DEMON CRY

55.

'It wasn't murder, Queen Seyanora,' Prince Damien stated. 

His words drained the humour from her eyes. The Queen of Demons snarled at him. 

'Your son was killed in the war,' he continued, 'the war which he started.' He sat up straighter and locked his eyes on hers, 'That is not murder. It is justice.' 

Something inside her broke. He watched as she growled and swiped her hands against the table, throwing the contents. They crockery shattered when they connected with the floor. The servants flinched. 

The Dithrai Prince inhaled sharply. 

'Justice, you say?' She snapped. 

'What you did with my brother, that is murder.' He rose to his feet. 'If my curse is rooted in my hate, then you too are cursed.' 

She gripped with the edge of the table. Her knuckles turned white as anger overpowered her face. She quaked with all the pent up rage that bubbled inside her.

'It is true, that I hate your kind for what you have robbed from me,' he exhaled, 'and what you've robbed from my love.' Amara's smiling face flashed before his eyes. Those beautiful emeralds that infused him with strength and the strongest will to live. 'But I will be damned if I let you hurt us any further. If I have to let go of my hate, I will.' The words were killing him. The implications were severe- something he thought he would never do- to forgive the Demon kind. 

She sneered. 'Your words carry no meaning because I know that you will fail.'

'Then you've been misinformed, Queen Seyanora,' Prince Damien's lips cracked into a smile. 'It implies that you simply don't know me well enough.'

'It is impossible!' She screamed. 'My curse is unbreakable!'

Prince Damien thought of Rapahel, the demon who had saved many innocents lives. It was quite ironic because the Prince had associated demons with destruction. The war had painted a picture of them that was shifting before his eyes. He had witnessed the tyranny of Queen Seyanora's rule. He had seen how some of the demons were worthy of his respect. 

'You cursed yourself when your cursed me, Queen Seyanora.' He continued, 'My hate is rooted in my loss, in my ignorance but yours-' He looked at her, 'Yours is engraved on your heart. You see yourself as a victim even after all this time.

'You cursed me because you wished no joy for me. You wanted me to live my life as a miserable man... And I must admit, I did spend a few years that way. My suffering brought you joy. The people around me that suffered, you enjoyed every moment of it. But you lost... It is the truth. Despite the curse, you lost. I found happiness and you couldn't stand it. That is the curse you put on yourself.' 

'Enough!' She screeched. 

A bolt of red shot out from her hand. It came at him but he had expected such a reaction from her. He moved away. The sizzling bolt flew past him and struck the door. 

The impact caused an explosion. 

Prince Damien was thrown off his feet. 

Shock paralysed his body as he struck the floor. For a moment, everything went dark. His ears were ringing. 

Everything before him was obscured by the grey dust that floated about him. 

He thought his time had come but there a small ray of light that pierced through the grey clouds before it disappeared. 

Pain shot through his left leg. 

He had to escape!

He fought against the cries of his mangled body. Crawling on whatever that was left on the floor, he pulled himself in the direction of the light. 

'Find the Queen!' 

There was the flicker of light again. 

It was hazier than the last time. Prince Damien realized that he was going to pass out. He shook his head violently to keep himself awake. 

It was an opportunity he had to grab. He could not let it slip through his fingers. 

'Queen Seyanora!' 

The demons warriors were here to look for their queen. 

Prince Damien leaned against something. He felt it with his hand and realized that it was the wall. He pressed against it and moved forward on his elbows, dragging himself toward the light. The wall aided him whenever the light was gone by giving him an anchor to establish direction. 

'Queen Seyanora! Can you hear me!' 

Don't give up, he told himself. His shoulders were burning but he ignored it. His freedom was much more important than the insignificant pain he felt at the moment. 

'Your Highness!'

'I can't find her!'

'Keep searching! She must be here!'

Something sharp pierced his elbow. Prince Damien suppressed a yelp. 

Because of the injury, he was unable to move forth on his arms. 

Hot tears rolled down his cheeks. 

He couldn't give up. 

Taking the support of the wall, he rose to his feet. His left side had gone numb. He balanced his weight by leaning on the wall. Using his uninjured hand, he pulled himself toward the door, limping slowly toward the light. The exit was right there. 

'Queen Seyanora!' 

Finally, the grey dust parted into a long corridor. 

Prince Damien breathed deeply, trying to make up for the dust he had inhaled. He looked down at himself to assess his injuries. The cut on his arm was so deep that he could see his bones. The flesh was falling apart. He gripped it with his hand and looked down at his feet. There was no external injury but he was certain that he had shattered a couple of bones. 

His wounds were serious but he had no time to think about them. 

His only concern was to hide. 

He tried to move but his body protested.

Prince Damien felt helpless as he failed to push himself toward his freedom. He stumbled and fell. 

His injuries had overpowered his will. 

The light before him faded him into darkness.