Chapter 1
Hero's Welcome
A boy looks out to the distance. He wonders what lies beyond the mountains. He spaces out and looks up. A man yells at him to hurry up. The man looked like his father. They were going to work. They wore worn-out clothes. The boy runs to him, and they walk to a field. They were farmers. The boy did not know how vast the world was.
His world is enormous; he has only seen a small portion of it. From the stars, you can see this massive orb spinning. The planet resembles the Earth. This planet has blue oceans and green pastures. The sky was blue when clouds didn't block out the sun. An Earth before the wars, thriving with life.
In the middle of the planet, a large continent sits. The size could rival North America. The people call his home Lilith. Chains of islands surround it with other masses of land close by. They could be different continents. This planet is unique, and it affects people. Strange energy runs deep within the earth. They call this energy Mana, and magic is possible.
This world has different races and many species. It's simple to understand the world of Lilith. People are born with magic. There are five affiliations of natural elements; earth, fire, water, wind, and lightning. They can learn all, but you are born with one element being the strongest. Magic can be achieved by learning and mastering it. People learn to harness the Mana or natural energy from the planet.
There is an exception to elemental magic. There are also two other magic attributes; light and dark magic. This magic is powerful, but it is associated with Elves. Stories of another race called Demon were said to be able to use the magic too. Demons were old legends.
The world knows that that wasn't the case. Other races could also be born with light and darkness. When one other race gains it, they become something special. Those people became a weapon. Light and dark were still a mystery to them.
We start in a Kingdom east on the continent. This Kingdom was close to the edge of the continent. The nation of humans; The Umbridge Kingdom. This nation was one of the most powerful human kingdoms. On a hilltop stands a great brick castle. The castle overlooks the town and ocean. It was built by human ancestors long ago. It still looks in great shape.
The town's people were waking up. It looks like a peaceful city with clean buildings and streets. The city resembles an old European village or town. As the day was starting, human citizens were opening shops and stands. People began to come out, and other races walked the streets.
The people greeted each other. Some humans and other races wore armor and carried weapons. Soldiers walked the streets. The people were going in and out of buildings. It was becoming busy.
It was a lovely warm morning in the Umbridge Kingdom. It was late summer of the year 834. In a large room in the castle was a luxurious wooden bed. Something was moving under the sheets on the bed. The shape of a person could be seen. A knock at the door makes them make a noise. Another knock at the door and a voice call out to them.
"Wake up, my queen; it's morning. Please wake up."
The door opens, and an elderly lady walks in. She wears a maid's outfit. The maid looks to be in her sixties. The maid tells the queen to wake up as she heads to the drapes. The maid opens them, and the sun shines in. The queen struggles to get up. The maid walks up to the bed. She removes the covers.
"Queen Annabeth…please get up now! It's time to get out of bed."
A woman in a nightgown looks for her sheets. The maid repeats to her to get up. Queen Annabeth opens her eyes. She looks at the maid and smiles.
"I'm up; I'm up. Good morning, Sara."
Sara was the maid attending Queen Annabeth.
"Good morning to you too, Queen Annabeth."
Queen Annabeth looks at the bed. She then looks around as if she is looking for something. She speaks in a healthy manner and tone.
"Sara, have you seen my husband"?
Sara cleans the sheets and organizes the pillows. She gets Queen Annabeth out of bed.
"Come on now, Let's get you changed. Breakfast is ready, and King John is in his study."
"So, he woke up early today."
Queen Annabeth gets out of bed. She is a woman of average height with light brown skin, hazelnut eyes, and long silky burgundy hair. She looks to be in great shape. Queen Annabeth gets ready in a one-piece white dress. It had gold embellishments on it. Her look could put models to shame.
She and the maid left the room. They walk down the hall to the dining room. There was breakfast ready for her. Her servants waited for her. Queen Annabeth sat to eat. She tells her servants to eat with her; they decline, but Queen Annabeth forces them. They laughed and smiled. Sara shakes her head. They all liked Queen Annabeth.
Queen Annabeth didn't like eating alone. She listens to her servants talk about their days. They talk about what they hate doing and problems that need fixing. They have a good time eating. When they finish, the servants clean the table. Queen Annabeth excuses herself. She leaves the room.
Queen Annabeth walks to the opposite side of the hallway. That is where the king's study is. She strolls and looks out some windows. She reaches the room and stands by the door. She could hear yelling coming from inside. Queen Annabeth smiles.
"What is he mad about his time"?
She knocks on the door, no answer. She knocks louder, and a loud voice tells her to come in. She opens the door and walks in. A sizeable tall man with slick blonde hair is rummaging through papers. He is fair skin with brown eyes and strong-looking physic. King John Umbridge the fifth. The King of the human nation.
King John wears a lovely colored tunic and pants, fine leather boots, and his crown. His crown is short, with a bright red crystal in the middle. King John stops what he is doing and looks at his wife. Queen Annabeth looks at him with a smile.
She clears her throat and speaks in a refined tone.
"What seems to be the problem, good sir"?
King John's mean expression changes to a happy one. He smiles back at her. King John clears his throat.
"It's nothing a fine king like myself can't handle."
Queen Annabeth could not handle speaking that way. She laughs, and King John smiles happily at her. Queen Annabeth walks towards him while looking around.
"What is it that has you in a bad mood"?
King John sits back on his chair. He holds his head, thinking. He tells Queen Annabeth about his predicament.
"I have a meeting with the Dwarf King. I told you about it some time ago. I have some important papers he needs to see. Now I can't find them."
Queen Annabeth goes through some paper on his desk.
"I told you that you have a mess in here."
King John gets angry, remembering where he left the papers. He imagines himself placing them the day before.
"It's not a mess. I know where things are; it just happens that I moved these papers somewhere else."
King John gets up and goes to a bookshelf. He goes through it. He moves some books and other papers on it. Queen Annabeth sits on his chair. She spins to look out a window he has behind the chair. Queen Annabeth sees the ocean.
"I sometimes wonder how you can run this, Kingdom."
King John goes to the other side and looks at another bookshelf. He whispers to himself. After hearing Queen Annabeth's comment, he responds.
"It's easy…Have good friends to help you."
Queen Annabeth laughs after hearing that. She gets up and walks toward him. She hugs him from behind. She makes him relax. King John turns to her and looks at her. Queen Annabeth smiles.
"So, remind me, why are you going today."
King John moves her and goes back to his desk. He gets mad and points at the desk. He mumbles while pointing. Queen Annabeth shakes her head. King John sits down. He looks at her.
"He sent me a letter, and it sounded crucial. I want to show him these papers while I'm there. I will be gone for a few days. Where did I put them"?
Queen Annabeth sits on his desk. She looks at him with a playful expression.
"Well, you should have reminded me that you had plans. Now I will be all alone for the next few days. Ah, leaving you poor wife."
Queen Annabeth smiles. King John didn't like her teasing him. He promised that he would bring her back something. Queen Annabeth tells him to remember that promise. King John asks her if she has any plans. Queen Annabeth replied.
"I need to go to the church. They wanted to discuss some things with me."
King John stops and thinks. He knew he had forgotten something. He has a blank expression.
"The church, I think they did ask for something, but I can't remember. I wasn't paying much attention. Just be safe; tell the priest I will be out of the Kingdom. If need be, I'll pray twice as much next time."
Queen Annabeth sighs and tells King John to mind his manners. She tells him not to drink much and watch what he eats. King John tells her that he will be safe and careful. Queen Annabeth gets up and drops some papers.
"Oops."
King John gets upset. He gets up from his chair to pick up the papers.
"Please don't make a mess."
King John was picking up the papers when suddenly he became happy. He looks at all the documents and gathers them.
"Here there are. I knew I placed them on my desk, look."
Queen Annabeth rolls her eyes and walks to the door. She turns to King John and teases him about forgetting so quickly. King John didn't want to admit it. Queen Annabeth waves to him. King John smiles but then remembers something.
"Wait! I just remembered I'm sending some guards to accompany you."
Queen Annabeth asks why. King John smiles and scratches his head.
"Don't get mad, but I had Haddison get some letters for me."
Queen Annabeth looked upset. She walks over to him. King John clears his throat. He gets scared of her. Queen Annabeth slams the table. Papers fall off. King John tries to make an excuse. Queen Annabeth smiles. King John quiets down.
"Dear, how often have I told you not to make Erica go on errands. She complains to me about them all the time. I know she is one of your generals, but she hates doing the things that don't involve fighting something strong."
King John apologized and explained that Erica Haddison was the only one he saw that morning. He tells her she was annoyed but accepted because she was not up. Queen Annabeth tells King John she will take wine from the cellar if Haddison is upset.
King John didn't argue. Queen Annabeth told King John that she didn't need bodyguards. King John gets upset. Queen Annabeth a sures him that she will be fine. King John refused to let it go. Queen Annabeth hugs him and kisses him.
"I like teasing you; you know that. I will take some guards, but you know Erica will be mad. She is my guard. She would hate anyone weaker than her to protect me."
King John picks her up.
"I know that… one of the reasons she became a general was to protect you. Don't worry; I'll send her your way after she delivers me the letters."
King John places Queen Annabeth down. They kiss, and Queen Annabeth leaves. King John sits and looks at the documents. Outside the door, Sara, the maid, waits. Queen Annabeth tells her to summon a carriage and some guards. Sara leaves her to go to another part of the castle.
Queen Annabeth walked to the entrance of the castle. Servants line the doorway. The doors open, and she walks out. Queen Annabeth smiles at them. Guards protect the outside. Queen Annabeth waits atop some stairs. While waiting, she looks at their garden in front of the castle. A fountain also decorated it.
The front of the castle has ample space because the town people gather and hear the king when he makes some speeches. Brick lines the floor, and a road leads to the town. A wall with a large gate protects the castle. Guards walk around patrolling the court.
After a few minutes, a carriage slowly comes. Some soldiers on horseback ride alongside it. The carriage has a soldier driving it. He was lightly armored with silver. The kingdom has soldiers that resemble European knights. Depending on their rank or role, they wear different armor sets. The guards on horseback had a little more armor.
The carriage pulls up. It is red with a black lining. It had no top, and the royal crest was on the back. Queen Annabeth walks down the steps and gets on the carriage. She waves to the servants and is on her way. The servant waved her goodbye. The castle gates open, and the carriage passes by.
The carriage follows the brick road to the town. Trees also line the side of the road. It took some time to get to the city. Queen Annabeth liked looking around every time she came to town. She saw the two-story buildings and stores with glass windows. Queen Annabeth likes to see the citizens walk the streets. It was busy with people walking.
Stands sell their goods, and stores offer deals. Other wagons and carriages pass by. They were nobles and merchants. Farmers with goods also walked by. People began to notice the carriage. Some citizens wave and bow to Queen Annabeth. She waves to them. Kids follow the carriage.
The knights patrolling the town make room for her to pass. Other races look on and mind their business. They get to a big intersection, and a breeze brings a smile to her face. Queen Annabeth looks over, and she sees the docks. She could almost hear the seagulls. Naval and fishing ships could be seen.
More knights patrol the streets, and Queen Annabeth's guards look at the people with weapons. This would have been unordinary, but they had a right. These people were called adventures. Still, the guards paid attention to them and all around.
After some time, they reach the end of town. They head toward another road that leads up a hill. Queen Annabeth sees the building at the top. This was the church. Marvel statues of their gods were next to the road. Some people were walking down from the church. They greeted Queen Annabeth.
Queen Annabeth could see the colored glass panels on this big marvel building as they got closer. Colorful flowers were planted around it. It was a beautiful place. The carriage pulls up, and a skinny man with white robes greets her. The man has black hair and is clean-shaven. He has brown eyes and a round face. This was a priest of the church.
Queen Annabeth gets off the carriage and walks up marvel steps. She reaches the priest and bows to him. The priest prays for her. Queen Annabeth greets the priest. The priest welcomes her to the church. Queen Annabeth asks for the reason she was summoned. The priest told her that he would answer inside. The guards stayed outside.
They walk in and converse about their morning. The priest happily listens to her. They walk past some of the church followers as they pray. The church followers see them and bow to them. The priest asks about King John. Queen Annabeth tells him about King John's meeting.
"He has some important discussions with the Dwarf King. He will be out of town for a few days."
The priest smiles. He tells her that he understands and will pray for his journey. Queen Annabeth tells him what he said about praying next time. The priest laughs. They continue walking to another part of the church. They get to a door, and the priest explains.
"You know that we can't do this without you. King John was so understanding about this. He truly is a blessed King."
Queen Annabeth didn't know what he was talking about. The priest tells her about the summoning ritual. Queen Annabeth was confused about the situation. The priest explains to her about his talk with King John. She doesn't remember any conversation with the church.
"Oh, yes, we talked. The last time he was here, the pope summoned him. They had a conversation about a bad omen heading his way. The pope told him that he still wasn't sure when but they needed to prepare."
Queen Annabeth has a concerning look. She thinks about what the priest is telling her. The priest told her they sent a letter and finally got approval. Queen Annabeth was still hesitant. The priest takes out a note and hands it to her. Queen Annabeth sees the royal seal.
Queen Annabeth reads it. It tells the pope that he has the approval to do the summoning ritual. Queen Annabeth can't believe she didn't know about this. She then remembers him forgetting something about the church earlier. She gets upset.
Queen Annabeth looks at the priest smiling at her. She has her doubts. The priest reassures her that all was prepared for her. Queen Annabeth wants to see the pope. The priest tells her that he is away on business. This puts more doubt on this situation. The priest opens the door to another room.
The aroma of flowers makes the queen dizzy. She was having trouble thinking. The priest walks her in. The room is empty of any furniture. A circle with designs was drowned on the ground. Poles with crystals on them also made a circle.
The priest takes her to the middle of the room. He then explains.
"A summoning can only work with light magic. They can only perform it under certain conditions. We needed it to be today; if we missed it, we would have to wait another ten years."
Queen Annabeth had trouble following his explanation. She felt light-headed. The priest tells her that she needs to get into the ritual attire. Queen Annabeth wanted to say something. A group of covered people walked into the room.
Two people escorted the queen to another room. They helped her change. Queen Annabeth had no control over what was happening. They dress her in a white robe with crystals on it. They also place a crown on her with the same crystals around it.
She walks out of the room and back to the ritual room. The priest looked pleased to see her in the outfit. He takes her hand and expresses his gratitude. Queen Annabeth unconsciously asks for Haddison. The priest tells her that she can not be in the room with them. Queen Annabeth releases mana. The priest panics but thinks of something.
"Okay, we will bring her into the next room when she arrives. She will wait for you there."
Queen Annabeth settles down. They walk her to the middle of the poles with the crystals. The robe people gather together. There were about a dozen of them. The priest tells them to start. Mana is drawn, and it activates the circle. The crystals on the poles glow. Queen Annabeth draws Mana, and the crystals on her glow.
Back at the castle, the king was done packing. He walks to the front entrance and heads out. A carriage, different from the one Queen Annabeth took, waits for him. He has his luggage loaded in the carriage. He then remains for Haddison to deliver the messages.
In a tower, a little off to the side of the castle messenger bird deliver letters and messages to the kingdom. A huge Amazonian woman was impatiently waiting. A soldier walks up to her. He looks scared.
"I'm sorry general Haddison, we have a mess and are looking for those letters."
This was Erica Haddison, a general for King John. She was a big woman with long black hair tied in a ponytail. She has brown eyes, and they are sharp-looking from combat experience. She wore gold breast-plated armor with a bull design. She has a matching skirt and guards.
They were late to give her the letter. She looks at them angrily. The soldiers apologize. Haddison opens one a read it. Her expression frightens the soldiers. Haddison draws Mana and smashes a hole in the tower. She jumps off and runs to the castle.
At the ritual, the followers pour more Mana into the circle, then head to Queen Annabeth. A force field surrounds her. Queen Annabeth releases light magic. The light forms a ball. The priest gets excited.
At the castle, King John sees Haddison and expresses relief to see her. He tells her how he was running late. Haddison has this troubled look to her. King John takes the letter. He reads it. He looks at Haddison.
"Why would King…."
At that moment, King John and Haddison felt a strong surge of energy. King John looks in the direction of the church. A white beam shoots into the sky. King John knows what it is and tells Haddison to hurry to the church. They jump on the carriage horses and cut their rope. King John and Haddison ride fast to the church.
Inside the church, the light orb turned into a portal. The church followers remain busy pouring Mana. At the back of the group, four followers look at each other. They nod and stop what they are doing. They each pull out a knife. One of them stabs the follower closest to him. A scream is heard, and then panic.
The followers turn to the follower who just killed one of their own. They step back and remove their headcover. The followers were all human. The priest was scared. The other four jump on the people and start killing them. Two followers run to Queen Annabeth. They get stopped by the force field.
One of the hooded followers laughs.
"They did say it was going to be easy, but come on. Put some effort into surviving."
The hooded followers remove their hoods. One of the surviving humans screamed. The four followers that were killing had colored skin and horns. Their eyes were sharp, and their ears pointy.
"Demons."
One of the humans said. The queen regained awareness and saw the dead bodies. She was confused until she saw the demons. She looked around, but the priest was gone. A few of the humans asked Queen Annabeth for help. Queen Annabeth walked to the force field but could not do anything.
Queen Annabeth looks at the portal and sees the silhouette of a human. She ignores it and tries to break the force field. She has no luck. The demons continue killing the rest of the humans. One of the demons jumps on a human close to her. Queen Annabeth looked angry.
"Why are you doing this"?
With everyone dead, they focus on her. Queen Annabeth draws Mana. Suddenly, she feels like someone has ripped all the air from her lungs. She falls in pain. The demons look at her. The demon who laughed was smiling. Another demon pulls out a sword. He pours Mana into it.
"Our true demon lord shall rule this world. Die for his cause"!
An explosion bursts the door open, and King John steps inside. He looks around at the dead people. He then sees Queen Annabeth lying on the ground. He gets enraged, and fire bursts from his Mana. He draws his sword, and fire engulfs it. He takes a step and disappears—the demon with the sword bursts into flames.
The other demons separate. A wall behind them cracks, and hands come through. The demons are late to react. Haddison grabs two of them by the neck and squeezes them. The last demon tries to run for it, but a fireball stops him.
The demon burns to death. King John walks up to the force field. He sees the empty portal, and it disappears. King John draws Mana and cuts the force field. He then picks up his wife. Haddison looks at the demons angrily; Mana sips out.
King John carries Queen Annabeth out of the church. The people praying were looking in shock. Guards surrounded the church. In an angry voice, King John orders that they look for the pope and priest.
In a cabin, the priest was packing some supplies. He was scared and panicking. He feels a presence and turns around. There was someone in the shadows. The priest yells at them.
"You…. said that it was going to be a simple task. No one told me about those monsters"!
The priest becomes scared and screams.
A massive hunt for the priest was on. They searched everywhere they could think of. The people in town talked about what had happened. Haddison ferociously looked for him. They get a tip from some worshippers about a house he often goes to. When they get there, they search the house. They also head to the cabin near it.
They had trouble opening the cabin. Haddison walks up to it and kicks it open. The guards search and find a hidden room. Haddison goes to look and sees the priest dead. She smashes the wall in anger.