Chapter 4 - dawn

Goldeneye was asleep, a big black hellhound was resting his head on Goldeneye's lap. The hound's name was Ell and he seemed to be pleased in this lone moment with his so-called friend of soul.

Suddenly a door opened, Ell jumped up, ready to assault the person that had dared to enter. It was Seth, barely ten years old but, according to many demons, already a real pain. Goldeneye had made it crystal clear to Ell that, should he ever attack a royal demon, the punishment would be severe. Ell didn't know what to do about this tress-passing demon, so he decided to see what Seth was up to first.

Goldeneye himself didn't wake up, “Gold are you asleep?” Seth waited for an answer, but there was none. “This is too good to be true.” He grinned, his eyes were twinkling. Seth pushed a growling Ell into Goldeneye's closet and locket it. The closet door was made of thick metal and it was impossible to hear the noise Ell was making. After that he walked into the hallway again and when he came back, he had a bucket filled with water.

Seth grinned, it was a large bucket and he could hardly lift it because it was filled to the top. As Seth closed in on the snoozing Goldeneye, he double-checked if Goldeneye was still sleeping, after that he looked at the closet… it was still locked.

Seth took a deep breath, lifted the bucket high above him and then… emptied it above Goldeneye's head. For a moment it was as if time had stopped, but, not for long. Suddenly Goldeneye jumped up, his eyes filled with fear. In his terror Goldeneye threw the ten year old Seth against the wall and ran away on al fours.

The image was torn.



Blizzard was furious, She jumped on top of Seth and started to grind his skull with her knuckles. “YOU JERK,” she shouted “HOW COULD YOU? YOU KNEW HE WAS AFRAID OF WATER! HE WAS A FIRE DEMON!” Seth pushed her off and rubbed his sore head: “How was I supposed to know that Blizz?! I was ten and I hardly even knew what the elements meant back then! It was a joke!” Just as Blizzard wanted to attack him again, Raiko stopped her: “That's enough! Seth can't help that he's a jerk Blizzard, that's just the way he is!” Seth rolled his eyes: “Why thank you Raiko, you're too kind.”

“You're welcome Seth, but shouldn't we tell her about the war?”

“What war?”

“The war your father started, and lost.”

Seth defended his Father: “It wasn't my father's fault Raiko, if there'd been more of us we would have won!”

“If your father hadn't revolted there WOULD have been more of us!”

“Well if YOUR father had attacked the humans MY father wouldn't have had to revolt!”

Blizzard was getting tired of it, not again, she thought: “Stop it already! Will someone just tell me about the bloody war?! Who cares who's fault it was? I don't! We all make mistakes, if we had hidden or started a guerrilla war, none of this would have happened. At least we wouldn't be sitting here. Come to think of it, I may not even have been born! Anyway, Seth you can tell me about the war.” Seth looked at her, shrugged and began to tell



“After my father had attacked the humans, it took them a very short time to recover. When they stroke back, we were forced to withdraw into the stronghold of Dragonscales.

It had been built back in the days that dragons still roamed the underworld. The stronghold had never been overtaken, not by dragon, nor by God.

Within the stronghold, there was a place named the teleportation plateau. The ancients made it as an emergency escape route. But it had never been used and the knowledge to operate it had been lost in time. Our glorious race had been reduced to forty demons or so. Hundreds had been whiped out by the mortals. My father had perished and mother was missing, as were so many others.

We were trapped within Dragonscales and the humans were about to breach the gates. Do you remember that dreadful moment Raiko?”



Seth had noticed that Raiko was unusually quiet. She stared at the wake: “I couldn't forget it if I tried Seth. It was Goldeneye that saved us that day, he figured out how to use the plateau. He also found out that it had a price, someone had to stay behind to operate it,”

she looked at Blizzard, “he stayed and by doing so he risked his life. Goldeneye told everyone to step onto the plateau, Ell wouldn't leave Goldeneye so he stayed as well. When we were all on the platform, Goldeneye activated it.

It was as if the world had turned black, as if all light had vanished, a freighting moment. When I woke up, I was lying on a bed in what seemed to be a hospital. Something was wrong tough, humans surrounded me and suddenly I realised; it was a human hospital! I was so frightened that I jumped up and ran. The humans followed me, they were shouting things, but I didn't understand them. All these new things scared me so, daylight, fresh air, the smell of trees and grass.

I ran into the woods where I knew I'd be safe. Running was difficult, later when I rested at a pond, I found out why. The plateau had not just transported me, it had also transformed me. My wings and tail had disappeared, my ears were small and round and my fur was gone. Looking in the water I didn't see myself, the reflection staring back at me was of a human girl.

I was no longer a demon and suddenly I understood why the humans hadn't killed me. They had thought I was one of them. I was very frightened, it was all so new. I don't know how long I sat there, alone, crying, seemed like an eternity. Hunger forced me to search for food.

I didn't find any.

What I did find tough, was a pack of wolves. As you know the wolves are descended from our helhounds, and the pack's collective memory still remembered the demon kindness. They took me in, cared for me, hunted for me and kept me warm. I was happy, for a little while. They were very kind, but still, questions roamed my mind.

Where was I? Where were the others? Had they transformed as well? How would I ever find them? And:

What had happened to Goldeneye?”



Raiko wanted to go on, but something startled her. It was Kaneda, he looked very tired. Suddenly Blizzard noticed that the dawn had approached unannounced and the rain had stopped. “I'm sorry to disturb you Raiko, but morning has come,” Kaneda sounded tired as well, “it's been a long night, let's go home.” All around them there was activity, the other demons gathered their things and left. Seth stood up: “you're right Kaneda,” he yawned, “maybe it would be best to finish this story some other time.”

As Raiko and Seth left, Blizzard remained behind, unwilling to leave Goldeneye's fire. A tear flickered in her eye. “Good-bye dear friends.” She wispered.

She looked toward her tree-village, once more at the fire, then left. “Draco and Trapper are waiting for me.” She sighed.









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