Before I begin, I'd like to make an apology for taking so long with this chapter. I've been going through a move, so I haven't had the time to write. I've been wanting to for a while, and just never had the time. Now that I have time, here's the next chapter in Tales of the Arcane. Of course, feel free to PM me any questions or to add on to the story. The more chapters, the merrier! With that, enjoy the story of the psychotic Rowan and You, his trusted familiar!
The flight home was very somber. You couldn't speak a word after witnessing an entire country blow up under the hands of your Master. The sheer amount of power displayed by he who is on your back was absurd. You knew he was powerful, but this was pushing your imagination. Then, a crazy thought occurred to you. He stated that you'd be second only to him. Soon, you'll be that powerful as well. Just the possibility of having that much power excited you to no end. Yet, you remained silent. Rowan was still in his "I'm going to kill you" mode, so striking a conversation seemed out of the picture. After a silent minute of flight, things were starting to get boring. The hour long flight was looking to be a boring one. However, Rowan started speaking. "Gannoth, I'd like to tell you more about this world, as you will find it very important." Rowan was still using his very commanding, serious tone.
"What is it Master?" You asked, making sure that you spoke as politely and respectfully as possible. You didn't want Rowan to get angry, even if you were very friendly with him now.
"It may sound completely unthinkable to you, but I can assure you that everything you are about to hear is real." Rowan started. "I can assure you that no books you've read told you about the Gods."
"The Gods?" You asked. "All societies have religions."
"Yes, but none have definitive proof of their existence and role in the world." Rowan continued. "Yet I do. I've seen them with my own eyes. I've felt their presence. They've tried to stop me. Yet, here I am!" He ended it with a chuckle.
"You've seen Gods?" You asked, completely shocked by this revelation. Not much of Kevin's knowledge stayed with you, but the little that did helped you remember what religion was like back at home. You were an atheist, and thought religion was a stupid way for people to find meaning in their lives. Hearing this completely blew your mind. Here, Gods are real. Then, you remembered another thing Rowan said. 'They've tried to stop me'. There's something you don't know about Rowan. "What do you mean that they tried to stop you?" You asked.
"I'll get there." Rowan responded sternly. "There's a lot to this story, so get ready. The pantheon of Gods is made up of many Gods and Goddesses, each with a very different role and set of beliefs. For example, Batrone, the God of Light, is exactly what he sounds like. A God of light, good, and peace. Meanwhile, Valeria, the Goddess of Nature, isn't. She rules over the evil side of Nature. The monsters of the forest, those who dwell in the shadows, they are ruled by her. Some Gods are good. Some Gods are evil. And some, are neither. Many of the Gods refrain from interacting with mortals, while some show them signs of help. Some evil Gods will spread disease, while the good Gods cure them. Up in the heavens, there are many fights among the Gods. They never cease. Meanwhile, down in Hell, there exist many demons and devils. They exist for one purpose: Evil. Sometimes, they get help from the evil Gods, while other times they are shunned. There are many fights among the devils, who are more systematic with their spreading of evil, and the demons, who just want to watch the world burn. Do you understand me so far Gannoth?"
"Yes Master!" You answered immediately.
"Good. As I've told you before, an angel tried to stop my birth. Seeing how he failed, the Gods worked tirelessly to make sure my magic wouldn't awaken. My parents raised me far away from any sort of magical knowledge. Sometimes, I would read about magic, and think it only existed in fairy tales. Obviously, I was wrong. What I didn't tell you was what happened on my 27th birthday." Rowan paused, taking a deep breath. You could tell that this was something he didn't like talking about much. "At that point in my life, I was deep in magical studies. I was nothing like I am now. At one point in the morning, I was whisked into the plane of the Gods. There I was, sitting in front of the Gods. I wasn't quite as 'evil' as I am now. I was still hoping that I would be able to use my power for good, knowing fully that it wasn't a possibility. I quickly knelt, as one should do in front of a being of high authority. I stayed kneeling for quite a long time, waiting for some kind of response. Yet, no such thing happened. Part of me was infuriated. How dare they take someone away, only to ignore them completely. The rage filled my body, and soon, I was attacking the Gods with my magic. The good Gods were horrified. The evil Gods were disgusted. The neutral Gods were shocked. The worst part about the whole ordeal, for them, was that the attack, which hit Batrone, actually caused him harm. I harmed a God with my magic. All of the Gods retaliated before I could realize my... accidental attack. The only other thing I remember from that experience was deflecting every attack, and being sent back to my library. All of the Gods attacked me, and none could land a hit. Yet, my attack harmed Batrone. I wasn't sure what to make of that. Plus, my guide, Falcour, had disappeared long since then. I did some research, and found what I was looking for. There was a book on Falcour, the sorcerer who I am the reincarnation of. It stated that when he got truly angry, his power grew immensely. People wondered if he was a being created by the demons to destroy the Gods. He seemed to have the power to do so. I realized that the I felt towards the Gods gave me that god slaying power. However, I was too weak to do any major damage. I still feel that I am too weak to truly harm the Gods. Two days later, I was sitting, studying again. Once again, I was whisked away from my studies, yet found myself in a completely different place. It was terrifying. Fire, lava, and violence everywhere. Now, it would almost seem like home, but back then I was still a novice at magic, and had no defensive capabilities like I do now. What greeted me was a demon. He was also terrifying. It was a man with gray skin, horns, pointed ears, claws, and terrifying black wings. The wings were actually the reason I was first scared of your Angel of Death form. It reminded me of him. He told me that I was doing well, and gave me the ring of dark magic. He then explained to me what I exactly was. A bringer of chaos and destruction. But, also he who will make the Gods bow down to him."
"Whoa!" You exclaimed, almost hitting a tree in your flying. "Sorry Master. Very caught up in the story."
"I can see that." Rowan smiled. "Anyway, the demon explained that my power will soon be so great that I will rule over the Gods themselves, and truly become the Lord of Everything. It's all destiny. I'm still not sure whether to believe him or not, but he did give me the ring. I think, judging by that, he could truly believe that. Considering that a Demon Lord said it, I believe it. But that's for the future."
"So the Demon Lord said that you'll basically become a God?" You asked, clarifying.
"That's one interpretation of it." Rowan answered. "It seems that I have demonkind on my side of the battle. A battle that I will not lose."
"Battles like that of Firenze?" You asked.
"That wasn't a battle, Gannoth." Rowan laughed with an slight evil tone. "That was a massacre."
"Yeah." You chuckled, a small plume of fire coming out of your mouth. "Oops."
"It's fine. Most dragons do it." Rowan laughed. The rest of the flight home had a much more friendly vibe to it. There was conversation, planning, and jokes.
When you made it back to the castle, you noticed a figure at the gate. "Master? Someone's at the gate." You stated, remembering that Rowan doesn't like visitors.
"It's okay Gannoth." Rowan smiled. "He's welcome anytime." You were incredibly confused.
"What do you mean? Who is he?" You asked confusedly.
"He's a demon, and my personal messenger to the Lord of Demons." Rowan explained. "As I said, the demons are my allies, and my friends. Ready to meet a demon?"
"I guess." You responded hesitantly. Of course you were afraid! Demons are scary!
"Don't be afraid Gannoth. You are far more powerful than this demon. The only thing he can do that you can't is travel between the realms of demons and humans." Rowan assured you, making you smile a bit.
"Okay. If you say so." You said, reassuring yourself. Rowan's word is final. If he tells you to be scared, then you are scared. If he tells you to be calm, you remain calm. "Where should I land?"
"Right next to him. He knows you're here." Rowan answered. You obeyed your master and landed next to the demon. Getting a closer look at him, you noticed that he looked very animalistic. Specifically goat-like. Horns similar to a goat, hooved feet, but with a distinctly humanoid appearance. Your landing right next to him did not faze him at all.
"Greetings. You must be Gannoth." The demon smiled, introducing himself politely.
"Yes, I am Gannoth. Lord Rowan Tyrell's familiar." You replied, changing into your human form. It felt good to be on two feet again. Once the transformation was complete, you greeted the demon with a handshake. "Nice to meet you." The demon understood the gesture, and completed the handshake. You noticed that his hand seemed very human, but with goat fur. He was almost an anthropomorphic goat, but with a bit more human than normal.
"Pleasure to meet you to." The demon smiled. "The name is Akh'tar. It's difficult for those who do not speak the language of demons."
"Well, I can always learn it." You laughed. "Considering my Master's friendship with demons, I should soon."
"Should be easy for a Royal Irontail." Akh'tar responded.
"Well, I'm glad you two got to meet each other." Rowan interrupted. "Is there anything I need to know Akh'tar?"
"Yes My Lord. Archdemon Zebulon would like to have a word with you." Akh'tar answered. "He said it is important."
"Tell him I will be there shortly, with my familiar." Rowan stated. "We just need to eat a quick celebratory meal. Just destroyed our first country."
"Congratulations!" Akh'tar beamed. "Took long enough."
"Well, you know how it is." Rowan laughed. "See you soon Akh'tar."
"See you soon My Lord." Akh'tar said, disappearing into thin air. Rowan motioned you to follow him into the castle, which you of course did. When you got inside, the two of you immediately walked to the dining room, where you had a veritable feast. During this meal, Rowan explained demon society, and his relation to them. You were shocked to hear that he was respected at the same level as the Demon Lords. The only being of higher authority than them is Archdemon Zebulon, who summoned him. Rowan stated that Zebulon was the demon he met when he was 27, and is still frightened of him sometimes. That caused you to be alarmed. If your master was scared of Zebulon, then why shouldn't you be?
After lunch, Rowan detailed the proper etiquette for speaking with the Archdemon, and you set off to the realm of the demons. Rowan's hands glowed black, and a large, black portal appeared. "This is the portal to the plane of the demons. Ready Gannoth?" Rowan stated.
"Yes." You answered, trembling slightly.
"Relax Gannoth. The Archdemon will not do anything to harm you if you act respectfully." Rowan smiled. "Let's go." The two of you walked through the portal, and into the hellish landscape of Yaartor, The Realm of Demons. Once you were in, you made no hesitation to get to the castle of the Archdemon. The demons at the gate did not even flinch at opening the gate for Rowan, but did ask him about you. When he explained that you were his familiar, they let you through.
Soon, you were in the throne room of the Archdemon. It was a large room made of a fiery, red brick. Surrounding the walls were many ornate, but macabre peaces of art. Paintings, tapestries, and statues all depicting various horrific scenes. The ceiling was decorated with a large, gold chandelier. Directly in front of you was a large, golden throne. Sitting in it was not what you were expecting. Rather than a terrifying demon, he seemed rather human-like. His eyes were a solid red, with black pupils. His skin was a blueish-gray, and very well maintained. His hair was a vibrant red with some white streaks. He had very defined and attractive features, and a very well built body. His wings were very demonic looking. Large, black, bat like wings that could get him quite far. You couldn't really tell why he terrified your master so much. You found him quite handsome! (The picture I'm basing him off of:
) Once you were the appropriate distance away from him, you and Rowan knelt down. Then, he started talking.
"Lord Tyrell!" He boomed. Now you realized why Rowan was scared of this man, or demon. His presence made Rowan's seem tiny. "It's wonderful to see you again."
"It's wonderful to see you too Your Grace." Rowan responded. "For what purpose did you summon me?" When Rowan was done asking the question, he stood up. You did as well, mimicking Rowan's actions.
"First of all, I heard that you've obtained a familiar." Archdemon Zebulon stated, his voice containing more power than Rowan used against Firenze. "Would you care to introduce him?"
"Of course." Rowan responded respectfully, walking towards you. "Your Grace, this is Gannoth Tyrell, my familiar. Currently, he is not in his usual form, as it is rather inconvenient for occasions like this."
"It is an honor to meet you, Your Grace." You said, bowing your head to the Archdemon.
"Tell me about yourself Gannoth." The Archdemon commanded.
"Of course, Your Grace." You responded. "My Master gifted me with the power to transform into any form I desire. My usual form is that of a Royal Irontail dragon, but due to its size and posture, it is inconvenient for occasions such as this one, as my Master stated. I am currently learning the magic that my Master has mastered, so that I may aid him in his goals, and be a truly invaluable familiar. My purpose is to serve my Master, and I wish to do so as best as I can."
"Very well spoken Gannoth." The Archdemon smiled.
"Thank you, Your Grace." You said, bowing your head once more.
"May I see some of your other forms?" The Archdemon asked.
"Of course, Your Grace." You replied, transforming into your dragon form. After some time in this form, you switched to the Phoenix, which the Archdemon seemed to like. Finally, you turned into the Angel of Death, and the Archdemon seemed to be very interested. After being in each form for about 30 seconds, you finally switched back to your human form. "Each form has different capabilities, and I use each one in different occasions. For example, my last form, which I call Angel of Death, replaces all of my magical capabilities with capabilities of Dark Magic, effectively making a master of Dark Magic. However, I do not quite have the level of mastery that my master has." You explained.
"I understand. Now, the main reason why I called you here is simple." The Archdemon started...
End of Chapter
Llamas2000
CLIFFHANGER!!! What was the reason for the Archdemon to call Rowan? That's for you to decide!