Part 19 of 21: Vendettas and Vagrants

"You sure he's not dead? His face is still blue.... OW!" Justin asked, getting bopped on the head by an irate Lina.

"Because he's still breathing and has a pulse.... he hasn't eaten or had anything to drink for a solid week since.... he did all that weird stuff in the Lost City. Quit being to eager to bury someone who humiliated your kingdom. Go bother someone with your justice speeches, other than us. Beat it!" Lina growled, shoving Justin away. Justin looked ready to say something, but the look Lina was giving him made him conveniently forget it.

'She could stare a Mazuko into hysterics right now.' Zelgadis thought, keeping himself on the opposite side of Hiero's bed. Their son had been asleep, slowly turning blue in the face, for a week. No spell or action got him to wake up, not even the most powerful clerics available stayed in the hotel room for very long.

They were all afraid of him thanks to Justin's big mouth. The young Saillune prince had wasted no time in telling all of Stylis Acres that Hiero has resurrected the legendary evil Shabranigdo and contain him inside his own body. That made people think the Demon King could burst out of the sleeping man's body at any time. It made everyone so very frightened to stay near where Hiero lay that they left town. Even the innkeeper himself was gone, leaving only a few weeks worth of food behind for the group.

Zel sighed at that thought the moonlight from the window pouring on his back. He really wondered when his son would wake up. If it wasn't soon, they'd have to take off after another week with the remaining food to get to Sakura Village. Hopefully, moving Hiero that distance in his current condition wouldn't be harmful.

Then a thought came to him, somewhere in the back recesses of his mind that kept playing back Hiero's battle with Shabranigdo, all he was doing and what Lina had told him. "Telepathy.... why didn't he tell us about that? We wouldn't have hated him for it. Val, did he tell you anything about this?" Zelgadis said thoughtfully, rubbing his stone chin.

Val shook his head rapidly. "Nope, never."

"You're a big fat unjust liar, Val. He told you all about his telepathic abilities in Dynast Grausherra's fairy infested shrine. I can't believe you'd lie for Grausherra's priest! Oops.... " Justin said angrily, pointing an accusing finger at Val until he actually began to process what he'd just said," Oh, I'm dead."

"You got that right!" Val snarled and tackled Justin. Zelgadis just balked at the information, not the fight ensuing on the floor. Filia was trying to break it up, but the two men were rolling around and kicking so much, she was never close enough for long.

"Dynast's priest???" Lina said aloud, Zelgadis finding her staring right at Hiero and holding him up a bit by his hair. A split second later she was trying to strangle him.

Zelgadis just stared for a moment until Hiero's eyes started twitching, the he rushed at Lina to pry her off of him.

"Lina.... ? Don't kill him.... we won't learn anything if you kill him! LINA?!" he tried, managing to get one hand off his son's neck, but Lina was doing a good job of choking him with one hand.

"No, he has to wake up sometime. I'll strangle him awake! How dare he join the Dynast after all we did to prevent him from taking up black magic and hating Mazuko! How dare he!!"

"N.... gag.... choice! ACK!" Hiero choked out, his eyes wide open now and terribly bug-eyes. His face was slowly starting to turn purple with his hands so numbed from sleep that his fingers slapped at Lina's hand all rubbery-like.

"Lina's he's up. HE'S UP!! Stop!!!!" Zelgadis yelled, finally succeeding in getting Lina off and sending her twirl and tripping off into Filia as she was knocked away from Val and Justin once again.

"Ow.... what did I do now?" Hiero gagged, shaking his fingers as they still had no feeling in them. "Plenty, priest of the Dynast!" Justin growled, socking Val in the nose. Zelgadis took note of Hiero shocked, yet angry expression. "You told on me behind my back, you little justice freak??! I'm going to beat you senseless.... !!" Hiero began, but Zelgadis took this moment to soundly punch his son in the gut.

Hiero grabbed his stomach at that, but didn't go flying like most people would. "Ah.... guess the last secret in this world is out. OW! Not the ears!!" Hiero whined, Zelgadis yanking on both ears as Hiero looked up at him.

"How long, Hiero?" Zelgadis asked crisply.

Hiero stopped showing that he was in pain and stared dead into his father's eyes. "Maybe 500 years or so.... I forget really, I try anyway. Why?"

Not expecting the truth, Zelgadis was stunned, letting his jaw drop at the frank reply. Before he could speak again, Hiero continued. "But you're wondering why I'd do it, why I am not aging or dying from seemingly perilous wounds, and how the hell I absorbed Shabby with just my hands, as well as who that handsome blonde guy was. Have I covered all your thoughts yet?"

It was said so seriously, Zelgadis just nodded and let go of his ears. "I can't tell you everything with just my voice and mind like this. I have to use the powers Delphine gave me a long time ago. Can you all gather close around the bed so I can get you all in this.... it'll be easier this way." Hiero went on.

"Why should we? You've lied too much already." Lina snapped, the only one who was keeping her distance from Hiero and looked really pissed off. Hiero tilted his head to the side, gazing gently at her. "On the astral plane.... that will be where the truth lies, mother. You are curious about what I really am as much as everyone else. This isn't about the Dynast, this isn't about Shabranigdo or anything of your world. Its about mine.... and who I really am. You do want know, I can hear those thoughts trying to hide from me." he said softly.

"Maybe I am.... but what do we get out of it?" Lina spat, taking a slight step forward. "You can understand me," he began, but when she rolled her eyes, he grinned," And you can fire all the spells you want at me and take all my treasure maps when I'm done showing you all everything."

Zelgadis smirked as Lina raced to the bed to be across from him, her greed factor at an all time high. 'Treasure or food, either one will get her to do pretty much anything but…well, sleep with someone she hates. Ah, Lina-itoshii, such a wonder. It's a wonder I didn't let her strangle Hiero. She's right.... too many lies and too much deception.' Zel thought.

"Now all of you join hands and I'll complete the circle. This might feel weird, I'm not sure, haven't used this spell in years." Hiero said, smiling as they did as he asked. He completed the circle, clasping his mother and father's hands and slowly shut his eyes.

"Rage of winter, breath of the forest, vengeful flames, and essence of the gods, open the gate to the future past. Let what's been be known in the sphere of time and memory. Reveal the sacred chamber of memories to us." He chanted quietly.

After that, all Zelgadis could see was whiteness, then it became a spiraling twilight.

The group awoke in a large cavern, one that looked like it was made of water. Every wall was perfectly cerulean and flowing gently up on some walls and down on others.

Hiero was hovering above them in what looked like a perfect, and human-sized sapphire. He looked like he was sleeping standing up. "Hiero! Hey, answer your mother now!" Lina shouted at him, but he made no move to answer her, or any move at all. Another voice answered her instead.

"He can hear you, he just can't oblige right now." Said a familiar masculine voice. The group turned to see the same blond youth from the Shabranigdo battle.

"Dolphin, right?" Justin said cheerfully. The young man's face soured, then he shocked Justin with a bolt of lightening. "Delphine, you ignorant fool. God of Terrian and son to the creator of that world, Moriun. Try and use that thing you call a brain and remember that." The blonde said, his ivory robes billowing gentle about his frail looking frame.

"Delphine, the god within Hiero. That's what you said before. What's that supposed to mean anyway? Hiero's our son.... and there's no Delphine here or on

L-sama's other worlds." Lina challenged, to which Delphine smiled, making the group uneasy.

He is your son.... .because I made it so. I sent him here after our world passed on. The night you and Zelgadis, heh, heh, consummated your love in that secluded grove, I sent Hiero's soul and life into your womb. I made sure he was born here, since I found this world so perfect for him looking the way he does." Delphine said softly, gesturing with one hand at Hiero.

"You got me pregnant with Hiero? I don't believe it! You explain yourself or you'll be sucking a Dragu Slave!" Lina yelled. Delphine looked unaffected.

"Your powers don't work here because this isn't your mind, its Hiero's and mine. I am trapped inside his body as the Dragon overlord Void, Shabranigdo. Only our powers word, not yours. That's why I can shock the annoying royal brat as much as I want, because Hiero has no qualms about it. Sadly for me, he's in charge now." Delphine chuckled.

"Ugh.... this place is stupid. I thought this was the chamber of memories, not a brain." Filia hissed, turning her nose up at the young looking god. "Like we care. My beautiful disciple brought you into the chamber of memories, which actually is the brain, so don't be so picky. Hiero brought you here for the truth, which he's never told anyone in all his 50,000 years of life. Do want to see it or not, we have a life to get back to." Delphine said haughtily.

"50,000??" the group said in unison.

Delphine smiled. "I see your interest have been captured at last. Now, just so you know, you'll be reliving the memories of Hiero Vendetta, the cursed sapphire of the world of Terrian. You can't affect anything, but you will be hearing all of Hiero's thoughts and see everything that happens to him. Just shut and enjoy his life, if you can." Delphine chuckled.

When the group nodded, Delphine became a bright light once more and shot into Hiero. Everything faded away in an instant.

Ravi Tavine the cleric sat quietly in the extravagant mansion of the lovely duchess, Narcissa Marianne Vendetta, looking around at the wonderfully stitched tapestries and marble floors and walls. Narcissa had been the only child born of the proud and rich family of Vendetta and her parents had left her the entire estate, their lands, and crops that made them millions in gold every year in their will. Luckily for Narcissa, her parents died during an attack by the local thieves' guild, the Dark Wolves.

Narcissa was one person people rarely saw in public, as she was extremely vain and felt being outside would damage her perfect looks. Almost every corner of every room in the mansion had a mirror for Narcissa to admire herself. The fact that she had personally summoned Ravi to her home was almost every man's dream, even those of the cloth. She never brought people in for punishment, only rewards or jobs, and if she had a job for him, the local sect would greatly appreciate a generous donation from her.

"Ravi Tavine, of the Delphine Temple, I am glad you arrived ahead of schedule, but I never do anything early. I delight in my schedules, next time be here a few minutes before I told you to be here, not an hour early. It upsets me." a golden voice said from atop the staircase.

Ravi looked up to see her, perfect blonde hair flowing with the expensive silk dress she wore, both littered with many rare jewels. Her eyes were like two perfect sapphires gleaming down on him as she walked down the fine white marble steps, keeping them on him the entire time until she was standing in front of him. She smiled, looking like an angel from heaven. He finally remembered himself and stood up to bow to her, but she waved it off.

"Yes, my lady, it will never happen again. But, why did you summon me, if I may ask?" Ravi asked politely, bowing his head slightly as Narcissa admired her young face in the mirror lovingly.

Just as suddenly she whipped around to face him with," I want to have a baby."

Ravi balked and choked when she said that, backing up slightly. "MY LADY! I am a priest, I am not permitted to do such a thing." He exclaimed. Her expression soured and then she shook her head.

"Not from you, you old dolt. I've already found the perfect father for my child.... and he's agreed for a handsome sum to give me a child with his perfect blood, Archmage Byron of the Suluran tribe, the most powerful mage in all the seven kingdoms. Lucky for me he loves money than he loves his dignity. His school of magic will be very well off, as will your church if you perform your famous combination method upon me when we create the child." Narcissa told him crossly.

"How did you know about that spell!? It is only known to high ranking clerics and bishops to create mages to guard the Crystal Gates to stop invasions from other worlds. You would want me to use that on your child?! Why?" Ravi said, appalled at her request.

"Your own Bishop told me.... after my bodyguards persuaded him and a few altar boys that they would be better off whole that dismembered. They told me I can create the perfect being through this spell and it's been performed on women before that had trouble baring children. I want someone as perfect, brilliant, and beloved as me to be created from me to let the name Vendetta live on. You will do this.... or you'll disappear. I can make it happen, they'll never find you because you will be in so many little bloody pieces, they'll never put you together ever again! I want this done tomorrow night or else, cleric!!" Narcissa hissed, snapping her fingers.

Five large armored men came out of nowhere and surrounded the cleric and Lady Narcissa brandishing swords and hatchets. Ravi gulped as he looked them over, then looked at the haughty and triumphant expression on Narcissa's face.

"A.... all right, my lady. You.... sigh.... you win. I will do it for you." He said, his tone vacant.

"Excellent! Guards, take him back tot he sect and help him gather all the things he needs for the spell. I will wait here for Byron to arrive. By tomorrow, the Vendetta's will make perfection history," She began, then pulled a piece of parchment from the folds of her beautiful dress," And take this, this is all that is needed for the spell. Make sure he doesn't try to mess it up. I can always get another priest to perform this. Kill him if he tries anything funny.... and get the bishop to replace him. Understood?!"

The tallest guard nodded. "Yes, your gracefulness. Come on men, the Duchess has given us an order. Let's go." He said, grabbing the cleric by the collar and tugging him towards the large fine cedar doors that led outside.

As they left, Ravi felt a small sense of dread crawl up his spine. 'She's mad with vanity.... she's utterly mad!' his mind screamed as he was pulled into the darkened streets.

Ravi felt particularly sick being forced to do the spell of perfect creation in Narcissa's bedroom with her about to make love to Archamage Byron, dressed in emerald green robes with long brown hair flowing down his back, chestnut brown eyes nervously scanning the room. The Archmage didn't look real pleased he had an audience and had pulled Ravi aside to tell him if he ever told anyone he did this he'd have him excommunicated. Archmages had more pull than the rich, more than common mages.

They could make it happen if they used their magic properly to deface those that got in their way. To be truthful, mages on Terrian were a pack of greedy savages, most of them anyway. Magic was just another way to get rich and impress the extremely rich. The artistic sense and power wasn't what drew people to magic, it was the money and it made Ravi sick to death.

"It's all set up, my lady.... and sir. You may.... cough.... begin while I chant." Ravi said, a rich surge of horrendous bile filing up his throat at the thought of what was about to occur with him present.

He tried to blot the rustling of clothes being taken off and the creak of the bed, then he concentrated hard on the spell when the moans began.

'Delphine, let your holy mother Moriun forgive me for this great sin, but I can't prevent this. I will throw myself upon the mercy of my sect when this is complete and take their judgement with honor. I swear, but please, punish Narcissa for her great sin against you. Punish her forever, I beg of you.' He prayed within his mind.

With that done, he went around the table he'd set all the ingredient and fresh blood inscriptions carved upon the silver and gold runes and made sure he was looking at Narcissa and Byron loving each other. After taking a deep breath, he began the spell.

"By the holy mother, Moriun, and perfect son of the golden sun, Delphine, I must use the power within this world to use all creation to create perfection. The light of the guardians is needed to create life, and I take all magic into one soul. I will begin." He said quietly, the items all glowing a gentle blue.

"Now by heaven, hell, and the astral plane, join together magic of the world! Merge magic of the fairies, dragons, unholy creatures, holy spirits, inhumans, the elementals of earth, air, fire and water, and the magic of the elves, and humans to create perfect life for the glory of Terrian!!" Ravi boomed, the light becoming brighter with ever word until all of the items became the light, shooting off the table to be above the lovers.

With a flash and a pair of pained screams, the light shot through Byron's back and into Narcissa's womb, glowing for a short moment before vanishing into her smooth skin.

"Perfect.... I can almost feel the life growing inside me." Narcissa said, rubbing her stomach as Byron got off of her and dressed. "Where's the gold you promised me?" Byron asked in a bored tone as he got his robes on.

Narcissa just smiled and clapped her hands. Two guards came in, and they looked to their employer as if she were still clothed. "Yes, Duchess?" the one on the right said.

"Take Byron to the vaults and give him the million in gold I promised him. Then you give the same amount to Ravi's sect. He'll be staying with us for a while." Narcissa smiled at the guard, slowly pulling the covers over her body. The guard nodded and led Byron out of the room. Ravi just looked terribly shocked, his eyes and body quivering dangerously.

"WHAT?!" Ravi yelped, but Narcissa was ignoring him. "My other guard will lead you to your new quarters. You will be the one to help me birth this baby.... others would want this pregnancy ended because of how it was done. Only you will be allowed to let this baby be born.... then you can leave. For now, get comfortable. Take him away and be sure to put him in a room without windows. And lock his door. Nothing is to go wrong in my perfect plans. Soon, I'll have a perfect legacy for my family."

"I can see the head, Lady Narcissa. Push harder. Harder! It's almost out!" Ravi urged a groaning and pained Narcissa at the food of her bed. The young and very pregnant duchess was screaming as she pushed for the tenth time in three hours.

She'd gone into labor during a poetry reading in her study, resulting in her punching several of her attendants and poets out cold as the pain struck her. It took all of her guards to restrain her and get her to one of the servant's rooms while one of the conscious attendants went to fetch Ravi.

Now the baby was coming, whether anyone was prepared or not. With the push Narcissa forced out with her teeth gnashing together loudly and face turning red, the entire head and up torso of the baby came out. "One more, as hard as you can, it's almost here." Ravi coaxed. Narcissa complied with a screaming push, forcing the rest of the little baby out of her body.

He quickly cut the umbilical cord with a dagger, tying the remains on the bay into his bellybutton. It was a boy, squirming and gasping, not crying. Ravi spanked it anyway, making it cry and squirm hard. "It's a baby boy, duchess. Your attendants can clean him up while I heal your wounds." Ravi said. Narcissa nodded, still recovering from the pain. Ravi swiftly handed the baby boy off to a pair of female attendants, pointing them towards the basin of warm water and cloths he'd had them prepare and set on the servent's desk while Narcissa was in labor. Narcissa had the finest blankets brought in to wrap her baby in, set right beside the basin of water.

He cast a few healing spells on Narcissa's split womanhood, restoring it to it's former state, but Ravi was still wary of how Narcissa would react to the stretch marks on her once smooth and perfect body. 'Best wait until she tells me I can go, then take my punishment and live this place. The kingdom of Riusa is not the only place that has churches and temples. Perhaps they will overlook my sin in this boy.' He thought, slowly backing away from the duchess and her guards to go attend t the baby.

The attendants were not near the wrapped up and cooing baby, rather staring from a few feet away, cowering as he got closer. "Don't.... father, its his eyes. His hair.... he's, he's a freak." One of them whispered.

Ravi had seen the baby first, male and bluish purple covered in discharge and blood, like all babies, healthy ones anyway. He hadn't seen any alarming features on the child at that point, which made him wonder what was scaring the attendants. He slowly stepped up to the desk and peered at the baby.

His heart felt weak at the sight of a much cleaner baby, able to see his hair and small eyes staring up at him happily, reaching for him with playful and tiny fingers. His eyes were like that of a demon, but as pure blue as sapphires, the irises missing. What little hair the baby had was as blue as his eyes. 'Blue hair.... Moriun in heaven, what have I done? I've created a freak of nature with the most sacred of guardian spells. Forgive me.' he thought, his mind racing with all the punishments he'd receive if he was ever revealed as the creator of this baby.

"Let me see my.... son. Priest Ravi, NOW!" Narcissa commanded, though he voice was weak from the labor. Ravi took a deep breath before picking the baby up, trying to avoid looking at its cooing form for as long as he could manage. He gently put the baby in its mother's arms, noting her surprising loving look towards the odd child. It giggled at her and put one small fist against her cheek, then gurgled.

"Hmm, not what I had expected.... but a boy will never rival my beauty as a girl would. He's perfect, Ravi. You have done well." Narcissa smiled, kissing her baby's forehead.

"Then I suspect I can take my leave of this place." Ravi replied, backing away. "Yes, and this will remain between us. When I deem the time to be right, my son will join the ranks of mages. He can be male in perfection while I am female perfection. My guards will take you back to your sect. Do not return here ever again or your life is void," Narcissa sighed, waving him off," Now leave me, all of you. I wish to be alone with my son, Hiero, as in 'i' before the 'ero.' Let us have the night together."

Ravi was dragged out without much effort, the people in the room leaving mother and son alone. When the door was shut tightly, the sounds of footsteps slowly silenced, Narcissa smiled more deeply at her gurgling son. "Hiero Valan Vendetta, your middle name from my late father. You will be a great and powerful made, making our family even richer than before. Yes, my little Hiero. You'll be the envy of the entire kingdom, I promise you that, my sweet." She said in a sweet baby voice, getting the baby to giggle and clasp at her fine blonde hair.

"Freak!! Go back to the circus, Hiero Vendetta!" a tall red-headed boy yelled, punching Hiero square in the jaw. He fell backwards upon contact, tears and blood staining his pale cheeks.

"You have no right to treat me like this! My mother says I'm a perfect angel with a sacred name! Take it back, Brunus! Argh!" Hiero cried, fighting back pained tears as a little girl kicked him in the gut and spit on him.

"Yeah, Selphie! Show the freak we're better than he is. He's a weak little abomination! That hair, those demon eyes, a freak through and through," Brunus taunted as the girl kicked Hiero again," Worthless, all you have going for you is your last name. You bring nothing but shame to the Vendetta's. Your mother is the devil's whore. Hah, hah, hah!! Freak! Freak!"

"Yeah, little blue-haired creature.... you're not like any of us. We're all normal and you're a weak little ugly monster!" Selphie scoffed, grinning wildly.

Hiero growled at them, but instead of getting up, he thrust his body at Brunus and bit his exposed ankle, the white pant leg staining with boy's youths' blood.

Brunus screamed and fell over, giving Hiero the perfect chance to punch the boy's face repeatedly. Selphie tried to yank him off, but Hiero scratched at her hands a few times and kicked back in her own stomach to force her away from the object of his rage.

He had been punching the pleading and crying bully for a good 10 minutes before adults showed up and dragged the two boys apart. They yelled at Hiero for 'starting' the fight by acting smart in school, or in reality, being smarter than the other rich kids. He'd replied haughtily that it was a stupid thing to be accused of, for the point of school was to be smart.

Brunus and Selphie had been two of the many children he'd humiliated in the local educational contests to gain awards for great intelligence. He'd won second place to another young man who had openly spit at him, but Hiero had gotten more questions right and much faster than the other kid had.

Brunus and Selphie got nothing, so they were very bitter, like all the other losers, but those two had more guts to attack Hiero from behind on his way home. Their parents were also very close to his mother, so they had no fear of repercussions. Hiero's mother never punished anyone for harming or belittling Hiero. He had ruined her beautiful body when he was born and to make matters worse, many men and women commented in front Narcissa on how strangely beautiful Hiero was. Some had even been stupid enough to say he was more beautiful than Narcissa was, though they didn't live very long or come out the same after saying it.

Hiero had never thought much about it. He wasn't really judgmental on looks, he looked towards the inside rather than the outside. He thought he was a decent person and that his mother was a goddess. He loved her more than anything on Terrian, even his own life. She never called him a freak. He was her little angel.

Hiero just let the woman carrying by his britches carry him home, not even tending to his bloodied lip. His white clothing, much like what a prince would wear to a ball, embroidered with gold thread. The shirt under his white jacket was a light blue, each button made from priceless silver. Most children of very rich families wore them, the boys anyway.

His heart leapt with delight when he saw his mother's mansion coming into view, making him squirm and start to slap at the woman's hands. "Stop it, you little monster. Your mother can deal with you.... as if she ever would, the stupid slut." The woman muttered. Hiero became enraged by her words and bit her hand. She dropped him, screaming out in pain. As she did so, Hiero promptly kicked her hard in the shin before running off to the mansion. "My mother's a goddess and you're the whore. You're lucky you haven't seen what I am truly capable of. Not just swordplay, I can do more than all of you weak fools combined. I'll show you. I swear it! You'll all praise me someday!" he cried out, tears streaming freshly down his face.

Hiero ran up for his mother's room, despite words from their servants that he should get cleaned up. He fought his way past them and even resorted to stomping their feet to reach his mother's chambers. When he did, she was in the middle of a bath, the large golden tub set in the corner of her chambers filled to the brim with water and bubbles, her hair being hand washed by three females servants. "Mama!" he cried, and got the most appalled look from her.

"Hiero, what did you do to your new clothes? Those cost a lot of money!" she scolded. Hiero looked at himself shamefully, his hands littered with scars and dried blood, just like his chin, his clothes stained all over with his blood.

He looked back up at her sadly. "I'm sorry, Mama, but Brunus and Selphie jumped me after the contest today and beat me up. They called me a freak and a monster again and you a whore. Mama, they won't stop bothering me, no one will. Why do I have to look like this.... they'd leave me alone if I looked like them. Mama, why?" Hiero whimpered, clasping his tiny hands together.

"Hiero, you're very beautiful, even for a boy. You'll always be my little angel and that's all that counts. Those other children are inbred trash, not perfect like us. You don't need their love, just mine and the love of money. That's all. How many times must I tell you that." Narcissa told him, then gestured to one of the servants washing her hair.

"I know, Mama, but no one respects me. What good is the money or power if I don't have respect. I'll always be a freak to them, Mama. You're the only one who understands." Hiero sniffled, looking curiously at the attendant that took him by the arm.

"I always will, little sapphire angel. Now let Sylvia take you for your bath and clean your clothes. Then you and your magic tutor can have your final lessons. They will all soon respect you once they see Archmage Byron has chosen you as his protégé. Those bratty children will be green with envy of your genius, my son. Now go get cleaned up. No child of mine will have any sort of filth on him in front of such powerful people." She sniffed.

Hiero just nodded and let the woman lead him to his own room, sulking all the way. 'Maybe Archmage Byron will tell me more about the dark arts. If not, I'll have to use a different strategy than innocent curiosity. He's always watching me, so it'll be difficult. I want to be left alone, this is the only way to gain their respect, by being the best at everything, lousy snobs.' He thought.

"Now, what element is within the Tsu Rush spell, Hiero?" Byron asked, a little gray showing in his long once fully brown hair, his green robes about him in perfect grace.

"Water, we've been through this already. I've already learned all the elemental, physical, and mentality spells, can't we learn some new stuff on your last day here? How can I be your protégé when all I know are three elements of the art of magic?" Hiero said, a little too angrily. Byron noticed this, and the tears filling the boy's eyes.

"You had another scuffle, huh boy? I hate to keep telling you this, but no matter how powerful you are.... those children won't look past appearances. You're different, you know that, but special, something they have no hope of attaining. Its jealousy, pure and simple. I will not teach you the devastation magic of the demons and dragons until you learn to control your anger. Those spells stay safely in my bag until that day. Hopefully you'll see it my way someday. Now back to your lesson. The element of Sep Cama?" Byron said gently to the tearful child.

"Hallucination, white magic." Hiero said in a rather bored tone.

"And Spiro Gush?" Byron asked.

"Fire, elemental magic. Are we done yet?" Hiero said quickly, still sulking.

"Stop being obstinate. You have to go over this with me to be eligible for the blessing at Delphine's temple next month. The great son of our goddess only visits the temple once a year to bless this city, you know. I'm just trying to spend as much time with you as I can on my last evening here." Byron told him, patting his sapphire hair. Hiero just looked up at him curiously. "Why? You're just my teacher." The child put out.

Byron twitched inwardly, sorrow secretly overtaking his own heart. Narcissa had paid him a handsome amount of money for providing young and beautiful Narcissa with a child, but that was all she asked of him, then. Two years later she'd called upon him again to tutor their son, but had happily informed him that she told Hiero that his father was dead. Byron hadn't cared much at the start about that, but being treated by his own son like a total stranger, nothing more than his magic tutor grew to be rather heartbreaking after the years passed. Now Hiero was ten, almost a teenager, and was as vulnerable and emotional as he had been when he met him.

Every afternoon Hiero came home with bruises or spit and blood on his body, crying to his uncaring mother about bullies beating him up over his hair and eyes. Byron had been more caring in the matter as Narcissa was deeply resentful of her son's beauty and was more concerned with keeping her now aging body beautiful. Mirrors were what she looked at when Hiero tried to get her attention. She'd appease the boy with words of small praise like angel or beautiful, then have a servant take him out of her sight. He never dared tell Hiero she was lying, lest shatter the boy's only real companion he thought he had. Hiero loved his mother more than anything, but it was a blind love, something only a child could give, to be so trusting and yet so foolish just so someone would love them.

He felt bad for Hiero and voiced it to Narcissa, who brushed him off and said," Let him get over it." Byron stayed as Hiero's tutor longer because of her belittling words to make sure Hiero wouldn't use his teachings out of anger, the worst thing for a mage to have while casting. Many innocent people had been killed by vengeful mages, which was why only Byron chose those worthy to wield magic in the kingdom, but Narcissa's money made him foolish and greedy. His greed had blinded him to the fact that Hiero, better than anyone, would become very bitter as time went on.

Byron deeply regretted Narcissa spoiling, or at least trying to spoil Hiero. She got him whatever he asked for, even a rare demon sword that was up for auction by some traveling mages from the elfin kingdom of Galah. It was about the size Hiero was now as a ten-year-old, but the boy had mastered strength spells rather quickly, as he did the other magic Byron had taught him. In no time, Hiero was challenging even the knights of the royal family to sparring matches to get stronger and faster than all those gifted with swords. He had beaten all of them when he had been so bold as to challenge the king himself. He beat the man, but had been reprimanded by everyone in school about being such a hot shot and braggart.

No one believed Hiero had beaten any of the knights or even the king because those men wouldn't admit they'd been defeated by a five-year old boy. Byron knew he wouldn't have acted any differently. Hiero's skill in magic was growing just as rapidly as Hiero's appetite for power and respect, not getting any of the respect he actually deserved because of his odd appearance. Byron couldn't figure out how anyone could give birth to child with blue hair and blue demon eyes when both parents were normal, but then there was the spell of the guardians Priest Ravi had used on them during Hiero's creation.

Not that Byron cared, but he hadn't seen or heard from Ravi after Hiero's birth. The man had been excommunicated, from what he'd heard, and left the kingdom to atone for his sin. 'We are all guilty of cursing this child with a damned future. The poor child.... what he goes through everyday makes me wish I had refused Narcissa's deals. Too late for regrets, I suppose in the afterlife, I will be justly punished for these sins, as will that witch he calls his mother.' He thought, staring thoughtfully with a smile at the boy.

"I just like you, Hiero. You're my best student. You learned these magic spells faster than most of my previous students. No, that's not it.... Hiero, I need to tell you something, this being my last day." Byron said softly.

Hiero looked on curiously. "Hiero, I'm.... " he began but a loud knocking at the door interrupted him," Damn.... not now."

"Sep Cama.... " He cast quietly, waving his small hand at the distracted Byron. He had been eager to hear what he wanted to say, but this was his chance. He could blame it on fatigue or that the guards got rough with him, mother's idea. He wouldn't be coming back, so this was Hiero's last chance to get what he wanted.

As soon as Byron passed out, Hiero dumped out his bag to let books and scrolls come tumbling out of it. "Lovely.... the art of demons, dragons and other inhumans. Ah, and this one has fairy magic, and this for elves.... .but I can only read so fast.... Ah, I have it. A cover is a cover, and he can't come back in to claim them. Gotta work fast," Hiero told himself, another knock erupting," Just a minute, one more spell please."

"Yes, Master Hiero. One minute, then Byron has to go back to the School of Magic. Other people need his teachings." A manly voice let out gruffly.

Hiero caught his breath and started yanking the leather covers off of the books he wanted, then went to the books on the walls, grabbing the thickest ones. He tore their covers off and stuffed the innards of the books on myths and politics within the magic entitled covers. 'No time for stitching, this will have to do until he leaves.' Hiero though, stuffing the false magic books back inside the bag and tucked the real pages of magic under his tutor's plush chair. After looking over the scrolls for a while, he found nothing useful, except one.

"Emeras Bakuha? That summons the power of the prince of darkness, Vermin. This will be great to keep." Hiero giggled, shoving that under the chair as well before running for the door to bang on it. "We're done, but Byron fainted. Come in, quickly." Hiero cried out, not expecting to get the door in the face so quickly as the door whipped inward. He flew back a few feet, a bright red mark on his cheek from the hit. The guard ignored him and went to Byron.

"This makes it easier to send him on his way. Poor man, this is a must be killing him to leave his.... star pupil. Ah well, you can see him each year at the temple when Delphine blesses our great kingdom. Go to your room, Hiero. My men and I will send Archmage Byron on his way." The burly guard told him, and Hiero nodded rapidly.

"Yes, sir. You can count on it. Make sure you tell him you just roughed him up. If it ever got out that such a mage fainted he would be a laughing stock. Mother wouldn't want that." Hiero said.

"As you wish, Master Hiero. Good Night." The guard said, hoisting Byron over his shoulder and grabbing up his bag of books before leaving. Hiero waited until he couldn't hear anymore footsteps, then gabbed up all the books and scroll. He ran for his bedroom as quickly as possible, plans to make his dreams come true already forming in his little head.

'I'll put my demon sword to good use now. I know what I have to do to make them respect me. They respect the god Delphine and mother goddess Moriun so much, if I were to beat one of them, I'd be respected for all times. Yeah.... ! That's just what I'll do. I'll learn all the magic of hell and make them all sorry they ever called me a freak. I will.' Hiero thought, a pleased smile taking over his lips.

Cursed Battle With Delphine

Hiero had waited a long and seemingly endless month to go to the temple, earlier than anyone else. He'd been taught that the great god Delphine came to the temple at precisely midnight and waited for the human of the kingdom to pay tribute at dawn. He wasn't very sure what Delphine did other than provide holy protection on the temple. No one told the 'freak' what Delphine was for other than blessings.

Hiero didn't care either way, what matter was that Delphine would arrive in five short minutes and Hiero would be his first sight, and most definitely his last sight. He simply found a large altar to hide behind and waited, would wait to take down Delphine.

The last thing Hiero had done before leaving the house was having tea with his mother. She'd been a bit withdrawn, but that was nothing new. He assumed it was her longing to be with his father again, whom she'd said died in a fire.

"Mother, are you upset about something?" he'd asked politely, not wanting to bring up his father again, knowing how it pained her. She had given him a quick and gentle smile as she set down her tea, the warmth radiating from her angelic face. "No, Hiero, I am sorry you were not invited to Delphine's blessing at the temple. That sod Byron broke his promises to you. I am just very sorry you were left out.... over their jealousy." She'd said quietly, getting up from her chair slowly to walk to his. He looked up with wide, patient eyes, his mouth opened slightly like a baby bird. She kissed him on the forehead softly, smiling again at him.

"They're all jealous of you. Someday, they will learn the error of their ways. You'll see, my precious angel," she'd smiled, touching his cheek gently as she back towards the door," Now, if you will excuse your mother, I must get my beauty sleep. I love you, little Hiero."

She had blown him a kiss, making Hiero smile. "I love you too, Mama. Always," Hiero had said, watching her leave," And you'll be right as of tomorrow. I'll make them all sorry."

He did so love his mother, she was the only one who accepted him, other than Archmage Byron. Hiero was looking forward to making her right tonight, very soon.

As the last minute counted down, Hiero pulled out his demon sword he'd so begged his mother to buy him, among other things. He had come prepared with Byron's forbidden spells locked in his head, his demon sword, and of course, his smarts. He also had a small, enchanted dagger, but it was just in case. A god wouldn't even expect anyone to take him on, let alone a small child.

Hiero swiftly started to dismantle the fine stone altar with his sword, casting fire and earth spells to decimate other portions as well. 'This will get his attention.' He thought.

Hiero got his wish a few seconds later as the temple filled with a bright, blinding light. The small sapphire-haired boy just looked away until the light died away. When he looked back, he saw a young man with blonde hair, bangs hiding his eyes from view. He was dressed in pure white robes. He wasn't glowing or anything, but Hiero knew who it was, God Delphine. He looked distressed rather than angry, looking around at his desecrated temple.

He slowly found Hiero after a few minutes of looking around, smirking slightly as Hiero took a few steps forward. It left only a foot between them, but Delphine didn't seem alarmed. "Why did you do this, Hiero Vendetta? I didn't make you look like that.... though I must say you're rather cute." Delphine said, his voice sounding as if it was everywhere.

Hiero shook it off, his sword held low, but his eyes were looking dead at where he suspected Delphine's eyes were. "I've come to fight you. It's the only way to gain the respect of this stupid city." Hiero proclaimed.

Delphine chuckled a bit and ignored Hiero, lifting his arms up gently. They began to glow and soon let out a divine light. "I don't have time for whining little boys. I'm sorry if everyone detests you, but you blame your wicked mother for that. She's the reason you're so different. I have to repair the damage you've done or ack!" Delphine had been saying very obstinately, his focus not totally on the young boy challenging him. He never saw Hiero's blade coming and even if he had, he never would have expected it to hurt. He was a god after all, Hiero knew such a small boy wouldn't be taken seriously by anyone in a fair fight.

Hiero impaled Delphine swiftly with his blade once through the chest, the demonic energy from the blade poisoning Delphine's holy body the longer it remained inside. Hiero didn't smile, his expression was hard and of total seriousness. "I said I wanted to fight. It's nothing personal, but if I defeat you, no one will hurt my mother or me. How dare you call my mother wicked!? Your mother did this to me, she made me this.... freak that everyone calls me. Well, I won't be a freak anymore, no way. They'll all fear me so bad, no one will dare utter those hurtful words again. HAH!" Hiero cried, yanking the sword out fast to spin around and catch a shocked Delphine in the back, golden blood splashing across Hiero's face.

Delphine cried out, falling onto to his undamaged side covered in his godly blood, the poison of the demon sword filling his body with ungodly pain. "Stop this now! My mother will rage if you kill me.... stop this, Hiero! You don't need to do this." Delphine said hoarsely, but Hiero shook his head, taking the sword out again. He didn't strike, there was no need. All he had to do now was wait a few minutes for Delphine to bleed out, then he'd take his head, to end the pain.

Yet, when he saw the pain and sorrow on Delphine's face, he wanted to end it sooner. He didn't like this, but this seemed to be the only way out. Gods were respected, they had power, if Hiero destroyed that power, the pain would stop coming after him. "I'll end it now, Delphine, you're suffering. I thought this would be quicker," Hiero said, touching Delphine's hand to squeeze it," The pain's going to stop now."

Delphine cried out again, but this time Hiero cried out with him. His hand hurt, it felt like it was being burned off. "OWWW!! What's going on, it hurts! IT hurts!!! BURNS!! STOP IT!" Hiero cried out, trying to get his hand free of Delphine's as hard as Delphine was trying to free his own hand, but to no avail. It was like their hands were melding together.

Hiero kept pulling, trying to shove Delphine away with his other hand, but that hand went ablaze with pain the second he touched the god's face. "Ah no!! What's going on?! Arghhhhh!!" Hiero wailed, light of every color filling the temple.

"You.... you're creation, all of those elements of magic.... they.... I don't believe it, you're absorbing me! No! Magic absorbers were all destroyed 5,000 years ago.... arghh, Ravi, you fool cleric, you recreated the cursed race! I can't stop this, Hiero.... you won't be able to let go! You can't until.... we merge!" Delphine gasped, already up to his shoulder on Hiero's one hand, his mouth half there on the other.

"MERGE?! What are you talking.... ab.... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" Hiero screamed, his little eyes scrunching up tight as the screams just kept flying out of his throat as Delphine got sucked further into Hiero full spread palms. Everything seemed like a bright nightmare, the pain more than Hiero could stand until after what seemed like an eternity, he passed out.

Hiero woke up to a bucket of ice water being dumped on his small body, his limbs feeling heavy and his body weak. He didn't see the temple anymore, all he saw was a leaky roof of wood and barred window to his left. He sat up slowly, still a little dazed from the battle with Delphine. 'Did it even happen? I can't remember what happened.... I touched him, and the pain started.... then.... then.... then I can't remember what happened after that. Where on Terrian am I?' he thought, his sapphire eyes scanning his surroundings a little more carefully.

He was lying on a floor littered with wet hay, a small blanket with a hole in it was in the right hand corner and a barred door was behind him. The rest of the room was darkened, and very hard to see through. "Jail? They put me in jail? We have no such jail like that in Riusa." He whispered.

"You're in Galah, freak. There's no such thing as Riusa anymore. Don't you know that?" said a gruff voice. Hiero looked right at it with frightened eyes, seeing a tall elfin man stepping out of the darkness. "What? What did you say? My city.... is.... gone? But.... how?" Hiero whimpered, tears streaming down his face.

The elf in black, his long dark hair and emerald eyes all seeming to mock Hiero, shrugged. "No one knows. About a month ago travelers saw the entire kingdom explode in a ball of light. By the time they got there with some of Galah's soldiers, everything was gone no buildings, no water, no crops, and other than you, not a single soul left intact. They found you in the center of the city just lying there unconscious with golden slime all over you. You wouldn't wake up, so no one objected to selling you to the royal family."

"Selling me? As a slave?" Hiero yelped, the man smiling at that. "Slave is a filthy word, servant is better. You'll be serving the king's daughter, Ula, for the rest of your miserable human life. You shouldn't have taken a nap for so long. We were starting to think we'd been cheated out of our money for a while there. You just refused to wake up." The man said, stepping close to grab Hiero up by his britches.

"A month is gone.... my city, my mother.... My mother is dead. I.... I didn't mean to.... I never wanted.... I never dreamed. No. NO!" Hiero began to weep, but the man just sighed.

"Whatever. Time to get you in the proper attire. No more need for this place.... unless you misbehave. Whatever you do, don't call the princess spoiled, ever. She'll send you back here faster than you can blink.... if you're lucky. The last servant boy got fed to the bug bears in the pit below this castle. That's a little private advice, freak."

"My name is Hiero, jerk. Hiero Vendetta.... I, ah who cares anymore. Who cares.... I ruined everything being so stupid.... so vain. Mother.... forgive me, please. I didn't mean to. I didn't.... Mama." He cried, his voice slowly losing volume as the man took him out of the cell and to a stairwell.

Princess Ula sat in the courtyard of the palace in her new emerald colored gown, sipping fine and expensive tea on a white marble bench. She looked with a pleased smile at the roses, so perfectly tended by her favorite servant, at least she had to say that to keep him around. He was checking the gardens again at her request, since she'd found a few flaws in a patch of them, bug infestation. He may have had a way with plants and animals, but with people he had a forked tongue, swearing up a storm if anyone made comments about him. He took her insults better, probably because he knew the consequences or rather he didn't really care to bother.

He was a mystery, even for a human, and weird looking. Hair like brilliant sapphires and eyes as blue but like that of a demon. He showed that he had been willing to serve her, more out of atonement for something he didn't care to discuss. Occasionally she heard him ask forgiveness from Moriun and his mother, so she assumed he did something to offend or hurt them. She didn't care, he was pretty harmless and small when they got him from the slave traders.

'And very pretty. I thought it was little girl before he actually spoke. Very quiet for child, normally human children are livelier. Hiero Vendetta, the name the guard said he told him to replace 'freak,' was like a little blue angel with the eyes of the devil, but he was very intelligent, and that's why she wanted to keep him. He saved her a lot of time and money in hiring spies to check out possible suitors and those she was having peace and money conferences with. To have the exotic human slave around was better than listening to stuffy advisors with no spines. Hiero was young and agile, perfect for crawling into small places and hiding in rooms to find out what she desired. Picking locks was also a great talent, so he could get into any room anywhere in the kingdom, but he never left the palace. There had been a servant uprising, but he didn't participate, even as capable as he was of doing it and not getting caught.

"Your highness, it is handled." Hiero said, snapping her back to reality. She found him staring rather blandly, as always, at her, dressed in his blue leggings and tunic, not the customary color for royal slaves, but it suited his wild looks.

His hair was wilder, not because of the color, but due to the bangs that hung slightly below the level of his chin, a dark headband of cheap leather seen across his forehead to keep it from getting in his face. She could see both eyes, staring so patiently, yet uncaring, as if he wanted to die but had not the gall to say it. She just smiled at him and stood, handing him her tea. "Good work, servant. Now, follow me to the great hall, father is bestowing knighthood on the next generation of elfin warriors." She said happily. He just raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips slightly.

"Why must I go, your highness? I already spied on the next generation for you so they could be chosen for this day. Aside from that, servants aren't allowed at the proceedings or the reception party unless they are serving food.... unless that's what I am to do." He said quietly, putting his arms behind his back.

She giggled, sweeping her long raven-black hair over her right shoulder and batted her green eyes at him. "You're so dull, always following orders. You know I said I was sorry for all those times you got disciplined for talking back to my family and I, and several guests, I might add. Don't make me regret stopping those beatings by sending you back down to the dungeons. You will come, or face the consequences." She said sweetly.

Hiero frowned, then nodded in defeat. "Yes, your highness. As you wish." He said, his tone a bit harsh. She didn't care, and grabbed him by the arm and dragged him back into the palace.

'By Moriun, I hate this. What I wouldn't give to strangle the jackass that put me here. Hah, Ula did me favors by saving me? Stupid, high-riding bitch sister of hers, Averis, she's the one I really hate. She made Ula feel guilty about letting her discipline me when her tantrums went too far. She's gotten better, but her sister hasn't. That sneak brat is always trying to get me in trouble because I'm human and Ula actually likes me, I taught Ula manners and prowess in speech. I don't fight my discipline.... why should I? I'm worse than Averis, I murdered my entire race and I can't remember how it happened. This is my punishment.... .it has to be. My magic has refused to work since that day.... so I guess my fate is sealed. At least I'll die from old age eventually. This family can't keep annoying me forever, but at this rate, I might kill myself.' He thought with rancidity, his arms crossed over his chest at the reception party, foods and drinks of the best elfin quality.

And he wasn't allowed to touch a scrap, even if he said he was starving he wouldn't get even a crumb of dirty bread. Servants ate servant food, stuff that kept them strong enough to walk and talk, but not much else. He growled inwardly when Ula and a male friend of hers were chatting up a storm and daintily suckling on some grapes and cheeses. She occasionally snuck him some food, in recent years anyway, but it was usually leftover scraps from the wash room. He had to give her a smile for the effort. It was more than anyone else had done for him.

He was very hungry, since all he'd been given was bread and meat for breakfast, which was what he got every damn day with a wooden cup of warm water. It was a disgusting meal to what he was used to when he had a life in Riusa, but that kingdom was dead, because he was such an ambitious fool. 'I deserve this.... but it really is a bother. Atonement is such a pain.... nah, this is nothing compared to everything Ula used to do to me. Letting her royal brat girlfriends grope me as a child and pull my hair and smack me, all those men she had whip me for acting smart, and insulting me in public, showing me off like I'm her own private freak show. Glad I got her to grow out of that, shame Averis never learned.' He thought, a grim smile crossing his lips,' They wouldn't be so high and mighty if I had my magic.... no, magic got me into this mess. That's why it was taken away, because I sealed my fate with Delphine's death.'

His thoughts were interrupted, rudely, with a slap and something warm sloshing across his face. Not that it was nice, it was some of the fancy soup the guests were eating. As much as he could lick off his lips, he was still very annoyed and looked in the direction it had been flung from.

It was Averis, Ula's little brat of a sister and one of her competitors for possible suitors. He had not been given to her as she already had a mess of male servants spilling her rotten, and she had refused to let a freak be one of her servants. He didn't like her, more than anything he despised her and her temper tantrums. On numerous occasions she had him chained to the dungeons walls to be whipped, dunked, beaten, and nearly castrated, if he hadn't been able to make Ula less like her.

True, he had spied on all the suitors for Ula, not Averis, to weed out the back-stabbers and weaklings. However, Averis had asked him to tell her first of what he found, so she could get the better man and not Ula, to which Hiero refused and called her a spoiled slut. He later denied it to the king himself and said he was with Ula, the lie Ula let him use whenever he was doing jobs for her.

'Revenge never tasted so good.... no one can punish me for this, even if my clothes smell like beef. It's something.' He thought, then got punched from the right again. It was one of the new knights, with a grinning Averis beside him. "What is it, your worship? Servant abuse with a deadly bowl of soup not good enough?" He replied crossly, getting another punch. 'Idiot, you're pissing me off.' He thought, snapping his sore face right back in the knight's direction.

"He called me a slut again! Everyone, the slave called me a slut!" she whined, faking tears and hurt in her green eyes. She looked a little like Ula, but her dark hair was in a short braid and she was a bit underdeveloped, but she was still young yet, a teenager for an elf, but a lousy brat all in all.

Hiero thought about this for a few minutes, all eyes on him, even Ula who looked a bit frightened. Her male friend was looking angrily at him. Hiero smiled at Ula, then looked back at the knight.

"If the shoe fits." He said so seriously, the knight balked a moment.

Then he decked Hiero, or at least tried to. Hiero stepped out of the way and let him crush his hand on the wall behind him. "Hmm, maybe you're not as good as I thought. You let a little spoiled brat tart like that drag you around by your balls less than 10 minutes after you get knighted. Pitiful." Hiero smirked, dodging another anger filled punch. Ula looked funny, like she was trying not to giggle. 'Don't laugh or your father will think Averis is more fit to rule than you.' He thought, backing up from each punch obstinately, smiling a little too smugly, towards one of table of food.

"Take back those words, you freak slave." The knight roared, taking out his sword. Hiero put his hand to his heart. "Now I have a right to fight you, jackass, you just called Princess Ula freak out loud. Tsk, bad form. If I am going to die, I'll die fighting, not begging like a common slave. Come on, hit me with your best shot." Hiero taunted, everyone whispering to each other.

The knight screamed as he charged Hiero, but his anger blinded him as much as Hiero had hoped and he did a split, making his body more like a bump on the tiles and tripping the knight right into the food. 'I guess all that extra crap the knights do here came in handy. I'm glad Ula brought me to training sessions to watch these dopes.... Hell, I said I'd go down fighting. Least they'll kill me once they stop me. I can't take that bratty Averis anymore.... she's picked on me one time too many. The atonement is over!'

The voice came so suddenly, so loud in his mind, Hiero stopped short for second. He was stuck in place. "Who said that?" he said curiously, seconds before the hilt of a sword ran him through. 'Oh well, one of life's mysteries.... bit the dust.' Was his last fleeting thought before death and its dark embrace took him.

Hiero was drifting in what he thought was the journey to hell, because it hurt like it. Still, he soon found he was just floating in empty darkness, no sound, no molten seas, or demons born to torment him for his sins anywhere in sight. "Alone in the dark for eternity. How annoying. I can't even see my mother one last time before I get fully damned to hell." He sighed, his own voice bouncing around the darkness.