The Sweetness Of Bitterness

Aliyah was quietly sitting on the bed and was looking worriedly at the window. It was a little dark today with scattered thunderstorms and a little bit of fast and violent gusts of wind. Most of the leaves of the Mango tree that have just started to shed leaves. Elena and Trisha entered the room and looked at Aliyah who was lost in her thoughts. Elena asked, "Why are you worried, Aliyah? Did something bad happen in the kingdom?" Aliyah looked at them and said, "Both bad and good things happen during the time of wars, so that doesn't bother me at all. But, I'm worried about something that in some ways is my fault." Trisha asked, "Why? What happened?" Aliyah narrated the whole incident. Elena said, "How can you let such a disaster happen? How can you let those demons go to the kingdom?" Aliyah said, "I had no choice. I hate to admit it but right now, the demons are stronger than us. If they commence war on us right now, we will lose by a very large margin. The demons have only got stronger from the last time I fought with them, while we got weaker day by day and most of us lost their power and identity and soon they evolved into something you call a "normal human"." Trisha asked, "So, does that mean our forefathers were Manacans?" Aliyah said, "Necessarily not. There were many different people both with different physical attributes and mental differences residing parallel to us at that time too. The Manacan empire used to stand at the place where modern day Java is situated. So, most people residing there today are somewhat Manacan descendants. But, again many pregnant Manacan women and children migrated before the War so I can't say all the Manacan blood is lost." Elena said, "That's not important, Aliyah. Demons are roaming in the kingdom and if anything goes wrong, you will be in a grave problem." Aliyah said, "I'm already in a very grave problem. I have to go to the kingdom and keep their meeting pleasant or else both Vexana and Elgin will strangle me." Trisha said, "You cannot go like this. What are we gonna tell Alice's mother? She still thinks Alice is a little different and she would always call us to inquire about her when we are at college." Aliyah said, "We are going to solve everything for sure. But, if I don't go to the kingdom and make things right, then a huge catastrophe will happen." Elena asked, "Have you talked with Prince Jerachi about it?" Aliyah said, "Jerachi is a little eccentric from the last time I met him. It is probably due to mental trauma, but he has become very less talkative and answers my questions with simple sentences." Trisha said, "But, we have to call him. His presence is very vital for any decision that had to be taken in this very situation." Aliyah said, "Fine." She closed her eyes and called Jerachi's name. Jerachi appeared and asked, "What happened?" Aliyah said, "A huge problem has emerged and I have to go to the kingdom urgently." Jerachi said, "That's not the deal I agreed to." Aliyah said, "Oh, come on. You always do like this. Whenever dire situations happen, you refuse to provide any help nor come to an agreeable decision." Jerachi said, "Those dire situations are your creations, Aliyah. I know you from childhood and you are not the best person to help. You are ungrateful and arrogant." Aliyah said, "Please. I will do anything in return for this favor." Jerachi smirked, "You should have made this deal when you were alive. Maybe, then you could be useful to me." Aliyah said, "Gross. Your perverted behaviour made you more undesirable than you already are."

Prince Jerachi said, "We did have sex once, if you remember. It was your parents'anniversary celebration and you got pretty drunk and I was drunk. Things accelerated too fast and soon we were naked and fucking on your bed. I went away while you were still asleep so that you won't feel bad about the incident." Aliyah said, "That was you? I thought that it was Elgin's elder brother. I never discussed this with Elgin nor his brother due to both embarrassment and respect for our relationship. But, maybe knowing the truth would have been more embarrassing for me or anyone." Prince Jerachi said, "It doesn't matter. I will not stay with Elena and Trisha as they both are quite weak and also quite dumb." Elena said, "How dare you! We are far more smart than a half-ghost." Prince Jerachi said, "That's what I'm talking about. They are so dumb to think that I'm a half-ghost." Trisha asked, "Then, what the fuck are you?" Prince Jerachi said, "I'm pretty much alive. But, also I'm not entirely sensitive to feelings or urges like I used to. Anyway, knowing my description isn't your business. I will not stay here." Aliyah asked, "Do you want to go, then?" Prince Jerachi said, "Only I should go. You stay. Whatever problem has arisen, I will be sufficient to solve it on my own." Aliyah said, "Don't talk like an idiot, Jerachi. If you could, why would I even bother going at all?" Prince Jerachi said, "Fine. I will stay. But, in return I need your permission for an important task." Aliyah asked, "Permission for what?" Prince Jerachi said, "I want to avenge the deaths of my family members. I have located one of the demons, Assayah's house and I am planning to kill him." Aliyah said, "You bloody madman! How can you even think of something like this? Assayah is not some rat that you will go and catch with your hands. He is very powerful and I don't think that this plan of yours will be good." Prince Jerachi said, "Don't underestimate me, Aliyah. I have fought much more enemies than you and my victory percentage is much more than yours." Aliyah said, "Fine. Do whatever you want. There is no point in arguing with you. But, remember that I had warned you." Aliyah looked at Elena and Trisha and said, "Goodbye. Take care and don't interfere with matters beyond your ken." She hugged them and said, "Jerachi. Give Assayah a painful death." She hugged him and disappeared in purple smoke.

Assayah was sitting on a chair and was looking at the clock. He was actually waiting for Samantha who promised to meet him at his house at 1 o'clock. But, it's now past 2 pm and she hasn't come yet. Assayah tried calling her number several times, but she didn't answer his call. Assayah was getting worried about Samantha as she was quite emotionally fragile right now and he is afraid she may fall into some grave problems. Assayah was about to rise when he felt a strange aura near his house, something like not demonic at all. Assayah smiled, "So, that bitch has finally decided to pay me a visit." He said loudly, "There is no need to hide and attack, coward. If you are really brave enough, then come forward and attack me." Prince Jerachi appeared and said, "Such big talks from a rat like you. Where is Xao Chang?" Assayah smiled, "Who are you? Has that bitch send an assassin to kill me? Wasn't she brave enough to come herself?" Prince Jerachi said, "Assassin? No, no. I don't need money to kill a sinner like you. You killed my family and now I'm gonna avenge their deaths." Assayah smiled, "I have killed many Manacan families. It's not new for me to kill Manacans like you. What made you think that you could defeat me?" Prince Jerachi smirked, "Defeat you? No, I'm here to kill you." Assayah said, "Then, what are you waiting for?" Prince Jerachi ran towards him and threw a punch towards him, but Assayah easily blocked it and kicked him on his knee and then threw him on the sofa. Jerachi rose and kicked him on the shin and then slashed his left arm with a knife. Assayah smiled and caught him by his throat and then threw him on the dining table, shattering it into several pieces. Assayah smiled and said, "You should concede defeat, man. You are no match for me. I can easily stomp you to death." Jerachi took a glass piece and thrust it inside his leg and then another one into his thigh. Prince Jerachi rose and took his dagger and thrust it inside his neck. Assayah smiled, "These mortal objects can't defeat me." Prince Jerachi smirked, "Yes. But this can." He took out a small dagger infused with Manacan blood energy and thrust it inside Assayah's heart. Even though, the dagger couldn't kill Assayah, it made him quite weak and also paralysed his body. Prince Jerachi slowly dragged himself away from him and slowly rose. He looked at Assayah and said, "I may not be able to kill you today. But, today's defeat is the commencement of the demon's downfall." Prince Jerachi was about to leave when Samantha came inside and saw everything with her eyes. Samantha ran towards Assayah and asked crying, "What happened? Who is he?" Prince Jerachi looked at her and smiled, "Girlfriend? Even demons have girlfriends now. Many years ago, you and your friends raped and killed my sisters. And today, I will make you feel the same pain and agony." Prince Jerachi caught Samantha and said, "I have no animosity with you, woman. But, you have to know what your lover did to my sisters." Samantha bit his hand and started to run, but Prince Jerachi took out a dagger and stabbed her with it. Samantha fell on the ground and slowly she started to fall unconscious. Prince Jerachi slowly limped towards Assayah and said, "This isn't finished, Assayah. I will come for you next time and you won't be so lucky that time. Remember me. Remember the name. Prince Jerachi." He smirked and disappeared in ivory smoke.

Assayah was still paralysed by the dagger and was unable to even go near Samantha. Small droplets of tears started to roll down his eye and his heart started to beat even faster as Samantha's breath started to get slow. Samantha finally died after a long and painful suffering. Assayah fell unconscious after seeing the lifeless body of his love. Assayah opened his eyes and saw that Kenchi and Novaria were standing there. The place where Samantha's body was lying was cleaned and no traces of any blood can be found there. Kenchi looked at Assayah and asked, "What was the need to fight whatever organism you were trying to fight? You could have easily contacted us and we could have killed that bastard together." Assayah looked at Novaria and asked, "What is she doing here?" Novaria said, "I was the one who found you and Samantha in the house. I had come to discuss something about Bayu, but then I found that you were lying on the ground, unconscious and Samantha was dead. I quickly wiped all the blood and sanitised the floor. I took Samantha's body to her car and then took the car to the nearby cliff and you know what happened next." Assayah slapped her and said angrily, "She deserved a proper fucking funeral. How can you make her death look like an accident?" Assayah slapped her again. Kenchi said angrily, "Stop hitting Novaria. She used her brain and did the right thing. If her body was recovered from your house, then various questions would have arisen and our identities would have been jeopardized. Anyway, we demons don't believe in these absurd funeral rituals of the mortals."

Assayah said angrily, "Find that bastard. I want his head." Kenchi said, "Hold your horses, man. A direct attack on those Manacans would mean open war. Even though, we are still more powerful than them, it's not the right time to make any unnecessary violence." Assayah said angrily, "The fuck you are saying, fool? They attacked us openly and you are saying that we sit here like cowards and do nothing. That bastard openly changed us demons by saying that his attack is a "commencement" of the downfall of us demons." Kenchi said, "Manacans talk a lot in those heavy dialogues. Anyway, what was the name of your assailant?" Assayah said, "He said it very loud and clear. It was Prince Jerachi." Kenchi said, "Prince Jerachi. I have heard that name somewhere before. He might be one of the knights we defeated when we captured the East side of the Palace. Those knights were very brave and I am sure that he might have avenged the deaths of his fellow comrades." Assayah said, "No. He clearly mentioned that he was avenging the deaths of his family members and that we raped and killed his sisters." Kenchi said, "Oh, yes. The Prince Jerachi. We looted his family members to gather some money when we were deficient in money. He is alive, after all. Don't worry, Assayah. We will find him." Kenchi disappeared in red mist. Assayah looked at Novaria who lowered her gaze and also disappeared. Assayah looked around and sighed, "Fuck.".....