Fire Emblem Saga

[Deity]

((I did not want to go through the trouble of editing the posts, so I have started all over. I wont make a feedback thread for this one, as I will just use the Warrior Chronicles Feedback thread for it. Anyway, if you read and dont leave feedback, I hope you enjoy the story. Oh yeah, and if you wish to give feedback, you know where to do so, not here))

Fire Emblem: Saga

Prologue: The Portal To Hel

Somewhere in Broah, year 145

"You play with the unknown," the cute laguz-beast girl implied at her companion and dearest of friends who at the moment was on his knees drawing some sort of magical circle on the marbled ground of his subterranean cave-home. A magical circle that glowed in a radiant blueish aura.

"I do what I must, Cynthia," Rad Quetz corrected her, without so much as turning to look at her. In fact, he had kept on drawing the circle, for he wanted it to be done soon. "For our race."

"For our race?" Cynthia Hess, who wore long, blonde hair and was dressed in a pearly robe with golden trims, asked him, finally deciding to kneel beside him, taking a good measure of all the runes her friend had drawned inside the large magical circle. "Or for your own personal gains?"

Cynthia had always been scared of Rad Quetz, a brute dragonoid rogue whom she had met in the academy of Alöria two years ago. According to him, he was a laguz, or as humans said it; a freak. Cynthia knew better, the young man was actually a dragir, a dragon. A monster of a beast of whom all other races feared. Dragons were the most powerful species to ever grace the fine ground of Phydoria. There were laguz dragons of course, but these were cousins to the ancient beasts that had onced reigned supreme over the land of Phydoria.

Rad did turn to look at her when she had said that, and Cynthia shivered just by looking him directly in his cold stare. Rad was owner of a pair of precious, white eyes, the only pair Cynthia, or any other being who had laid eyes on the dragir, had seen. His eyes aside, Rad pretty much resembled a normal human being in his humanesque state. His true form was something else, though, something that could leave anyone who caught of glimpse of it in awe and sheer shock and terror. Nobody though, had ever seen his true form, not even Cynthia. The laguz girl simply knew that Rad "had" to be a dragonoid, for his eyes were not laguz like. He couldn't possibly be a freak laguz that was born with different eyes from the rest of the pack of laguz species.

"Dont be silly," Rad said, noticing her fear. How he had enjoyed her company the last two years. Cynthia had very much been his slave. She'd do anything the dragir asked for. She, by orders of Rad, was the one who had stolen a magical book away from Desdemona, the magical arts teacher in academy Alöria. A book that explained about portal creation and other-world windows and doors that could not be reached by any other means but magic. "The laguz are being threatened by that fool of a king everyone calls Vincent. I only wish to help ourselves and fight back in order to survive. Princess Kilvas is just waiting with her arms crossed, inviting disaster with her moves. I look to defend the cause."

Cynthia stared at the ground then, a glowing rune of an eye having caught her eye. "By opening the ancient portal to Hel and giving demons an entry way into our world?" And the blonde girl had the guts to glance at him in the eye. "That is not the way, Rad. You are inviting disaster as well. What makes you think you have crafted this portal to a hundred percent exactness?"

Rad stared hard at her for a bit, but Cynthia did not flinch, not when she knew now that Rad was acting foolishly. She actually cared for the guy, even if he was a dragir and every other class out there hated him.

"No demons will come through," Rad explained to her. "Because once I open the portal, I am jumping in and sealing it. And be at ease, I have created the portal as it should be. I didn't graduate from Alöria with best magical scores for nothing, you know?"

This was madness. So now he planned on entering the world of Hel itself? Cynthia shook her head in disbelief.

"Why, Rad?" she asked him, her voice raspy and low, and her precious, light green eyes starting to water in tears. "I mean, you said you want to help our species survive. But why must you travel beyond the boundaries of our world? You do know demons are powerful, do you not?"

"Alöria taught us well," Rad smiled at her. "But nonetheless, I am going in. I wont stand here in this miserable world and watch as the humans destroy us bit by bit. I will return with an army of demons and fight back."

Rad stood up and threw away the crystalline diamond he had been using to craft the portal. Cynthia stood up as well, more worried than ever. The time for the show had come.

"Do not attempt to break my concentration," Rad told her as he moved over to the crafted circle. "One only gets a shot in five years at opening such a portal. Don't mess this up."

Cynthia knew he was serious and would probably kill her if she did so. She just shifted over to the side of the room and crossed her arms. Once Rad was inside the glowing circle, he closed his eyes and began chanting in murmurs as he rose his arms up bird style. He chanted words that Cynthia had never heard before, probably incantations that only those who were masters of magic knew about.

Soon after, the glowing circle's light aura erupted upwards from the ground and enveloped Rad in a tornadic gust, making Cynthia gasp in amazement and making her take two steps back. Along with the erupting light had come a fierce wind that spread all around the room, knocking books off shelfs and other items that had been laying scattered around the room.

]

Cynthia was able to see her friend through the light still, but her friend was a blur, and he appeared to be laughing hard. And moments later, the light went back down to the circle and Rad was gone, yet a much amazed and scared Cynthia remained standing with her long hair messed up all around her head. The magic scholar couldn't help but close her eyes and wish Rad luck.

Maybe after all Rad had been sincere with her. Perhaps he would return with an army of demons under his command and fight back the quarrel that laguz princess Kilvas was too afraid to carry out. Or, as Cynthia feared and believed it to be the true cause of Rad's actions; he would return to the world with a vast army of terrible foes and conquest in his mind...

(End of Prologue)

[Deity]

Chapter 1: Many Paths

Gatling Von had always enjoyed life in the cold realm of Yvia. The 21 year old male had been born there and had only departed briefly to attend the academy in Vanezia, the academy that everyone attended at a tender age of fifteen.

But at age 21, he was back in his homeland and he was not alone. Along with him he had brought his dear wife Cindy, whom he had known since his childhood years.

Gatling Von was also known as Revolver and Gatrie. He had a few select friends that he had met in the academy, and soon, a few of them would be arriving his newly built home in the southern plains of Yvia.

That is why Gatling had been hard at work during the last week. With winter always present in this frozen realm, Gatling had to scurry out beyond the border into Asaki and fetch a cartload of wood more than a few times a month.

"They will come, honey," the ranger assured Cindy that day. She was also known as Candy. "You know how Sean was always late with his arrivals."

Candy smiled, agreeing, for it was true. During their academy years, this so called Sean had always arrived late to more than a few classes. Gatling did not know whether Sean did it on purpose or not, but Sean would always be his friend no matter what. Even if the pirate captain arrived late to their arranged meeting.

Gatling could only wait as the days of the month of the turtle (september) went by. He would spend his time training hard outside his home, honing his skills with several weapons. Candy would watch him from the inside of their cozy home, knowing that perhaps Gatling had something in mind. Something that had to do with Sean, the best friend the ranger had had.

Like Gatling himself, Cindy could only wait as well as the days had gone by. But since there were neighbors around their place, Cindy would spend some time with some of her friends from around the settlement.

-xox-

--Note: -xox- signals the end of the series, though not of the entire chapter. A chapter ends when you see ((End of Chapter)) lol

[Deity]

John Trell was one of few newborns to have been born in Yvia. After his parents had died in a monster attack when he was barely eight years old, the lad had been taken in by an orphan house in Asaki. Miria Yagami, the orphanage runner, had taken good care of him during the following years of his life, along with other orphans who had been living there at that time. John was one of few that always managed to impress her, either by helping with tough chores and keeping the orphanage and other orphans clean and safe. That is why Miria had spent all her lifetime earnings on him. She had sent him to the academy in Alöria when the lad turned fifteen. There, he studied and learned many things, including combat arts and magical arts.

And he had been so happy to have graduated with high honors in melee combat. Soon, after graduating, John had had plans to join one of the more elite guilds and start making money to help Miria and the orphanage, just like Miria had helped him long ago.

But life had decided to deal the troubled man one more blow. When John Trell had returned to the village of Oyuki, he had found out that the village had been almost but obliterated by a monster raid a year ago. The orphans, Miria, and many of the village folk had perished in the surprise attack, according to the tales that he heard from the folks that resided there now.

Crestfallen, the lad vowed to kill every single monster that he came upon, as revenge for the loss of Miria and the other orphans, whom he had loved as family.

This fateful day, John found himself sitting a top a tree, spying a large group of orcs that had come down from the Yvian Kaisa mountains, with intentions of marching south and cause trouble to the settlers in the south no doubt.

"They have to be warned," John thought to himself as he saw the monsters moving rapidly through the rugged terrain. They numbered more than fifty, and as much as he had enjoyed killing monsters in small numbers these last few days, he knew that if he gave it a shot against them, he was doomed. Especially since marching in the back of the pack were two frost giants, human-like gargantuan foes of icy, blue skin that measured at least twenty feet.

No, John would kill more orcs alongside the good folks of the southern edge. And with the help of the settlers, perhaps they could fell the giants and claim a nice reward. Aside from those possibilities, for warning the settlers, he would gain fame and a bit of gems for his trouble. Yes, it would be a great night, indeed. He jumped off the tree and headed to where he had left his white horse, secured to a branch of a large pine tree.

"Okay, thunder, let us go south."

Rider and horse departed to the south soon after.

-xox-

[Deity]

He was monstrous in size. For a human, being 6.5 was a rare thing to see in Phydoria. Mostly laguz and other non-human races excelled in height.

But Julius Kokotor was a giant, and he was loved by the Vanezian citizenry, mostly for his fine display of battle skills in war. He was tall yet speedy, and he always carried with him a pole axe known as Dragon Slayer.

The nickname of his weapon came when Julius Kokotor had gone berserk on a group of laguz dragons who had worked for the assassin guild. Having discovered a plot to assassinate king Vincent, Julius alone had marched out to the land of Broah and had encountered these dragons who according to the rumors were the ones who would carry out the assassination when the king visited the plaza as he always did every morning of sundays.

Six dragons, and all well trained by the citadel, were no match for the giant. In a matter of minutes, the barren land was filled with dragon blood of these assassins. Only one did Julius allow of the six to live, but within an inch away from death, and only to deliver a message to the damn crow princess of Broah, whom he believed had been behind the attempt and not the citadel as voices in the pub had said.

"You wont get rid of Vincent and the realm of Vanezia so easily, freak," was the message that the dragon laguz delivered. He was immediately executed on the spot by servants of the young, troubled crow princess.

Rumors reached the ears of the king of Vanezia, and so for his effort, Vincent had named Julius a captain in the armada.

Soon, Julius, along with other cunning and master warriors, would lead the army into enemy land. It appeared that Vincent had finally gotten angry after many attempts on his life had failed.

All fingers pointed to the laguz in Broah. Many rumors said that princess Kilvas herself was the secret leader of the citadel of assassins. Vincent could not be sure, but he had had it with all this mess. Someone wanted him dead, and he would strike where the fingers pointed most at. Besides, he hated laguz and any other non-human creature, so striking at the laguz filled realm of Broah wasn't that bad of an idea after all. Perhaps with a swift victory, he would expand his realm and make his power grow. Yes, Vincent had smiled at that possibility. He liked that indeed.

-xox-

Edited December 13, 2008 by Quetzalcoatl

[Deity]

The brave young man was well known all over the western coast and the southern sea of Vanezia. Captain Sean Storm is what everyone knew him as.

He was a mercenary pirate, one that worked for himself. His jobs went from hunting pirates to transporting folks around the realms of Asaki, Yvia and Broah. But aside from that, captain Sean sailed the raging seas looking for an ex Vanezian general that was responsible for the death of his entire first ever crew.

Having been dealt a great blow in a sea fight, captain Sean had lost ship and crew to the navy of Vanezia, who had thought him to be a pirate like any other. Aside from that, Sean the fearful had been sought by the Vanezian fleets because it was said that he had killed a very known captain among pirates known as Lakindra. And so the fleet had sunk his ship, killed his crew and had made him lose himself at sea.

Luckily though, it seemed that lady luck was always with the brave man, for he washed ashore in the beaches of Asaki. When he came to, he had found himself laying in a warm bed in the poor home of a very pretty girl, who he did not know. In fact, Sean remembered little of what had been his past life. During the fight with the fleet, a cannon ball exploded right on deck and he had knocked himself against the heavy mast pole and the hit apparently had brought consequences for the young man.

From that moment on, the young woman, who was named Alexis, took care of him until he was able to walk and see for himself. But being a lover of the sea, of woman, of treasure, of ships...Captain Sean had heard the sea calling him. Bit by bit, his memory was beginning to come back to him, and it had not been long when he had taken this girl along with him, for according to her, she had not had any other reason to remain in the never-changing land of Asaki. If the young man was to sail the seas, she would be with him now and forever, she had decided on a stormy night that the couple had left to Vanezia, where Sean had many friends.

Indeed, one of these friends, known as Herr Wozzek, had given his pirate friend a hand. He gave Sean a ship and soon, captain Sean had a crew and was out doing what he loved doing best, sailing the seas, living la vida loca and all beside his newest found love; Alexis.

The captain felt sorry that he would arrive late to his friend's home in Yvia. But it was not because Sean had wanted to be late in arriving.

The sea lion, as captain Sean's ship was called, had run into trouble with a band of pirates on the Asakian coast. Two ships had been waiting for the sea lion, hiding behind magical barriers that did not permit foes to see them. However, once they had fired upon the sea lion, the magical barrier had disappeared, and so the crew of the sea lion knew that they were in for a fight.

[Deity]

The ships had sprang their trap too soon, it seemed, for apparently captain Yamamoto of the Raging Dragon had wanted the sea lion desperately sunk, its crew dead. He had a score to settle with Sean Storm, but he had sprung his trap too soon, allowing the wise pirate hunter to retaliate.

The Sea Lion crew was one of the best, and could handle themselves well, even under the most pressure. Captain Sean knew how to choose his crew-mates well, and soon, one of the enemy vessels was going down. Seven of the ten five-pounder cannons that the sea lion carried, had done the job in a matter of minutes, breaking the ship into pieces. Sean and crew saw how the pirates that had been aboard that ship fought for their lifes, swimming, trying to cling on to anything that was floating. The sharks would have them sooner or later, the pirate hunter knew too well, and so he concentrated on the other ship, which was bigger than the one that had begin to sink, and a ship that Sean Storm knew too well.

The Raging Dragon fired off a couple of fire balls at the sea lion, which did hit the ship fully, setting one of its white masts aflame and knocking down one of its three supporting mast poles, all the while setting a few crew-mates on fire as well. Pirates flew dead from one of the explosions and others took cover from the raining debris, while others worked to put the flames out. Captain Sean did not cower in fear. His crew saw as he stood on the rail, shouting curses to the enemy vessel and promising them swift death. Indeed, the five-pounders were reloaded again and soon they were fired from the second lower level of the ship, causing havoc on the enemy vessel, which was approaching the sea lion's starboard side.

On that ship, pirates also flew to their deaths due to the mighty explosions caused by the cannon balls. One body of a pirate even fell atop Yamamoto, the young and inexperienced captain of the raging dragon. Sean caught the happening and laughed out loud when he saw the captain rising up again, his face full of anger.

Sean waited on the rail, eager for close action. He, however, in the middle of the battle had forgotten about Alexis, his love. He turned wildly to the side, trying to find her. He was damned surprised to see her close to him, with a pistol in her hand and a mend staff in her other. He wanted to shout at her to get in the cabin, away from all the fighting, but he knew she had the heart of a warrior, like him, and would not obey him if he did.

"Lets teach these scumbags the meaning of close combat," Sean shouted, bringing forth his golden cutlass in his right hand and a two-barrel magical pistol in his left hand.

[Deity]

The crowd of seadogs roared and were ready to join the fight as soon as the enemy ship got within range.

Three minutes later, both ships floated side by side. Shots and arrows came and went, and several seadogs from both ships planted the boarding planks as more than a few pirates died due to the firing exchange.

On rushed captain Sean, leading his crew. Meanwhile, Yamamoto waited eagerly for him to arrive so that they would go to battle one on one.

The fight was joined soon on both ships and many more pirates from both sides continued to die, or wind up wounded on the ships' decks. Alexis, a troubador in class, worked hard to keep her crew-mates well and alive. But she saw that there were many laying that wouldn't require healing but a tombstone instead.

Captain Sean fired his magical chromed pistol as he rushed through the boarding plank, downing pirates that had seem to want him dead. He could fire off as many shots as he wanted, for the pistol was imbued with magic, and one that allowed him to keep firing shots until the magical diamond stone that was set in its butt ran out of magical properties. So many pirates fell soon, washing the raging dragon's deck floor with their blood. Yamamoto and Sean clashed soon enough, and eventhough Sean could of had dispatched the rogue boy with a shot from his pistol, he had not. He smiled at him and provoked him instead by firing at his hat, sending it to the deck.

"Surrender or die," Sean Storm told him. Yamamoto, grimacing in rage, simply came at him, with his long sword. Steel rang against steel and the captain versus captain fight was on. However, Yamamoto was too inexperienced and did not last more than two minutes against the fighting beast that was Sean Storm. He had him beat easily with a couple of swipes from his fine cutlass.

"I...surrender," Yamamoto cried when his long sword went out of his grasp flying. Sean smiled, watching as the inexperienced pirate fell to his knees.

"I killed your sister because she had it coming," Sean Storm told Yamamoto, though he did not say anything else. Lakindra had been young Yamamoto's sister, a well known captain as well that Sean had killed for a reason. Apparently, Yamamoto had wanted revenge for that, but he would not be getting it this date.

"Are you gonna kill me as well, murderer?" Yamamoto asked him from his kneeling position while the fighting died around them. Sean Storm put his cutlass back in its holster and looked at the young lad, who had to be less than fifteen years of age.

"No," Sean told him. "Eventhough I well should. No, Yamamoto. You will go to Kikure's prison tower for a while, along with all these scumbags of yours. And I will be taking all your treasure."

Basically, that was the deal that had kept the pirate from arriving on time to his friend's house. The fight and the taking of the prisoners to Kikure Bay, where they would be prosecuted. With that taken care of, Sean Storm would arrive Kaisa Port in Yvia in three days of sailing, for as the ship went on with its course, they'd be making repairs on the sea lion as well. But soon Sean would be face to face with his dear friend again, one with whom he'd share many stories with.

-xox-

Edited December 12, 2008 by Quetzalcoatl

[Deity]

Adam was very knowledgeable in the arts of anima and light magic, but he excelled in elemental magic more, wind magic, to be exact. With a year to go before graduation day, he felt angry because of the news he had heard in the academy.

According to the rumors, academy Alöria would suspend classes for the remaining of the year, until the upcoming war with the realm of Broah was settled.

The teachers in the academy had related the story to the students, and now, with the school being suspended, students were free to go back to their homes.

And so Adam had decided that he would not return to his old home in Dhagria with his parents. Instead, his adventurous heart led him to take a caravan into the land of Yvia, where it was rumored that folks were beginning to build towns and cities in the southern parts.

Adam, always wanting to learn new things in life, had agreed upon himself to go there and see for himself just what the heck was really going on there. Could it be possible that the untamed lands of Yvia could be beginning to populate with humans?

One thing that grabbed his attention when he had heard about the icy realm in class, was the fact that Yvia was the home to many rare monsters and beasts, and so that was another reason why seventeen year old Adam had wanted to go there.

"We might even get the chance to see a frost giant, Nebula," Adam had told his best friend in the academy, a girl whom he liked. Nebula, as tall as him but with long, red hair and paly skin had shaken her head. She had never liked the idea of going to the frosty land of Yvia.

"No, I have to return to Ozarka. My parents would be worried if I went to Yvia. Besides, I dont think the war with those beasts will last much. King Vincent and the army will probably squash those beasts and we will get called back into the academy in about a month."

[Deity]

Adam, not a hater of the "freaks", simply had lowered his head and had felt disappointed with her attitude. It seemed that he would be going alone after all.

And so the young wind-mage had gone to one of the guilds and asked about passage to Yvia. A tall, red headed but ebony-skinned woman greeted him and let him know that there was indeed a caravan departing soon for the icy realm. Impressed by the tall warrioress, Adam quickly requested a boarding ticket for one of the four wagons that would go to Yvia.

With luck on his side, Adam was able to get the last ticket available, and he smiled at the strong woman when she gave it to him.

"What is so fun about Yvia, anyway?" the dark skinned woman asked him, smiling. "I mean, why all of a sudden are people starting to go there. There is nothing but monsters and beasts there."

"There is stuff to be learned," Adam simply smiled back. "Places to discover, people to meet, adventures to live."

The warrioress, who carried a broad axe behind her back, simply laughed and said.

"Okay, I think I get it."

And Adam shared the laugh with her, that is until another warrior woman entered the cozy room, one shorter than the dark woman but one that seemed to be a seasoned veteran on the job despite being young.

"How goes it, Varinka?" she said, Adam glancing at her fine clothing. She wore dark clothes and a few rings and amulets around her delicate neck. And she had a scar in her left hand, one that Adam took note of when she passed by him.

"Same as usual, Vivian. Oh, I think the caravan is full now. This young gentleman was our last boarder. So you can tell Ether that you guys can depart anytime now."

Ether was the leader of the escorts that would be protecting this caravan. Vivian turned to glance at the young mage scholar.

"You sure you want to go to Yvia? I heard the settlers there get attacked by monsters at least once per week. Folks die there easily, no man's land, you know."

"I am sure," Adam told her. "I have nothing else to do at the moment and I dont fear death."

Vivian chuckled and Varinka just stared at the teenager.

"You got guts. Okay, follow me. We shall get going as soon as possible. There is other stuff besides monsters that we humans are scared of, you know?"

"Oh yeah?" Adam wanted to know, taking off after her. "And what would those things be?"

"For instance a winter storm," Vivian explained as she led him out of the guild and out to the street, where the caravan was already lined up on the dirty road. Four wagons with large, white flaps on them were stationed there, with a set of two horses pulling each one. Aside from that, Adam noticed the passangers on top and the escorts on their separate horses. At least they were well equiped and armed for a small guild. "If we get caught up in one of those, we are as good as dead, for the storms up in Yvia get very rough."

"That cold, huh?"

"Your heart would stop if you dont have the right equipment to survive, and believe me when I say we dont. Thus we like making the winterish trips as soon as possible before any sign of trouble."

Adam nodded and noticed that Vivian was signaling at him to get aboard the last of the wagons.

"Find a space among the people there, I'm sure you will be okay. I will be riding and keeping guard here in the back, so if you need anything, you just need to let me know."

Adam thanked her then went on to board the wagon. As he did, he noticed that he would be sharing the wagon with three other kids; a girl with long, dark hair and two young boys who wore very dirty looking clothing. All of them nodded at him and he smiled at them and settled down beside the frightened-looking girl, an asakian by race, Adam noted. She scoot a little over to the right, away from him when Adam had sat down. Adam did not blame her, for he was just a stranger after all. He would of acted the same way if he was that age.

Moments later, Adam heard the captain of the escorts issue out a command and the caravan got moving.

-xox-

[Deity]

Cynthia's eyes went to the floor, and she noticed that the stolen book laid there, opened and with its hard cover pointing to the ceiling, its pages kissing the ground. She headed to it and bent down to pick it up as she too, noticed that the cavern had gotten very cold. She shifted the pages around and took a good look at them, despite feeling the coldness. The laguz girl had not even had the chance to take a look at its content until now. She had stolen it for Rad, of course, but she had not read it at all.

The writing on it was something that Cynthia had never seen. The writing on the pages depicted mostly symbols and drawings. How did Rad manage to know too much? Cynthia truly believed he was a dragir, but to know much about magic was another thing. She knew that not even Desdemona, the person that was rumored to be the most knowledgeable expert in the lore of magic, was gifted enough to know more than Rad. In the academy, two years ago, Rad had schooled students and teachers alike in the magical arts, becoming quickly the talk of the academy and Desdemona's best pupil.

As Cynthia was too busy flipping through the dark tome's pages, the laguz-girl was not aware of the bubbling in the air that was going on behind her.

She stood up, closing the book and realizing that the time to leave had come. After all, what remained here in this place that would keep her here? Nothing. Rad was gone, and the stuff he had left behind here in this cavern had been meager, nothing of value really. Though Cynthia was not aware that the valued thing was what she held in her hands. When she turned around, she bumped into a light robed figure, whose dark eyes were deeply staring at her.

Cynthia gasped when she saw that Desdemona, her ex teacher, stood there, staring deeply at her. Behind the female sage stood more than ten Vanezian royal guards, armed to the core and wearing their custom silvery armor.

"So it was you," Desdemona's accusing voice resounded inside the cavern, and before Cynthia registered the movement, she reached for the tome that the foolish laguz girl held, taking it off her hands with ease. "You stole the tome, you freak."

[Deity]

"I..." Cynthia was too scared to say anything else. The laguz could still not believe how in the world had the sage arrive without making so much as a noise. But what hurt most was the mere fact that Cynthia saw the true way Desdemona felt toward her kind. She had believed differently when she had attended Alöria. Cynthia had had so much respect for Desdemona, yet here she was, being as racist as the other humans were with her kin.

"Guards," the short, dark haired sage shouted with relative ease. "Seize her."

"Wait," Cynthia finally broke away from the stiffness state she had fallen in. Two guards that had advanced at her did not stop. They got to her and seized her by the arms, before the little girl could attempt to perhaps transform to her laguz form. There were several forms freaks would take. Feline beasts, dragons, crows, even herons. This one, they noticed, was a feline. Her cat like ears were visible atop her blonde mane. "It is true, I did it. But..."

"There are not buts that count," Desdemona silenced her. "Tell me what in the nine hells did you summon from this book?"

Cynthia did not know what to respond. Her eyes darted off toward the cavern's marbled floor, to the exact place where Rad had created the portal. There was nothing to be seen there, except for a few old books laying there. Cynthia felt as if the weight of the world had fallen on top of her.

"It was not me!" Cynthia shouted, though her voice sounded cut, shrilled.

"Someone used the knowledge written on this book earlier," Desdemona's patience was wearing off. "The only person here is you, so tell me what did you summon from this tome. There was a spell placed on this tome that would let me know when and wherever it was used. Why do you think I am here, fool?"

Cynthia lowered her head when she noticed Desdemona's eyes narrowing in anger.

"To the tower of Gleilla with her," Desdemona ordered, knowing full well that they were in a place where they shouldn't be. They were in Broah territory, and if they somehow managed to get caught by the Broahn laguz law, they were doomed. "She will confess everything there, wont you, dear?"

One of the guards chuckled happily, for indeed the damn laguz girl would.

"The warden will get the truth out of you," said one of the guards that held her. "He is an expert with more than several painful devices."

And since she was a laguz, his hold on her arms was rather strong, making Cynthia feel the pain. But that pain was nothing compared to what the tower of Gleilla had in store for her.

She was about to shout to Desdemona that it was Rad who had done this. That it was Rad who had told her to steal the book. Desdemona would surely remember him, for Rad had taught her a few things about magic. That almost made Cynthia laugh, when the old memories came back from those times. Oh Rad had made a fool of the teacher. That would forever be in Cynthia's memory, and she would always enjoy it.

"It was..." But she did not finish her phrase, the memory of Rad making a fool out of Desdemona had erased the phrase she had attempted to say. Eventhough Rad had been the real culprit behind all the trouble, Cynthia would take the blame for him. That much had the laguz girl cared for him.

The guards went in through the portal that Desdemona had created from her tower in the academy. The sage did not follow them, though. Instead, she stared around the place for a bit, examining everything that was visible to her.

"Laguz are really dumb," Desdemona thought to herself and even said it aloud. Since she could not find traces of magic left that the laguz girl had used, she believed that the attempt to open a portal or create a window or door, had failed.

But that would not get the girl out of trouble. Desdemona was still able to secure from the marbled ground the magical crystalline diamond, one that was used for such magical purposes. She took a good look at it while she held it aloft and noticed that its magic was all but gone.

Shaking her head but glad that she had found the book that had been stolen from her room a year ago, Desdemona headed to the portal, which was still open and with two guards right on the edge of it, waiting for their leader. She would know the truth behind it all soon enough. One nasty warden that she knew well would make sure of that.

((End of Chapter))

[Deity]

Chapter 2: The Invasion

The magical vortex had taken the dragir back to his homeland, which was deep in the underdark. When he appeared on top of a nearby large boulder, several gorgons that had been keeping watch over the vale jumped in surprise when they heard the sound of the wind behind them. And more surprised were they to see that Radamanthys Quetz, one of the princes of Hel, had returned.

They both quickly paid homage to him, lowering their snake-like lower bodies and their palms to the ground. They were red in appearance, except that their snake-like lower body was yellow and the scales were a deep brown. Their hair was long, unkept and of assorted colors. "Welcome back, prince," one of the creatures said. They were taller than the prince of Hel, for Rad was in his human state. Had he been in his true form, the gorgons would of been merely dwarves to him. Rad's true stature was huge. He was well known to be the tallest noble dragon demon to ever live. And he was very strong. And now that he had returned from his mission up above, the gorgons believed that he would acquire more powers from his parents, and more privileges.

Rad stared at them from on top of the boulder then dropped off of it with a jump.

Rad said nothing to the guards, he simply stared ahead as he thought about Cynthia. Not that he cared about her, he had used the stupid laguz for his personal gains. Thanks to her, though, Rad was now where he was, back home, the place he could not have reached without Cynthia's help.

His homeland was shrouded in semi darkness, and strips of gray haze could be seen in many places, just like when fog starts to crawl on the ground on a cemetery in a movie. Haze also came out from many holes that were all over the land. It was also very hot, though that did not hurt the creatures of the underdark in the least. To them, living in the deep depths of the earth was normal like a human would feel in the outworld in Phydoria. Rad made out the large palace off in the distance.

[Deity]

He smiled. He was home after having spent almost a hundred years in outworld, as the underdark creatures called the outside world. He had many news to relate to his parents, whom Rad believed would be more proud of him than his other two brothers and sister.

"Stay vigilant," Rad said to the guards before starting the walk towards the palace of Amhon.

There was no road to follow, however, the vale was full of boulders and dead plant-like roots and many fire holes. Fire holes were voids where tiny creatures known as Ginevras lived, and though they were harmless to the underdark lords, they resembled fairies and could kill a human with their tiny poisoned darts that were shot from small bow-like weapons. The dead roots that would come to life and grasp anything that got too near their territory were like snake-like creatures. They were living things, known as twirlers in the world of Hel, also harmless to the inhabitants of the underdark. However, they knew that perhaps their time to raid the world above, or other extra-planar worlds would come soon. Either Radamanthys Quetz, Omega Blaster, Nataku Xicotencatl or their ferocious younger sister Yumekui, would lead them on.

As Rad made his way through the path available to him, the Ginevras and root plants came out to cheer him on, as well as other sentries that were within the area. They cheered to let him know that they were glad to see him back where he belonged. Home.

Not to show off or anything, Rad transformed into his true being, the monstrous dragir demon that he was. He flapped his huge batlike wings that had erupted out of his back, sending away a few Ginevras that had gotten to close to him. His human like face transformed into a beastly one, and sharp fangs replace the squary teeth he had had as a human. A pair of huge horns also came out of his forehead. He felt the strength of his true form rush through his body, through his veins and he strongly beat his powerful hands on his chest and issued forth a loud roar, just to remind everyone that was taking a look upon him that the mighty Rad Quetz, second in line to Hel's throne had returned.

And Rad took off flying toward the palace afterwards. He would arrive faster that way.

Rad enjoyed the view from above. He stared here and there, and noticed that his homeland had not changed much. He could see that Blitzkrieg, his dad, had set more vigilance around the vale and around the palace as well. Not only were there gorgon sentries keeping guard all over the place, but Rad also noticed baels, elder baels, blood hounds, gargoyles, demon lords, undead and wights as well. He wondered whether Morguth had struck the realm recently. He would know soon.

[Deity]

He landed on an wide opening on the top part of the palace, that very much resembled the nose of a ship. The elder bael guard rushed back a few steps when the demon lord had landed, catching it by surprise, for the elder bael had been taking a nap.

It said something to Rad in its language, though Rad recognized it easily as a welcome gesture, a human would wonder what the hell the mighty spider had said. Rad nodded at it and went on, watching the mighty entrance up ahead that lead to the large common room where demons, dragirs and other folks of the underdark that worked in the palace were usually seen tackling chores.

When he entered, announced right away by a small demon that stood at the door, the whole room went dead quiet, and all eyes turned upon the mighty prince. Soon after, Rad saw them all bow to him, for they were very inferior to the prince. Rad proceeded walking down the dark, stony floor as everyone kept their heads lowered in respect. He went on walking and started to transform back to his human state, which he was fast becoming fond of. He had been using that facade for so long now anyway that it had begun to stick to him. Besides, Rad thought that he looked better as a human than his true, ugly form of a demon.

Rad took a right turn and started walking through a wide corridor that pretty much was a cavern, except well lit by torches. And he had to take several other turns and cross other corridors and descend down a few stairways, until he arrived the noble room, where daddy and mommy sat, enjoying the comforts of being nobles.

They were in their true forms, dragirs. Blitzkrieg's eyebrows went up in surprise when another little devil announced the return of Rad Quetz. Mother Janine quickly stood up from her throne chair and rushed to him. She too changed to her human state, becoming a pale figure with long, dark hair and clothed in a dark dress.

When they transformed to humans or their true forms, the powerful magical rings that they carried on their fingers allowed for the regeneration of clothes to every single detail of their body, their hair. Everything, in fact.

"Rad, you have returned," Janine hugged him so tightly, while Blitzkrieg started to rise from his throne as well, transforming to his human state. Demons enjoyed doing that, for it was sort of cool to do so. Eventhough they despised humanity, the fragile formed allowed them to move quicker, and so that was one of the main reasons why they transformed.

"How did your journey in outworld go?" Blitzkrieg questioned him as he too was able to welcome him back with a tender hug.

[Deity]

"You dont know,?" Rad told him, for Rad knew that they had been following his moves closely through the scrying pool on the wall.

"Of course we dont know," chuckled Janine. "You didn't let us spy on you. You used the ring your sister Yumekui gave you, the one that blocks all eyes, even magical ones."

Rad sighed. "Everything went well. I was able to spy the enemy. I was able to learn their weaknesses, their strengths, if they have any."

"Well, and?" Blitz wanted to hear more. "Hold on, come with us, we must talk in private and with your brothers and sister as well. They have been expecting you, you know?"

"Why so?" Rad wanted to know. "I thought they would be very busy killing themselves fighting for territory."

Janine chuckled. She looked very pretty in her Asaki-style human form. "They have been busy keeping the forces of Morguth at bay. Those damn monsters want to reign supreme in the underdark. And Chiki is not helping the cause."

"Ah, yeah, Chiki," Rad said as he followed his parents out to the hall. "I had forgotten about our good-sided cousins. Now that I am back, I think I will pay her a visit and kill her. If it had not been for her stupid mother, we would of had never gotten banished from the world above. Right now we would be sharing the sunlight with the rest of the species and living in harmony as it should have been. But thanks to Hergirr, we now live underneath and with little ways to go up there. And everyone hates us. Everyone thinks we are the evil ones, when in truth it was the light folk that started the damn war. Why is it that they can go up to Phydoria anytime they feel like it and not us? It simply isn't fair. But worry not, parents. I will correct the situation. And fast."

"You talk to much, son," Blitz smiled as he led them on through the hallway. "And promise much."

"A sign that he is back home," Janine said, grabbing her son's soft hand. "I bet he missed chatting with us."

"I did miss home," Rad was sincere. "And you guys. My pets, my brothers and sister...not really. Oh yeah and my room."

They took a right and then climbed up some stairs and they were finally in the war room, where the nobles united for meetings and discussions.

"I will call your brothers and sisters," Janine said to Rad and headed to an altar where there was a small pillar that held a round scrying pool. Through it, she would contact them and they could come to the meeting room soon.

Rad and his dad sat down on large chairs made out of stone. In fact, everything that adorned the castle was made out of stone. There was no other materials here but stone and dirt and valuable minerals. Hel was rich in magical stones such as diamonds, though, and because of that, their magic was unmatched. Not even the light dragirs could match them there.

"Think of what you saw up in Phydoria," Blitz told his son, crossing the fingers of his hands with the other. "Do you think we are ready to invade? Do you think we are ready to make our move?"

Rad laughed. "We've been ready since a few millennias ago. Their magic is starting to flourish but they remain weak in their creations and fortifications. One of our queen aegies could easily topple one of their castles."

A queen aegie was a gigantic four legged mastodon that had its enormous head full of strong horns. Ramming a catle and bringing it down would be an easy task for such a formidable creature. They were very slow though, and were used exclusively as carriers and for battering fortifications. Aegies were the most enormous beings alive in every world, and they were feared indeed, for one could kill many foes in just a walk through.

[Deity]

"I see," Blitzkrieg stroked his chin.

"If you were to give me an aegie and several bangalalyphrs, I am pretty sure that with my armada I could deliver the world of Phydoria to you, my father."

Blitz nodded. However, both dragirs knew that there would be other forces other than humans involved in the fight for the world. Their cousins, the light dragirs, would surely come to the aid of the human world, as well as Elthon and its elves.

Rad saw the worried face on his father. And he knew that he was thinking the same thing as him.

"You worry about interference from Elthon and Bianchi, do you not?"

"They have swore to protect the weak races," Blitz reminded him. Yes, he was worried.

Rad pondered on that problem for a while. Janine joined them after five minutes or so, and still Rad seemed to be pondering on the matter.

"Warring against ourselves is where the problem lies," Rad said then. "If we were to unite the dark dragir clans, we could organize a pretty good force that could give all other realms a good scare and a tough fight for the world indeed. But our relatives simply care about personal gains, just like we do. They believe that our world is here, that we will spend the rest of our time down here. The seals placed on the portals will never break, unless Bianchi breaks them. I visited the portals."

"And what did you find out?" Janine asked him as soon as he mentioned that.

"They remain strongly shut," Rad responded. "We cannot possibly break their hold. Our only way up to outworld is by the summoning of humans. But it is a disgrace for us demons to be called forth, nay, ordered, by a mere human. Even I was disgusted when I went up to the world. Having to take orders from a damned human is worse than being trapped here. But oh boy," Rad smiled wickedly. "Did I enjoy tearing that fool apart when he made the mistake of trusting me."

"You got that son of a mongrel real good," laughed Blitz. "He is now tortured at Cocytos for having had the nerve to summon and order a dragir."

[Deity]

"And there he shall remain," Rad said, his mind racing back to the time when he had been summoned by that low creature a hundred years ago. Thanks to him, Rad was able to go to outworld and carry his mission on. But he had to endure taking orders from a low creature for a while, until Rad was able to mess with his mind and finally obliterate him upon being free of his chains.

Rad had then taking his mission seriously, traveling to the realms of Phydoria and learning everything that he could about them and their people. His way back home had been that ancient tome that he had ordered Cynthia to steal, because he could not do it so, the room where the tome had been laying at had been well protected by a magical seal that even he, who possessed great magical knowledge, could not hope to thwart. Cynthia had managed to enter Desdemona's chamber and steal the tome, an ancient book which originally had been created by Alina, a light dragir. She had left it by mistake in outworld when all powerful beings were removed from the face of the earth by Bianchi, Rad's own cousin and a very powerful dragir.

Remembering about that happening made Rad feel something towards the laguz. Was it that he was beginning to care for her now after so long?

Truly, Rad knew that without her aid, he'd probably still be stuck in outworld.

The trio of relatives kept on chatting while they waited for the others to arrive. They did so in about twenty minutes. The first one to arrive was Omega Blaster, youngest of the brothers. He was strong but not as strong as Rad nor Nataku. He resembled a human with goatee and spikey, dark hair.

"You are back," he told Rad as if it was no news at all, then sat down beside his mother Janine, who had set in front of Rad and Blitz.

Rad said nothing to his little brother, he simply nodded at him.

The next one to arrive was Nataku, the dragir that was first in line for Hel's throne, unless someone removed him from that spot. It was not gonna happen since Nataku was a strong dragir, stronger than the rest brothers. He resembled a male human with long, brownish hair combed to the sides. He was taller than his counterparts as well, measuring eight feet tall in his dragir form, six feet in his human state.

Nataku had a heart, for a demon. He did not hate his brothers like they hated him. He actually cared for them, and that was his weak spot, Rad thought.

"Rad, you are back," Nataku said and rushed to his seat, forcing Rad up to his feet so that he may hug him. Rad stood up and let him do so, then Nataku sat right beside him.

"Did you bring anything from outworld?"

"Just information for the cause," Rad told him.

And Nataku was about to ask something else, but then short Yumekui entered the room, making a fuzz and transformed in her asaki female form.

"Oh no, dont tell me that my favorite brother has returned from the top."

"Sit down," Rad told her. Yumekui was the youngest of the lot. "We have much to discuss."

"As you wish," Yumekui said and sat beside her mother, who started stroking her long, dark hair.