Falling into Other Worlds

What did you do? (Sub-Chapter 1)

Astaroth was locked in one of the numerous rooms of Piamon's palace, awaiting the Great King to open the doors and scold him for acting out against his beloved Seir. It was dark, save for one black-flame candle burning away in the corner. The Duke was pacing the floor and mumbling all these thoughts to himself to fill the silence.

"I don't see why I should be the one being punished... I've been nothing but loyal to King Piamon, never missing a single one of his inane meetings and enduring the drive with Demaryous... When I bring up that his son is late for his meeting, everything starts siding with that... that spoiled, backstabbing, double-crossing bastard." He mumbled and balled his hands into extremely tight fists, the feathers on his neck began to bristle as he grew angry at the previous argument.

His eyes burned bright as he looked back on what happened in the meeting room. Seir had just made his loud and unneeded entrance with his half-blood mistake he called son. Not long after that, the daughter of Stolas dragged his son from the meeting without proper reasoning, he knew he shouldn't have let her get to his son. After moving down for Seir to steal his seat next to the king, Astaroth sat through the exaggerated briefing that Seir was rattling on and screeching at the top of his lung. It was insufferable.

"My client and I then crossed through a forest to face the plague that was following him, a snake! It was a huge, blind snake with eight eyes and giant fangs!" Seir said, hopping up onto the meeting table. Gasps and whispers of impressed Princes and Dukes rippled in the room. "I took my sword and battled against the monster as my client ducked into the beast's den to find his lost treasure. The battle was intense as I cut down the scales of the snake, but, as always, I was victorious! It was soon after that my client found what he'd lost, happily sharing it and what he had promised as he called me!" Everyone clapped and said how impressed and amazed they were at his actions, even Great King Piamon was clapping and hooting with excitement.

Astaroth was pushed back in his chair with one pair of arms crossed and the other propping his head up from the table. He thought back to the story Seir unwrapped to everyone and remembered the client he was having trouble with had blinded his snake to avoid Astaroth watching him.

"That was an amazing story, son." King Piamon hooted, "It's good to hear two exciting tales again, you should visit more and tell me your adventures,"

"Thank you father," Seir bowed politely, "I wish I could, but my clients are getting into trouble much more, that snake wasn't easily fought off."

"It wasn't easy to kill because it was one of my snakes, Seir." Astaroth glared at the prince as he sat beside his father again. "Your client was one who betrayed me, much like you, by blinding my snake to hide from me."

"Are you sure it was one of yours?" Seir asked, brushing off the accusation the Duke fired his way. "With all the snakes you have, it's hard to tell." He joked, and everyone chuckled at his light tease.

Astaroth looked around at the laughing birds, his scowl only grew worse. "Oh, sure, laugh at me for being what he cannot!" He snapped, standing quickly and slamming his folded arms onto the table, the sound bounced from wall to wall.

Seir blinked, utterly shocked, "I meant to harm by it, I was just trying to ease the situation." he said a bit shaken.

"I know, that's what you always do! Once you're in trouble it always jokes and laughs for you!" Astaroth growled, "You couldn't even make it to this meeting on time! You don't treat your destiny as importantly as you should, you act so childishly it disgusts me. How can you even call yourself a Goetia or a son of King Piamon when you still carry around that... thing outside this room."

The room grew eerily tense as the Peacock's eyes gleamed towards Seir, who was speechless at Astaroth's aggression. The Duke was furious, not only at this client but now at the prince. To be honest, Astaroth had always been angry with Seir, even from the beginning.

"That's no way to act towards my brother," Stolas said suddenly, his ex-wife's jaw dropped as he stood. "Seir acts according to his own will, not to whatever a Duke has to say about his personal life. Out of everyone, I thought you'd know that after what happened a few years back."

Astaroth's glare fixed onto Stolas as the Owl defended his brother. "Sit down, Stolas. I outrank you and your 'brother' any time of the week and he knows it. You'd be well to keep your words to yourself, considering the past week." He said, looking at his sister quickly. Stolas and Stella had officially divorced over the last few days, this was the last meeting Stella had to attend as she lost the position she had once she married a prince.

"I don't care about this past week, you either keep your mouth to yourself and keep my brother's name out of your pompous mouth or you will answer to me. You have NO reason to attack Seir like you've been doing for all these years because of something you did to yourself!" Stolas cawed back, his eyes glowing a brighter red as he returned Astaroth's glare.

He was too stunned and angry, Astaroth didn't know how to respond to the Prince. He looked around at the other princes and Dukes, who were also shocked at Stolas's sudden attitude change. He looked at Piamon to see if he would do anything, but the King seemed board by this argument. Astaroth's feathers ease a bit, maybe this argument was a mistake.

"My son isn't a mistake," Seir said, he finally found his words again, and the prince sat down with his arms crossed. "He's the best thing that's ever happened to me, which is more than you can say of your own son."

That was the final straw, Astaroth pulled one of his feathers out of his tail and it turned to a material stronger than steel in a matter of seconds. It felt like the world was slowing as Astaroth watched everyone's reactions unfold as he threw the feather at Seir, it cut through the air and dug into the prince's chest, drawing out his blackened blood. As the prince staggered back from the knife-like feather, Astaroth jumped onto the table and grabbed him by the shoulders, and threw him with all his strength through the exit door.

Astaroth was panting as his tail fanned open, time returned to its normal speed as he looked past Seir's wounded body to see his son looking dead at him and a beyond terrified expression. As all the other princes rose in anger, shouting and screeching at the duke, Demaryous approached the door and hung from the shattered frame, and stared at his dad, the little peacock was trembling at the sight of his father as he mindlessly screamed insult after insult at the prince.

"I hope I made my point clear, you Imp-loving slut!" Astaroth hissed finally as his hand was surrounded by deep blue magic, he waved the magic towards the door to hopefully finish Seir off for good. His glare eased into concern as Stolas's daughter pulled his son away from the blast, that slammed into the wall instead of Seir by his control.

His stomach felt weird all of a sudden seeing his son be pulled down by the prince's owlette. He wasn't worried or felt bad, he was angry that she put her hands on his son. He stomped across the floor, only to be stopped by Stolas as he blocked his way to his son. "Get out of my way, prince." Astaroth huffed, "I am taking my son away from your poisonous family."

"You are going to leave the poor boy alone. He's done nothing wrong to anyone, in fact, you almost killed your only son!" Stolas said, "What kind of a father are you?"

"Like your any better," Astaroth said, shoving Stolas back. His strength was much greater than he anticipated, but it served the prince right for stepping out of line.

Stolas had nearly fallen as Astaroth stepped forwards and reached for his boy as Stolas's daughter jumped forwards and sent Astaroth away from Demaryous. He grabbed her by the hair and threw her away only to be tackled by Stolas who was screeching in fury, the two fought and rolled on the floor until Piamon grabbed Astaroth and dragged him into the meeting room, slamming the doors behind him.

Now, Astaroth sat in a dark room, playing the scenario over and over in his head until Piamon opened the doors and dragged the Duke out to talk. He didn't even know what would happen to Demaryous now that he was without his parents entirely.

"King Piamon probably has him staying with another duke or prince already. He had better be far away from Stolas and Seir..." Astaroth said, collapsing into the only chair in the room, he rubbed his face in frustration and looked around again. He had a feeling he was about to be here for along time.