Chapter 1
The large double doors creaked opened as a man and woman pushed their way in. The dust fall from above, showering the man and woman with it. They walked through the hall, a very grand hall that had once seen it's splendor back in its days. The beautifully carved pillars of dragons and demonic beasts that was a mixture of different animals had cracks, dirt and even blood stains on them. The jewels on the stone pillars that were once the eyes of these magnificent beasts faded and looked worn out. The shine of these stones were no more. The two looked at the ceiling covered with webs and large amount of dust.
The grand steps leading to a throne room had rubbish scattered around, broken swords and glasses laid strewn about. The young woman counted the steps. Roughly, it was about fifty steps leading up to the throne. The throne was made of pure gold and of a rare stone. But the throne has lost its shine after so many years of neglect and isolation. The young woman noticed that most of the furnitures still remained even though they were made of expensive wood and some even of gold and silver. She had expected those furnitures to be looted and the whole palace to be emptied out.
The man examined the walls. The walls had shown it's history of war, battle and death. The large curtains hanging from the high ceilings and reaching to the ground were faded and had large holes in them. He spotted some bite marks, very large bite marks as if the palace was once attacked by beasts and demon monsters. He even spotted blood stains on the curtains. Someone must have died here. He made a note to himself that this palace could be haunted. He walked up the steps, breathing in the fresh air that poured in from the two high windows on the right and left side of the wall. He inhaled the air, thinking about his duties and responsibilities, then he exhaled slowly, with a strange light in his eyes.
"Is this place even livable? Those people should have clean up the palace before electing you as the Demon Emperor, " the woman said with her arms folded across her chest. She looked at the palace with eyes full of disdain and contempt. "We don't have a choice. We'll just make do with it right now," the man replied turning to face his younger sister. "And let me say this," the woman's voice complained,"The commoners and people out there treated you like dirt. The palace they gave you is full of dirt and debris and......blood." She eyed a pillar with obvious blood stains on it. "Damon, what's your plan?" "Well, my dear sister, I've made a decision," Damon proudly said. "I'll make this place grand and glorified! Like in its old days! I'll show those who despised and looked down us how magnificent, how powerful, how unstoppable we are!" Damon spread his arms wide open as if he was going to fly to the sky. "That's the spirit. You gotta find some people to help with the renovation," she pointed to the mess around. "Dapheney, my dear sister, are you willing to follow me and assist me, your brother The Demon Emperor, through this hardships?" Damon extended a hand to Dapheney. Dapheney smiled brightly and took his hand. "Yes, my lord. I'm willing," she bowed before him.
The two siblings got to work. Damon renovated the Daemon Palace, a huge grand palace that serves as the living quarters and work place of the demon emperor and his subordinates. The subordinates of a demon emperor are other demon lords and the Left and Right Protectors. The palace had been abandoned for years since the last Demon Emperor died. No one knows what happened that year but many claimed that there was a fierce and violent battle that shook the entire country, thus many villages and towns were now living poverty. Damon stood in front of the double doors of his new palace, his new home. He wore the official attire of the Demon Emperor - a red and gold robe that reaches to his boots, a golden forehead crown with bright green emeralds, red rubies and sky blue diamonds encircling it. Damon had his ancestors sword by his waist, fixed to his belt. Damon had a tall and muscular figure. He had sandy brown hair and deep black eyes.
Well, unfortunately for him, he didn't have any subordinates. Not even a demon lord working under him. I have to start from scratch. What the hell! Damon cursed silently.
His younger sister Dapheney walked passed him carrying some rotten beams. Dapheney was gorgeous looking with smooth sandy brown hair like her brother. She had a beautiful slim figure and small well shaped nose that enhanced her face. She carries a sword with her all day long as if it was part of her. They now needed to build an army, a demon army and they need ministers to work and assist the Demon Emperor. "I have to recruit these people, but how?" Damon wondered. "I'm gonna raise an army," Dapheney said flatly. "What? You're gonna raise an army?" Damon didn't believe her. She had never once in her life train soldiers and commanded men to fight. Not especially in this country where men were regarded as superiors and women were all inferior to men. "I'm not lying, brother. I'll be on my way. We may not be able to see each other for a very long time. I won't be there to support you and fight alongside with you," Dapheney sounded serious. "Alright. I'll be waiting for you. Don't forget not to......," His voice trailed off. "Don't worry I won't. And you won't either," Dapheney bid her farewells and left, her right hand clutching the hilt of her sword as she strided proudly out of the palace.
A servant approached him and offered him a scroll in which he took with more determination than ever. The scroll was a list of names, candidates of people who would take the position of Left Protector and Right Protector. Damon didn't really bother to look properly at the scroll. He tossed the scroll away and it clattered and bounced on the floor. The sound echoed through the empty hall. He already had someone in mind to fill in the position. It might be a bit hard to persuade that person but Damon believed that he would make it. He set out into the dark night towards the Demlock woods. The owl screeched and cried as it hopped from tree to tree. It's huge round black eyes stared at Damon from above as he rode a horse through Demlock woods. Damon finally came to a small clearing in the woods. There stood a wooden house with a little vegetable garden. Damon got off his horse and approached the house. The sun had set and midnight was closing in. He stepped on the threshold which creaked under his weight. He knocked the wooden door. No one answered it. He knocked again but still no answer. So he turned the knob and entered the house. The house was well furnished with tables and chairs, cups and teapots and a shelf full of weapons.
Damon looked at a wall on his right. It had two short axes pinned on the wall forming an X shape. Damon knew he had come to the right place. "Hello? Anyone home?" He called but was returned with silence. There was a sudden movement to his right. Damon turned quickly but saw nothing. Then another movement to his left. He turned once again but still there was nothing. He closed his eyes, focusing on the sound and movements. He had keen senses as he was a demon. He sensed a gush of wind coming right up behind him. In a split second, as fast as lightning Damon turned and caught hold of a person by the neck. He threw the person on table in front of him. Luckily, the table didn't crack from the weight but instead creaked and groaned. His hands were still on the person's neck. "Wait! Wait! Sir, it's me!" A male voice coughed. Damon released his hold realising it was his friend. Mighell White stood up and straightened his clothes. He observed Damon's clothings and finally realised that his old friend had become the demon emperor. "So what brings His majesty the Demon Emperor here to my humble hut?" Mighell White teased his best friend.
"I, the Demon Emperor have come to visit you in hopes that you will humbly accept my imperial edict," Damon took out a golden scroll. White wondered whether if this was something good or bad. He was hesitant about accepting the scroll.
"What are you waiting for? Mighell White, receive the edict!" Damon grinned. He knew what Mighell was thinking about. Mighell eyed the edict suspiciously. He had no choice but to kneel and accept the edict. After all, Damon was the demon emperor and to defy the orders of the demon emperor is courting early death. Mighell wondered, is he walking into his own doom? Is this possibly a start to a new life?
