Chaos & Order

Chapter 26

Elsewhere, Aliyah walked through the halls, humming to herself. Then...she paused. And saw a heavy, iron door leading to the dungeons was ajar.

"I think that would...not be wise." Siel said as he appeared right next to her.

Aliyah started at his sudden appearance, "Stop that!"

"Or maybe you should be more perceptive." Siel offered.

Aliyah shook her head before looking at the open door, "This is usually locked..."

"Then something's wrong." Siel said. Aliyah hesitated before reaching for the door. Siel swiftly grabbed her wrist, holding out his other hand, "Aliyah, I should go first. We don't know what's down there and it could be dangerous. It could be nothing, but still..."

Aliyah looked Siel in the eye before nodding. The guardian angel opened the door and took his first step into it, Aliyah close behind him. They immediately found a stone staircase leading down. They slowly began to descend them, Aliyah hearing something faintly in the distance.

"I hear humming." She said.

Siel put a hand to his ear and listened. Indeed, he heard humming from further in the dungeon. It almost sounded like ballroom music.

"Who does your father keep down here?" Siel asked.

"I don't know. Those who disobey his laws, mostly." Aliyah replied.

"Then we're basically going into this blind." Siel said.

Aliyah nodded as she stayed close to him, "I don't see any signs of the guards. They should be here..."

"Something must have happened." Siel said.

Then, through the darkness, a voice spoke up, "Well, if it isn't the Princess who killed my sister. What brings you down to the dark and dusty dungeons?"

Aliyah froze. Already, they had come to the dark, iron bars. Pure iron would burn any vampire who tried to get out. She remembered her father talking about how difficult it was to install them. But that wasn't the most shocking part. Because Aliyah recognized that voice. It was the man who had made Aliyah lose control during the birthday ball!

"Blame whoever left the front door open." Siel said.

"Probably the guards. They started acting funny and left, leaving us unwatched." The man said. Siel's crook began to glow with a golden light, illuminating the immediate area. The man was sitting against the wall. Siel recognized him as well--the man who cut himself to trigger Aliyah's blood lust.

"Well, if it isn't you again? If you're still angered, then we should just leave you locked up." Siel said, putting a hand on Aliyah's shoulder.

"I would keep your Princess close...." the man said.

"Don't even touch her." Siel said.

"Don't worry about me Guardian. I've disappointed my late sister enough." The man frowned, sorrow in his voice.

"Come on, Aliyah." Siel said, ushering Aliyah away.

Aliyah looked back at the man, feeling...oddly enough, empathy for the man who tried to do something so horrible to her, "Siel...I feel bad for him..." she looked around, hearing the humming again, "That sound...it's coming from deeper down..."

"Do you want to see what it is?" Siel asked.

"We came this far..." Aliyah replied.

"Very well." Siel nodded, taking the lead as they walked further down the dungeon.

Aliyah stayed close as they went deeper down. The humming kept getting louder. Aliyah winced slightly as they got closer. Siel tensed, pointing his crook ahead as a small, golden light radiated from the tip.

They soon entered what seemed to be a part of the dungeons that had been abandoned. Vines grew out of the windows from outside and over the stones and bars of the old cells. The smell of mold was in the air. In one of the cells was what seemed to be a child, no older than six, humming as they played with some rocks.

"Who's that?" Siel asked.

"I don't know. I've never seen her before." Aliyah said as she walked toward the child.

The humming stopped as the little girl looked up at Aliyah. Her eyes were blue and she had long black hair. Aliyah smiled at her and knelt down.

"Hello, what are you doing down here on your own?" She asked. The little girl didn't respond, only tilted her head as she looked at the Princess.

"Do you have a name?" Siel asked, looking her over.

The little girl looked at Siel before looking at Aliyah again. She smiled as she started humming a more haunting song as her little eyes glowed. Aliyah looked at her in confusion before groaning in pain, hand went to her head and she leaned over.

"What are you doing?" Siel asked, grabbing Aliyah.

The little girl kept humming as Aliyah clutched at her head. Blood soon started coming from her eyes and ears.

"Stop it. NOW." Siel said, sending an orb of light at the girl. The little girl then giggled as she vanished and reappeared behind them, still humming as Aliyah now cried in pain. Siel wheeled around and swung his crook at her, "I said STOP."

The little girl's giggle started to sound demonic as her body started to grow and change. She soon took the form of a man with yellow eyes and demonic ears, "I gotta say, it's easy leading her into a trap. You're a terrible Guardian."

"One of your kin said much the same." Siel said. Every particle of his being wanted to destroy them, but he bit back for now, "Have you heard of him? Boegarian?"

"Don't lump us in with a pathetic Exile. Beings like him are a disgrace." The demon spat, "Helping mortals with their fear instead of using his powers like he should be."

"What do you think should be done with a demon's abilities, then?"

"Well, distracting you for a start." The demon said as he grinned. There's suddenly a small whoosh behind Siel. The angel yelled as he was knocked aside like a child. The demon walked over to Siel and grabbed him by his hair, forcing him to look up, "Say goodbye to your Princess."

A second demon was standing where Siel once stood, carrying a now unconscious Aliyah. With a smirk, he vanished with her in black smoke. The first demon, though, remained with a taunting laugh.

"NO!" Siel shouted.

The demon threw Siel across the room as he laughed, "You made it too easy for us to catch her. You have no one to blame but yourself Guardian."

Siel hit the wall with a heavy impact. However, he didn't feel any pain. Only anger. And, with that, the angel roared in fury as he charged the demon, slamming his crook into the demon.

The demon tried to dodge but failed as he was knocked aside. He got up and laughed, but a lot more shaky, "Not the reaction I was expecting. I thought you'd wallow in failure for a bit..."

The demon wove a sword out of shadows before running at Siel, slashing at him. Siel blocked and deflected before whacking the demon across the face. He advanced, pointing his staff at him.

"I have someone to direct my anger towards." Siel snarled, "And I have questions for you. Now, will you give them? Or do I need to pull them out of you."

"Guess you'll have to find out." The demon growled before lunging again.

Siel kept blocking and striking. His hits, though, were quickly evaded. The demon clearly learned his lesson...but Siel had different tactics. He began sending small blasts of golden light at the demon. This made his foe get more defensive, jumping and dodging the blasts. One orb, though, hit him full in the face. The force of the blast hit him in the face and sent him flying back, dropping his sword in the process.

Siel crossed the distance, grabbed onto the demon and shouted, "Where did they go?!"

The demon laughed, "Even if I tell you, you'd be too late. She's probably been sent on a rampage by now!"

Siel pointed his crook at the demon, "Take me to her. NOW."

The demon looked at the crook. At this point, he realized that taunting and fighting Soterasiel was a terrible mistake. He snapped his fingers, making shadows engulf the two of them. Siel only held on tight, not letting go of this demon. He had a job to do, his charge was in danger...