Lord of Ash

"It's simple; I want a memory. A memory you hold in that little soul of yours." The Fallen coldly said with narrowed eyes that gleamed darkness.

Lifting his lips in a bit of scorn, a silver glow weaker than before flickered through his eyes, "You will have to be more specific, Mephisto. I don't like people in my head, you know."

"Come now, Zariel, where is the fun in that? Tell me you are not interested to find out how you even exist. I only wish to know the source of your power. To find out why the Great ruler of Illuthath had you branded?

"Why he had your mother killed, why you cannot use Dao of Heaven's creation, or why he is hunting you."

Clenching his fist, blood ran through Zariels gauze, soaking the snow in a vibrant red, "What is the memory?"

"A memory of your first birth, of course. I wish to look at the birth of your soul."

...

...

...

Hurl through the darkness, a blinding flash of light stung like fire against Aurelia's childlike eyes; Releasing a groan, the light began to fade, revealing a world of paradise or maybe fear.

Seven stars hung over the skies, each of them wrapped in runes, while the various beast of myth roamed the heavens, storming the skies with their presence. A blazing heat rushed across aurelia as she marveled at the Dragons, Phoenix, Rocs, and the many other beasts.

A chilling fear ran down her spine, but as she gazed around at the many children surrounding her, confusion traced over her brow.

"What the hell is this place?" Aurelia muttered, finding her surrounding consumed in a dense Arcana.

"Aurelia?" Ella, whose vision grew focused, whispered. "Where are we?"

With Sionn by Ella's side, Aurelia shook her head, equally confused. Letting her imagination run wild, a bit of anger began to flare, as she knew it was Zariels doing.

"Dumb-Dumb did this. What is he up to?" Unable to understand her master's intent, Aurelia suddenly frowned, as did Ella and Sionn.

Sweat began to run wild as an elderly man, who appeared over seventy, wrapped in a golden black robe, closed in. He eyed them with a scrunched brow that only enforced his almost solemn face "State your name and your master." He said swiftly, his tone not allowing for any form of playfulness.

Meeting the elderly man with rainbow-colored eyes, the words of Zariel hummed into her mind, causing a bit of confidence to rise within her.

"I am Aurelia Morningstar, and these two behind me are Ella and Sionn. Our master is called Zariel Snow." Aurelia brazenly declared, unaware of the weight of power the name Zariel held.

Shaken to his very core, Elder Castian shook with dread. Sweat began to run over his brow, and the echos of chatter fell quiet, leaving only the whistling of the winds.

"i-i-in-impossible. Zariel is dead." Elder Castian muttered, turning a deep sheet of pale. He could still remember the chaos, the death that loomed over the Sea of Chaos and Illuthath.

Shooting Ella and Sionn a stare who did not dare speak, Aurelia's gaze returned to Elder Castian. "How do you know Zariel?"

"DO NOT SPEAK THAT NAME!" Elder Castian barked as bitter tears burning like fire ran down his aged cheeks, "Do not speak it."

Castian wiped his eyes, but the sadness mixed with hatred hummed in the air. "You cannot be here? The Silver Devil, that second sin is dead."

Narrowing her gaze, Aurelia could not help be a little curious, but a sense of pride began to shimmer in her heart. She could see the fear that his name garnered and the sadness.

"Master always said, if you didn't make the kill yourself, never assume your enemy is dead. How do you know Zariel?"

"Do not speak that damn name, Girl!!" Castian thundered, blasting a massive hole with his booming voice in the clouds that hover over the heaven.

Aurelia grew silent, but her gaze did not waver as the core within her heart began to shimmer with a golden black light. Pushing Acana through her meridians, an aloof smile hung upon her tender lips.

"That is enough, Elder Castian." Elder Erin coldly announced, appearing by his side without many, if not any, understanding how he appeared. Firmly gripping Castian, a middle-aged man with a boney face and sharp eyes shot Aurelia a profound stare.

Erin was not smiling, as the permanent scowl upon his face, he spoke, "The Tribunal created by His majesty Titus shall follow the rules. If Prince Zariel allowed you to join, who are we to stand against you."

"Forgive my rudeness, but how can we be sure this Aurelia Morningstar and her team here are really with a dead man?" Said a rather muscular man with a bit of tan skin and strange-looking runes tracing over his body.

Drawing Sionn's attention, a bit of a ferocious smile skimmed over the young man as he stood near Aurelia, who could not be bothered even to remove her gaze off the two elders glaring.

Feeling a powerful pressure running off the muscular man, the beastal core held in his heart eyes opened to the world, giving rise to a predatorial pressure. The same could be said with Ella, as the towering tree that resembled Yggdrasil, the great world tree, glowed with a powerful aura of life and death.

"Hold your fangs, young wolves." A sudden voice from the air echoed, calming the budding tension.

Staring up at a young man no more than twenty resting upon an ancient throne, three small formations littered with runes appeared upon Aurelia, Sionn, and Ella's head where Zariel marked. Eying the runes with a bit of scrutiny, he sucked his teeth.

"So the rumors are true. The Silver Devil lives. And here I thought my brother was lying. To think the twenty-first child of Titus lives." Lord Dearil, brother of Battle King, Titus, and Lord of the Ash, spoke.

Falling to their knees one by one, Dearils eyes narrowed as he gazed at the only three who remained standing. "Has my nephew not told you to bend a knee?"

"Are you a God?" Aurelia innocently questioned, bringing a smile to Dearil's handsome face, who nodded. "Good. Zariel said that if a god wishes for me to kneel, I should give him the finger."

Sweat ran from all who were on their knees, not daring to lift their head to give up on the Lord of Ash, who simply chuckled, masking his intent behind a mask of amusement.

"That does sound like something the Silver Devil would say. Shame the rules say I am forbidden from acting but as one of the three members of the Tribunal who governs this land and Laws. I will acknowledge your standing with the Fallen Prince. You three are deemed allowed to participate."

Aurelia scrunched her brow, getting a bit of feeling she was being looked down upon. Still, everything within her was screaming not to speak; her skin was throbbing in dread, her brow was coated in sweat, and her heart thundering like drums, yet her eyes held a brilliance that never seemed to fade.

"Castian, Erin, continue your rounds. Make sure no one without a crest of a member of a royal is allowed to enter." The Lord of Ash commanded, vanishing without another word taking his domineering pressure with him.