The Demon Prince's Possession

As the first snowflake settled, it whispered secrets of a winter tale waiting to unfold. A tale which would either rebuild civilisation or bring about mass destruction.

Somewhere within this tale, within the confines of a pitch-black cave shrouded in legend, lies an ancient statue that has long been forgotten by the sands of time.

Its origins are shrouded in secrecy, with some claiming it to be a work of human hands, while others believe it to be the result of a more sinister force at work. According to one particularly dark tale, the statue was once a living, breathing woman who had committed an unforgivable sin and was subsequently punished by being transformed into a stone monument, doomed to spend eternity in a state of petrification.

However, some believe that this was no mere act of vengeance but rather a just act of retribution for the woman’s own misdeeds. It is said that she harboured a deep, malevolent darkness within her, one that, if ever unleashed, had the potential to bring about the destruction of all life as we know it. And so, the woman was turned to stone, forever frozen in time.

These three ancient tales, lost to time, were left with the unanswered question of which one was to be believed.

The statue of a woman trapped behind unbreakable stone serves as a secret that may never be solved. Was the woman innocent or guilty? Was she righteous or unjust? The truth behind this enigma remains shrouded in a veil of uncertainty.

As the howling wind made its way through the narrow opening of the cave, it seemed to awaken the vines that had been comfortably wrapping around the stone throne like a cosy blanket for millennia. And there, sitting atop that throne, was the stone figure, with its concealed eyes that seemed to stare deep into the very being of anyone who dared to look.

You could see one of two things if you gazed long enough into those lost, unblinking eyes.

The first narrative those eyes told was that of an innocent woman with a broken soul, calling out to be set free from her confines. It was a plea for help, a desperate cry for someone to come to her aid and offer her salvation.

On the other hand, those same eyes could also tell a much darker story.

They could speak of someone cruel, holding malevolent intent in their heart. With just a glance, it could make your skin crawl and your deepest nightmares morph into something new and terrifying.

No matter how you looked at it, those eyes were like the windows to the soul of the stone woman. They held within them a story, waiting for someone brave enough to unravel its mysteries and discover the truth.

Two Decades ago, an angel rose from the ashes and with her revival, she bought a new world, a new way of life for every living creature. In that new world came harmony and peace; she was feared yet widely respected.

A world, once separated into three, was now united as one.

Life was forever changed, or so we thought…

20 years ago

Damien

“Damien!” Grace screamed my name, holding my hand in a vice grip.

I could barely feel my fingertips at this point as she was pushed to the brink of pain and exhaustion from the most protected and loved soul in the world.

Our son.

“One last push,” the midwife spoke calmly between Grace’s raised thighs.

She took a deep breath and pushed one last time; silence ensued in the room for a moment as we awaited the sweet, newborn cries of our son.

Cerberus Crow.

Before I knew it, Grace cradled a swaddle of blankets, peering down with the most loving, nurturing eyes I had ever seen.

I leaned closer, hearing the cries slowly turn to light cooing and saw a fuzz of black hair. His cute button nose and small, heart-shaped lips almost melted my heart.

I have never felt such a protective need for anyone other than Grace until now.

I felt whole.

My other half, the reason for returning me from the shadows and the edge of no return, gifted me with the best thing life could offer.

Grace peeked up at me, her eyes puffy and glossy.

“Meet our baby boy,” she spoke softly as she passed him to me.

I had never been so gentle; it was a feeling I had yet to get used to.

As I held my son, who was so delicate and fragile, his entire hand intertwined with my pinkie. He clutched it with a strength that could only be compared to a light tickle, which made me let out a small chuckle.

My boy.

The next, and first, in line to the throne of both the Angels and the Demons.

The only one in all of existence.

No one knew what he was.

No one knew what he was capable of or the full extent of his powers.

Some would bow to him with unfathomable loyalty out of fear or admiration.

Others would be scared and try to hunt him down.

But one thing I knew for sure…

I would die for my son a million times over before I let anyone harm a singular follicle on his skin.

The Demon of Darkness with a lighter heart but deadlier when wielded if necessary.

6 years later

Grace

Cerberus was playing with one of the boys from the orphanage as I handed over some old items that belonged to him before he outgrew them.

In the six years that have passed, much reform has happened. The orphanages were no longer places where innocent children were trained and educated to be separated into specific factions. Now, children of all races were able to live a happy life, away from the stigma of being educated to serve hand-and-foot on Demons from 16 till an early grave.

“Thank you, Grace, you have already given so much to the children,” Adalie, my best friend, thanked me as I handed over the last of the boxes.

Through the years, Adalie decided she wanted to help the orphanages in her spare time; her natural talent was spent making new outfits as a seamstress with Lisa, a fellow friend from the rebel faction.

It seemed like yesterday when Lisa made my gown for the ball when Damien and I found out we were bound to one another; The day my life changed and the beginning of a new era.

“Mamma, look what I found!” Cerberus came running over, a satisfied grin on his face as he held a stick almost half the size of his body.

He had the same enigmatic black eyes as Damien, yet unlike any other, they were rimmed in a magnetic gold. He had long raven black hair just below his chin, which he was adamant he wanted to keep growing. He was a double of Damien’s, yet his patient and compassionate heart shone like a blinding light amidst a galaxy filled with stars.

“Wow! That’s amazing, sweetheart,” I exaggerated.

Ever since he could crawl, he had a knack for the outdoors; Cerberus was my little adventurer.

“I better be off. You heading over to Robby and Ella’s opening night?” I asked.

Robby and Ella were still going strong. They had a daughter, Lily, who turned one a few weeks ago. They were opening their own tavern, something Ella had always wanted to do. I would never have guessed it, considering how much she despised Demons in the past, but she was finally starting to open up to living in a world where everyone was equal. Demons were no longer like they were six years ago; if they were, they would have Damien and me to deal with.

“I’ll pop in later. I have to finish a last-minute request from Miss Stanner. My lord, does that woman love her bedazzles,” Adalie animated.

Present time

Grace

“Damien, have you seen my…” I began but stopped once I saw Damien holding my pearl earrings with a smug smile on his face.

“Thanks’,” I said, swiping it from his hands.

As soon as I finished the final touches of my ensemble, I slipped into an exquisite, long, golden mermaid dress that was gifted to me by Adalie. The stunning dress was designed to accentuate my figure with its tastefully plunging neckline.

On the other hand, Damien looked dashing as always in his signature black suit rimmed in a thin golden thread.

I felt burly arms snake my waist from behind; butterflies invaded my stomach as Damien’s lips were dangerously close to that sweet spot on my neck, right next to my mark.

“You look ravishing,” he breathed in a rich, sultry tone.

“No, Damien,” I breathed, already feeling the wetness pooling between my thighs, “We need to leave; we can’t be late.”

“No what? I wasn’t doing anything other than appreciating my angelic Queen,” he teased.

I regretfully forced myself to untangle his arms from my waist. I faced him, his eyes darkened with a lust I have come to know well, so very well. I pecked him on the cheek before dragging him out of the room with me and towards the great hall; if we didn’t leave now, we would most definitely be late.

As we edged closer to the entrance, we saw Ivan and Alice, Ivan’s wife of 10 years, waiting for our arrival.

Alice was perfect for Ivan; she did not have the same ideologies as most Demons even before I abolished the rules against harbouring humans as slaves, entertainers or workers. She was grounded, down to earth and well-versed in the art of politics. She has helped me on many occasions as Queen, which I can be ever-thankful for.

Being 67, Alice was still considered young for a Demon, but her maturity and kind heart transcended her age. She also recently discovered her telekinesis ability, meaning she is a greater Demon. Alice is still relatively new to it, but she is a quick learner, so I have no doubt she will be just as good as any other greater Demon before the year is up.

“Thought you would never show,” Ivan ridiculed with a teasing smile.

“We almost didn’t,” Damien winked, to which I lightly smacked his chest as my cheeks grew pink.

“Where is Cerberus?” Alice asked, almost worriedly as if she already knew the answer.

We all knew the answer.

Cerberus had changed in the last few years, and not for the better.

The patient, caring and compassionate little boy seemed a distant memory.

Over the years, his personality seemed less like his own. Instead, he reverted to what Damien used to be when he was the Demon of Darkness, lost without his other half when the goodness in him was adrift until I helped to restore it.

It seemed as though Cerberus’ darkness was consuming him day by day, and there was nothing anyone could do. We tried many times, but nothing ever worked. All we could do was hope that he found a way to bring forth his Angelic side and push control of his Demonic side into submission. Because if not, it could consume him whole.

“He has always been an adventurer since he was young; he’s no doubt scouring the land for whatever lost items he can find,” was my pitiful response.

I felt Damien soothingly rub a palm over my lower back and look down at me with hope in his eyes as I blatantly lied to our closest friends.

They knew I was lying; I was always terrible at it, but they knew not to question.

Today was the annual celebration of the time the Angels fell over the Demon’s rule over a thousand years ago. Only now, we celebrate the lives lost, the lives sacrificed in order for us to live today.

A day special to many.

I could only pray that Cerberus would come back to us soon.

If not, who knows what lengths we might have to go to stop him?

As someone who holds unimaginable power, born from two of the most mighty yet incompatible species on earth, light and darkness, who knows what he is capable of or what he could be going through.

I wish I could help take away his pain, but there is absolutely nothing we can do apart from letting him figure it out on his own.

Cerberus

Day by day, night by night, my Demonic side keeps growing. Little by little, it was like a growing cloud of black smoke clogging my mind.

I used to be able to control it until a few years ago. Since then, every waking moment, I see brown eyes; those which were once light and full of life but now appear dark and lifeless, haunting me from beyond as though their sole purpose is to watch me slowly wither out of control and finally succumb to the evil everyone knows I possess.

The Dark Angel.

A name gifted to me by the people of the Kingdom and beyond.

It was not intentional; it never is, but the fight against my Demonic side slowly wanes as the days pass. I am losing hope, just as everyone else is finally giving up on me.

My Demon side refuses to relinquish control; it believes I am weak and helpless without it, a host completely vulnerable. And I don’t know how to stop it.

As I trudged through the dense forest, I could feel the weight of the snow beneath each step. The winter air was frigid, and the snow was falling so heavily that I could barely see my own hands in front of me.

Suddenly, I was jolted from my reverie by a loud yet gentle echo of something breaking. It sounded like the hollow clatter of rock falling against rock.

The entrance of a cave, concealed by a rush of fallen vines and leaves, untouched for what seemed like centuries based on the winding webs at the entrance to the cave and fully grown plants snaking the entire expanse of the cave.

As I stood, taking in my surroundings, I heard the sound again. I walked until something beneath my foot cracked.

I stepped back.

In the sliver of light that pierced the cave, I saw the remnants of a hollow shell, thin and delicate yet strong and resilient. It was perfectly shaped, too perfect to be natural, almost like something had broken it from within.

Then I heard it: light breathing. It was soft and barely audible.

I ventured deeper into the cave.

It wasn’t long before I stumbled upon a small, raised surface, almost like a pedestal. Around the steps of the raised platform, I noticed tiny hollow shells of ancient rock scattered around the steps, surrounding something...

I stepped forward, my Demon side ready to attack this unknown threat until I saw it…

Under the light of the icy sun in the small crevice of the rock, snowflakes cascaded down onto a woman with lengthy, raven hair that seemed to give off an unnatural hue of midnight blue.

She looked up, almost shaken, as though she had just witnessed something irreparable.

Her dark blue eyes, the colour of refined blue sapphire, trapped in almond-shaped eyes, bore into mine with a sadness and haze that ignited a tiny spark inside me.

A spark I hadn’t felt in many years.

Reaching out with a weak palm, she begged, “Help me,” in a voice that seemed unused for far too long until she slumped to the ground into quiet slumber.