Witch of the Gate (Part I): Empyrean Crystal Soul

This is supposed to be a dangerous journey. As we approach the northeast and the Volcano of Doom, there are more camps of demon soldiers. There are also more demon villages and towns.

I was surprised to see that lower level demons like Orks, Trolls, and Goblins were living harmonically like a human society. The males are hunting or farming while the women are taking care of the children and the household.

There is no killing intent. There is no harm or chaos. Of course, the land they are occupying belongs to the elves. These parts were conquered by the demons and were given to their citizens. That made me have some strange thoughts that I didn’t dare to share with the others.

I was thinking that this whole war of the demons may be an effort to gain an equal standing on this world. I didn’t see their lands but I can guess that it is not fertile and beautiful.

They also have a bad fame for themselves. However, from what Tarragon explained to me during our journey, demons are creatures that feed on negative energy. That energy is combined with their dark aura creating a destructive force.

Now that I think of it, where does this negative energy comes from? Etheria is a fantasy world and according to Tarragon it was created together with Earth in a parallel universe. Humans were born in Earth and the non-human tribes in Etheria.

Both of the worlds have mana but in Earth it is not usable as humans are realists and rationalists. They believe in their abilities and mind. Even those who believe in something bigger like a god, they don’t have enough belief to even witness miracles. It is more like they are rejecting everything beyond reality. With that way, their Souls have not mystique.

On the other hand, Etheria is operating with mana. Everyone is born with a minimum quantity of mana. The earth, the atmosphere, the water and people are full of mana. However, mana is not non-consumable. It emanates from the people themselves and their harmonic interaction with the other tribes or with the nature.

Even then, mana can be in demand and then there is the Gate, the only connection with Earth. Angels comes to Earth, they collect some mana to release it to Etheria and in return, they gift to humans imagination, creativity, ingenuity and purity.

This is a harmonic cycle of interaction and connection to the two worlds. However, how are demons born? They are not part of the purity of Etheria. In a matter of fact, even humans don’t have a place in here. I have so many questions that even Tarragon can’t give me the answers. I think there is more to the history of creation of Etheria but there is no means to know now. I don’t even think that matters right now.

However, I just realized that Demon kin is one more tribe like the others with organized societies and a right to live in Etheria. Even though their leaders declare war to the whole Etheria, the citizens are innocent.

We are passing over these villages and move in deep north. As we approach the Volcano of Doom, there are grey clouds on the sky. I don’t know if it is because of the smoke or the dark aura of the demons. I also feel a suffocating feeling as the temperature is getting higher.

The patrols of the soldiers are more often and more numbered. We have to be more careful to not be seen by them. In some situations, we can’t avoid a fight but we keep it quick so we won’t alert others.

The Volcano of Doom is smoking so it is active. However, Tarragon explained to me that the demons use the lava of the volcano to create the monsters that terrorize Etheria under the command of demons.

The Tower of Sins is located inside the volcano. I can see a path going up and then an opening like a cave. From there, it is the entrance of the tower. Well, now it is the time to use the metamorphosis potions. We had already decided who is going to get inside. Tarragon, Leonard and I are going to go.

We drink the potions and the next moment we turn into plump pig-headed creatures. We have the appearance of Orks. We also wear some armor we took from some defeated soldiers. Gina, Lucida and Cielo will stay here waiting. Lucida explained to me that because of our contract, I can call her and she will appear right away through my shadow.

After her fight with Jix, she evolved. She became more powerful. Now she can fly with her black wings and she has double or even triple of the force she had before. She can also use space magic and come to me through our contract.

So, as Ork soldiers, we blend with the others and doing patrols. It is necessary so we can convince the others of our identity.

Finally, it is time to return to the tower. Some Orks are curious about us as they realized that we are new faces. We told them that we are new from another legion. Fortunately, they believed us.

As we are standing in from of the Tower of Sins, I can feel hot and cold at the same time. This place is creepy. On one side there is cringe with lava at the bottom and on the other side, a lot of demon soldiers.

The atmosphere is so hot that we are sweating unstoppably. However, the worst of all are the screams of people inside the Tower. We can hear them echoing inside the volcano and my heart is trembling.

While we are walking toward the front gate, we can see imprisoned people walking in front of us. They have chains on their hands and legs. They are wearing rugs and they are in a really bad condition. They are almost dragging their bodies to walk. I can only think that those people will be added to the screams we are hearing.

The Troll soldiers that are escorting them, push them hard and some are even falling on the ground. Then, they also receive a beating for delaying the mission. I tighten my fists with anger but Leonard grabs my hand to bring me back to my sense. If I have a anger fit, then everything will be in vain.

In the end, we end up at the soldiers’ dormitory. There, the demon soldiers eat and sleep so they can have strength for their evening patrols. Well, we can’t stay here. We must search for grandmother’s Soul. However, lower level demon soldiers are not allowed to go up the levels of the tower, unless they escort the prisoners to one of the levels above for experiments.

Even if it is hard, we must do it so we volunteer to this kind of job when a higher army officer wants some soldiers to escort the new batch of “guinea pigs”.

I can’t stand the stench of blood and rotten flesh that penetrates my nose as we get inside the room. Now the screams are more intense and loud. Now I can also see the inhuman torture that these people are going through. All this pain and howl are the results of extracting the mana or the Soul from them.

It is nasty and inhuman. Now, they are going to use the people that we brought in place of the dead ones. I can say that grandmother’s soul is not here. Her Soul is already extracted.

There are some orbs inside some baskets in which they collect they extracted mana. If they want the Soul itself, they just have to make a hole in the chest of the other person and take away the Soul.

In fact, that is not an easy fit. On the other hand, there is no way of the other tribes to be able to take a soul. It is only an ability of demons, something which was not known until recently. This was one of the reasons that they managed to conquer Etheria. This ability of them terrifies everyone.

I can’t stand to watch more so I want to leave.

Luck was with our side as one of the Higher demons gives us three orbs to deliver to the floor of craft workshop. As I am holding the shiny and warm orb, I shiver. Inside this thing, there is mana of an innocent person who had a tragic and cruel death.

Some tears runs down my cheeks. I need to wipe them out if I don’t want to arouse suspicion. The lower level demons were easy to fool but it is not so easy with the Higher demons.

At the workshop, some goblins take the orbs and get back to their work creating new and durable weapons. With a first glance, we can only see the goblins working hard like normal smiths.

Well, I can see the black ring that was forced to Cielo in Paria. So, it was here that they created it. At first it was for controlling the monsters. However, the demons became greedier and they want to put this thing on intelligent people so they can mind control them. This was unthinkable.

There are two more floors but we can’t go up. However, it is our only chance to get up here.

Suddenly, we can smell a nasty smell. It is coming from upstairs. Then, we hear some nasty swear as a demon getting down.

-“It is fortunate that there soldiers here. You three follow me.” He said and we obey him.

We follow him in the third floor where the stench is worse. According to his mumbling, an experimental poison was released in the laboratory and most of the prisoners died.

I could see corpses lying on the ground here and there. There are also some pools of black blood next to them. Our job was to take these corpses and get rid of the stench from the room. They also warned us to not make trouble while being inside the alchemy room.

I was ready to vomit with the stench and gore sight. The other two got inside and began to clean the place. I remain near the laboratory tables to clean them from the poison, away from the corpses.

While we were cleaning, I took the chance to go up to the last floor. Fortunately, it was unguarded and unlocked. The room was a combination of a bedroom and an office. I thought that here must have stayed the master of the tower.

I was nervous and anxious as I got inside and started searching on the desk for any clue. My big and plump hands were sweating and trembling. If I was caught, I would be killed.

In the end, I didn’t find anything. With a bitter look on my piggy face, I go down to find the others. Then, I hear footsteps and my heart is racing. I was praying to be one of my companions, but luck was not to my side.

A voluptuous sexy woman is coming up. She is wearing black sexy clothes which leave uncovered the most of the body. Her eyes are red and as she is looking at me, I freeze.

-“What are you doing here, pig?” She asks strictly. My heart is trembling. I lower my gaze to the ground.

-“There was an accident in the alchemy laboratory and a deadly poison was released. I came to warn master to be careful.” I say with a trembling voice.

Her gaze was scanning me suspiciously. My heart is still racing.

-“Get down!!!” She orders strictly again and I start getting down the stairs. I take a deep breath with relief as I can see Tarragon and Leonard.

-“Did you find anything?” Leonard asks but I wave negatively.

-“It’s okay. There is one more place to look for. There is a basement. It is the place in where the monsters are created but there is also a second room in where another Higher Demon, an archdemon is taking residence. This is the only other possible place to search.” Tarragon informs me. While I was upstairs, he was also collecting information.

-“The potion is going to last for 24 hours. We must hurry.” Leonard reminds us.

With that way, we are getting down to the ground floor again, where was the soldiers’ dormitory. Lower level demons are not allowed to the underground floor, so we must think of a plan.