Oblivion Ch. 03

Kristasia's vision was suddenly overtaken by images of Creed, Scawp, and Lonia playing hide and seek in the hallways of the tower. Creed was hiding with Lonia while Scawp was sniffing around. He came around a corner and cried out, jumping up and down as he pointed at them, so pleased to have won the game. Lonia began giggling and Creed smiled, a strangely warm look on the demon's scarred face. Suddenly a lesser ranking Daedran, going about his own business, stumbled upon them and Creed's smile vanished. He stiffened instantly, glaring at his underling, and ordered the demon man move on.

"See? He likes playing with her. He just doesn't like that he likes it," Daedronus laughed.

"I want to go see her," Kristasia stated.

"We'll finish our bath quickly then," Daedronus replied.

Creed stopped almost halfway through his rant and stared at the demon god. His eyes were directed at Creed, his mouth forming a serious line, his head tilted as if he were paying utmost attention to his general.

"You're not paying attention, are you?" Creed demanded.

"How could you tell? I thought I was doing so well," Daedronus complained as his look dropped instantly away into one of frustrated boredom.

"Too well. No one's expression is ever that perfect," Creed growled.

"But I'm a god, Creed. I am perfect!" the demon god exclaimed as he pressed a hand to his heart in mock offense.

"A perfect ass," Creed snapped as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Oh, that's it! I have a great idea!" Daedronus exclaimed suddenly.

"Do tell," his demon general said so dryly that the room nearly turned to desert.

"I'll take them to the Fields of Iarel. They'll love that!" he cried as he stood up from the table in the dining hall where he'd been sitting.

"Good. I'll get a break," Creed grumbled.

"Oh, don't be silly. You'll be coming too," Daedronus told him with a grin as he strode over to the spot in the hall where Kristasia sat with Lonia and Scawp.

"Well that's ever so wonderful. You shall be an artist someday. Do you think so?" Daedronus asked the child as he stooped down near her to study the painting she'd made upon his floor.

"I don't know," Lonia replied thoughtfully as she looked down at her illegible masterpiece.

"What exactly are these paints made out of?" Kristasia asked, looking up from her tiny farmland painting.

"You probably don't want to know," Daedronus stated and she could feel his honesty as well as he could feel her growing uncertainty.

"Scawp make scawp!" Scawp cried, wagging his tail in excitement as he pointed down at a strange little stick figure possessing pointed ears, a tail, and claws.

"You're a messy little fellow, aren't you?" Daedronus asked as he eyed the beast who was covered in various shades of red, black, white, brown, yellow, orange, and green paint.

"And this Scawp bed!" he then cried as he pointed to the green blob beside his character. "And Scawp bestes friend!"

Further on down was a small green triangle with a white face surrounded in yellow smears which was apparently meant to represent Lonia.

"Bestes friend?" Daedronus teased the beast.

"Lonia say Scawp bestes friend!" Scawp shouted rather proudly as he began to bounce up and down.

"Well, would you like to go to somewhere very pretty where you can play all day?" Daedronus then asked.

"Yes!" Lonia cried as she left the paints discarded on the floor and jumped up.

"Come and take my hands," Daedronus said, holding his hands out to them.

"Where is this place?" Kristasia then asked.

"Quite a good distance away. It is not within my kingdom, but still it's within this realm. Come and I'll show you," he replied.

Kristasia and Lonia each took one of his hands.

"Master," Scawp said as he timidly approached Kristasia. "Master, Scawp come?"

"Of course, silly," she replied as she held her hand out to the little beast who quickly took it.

"And Creed too?" Lonia asked, her eyes turning on Creed with enough sweetness to melt a glacier.

"Oh, I really don't want to. After all, someone has to stay and clean up this mess," Creed replied as he pointed to the paint all over the floor.

"And even if you stayed here, it still wouldn't be you," Daedronus laughed.

"Please, Creed?" Lonia pleaded, her impossibly large eyes becoming impossibly larger.

"Oh, alright," Creed sighed, taking the little girl's outstretched hand.

He looked back at the Daedran in the hall behind him who were still enjoying the end of their meal and who were watching all too intensely.

"What are you waiting for?" Creed roared at them. "Clean this up!"

Then he, the child, the little beast, the demon god, and Sixth Realm's new goddess all disappeared into thin air.

The five of them appeared in a bright green field of grass with all imaginable kinds of flowers scattered across it. Perfect trees of every kind and sort grew interspersed amongst the grass and flowers with plenty of room between them. A bright blue sky shined above with only a few happy white clouds and a soft summer sun.

"What is this place?" Kristasia asked as she stared around in wonder.

"The Fields of Iarel. The Ninth Realm is a realm like any other. If I and my seven brothers were not here to pollute it, most of the land would look like this. Or like Haradreth."

"Haradreth?" she then inquired.

"Oh, that's a horrible place you don't wish to visit. We inhabit the center of the land. Beyond our kingdoms is this; the Fields of Iarel. Beyond that are the Plains of Haradreth. Horrid place, really. Better not to talk about it," he replied lightly.

Lonia and Scawp had already taken off to play. Creed glared after them, his arms crossing his chest in disdain. Daedronus gave him a hefty pat on his back and the demon general turned to look upon him with flaming eyes like burning coal.

"Go play. There are no Daedran around to see you. Go tarnish your ruthless image with silliness," Daedronus encouraged him.

"I don't want to."

"Ah. I know. It's hard. Do it anyway. That's an order," Daedronus replied as he shoved his friend forward.

Creed snarled as well as any vicious animal could before glowering at his lord. Then he finally gave in and strode away into the grassy field after the little girl and the strange beast. Daedronus sat down beneath a leafy tree and beckoned Kristasia to come to him. They sat for a while in the shade of the tree and watched as the others played.

"If you are still enough and quiet enough for long enough, you will witness the softening of the fierce and mighty Creed," Daedronus whispered to her as he motioned towards his general.

As Kristasia observed him, she discovered that his scarred face had formed something that looked a rather lot like a smile.

"So this is how you spend your eternity?" she then asked him as she relaxed at his side.

"Oh, no! Not me! I spend my eternity locked inside a dark and foreboding castle sleeping in my throne chair and causing occasional catastrophe to keep my servants and mortals from boredom. Oh, and I occasionally fight with my brothers and they fight with me. You know, I send some of my servants to go wreak havoc in their realm. They send theirs into mine. Things like that. It's been centuries since I've last been here. I thought you might enjoy it, though," he explained.

"That's it? That's all you do?" she asked as she looked up into his dark eyes.

"Well... now that you mention it, there is something else I might do. I really do enjoy it, but I don't do it often. I rarely find a partner who can keep up with me," he responded.

"Oh? And what's that?" she asked.

He drew her in close as his lips descended upon hers in a soft kiss. Then his warm breath was on her neck, sending shivers down her spine as he nibbled the edges of her ear.

"Not now!" she exclaimed, pushing at him playfully.

"Why? The children are off playing. Can't we?" he asked devilishly.

"Not out here in the open!"

"I promise I'll stop if someone comes near," he whispered before returning his lips to her throat.

"Daedronus!" she squeaked as she squirmed against him.

"Okay. Then I'll only kiss you. I promise."

"And will those kisses be going any lower than my neck?" she asked.

"Well... not much lower," he grinned. "Well... not very much lower."

"Not where someone might see!" she exclaimed.

"Who's here to..." he began before suddenly stopping.

His eyes shut and his face formed into a mask of concentration. Kristasia felt a sudden sting of unease. A strange sound came to her like the ringing of distant voices. Faded echoes came from every direction and no direction at all. It almost seemed as if the faint voices were in her own head.

"Well that's unpleasant," Daedronus muttered as the echoes stopped immediately and he opened his eyes.

"What?" Kristasia demanded, his unease strengthening her own.

"Oh, they're summoning me to a Council meeting. I've been a bad boy and they want me to take my scolding," he muttered drearily.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, my brothers are a little incensed. That's all. Nothing to worry about. Every time we have a little family reunion they want to put some presumptuous title on it like the Grand Meeting of the Council of Gods and they expect I should attend. They're just mad I didn't introduce any of them to their new sister-in-law. Silly family politics," he replied as he waved his hand dismissively.

"Tell me the truth," Kristasia ordered as she crossed her arms and stared at him sternly.

"I was telling you the truth."

"The whole truth."

"Well, they're a little mad I've brought you into this realm. Oh, and that I bonded our souls. They're just jealous, really. Not a single one of them can keep a woman satisfied and they're just taking their ego issues out on me. The woes of being a middle child," he shrugged.

"Daedronus, what do they want?" she asked.

"Me to go attend their meeting so they can yell at me. I really don't feel the need to..." he paused again and his eyes shut.

Kristasia very distinctly heard a faint voice echo inside her head.

"Now, Daedronus," the voice ordered.

"I'm busy, you see..." Daedronus's voice echoed in response.

"Now!" many voices cried at once.

Daedronus opened his eyes and gave Kristasia a rather mischievous grin.

"Would you like to meet my brothers?" he asked.

"I don't think..." she started before he cut her off.

"Oh, we won't be long! Creed!" he shouted across the field.

The Daedran general herded Lonia and Scawp back towards his master.

"Stay here and play with them. Kristasia and I must go to the Grand Meeting of the Council of Gods," Daedronus said as he took on a lofty tone and rolled his eyes.

"You can't take her with you," Creed said.

"I'm so sorry, my lord. I didn't mean to displease you. Tell me what I can't do again?" Daedronus requested.

"My lord, you can't take her. They'll be enraged!" Creed declared.

"That's exactly what I was going for. I'm glad you agree. Watch the children, will you?" Daedronus asked.

"My Lord, be careful. Bonding yourself to a mortal has weakened you. Right now, you are not equal to one of them, let alone seven," Creed warned.

"What will they do, Creed? Destroy me?" Daedronus laughed before taking Kristasia's hand and disappearing.

When Daedronus and Kristasia reappeared, they were in a large circular room with a circular table in its center. Eight high glass windows were mounted around them on white walls that joined the high white ceiling to the gleaming marble floor.

"You made us wait all this time and then you bring that thing?" a furious man demanded as he glared at Daedronus from his spot at the table.

"Her name is Kristasia. She's very darling. Don't you agree?" Daedronus asked as he strode up to the empty seat beside the man.

"Send her back to your domain now," the man growled.

He had a stern face with sharp features and skin as pale as that of a corpse. His hair was as black as coal and his eyes as dark as the depths of the ocean. Heavy black brows cast dark shadows across his white skin and ash-colored lips formed a stern sneer as Daedronus sat down beside him.

"Oh. We're missing a chair. Not a problem," Daedronus said as a ninth chair appeared before him. "Kristasia, please sit down."

She all but trembled as she took her seat between Daedronus and another man who was little more than a creature. His skin was the color of ash, but his eyelids and the skin beneath his eyes were entirely black. Beneath thin black brows his eyes were a burning red that glowed at the center of the blackness. Deep lines cut his forehead and the sides of his cheeks and a malevolent scar cut down one side of his face. His ashen lips curled as she sat and he looked at her as if he would rather eat her than sit beside her.

"Darling, this is my oldest brother, Firolus," Daedronus said as he motioned to the demonic man beside her.

He flashed her a toothy grin, showing off the razor points beneath his lips that looked more like the teeth of a beast than the teeth of a man. Kristasia shuddered.

"This is Atronachus, my second oldest brother. We don't get along very well. Sibling rivalry and all that. That's Malcinius. He's alright most days," Daedronus said as he motioned further on down the table to an entirely human-looking man with a boyish face framed by long, dark hair. He glared, but did not look nearly as hateful as some of the others.

"We have Dagnius. He's an arrogant prick because he thinks his mortals are smarter than ours," Daedronus introduced, motioning to a long-haired brunette man with a disapproving glare and little more.

"Triolus, my very favorite brother," Daedronus said as he motioned to a dark-haired man whose most striking feature was the large set of black-feathered wings he possessed. "He's everyone's favorite except for Dimentius, but he's a little demented."

"Daedronus, I've had enough of your nonsense," Dimentius growled as his fist pounded the stone table top.

Dimentius looked like a human man, and like most of his brothers, had long black hair and heavy, dark brows. Only the shining silver of his eyes made him look at all unnatural.

"And that brings us back to Unicus," Daedronus said as he made his way around the table.

Unicus sat beside Firolus and together they looked like a demon and angel side by side. Unicus had a beautiful face and hair as white as frost, contrasting with all of his brothers. His skin was fair, but not ghastly pale, and his eyes were a stunning blue. He most certainly was the fairest of them all in appearance.

"You, my darling, are sitting at a table with the Eight Lords. Can you guys yell at me and tell me how terrible I am and then let me go about my business?" Daedronus requested politely.

"You cannot bring a mortal into the Council of Lords!" Atronachus began yelling.

"See? That's excellent. Keep going," Daedronus coaxed.

"Daedronus, it is against our law to bond our souls to mortals. If any one of us is harmed or injured or destroyed, it will unbalance the realms! You've weakened yourself and given your enemies two targets to shoot at instead of one. You've brought a mortal into our court!" Firolus growled from beside him. "What you've done is beyond ridiculous."

"What enemies do I have here in a court of my brothers?" Daedronus asked incredulously.

"When you no longer wish for the mortal, then what?" Malcinius asked. "You've made her a god now. You cannot just discard her. If she becomes unhappy with her life and wishes her mortality back, then what? She cannot just discard her status as a goddess. Atronachus is already plotting ways to steal your Grand Divinity Stone and award it to one of his sons."

"Well then yell at him. You traitorous, back-stabbing, vindictive monster! How could you possibly have plans to kill your own brother, steal his Grand Divinity Stone, and give it to your son in his place? How terrible and awful. I think he's the real problem," Daedronus stated, motioning with his thumb to the man sitting beside him.

"You are not worthy of being a god. Look at how you defy our laws, laws that were set in place to keep us all alive! Look at how you flaunt your defiance and how proud you are of it! You sicken and disgust me," Atronachus snapped.

"You are unbalancing everything," Dimentius added. "There is a natural order. Things have their place in the universe. Step back into yours and put her back in hers."

"I have not done anything wrong. The universe is fine. If you're worried Atronachus will find an easier time killing me because of her, then worry not. I'm sure Lucinder will fill my place at this table just as well as I will. If you're worried I'll discard her, then worry not, for I won't. It might unbalance the realms or something, right? If you're worried she'll discard me, then worry not. I'm a superior lover with beyond enough talent to keep her satisfied for eternity," Daedronus stated.

All around them the gods shook their heads, groaned, and rolled their eyes. Kristasia blushed a color of red that wasn't often seen on something other than a fruit.

"Daedronus, you've brought livings mortals into our realm. That is your worst offense. Yet here you compound it with more and more madness. Then you've bonded your soul to one and made her a goddess. Now you insult us all by letting her sit among us. What did you think would happen? Did you think we would not be angry? The realm already changes because of what you've done! Do you not feel it? Or are you so self-absorbed that you cannot feel the changes you bring to this world anymore?" Unicus then demanded.

"I am not the first nor the only one of us to bring living mortals here. Am I affecting this realm any more than any of you? You're all mostly mad that I've got something that none of you have. Admit it. Oh, and you're also mad that now that I have a wife, I'll begin having children and my realm will expand. You're mad that I've brought what you consider to be a lesser being into your high and mighty presence. You're all just mad that I'm doing something different. Different is scary. Scary is bad. Get over it, cowards," Daedronus snapped.

"You are not the first nor the only, but after the last incident, we agreed that there would be no more. You are changing the realm. Whatever your change brings, none of us can see it, for the future cast by a Lord is dark even to other Lords. The fate you bring about by bringing not only one, but two living mortals here is uncertain to all of us, but what is certain is that there is a change coming. Are you willing to risk that?" Triolus inquired.

"Two living mortals will not change this realm so much. It is my future and I have seen into it," Daedronus declared firmly.

"You have seen into a future that has been untouched by consequence. You have seen into a perfect future that you crave to bring to existence. You are a god to your mortals, but you are mortal among us. You cannot see a future in which we intervene. The future you have seen is nothing but a chance. It is one of many and you do not even know how many it is one of," Unicus said darkly.

"Is that a threat?" Daedronus asked and Kristasia could sense an unnerving amount of surprise tickling at her through their bond. Was he truly surprised by their reaction? Had he not expected it? Fear tugged at her heart. What could that mean?

"Do as you will, idiot," Firolus muttered. "I don't care either way. I just don't understand why you insist on self-destruction."

"Are you worried for me?" Daedronus asked the man who looked more like a demon-god than himself.

"No. Go screw yourself," Firolus spat. "I just don't want Atronachus's ugly brat sitting next to me at this table. Even your mortal is preferable to that."