arms. “What do I do?”
“We tell father,” he said, picking her up and walking towards the palace.
* * * *
As they approached the palace steps, the Queen burst through the doors, “Aeria! Is she okay? What happened? Lucas, tell me right this minute.”
“Mother, she’s fine. I’ll tell you inside. I don’t want to tell you in front of the entire village.”
“Fine, fine, just hurry up. Go, Go!” the Queen said as she ushered him into the palace.
“Take her up to her room,” Lucas said to a servant as he walked in and set her in his arms. “Where is Father?”
“Where else?”
“Right, right, of course,” he said as he headed off down the hall to the five story library in which the King spent most of his time.