Dangerous Times (Skies of Fyir Book 0) Read online

  Chapter 3: Formalities

  The previous night they had been informed to dress to impress, in case Nathaniel decided to visit today. Amnur’s mother had made enough fuss about the whole thing so he wouldn't disappoint her. It took a small period of time to groom himself; it wasn't exactly something the demon avoided doing, but he never did it to the extent he was today.

  A knock on the door attracted his attention. Evidently, for someone, he was taking too long to prepare himself. "Hey Amnur, you ready yet? Mother's starting to get anxious," Dyn queried from behind the door.

  "I'm coming. Tell her to stop worrying so much, everything will be fine," he sighed, they had no idea if their residence was even part of the intended tour. While they were an influential family of mages, they weren't the only family of mages in the main capital, nor were they only the point of interest. The family name of Firebringer was well known, even considering demons don't often utilise family names, preferring to gain fame on an individual scale.

  Amnur went up and opened the door, glancing around outside. It appeared his brother had already departed, down the staircase that lead to the main hall. He took a deep breath and continued after him, straightening up his attire as he went. Below he saw his whole family had gathered and were chatting away, with servants rushing around them to ensure the place was clean and keeping the kitchen ready in case they had additional guests. His father looked up and beckoned for him to come.

  With a pat on the back, he was welcomed into the huddle. It was a large gathering due to the size of his family; he had three brothers and two sisters, each about five years apart from one another and then him at twenty years younger than his youngest brother. The two oldest ones had returned to the house after yesterday’s request, as they had already flown the coop to start their own families. Regardless, they were always welcome; family means everything to the demonic race.

  His mother fussed over his appearance, scrutinising every minor detail to see it was up to standard. After a while of being picked at and straightened up, she smiled and let him go, hearing the hushed chuckles around her. Each sibling had been examined, but none as much Amnur had been, and the silent displeasure was evident on his face. Meanwhile, his father had been discussing last minute preparations with a servant that had flagged his attention. Judging by the seriousness of the conversation and the suddenly increased pace of the other servants, there was some news.

  “It would appear that we will have a special guest soon,” Amnur’s father announced above the noise of hurried footsteps, attracting the gaze of his family.

  “How long do we have?”

  “Does this answer your question?” a voice spoke up from the entranceway, silencing the conversation. With a few hurried gestures, the children had been sent off to the dining hall, leaving their parents behind. They were greeted by anxious servants who were relieved to hear they still had a bit more time, even if it was only likely to be a few minutes. Gazing over the table revealed how the seating arrangement played out. Amnur had been positioned near to his mother, oldest brother and notably the guest seat. The other side held the rest of his siblings with his father at the head of the table, something that struck him as peculiar. Usually, it was his mother in that seat, given that it was her that carried influence. She was the one from the famous and wealthy family, his father was just a commoner off the street. If it weren't for his infamous magical talent, their marriage would have been a scandal. Her family, however, was interested in attracting such magical strength into the bloodline, not that she wasn’t a powerful enough mage in her own right.

  Quiet discussion filled the air as they waited, mostly regarding the identity of their host. For him to come alone was a bold move; while the southern continent was generally peaceful, its immense size allowed for certain groups to have a foothold. Northern sympathisers reared their ugly heads periodically, targeting individuals of power of all three races. Another thing the island size fostered was relatively healthy relationships between angels, demons and humans. Tensions weren’t nearly as high when each race could avoid each other on a daily basis. They knew he originated from the Central Isles where the situation was much worse, which made the fact the demon had come alone even stranger. Regardless, he had come here for a reason, one they imagine would soon be found out.

  A slight creak of the door silenced the room, and they kept their heads down low as the rest of the party filed in. Staring at their guest wasn’t a sign of respect. As their guest took a seat, Amnur found himself increasingly nervous. Any mistakes would be hard to miss while he was sat so close, more so when he was notably a few feet taller than the young mage.

  “My apologies, I never did introduce myself to your children,” he spoke up, allowing the siblings to turn their heads upwards for the first time. “My name is Nathaniel, I am the current King of the Central Isles, residing within the citadel of Shadekeep.”

  Amnur’s nerves were on fire as the reality of the situation began to enter his mind. There weren’t many other people who could claim a greater presence, aside from the southern isle’s own demon ruler. He had met the ruling King previously and never once had he become as speechless as he was now. The sensation was strange and exciting. With a smile, Amnur hid himself in his food, neatly cutting up segments and chewing on them without a peep. His siblings too made no reply to the King’s statement. At times they shot glances towards their parents, but none were given the right to speak.

  Nathaniel watched their reactions with a keen eye, evaluating each child and their personality. He wondered if he should try and raise conversation with one separately, but given their desire to be allowed to speak, it would likely prove an awkward encounter. At times, the heads of the house asked questions relating to the Central Isles, to which Nathaniel countered with similar questions about their homeland. It was obviously very false, created only to keep the air from being rife. Amnur rolled his eyes and scraped up his vegetables into a pile to eat, absently blanking the discussion from his mind. A firm pat on his back snapped him back to the dinner, causing him to flinch and jerk his head up, resulting in a cough where he had still been eating.

  “You’re a quiet one, yet your parents speak highly of you,” Nathaniel teased, sliding in a hint of a grin when Amnur had to clear his throat. “I am in need of someone powerful. After all, Shadekeep is in dire need of a competent Court Mage.”

  Amnur gestured to himself out of shock, and the King just laughed, confirming that it had indeed him he was talking to. He was stunned; out of his entire family, why was it him the King was interested in? The silence in the air seemed to echo the discontent amongst his siblings. It was a prestigious opportunity and much better suited to one more mature in their ability.

  Although it was rarely brought up, Amnur’s siblings were always jealous of the extravagant attention he received. This, however, tipped it too far, he could feel the glares from around the table. It sent shivers down his spine, and he turned his head away, opting to stare back at his plate again. Nathaniel saw potential in the uncomfortable mage, however.

  “I take it my choice is not appreciated,” the King mused, causing the others to look away in embarrassment. “Mind my tongue, but you all have your own paths in the making. As far as I’m aware, little Amnur has none. A blank canvas.”

  The word little made the youngest demon sigh. It was a term he got referred by often despite not being the shortest in the family. His age made him small, and it was as Nathaniel had said, he had no deeds to his name yet. He had been sheltered and trained for all his life, he was also rarely allowed outside for long periods of time. While Amnur would relish the opportunity to spread his wings, it would be preferable if it wasn’t at the cost of his relationship with his family.

  “If it’s going to cause an issue, then I’ll pass, sorry,” Amnur spoke up, keeping his head low.

  “No, you will accept it,” Amnur’s mother spoke up, shooting him a stern expression. He tried to speak up, but she silenced him with a
single gesture. “No questions.”

  “Well then, we’ve settled that, hm?” Nathaniel raised an eyebrow and chuckled, finishing off his meal with a few bites. The others finished in silence and left without being given leave, a fact which irked his mother. His father too slipped out, mostly to check how the others were fairing.

  “When did you intend to leave?” she queried, her focus remaining on Nathaniel.

  “Whenever I found someone suitable so, tonight,” the King responded, neatly replacing the used cutlery on his plate.

  “So soon? That hardly gives him any time to say his goodbyes.”

  “He will not need to,” Nathaniel stated, silencing the woman and causing Amnur to shuffle uncomfortably. It felt so rushed, and yet, perhaps he needed that force. He had been kept so held back, after all, giving them too long to think about it would change their minds.

  Everyone’s mind but his mother, that is. She had the final word in any decision in the household; if her opinion was that Amnur will go, then Amnur will go. It didn’t stop others from questioning her though, rarely to any success. “Do you have any possessions you with to gather?”

  “A few journals containing notes on magic, I’ve been working on them for some time,” Amnur replied. Examining magical phenomena was something he enjoyed doing in his spare time, although it was not actively carried out by his siblings. He had kept well-written books with all his notes, as writing inside the original tomes he was researching didn’t go down well.

  “Shall we go retrieve them then?”

  The young mage nodded, standing up from the table and walking over to the door, waiting at the entranceway. Nathaniel followed, staring back towards the mage’s mother when he heard the chair scrape the floor. With a shake of his head, he dismissed her and placed a hand on Amnur’s shoulder, leading him out of the room. She sat there for a moment, stewing over how the King had been treating her. Earlier he had specifically aimed to talk to her husband, despite the reign of power being hers. It angered her deeply. To be ignored in favour of a male, even if it were her partner. Personal opinion aside, the opportunity was an honour for Amnur and by relation, his family. If only that were so easy for her to remember…

  Chapter 4: Shadekeep

  The rest of that night had been uneventful, for better or worse. When Amnur tried to say farewell to his family, the response had been cold from his siblings. Dyn’s reaction had bit the deepest; the usually cheery sibling had refused to speak to him, offering only a stare as he tried. As always, his parents had spoiled him with their goodbyes, in part to show up the attitude of his brothers and sisters. Nathaniel had eventually managed to drag him away, not much before the child had been smothered with affection. The King silently rolled his eyes as he watched the debacle, feeling that the whole thing was ridiculous.

  Once they had finally left, the course was set for the Dockyard on the south coast. It was a well-used port and a strange one at that. Strange at least for Nathaniel, who periodically voiced his displeasure of having to wait in the local town while the boat was restocked. What bothered him the most, however, was the open displays of friendship between the three races. Down in the Free Lands to the south of the continent existed communities that didn’t conform to the normal standard. It was built from those that desired long-standing peace with their neighbours, without the current racial boundaries that divide up the territories to the north.

  The Free Lands towns eventually became a boon for the continent, the openness between the races created a base to which other Isles could trade with. While some racial communities trade specifically with their own race, some routes freely formed between the Free Lands towns and the major settlements of each race. Items were traded and sold to the Free Lands towns, which were then sold on for profit to other continents.

  To Nathaniel however, seeing angels walking around so casually was irritating. Amnur knew the situation in the Central Isles regarding the angels was much worse but was it so bad that even seeing an angel could cause so much anger? Amnur tried to calm him down, as his attitude was starting to draw the odd gaze from passersby.

  The call was made that the boat destined for the Central Isles was ready to be boarded which came as a relief to Nathaniel. He ushered the shorter demon aboard, taking a seat next to him within the ship’s hold. It was dark down at the level they were sat, as the only lighting came from the flickering of the old oil lamp. The flame threw shadows across Nathaniel’s face, creating a frightening visage. Amnur flinched, attracting his attention.

  “You appear rather on edge,” he remarked, leaning in closer to the demon. For one from such a notable family, Amnur maintained a rather placated personality.

  “This is my first proper outing. Usually, I’m only allowed in the capital, and even then, I’m escorted,” Amnur replied with a hint of embarrassment.

  “Really now? That makes me feel rather honoured.”

  He smiled at the comment, gazing up at the King’s face. His piercing red eyes stood out against his black skin. It spoke to him of warmth but also of power; many opponents would have trembled at that crimson glare. Or so Amnur reckoned anyway, truth be told, he hardly knew anything about the Central Isles. Even his knowledge of some details of his home continent was lacking, another product of the excessive sheltering his parents subjected him to. The politics were one thing he was well versed on, due to his mother’s family connections. Local fauna and flora though were a different story. Whenever he desired to find out, all he ever received were tales of horror. It was one of the reasons he was so nervous, the outside world had always been constructed to sound dangerous. Suddenly being out there, it was overwhelming for the young demon.

  “Is it really as deadly outside as my parents always told me?” Amnur spoke up after a while of silence.

  “It’s only as dangerous as you let it be; become strong enough, and you will not be threatened.”

  The answer satisfied Amnur, who remained quiet as the boat shuddered out of the dock. At first, the sensation made him queasy, but as he kept himself stable in the hold, it slowly started to fade away. A quick shift of his eyes showed Nathaniel to be unaffected, or he wasn’t showing it if he was. Trying to demonstrate some strength, Amnur sat up, only to be hit with a stiff bout of nausea. It caused him to resume his hunched over position. He felt a reassuring pat on his shoulder, at least he wasn’t being judged badly for his inability to fully overcome the sickness.

  He sighed, running a hand up through his neatened hair; the King was rather tolerating considering he hadn’t exactly been showing off his talent so far, only his fears and problems.

  Once they had been travelling for a few hours, Nathaniel gently nudged Amnur who leaned back in response to the touch. At some point, it appeared he had fallen asleep; the stiffness in his back confirmed this to him. He did, however, feel better. His body had finally become used to the ebb and flow of the waves below them.

  “If you feel up to for it, follow me,” the King announced, pushing off the bench and walking towards a dimly lit set of doors in the distance. Amnur followed, after wobbling for a moment upon standing up. With a solid shove, the set of doors opened and revealed the lush blue sky above and the soothing lap of the sea. Not needing any further orders, the young mage ran over to the railing and leant against it, feeling the refreshing breeze against his skin.

  The outside was stunning. Wisps of cloud decorated the sky in bizarre patterns all around him while the sea maintained a deep and mysterious hue, hiding its secrets below. He remained there for some time while Nathaniel retreated to a more comfortable seat, enjoying some banter with the ship’s crew. About the only thing that broke his trance was the call for food, even then he settled down outside to eat. The demon was happy with just observing the sky fade to red, and then to night. His bright eyes focused on the numerous stars above, revelling at the grand spectacle. Nathaniel had already retired to the bed chambers when one of the crew members checked on Amnur, recommending him to get some decent
sleep for one night.

  During the remaining days on the boat, Amnur’s fascination remained the talking point of the crew. Even after seeing the same sort of scenery for several days in a row, he still had not become bored with it. They would soon be docking in a small port to the south-west of the major demon settlement on the Central Isles: Shadekeep. As none of the demon villages resides directly on the sea, naval constructions existed a short distance from the capital, in case they became needed.

  Nathaniel’s conversations with Amnur had been mostly few and far between, but they have covered some important topics. He had detailed his blood relations: Sebastian his son and his son’s wife, Rin, along with his grandchild Ciel. Then there was a lot of other notable individuals, far too many for the mage to remember without seeing them for himself and learning their personalities. It sounded like a welcoming community, somewhere where he could settle down and develop away from the pressures of his family.

  The other things he had touched on was Amnur’s duties as Court Mage and the procedures when it came to angels. Merely the thought of having to kill another made him uncomfortable, but his upbringing had been peaceful. To the sound of what Nathaniel was saying, he could well expect to be actively attacked by the feathered race. Self-defence was easier to justify in his mind. After all, if he didn’t defend himself, then the result would be death. No angel would attack a demon and be shocked at a retaliatory attack, so he shouldn’t feel too bad for having attacked them. Only time would tell how often that would occur though. Nathaniel tried to indicate it could well be frequently, but Amnur doubted that.

  Their final conversation was interrupted by the docking of the boat, signalling the end of the long journey. It didn’t go unnoticed that Nathaniel seemed relieved to be on solid land once again. He was not one for enclosed spaces for long. The King had taken flight a few times while on the vessel, but it hadn’t been enough to satisfy him. Seeing nothing but ocean for days on end was taking a toll on Nathaniel’s mind.