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catriana_fictionSeries: Original
Genre: Fantasy/Drama/Romance
Rating: M
Chapters: 16/??(WIP)
Summary: He is the Demon King of the West, one of the few true immortals of the western lands. When his kingdom is frozen by 'Olde Magick' he goes out into the world to find clues and answers. Along the way he binds himself to a young vampire, encounters a half-elf that is more than what he seems and quickly begins to realize that freezing his kingdom was only the beginning.
Notes: None.
9
xxxxx
Maybe he really is senile. Rioran thought numbly as the northern king continued to laugh. He was still struggling to stand and his innards felt as if they had been turned into mush. He was going to have a really long talk with his father when he got home. Long and painful.
The laughter died down to chuckles and the redhead flinched when Gladian reached out, putting a hand on the younger demon’s stomach. Immediately the pain and pressure was gone and he stood up straight, eyes wide and full of confusion. This seemed to only make the man more amused.
“Well, Red,” the ice king began, crossing his arms “it would appear that Lucian wasn’t joking when he claimed that you could handle becoming king of the west.”
What did he just say? “My father told you this?”
“Yes, and thanks to you I now owe him quite a bit of kon, brat. I’ll even have to pay extra, since you went above and beyond expectations.”
What. The. Fuck? “Let me get this straight.” Green eyes glittered with barely concealed rage “You and my father had a bet on whether or not I could not get my ass kicked by you? Why is this not amusing to me? By the way, I’m not exactly sure how you lost seeing as you practically splattered me against your throne room wall.”
“Oh, do shut up, you’re whining worse than Rias on a good day.” the northern king grabbed his sword and motioned for the young demon to follow “The West and North have always held a rather easy alliance and so your father and I are indeed well acquainted. When he told me that he wanted to make his not even ninety year old son a demon king I had told him he was out of his damn mind.”
Yeah, that’s what I told him too. “And?”
“And so we placed a bet.” Reaching his throne he sat down, the sword beside him “This blade that I have at my side has been fed my energy and power for as long as I have been demon king. There is nothing, absolutely nothing that it cannot cut. Do you understand where I am going with this?”
“The most I got out of that was I should be headless right now.” The redhead said flatly “But…” there was a small pause “I wasn’t. I blocked it.”
Gladian grinned “You blocked it.”
No, that didn’t make sense; there was absolutely no way he could have done such a thing when their gaps in power were astronomical. Just standing near the man was terrifying, it took a lot for him to keep up his brave front “I don’t understand. Were you going easy on me?”
He shrugged “The bet had been that you would be able to block my blow if I swung at you with fifty percent of my overall power.” He smiled “It was seventy. I can sense your fear, you are not as weak as you believe, Rioran and I have,” he began to undo the shoulder piece to his armor “been waiting almost ten thousand years for you to be born.” The plate armor piece landed with a crunch on the ground and he was already beginning to undo the latches to his chest “The last time there was a demon king that had ascended at a young age they had been only a century and twenty years gone. Prior to him that person had been two hundred and eighty years gone. They are known as prodigies, they are born and keep the other nations balanced through sheer force of will and power. When they are born and become demon kings the ones before them teach them what they need to know, if they are willing to listen.”
“And you are saying that I am this person.” It wasn’t a question and so Gladian once again shrugged “Who was before me?”
“That would be me.” He stood, discarding the chest piece “I was taken in by the eastern king and with you here, I need only remain until you surpass me, then I will pass on my powers accordingly.”
It was just too difficult to believe. He was, basically, just a kid and now he was being told that he was going to become the most powerful demon king that would all but rule over the others? And he had to be lying about his power, Rioran wasn’t an idiot and he knew his limits. This had to be some sort of joke.
“You don’t believe me.” He held up a hand before the redhead could speak “It is not surprising but I assure you I speak the truth.” Removing the last vestiges of his armor off he closed the distance between them and the western king was amazed at how much smaller the other male now looked “You have a choice, western king,” his tone was severe “you can go and do whatever you wish without my assistance, I will not stop you and it will not destroy the current alliance between the two kingdoms.” Once again he tilted the younger’s chin up to face him “However, if you’re not a fool and allow me to instruct you properly you and your kingdom will grow, prosper, and flourish. You will forever have the north on your side and there will be no one who can touch you. In return, however, you must fulfill the duty I am giving you that was given to me. It is vitally important for there to be a demon king to keep the balance, to keep things from getting too out of hand. It is not easy, Rioran, there is a chance you will have to wait much longer than I for the next prodigy. I am very old and eventually everything around you becomes very boring and tedious. Eternity is a pain in the ass.”
He shrugged “Why in the hells not? I am not known to be…overly foolish and I have no intentions of starting now. I am assuming that upon agreeing I basically will become your apprentice, aka ‘bitch’, in return for all the fringe benefits you’ll be giving me. I knew what I was getting into when I took this station, a few extra thousand years won’t hurt anything.”
Chuckling, the northern king put an arm around the redhead’s shoulders “Very well then. The North recognizes the new Western king and the alliance will continue.” He began to walk towards the eastern exit “So come, there is a feast waiting for us, I believe you will find some of the dishes to your liking, even if you don’t know what they’re called or made out of.”
“As long as it tastes good I will be content to remain ignorant of its ingredients.” He paused and looked up at the taller male “Does this mean I have to call you master now?”
Gladian didn’t look at him “Only in bed.” He was smirking.
The western king paled “You’re dead serious aren’t you.” There was no way…
Once again the demon king laughed “What? Your father didn’t tell you? I’m surprised you haven’t realized it yet, I did mention it.”
“No, my father left me rather ignorant, it seems. What was he supposed…” and then the memory hit him.
“You’re a redhead.”
You have got to be kidding me. This can’t seriously be happening. They stopped walking and the young demon looked up at the older incredulously “You have thing for redheads?” he couldn’t believe this. This old – and perverted it seemed – bastard…he was going to kill his father. A warning would have been nice. He could have done some mental preparation; prepared his mind for the torment his body was more than likely to receive at the hands of this extremely powerful and capricious male. ‘Bitch’ indeed.
I bet that bastard I call father is laughing his ass off right now at the fact that I’m going to become this guy’s bottom for the next who knows how many centuries. That’s alright, I hope you’re laughing it up old man because payback’s a bitch.
With a dark chuckle Gladian leaned forward and he couldn’t squash down the cold chill that shot up his spine at the slow smile spreading on the northern king’s – admittedly – beautiful face “Yes, Rioran, I most certainly do.”
xxxxx
He didn’t even have the heart to glare at the half-elf as he started laughing “Bastard.” He snapped but then shrugged “It wasn’t that bad, actually. He didn’t keep me on a tight leash although he very well could have and it eventually just became routine.”
“Well, I’d imagine living as long as he has he’d know a few tricks or two.” Naliel looked highly amused “Were you ever actually lovers or just teacher and apprentice?”
“I…don’t really know.” He answered truthfully. “I will admit that after a number of years he began to look at me and treat me differently but I had never given it much thought. If Gladian wants something he will let you know of it, he is not one to speak in riddles. In any case that is my story, abridged version in any case.”
“Will he say anything about Liari?”
He looked confused or a moment before shaking his head “No. Demons don’t try to mess with mated demons. Besides, the man has a harem about as a large as a small country, he’s not lacking in companions.” He sighed “In any case, we’ll take the latest train, hopefully there’s one after sundown otherwise I’ll have to make up an excuse for her or use illusion magic. Have you been able to determine anything the closer we get to the temple?”
The hunter shook his head “Unfortunately, no. Communicating with earth spirits from a long distance takes more time than we’ve had these past few days. I could try now, if you’d like, and acquire us tickets on the way back. It will give you time with your life mate.”
He got a raised eyebrow “She’s going to be out cold, I won’t even be able to speak to her mentally.”
Naliel’s smile was warm and nostalgic “That…does not matter when one is with their life mate, Rioran, I assure you.”
Rioran suddenly felt a little uncomfortable “You really loved that person, didn’t you?”
With a small grunt the hunter stood, grabbing his bow “Sarnaiel was…is everything to me. If she is truly your life mate my friend, you will come to feel the same for her that we did for each other.” With a small wave he quietly left the room, leaving the redhead to his thoughts.
xxxxx
Why are you so anxious? The train was slated to arrive within the hour and thankfully it was after dark. Liari wasn’t leaning against him but he could sense her nervousness You have my memories, it is not as if it’ll be new to you.
Hazel eyes flashed in annoyance at him and he crossed his arms, glaring. “You’re insensitive.” She mentally sniffed at him and took a step to the side away from him and closer to the half elf who was looking at the horizon.
This should be neither new nor a surprise, Vampireling. It’s just a train, they’re really not that amazing. It’s about the same as being in a car except you go faster and the vehicle is bigger. Less turns and stop lights too.
Liari ignored him and turned to Naliel. They didn’t know each other at all although they were polite and cordial to one another. “I should try and get to know your friend better. He seems very nice.”
He’s extremely passive which makes arguing with him rather uninteresting. Nothing pisses the guy off; I tried a few times over the years. I got him to frown at me once.
The look she gave him was of obvious confusion “Um, why would you do that?”
I don’t know. He shrugged. Maybe I like the challenge?
Since they were discussing him Rioran turned and frowned at the half-elf’s blank expression. When he had returned late in the afternoon with the tickets he had left shortly thereafter with no word on whether or not he had discovered anything. Now the brunette seemed to be deep in thought.
“Elf.”
“Demon.” Came the reply, still not looking over at him. Liari giggled and the redhead gave her a look that showed he clearly did not approve of her opinion.
“You have a rather bad habit of not sharing with the rest of the class, Naliel.”
Slowly the brunette turned his head to Rioran “How much exactly do you know about Olde Magick?”
“…That is a rather abrupt question but to answer it I know only what Gladian has told me and even he did not know a terrible amount.”
The half-elf was frowning “You still would know more than I, I am sure. Might we discuss it on the train?”
What are you hiding, Naliel? “I do not mind it.” He nudged his head towards the black dot down the tracks “And the train is already here, what impeccable timing.”
Since they had very little on their person and were the only ones at the station they were on board and in their little cabin in minutes. Liari sat by the window, resting her chin on her hand as she looked outside but they definitely had her full attention.
Naliel ‘s gaze was on his lap, a severe frown on his face as he began “A long time ago someone told me that anything you could imagine, Olde Magick could do. Immortality, raising the dead, mind control…” once again Rioran thought he saw something in the half-elf’s expression but it was gone before he could figure out what “I personally know that whatever it is, it disrupts the spirits and makes them very ill at ease. I am sure the northern king had more on it than I.”
“A bit.” The redhead leaned back, putting an arm around Liari’s waist. For some reason he was finding it more and more difficult to not want to touch her. He was definitely physically attracted to his life mate and in the past that had usually been enough for intimacy but she was too much of an innocent and he… “Olde Magick has an actual name, it’s just not used.” The demon king began, trying to dismiss the uneasy feelings towards Liari “It is known as Arcanus magic and to a degree yes, it was known to be able to grant the individual incredible power. There are various planes of existence, we are taught this as children. The two most important for us to know is the physical plane and the spiritual plane. These two co-exist in perfect harmony, if one falls, the other falls and vice versa. Magic, which is really little more than borrowing and exerting as much spiritual power as your body can handle, is drawn from this. Arcanus magic wasn’t like that, it was pulled from a completely different plane from ours. It allowed users to do the impossible, things that normal magic cannot.
“The problem with that is simple; the reason those things are impossible with the source of magic we use is because it disrupts its natural flow and balance. The dead aren’t supposed to be pulled from the spiritual plane, immortality requires huge sacrifices...you’d have to basically commit genocide. Arcanus magic defied the laws of the two worlds and the more it was used, the more the worlds began to actually break down. The spirits suffered from the two conflicting energies mixing and Arcanus magic…corrupted. There wasn’t a single mage that practiced the art that was known for their kindness and I hear that it corrupted all the way down to the soul, not just physically. No one really knows how the mages were defeated, all we know is that Quotos Island, or the Forbidden Island, is where they were banished to by a race that was wiped out as a result. Because of the way it is anyone who enters cannot leave and the island itself, while visible, isn’t actually a part of this world…it’s rather complicated to explain really. I hear that there are some relics out there but that magic has been dead for eons; I seriously doubt those rumors.” Naliel looked very pensive and Rioran, not known for his patience, especially concerning information, became snappish “What is it elf? You asked for a reason now I want to know what it was.”
He only hesitated for a moment more before looking at the couple “Today I communicated with the earth spirits and they…kept saying something very strange. Initially I thought that they had been referring to the fact that the temples seemed to be dead zones but that’s not it…it’s like…” he frowned “It’s too jumbled but I’m pretty sure they’re saying ‘The dead has them’. I got the impression that they were trying to say that there is undead and it reminded me of the little I knew about Olde Magick.” He shook his head “It’s too difficult to really get them to communicate, they’re terrified of that area and they’re practically hysterical about the spirits that were trapped inside when the temple was created. I am afraid I will not be able to get much until we actually arrive, I cannot keep them calm enough to communicate with me properly.”
“I also tried to use the wind,” Rioran admitted “And I got even less than you did. I am not entirely sure how I would deal with undead creatures, are they even immortal or just walking corpses? We will have to discover it the hard way and that does not sit well with me.”
“Well, I cannot do anything more until we arrive, it is quite difficult to cast earth magic on a train.” He smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. Naliel stood “It is late, my cabin is right next to yours, please let me know if you need me for anything.”
A few minutes after the half-elf’s departure he felt something niggling at the back of his mind. It took him a moment to realize Liari was poking him, for her gaze was still out the window. Smiling, he leaned forward, wrapping his arms around her middle. She gasped but said nothing when he rested his chin on her shoulder.
“What is it, Vampireling?” he asked out loud, unconsciously pulling her closer, burying his face in her neck. She smelled of the woods “Or are you poking me simply to poke me?”
When she shivered and her face flushed he realized the tone he had just used with her had been…bedroom-ish. This mildly irritated him, he didn’t like not being in control of his actions.
“I was…just thinking about Naliel.” To her credit she sounded calm. He was well aware of the fact that she also found him physically appealing but it was still awkward for the both of them “You’ve been uneasy around him lately.”
“You noticed?” he wasn’t entirely sure if that was good or bad. It meant that she was growing a stronger connection to him now that they were so close, but there were some things she really didn’t need to know “It is just…” he frowned, leaning back a bit “It is not what Naliel tells us that bothers me, it is what he does not tell us. Since I have met him there has been something…different about him. Different from any half-elf half-human I’ve ever seen.”
Turning, she looked up at him, frowning slightly “Different? You mean as in his skills?”
Rioran frowned in thought “More like…” he shook his head “Naliel is Lavern’s son so it is no surprise that he holds such a strong command over earth magic but…” He’s too powerful to be half-human. He decided to communicate the rest mentally He is stronger than Lavern was at that age and Lavern was…not a pushover. Were he a full elf I could understand this but he is not. Humans, for some reason unknown, don’t have the spiritual strength to command magic like the rest of us can…so you would think he would be weaker, not stronger, than a pure bred elf.
“So…what are you trying to say? That he’s not a half-elf?”
No…he’s definitely a half-elf. As for whether or not that other half is actually human…that’s the real question. Somewhere in the equation someone is either lying or hiding and Naliel does not strike me as a liar. There’s also something else that struck me as odd, but not until well after the fact. When she looked up at him curiously he frowned, unsure if he wanted to tell her his suspicions. Naliel said his mother was half Dukal…I don’t exactly keep up with the times but I know of no human race by that name. That…that is all I will say on it for now, Liari. I have a feeling we will discover more when we finally reach the temple.
“Are you not going to trust him now?” leaning to the side she rest her head on his chest, a hand laying delicately beside her face. Putting an arm around her he tried hard not to feel uncomfortable by her being forward. It was one thing when he made the moves, when she did…it was just different.
“No, I still trust him. His intentions are good and he is genuinely helping us. I’m just not a fan of secrets.”
“And yet you keep so many from me.” She raised an eyebrow and since he could not argue it he didn’t. “Do you tru –“
“Don’t ask me that question.” With a hand he tilted her chin up to face him and he found himself entranced by her eyes. He had known she had hazel eyes but looking at them up close was…well better. Dipping his head he lightly brushed their lips against each other, unable to help himself “You already know the answer to it, Liari.”
Slowly she pulled away, her gaze shifting to her lap. Frowning, he reached to try and get her to look up at him again “You…say one thing but…”
There was a little cry as she suddenly found herself pinned at the corner of the seat, Rioran hovering over her. His green eyes were dark like emeralds and she found herself looking away. “Look at me.” When she did he captured her lips, a hand moving along her cheek and into dark hair. Her hands were gripping his shirt and he tilted his head slightly, coaxing her to allow him entry. She tasted sweet, he could never pinpoint exactly what it was but at the moment he didn’t care. Liari made a soft noise and he pulled away, realizing what he had been about to do. Her face was flushed and her eyes shifted from hazel to almost gold, slightly hooded.
“I trust you.” He said “There are things I haven’t said because they are not things I’m ready to deal with, much less you. Give me time, Vampireling…give us time. We need it.”
He could tell from her expression that she seemed to understand. Slowly her hands moved from his chest to frame his face, pale cheeks heating.
“Rioran?”
He smirked, amused by her shyness “Yes?”
Her gaze shifted away from him “Would you…kiss me…again?”
For a while there was silence, neither moved. He continued to look at her for a moment longer before he turned her back to look at him. Sitting down, he practically pulled her on top of his lap, arms moving around her slender frame. His gaze was heated, expression serious. Eyes flickered to her lips once “Liari,” his voice was slightly husky and he pulled her down to his lips “You may have me in any way, at any time.” He drawled and before she could respond he kissed her and did not let her move from him for a very long time.
xxxxx
The very moment Naliel stepped off the train and his feet touched the ground he was almost blindsided by the amount of fear, anxiety, and discontent the spirits were broadcasting. Because he wasn’t in trance he couldn’t hear them but they were definitely pulling at him, making it difficult for him to move. He tried to whisper a few commands to help ease their anxiety but they weren’t having it. He was there, they knew he was there, and they wanted him to go to the temple now. Were there no elementalists here? How could anyone with an earth affinity not be able to sense the amount of unease in the land?
That’s right…I keep forgetting we are in human lands and they cannot hear the spirits.
The wind was blowing a little hard at Rioran and the redhead looked highly irritated by it. The spirits in the area were restless and if Naliel had to take a guess they were probably the only two in the city that would be able to properly hear and use them. Panicked spirits were not fun to deal with and were even more difficult to understand. When panicked they spoke very brokenly and it was up to the individual to decode the message. Mentally, he groaned; he just couldn’t wait to go into trance to try and get a better idea of what was going on. His head was already beginning to throb.
A low, irritated sound snapped his attention back to the redhead. Had he not been in tune with the earth spirits he probably wouldn’t have heard the snappish commands as the wind died down.
“You know,” the half-elf began, genuinely surprised “It really does sound like you’re singing when you speak to the wind.” Apparently the little vampire hadn’t been lying. “It was faint but I could hear it.”
The eastern king was obviously in a bad mood because he was now staring as if he wanted to seriously harm him. “Half-elf, I will gut you,” He began “with my bare hands.” It was a warning and the hunter had a feeling that while the demon king probably wouldn’t carry out his threat specifically, he would hurt him. So he merely smiled and said no more on the subject. Liari, of course, had found it funny which had not been appreciated by her life mate.
It was late evening by the time they had arrived to Wyst City and he was still trying to get the spirits to stop trying to root his feet to the ground so he could walk properly. He sighed as they reached an inn.
“I am going to have to find a secluded area,” Naliel told the couple “The spirits are demanding my attention and if I do not oblige them they will keep trying to keep me grounded.”
“I noticed you were walking rather sluggishly,” Rioran shrugged “I may have to join you this time and we can compare notes.” He looked down at Liari “You may do whatever you wish; stay in the room, come with us or explore the city on your own. Not many shops are open this late but if you find a high enough spot you can see what it looks like at night. With that said…” he dug into his pocket and pulled out a small amber stone “Use this tomorrow so we can get you some blades.”
Both Naliel and Liari were stunned “You…have a sunstone?” she asked, staring at it in awe “I-I mean these…”
“Cost a small fortune, I know.” The redhead rolled his eyes “I had found it a while back and had hoped to pawn it off to some vampire family or another.”
She gave him a lopsided smile “Let me guess, then you met me.”
“Then I met you.” He smirked “I figured it would come in handy. You can only use it five times so I suggest you only do it once here and save the others for the Bavarian kingdom. Once you use it it’s done, I only have that one with me and trying to buy one is out of the question, I’m not that rich.”
Nodding, she pocketed the stone “I do not wish to get in your way so I think perhaps I will explore the city.” She couldn’t hide the excitement on her face and Naliel thought she was awfully cute. Liari was very young for a vampire and their race didn’t interact with other races so much for various reasons. She walked with the grace of a skilled fighter but had a very naïve and sheltered personality. More than likely she was going to eventually drive the demon king mad without even realizing it. Innocent females around sexually deprived males usually didn’t mix well. With them being life mates it was only a matter of time, Rioran was already giving her heated looks every now and then.
Crimson eyes and a sardonic smirk flashed and as always it pained him. Were it not for the fact that he was needed to help with whoever these Arcanus magic users were he would have joined him. Being without one’s life mate was unbearable, maddening. Duty and honor were what kept him going at this point, everything else seemed so…
“…if you need anything.” Rioran’s voice cut through his thoughts and the half-elf was surprised to see the demon king holding his life mate close, head bent as he murmured to her. She nodded and then he was even more surprised when the redhead actually kissed her. A few more words were exchanged and then they were walking, Liari disappearing into the shadows. Naliel felt a sharp pain in his chest when he realized her affinity was with shadows.
Sarna…Mentally he shook it off just in time to flash Rioran a small smile “You two are getting along now?”
The other male chuckled lightly “You could say that, I suppose. It’s progress, if nothing else. It becomes easier by the day and it helps that she is actually here with me, instead of only communicating mentally.” There was a small pause “You should have told me, by the way. I would have been a little more thoughtful with my words. If you were with him for so long, I know seeing me with Liari has to be painful.”
Naliel’s smile remained but it was tinged with sadness “If I should have told you I would have. You know, I do not believe being concerned for a half-elf bodes well for your reputation as a demon king.”
He snorted “Yeah, well, neither is robbing the cradle and we both know how that one turned out.”
“You have a point. Just think, when she is a century you will be two thousand –“
“Shut up Naliel.” The redhead muttered and the hunter chuckled “I am never getting sentimental with you again; rot in hell.”
This time when he saw that smirk and the laughter in those crimson eyes he smiled and for once it was not painful.
Back Next
no subject
Date: 2010-10-27 07:16 am (UTC)I'm actually really psyched to be the first to comment on it:)
I love the way you've developed your characters..they're all so interesting..Ususally when reading I pick and choose favourites...kinda chucking the other characters to the side..briefly skimming over their parts in the story..but with this I'm just so engrossed with everyone...and all the secrecy and mystery is killing me lol
I really enjoy Liari as the main female role..she's pretty awesome and doesn't irritate me in the slightest..she's not weak and whiny (I hate female leads with those qualities..it's just so off-putting)
And Rioran is pretty dang fly;) lol
So yeah..just wanted to let you know how awesome this is..and I'm really glad you wrote it...
Out of curiosity is this based off of anything? sorry if it's a stupid question..
But yeah sorry about leaving such a loonng comment...I tend to babble..but who can blame me when you;re just so awesome! lol
Anja
no subject
Date: 2010-10-27 09:33 am (UTC)I love Rioran. I absolutely adore writing him. I'll post up the remaining chapters tonight.
Um, well, the story was intially supposed to be a fanfic but it ended up becoming its own thing. As for it being based off of anything...not anything specific that I can think of.
Thanks so much again for the awesome comment!