"Please stop!"

I love it when they beg me. Makes the torture so much more delightful in my opinion.

This crass overbearing Necromancer chained up before me. Had the audacity to try to steal from me.

Me!

One should know never to cross the almighty King Alis of Umbra, doing so will only result in your untimely demise.

Like this damn Necromancer chained up in my torture chamber, in my castles freezing dungeon, begging helplessly for his death.

"Who sent you?" I growl out at him. Lashing out at him once again with my nine tail leather lucky whip.

It's usefulness has come in handy throughout the years. One can never be to lenient when it comes to torture methods. My lucky whip and I have managed to coerce many truths from the lips of villainess individuals such as this one before me.

"N-no one. P-please. Have m-mercy?" The sound of his fear is so damn riveting. I relish in it.

The fucking Necromancer known as, Wolan, tried to steal a well known and special piece of artifact from my locked safe hidden within my chambers walls.

The artifact in question is just a fraction of a piece to a set of broken magical swords known as the Pacritic Wielding Blades. The set, when placed together allows for the owner of the set to be able to conjure and rule over any dead species in the supernatural world.

If used incorrectly it would cause utter chaos for all who come in contact with it. Over the years, from the many scriptures I have read about them, I've learned that only the wielder of the swords would be able to control all of the past deceased from our world. There are only four swords in the set. Meaning that only four wielders would be able to control all of the dead.

A Necromancer like Wolan has the ability to only control a few dead bodies at any give time. But if he got his grubby little hands on the entire set he would be able to control all of the dead. Not just a few. Which makes the power of the set of swords very valuable to creatures of his nature.

But Wolan, in my opinion, is not working alone. He is not a smart calculating villain. He would not have the required knowledge or ability for this type of robbery all on his own. He has to have an accomplice. One who has more control than this piece of shit dangling before me.

Hence, the current torturing.

"Lies! Who are you working for Wolan? You are not intelligent enough to pull off such a heist as this. Now I will ask again but be warned I have very little patience for liars." I slowly walk around him.

There's an abundant amount of blood oozing out of his orifices rapidly. The lash marks upon his back stand out like a well defined trophy.

Brilliant, I think to myself, enjoying Wolans suffering.

"It was Molon! Alright? He's offering a reward to anyone who is able to bring him any part of the Patritic Blades. Okay? Now please let me go!" Wolans whining for his pathetic life only infuriates more.

Picking up a serrated silver custom bladed knife that my brother so generously had made for me for my last birthday off of the side wooden table. I edge my way closer to the foul being, stepping up behind his chained up precarious hanging body, I slice his neck from ear to ear, swiftly.

When I finish, I walk around his body again, observing my self inflicting handiwork.

Knowing that the bastard isn't officially considered dead just yet, I signal for my right hand man Tanner to come forward.

Tanner has been my loyal right hand man for centuries. He's officiated over many of my torture regiments over the years, too many to be precise.

"Burn the body, dump his carcass in the lava lake near the Waverly Caverns." Tanner nods his head agreement. The man barely speaks to anyone, now and again I may hear him muffle out a few words but they are few and far between.

Leaving the freezing dungeon, I head out in search for my brother, Demir.

He's more than likely in our self made gym working out again. He is continuously working out his anger issues in that very room.

His temperament will get the best of him I'm sure. That's exactly why I love my little torture room so damn much. I take my own frustrations out in there but in a very different way that Demir.

"Your majesty, sorry to bother sir but a missive has come from the High Royal Castle." My servant Aisha announces, she is a very striking woman. I've happily enjoyed myself with her a time or two. She definitely knows what she's doing in the bedroom department.

She hands the missive from a silver serving tray. As I take the missive she eyes me seductively.

"Meet me in my room tonight." I instruct her. She grants me a beautiful smile before she sashays from me as I watch her delectable ass bounce around freely in her uniform until she leaves my view.

Opening the missive in my hand, I read it very carefully. It's not everyday you get a call to the High Royal Realm for any reason.

Noting the urgency, I head off in the direction of our gym searching for my hotheaded brother.

When I enter the gym I take note of my brothers sweating continence. He's seated on a wooden bench at the side of the gym with his black wings fully extended, sweating profusely.

Walking over to him slowly, I sit next to him, handing him the urgent missive.

He scowls down at the golden note, clearly perplexed. After he finishes reading the said missive his curiosity starts to get the better of him.

"Why do we have to attend? What is it that we can do?" Damir sets the missive down casually beside him on the opposite side of the bench.

"I don't know but it says it is mandatory and urgent. We can not deny our attendance. Even if we wanted to do so." I inform him, placing my elbows in my upper legs, I watch him closely.

My brother has major issues that he seldom has the answers for. One being his current lover, Tracia Downy, a shadow walker like ourselves.

She has done nothing but cause Demir problems ever since they have gotten together. Which has been two long insufferable years now.

She's always after him about making her his destined one. For our kind it's the same thing as what some humans call marriage.

Only he can't do as she so wishes. Not that it's a love match, no it's by far anything but.

He can't do it for the sole purpose that I won't agree to it. We both rule the Umbra Realm together. Our Queen would have to be one of both of our choosing.

I am, by far, not close to Tracia in the slightest. In fact, I can't stand the very ground she dares walk upon.

Only because she has cheated on Demir countless times but he's way to pigheaded to even believe it. In his eyes Tracia can do not wrong. The perfect concubine.

I have tried on many occasions to trap Tracia into being discovered by Demir but I have failed at my many attempts at it, unfortunately.

"Why don't you go in my stead? Surely they don't require both of us to attend." He should have read the missive more proactively.

"It's mandatory, meaning we both have to attend. I'm sure Tracia can do without your presence for one night." In actuality she can't. Her jealousy restricts Demir from doing multiple things that are required of him.

Just one more reason she gives me for despising her.

"Overnight? You mean we have to stay at the Royal castle for an entire night? Whatever for? This is absurd Alis. Fuck that! I'd prefer it if it would be you instead of me." Always the giver.

"It requires both of us to attend. Not just me. You will go and you will go with just me. Leave Tracia here. I can't fathom the idea of spending one night with that wretched woman." He knows of my dislike for his lover.

He tolerates my behavior but only because he has no other option but to do so.

I hate to play the big brother card on him. I hate this dissension between the two of us caused by her and her antics. We use to be extremely closer than we are now. I can't help but to miss my former relationship that I had with my brother.

"Fine. But she will not like it. She's been very disgruntled today for some reason. Don't ask my why because I do not have the answer. I only know that she is very disagreeable today." Demir runs his hands down his face.

It bothers me that he is so miserable because of her. I don't understand this unbalanced hold she has on him.

"Why are you with her still? If she makes you so damn unhappy, why keep her around?" I desperately want to know what spell she has cast over him.

That's the only reason that even makes partial sense that I can come up with it to explain his loyalty to her.

Unless, she has some golden pussy that no other woman in this world is privy to?

"She claims that it is you who is stopping us from being destined. You can not understand why I keep her in my life nor do you like her. Either way I just can't win with either of you." Demir lowers his head, in desperation.

"It is true that I don't like her Demir but you know the reasons why I do not. She continuously cheats on you, she treats you like your her slave, and you comply with her every demand and wish. I truly can not understand your reasoning on wanting to be with her." I try to get him to understand just exactly why I have such a destain for Tracia.

She is vile, cruel, and manipulative. If only Demir could see her for what she actually is then our lives would be so much better.

"After all of this time with her I'm starting to wonder about my reasoning also. I agree with you to a point, she does, in fact, treat me like a damn slave. On that I can not disagree. But fuck Alis, I have been with her for so long now that I don't know what I would do without her." His well thought out confession surprises me.

For two years I have been pleading with him to see my side of the story. Why the sudden turnabout?

"What happened?" I ask him curiously.

It had to be major for him to retract on his feelings for her.

"I caught her with....somebody." Thank fuck!

After all of this time. After all my scheming at trying to reveal Tracias adulterous affairs, she has finally been caught in her little web without my interference.

I couldn't be any more happier than I am at this precise moment.

Maybe now we can get her out of both of our lives forever.

"Who did you catch her with?" Honestly, I could actually care less about who she was caught frolicking with. I only care about her hurting my brothers feelings.

"You won't believe it." Now I'm overly curious to know.

"Who?" I press.

"Aisha. I caught them in my bedroom last night. I stood there stunned in the doorway watching them. I didn't know what to do. Should I be upset that she cheated on me with her or should I join them?" He gives me a breathless laugh but I can tell how hurt he is over Tracias deception.

Even though I feel giddy inside at the thought of Tracia finally being caught, I still feel empathy for my little brother.

"What are you going to do now?" Please tell me that he will allow me to kill the bitch in my beloved dungeon.

"I don't know." Demir finally looks up at me, I'm shocked to actually see him crying.

I haven't seen him cry since our parents were murdered when we're nothing but mere children at the time.

"I'm sorry Demir. She isn't worth the salt in your tears. Don't shed one single tear over that worthless bitch!" I growl out menacingly.

I more than despise her now.

"Don't call her that!" Demir stands abruptly from the bench. He starts pacing the gym floor hauntingly. Combing his fingers through his sweat covered hair.

Even though she has hurt him in one of the most despicable ways I can describe. He still stands up for her honor?

I can do nothing but shake my head at his stubbornness.

He will never learn.

"So I take it you are going to forgive her for this sin?" He stops his pacing suddenly. Staring hatred daggers right at me.

"I didn't say that. I don't know what to do Alis. Fuck! At this point I honestly wish we could find our destined mate. It would be so much easier." I agree with him.

But for a shadow walker to find their destined mate we would have actually leave this castle of ours.

Here lately neither of us has held any interest in going out beyond these gated walls. We're making it our own prison but only by choice.

Not after the fiasco that happened to us well over six months ago. I almost lost Demir that day. To some useless degenerates that wanted to rob us just for our gold apparently.

At least, that was the reason one of them gave us. That was only after I had him visit my little dark room of course.

We have been hauled up in these very tedious walls every since them. Not afraid to journey out though. We only decided to do it for our own safety. With neither of us having an heir for our kingdom we didn't want to take the chance of one of us being captured or even worse dead.

But now?

Now, I think it's time we retrieve our keys from our barricaded self made prison and join the land of the living.

We have been coupe up upon these walls for far too long now.

"We will journey to the High Royal palace tomorrow morning. If we are lucky maybe we will be able to meet our destined mate while we travel." I suggest a bit to aggressively.

"Right? If it hasn't happened in the last 280 years, what makes you think it will happen on our journey. It's wishful thinking Alis." He does have a point.

But one can still hope can't they?

For without hope we are nothing. A mere shadow of ourselves, which in its self is very ironic, being Shadow Walkers and all.

I nearly bust out laughing at my own absurd thinking.

"You never know Demir. Tomorrow could be our lucky day." At least I can hope it will be.

Who knows? Our destined one may just be around the corner.

"What is so urgent about this damn meeting anyway?" Clearly he didn't read the entire missive.

"The Princess is in some sort of trouble. We will learn more about it tomorrow I'm sure." Although I can't imagine what type of trouble Princess Starla could find herself in.

The last I remember seeing her was when she was only nine. She looked exactly like her mother Queen Miracle at the time.

With her silvery long locks and beautiful blue eyes. Her fathers spoilt her relentlessly.

I just hope she's not one of those spoiled rich Princesses that float about the other Realms that I have known now.

"You do remember Princess Starla King right?" I can't recall if he was with me or not during our last visit to the palace.

"Yes. Tiny little thing that was always laughing and running about. Isn't it strange that their last name is King with them being the Kings and all? I always thought that was humorous." It is humorous actually.

But I digress, I remember them all being extremely friendly. Even Trigon, whom I know was locked up for a short time after killing his own father. It amazed me how well mannered and friendly they actually all were.

"I was always envious of them. They all had such a wonderful relationship. Filled with happiness and love." I've never been envious over anyone before. Not until I meet the King family.

"They had their share of problems though, don't you remember?" I actually don't.

"No." I reply shortly.

"Queen Miracle was on trail before the counsel once. They claimed she was having and affair with one of her captures. They didn't believe her story. Not until Queen Miracles father showed up and ripped out the head counselmans tongue in front of the entire counsel and her mates, the Kings." I do remember something about that ordeal. Mainly the realization that Aether was Queen Miracles father.

"I remember learning that Aether was Queen Miracles father. That, of course, at the time, shocked me." I was beyond shocked truth be told.

"Yes, that and Nix being her grandmother. They do have a strong familial line." I agree. A very powerful one in fact.

"Well hopefully we won't run into either Aether or Nix at this meeting. That would be horrendous." The very thought of ever meeting them sends chills down my spine.

"I agree. I guess I'll go pack and inform Tracia that our relationship is definitely over." He sighs out.

"Are you sure," I don't want him to rush making any decisions about her.

"You should be happier Alis. You are finally getting her out of hair once and for all." His sarcasm is duly noted.

"I'm not happy of your not happy Demir." I state as matter of factly.

"Doesn't matter. She's history. Maybe I can find another lover to replace her at this meeting huh?" He says it so playfully.

I don't think he's actually ready for a new relationship to begin, just yet. But I am hoping that in the future he can move on from this and find his happiness. He deserves it. Far more than I do.

I'm a cruel and devilish being. I love peoples fear. I love the devastation but my brother is a different type all together.

He has a big heart. I only wish that I had the compassion that he does but I find myself sorely lacking in that department unfortunately.

"You just might. If you do I can only say that you deserve to find your happiness Demir." He nods his in agreement. Walking away from me slowly.

I meant every word I said to him. If anyone deserves true happiness, it's him.

He was the one to witness our parents death. Their murder. He has suffered with that image in his mind all of these years now and still does, to this very day he can't recall who their murderer was.

He's blocked it from his mind. But who can blame him. We were far too young when it happened. That has to scar you.

That's why I think he honestly deserves to find his destined one after all of this time.

He more so than me.

I don't deserve a mate. I'm far too cruel and evil. Though I do relish my demented delusions, I long to feel, just once, the type of love only a destined one can give us.

But unfortunately I don't believe in love!

Pronunciation: Alis (ah-lee-es)
Pronunciation: Demir (de-mere)
Pronunciation: Tracia (tra-see-ah)