The Demon Lord And His Hero

Nua was an avian paradise. Nestled in a corner of the world where towering mountains rose above an undulating landscape of thick clouds, Nua's uniqueness was carved into the sky-high homes that draped the sides of hundreds of rock pillars like beehives. Bridges made of strong sun tree roots connected the rock pillars. These aerial pathways were safe to walk on if one could brave the sight of a fall that dropped through tufts of clouds in some places. For the winged and fearless, Nua could be enjoyed best on the high pillars where endemic tree species sheltered homes from the glare of sunlight when the mist wasn't hanging heavy over the avians.

Aside from the unique beauty of the place, Nua was praised for its reverse waterfall, a marvellous feat of magical engineering that remained irreplicable. The avians had claimed that their ancestor deity, a Phoenix known as Amiraku, was the origin of the magical device that reversed the flow of the waterfall. It tapped into the potent energy of sunlight to power the enormous spell that changed the course of nature. The clever avians were now using the waterfall as a means to transport goods up above the trading hub where humans and other non-flying species gathered with their massive carts loaded with precious items.

Nua had little agricultural land and it made them dependent on the traded food that came from all over the world. The avian economy was robust and rich, supported by the mines in the vast rugged mountains of bird country. Mana crystals were dug out from deep inside the heart of mountains where an intensely saturated air prevented the sublimation of crystals. With their riches came wars with other avian tribes but the sons and daughters of Nua were strong in body and spirit. And unlike the royal families of other nations, Nua's princes and princesses were drafted to war when it reached their borders. It was a core belief system in the avian traditions that the rulers served the people just as the people served them.

Syryn knew all this and it was the reason why he was excitedly folding clothing that would tide them over in both warm and cold weather.

Cloud and temperature conditions varied with height but they were predictable at least. He would never take Lucien to the treacherous snow-covered reaches of the sky but it didnt hurt to squeeze in at least a fur coat or two.

"Rowan, My satchel isn't big enough for all of this! What am I supposed to do?" Syryn's dimensional bag had already been filled with his alchemical equipment, medicine, emergency dry rations, food, water, writing implements, a stolen scarf that he hoped Rowan wouldn't miss, some basic cooking implements, and a whole lot of rare alchemy ingredients that he had been hoarding for years.

The anti mage had just made it back from a quick visit to the kitchen. He had argued that Syryn and Lucien were both growing boys who had to eat something before embarking on a long journey. A tray filled with hot food was placed on the table before the blond replied to Syryn's question.

"You can borrow mine," Rowan responded.

"No, I think I can fit the rest of it inside a small travelling bag." The alchemist began digging inside his closet for a bag that he had used to store his books inside.

"Ryn, come eat something first. I'll pack the rest of it for you."

"But Rowan, we're going through the path. It's not a long journey," Syryn replied. "I'm not hungry!"

The anti mage leisurely poured hot water into a cup that already had tea leaves in it. "Nua has closed off all known rifts within their borders except for one. Your travelling party will most likely exit at a location on the edge of avian borders. From there, it'll be a seven to eight hour mounted journey. I suggest you eat something right now so that you don't get too hungry later on."

"Seven hour journey?!"

Rowan took a bite from a wrinkled apple and then handed it to Syryn. The alchemist stared at the bitten off apple and back at the anti mage.

"It's not poisoned," Rowan told him.

"Who the hell would poison me in my own house?"

"I was just reminded of how much trouble you gave me in the past," Rowan dryly replied. Back when they were in the tower, Syryn had insisted on Rowan taking a bite of everything that was brought for his consumption. Poison testing, he had claimed. It had gone on for months before the demon lord gave up on that avenue of annoying the hero. Starving himself till Rowan appeared for a taste had served to annoy the blond at first but he caught on quickly and he was present at every meal without Syryn asking for him. The tables were turned and it was Rowan annoying Syryn by eating all of the demon lord's favourite foods.

"The past is the past," Syryn replied as he bit the apple right where Rowan's teeth had marked it.

"Who are you travelling with?" Rowan took over Syryn's work when he was satisfied that the teen was eating everything.

"Prince Riaku and his entourage, or maybe just him and his guard," Syryn replied.

"Is he the filial grandson you were talking about?"

"Yep. Oh no." Syryn scrambled to his desk and pulled out a few sheets of paper. He had forgotten to write the letters that were intended for 3 people. "Wait, is Lucien being fed by Sebastian?"

"Yes, he was eating before I brought you your meal," Rowan replied.

Syryn nodded and began writing on a clean sheet. He completed his letter writing in record time. The mage was shovelling in spoonfuls of food as he scrawled as elegantly as he could. Rowan too had efficiently packed away the last of Syryn's items and was now looking over his shoulders.

"A cypher. Who is it for?"

"Artemus." Syryn blew air on the ink and then folded it neatly inside a perfumed envelope.

"I just realised that you're stuck in Elysium for a month because of me," Syryn looked up from his envelope.

"Don't worry your pretty head about it," Rowan replied. One arm bracing his weight on the table, the anti mage was leaning over Syryn, their faces so close together. The alchemist inclined his chin and allowed Rowan to close the gap.

It was the soft touch of his lips that finally forced Syryn to acknowledge the elephant in the room. He would be without Rowan for a whole month. Like a plant drying in the sun without water, Syryn was already shrivelling up inside. Rowan pulled away first but the alchemist chased after his mouth and kissed him with renewed vigour.

"Ryn," Rowan breathed out between small kisses. "Be good for me, okay. I might start a war with Nua if you so much as hold hands with another person."

Syryn smiled into the kiss. "Are you threatening me?"

"Yes," the anti mage took in the scent of Syryn. "Is it working?"

"Not this time, Ro. I'd like to see you start a war for once. Let's take over the world. We could begin with Sigil kingdom." Syryn ran his hand down Rowan's chest, feeling the hard muscles that he wanted to lick so bad.

"You wish to rule the world?" Rowan asked after a pause.

"As your Emperor, yes. You will be my champion, and together, we can burn the whole world down. There will be nothing left for Traxdart to take. And the best part of it is that we won't have to suffer alone."

"You make a tempting offer but I must refuse it, your majesty," Rowan replied, breezily breaking one of the cardinal rules of Sigil kingdom. "I care about you far too much to see you walk down this path again. Even if it's what you think you want, it's not."

"Again? But I've never tried to take over the world."

"No, you'd never," Rowan placed a small peck on Syryn's nose. "I'm just reminding you of how much bloodshed and suffering it entails. It's not too different from what I caught you doing, is it?"

Syryn guiltily lowered his head.

"You've paid for your sins, Syryn. I didn't mean to make you feel guilty." Rowan ran his fingers through the boy's hair. "Will you wear an illusion to Nua?" He asked him.

"Yes, why?"

"Don't," Rowan said to him. "Beauty is respected just as much as strength is. Let it be a mask to hide behind. When the world marvels at how gorgeous you are, they will be blinded to the intelligence, the skills, and the strength that you hide away. Do you understand, Ryn?"

The alchemist nodded. Rowan wanted him to be underestimated. Could he do it though? Syryn was ostentatious, a show-off when threatened.

"It'll be your test, then. Use diplomacy first, diplomacy second, and when that fails, resolve conflict through more dialogue. Do not escalate to violence and force unless there is a threat to your life. I've come to understand that your conflict resolution curve on a bad day is a straight line that goes from zero to murder but we can't have that in a foreign country, Ryn. Even I cannot break you out of prison if that happens."

"Yes you can," Syryn firmly replied. "And you will. If I go to prison for killing or maiming someone, you have to get me out, Ro."

"You're not killing and maiming anyone, Syryn. I know you have more self-control than that."

And it was true. Syryn was murder free so far this lifetime. Or not. But he hadn't killed any innocent people so far.

"I'm just visiting as a healer. I'm sure nothing troublesome will happen. You worry too much, Rowan," he replied.

"You're right. Nevertheless, keep your eyes peeled for hidden dangers. It could all very well start with a wrongly worded greeting."

Syryn was suddenly and comically struck by the thought that he was being advised as though he was an abominable combination of a country bumpkin and a savage. But was Rowan wrong? Not at all. Syryn would have given himself the same advice. He was impulsive when annoyed, prone to escalating conflicts if he could get away with it. His idea of diplomacy was aggressive negotiation. War was also diplomacy, wasn't it? Just a more violent version of it. The anti mage wanted him to behave when faced with a hostile. It wasn't an easy task for Syryn. He also stupidly realised that it was his first trip out of Sigil as a peace-loving, law-abiding human person.

"I hope it goes well," he told the anti mage while not trusting himself too much.