Disclaimer: Same as always.

Chapter 1

The Demonlord as he called himself looked up at his new surroundings. He was amazed at the lifeless, dull, gloomy, gray, desolate mountain range. The dark crystal had teleported them to the nearest planet before Elementium was destroyed. He smiled at the sight.

There were trees that were dead and black with the trunk and branches twisted and they stretched upward like a hand reaching for the sky. Several fissures and geysers shot lava into the air and looked as if they went all the way to the very core. The mountains went on for miles, as far as the eye could see. The sky was completely filled with storm clouds. It rained every now and then but the soil never produced life and the sky never cleared.

He motioned over one of his followers. His voice was deep and rough and it poured fear into their souls. "I want you to build me a stronghold," he said. "I want it to be built into the mountains and made by the very stone that sustains them. I want it to be nine levels high, with walls five foot six in height from where you build the floor and four feet thick, for each level. You're in charge of it and I want it done in two months. Get to it immediately!"

"Yes, my lord," replied his follower, bowing deeply.

"Start with my throne room and living quarters."

"As you command, my master."

The Demonlord patrolled his kingdom-to-be. He smiled a smile that had no good intent. It was so wicked that one may think they will have a slow painful death. He liked that his followers were every day becoming more his slaves. Their minds were becoming more dependant on him.

Two months in that planet's time had passed and the fortress was complete. He inspected every level to be certain that they met his expectations. The walls went to his waist. He was satisfied and went to the keep. He opened the thirty-foot doors and stopped. The keep went two hundred yards into the mountain. He was amazed. He walked all the way to the back and saw his throne. It was carved out of the mountain with the back being part of the mountain. The armrests extended four feet outward with red diamonds, the rarest of all crystals, and gold half-spheres marked the back of the throne. He walked up the three steps and sat down on it. He had a feeling of awesome power overseeing the keep.

All of his servants gathered and each bowed low to the ground as if kissing it.

"I am pleased," he bellowed. "I admire your craftsmanship. Now there is step two. Commander!"

One of his servants came out of the crowd. He looked like the rest except he wore black armor with two jagged katanas strapped to his back.

"Yes, master," he replied. His voice was raspy and hoarse.

"I have a job for you. There is a group of elementals that oppose me and have landed on a planet called Earth. Find them. Kill them. Rip out their hearts and bring them to me. I want every last one dead."

"Yes, my lord."

"Be warned. They are powerful. Do not underestimate them. If you do and come back to me empty handed, the consequences will be horrible. Do you understand, Commander?"

"Yes, my master."

"Good. Gather as many as you need. Leave immediately."

"Yes, my master."

The commander stalked away wondering who could be powerful enough to threaten the Demonlord. He knew there was only one way to find out. He gathered fifty of the strongest demons and went to the hangar that was built next to the keep and picked out a TH-fifty troop transport.

The ship had a turbo hyperdrive and seated fifty passengers. The demons boarded and the commander got in the cockpit. The cockpit sat two pilots. He was going to fly. He didn't need another pilot. He ignited the engines, punched in the coordinates, activated the hyperdrive and shot in the direction of Earth. The Commander was eager for action.