Title: The Demonic Chronicles

Warnings: Slavery, Angst, Violence, bad language, ect.

Prologue:

He ran as fast as his hooves could hit the ground and tried not to scream. His whole body was exhausted and one of his wings ached. An arrow was embedded in his wing bone and burned with every step taken. He was unsure how long he had been running or how many hours it had been. It started to all blur together and he knew that he was growing tired.

Thinking back he wondered how everything had gone so wrong. The day had been glorious with the sun shining overhead and he had thought it would be a perfect day to fly. Opening up his black bat like wings he had flapped a few times and was air borne. Drifting in the warm thermal up drafts were so nice and he felt free. With the setting of the sun he had begun to look for a perfect place to land and rest. Finding a clearing with fresh water had been ideal and he had spotted it immediately. Landing in the clearing he had immediately noticed how quiet it was and cocked his ears forward. Feeling his blood run cold, he was about to take flight when something slammed into his wing. Letting out a shriek of pain he had immediately looked and saw an arrow. A loud snap sounded behind him and he whirled on his hooves. Two greasy looking men sat on their horses a few feet away and were grinning at him. It reminded him of how a hunter would watch its prey before striking. The way they were eyeing him made him uneasy and there words confirmed it

“Well look what we just shot or should I say caught.”

One of the men started to laugh at his pun while the other eyed him greedily.

“I know my friend. He will fetch a fine price on the black market.”

An awful feeling filled him at theses men’s words and he knew that he must escape. Ignoring the pain in his wing he quickly folded them and spun on his hooves. Lunging forward, he raced off into the woods and could hear their angry shouts.

Agony from his wing jerked him back to his current situation and he let out a pained snort. Everything was starting to become a hazy red and he knew that he was at his limit. It didn’t surprise him much when his legs gave way and he collapsed on the ground. Pain shot through his injured wing and he moaned. In the distance he could hear voices and it was only a matter of time before they appeared. Tossing his mane angrily he tried to rise but only fell over again. Glaring over his shoulder he knew that they would catch him and there was nothing he could do. Turning his head slightly he grasped the arrow with his teeth and yanked it out. It felt like his whole wing was on fire and he moaned in agony. He could feel the blood began to flow more freely and panted softly. Closing his black eyes, his three black horns flashed brilliantly and everything grew white. His body began to change and flowed into a human shape. Tears flowed down his cheeks and he grasped his bloodied shoulder. It hurt like crazy but then again the injury had to transfer somewhere. Gasping for breath he gazed down at his hands and smiled in satisfaction. If he were lucky the hunters would think he was a human boy and leave him be. Hearing leaves crunching behind him, the now human boy lay on the ground and closed his eyes.

“What the hell is this?”

Opening his eyes a little he noticed one of the hunter step into the light. The man was glaring down at him angrily and he felt a small sense of satisfaction.

“Hey where did that Demonic go?”

The other man stepped out of the woods and looked at his partner.

“Holy shit I could have sworn that demon creature came this way and now we find a boy instead.”

Fear entered his soul when he noticed the man looking him over.

“Mighty scrawny but kind of pretty with that pale skin and red hair. Well since we can’t find the demon why not just sell the boy instead?”

“We can always do that but damn that demon would have been worth more.”

The two men were smiling and he felt fear. His plan had failed and he was still in danger. He somehow knew that if he didn’t escape now then he would never be free. Lurching to his feet he turned and tried to flee but one of the men grabbed his arm. Snarling in rage he lashed out at the man but he couldn’t get free. He was surprised when one of the men punched him in the injured arm. Letting a shriek of pain he felt everything grow dark and then nothingness.

Chapter 1: A New Master

“Move it slave!”

A loud slap was heard and a young slave fell over. The man glared down at it before turning away in disgust. Red hair covered the face before a pale hand brushed it aside. Black eyes glared after the man in hatred before growing cold. The young slave let out a tired sigh before rubbing his hurt cheek. Feeling the chains rattle he glanced down at them before getting to his feet. Standing next to the other slaves he wondered what was to become of him or even the others. He had been in slavery for many moons now and he longed to run free. Shaking his head sadly he knew that it wasn’t going to happen anytime soon.

“Oh my god look!”

“It’s the crazed adept that they keep locked away here.”

“God I hope he doesn’t pick me.”

Raising his head at the whispers he gazed across the courtyard and met violet eyes. The color reminded him of the sky at sunset or even the dark flower Nye. He was very beautiful with his blue-black hair and slim form. Something about the boy spoke of extreme sadness and everlasting sorrow. He wondered why the others feared him so much and what he had done to gain it.

The boy with the blue-black hair gazed over at his masters before glancing at the slaves again. He wasn’t really too interested in gaining a new slave, since the last one had died. In fact he was leery of slaves since he had to kill his last one because it had tried to kill him. It didn’t really surprise him because many in the tower wanted him dead and would use any means necessary. Life in the tower was a dangerous life and it was kill or be killed. For as long as he could remember he had been here and there was no escape. Closing his eyes in pain he wondered if he would ever see his family or village again.

“Novian have you decided yet?”

Opening his eyes he glanced up at the man next to him before shaking his head.

“No Master Saurien I have not nor do I want one.”

The old white haired man glared at him a moment before stroking his beard. He knew that he angered the adept by saying this but he didn’t care.

“We have been over this to many times Nova, now pick one or I will do it for you.”

Letting out a sigh of defeat he began to gaze at the slaves and noticed one in particular. Red hair glinted in the sun like it was on fire and the pale skin appeared to be sun burned. What really caught attention was when the other looked at him. The eyes were blacker then night and appeared sad. For some reason he knew that they would have a lot in common and he wanted him.

“Alright I want the red head over there.”

He waited for Saurien to glance over at the slaves and knew that the man liked his choice.

“Good Novian, I will have him sent to your rooms.”

Knowing that he had been dismissed, Novian turned around and headed for the tower doors. The man would be sent to his rooms and he wondered if he should have picked him. Shrugging his shoulders he decided to figure that out later and stepped into the coolness of the tower.

Watching the boy enter the leave he gazed back at his master and cringed inside. The man was smiling cruelly and appeared to be enjoying himself for some reason. That didn’t bode well for him and it usually meant a beating.

“That blue-haired boy wants you to be his slave and I am so glad.”

He heard the other slaves gasp but did not pay attention to them. Looking at his master he cocked and eyebrow and waited for the man to continue.

“I hope you enjoy your stay here because I doubt you will live long.”

The man walked away chuckling cruelly and he wondered what he meant by that. Looking back at the other adepts he had a very bad feeling about the whole situation. A bad feeling indeed.

Damien stood in the center of the room and gazed around suspiciously. He had been standing in this room for over an hour and was growing impatient. His new master was nowhere in sight and the servant who had shown him here hadn’t been any help. The whole situation wasn’t going well and it was making him nervous.

“So what’s your name?”

Hearing the soft voice he whirled around and gazed into violet eyes again. The boy’s hair was loose and blue-black hair fell to his waist. He had taken off his outer robes and all he wore was a white tunic and breeches. Refusing to talk he gazed at the boy and shook his head. Damien watched the violet eyes widened before narrowing with some strange emotion. Feeling magic swirl at his feet he gazed down and gasped in surprise. A circle was forming under his feet and he could feel the magic spreading through his body. Glancing up again he noticed that the boy’s hands were glowing and he was chanting softly. Feeling trapped he snarled with rage before lunging towards the boy. The circle threw him back and he collapsed to the floor.

“You cannot escape my circle.”

Novian watched the slave raise his head and glare at him. He somehow knew that the other had spirit and had not been broken yet. Raising one hand in the air he begun to chant faster and felt the magic build up. Magic began to swirl around the slave’s wrists, ankles, and neck. He could see the fear appear in the other eyes but did not stop. Saying the last chant he made a slashing motion and the magic disappeared. Silver bracelets appeared on his slave and he smiled in satisfaction.

“Those bangles will let all who live here know that you are my slave now and only obey me.”

Novian watched hatred appear in those black eyes and wasn’t to surprised when the man tried to attack him again. He watched as magic flared around the bracelets and the slave collapsed with a shriek. Walking over he knelt down next to his slave and brushed back the red hair. Black eyes looked at him dazedly and he smirked.

“It will also prevent you from trying to harm me as well.”

The man snarled at him again and he just laughed softly.

Damien was pissed at the young ones arrogance but then again it was his on fault. He shouldn’t have lost his temper and tried to attack a mage in the first place. That was a dumb mistake and one he wouldn’t forget. Glancing down at the silver bracelets he growled softly and cursed his luck. The magic was flowing through them and he knew the boy spoke the truth. He was truly caught and wouldn’t be able to escape as long as he was this boy’s slave.

“Are you going to tell me your name or are we going to be on the floor all day?”

Gazing up into serene violet eyes he cursed his luck again.

“My name is Damien.”

“Damien huh hmm it sounds like a demonic name to me.”

Tensing slightly he gazed up at the boy and hoped he was joking. If anyone figured out what he truly was then he would for sure never escape. He could just imagine what the mages would do to him here and none of it was pretty.

“But aw well a names a name. Mine is Novian but you will call me master.”

Feeling relief course through him, he was glad that the boy hadn’t figured it out. There was slight irritation at the boy’s arrogance and being forced to call another master. Somehow though he had a feeling that there was more to this boy then meets the eye.

Chapter 2: Refusing the Arts

Novian stood before his master and glowered in rage. For the past few weeks now they had been trying to force him to learn more necromancy. The whole process was long and taxing to ones spirit. First you had to kill the poor victims and then raise them from the dead. Of course raising the dead was horrible because for one the person soul had to be called from the dead and then forced back into the body. This was not an easy process and the soul of course would fight and not want to go back to a dead body. And then what made matters worse, was that the body would slowly rot and decompose. Of course this was because the body was no longer living and even though it still technically had a soul. It was such a revolting spell that not many adepts would even try or want to become a necromancer.

Everything inside of Novian rejected this and he would refuse to do it. No matter how much he refused to learn necromancy, the masters would still try and force him. Before coming here he had been studying the healing arts and this violated everything he had been taught. It was truly unnatural and cruel thing for any living being to do. Feeling bitterness fill his very soul he turned his back on his master and walked over to his slave. His slave was looking at him with no expression and he was a bit irritated. Damien was still an enigma to him and he was very curious. For one the other refused to talk to him and hadn’t said a word in weeks. The strange thing was he could sense a power within him but didn’t know what it was. One day he would either figure it out or maybe his slave would tell him. Almost laughing at that thought Novian figured the world would probably end before that ever happened.

“Novian!”

Slowing at the angry voice, he glanced over his shoulder and noticed that his master was glaring at him. Feeling suddenly cold he knew what was about to happen and it wasn’t good.

“Yes Master?”

“How dare you refuse my order!”

“Because its unjust thing to do.”

Seeing the other man’s eyes flash at his sarcastic comment, Novian eyes widened in alarm. Shoving his slave behind him, he quickly raised up a shield and felt power slam into it. He could tell that his master was extremely angry but that wasn’t anything new. Old Dalhar never did have a good control of his temper and would always loose it quickly. Sometimes Novian wondered why Saurien would have him be one of his instructors, when they didn’t even get along. Feeling his shield shatter he cursed all the gods and his stupidity. That old man might be a pain in the ass but he was extremely powerful. Sighing in resignation he threw himself on top of Damien. Magic slammed into his back and he let out a moan of pain. Gazing down into black eyes he saw the astonishment there and smiled in reassurance. Closing his eyes he concentrated and poured power into the ground and formed an earth barrier. It might not hold but it would by him some time to come up with a new shield.

“Why?”

Looking down at Damien again, he reached over and brushed some red hair out of the way.

“Because I wanted to and you would have been hurt. And this is between me and that old man.”

Novian watched black eyes blink in confusion before glancing away.

“What is the meaning of this!”

Jerking his eyes away from Damien he gazed across the practice field. Saurien was standing a few feet away and didn’t look pleased. Glancing back over his shoulder he made sure that Dalhar had stopped casting magic before lowering his own shield. Standing up he reached down and hauled Damien to his feet. The other stumbled against him and Nova pulled him close. For a moment something flashed between them and it stunned them both. Gazing into confused black eyes, Novian felt like he was slowly drowning.

Damien gazed back into violet and stopped breathing. He could see magic was making them glow and something else was there. For some reason he knew that if searched hard enough then he might find out what it was. His master was a strange fellow and one he could barely understand. The boy at times would appear so very arrogant but then would swing back to being a quiet person. Sometimes he wondered who the real boy was behind all the different masks he showed the world.

“Novian!”

Snapping out of his daze he pushed his slave away before glancing over to Saurien.

“Yes master?”

“I asked what is going on here?”

“Dalhar is angry that I refused to perform necromancy and would not obey him.”

It was risky to refuse to obey any of the masters and this would usually not go unpunished. But it was a risk he was willing to take and he would stand by his decision.

“Is this true Dalhar?”

The old man grew pale and began to stutter. Novian knew that he might end up with a punishment but he would be damned if he would obey that man.

“Yes Saurien. The boy was refusing my orders and I was trying to teach him a lesson.”

Saurien grew silent for a moment and everyone held their breaths. Red eyes bore into violet and Novian felt a sudden chill. He somehow knew that he was about to be punished and not in a pleasant way. Magic flared around the other man and then it was released. It slammed into him and he let out a gasp. There was no time to block or even dodge it. Agony rippled through his whole frame and he began to scream. It felt like every nerve ending was on fire and his very blood was boiling.

Damien watched the exchange between the three mages and didn’t like it. Something awful was going to happen and he knew it would happen soon. The one called Saurien seemed to be the one who would decide the punishment and it wasn’t going to be good. For a moment he could see magical aura surround the man and it pulsed with anger. He was astonished how fast the other man could call up power and before anyone could move he had released it. The red power slammed into his master and he had seemed to be in agony. Every scream seemed so tortured and he shuddered in sympathy. He watched him start to twitch before he began to collapse. Reaching out he had caught him and held him tightly.

“Damien?”

Gazing down into pain filled eyes he nodded his head slowly. He was astonished that the boy could even talk or much less be coherent.

“Yes Master?”

“Thank you.”

Damien was surprised and watched the boy’s eyes close. He could feel his body grow limp and knew he was unconscious.

“And now for you.”

Raising his head at the angry words he watched Saurien launch another attack. The other man fell over with a loud scream and he felt no sympathy. Picking up Novian he stood there patiently and waited for the other man to speak.

“You can take him to his room now. I will see him later.”

Looking at Saurien he nodded before turning around and walking towards the tower. He wondered if this was the end of his master’s punishment or if there was more. Somehow he had the feeling that this wasn’t the first time the boy would defy the masters of the tower or the last. Looking down at the unconscious form he wondered what he had gotten himself into.

Waking up a few hours later was a painful and agonizing process. It felt like his skin had been burned and it hurt to move. Groaning softly he tried to find a more comfortable position but couldn’t. Novian could feel the softness under his fingers and somehow knew he was back in his chambers.

“You shouldn’t try and move right now.”

Opening his eyes to slits Novian noticed his slave sitting next to him on the bed. The other appeared to be watching him warily and with a bit of curiosity. Struggling to sit up he bit back a moan of pain. Feeling arms encircle him he was surprised and blushed. It felt nice to actually be held by someone for once and he leaned a little in the embrace.

Damien blinked down at the blue-black head that rested against his chest. He had just been trying to help the boy sit up and lean against his pillows. It felt pretty good having someone in his arms and he gently held him for a moment.

“How long have I been sleep?”

“Just a few hours.”

“Mmm.”

Feeling the form fully relax against him, he waited for more question. When the other didn’t speak he gazed back down and noticed that he was asleep again. Shaking his head, he leaned against the pillow and closed his eyes. It felt like he had barely them when someone literally snatched him from the bed. He toppled to the floor and landed hard. Shoving red hair out of his face he glared up and noticed another boy in the room. He had short blond hair and the coldest blue eyes he had ever seen. A slap sounded in the room and he raised a hand to his cheek. He hadn’t seen that one coming and it pissed him off.

“What is the meaning of this!”

The two turned and looked at the bed. Blue-black hair was mussed and sleepy violet eyes glared at them. Novian had awoken from a sound sleep and was extremely irritated. He had been having pleasant dreams until his warm pillow had been snatched away. The loud slap had completely woken him up and now he felt every ache in his body.

“Damn it Alex what are you doing in here?”

The boy in question smiled sunnily at him and he felt his irritation rise.

“Why to check up on you of course dear Nova. I heard that you had gotten punished again and just wanted to see if you were ok.”

Novian rolled his eyes at him before glancing down at Damien. The man was cupping right cheek and was glaring at Alex. Seeing the red stain on the other’s cheek, Novian began to grow angry.

“And the reason you slapped my slave Alex?”

He could see Damien start in surprise but kept his attention on the other. Ice blue eyes narrowed in anger before becoming happy again.

“Because I am the one who is suppose to be in bed with you and no one else.”

“You must be joking!”

“Nope I am serious.”

Damien watched the two boys bicker back and forth. His right cheek still throbbed in pain and he wanted to throttle Alex. He was surprised that Novian had noticed his cheek and was astounded to see him angry. Somehow he knew that these two were not friends but something all together different.

“Get out!”

Startled out of his thoughts, he gazed back at the other two men. Novian was glaring at the other man and Alex still had that smug smile on his face.

“I will for now but I will be back!”

They both watched the other man walk to the door and waited for him to leave. Alex turned around and blew a kiss. Damien could feel Novian’s anger at the action and watched as Alex closed the door behind him.

“Are you okay Damien?”

Standing up he removed his hand from his cheek and nodded. It still throbbed a bit but he knew that it would fade in a while.

“I am sorry about Alex but the man is an extreme pain.”

He could hear the sincerity in the boy’s voice and smiled slightly. Novian patted the space next to him and he sat down again. A cold hand touched his cheek and he flinched slightly. Warm violet eyes gazed into his and they began to glow.

“Here this should help.”

Warmth flooded his cheek and he could feel the pain fading away. Surprise showed in his black eyes and he raised a hand to his cheek again.

“What did you do?”

“I healed you of course.”

Novian watched as the other let the words sink in. He didn’t get a chance to heal very often since it was frowned on. The Masters didn’t want him to practice healing and basically was trying to get him to forget the arts. A hand on his shoulder startled him from his thoughts and he looked at Damien. The look of gratitude and kindness made him blush.

“Thank you Master.”

Not to sure what to say he nodded his head and watched the other stand up. It was rare that anyone showed gratitude or anything towards him.

“Now you rest and I will go and get you something to eat.”

Watching his slave leave the room he wondered when things had started to get so complicated. He knew that soon Saurien would be coming to have a talk with him, especially since Alex had probably been sent to check on him. Resting against the pillows he hoped that Saurien would be to busy and wouldn’t come anytime soon.

Chapter 3: Darkness and Lost Memories

Alex strolled down the hallway and thought about Novian. He had been a way for a few days and had just heard about the news of Novian’s slave. Of course he should have known that the masters would force the other to receive another slave. The masters seemed to think that everyone should have a slave to attend them for some reason. Many of the apprentices would have two or three but not Novian. Even he had two but then again why not. A slave was just someone to take care of you and then be discarded when you got bored. Novian had claimed that know one should be a slave and everyone had laughed at him. Slavery had always been around the Fortitude tower for years and not even he could stop it. In the end he had to accept a slave or be punished. The funny thing was the masters had not foreseen the slave’s betrayal or the scars it would leave on the boy. It still enraged him that somehow the slave had almost killed him and know one knew who his accomplice’s was. There were accomplice’s from what he had been able to glean from the dead slave’s mind but it been too blurry to see who. Someone had casted a powerful spell around the slave’s mind and body to prevent anyone from turning him into the undead. It had to be someone very powerful or someone who used holy magic. Glaring angrily ahead he vowed that if ever found out then that person was dead.

Running a hand through his blond locks he took a deep breath and cleared his thoughts of the red rage. Alex decided to think about his Novian earlier and that brought a pleasant smile. The other boy had looked cute asleep but not curled up like a cat next to that man. Feeling enraged he had snatched the other from the bed and smiled in satisfaction when he fell to the floor. The red hair had been in disarray and he had been startled by the glowing black eyes. He could feel a power coming from the other and was confused. No slave was ever allowed to have magic but then why did he feel it from this one? Alex had been distracted by Novian’s shout and there usually bickering. In fact he hadn’t even thought about the other until now. It was very curious and he would love to find out.

Tossing theses thoughts aside for later once again, he began to think about why he had entered Novian’s rooms in the first place. He had been sent to make sure that Novian was awake and okay. The poor boy had a run in with both Dalhar and Saurien earlier. Luckily he had survived both and had only been knocked unconscious. Saurien had sent him to check up on Novian and make sure he was fine. He sometimes wondered why the master was so harsh one moment and kind to the other the next. It was a bit odd and for some reason made him shiver with fear.

“Alex?”

Speak of the devil. Wiping the smile from his face he turned around and glanced down the hallway.

“Yes master?”

“Is Novian alright?”

“Yes a bit tired but fine.”

He watched the older man smile in relief and wondered about that. Why was he worried about one student and especially one that he, himself punished?

“Good.”

The master whirled away and stalked down the hallways. For some reason though Alex had a feeling that he might find out what the other wanted with Novian very soon.

Saurien stalked back towards his rooms and smiled in satisfaction. Novian was not injured from his punishment or from Dalhar. Thinking of the older man brought a cruel sneer to his face and he cursed the man. To think that the stupid man had thought to punish Novian without permission was inexcusable. He would have to teach the other man a lesson of the permanent sort soon and with relish. Entering his rooms he walked over and stood before a larger mirror. The thing was huge and glimmered faintly. Pressing a hand against it he murmured a few words and watched it shimmer, before growing murky. A cloaked figure appeared but its face was in shadows.

“What do you want with me human mage?”

He shivered at coldly hissed words but didn’t show any fear. If he did then his life was forfeit and the other would kill him without guilt.

“It is almost time Cession and he will be ready soon.”

“He had better be mage or all is lost.”

Saurien watched the figure waver and then vanish. Smiling in satisfaction he knew that all his plans were working in his favor and soon all his dreams would be his.

Damien rolled his eyes and glared at the other man. Violet eyes clashed with black in a fit of rage. Novian was trying to get out of bed for the fifth time and failing miserably. He was still weak from the magic attacks from a few days ago but insisted that he was fine. Glowering angrily he snorted in satisfaction when the other fell over again.

“You don’t have to gloat!”

The other looked like an angry cat with his hair flying everywhere and some of it covered his right eye. Blinking down at enraged violet he smiled innocently.

“Sorry master”

Letting out a growl, Novian raked back his loose hair impatiently. Somehow he knew that his slave was making fun of him but couldn’t prove it. He was angry that he was still so weak and needed assistance from bed or anything. The past few days had been annoying and it didn’t help that his slave was gloating. Swallowing an angry retort, he sighed before smiling politely.

“Can you please help me up?”

Watching the other smile more sunnily at him, Novian wondered if he should kill him. Letting out a surprised gasp he quickly grabbed for the others neck as he was picked up off the bed. Feeling quiet confused he looked up into suspiciously bright black eyes and glared.

“Put me down!”

“Yes master.”

Damien almost smirked when he almost dropped the other and just about grinned when the arms tightened on his neck. If looks could kill then he knew he would be dead. Violet eyes had darkened almost to black and he could tell that the other was pissed enough to kill. Lowering the other onto his feet he waited until Novian was steady before releasing him. Stepping back a few feet he watched the boy slowly walk over to the window and lean against it. He knew that the walk tired the other but he was just too stubborn to admit it. Rolling his eyes in irritation again he wondered how he had ended up with someone so stubborn.

Novian could feel the other’s eyes boring into his back and shifted self-consciously. He was a bit tired from the walking across the room and wanted to collapse. The only reason he was still standing was because of the tight grip on the window and supporting his weight against it. Closing his eyes for a moment he let the chill wind cool his heated flesh.

“Do you need me for anything else master?”

Jumping in surprise he let go of the window and felt himself crumple. Strong arms slipped around his waist and he let out a relieved sigh. Grumbling under his breath about idiots sneaking up behind a person he shook his head.

“Just help me to the bed and then you can leave.”

Trying not to laugh Damien helped Novian back into bed and helped him settle. Once that was done he looked down at the irritated and red face.

“I will bring lunch by later and now get some sleep.”

Bowing to the other man he walked out of the room but not before hearing a comment.

“Arrogant slave.”

Smirking he closed the doors and headed for the side door. Opening them he let out a quiet sigh and quickly walked down the steps. Looking around he let out a relieved sigh and smiled. He was in the gardens and it was so lush. There were different types of trees from flowers to exotic fruit. It was considered paradise for the slaves and somewhere they escape. The masters had set aside this area for the slaves in order for them to relax and go when not need. None of the slaves understood why they were so kind to them but then again why ask.

“Damien!”

A girl with black hair in pigtails was waving at him and he walked over to her. She was short and willow, with dark brown eyes and tanned skin. The girl had a merry expression and smiled up at him.

“Yes Syphia?”

“How is master Novian?”

“Being stubborn as usual.”

Damien watched as the girl giggled and smiled as well. He had met her a few weeks back when he started being Novian’s slave. The other girl had been his master’s temporary slave until he had stepped in. At first he had thought she was going to be angry at being booted out of the position but he had been wrong. The girl had shaken her head in denial and looked at him in pity.

“I am so relieved someone else is taking over because he is a handful.”

At first he had wondered about her comment but had found out what she meant. Novian was the most complex person he had ever met. The boy was being overly arrogant when they first met, kind later, and then stubborn. Novian had so many mood swings that he was confused half the time. Luckily for him Syphia had taken pity on him and had helped him out. She had taught him to handle the mood swings by either ignoring them or going along with them.

“The master is really a shy and serious person. You just have to prove that he can trust you and it will all go smoothly.”

And of course her technique had worked and she had even taught him how to be a proper slave here. If she hadn’t then he might have gotten severely beaten or worse by the masters for stepping out of line.

Feeling a hand settle on his wrist he snapped out of his wandering thoughts. Seeing concern in the brown eyes he smiled in reassurance and watched the other smile back.

“Well as long as you are taking care of him then he will be fine.”

“Hopefully.”

The two stood quietly for a moment before the bell began to ring. Syphia sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Guess that’s the dinner bell. Well got to go serve master Saurien his dinner so see you later Damien.”

Hearing the Adepts name sent a chill down his spine and he called out to the other girl.

“Wait Syphia.”

He watched as she stopped and looked at him. ]

“Be careful of him ok?”

The girl was quiet for a moment before smiling.

“I will.”

Turning around she scurried away and he wondered why he had said anything. For some reason the Adept gave him the chills and he didn’t know why. There was just something sinister about the man and he didn’t like it. It reminded him of some of the people from his home and that was not good. Raking a hand through his red locks he quickly walked towards the kitchen and tried to clear his mind. But for some reason the thoughts wouldn’t leave and it didn’t bode well.

Chapter 4: Falling Apart

The chamber was barely lit and was eerie in the dark. Strange object littered in the room but it was hard to see what they were. The room was terribly cold and yet warm at the same time. And the very air was stale and yet still smelled faintly of death and decay.

Trying to show no fear Novian stood outside the room and peered into the dark. He was hesitant to step into the chamber but knew he had no choice. The eyes of his masters were glaring into his back and knew to refuse would cause trouble. Taking a deep breath he stepped into the room and heard the door slam shut. Almost jumping in panic he whirled around but couldn’t see the door. Reaching out he could feel the smooth metal of the door and searched for the handle. Grasping it, he tried to turn it but it was locked. Somehow he was not surprised and cursed under his breath.

Light flared behind him and it reflected off the door. Turning around, he blinked furiously and could finally see the chamber. Strange devices layed strewn about and one wall contained a set of chains. Feeling something watching him, he gazed looked to his left and gasped in alarm. A body lay in the corner and appeared decayed. Broken bones pierced through the skin and rotted eyes stared at him. He somehow knew that the pour soul had died in pain and he shuddered in sympathy.

“It is time for you to learn more necromancy Novian.”

A cold hand settled on his shoulder and he tried not to flinch. He hadn’t heard the door open behind him nor the person.

“I do not wish to master.”

Nails dug cruelly into his shoulder and he tried to ignore the pain. The hand lifted and his master stepped out from behind him. Red eyes glared down into his eyes and he was afraid.

“You must stop trying to defy my orders and obey me Novian.”

The young boy gazed at the older man and tried to show no fear. Out of all the masters Saurien made him uneasy and scared him the most. The man was by far the oldest master and the most cunning. It was said that he had killed the last leader of the tower in a bloody battle and taken over. The other masters appeared afraid of him and did not contest his leadership. Know one tried to defy him and those that did disappeared. But the one thing he knew was that the day he gave into Saurien was the day he would lose everything. And that was one thing he was unwilling to do yet or if ever.

“I am sorry master Saurien but I cannot obey you.”

The Adept was enraged by Novian’s defiance and refusal. He had left the boy alone over the last week so that he could heal and be well rested. But when his lessons began again with another master the boy had refused once more to learn necromancy. It was starting to grow wearing on Saurien when the other master had complained about the boy’s refusal. Perhaps it was time to take a new measure with the boy and teach him a lesson.

Novian watched Saurien warily and didn’t like the look in those red eyes. He knew that the older man would be angry and that he would be punished. The only problem was he wasn’t to sure what Saurien would do to him. His eyes widened in surprise as magic swirled beneath him in glowing red streaks. Looking at the older man he saw a terrible rage and cringed in fear.

“I grow tired of your defiance Novian and now I must punish you because of it.”

Saurien smiled cruelly and began to chant a spell. A horrible chill filled Novian’s soul and he gripped his arms in pain. Falling to his knees he began to cry out as agony literally ripped into his soul and stole his breath away. Gasping in panic he tried to breath but could not. Everything became a horrible blur of red mist and agony.

Damien scowled as he paced from one side of the room to the other. It had been a day and a half since he had seen Novian and he was growing worried. The boy had been summoned unexpectedly by one of the masters to begin his lessons again with Saurien. He remembered that Novian had not looked happy about this and had seen the fear in the violet eyes. Damien shook his head angrily and wondered why he cared about the boy so much. The boy was basically his master and he was his slave. No matter how much he disliked the fact he had to obey and follow his orders or be punished. Whatever freedom he once had was gone and he had no choice but to accept it. Snarling in rage he slammed his fist into the wall and felt the skin break. Looking at the bloody red smear on the white wall he took a deep breath. Walking over to one of the tables he picked up the pitcher and poured water into the bowl. Washing the wound, he hissed in pain and after cleaning it he wrapped a bandage around it. It would take a few days to heal and would hurt like hell. Letting out an angry snarl he turned and walked over to the large window. Gazing down into the garden he wondered when the other boy would be back. That man Saurien gave him the creeps and he had a bad feeling about him.

Alex whistled a merry tune as he headed down the hallway towards his rooms. His lessons had gone splendidly today and his master was pleased. At the rate he was going they would probably promote him to journeyman status soon. If he was lucky they might let him travel for a bit and then he would get to explore some. Grinning like a fool he was unprepared when he crashed into someone. Grabbing slim shoulders to steady his balance he blinked in surprise at seeing blue-black hair.

“Wha….Nova?”

The other boy raised his eyes and he let out a gasp. Blood shot violet eyes gazed at him in confusion and agony. The shoulders he held seemed to tremble and spasm. Gazing down at the other he felt a deep sense of worry and disquiet.

“Nova what happened? Are you alright?”

Dazed violet eyes seemed to recognize him before closing in pain.

Novian was exhausted and it was so hard to think. He barely remembered much except that Saurien had told him that he had better obey his lessons from now on or else more torture. The pain filled lessons had seemed to last forever before he had finally fainted. When he had awoken on the cold floor the chamber was empty save for the dead corpse. A part of him was sickened to be near the thing and he had to get out. Trying to stand up had been agonizing and every part of his body ached with pain. It had taken him awhile to finally leave that horrible chamber and walk down the hallway. Lucky for him he had literally ran into Alex and for once he was happy to see the other.

“I thought I told you not to call me that.”

Relief flooded through Alex and he let out a sigh. At least the boy still knew who he was but he had not answered his question. Narrowing his eyes and concentrating, he could just make out left over magic. Someone had been using magic on the other and from what he could tell it had been unpleasant.

“Can you help me back to my rooms? I don’t think I can make it on my own.”

Nodding his head slowly, Alex decided to ask Novian later and find out what happened. Wrapping his arms around the other boy’s waist he helped him down the hall and towards his room. Every step seemed to pain the boy and he trembled every few seconds. Alex felt relieved when they finally arrived at Novian’s room. Opening the door he wasn’t to surprised to see the slave Damien gazing at them. Ignoring the other for now he helped Novian over to the bed and layed him down.

“What happened?”

Looking up into concerned black eyes he shook his head and looked back down at Novian. The boy appeared barely conscious and was falling asleep.

“I don’t know. I found him like this out in the hallways and he didn’t tell me.”

Damien watched as Alex brushed back the hair from the other’s forehead. Violet eyes gazed at them in pain before closing in exhaustion. He had been surprised and alarmed when the two boys had stumbled into the room. Alex had looked concerned and Novian in agony. He wondered what had happened to the violet-eyed boy and why he had been gone so long. He could see the traces of magic on Novian’s body and wondered about it. Somehow he knew that it had to have been Saurien since he was suppose to be training under him.

“It was Saurien wasn’t it?”

He watched as Alex stiffened and then shrug.

“I don’t know but it could have been. Novian might have been punished for refusing to learn necromancy but I am unsure.”

Alex refused to look him in the eye and he knew he might be lying. Somehow he knew that the other boy suspected it had been Saurien and no other master that had done this.

The blond hair was brushed back impatiently before blue eyes bored into his.

“If he would just learn the arts then this wouldn’t have happened. I don’t understand why he will not just practice them and obey the masters.”

Alex wasn’t too sure why he had said that especially to Novian’s slave. Maybe he just needed to say what he had been thinking or tell it to someone. A hand settled on his shoulder and he gazed up into black eyes.

“Perhaps because he doesn’t want to learn it and never will. Did you know that he could practice the healing arts?”

He was surprised and gazed back at Novian. Alex had never known this nor had he ever seen the other heal someone. Come to think of it he didn’t know the other boy that well at all. Novian was mostly a loner and didn’t like to talk about himself very much.

“No I didn’t.”

The black haired man watched the other quietly before letting out a sigh.

“Perhaps learning necromancy goes against everything he was taught and abides by. If he does learn and practice it, then maybe he thinks he will be betraying everything he knows.”

Alex closed his eyes at the soft-spoken words and wondered if Damien was right. If Novian didn’t start to learn soon, then he would be punished again. Somehow he knew that the other boy would keep refusing and that didn’t bode well. He needed time to think about what had been said but couldn’t do it here. Standing up he headed for the door and opened it.

“I will be back later so watch over him ok?”

Not waiting for an answer he quietly left the room and walked down the hallway. Arriving in his room a few minutes later he leaned against the closed door. Blue eyes gazed at the floor and he let out a sigh. He wondered how much longer Novian was going to rebel and what would happen if he never gave in.

Violet eyes opened slowly before closing in pain. The very light hurt his eyes and so did everything else. He wasn’t too sure where he was or if it even mattered.

“Why is it that every time I see you lately it is either in pain or unconscious? One would wonder if you do this on purpose or not.”

A hand brushed his bangs from his forehead and then a wet cloth was placed there.

“Sorry I didn’t do this on purpose and I don’t really like pain.”

Novian was surprised at how hoarse his voice was and how much it hurt to talk. He opened his eyes to slits and saw Damien leaning over him. Black eyes were regarding him thoughtfully and he wondered what the other was thinking.

“Don’t try and talk. It seems that you strained your voice somehow and it will take a few days before you can speak properly.”

Novian nodded and knew he was right. He remembered that during his time with Saurien, he had screamed until he was hoarse and breathless.

“What happened for you to come back in this state?”

Violet eyes widened at the question and then glanced away. He didn’t want to reveal what had happened or even remember it.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

The violet eyes would not meet his own and he knew that they were filled with anguish. Damien wasn’t to surprised, when he didn’t want to speak about it or even remember. If Novian didn’t speak out what happened now then the pain and fear would haunt him forever.

“Well you need to talk about it or it will never leave you alone.”

The boy stiffened and he could feel the tension radiating off him. Violet eyes glared at him and he could see the rage in there depths.

“I said I don’t want to talk about it so leave me alone!”

Glaring back at the boy Damien felt extremely pissed and decided to leave the room. Walking towards the door he opened it but stopped at the threshold.

“When your ready to talk and stop acting like a child then call me. Until then I am going out for some much needed fresh air.”

Damien didn’t even wait for Novian to respond and slammed the door. He stalked down the hallway and everyone scurried when they saw his murderous expression. Muttering to himself he walked outside and hurried over to the gardens. It was deserted at this time of day and he was glad. Walking over to one of the cherry trees, he leaned against it and took a deep breath. Damien couldn’t figure out why the other angered him so easily or why he even cared about him period. It was frightening and so confusing. All his life he hadn’t had a care in the world and it been turned upside down since he had been captured. Slavery had been a horrible thing but he had learned how to accept it. But it wasn’t until he met his new master Novian that things had gotten complicated.

Forming a claw he slashed at the tree in rage and watched it bleed maroon sap. He should have been concerned if someone saw him do this but he didn’t care. All he cared about was getting rid of these emotions and returning to his cold bloodied existence. Letting out a snarl he retracted the claw and fell to his knees. Covering his face with his hands, he wept blood red tears and wondered if he would ever be free?

Novian had watched Damien slam the door and was angry himself. He hadn’t felt this enraged in a long while and he let it distract him. Somehow he knew that he would have to deal with what happened with Saurien but not now. Violet eyes glowed in rage and he cursed violently. How dare his slave talk to him in such a manner and even demand he answer to him. Wasn’t he suppose to be the master and the other his slave? Crawling out of bed was agony but it had to be done. The whole room spun around him and he felt nauseated. Shaking this off he staggered over to the door and threw it open. It slammed against the wall and he noticed a few people freeze in the hallway. Glaring at them he straighted up and walked down the hallway. It was hard to stay on his feet or even walk straight, but he would be damned if he showed any weakness. A girl stopped in front of him and he recognized the black pigtails.

“Master can I help you with anything?”

He could see and hear the concern in the girl’s voice. Somehow she knew he was in pain and he wondered how.

“Yes you can Syphia. Did you see which way my slave Damien went off too?”

“I am not to sure but I think he want to the gardens. He seemed very angry and didn’t notice when I called out to him.”

Not even responding to this Novian headed towards the garden in determination. He still burned with anger and ignored his pain filled body. Stepping outside he limped over to the gardens and slid to a halt.

He watched in shock as his slave’s hand turned into a claw and ripped into the tree. Bark and sap flew into the air. He continued to watch as the claws disappeared and then blood red tears appeared on Damien’s face.

“What are you?”

Novian watched as the red head jerked in surprise and looked at him. Shock was prominent in those black eyes and agony. Damien seemed like he was about to say something but then froze. Watching the black eyes glance behind him in fear, Novian closed his eyes in weariness. A hand settled over his shoulder and then he was jerked against a cold body.

“Now that’s what we would all like to know.”

Chapter 5: Secrets Revealed

Black eyes glared at the older man and if looks could kill. Saurien was looking very smug and smirked at him. He noticed that Novian had his eyes closed but then he opened them. The boy was glaring at him and had a look of betrayal in his eyes. Damien had never wanted the other to find out what he was and even if he did not in this manner. He didn’t like the calculating look the older man was wearing and narrowed his eyes. Novian was suddenly thrown towards him and he caught the boy before he fell. Blue-black hair fell around them and it distracted him. Hearing the man chanting, Damien cursed and spun around. Magic slammed into his back and it was agonizing. Everything seemed to slow down and then he collapsed. He could here Novian’s pain filled grunt but it was too hard to focus. The last thought he had before blacking out was that they were in big trouble.

A door was opened and two males were shoved into a dark room. The two sprawled onto the floor and then the door slammed shut. Footsteps paced across the room and then someone whispered a few words. The room became dimly lit and showed three people in the room.

Violet eyes squinted at the light and didn’t really focus to well. Novian’s whole body still hurt from his earlier punishment and being thrown around didn’t help. A moan beneath him made him realize that he was laying on someone. Looking down he noticed red hair covering a tan face and that the other appeared half conscious. Reaching out a hand, Novian brushed back the silky strands and watched black eyes slowly open.

“Well isn’t that touching.”

Sitting up, Novian turned and glared at his master. The red-eyed man leaned against the far wall and was regarding them a little to intently.

“Why did you bring us here master Saurien?”

“To find out what your friend is of course Novian, why else?”

He was a bit curious as well but it was to bad that Saurien had found out. Another moan distracted his attention and he glanced back down. Black eyes were looking around in confusion and finally settled on him.

“Where are we?”

Damien was a bit surprised at how faded his voice sounded and it was difficult to talk. Everything was sort of hazy and the last thing he remembered was being in the garden. Violet eyes were regarding him suspiciously and with much curiosity.

“You are in the chambers were we students are taught lessons on necromancy or punished if they are disobedient. But I didn’t bring you two here for that.”

Black eyes widening in surprise, Damien sat up and glanced pass Novian. He didn’t know the other man was in the same room until he had spoken those cold words. The old man was regarding him like some kind of pet or something worse. It made him feel cold and a little irritated.

“Then what did you bring us here for?”

“To find out what you truly are.”

He watched as the old man smirked at him and then started to walk towards them. A red glow began to form on the master’s hands and swirled around his body.

“I have a feeling slave that you are not human but in fact something more demonic. Am I right?”

The old man stopped a few steps away and gazed down at them. Damien regarded the other for a moment and shook his head in denial. What was he going to do? He couldn’t tell Saurien that he was in fact a demonic unicorn because he didn’t trust the man.

“No I am not.”

Saurien smiled cruelly down at the two males and saw their eyes widened. The red haired slave had just lied to him but he knew that he hit the mark. Novian’s slave had revealed a claw hand earlier and only something powerful could rip into that tree and make it bleed. Reaching out with his magic he snatched Novian away and held him. He felt the other boy squirm against him and then go limp. Grasping the boy firmly by the neck he let a little magic leak through and Novian shrieked in pain. Black eyes narrowed at him in rage and Saurien smiled in satisfaction.

“Either you reveal your true form to me or my poor student will have to suffer.”

Novian weakly dangled in his master grasp, and panted in pain. The magically attack still ran through his body and everything hurt worse then before. Blinking blearily he could barely focus on Damien who was gazing up at them in rage.

“So be it.”

Hearing Damien all but snarl those words he looked at the man and blinked. Black and red magic swirled around the other and then consumed him. He was unsure why there was dark magic swirling around his slave but he didn’t like it. Novian feebly tried to struggle free but was to weak. The arm around his waist clutched him tighter and he let out a moan.

“Stop struggling you fool and watch!”

An eerie scream echoed in the chambers and then everything went white. Hearing Saurien chuckle coldly, Novian tried to get his eyes to focus and gasped. A red stallion had appeared were Damien had once stood. Long bat like wings draped over its body and two huge horns curved down from his head and a smaller one was in the center. Evilness radiated off the creature and red eyes glared at them. Novian could see the hatred in those eyes and let out a gasp. All this time his slave had not been human, but was in fact a demonic.

“So this is your true from then, splendid!”

Tossing back his long red mane Damien wanted to crush the human. He hated how he had to reveal his true form so soon and it was because he was weak. And the reason for that was in the arms of Saurien and the boy was gazing at him in shock. He couldn’t tell if the boy was terrified of his true form or still in pain because of the master.

“Change back now.”

Snarling in rage he gathered the dark forces and felt the change take place. Standing on two feet again he watched Saurien and waited. He couldn’t do anything as long as the other man held Novian hostage. Suddenly magic slammed into him and he hit the wall hard. Chains wrapped around his wrists, ankles, and neck. Glaring across the room he saw the satisfied smirk on the master’s face and bared his teeth. He watched as Saurien petted Novian’s long blue-black hair and then smirked at him.

“Looks like I have another pet to obey me.”

Master Saurien laughed harshly and then threw Novian to the ground. The boy let out a pain filled gasp and collapsed. Chains wrapped around him and attached to the other wall.

“I will be back later, until then keep each other company!”

They both watched, as the man walked out of the room and then all was silent. Novian curled into a ball and panted. It seemed like his world was one pain filled and screwed up mess. He wondered if it could get any worse then this or maybe it could. Closing his eyes he let everything fade away and fainted.

Syphia watched Saurien walk down the hallway with a happy smile. It gave her the creeps and she wondered what he was so cheerful about. Shrugging her shoulders she decided not to dwell on that and finish her chores.

“Syphia!”

Whirling around at her name, she saw that it was Alex running towards her. His blue eyes were flashing in concern and his blond hair was in disarray. She wondered what was wrong and had a feeling of dread.

“What is it master Alex?”

“Have you seen Nova or Damien?”

“Not since early when they both went into the gardens, but that was hours ago.”

Alex cursed under his breath and wondered were they were. He had checked both the gardens and Novian’s quarters. Neither of them was there and he was uneasy. Novian would have been too weak to travel to far and Damien would not have let him. Something wasn’t right about this and he was not happy.

“You know what’s odd? I saw master Saurien earlier and he looked a wee bit to happy to me.”

“Happy?”

“Yes it was really creepy and seemed out of place.”

Cursing himself for a fool he somehow knew that maybe Saurien had them both. Coming up with a plan wasn’t going to be easy but then again. Grabbing the slave by the hand he started to sprint down the hallway and towards Saurien rooms.

“Wait where are we going?”

Glancing at the confused slave, Alex shrugged and then smiled.

“To find out just why Saurien is so smug and were my friends might be.

Syphia was totally confused but then again all the masters were weird.

Chapter 6: At last freedom

Darkness surrounded the two of them as they walked along the dark corridor. Spider webs hung from the ceiling and dust covered the floor. The stopped near one of the walls and felt around. Magic was chanted softly and section of the wall faded a bit.

“Won’t he be able to see us?”

The blond haired boy shook his head and smiled at his companion.

“Not as long as were are quiet then he will never know.”

The girl was about to reply when they heard the bedroom door open.

Saurien walked into the room and he was very pleased. Walking over to the mirror, he placed a hand against the cool surface and then started to chant. A murky image came into view and hooded figure came into shape.

“What do you want human mage?”

“I have some interesting news and I know that you will be pleased.”

The cloaked figure raised his head slightly and you could see glowing yellow eyes. They appeared unworldly and chaotic. The creature pushed its hood back to reveal an ugly image. Green scales covered its face, it had short broken horns on its head, and a grin showed rows of sharp yellow teeth.

“Get on with it human, I do not have time to be waiting all day.”

“I have captured a creature called a demonic unicorn and we could use it to control Novian.”

He could see the other creature’s start in surprise and could feel its hatred. Most of the demonic species were allies, neutral, or enemies. Wars were known to break out between them and the usually lasted decades.

“Interesting indeed for I haven’t seen one in ages and they are considered my mortal enemies. Do you think the boy will obey?”

“Yes he will or else I will make his slave suffer. The boy does still have some compassion inside and we could use that against him.”

“That is true and then I can finally escape my prison. Good work Saurien, once I am free you will be rewarded just as I promised.”

Saurien watched the mirror return too normal and smirked. His plans were going splendidly and he was pleased. Once he had Novian under his total control he would use him to also conquer his so called master. Letting out a dark chuckle, he turned around and left the room.

“I cannot believe he is messing with one of the Dracians or even why?”

Syphia glanced at Alex before glancing back up at the sky. The two of them had waited for a time in the corridor before slipping quietly out of the secret passage and into the gardens. They had both been shocked by what had been revealed and didn’t know what to do about it.

“Are not Dracians considered evil creatures that will turn on there own companions? And what did he mean that he had a demonic unicorn?”

The boy sighed quietly and nodded at the girl’s question. Very few mages had dealing with Dracians since they were intelligent and cunning creatures. To even deal with a demon was dangerous and to even trust one was stupid. What made him even more suspicious were there plans to control Novian and what they were going to use him for. It had something to do with that creature in the mirror and he didn’t like it.

“Come on!”

“Huh?”

The girl smiled down at him and jerked him to his feet. Dragging him back into the tower she headed down the hallway.

“Where are we going?”

“Why to find Damien and Novian of course. You do want to free them from Saurien am I right?’

Nodding his head Alex did but they didn’t even know where they were.

The chains rattled overhead and he jerked against them. He couldn’t free his wrists or anything for that matter. It was very frustrating and he snarled in irritation.

“Still trying to get free?”

Damien could faintly see Novian shifting about and then he sat up. Blue-black hair hid the boy’s expression and he wondered what he was thinking. The boy had barely spoken any words to him since regaining consciousness earlier and he couldn’t blame him.

“Yes but these chains are enchanted and just won’t budge.”

Novian had figured that Saurien would do something like that. Why else would he only leave them chained to the wall and not even in chant the door. He could feel the black eyes gazing at him again but refused to look up. Betrayal lay heavily on his mind and he sighed.

“So when were you going to tell me what you were?”

“Actually never.”

He was surprised and gaped at the other. His slave was regarding him with a sad smile and he wondered about that.

“Why?”

“Because I wanted to escape here someday and not be kept as some pet or worse. I didn’t know when I was captured that I would be sold to the masters here. Otherwise wounded or not I would have tried to escape.”

It did make sense now that Novian had heard his answer. The masters would have done just what the man had said and he would have never been free again. Demonic unicorns were rare in this age or were barely seen outside of their homeland. Many mages considered them prized possession and would do anything to get one. Black eyes gazed into violet and an understanding was reached.

“Besides, I am glad that it is out in the open, although I wouldn’t have wanted to be revealed in this manner.”

There was a faint blush on the demonic’s cheeks and Novian stifled a laugh. He had never seen the other embarrassed before and it was funny. The smile slid off his face when he heard footsteps come closer to the door. It opened with a creek and he sighed in relief.

“Well lookie what we found, two idiots chained to the wall.”

Novian decided to ignore that comment and he was relieved to see Syphia and Alex.

“It takes an idiot to call one an idiot.”

“Why you little…”

“Enough!”

Syphia glared at the two and he had to smile. He was thankful that someone had quieted the other two before they started to bicker. It was bad timing for them to do that since Saurien could be back at any moment. The other two glared at each other before glancing away in a huff. Alex walked over to his chains and began to examine them.

“Can you get me free?”

“Give me a moment.”

The chains around him began to heat up a bit and then broke apart. Novian began to rub his wrist and watched as Damien was freed as well.

“How did you find us?”

Alex helped him rise and smirked at him.

“I use to get sent to theses rooms a lot when I was younger and thought that Saurien would stick you here. Nobody really uses theses rooms much anymore and so it would be the perfect place to hide someone.”

It did make sense and he wondered briefly what Alex had done to get sent here. Leaving those thoughts for later they opened the door and quietly left the room.

“Now that were are free how do we get out of here?”

Everyone gazed at Damien but was unsure what to say to that one. Footsteps echoed down the hallway and Alex cursed.

“Shit we need to get out now! I bet that’s Saurien and he won’t be pleased to see you two free.”

They began to frantically look for a way out when Syphia noticed another set of stairs.

“Guys this way!”

The three males rushed after her and ran up the stairs. Seeing a door coming closer, Syphia grabbed the handle and pushed it open. She stumbled to a halt and let out gasp. They were outside of the tower and there was no were to go. A small fence encircled the tower roof and the ground was far below. The scenery was gorgeous up here and you could see for miles.

“Oh no were trapped.”

“Now that’s an understatement of the year.”

She glared at Alex and then looked at the others. Damien’s eyes were half closed and he was standing by the rail. Novian was leaning against him and she could see he was tired.

“We can escape but only if you three want to come with me.”

All eyes turned to him and Damien smiled.

“What do you mean?”

He gazed down at Novian and then looked to the sky.

“I can change my form and fly us out here. You must choose now because he is coming.”

Looking down into violet eyes he saw that Novian understood what was not being said. He would leave them if he must because he would not become someone’s pet or slave again. The other two were asking him what he meant but he ignored them. Taking a few steps back from the boy he called the dark forces and changed forms. The other two gasped in shock and Novian regarded him thoughtfully.

“Choose now humans.”

Violet eyes closed in exhaustion and then opened again. Novian was so tired of everything and just wanted to be free. He knew that if he didn’t except Damien’s offer then the other would leave them. Some how he knew that Saurien wouldn’t be pleased and they would all be punished. Walking over to the demonic he threw his arms around its neck.

“I choose to go with you.”

Red eyes looked down at the human and he snorted. He didn’t really want to leave the other behind and he was relieved. That didn’t stop the irritating thoughts of why he even cared if the human came.

“And we will come with you as well.”

Alex strode over to him and smirked.

“After all I can’t let Nova run off with out me and not with you.”

He decided to ignore that comment and lowered his wings.

“Then let us depart quickly, because he comes.”

Novian mounted first, then Syphia, and finally Alex. Feeling them settle down he turned around and then jumped over the rail. And not a moment to soon because the door banged open and there was an enraged yell. Damien ignored this and continued to freefall. He could here the girl screaming and Novian’s arms tightened around his neck. Opening his wings with a snap he flew high into the air. Flapping them a few times he circled the tower once and saw Saurien gazing up them.

“This isn’t over Demonic! I will hunt you and Novian down!”

He could hear the angry human’s shouts but ignored him. Opening his muzzle he neighed out to the world and rejoiced. His was finally free and he would never be a slave again. Gliding on the air current they quickly left the tower and flew over the forest.

“Where are we going Damien?”

Novian laid his head on the stallion’s neck and waited for him to reply. He couldn’t believe that they had escaped and he was free. The other two shifted behind him and he knew they were listening.

“A place I know not far from here were we can rest and make plans. Now rest and be at peace.”

Closing his eyes he felt relieved at theses words and hope for the first time in a long while.

Epilogue:

Gazing across the lake he let out a contented sigh and tossed his head. The wind blew his red mane back and it made him feel relaxed. It had been so long since he had been free and able to be in his natural form. Hearing footsteps behind him he cocked an ear back and waited for the other to speak.

“So what are you planning to do now Damien?”

He pondered over the question and watched Novian stop beside him. The boy still appeared exhausted since their escape from Fortitude tower. It had taken many days to leave the tower behind and find a safe place. Very few humans knew of theses woods or would even venture here. It was a magical place and was filled with many dangers to the unwise.

“I am unsure of that myself Novian, but I plan on getting as far away from Fortitude as I can. I do not trust Saurien or his Dracian companion.”

“I have to agree with you there.”

Novian closed his eyes and let out a sigh. During there escape from the tower Alex and Syphia had filled them in on Saurien’s plans and the mysterious creature in the mirror. For some reason they wanted him and none of them knew why. The one thing they did know was that Novian needed to get as far away from the masters as possible.

“What about you Novian? Do you know what you are going to do yet?”

That was a good question and one that he didn’t know how to answer. He could always head home but then Saurien would probably know this and head there. And of course he didn’t want to endanger his family or cause them any problems.

“Maybe just wander for a while since I have no where to go.”

Damien didn’t respond to that and he glanced at him. The demonic was gazing across the lake still and had his eyes half closed. He really was a beautiful creature with his red mane, midnight black body, and long horns and wings. Novian was still awed that his slave had hidden his true form for so long and that he had never know this. The noble head turned towards him and black eyes regarded him curiously.

“Then come with me.”

The demonic watched Novian eyes widened and he could see the surprise. He wasn’t to sure why he wanted the boy to even come with him and for that he needed to it figure out. Ever since he had become the others slave he had began to change and he wasn’t to sure if it was for the better.

“But why?”

Snorting he turned and stepped closer to the boy. He watched the other tremble slightly but Novian didn’t back away. Stepping closer he laid his muzzle on the others back and pushed him into his chest. He felt the boy stumble and grab his neck for balance. Closing his black eyes he forced the change and magic swirled around them. He heard Novian gasp in surprise and smirked. Tightening his human arms around the other waist for a moment he stepped back slightly. Violet eyes gazed up into his in confusion and surprise. Leaning down he kissed Novian softly on the lips and felt a spark flare between them.

“Because I want to know why when I touch you I feel a strange spark between us. And perhaps just because I want you too.”

Violet eyes blinked dazedly before clearing up at the soft-spoken words.

Novian smiled softly and shook his head. He was just as curious himself and he was glad that the other was too.

“I would like to know that myself.”

“Well now since that is settled where do we go from here?”

They both jumped and gazed over at there other two companions. Alex looked jealous as hell and Syphia was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Stepping away from Damien, Novian nodded and gazed back at his slave. Reaching up he touched the silver bangle around the demonic’s neck and watched as all three vanished. Damien’s eyes widened in surprise and he looked at Novian. Blue-black hair was pushed back and violet eyes smiled up at him. Turning back to his companions Novian shrugged.

“Lets just wander for a time and figure that out later ok?”

Title: The Demonic Chronicles

Author: Tereasa Holt