The Devil’s Daughter

Broken Rage

I bet I can guess what you are thinking. The rage is going to consume me; and I’ll break free or that I will cave in the darkness and give into Antonius. The truth is neither of those things happened. The rage did come to a head and fire did consume me but not outward. It was all inward. Like I was boiling alive. As time went on the flames and pain were subsiding. The rage was still there but I was too tired to care. I gave into the darkness. When I came to, I was still in the dark, but it was different. Before now there was nothing but my thoughts and rage. No sight, noise, or smell. Now I could smell mold, feel a breeze, and hear water dripping. I opened my eyes. I was laying on a stone ground. I managed to get into a sitting position. It felt strange, almost painful.

I my eyes were adjusting to the not so quite black place I was now in. I could see that three of the walls that surrounded me where made of stone and covered in mildew. The fourth wall gave away that I was in a dungeon of some kind. The door was not solid, it had metal bars that crisscrossed one another creating abyss shapes. The wall that held the door contained the same shapes. My mind was pulling something, out of the dark depths, that I didn’t know I knew. The abyss symbol belonged to the Lord of Chaos. Great I get rid of one devil to be taken by another.

I sat there for while wondering if Antonius knew I was gone and exactly what the Lord of Chaos could want. I thought about getting up and trying to see beyond my cell but what was the point. My thoughts kept jumping from wondering how to get out and deciding if I wanted to. I fell asleep at some point. I heard loud steps that startled me awake. The steps stopped and I knew that whoever they belonged to was outside my cell. It was taking to long for my eyes to adjust so I called out. “Whose there? What do you want?” At first, I heard nothing, and it enraged me.

I managed to get to my feet and walk along to wall to the cell door. When I got close enough, I could see almost clearly who was there. They were just watching me. I would guess he was some kind of demon. He was about six three; an inch taller than me I would guess. He had short military style hair. It was dark brown or black I couldn’t tell. He was well bit but not overly so. His features were rounded. I couldn’t tell what color his eyes were.

“What the hell do you want?” I was at the breaking point. This meeting was going to go one of two ways.

He didn’t respond.

“Well, if you aren’t going to say anything then just leave.” He was pissing me off.

He continued to look at me. He had a smirk on his face. Ugh. How annoying. I was going blow. Served him right. I back away from him, closed my eyes, and let the rage flow. It only took a second for the flames to engulf me. I opened my eyes looking directly at him. He had taken a step back. He was worried. I could feel it. I smiled. I guess he didn’t think this through.

“Why am I here?” My voice sounded icy.

He looked at me weighing his answer. Then he spoke. Hearing his voice was enough for the flame to cease which was concerning on every level.

“My name is Eris, Lord of Chaos. You are here because I believe you are the only one you can help me with my plans. It would be wise for you to keep your power reigned in. Wouldn’t want your father to be able to find you.”

“What do you mean find me?”

“You really know nothing do you. You share not only the same blood but the same powers as your father. Through your powers he can find you.”

I was stunned. I let the flame surrounding me die. “What plans do you want my help with?”

He didn’t answer instead he opened the cell door and started walking down the hall. I felt weak. “How long was I wherever I was before you brought me here?”

That made him stop cold. “You don’t know?”

“No. Should I?”

He had a look of pity for a moment before it was replaced with a couldn’t care less look. “Five years.” He continued walking. I stopped; unable to move.

Five years of my life. I was seventeen when I was trapped and now, I was twenty-two. I couldn’t wrap my mind around it. Eris noticed I wasn’t following him and came back. He took hold of my arm pulling me along. I wasn’t paying attention to where we were going or what we were passing by. I don’t know how long or far we walked. Let go of my arm and that was enough to snap me back. I was standing in what had to be his personal chambers. I stood there watching him, regretting that I was so caught up in my own s**t that I had not paid attention. Then he spoke. This time his voice was softer and somehow gentle.

“I understand why you having some trouble accepting so much time has passed. I want you to know that I tried to get you out so many times. I am sorry it took me so long.”

Why would he have to tried to get me out? My head was starting to throb this was just too much. He didn’t wait for my reply and just continued.

“I realize this a lot of information, but the fact is you need to get up to speed in order for us to succeed. I am not certain if you know what your father promised mine.”

He looked at me. He was trying to determine how much he needed to tell me and how much I knew.

“I don’t know anything. You might as well start at the beginning.” I needed answers and he was the only one seemingly willing to give them to me.

He smiled and continued. “Alright. About twenty-six years ago. Your mother and mine were both pregnant with us. Your father and mine were in talks to make an alliance and unite our world. They agreed to have a marry on our sixteenth birthdays.”

He paused trying to gauge my reaction, but I didn’t have one. I wanted to hear everything then I could react. When he couldn’t read me, he continued.

“This never came to pass, which you know. My father was enraged when he learned that you had been cast out. He tried to reason with your father for many years. Your father absolute in his decision. My father finally accepted this when I turned twelve. I knew nothing of what was supposed to happen until I was sixteen. He had been injured in battle and was dying. He told me everything. He also made me promise to fine you and bring you back. He wanted the prophecy completed.”

He looked at me expectantly. The only thing I could do was ask, “What prophecy?” He looked sheepish like he didn’t know how to answer or what he should say. After a moment he looked resolved and spoke.

“The prophecy states: Ex filia quondam diabolum firmam retineamus. Et quartus articulus similiter ponitur adducere: et in conspectu eius dissimilis. Quod potentia ejus in esse potest comparari c*m ulla. Meaning that…”

This time I spoke. “Meaning: Once the Devil's Daughter is born hold fast. She will bring forth an era unlike any before her. The power in her shall be unmatched by any other.” I looked at him not believing what I was hearing. “So, if that is what I am then when would Antonius cast me out?”

He looked surprised at my response. Like he had expected me to freak out. I was it was just all internal. “I believe he used the death of your mother as an excuse to cast you out.”

“You’re saying he is scared that I am more powerful then him.” That notion was ridiculous. If I was stronger than him, I would not have been imprisoned for five years. I sure as hell would not have needed someone to rescue me.

I could see that he had not idea what to say. He was certain that I was the one and yet there was something there giving him concern or doubts. After neither of us spoke for several minutes, I spoke up.

“Is there a room or something where I could get cleaned up.”

He looked up at me and I saw some thought flicker in his eyes. As quick as it was there is was gone. “You can us my bathroom. Let me send for some clothes.” He got up and showed me to the bathroom. I had been right we were in his personal chambers. “I’ll have the clothes left outside the door here. I’ll be back in the sitting room when you’re finished.”

“Thank you.” I gather the sitting room was where we had been before. I walked into the bathroom, shut and locked the door, and started getting undressed. I was careful not to look at the large mirror. I knew I would have to face it soon, but I was not ready to see how terrible I looked or what had changed.

I spent a long time in the shower; I was finally feeling clean. I wrapped a large white towel around me. It walked to the door unlocked and opened it. Sitting on the floor was a stack of clothes. As I shut the door my eyes hit the mirror and I was stopped in my tracks. My body went cold. The girl in the mirror was identical to the girl I was five years ago. How was that possible? I tried not to dwell. I got dressed in what would be considered renaissance style clothing. There was a long emerald green dress with long billowy sleeves. I slipped it on, and it did fit like a glove. There was a brown leather corset. I looked at it for a moment; I told myself there wasn’t an option. I got it on and synched up. Lastly there was some brown leather boots. They fit perfectly. I looked at myself in the mirror. The only thing left to fix was my wild hair. I pulled it half back and tied the red ribbon that was on the counter around it. I was a different look for me, but somehow, I loved it.

I walked out of the bathroom and back to the sitting room. There he was, Eris, he was breathtaking. I felt my heart speed up. I was certain I had not made a sound, but he turned to look at me. It was like he knew I was there. I smiled and he did the same in return. His smile was truly amazing to see. I could tell it was not something he did often. His face seemed be set in a permanent scowl.

“Feeling any better,” he asked.

“I am, thank you.”

“There is more I would like to discuss with you. If you wish to wait, I understand.” He stood and walked to a small sitting table. Pulling the lids off of two trays. “I thought we could have some late dinner.”

I smiled, “Sounds perfect.”

We sat down and began to eat. Neither of us speaking for a bit. It was nice to taste food again and have company. “What else would you like to discuss,” I asked.

He looked at me. It seemed like he was waring with himself and it prompted a question before he decided what to do.

“Both of our fathers are daemoniums. Were our mothers?” I wasn’t sure what prompted me to ask or what answer I was looking for. He stared at me. I could tell that was the last thing he had expected me to ask.

“Um, no. Your mother was not a demon and my mother is a werebear.”

His response confirmed his mother was alive.

He continued, “Your mother, Helena, was…” I could see he was struggling. I waited. “She was a god. The god of war.”

I yelled, “My mother was a god! How is that possible?” I saw him flinch when I began yelling. I just couldn’t stop. “How does a god die giving birth? What the actual hell? What does that make me?” I heard him whisper something, but I didn’t catch it, so I took a few breaths and calmed down. I waited for him to speak. He looked to me and saw that I was calmer and waiting.

“To answer some of that,” he chuckled. “You are a demon, but you are also a god. As far as you mother dying in birth that is a lie.”

It was all too much. I may be some supernatural being, but everyone has a breaking point and that was mine. I saw black.

Years later, Eris told me that He caught me as I collapsed. He said he remembered being scared and worried. He knew he had overloaded me at that point. He was mad that I had pushed through all I was feeling until I hit my breaking point. I told him how much I wanted answers. Just as I was accepting my reality of killing my mother, he told me it was lie. He has expressed so much regret on how he handled everything then. I have always been grateful to have had him be so brutally honest with me. If not for him I would have never had answers.

When I came to, I was very disoriented. I sat up realizing I was in a large bed. It took me a bit to realize I was in Eris’s bed. We had past it on the way to the bathroom. I looked around but saw no one. I couldn’t recall what happened. I just laid back down. My mind was going a million miles an hour. I had accepted that I killed my mother. Now I hadn’t. I was a fire demon. That thought passed quickly but not quickly enough. Flames appeared in my hand and just as quickly dissipated. What exactly did Eris want from me? How long before my father knew I was out and free? Kind of free. What the hell was I supposed to do. As if on que someone cleared their throat. I bolted up.

Eris was standing at the end of the bed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scared you. I was just coming to check on you.” I climbed out of the bed. “How long was I out?”

“Just a few hours.”

That’s good. Years hadn’t passed this time. I force a smile, “So, what now?”

“How about you get some more sleep. We can talk more in the morning.” I could tell he was having come conflicting emotions based on the way his face kept changing. I just didn’t have a clue why.

“Okay sounds great. Where is my room?”

“You can stay here. I will sleep on the couch in the sitting room.” I could see he had decided. I didn’t want to anger him so, I agreed.

After her left. I took off my boots and corset. I untied my hair and climbed back into bed. I must have fallen asleep right away because the next thing I knew I was waking up. I was sure it was morning, even though it was dark out, because I felt refreshed. I pulled my boots on and secure my corset. I managed to braid my long hair and tied the ribbon around the end. I didn’t want to go to the sitting room if he was still sleeping. I stood there for a minute and made the decision to practice my powers. I don’t know what being a god got me, but I knew my demon powers were still trying to take over.

I stood there willing the flame to come. Of course, it wasn’t that easy. I focused on just getting the flame in one hand. After a few minutes the flame started to flicker. I kept willing it to appear. I was getting tired; I wouldn’t be deterred. I kept focusing. All at once the flame appeared in my hand and in the same moment my body caught flame. s**t, I thought. I can’t catch this place on fire to. I looked my feet and saw I was floating. Cool. After realizing I had done it, kind of; I freaked. I was excited but how could I turn it off. Then I heard his voice. Eris. “Just think about it shutting off. Like how you would turn a faucet off.” His voice was calm and collected. I closed my eyes and did as he instructed. I felt the flame die as my feet touched the ground again.