Gods From the Machine (7 page)

“
Thank you, Bartholomew. Today I would like to announce the arrival of my granddaughter, Alyssa Masters! She will be staying in Glenhaven as a knight of our Garrison. Though she won’t make an appearance, I’d like you all to know that I’m in very high spirits about her arrival. A huge feast will be held in her honor,” Peter said. It was odd, but kind of nice to know the old man had a softer side, considering he was always brooding in his office or dispensing punishment.

After it was all over and
he had dismissed everyone, the soldiers and knights went to tend to their usual business. On the way back to his dormitory, Nick was aching to call Quinn when he was suddenly pulled aside by Gabriel, who looked serious.

“
Nick, the old man wants to see you. There’s something very important that we need to discuss,” Gabriel said.

He only had enough time to exchange a quick confused look with Matt before he was pulled throug
h the current of other soldiers and into the briefing room where everyone—including the archangels and their apprentices—was already waiting for him.

Gabriel
’s apprentice, Paul Evans, was there. He was the only knight Nick could honestly say he hated. He had white-blond hair like Lucius, but styled it in a short, buzz-cut. He had a similar build and height as Nick, but he was definitely more toned. His sky blue eyes were complemented by a pointed chin and thin nose, just like his father, President Evans. The corners of his lips were always raised, giving the impression that he had a perpetual sneer on his face. Much worse was his off-putting personality, which he used to its fullest potential when bullying other knights.

Nick knew
that Peter needed to talk to him, and his ongoing feud with Paul had to be put on hold. The vibe of the room gave him a bad feeling about this entire meeting, especially since everyone was looking at him with grim expressions. He took a seat at the opposite end of the table.

“
Nicholas, I’m glad you got a chance to join us,” Peter said. The smile he wore in the Grand Hall was gone.

“
What is it you wish to discuss, Supreme Commander?” Nick asked.

“
An unidentified group of demons has launched several systematic attacks in the west at small towns around the country of Fyria. The safety of my granddaughter in that Garrison has been compromised. This has forced my hand. Everything these demons touched had been picked apart, and now we are facing a threat that’s moving faster than we had ever predicted. If we don’t stop it soon, there’s a chance this could lead into the next war,” Peter said.

Nick
’s heart beat faster. “This is the first I’ve heard about any type of threat. How many of the others are prepared for war?”

“
They’re not. Only the people in this room know about this attack,” Lucius said. “The Fyrians are proud people. They refuse to accept help from anybody. If not for their strong ties with our Garrison, we wouldn’t have even known this was going on.”

“
Why are we sitting here talking when we could send a force there and stop them? They must to be punished for this!” Nick said.

“
No. Alerting everyone now would needlessly cause a mass panic, and that isn’t exactly the smartest thing to do. However, before we can retaliate, we need to get a clear idea on who was behind all of this. We believe it is a small faction. A group of unruly demons supporters, but nothing to get worried about,” Gabriel said.

“
There’s more than that.” Daniel shook his head. The poor guy looked absolutely desolate, as if he was on the brink of tears. “There have always been rogue demons, but, how could they get by the Holy Shield? What demon has that kind of power?”

Lucius glanced to Peter.
“Supreme Commander, perhaps it is time to explain the true reason for this meeting.”

“
Yes, it’s time. There have been a myriad of powerful demons in history, but by far the most dangerous are the Crowned Princes. They went into hiding after the Second Coming, but the emergence of Agrian the Inferno Bearer signals their return,” Peter said.

“
Agrian…that was the name I heard in my dream,” Nick said.

Bartholomew exchanged a look with Gabriel.

“Astonishing, just like you had predicted Supreme Commander!” Lucius said.

“
Predicted?” Nick said.

“
I always knew there was some incredible quality about you boy,” Peter said. “And as you grew older I became more and more convinced of the truth about your past. You are living proof that it has come to this. The reason you never knew your parents, the recurring dreams that plague you, that night that you came down with such a high fever! These were no mere accidents, but a prophecy of things to come! You are Agrian, the Inferno Bearer!”

“
Wait, you all think I’m a demon?” Hearing it said aloud sounded absolutely ridiculous.

“
We didn’t just drum all of this up, Nick. We knew. We have always known. Believe me, we were skeptical at first, but over time we saw more and more of the Inferno Bearer in you each day. The day you were found was the exact date when Agrian seemingly went into slumber. Those strange dreams you’ve had—they’re all happening because Agrian is desperately trying to break free from the shackles of your mind,” Gabriel said.

“
That’s not true, I have them because of what happened in Fyria.” Nick looked to Peter. “I’m not a demon. Don’t you think I would know if I was? I’m a soldier, a flesh and blood human! I have nightmares because of issues that I can’t deal with! Supreme Commander, tell them!”

Peter shook his head.
“I’m afraid there is no use in denying this, my boy. It has been clear ever since I found you all those years ago.”

“
Getting burned for touching Sir Marcus’ holy blade just confirmed what we already knew,” Gabriel said.

Nick was at a loss for words now.

“I can see this is very confusing for you, but listen and I promise you will understand everything after this is through.” Peter cleared his throat, so that all eyes were on him. He tented his hands and closed his eyes, as if channeling the memories of the past.

“
Many, many years ago, the world was just a vast land created by the Heralds of Creation and their infinite power. These perfect angels decided to create human life in order to see how people could live with flaws. The Heralds created Ozarael, the first human. That was their first and final mistake. Because he was human he was denied entry into Sanctuary, the floating palace where the Heralds reigned and was instead sent to live on the land below. They did not see that loneliness and hate slowly filled his heart, and he devised a plan to corrupt those around him in his quest to mold a world in his own vision. Tired of his meaningless existence, he craved to be stronger, to be better, and to prove that he was superior to his creators. For this to happen he needed his own army. So he divided his most powerful sins into five demons: Bergice the Prince of Fear, Elzodeus the Prince of Greed, Tempyst the Prince of Pain, Durenth the Prince of Sorrow, and Agrian the Prince of Rage. However, he kept the most powerful sin and hid it deep within himself, never letting anyone know his true motives. With that he crowned himself king and sent his princes on a path of destruction. With their terrible influence, they helped him corrupt and cultivate an army that invaded and destroyed the heavenly essence of Sanctuary. Without their holy fortress, the angels were forced to flee to battle on the land below them. Their home torn asunder, the angels could no longer survive, and in time they would die. But a slow death wasn’t good enough for Ozarael. He wanted them to suffer.

“
In his mind, the final act of vengeance would take place on the land where he was exiled, with him as the crown ruler over humans and demons. By this time the human race had grown to quite a large population. A human man by the name of Victor Masters took it upon himself to find a solution of dealing with the demons. Conventional weapons were all but useless against them. In one of his travels he met the dying Herald of Wisdom, Mecurius. Mecurius sensed that Victor was a wise and good-natured soldier. With his last breath he blessed him with the code of angels—ancient texts that held the secrets to access the power of angels. It was a gift for the humans to use as their last defense against the demonic forces of evil. With this newfound knowledge, he trained and imbued his soldiers with angelic powers and holy weapons. His leadership quickly gathered many supporters and disciples who soon helped him form the first Garrison in the city of Thorne.

“
Victor and his holy knights went on to defeat hordes of demons and became legendary figures for their aid during mankind’s darkest hour. However, over their many victories they had not yet seen battle with any of the Crowned Princes, and thus were unable to truly stop the sources of the demons. By mere chance, Victor was able to find one of the six demons, the one with power of flames and challenged him to a one-on-one showdown. This demon was none other than Agrian, the Prince of Rage—a demon renowned for his terrible and wicked might. After a grueling battle, Victor eventually fell to Agrian’s might and succumbed to death in front of his men and his only daughter, Quinn.

“
Fueled by revenge over her father’s death, Quinn sought to personally end Agrian’s life with her own hands. Posing as one of the many enslaved human she snuck into his private empire. She feigned loyalty and affection towards him in an attempt to gain his trust. The ruse paid off; she became his most trusted confidant and lover. Then one night when everyone was asleep, she went into his chambers, brandishing her father’s sword in order to slay him in his most vulnerable state. However, as she drew the sword closer to his neck for the killing blow, the moonlit sky shone upon his face, and she couldn’t do it. She realized throughout her stay she had fallen in love with the demon. Despite the despicable acts and pain Agrian had caused her, she saw the innocence of a child reflected in his slumber and spared his life.

“
The next day, Quinn confessed to Agrian her entire plot, expecting certain death for her betrayal. But instead, Agrian revealed he had also fall deeply in love with her. In order to be with her, he was ready to do anything to repent for his horrible deeds, including turning on his own brethren. Agrian joined the remaining holy knights in their crusades against his brothers. With his aid, they killed the demon prince, Durenth, which brought them one step closer to victory. As the war dragged on, it appeared as if the humans would be victorious against the demons. However, Ozarael, the most cunning of them, deduced that Quinn was the source of Agrian’s change. In an attempt to turn Agrian, Ozarael revealed an unsettling truth: to demons, the passage of time meant nothing because they could live for eternity, however, Quinn was a human and was incapable doing the same. With those final words Ozarael swore vengeance against Agrian and disappeared. Without their king, the lesser demons had no choice but to flee as well.

“
But nothing could stop what would happen next. Saddened by the truth, Agrian searched the ends of the world for an answer that could keep the lovers together. The journey ended in vain because there was no way for a mortal to cheat death. However, Yuriel, the Herald of Justice descended upon them and as the final gift for their aid, granted them each a wish that was within his power. Quinn wanted to save Agrian from becoming a monster, and to let him know the beauty of the world unburdened by evil. So she sacrificed her life in order to bless Agrian with a soul and with that, humanity. It was then Agrian made a pact with Yuriel, on which he vowed that he would forever serve Quinn’s final wish until the day the demons were all eliminated. Only when the world would no longer require his service could he finally be with his love.”

It was quiet after Peter
had finished telling the story. All attention shifted back onto Nick. Even Daniel, who was twiddling his thumbs for most of the speech, was now watching Nick intently.

“
This, my boy, is the story of your life,” Peter said. “You were reborn with the soul of Agrian the Inferno Bearer, the Prince of Rage. You are destined to engage in one final showdown with Ozarael, to decide the fate of the free world. Now that you are back, the Crowned Princes have been alerted and will be no doubt hunting for you.”

Nick couldn
’t react, but just sat there and trying to absorb it all. He was Agrian, the Prince of Rage this whole time? It was absolutely mindboggling how much he never knew. Though he tried to think of inconsistencies, ways to poke holes in their story, he couldn’t do it. Everything made sense. Why he was never allowed to learn swordplay; why they always babied him with easy assignments—it was all because they couldn’t let anything happen to him. Before he’d always wondered why he was different, but now he wished he never knew.

“
You are the key to unraveling their plans. It was said that only the Inferno Bearer’s unique power could bring peace back to our fragmented world. They want you dead for your betrayal and will do anything to find you, which is why you will have to strike them first,” Lucius said.

“
Me?” Nick said.

“
Ozarael and his Crowned Princes are the beginning and the end to demons. Kill them, and our demon problem will finally come to an end,” Gabriel said.