The Demon Lord And His Hero

Lucien and Riaku were in the centre of the sanctuary, atop the open claws of an enormous stone Phoenix.

The avian king held up the sword named Sorrow and offered it with both hands to the redhead.

"Be careful that you don't cut yourself," he gently warned.

Sorrow buzzed with anticipation the moment Lucien's hands came into contact with it.

Seed of the apocalypse it whispered. You've returned to me.

Riaku stared at Lucien's expressionless face, knowing that the demon in the weapon was active. He could feel the energy of the sword change with every passing second.

"Why do you call me that?" Lucien asked it. "What does it mean?"

Your destiny calls, Lucien. Between Light and Shadows, the battle has begun. Once and for all, the seed planted in you will bring the destruction of one. You are the apocalypse.

"Say something that makes sense. What destiny are you talking about?"

Become the bride of he who brings madness to the world. Lucien, only by doing this you will save the world. And in doing so, you will destroy yourself. Choose. Choose what you want to save.

Lucien hadn't come all the way to Nua to hear such a horrible continuation of the prohecy. His blood went cold and he couldn't bear to listen to the sword anymore.

"You're lying," he accused, voice going breathy with anxiety. "None of that will happen!"

It will come to pass.

"Lucien," Riaku said with concern laced in his calm tone. "Do not let the sword tempt you to anger."

You cannot run away from your destiny.

Lucien held the sword up to Riaku, mind whirling from the revelation that he couldn't avoid the prophecy which bound him to Traxdart. If the fate of the world hung on his decision then what choice did he have?

"Lucien, I don't wish to pry-" Riaku couldn't finish his words when he saw the redhead's eyes getting misty. He froze, unsure of what to do.

"Riaku, there was a prophecy about me. The sword said some things about it and I don't think that it's lying," Lucien confessed as he blinked and regained control of his emotions.

"Your prophecy binds you," Riaku gently answered. "Do you believe it will come to pass?"

The redhead nodded. The prophecy was a millstone around his neck. "My brother... he was afraid of the prophecy. I feel its power like a boat being pushed along by waves, purposeful and cunning as they guide me. They know my destination, Riaku. Even Sorrow knows it."

"Where is this destination?"

"Beside a man hated by the deities."

__________

Magnus was waiting outside the door when Lucien came out of the sanctuary alone.

"Where's Riaku?" Magnus asked.

"Meditating."

The redhead held the fire mage's hand in his. It was comforting and warm to the touch.

"Lulu," Magnus spoke as he squeezed the boy's hand. "Let's go somewhere private so you can tell me what's bothering you."

The redhead nodded. Could he really tell Magnus about this? For all he knew, the sword could have been lying about everything.

"I had a dream about Alka," Magnus told Lucien as they walked towards their room, passing by other avians who watched them go. "I dreamt that Artemus found him under a tree. It's an absurd dream," he said with a sad smile. "I can't stop thinking about where he might be and what he's going through."

Lucien recalled the conversation he had with Rowan before leaving clear water.

"Seed of the apocalypse. Are you sure it called you that?"

"I'm positive, Rowan. I remember the incident like it had happened only yesterday. Red and I were both shaken by it."

"What else did it tell you?"

"Nothing important.."

"Then you have to leave as soon as possible, Lucien. Speak with the sword demon and find out what it meant."

"But I can't leave now. I have to look for Alka!"

"No. Go to Nua. Artemus, Sebastian, and I are enough to find Alka. You will add nothing of value to the search."

"Even so, I can't just leave when Alka is missing. My problem can wait."

"It cannot."

"You don't know that, Rowan."

"I am not asking you, Lucien. I am telling you. Go to Nua."

"Are you demanding that I-"

"Yes."

Lucien had never seen Rowan's eyes appear so icy cold. He hadn't been able to refuse the anti mage's pressure. Maybe Rowan had known something that he didn't.

"Lulu, we're here now."

The redhead hadn't even realised they'd reached their room at Riaku's palace.

"So we are," he murmured.

"Now you're going to tell me everything," the fire mage said to the redhead who was staring at the floor in a daze.

"Everything?"

"Everything."

Lucien breathed in deeply. He had to stop letting his emotions get the best of him. So what if the sword told him he would have to become Traxdart's bride? There was no way to prove the truth of its words. It was just one demonic sword telling him nonsense about being the seed of the apocalypse.

"It seems I'm the seed of the apocalypse. If I don't become Traxdart's whatever, the world might end. Or something like that," he told the fire mage.

Magnus knelt on the floor so he was at eye level with Lucien who was sitting on the bed and leaning back on a few pillows.

"You will not become his bride," the fire mage said after a heavy pause. "Not even if the fate of the world hangs on it."

Lucien was still as Magnus and he looked into each other's eyes.

"But that's selfish, Magnus. If I could do something about the demons then-"

"You aren't a Messiah, Lucien. You're just an unlucky boy who got caught up in some bullshit prophecy. Why should it be you who has to be sacrificed? Why? It doesn't make sense to me."

"Me either," Lucien said with a faint smile.

The fire mage looked into the beautiful red eyes that regarded him with affection and yearning. Did he deserve to be looked at with so much adoration? What had he done to deserve Lucien's love?

"Magnus, if I... If I have to leave," Lucien hesitantly said. "I hope it'll only happen after knowing what it's like to be loved back by the person I love."

Magnus almost immediately began to burn up with heat that wafted off him in waves. It upset him to hear such words of pessimism from the redhead about his own future.

"Do not speak as though you think the prophecy might come true, Lucien," he said in a calm tone. "I know that Traxdart is powerful enough to kill me a hundred times over. But even if he-" Magnus stopped himself from saying what he suspected was going to happen to him when the demonic emperor did show up to snatch Lucien away. "-defeats me, Rowan, Art, and Sebastian won't let him take you." The fire mage wasn't going to lie to himself about his chances against someone as powerful as the demonic emperor. Only death awaited him.

"Okay.." Lucien said with a smile. He felt something snap and rupture within himself. The sword could be lying but the prophecy still stood. He could see only one way out of this inescapable horror that drew closer and closer to them with every passing day.