Pheoshan Chapter Five Cinder Umbrella

 The Stolen Step-Sister

Pheoshan, Phyredoor and Coalphyre were approaching the demonic kingdom of Glahod when they were attacked. Coalphyre and Phyredoor were quickly hit. They got up and they pulled out their weapons. Pheoshan also pulled it out but was hit in the break. Then she was hit in the head. The battle was nothing but a blur. None of them could keep up what was going on. In the next moment they were on the ground All they saw was a large bull and a pig and Pheoshan being dragged away. Phyredoor scrambled on her feet, clumsily chasing after her. They left Coalphyre, knowing they had what they wanted and more…

✴️

Two months later a girl with purple eyes and black hair was seen cleaning an emerald green silk dress. She was making sure that all dirt was scrubbed completely off. She went by the name of Cinder Umbrella and the dress that she was cleaning belonged to her older step-sister Lieara.

"Cinder! Is my dress done yet?" She shouted, her voice was like a high-pitched pig.

"Almost! Just needs to dry!" She called and she took it out to dry in the heat of the sun. 

She then did the same with Delarra, her other older step-sister. She collected the other dresses that they had asked her to clean too, but as she looked at them she knew that they were dry. She then placed them on a table next to her. She folded them up as she placed them gently in the basket next to her.

She picked them hoping that this would be enough to keep them out of her hair. She then climbed up the spiralling stairs to the upper rooms. She then opened the door to an overly large room with two king-sized beds opposite each other. The lift had lime green silk covers and the other, a deep purple, with gold poles at each side of the bed.

"Where are-"

"On their way."

"And  have-"

"Delelarra, would you honestly think that I'd forget?" She asked, chuckling slightly, as she gave her her big silver ring with a ruby gemstone in the centre, which was clean and well polished.

Delarra had a pig-face with deep red eyes and with a body to match. She even wore a thick ugly pink dress that did nothing to flatter her figure. That made her look more like a pig with pink tinted blond hair.

She looked at it with an eagle eye with a pleasant surprise.

"Well done! I can't believe that you did it so well!" She exclaimed.

Cinder smiled almost like an older sibling looking tenderly at their younger sibling treatment than an older step sister. Delarra curled her lip as put the ring on and then dug her fist into her gut! Cinder dropped to the ground clutching her stomach. She pulled her up by the hair she looked at her in the eye. She felt a fist in her jaw with such power she feared that her jaw would be ripped off!

"What have I told you about looking in my eyes?" She shouted.

She felt a slight anger inside her, but she was far too afraid to do anything.

"I-I'm sorry. I-I'll keep it in mind." She screeched through the pain.

"You better! I mean do you think that you're better than us? Well-"

She let go.

"No! You're not!" She shouted as she kicked her in the stomach. "Now get out of my sight you ugly creature!'

She spat into her face.

"What is going on here?" Asked Deciebra, her step-mother. 

Delarra pointed a finger at her.

"She thinks that she's better than us just 'cause he told us that we were to look after her!"

"Well, good job. Cinder, please know that it would do you good to not forget what your step-sister had just said. Nod if you will do it." She said

Cinder nodded with a churning stomach.

"Oh do drop your arms. You look more ridiculous than you already do."

Obediently, she dropped her arms and let them hang by her side.

"Now to your room, it's bedtime." She said, pointing a hand to her and gesturing for her to join her.

"But she still needs to bing my green dress up and Lieara's-"

"Then you go for them yourself. After all, she's your sister not your slave like Durn. Alright?"

"Got it mother!" She sang insincerely, yet already giving Cinder the evil eye.

"You better."

"But-"

"No buts! Do you really want him to carry out that threat?"

"No." She replied quickly.

"Good. Now Cinder, let me take you to your room." She said, stretching her arm to her. 

She walked over to her and she put her arm around her and smiled as she guided her through the door. This smile had been her refuge during this confusing time for her. It had gotten her through the stress of the past two months ever since she got back.

"Look it is better if you do your best to stay on their good side. Alright?"

"Alright. But I still don't know what that is!" She said, hey stomach still feeling sore.

"I am quite sure that you can figure that out. And another thing, do try to avoid questions." She said as she turned a corner and down the spiralling stairs.

"I know, it's just all of this is so ever confusing! I just can't help but wonder how our Demon King was able to find me when you couldn't." She replied.

Her step-mother giggled at that.

"I know, I wonder that too, and I did try, but I had my daughters to look after and I knew that I didn't want them to lose a mother as well as a father." She explained.

"I know and sometimes I wish that I could remember where I have been."

"Me too. Please, if you remember anything just tell me. I do have my duties. Which I take seriously." She said as they came to the room. 

"Now good night, and sleep tight." She then leaned in. "And don't let those bed bugs bite!" She finished as she laid a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Good night to you too! And you too don't let those bugs bite either." Shee replied.

She then opened the small door with a single bed and a desk beside it. This had been her room for the past two months, even-though she knew that it was only temporary, it still felt cosy and like home. She then closed the door and changed into her nightgown and went fast asleep.

The Slave Prisoner

Cinder woke up no later than half past four in the morning. She lowered herself to do her morning stretches and then jogged on the spot until she was sure that she was absolutely awake. She then did five push ups and took her nightgown off, then she put her clothes on. She then walked out of her room and then down to the kitchens, where she collected a porridge. She then walked down to her mother's dungeon.

There she met her families mad slave Drun. She had long hair that was ash brunette and wild, like a hedge on her small head. Her green eyes looked at her with a saddened anger that only mad people had. She wore a torn dress that had faded colour and torn sleeves.

"Pheo-"

"Shut up!" She said as she placed a blade to her throat just like her mother had taught her.

Drun looked at her with horror in her eyes. She looked aside with pain. She pushed the food under the small gap in the bars.

"Eat." She said, simply.

She was told right from day one to not let her talk to her and not listen to her words. She was mad and a liar and she would do and say anything to become free again. She was the one that she was found with and had captured her before she could remember. Now they kept her as a slave as revenge.

Drun nodded as she looked down. She looked pale and blue. She slowly took up the bowl and ate the gruel. She did not drop the blade until she had eaten every last drop. She then gave the bowl back to her. She then got to her feet and then opened the cage.

"Now follow me." She ordered as she walked to the stairs. 

They started to climb them. 

"Help me prepare my sister's breakfast."

They reached the second level above the dungeons. They walked to the kitchens. Together, they chopped and cooked what needed to. Soon the food was ready and they stacked all the food that they could fit on the plate. Whatever was left, which was a decent portion, she ate. It always surprised her just how good her food tasted, for some reason.

"You get Lieara's and I'll get Delarra's." She told her. 

She took the plate and cutlery. 

They then climbed the tower to the highest level. They then walked to the room and, with her elbow, opened the door. She then placed Delarra's plate next to her bed. They then opened the curtains and then walked back to her sister. But at her feet. She then pulled out a feather and gently rubbed it against her exposed foot. She did this until she was awake and laughing.

"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" She laughed until tears were streaming out of her eyes. 

She put away the feather as her sister wiped away her tears. Her face dropped dead pan.

"Oh, it's you."

"Yup! Did you have a nice dream?" She asked 

"Yeah! Do you want to know what it was about?" She asked rhetorically as she took out her knife and stabbed the meat and ate it. 

"Sure!" She said, already knowing that she would not like it.

"Well it was where you didn't exist!" She sang.

"Me too!" Lieara groaned. "Honestly, I don't believe that so-called Demon King! What's so special about you? Honestly why did he force-"

"Lieara!" Snapped their mother.

"What?" They said as they all jumped slightly as their attention turned to the door. There Decibra stood with her cane with full dignity and her back straight. Her eyes moved to Lieara with cold judgement. She curled her lip as she rolled her eyes with nothing but loathing.

"You do realise that he will have your head if you continue with your insolence. And I will say this once, if he does, I will not get in the way when he does. After all, I will not die for your foolishness. Do you hear me girl? Now thank your sister."

Lieara groaned.

"Fine! Thank you!" She sang with a childish tune in her voice.

"Mean it!" She snapped.

She let out a long sigh.

"Thank you." She said with little effort to be sincere. 

"It will have to do." She said under her breath.

Her body language now displayed that she was now talking to everyone in the room. 

"Now I have some news for you. The prince, Demice, is holding a ball tomorrow night, and he has invited all of all class. Yes, this does include you Drun. Now let's hope that a fellow slave would be pleased to take your maddened hand. Now Leiara, Delearra, I would like it very much if you found a dress for both of them. And, remember, nothing too ugly or plain right?"

"Yes ma!" They groaned.

"Good." She said leaving the room, leaving everyone in a state of shock.

Cinder felt a churning sensation in the pit of her gut, like part of her knew with every fibre that she did not want to go. Like her gut was telling her that there was something more going on than just a ball. Something that would be bad. No, it was almost as if it was screaming at her that she must not go to the ball at all cost. Along with the dreaded feeling that she should take Drun and run out of this place as far and add fast as she could.

She was about to wonder what was going on. Why was she feeling this strange feeling? She knew that she was being nothing but silly. Yet she could not help but have this feeling nor could she shake it. That is until she felt a fist in the gut. She then felt a grip on her throat.

"Don't you dare think that we're afraid of you or the so-called Demon King, right? You're nothing special. You're just a piece of dirt and don't you dare forget it." Said one.

"Yeah don't. We're not as weak as that mother of ours. I don't care what she says. If we have to fight him we will! Honestly, do you know just how humiliating it is?!" The other said.

"What do you mean? The only connection that I have with him is the fact that he was the one who found me! Honestly, you're right I am nothing special."

"Oh look! She doesn't know!" One laughed.

"How cute!"

'Yeah! And you know what happens to 'cute'!"

She felt punch after punch until her face was blue. She felt a power rise in her. She did not understand it nor like it. Then the punches stopped.

"There. You look like us now." They said. 

She then was helped up by Drun. She then walked with a limp, but as she walked the rest of the way her pain went away and she soon walked normally. Even her face looked like she was never punched at all! Drun's eyes widened as she looked at her face with shock.

The Demon God Mother

Cinder and Durn were both dressed well, but Cinder was more on the plain side. She had a plain white silk dress with a plain back cape. She had old copper roses that had been worn far too much with several dents in. She had black silk shoes with several holes in.  There were the only things that her sisters would let her borrow. She hoped that her appearance would not be an insult to the prince.

Durn was dressed in a blue dress with blue roses covering the top half and the bottom half was a long silk dress. She had blue silk shoes and a long laced cape held by silver lilies. 

Lieara wore the same but in pink but it looked new and better and her sister was in purple.

Then came their mother. She was dressed in a silk green dress and a long black cape with a crimson spider lily broach. She wore slippers that were crimson with scarlet jewels. 

She looked at Cinder and her lip curled but she soon forced a smile on her face. There seemed to be a slightly angry look in them as she looked at her sisters scoldingly. Yet her face softened as she took her sister's hands. They smiled at her.

"Girls and Durn, you three go on ahead." She said sweetly.

"Yes mother."

She then returned to Cinder and chopped her cheek and smiled widely.

"Cinder, will you come with me?"

"W-"

Not good to ask questions.

Never mind.

"It's perfectly fine honey, that question isn't dangerous. It is to see an old friend of mine. It's to see an old friend of mine, it's about time you met her. She has been quite looking forward to meeting you. Although, I wish it had been once you had your memories back." She said, with a sorrowful tone.

She smiled and nodded. 

"See you later!"

"See you!"

"Yeah see you later pig!"

Speak for yourself!

The rest walked to the carriage and then, they waved the three goodbye. Then, when they were out of sight, she then looped her arm in hers. 

"Come along sweetie!" She said as they started walking. "I'm sorry about those two, they never learnt when to put away their rebellious nature."

"It's alright. I don't blame them."

"Well I do! I mean when the Demon King gave you to me, after all these long, long years, if I didn't know any better I would have mistook him as an angel! And, honestly I am glad to have you back now, even-though your memories are a bit sketchy. Sometimes, I do wish that I could have known what happened to you all those years."

Cinder looked down feeling slightly ashamed and vulnerable.

"I do too... It's just even-though I am trying but every time I do my head pounds and I see his face. Even in my dreams."

"Whose?"

"The Demon King's and that boy's. Then in my dreams...I see myself in a mirror." 

She then looked at her hand almost as if she was holding a weapon of sorts. 

"My eyes, they're like his and I'm even holding a smaller version of his weapon…"

Her mother's eyes narrowed at her words. 

"My, my, that is strange!"

"What about you? Tell me, what was father like?" She asked, not quite certain if that was a safe question to ask.

Her look in her vulnerable eyes looked as if she was about to cry. Smiling and chuckling, she pulled her in and wrapped an arm around her and kissed her forehead.

"Well, he was like you, and believe me, if he saw you right here and now, he would be proud of you and he would be smiling if he saw us here, and now. Just as I am." She said as she turned a corner.

She smiled sorrowfully.

"I love you mother."

"I love you too."

They giggled with each other. They soon arrived at the house at the end.

"Well, we are here!" She sang as they walked to and knocked on the door.

The door opened. Revealing an old lady with bat-like wings and deep crimson eyes.

"Degon I thought that it was about time you two met." She said gesturing at Cinder. 

Her eyes sparkled like they were glowing. 

"You remember her don't you?"

Her eyes widened and her face brightened.

"How could I forget? I am not sure that you remember me but I am you godmother Degon Cinder. And yes, your first name did come from my last name." She said, with a jolly tone.

"I wish that I could, but I will do well to, in the future." She said with a curtsy. 

Degon burst out in tears and pulled her in for a tight embrace and kissed her.

"Oh, it's good to have you back, deer! It's good to have you back, deer!" She repeated in her ear.

Degon pushed her away and looked at her up and down.

"Oh, I can't believe that you're alive and you're home!"

Her mother placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Anyway, I brought you here because, those spiteful sisters of hers, gave her this dress and I know that you can do better." She said as she winked.

"Then I'm sure that you came to the right place!" She sang putting her hand on her hip.

Cinder looked slightly confused but said nothing and smiled. She looked at her up and down.

"On it!" Eas all she said as she pulled out a long black polished stick that had a scarlet jewel at the end. 

She tapped her cape and then part of it melted away leaving a rose pattern. She then stroked it and the roses became silver. Cinder's eyes widened as she could not believe what had just happened. She had to stroke the pattern to make sure that she was not seeing things.

"Now for the dress."

She then her current dress and then tapped the skirt of the dress making it longer and then stroked the waist and then flicked it down and white roses followed into a triangle made of roses. She then stroked the sleeves and they became long with a large cuff with a point. She then circled her waist creating a silver rope-like belt ending in a not. 

She then tapped both broaches and they became black glass with a purple gemstone in the centre that was the same colour of her eyes.

"Now your feet." She said as she tapped her silk shoes. And suddenly a dark cloud eclipsed her feet and her heel rose and she was soon looking at a pair of black glass slippers.

She looked down at what she was wearing and could not believe just how beautiful she looked.

Is-is that me? I-I never thought that I could look so beautiful!

"Thank you!" She gasped.

"You are very welcome! Now there's just one thing that you need to keep in mind. My spell will only last until midnight, and when it does, those clothes will start to disappear, leaving you naked and you would not want that now would you?"

She smiled out of dread.

"And I wouldn't want to do that!" She giggled nervously.

She shook her head.

"No deer, you wouldn't."

Her mother placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled widely. She then extended her hand to a pumpkin shaped glass carriage with lilac rims, and pulled by black unicorns.

"For me?" Cinder exclaimed.

"Yes, compliments of the Demon King." Her mother said.

What did I do to deserve this?

Cinder felt tears of joy fall. She kissed her mother and godmother.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

Her mother giggled.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" She asked as she started dancing. 

"What?" She asked.

"The ball!" She exclaimed.

"Oh!" She laughed, wiping her tears away.

And with that she was on the first step and then looked back.

"You're not coming?" She asked, slightly disappointed.

"We're a bit too old for all of that."

"But-"

"Just go!" Her step-mother said almost pushing her in and then she was off. 

She then waved them goodbye.

Glue Glass

She soon arrived at the purple castle. With crimson tiles and tall and narrow windows with thick rims like the shape of a kite. It was lit by a deep green light and had black torches with emeralds decorating the handle. These were held by sculptures of Wolfox in each hand.

She felt her heart racing like it was doing a marathon. Almost as if there were several butterflies in her chest rather than a heart. She could not describe her confused emotions at the time. She was going to meet the prince, the actual prince that she only caught glimpses of. The prince that she had often wondered about. Sometimes with an odd obsession.

She knew that she was excited but she could not help but feel, fear and anger. She just could not understand it but nor did she want to or either emotions. She just wanted to focus on the joy and excitement of setting foot in that castle. Seeing the prince.

The prince...

"You should not trust the prince." She heard Durn say in her head. 

She frowned.

When did she say that?  She wondered. 

I don't know…

Then her head suddenly started to pound painfully like it was about to explode. She could not stand it, as it hurt unbearably and she felt almost as if her brain was hammering the inside of her soul. She saw that other prince. She felt grief ache in her heart like an invisible blade had pierced her heart. Then she heard him say in a strong but gentle voice in her ear behind her. 

"Princess Pheoshan."

She felt herself falling and then strong hands caught her. She looked down to see the hands were cold and thin.

"Are you alright?" Asked a soothing and deep voice that made her relax but she felt part of her recoil from him, like she did not want to relax.

"Yeah. It's just a slight headache for a moment." She said quickly.

"Oh, do you think that you shall be alright now?"

"I should be." She said as she felt herself relaxing. 

"May you take my arm? You know, just in the case that you get a headache again?"

She then looked up at the one who the arm belonged to. She took in her raven hair and his enchanting sapphire eyes. She just could not help but stare at his pale alluring face that spoke of a darkness about him.

"Yes." She said as she held onto it. "Thank you!"

"You are very welcome. Now you must tell me the name of this beauty before me." He said with a smile.

Beauty? I'm not beautiful! Am I? 

You know…I don't know..

"Urr…Cinder Umbrella." She said with a curtsy. 

She could feel her cheeks becoming red.

"So what is the name of the handsome gentleman before me?"

He went green with dread.

"Promise me that you will not flee?" He asked as his head ducked slightly making him look cute.

"I promise."

"Demice." She said.

Cinder stepped back for a moment. She looked at him in utter shock.

"You-you're!"

"Yes, now please do not shout it out loud. I hardly wish to attract any attention. After all, those two women are enough to excite anyone. So please do not do it."

"Alright, so will we be going in?"

"You can."

"Are you alright, your highness?"

"No, I told my father that I did not want to throw this ball. After all, I do not wish to be sold out to anyone, especially if I do not love them. It would be fair on neither of us." He said. "When I choose my bride I wish it to be that we choose each-other out of love not gain. However unfortunately, as the hair of Glohad my father says that I must marry and further the kingdom."

He had the sorrow of this foul fate in his eyes.

"That sounds awful!"

"I know. I wish that I was born among the common folk, after all, they hardly have to worry about such things."

She nodded, reflecting on her life, or at least, all that she could remember. She had never had such demands on marriage nor any kind of demand to have a love life.

"You are right."

"And what about you?" He asked.

"What about me?" She asked, surprised that this royalty would ever give any attention to who she was.

"Yes, I do so ever wish to know more about the beauty in front of me." He said with a shy blush on his face.

She felt her cheeks become just as crimson.

"W-well, I was stolen when I was no older than three. I can't tell you much about that, but there was a time when I was seven or eight that I was found and returned to my step-mother, my real parents were dead by that time. I lived with her and my step-sisters until I was kidnapped again when I was nine or ten and it was not until two months ago, when the Demon King himself found me and returned me to my family. However, even though I do a lot of the house work, the truth is the worst part is the fact that I don't even remember anything before those two months." She said as a tear fell onto her black glass slippers.

He then pulled her into an embrace that was warm and yet cold, comforting and yet she could not ignore the anger and fear that was surging through her body at that moment. 

"That must be so hard on you, my life's problems seem small compared to yours!" He said, gently wiping the tear away.

"I know, but we all have them." She said as she broke away. 

He too let a tear fall onto the same slipper and suddenly both glowed red and then purple and then faded to black before Cinder could notice. However Demice noticed but said nothing. He looked at her and smiled as she wiped away his tears.

They then reached the entrance.

"Now that we have had that talk, thanks to you I have the courage to go in." He said, sliding his hand in hers. 

"Me too." She said as she curled her fingers and walked in.

The Demon Prince

They came to a crystal dance floor. He placed his hand gently on her hip and she rested her hand on his shoulder. She felt slightly awkward as she knew that she was about to dance without knowing a single dance. Their opposite hands joined and then their eyes joined. She felt like she had to tell him.

Don't mess this up, don't mess this up!

"I must admit that I don't quite know how to-"

He chuckled.

"That's alright. Just follow my lead."

"I will try."

She nodded as he slowly spun her around and then his hand gently pushed her. She looked down and followed his lead as they took their first step forward. He then pulled her in close. 

"Go to the beat of one, two, three, one, two, three." He whispered into her ear. 

Her cheeks became red as she nodded and got the beat in her head on repeat. She could feel her heart in her head as she felt completely frightened at the thought of embarrassing herself by any type of bad dancing.

"Relax! Just let a deep breath and focus upon the music. It will help you." 

They then took step after step, first slowly and then when she became confident and more comfortable they went slightly faster. He then broke off and she held his hands on her hips as he lifted her, keeping her reassured with his eyes. She then let go of his hands and then, with her heartbeat beating like a drum, she extended her arms out like a bird about to take flight. He then spun her around letting her see the rest of the dance floor from above. She then slowly dropped and she rested her hands on his shoulders and they spun slowly around the dance floor. She then tripped slightly and was about to fall back but he covered that up as a lean. He then let her rise and lifted her again and her cape rose and when she landed her feet were both clear. He then placed his hand on her hip and she, his shoulder and they then continued the way that they started. 

Then the music stopped. They broke away, for a moment they were the only two people in the world. Cinder felt different, somehow and part of her knew that, whatever was to happen now, she could psychologically go back. She knew that she had left something behind with that dance. She could not quite know or could tell what but she knew that she had left, whatever it was, behind and she was never going to have it back.

"Are you going to put a ring on her now?" Boomed a strong voice. 

Demice went completely red in the face.

"I can not believe that he said that!" He groaned. 

Cinder giggled slightly.

"I'm willing to bet if I was in your position I'm willing to bet that my father would do the same." She laughed.

"Really?"

"Really." She repeated as her eyes met the face of a clock. 

To her utter shock it was five to twelve! With all that talking and dancing she had not realised just how fast time had flown! She had to leave as soon as possible. She also had to do it in a way that did not seem rude.

"Speaking of which,I'm sorry, but I have a curfew." She said. "It was really nice meeting you, your highness, however I must say my goodbye!"

She gave him a quick bow and then ran out of the dance floor. She then ran down the corridor but then her foot seemed to misplace itself and she tripped she hit the carpet and then she quickly got up and then ran on. She spotted that her cape had started to disappear. She then spotted the bannister of the stairs. She knew that it would be rude but she knew that the quickest way to get down saw to slide down. She then slid down glad that everyone was at the dance so she was never seen and she fell from the end and onto the floor. She spotted that her dress was starting to disappear too! 

She reached the carriage in time and she almost threw herself inside. She reached her home for half one. She ran up and then put on what she thought was her night gown but was actually a shirt she put on another pair of briefs and then crashed down onto the bed and closed her eyes.

 She soon had dreams let her to a boy her age she saw several images flicker before her, a life where she went by the the name of Alex, one where she was a princess and another where she was in several different worlds, then she was led to the White Demon, and then she was frozen. She also, somehow got out and killed her. It seemed as if ever since then she had been deathly pale like ice.

She then found herself looking at a man and woman that looked like her but then a boy younger than her, almost identical. 

That's my brother and they are my family!

The word were so easy to come to her mind, even easier to believe them. So, when she woke up the following morning at no earlier than quarter past four, she knew who she truly was and what that meant.

That was when the memory flooded back to her, the one of the night that they were attacked. They only intended to pass Glahod, but it seemed that Wolfox had other ideas. He must have known that they were going to pass Glahod and he had prepared. She then remembered the humanoid bull and pig raining their hooves down on them, with their frothy mouths and their glowing crimson eyes. 

She then remembered Wolfox pulling her away further from the other two. She saw the snake covering her and then she squirted her venom in her eyes. She was helpless as she was being carried. She then stopped and then a single finger touched her forehead.

"Forget." Prince Demice's voice came and then everything went black.

Now that she had the linking memory she knew the truth, they were all in it together. Now she had to act. The first thing she did was get out a plane grey shirt and some leather pants. There was no time to get anything else. She then ran down to the dungeons. She felt herself shaking slightly as she unlocked the door.

"Phyredoor come on. We've got to get out of here before everyone wakes." She whispered. 

"Pheoshan?"

"Yes, come on!"

They then ran as quietly as possible to the door, but not before getting a few loves of bread and a few slabs of meat. They were soon out of the house and as she ran her bare feet hit the ground until out of the blue the tap became a ting. She even felt something supporting her heel. She looked down to see, to her surprise, the black glass slippers on her feet. 

"How did they get there?" She asked.

Phyredoor gripped her hand. 

"Never mind! We've got to move!" She said as she snapped her back to reality. 

She soon came to the edge of the kingdom when they saw a figure at the top of the hill they had to cross to their freedom, and to their dismay, it was none other than the demon prince himself!

"Well, well, well, what are we doing here?" He asked with a pleasant tone. "I can't tell you just how much I have longed for you my dear! I mean after last night, I was afraid that I will never see you again!"

"Drop the act,prince charming."

That was when his face changed to a much more cruller look.

"Oh, so you remember now?"

"Yes, and I even remember you making me forget too!"

He smirked.

"Excellent."

"What? How-"

He laughed a chilling laugh.

"My dear Pyredoor, whatever would the fun be in you running away as Durn and Cinder?"

She frowned as his eyes slid to Pheoshan.

"I see that you get it. Don't you?"

Her face dropped at the regionalisation that he was right.

"After all, whatever would be the fun in  escaping without a little conflict. An obstacle to got in the way, something to fight."

"And is that why you're here?"

"I am here out of curiosity. After all, how much do you remember of that night?"

She frowned.

"I don't-"

"Do you remember what the Demon King wanted to do with us?"

"No, but let me guess he wanted to marry us right?"

"You're almost right. The next that he wanted me to do was to test that power within you. And, if what he said was true, then I knew that if I did that you would end up killing me. And any threat to me and my crown can not be tolerated." He said as he pulled out a three bladed sword with the blades sticking out the shape of a fork. "Now, if I'm right, all I have to do is kill you before he gets here. Then you will be out of my hair forever, human."

He then closed his eyes. 

"And, if I'm right I can not kill you in this form so, I am going to have to force that power out of you."

He pointed the palm of his hand towards her. Soon she felt like she was on fire and cried out in pain as she felt her entire body become saw. She dropped to the ground and when her eyes opened they were the eyes of Wolfox, and in her hand, his weapon. She felt this dark and dangerous joy coursing through her like a dark flame had entered her heart.

"So? Are we going to fight or what?" She said in a frightful voice that sounded like a lion and felt like it was coming from the pit of her gut. 

His eyes were wide and wild with a mixture of pure excitement and fear. His smile reflected this too.

"Yes, let's fight." He said as he too started to change. 

His flesh became stone. His hair became green and looked and acted like a plant. His clothes became roses and crimson lilies.  He picked one and sniffed it.

"May I just say, you are even more beautiful to me in this form. Little surprising considering that every rose must have a thorn." He said in a more gentle sounding voice. 

He threw the rose at her and she cut the rose in half.

She then ran up to him and went into slicing him but he saw this coming and met her blade with his. She put as much pressure on his as possible but he easily matched hers with his and soon the pressure became too much and she landed on the ground. He raised his blade above his head and chopped down but she bought her blade up and they met again. She then kicked his shin with her black glass heel. He fell and she rolled away from him. And used her blade to get up on her feet. A move tat he too copied. They then were facing each other.

He then ran in and kept his blade low. She blocked his farthest bade to her with the prong that was closest to her. He then stepped aside and flipped his blade. Now the other two were pointing at her. He was now behind her, she felt his breath on the back of her neck. He hen drove the blades in and all that she could do was keep the latter blade away from her.

"Forget late night! Now, this is dancing!" He exclaimed in her ear.

Suddenly the idea came to the and she spun out, like she was still dancing. Now she knew what to do. She bent her legs in a mock curtsy and then her slid her leg back and waited for him to strike which he did. She stopped it and spun as she did getting behind his arm and then she was at his back and she went in to stab him. Then she laid her first cut in him. He then did what she did and seeing that he was about to stab her too she dropped down. She then rolled under his legs and then outstretched her legs and soon her heels were firmly in between his legs. 

Suddenly she felt cold, but for some reason she was not shivering, in fact it was almost pleasant. 

She then got to her feet. He covered the place and looked at her with shock.

"How did you do that?" He asked, with a shaky voice that was getting higher pitched with each syllable."Only the White Demon can do that! So how did you?"

She frowned not knowing what he was on about. She then realised that he too was just as confused. She ran to him and she felt the pleasant cold all over her as she ran and then her blade met his and then ice ran up her blade and eclipsed his, now they were locked. She did not know how, nor did she know why but she knew that she was the one that was doing this. 

She saw him quickly cover his shock with a playful, almost flirtatious.

"My, my, my dear, you are full of surprises. If I didn't hate humans like you, I could see myself falling for you."

She scoffed at that.

"Well, you are right! I even surprise myself!" She said, covering up her shock too. "Now, are you going to fight with me or flirt?"

He let out a chuckle.

"Can't I do both?" He asked as he tried to pull away, but it was far too late his blade was covered with her ice and the ice was growing. 

She felt herself growing colder and colder and even the ice was getting colder and colder. She soon saw that the ice grew to his hands and then up his hands and soon his body was eclipsed in it. She pulled her blade away, knowing that her ice would obey her will. She then struck the ice and the ice cracked into millions of pieces including the prince. The Demon Prince was no more. And now she knew why she was paler after her fight with the White Demon.

Inferno Falls

They both ran and ran as fast as they could. Their lungs cried out for air and their stitches begged them to stop, but they could not afford to listen to them. They could not afford to stop, for they knew what would happen if they did. Though they knew better than to think about it. They ran and ran even-though Pheoshan was within an inch of passing out. Their legs both felt like jelly, and were threatening to give way, until Pheoshan fell on her head.

She tried to get up, but her eyelids became stubborn. Her body just wanted to lie there, doing nothing but resting. She tried to resist and get up but her muscles just could not move. She felt someone pick her up. Her eyes slid to Pyredoor who was smiling and her eyes closed before she could find out why. 

She had a dream of a woman with black hair and white eyes, she was thirteen by the looks of her, no, she was twelve. She was with another who was fifteen, just half a year older than her. She held a book in her hand. She had darkening brunette hair and dark brown eyes that were filled with intercity.

Her eyes opened and blinked as they did. 

"C-Coalphyre?"

"Here, how have you been?" He said passing them the water bags and they quickly drank.

"Not bad. You?" She asked.

"Fine. Sorry I could not get near you before today. There was a barrier around Glahod which wasn't removed until this morning." He said. "Say, those are some interesting shoes that you have there."

She looked down only to see the black glass slippers as their heels flattened themselves. They soon morphed into a striking pair of black glass clogs. Which were comfortable to wear.

"Seems that you're sort of right."

"So, what happened?"

That was when she told him the events that had taken place. His eyes rested on her black glass clogs.  

"Now, I think that we need to eat."

With that they ate and soon the other two were asleep. They spent the following morning climbing higher and higher until they were at the top of a mountain. They were about to settle down when they heard a series of loud screams!

They looked back and saw smoke rising from the horizon blackening the sky and replacing all clouds in sight. They could even feel an intense heat that was only getting hotter and hotter. They could smell the suffocating scent  of ash and sulphur. Their eyes started to sting and they knew that they had to get out of there. 

They ran and ran higher and higher up the mountain, coughing all the way until they came to a high place where the heat was a lot less intense and the smoke was thin. They turned back to see what was going on and they could see the tips of blue flames above hills, in the direction of Glahod. They climbed higher to see what was going on and they were soon the upper middle of the mountain could they see where the blue flames were coming from. They soon wish they hadn't.

Their eyes met a wall of blue fire that was determined to burn everything in its path. It reached to the highest points of the visible sky and, even-though they were miles they could still feel the heat. The heat must have been so intense that even trees and grass that were not even near the fire lit up and then joined the inferno! And soon the fire hand eclipsed the entirety of the horizon and even the sky above their head had no clouds but smoke. 

The castle then fell and crumbled and all of the rest of the buildings were brunt so thoroughly that only the melting metal scaffolding was barely remaining. Soon that became an amber puddle on the ground burning the victims as they drowned. Some were hit by falling bricks and passes out and  others were hit by beams and were crushed by rubble. Others choked on the smoke and coughed up blood as the ash filled their lungs.

They then spotted Wolfox light a blue fireball in his hand and suddenly Pheoshan's vision blackened. She suddenly saw the forest of flames from a birds eye view. Then her eyes rested on ones that called her step-daughter and step-sister. Looking up at her with eyes wild and in utter horror. They were pale and coated in soot, ash and sweat. Their clothes were torn and burnt. They were all shaking all over.

Now, let me show you this! She heard Wolfox say in her head and her vision dropped to a blue fire ball and it hit the whole lot of them! 

Then her vision returned leaving them incapable of moving as they watched Glahod become ash. Even though their hearts were beating rapidly they could hardly feel them, they could hardly feel anything as their minds tried to process what they were bearing witness to. All they could hear now was the silent scream that lay within their hearts.