Demon Oracle

 Demon Oracle 3.0

Theoterra, an Eden built by the gods and humanity’s purpose is to serve and worship them. If you go against the word of the gods and their holy council you are marked for execution.

Those that go against the council are known as Demons, foretold to bring about the ruin of Theoterra and corrupt its people.

To bring those demons to justice the gods created a path to ascension, a way for selected humans to serve as a blade that can strike down demons. But not just anyone can be an Ascended, you must be chosen by an eye of god.

The eyes of god work through a special select few humans called Oracles. These Oracles have the gift of seeing visions of the future and if an Oracle sees the future of someone traveling the path of ascension then they are dutifully bound to serve as their guide.

As the gods chosen, Oracles have been granted an additional boon and responsibility, to be a representative of Theoterra and forge a harmonious connection between this world and another.

An Oracle and their chosen Ascendants are to traverse this other world serving spirits and gods, forging a bridge between worlds for Theoterran expansion.

World that are not deemed fit are denoted as Demon worlds and thus the Oracles and Ascnedants connected to it are deemed demons to be executed, this is the word of the gods and their holy council.

Today is my 14th birthday, I have been chosen as an Oracle candidate, gifted the sight of the gods, And today is also the day I am to be recognized as an official Oracle!

I have yet to see any major visions of heroic adventures, but I’m sure that once I bare the full weight of an Oracle and its responsibilities my path forward shall be revealed!

…

*Sigh* This feels too weird, father once said that telling someone about your doubts and worries will help bring you clarity.

I’m used to having to imagine that I have friends, so I thought that if I imagined that I had someone to talk to would be just as easy...

Anyway, my names Sammy Brown, son of Father Brown and Lady Isabel Brown. She wasn’t always lady Isabel Brown but after I was gifted the sight we ascended from Lowborns to Highborns almost overnight! 

Mother was congratulated for birthing me, and was given a higher position in the commune. It wasn’t entirely my fault though, father insists that it was mother’s sharp tongue and blessed looks that let her take advantage of the situation.

Speaking of, father used to be a holy laborer, after participating in the creation of me however, he was granted rest, now he spends his days in prayer and supporting mother when he’s not filling his ever expanding gut.

I know I sound rather ungrateful, but I wish I’d never had been chosen to be an Oracle, it wasn’t great being Lowborn, but life was simple, now theres a huge weight on my shoulders, I not only have to carry the weight of responsibility of an Oracle, but the responsibility of house Brown.

If I mess up … then mother and fathers new happy lives will be ruined, I know just how devastated they would be because mother has sat me down and told me so on more than one occasion.

*Sigh* I hope today goes well.

— — —

Sammy got out of bed, looked around his room, it didn’t feel like his though. Opening his closet he brushed past his favorite brown coat with its warm deep pockets,... mother said I’m never to wear this ever again, I’m surprised she even let me keep it.

Putting on a white robe that mother chose and his brushing his silver hair, also from his mother, he got dressed and held the door to his room.

“One, two,...,three!”

He flung open the door and stride forward straightening his back and putting on his metaphorical mask of emotions, just like mother had taught him.

“Father, is breakfast ready?”

In the distance of another room a chubby brown haired man that gifted Sammy his brown eyes that held their family above everyone else in society was proudly watching the spirit of the kitchen assemble a meal from the designated food house Brown had been assigned.

Sammy’s mask slipped for a moment as he remembered when the spirits used to look down on his family and barely gave them enough for the three of them to eat, now one had dedicated its eternal life to prepare meals for his family.

Sammy suddenly let a blasphemous thought enter his mind, that had been happening more often lately: ‘what if I learned to cook? Wait! Why am I thinking! Anything created with human hands is blasphemous and demonic!

Father was lucky, only people like him are allowed to create something from something else! That’s what the gods and spirits are for’ Sammy told himself unconvincingly

Sammy sat at the dinner table next to his father, the translucent man wearing a chefs hat and no lower body served him a plate of food, clearing out a few of fathers past plates. Sammy could feel the spiritual energy radiating from it before it even touched the table!

Father took his hand out of his mouth for once and looked at his pride and joy with bits of food stuck in his wide grin. “Are you ready for today son!? It’s your big moment! My boy, My, son is going to be officially recognized as an Oracle!”

“It’s not really that much of a fuss, mostly it’s just a formality, the real test is being assigned my focus, ...” Sammy tried to downplay the event, trying to make it so his father didn’t come, he ended up nervously playing with his lavishly full plate of food and put his utensil down.

Father realizing his son was too nervous to eat grabbed a huge chunk of meat off of his sons plate and with a mouth full of food attempted to say “An Oracles focus allows them to travel between worlds right? Witch one do you think you’ll be assigned to? Oh I hope it’s Asgard, finally securing them as a part of the council would be amazing! Not to mention the food that would bring! Just think about it Sammy!!” 

‘Fathers forgot once again that Asgard isn’t a real place, not all the tales of the ascended are truthful, glutton’

His father slipped into his own delusions not even bothering to wait for a response to his questions, Sammy was used to this already though. It was always better to just let the man talk himself into his own fantasies than to suffer his narcissism in a genuine conversation.

Foot steps of high heels rang through the house as mother peered into the room “Sammy! Your going to be late, what are you doing eating at a time like this you ungrateful little wisp!”

*Sigh* Sammy secures his metaphorical   mask on tight for this one! “Mother! How loudly and radiant your looking today! You truly are a holy representation of beauty itself! Yes I’m on my way now! Wish me luck!” Sammy got up and walked hurriedly leaving the room and sequentially the house before his mother could recover from the sudden compliments.

Leaving house Brown, Sammy entered the halls of the commune, the giant city sized building was often confusing but today Sammy knew exactly where he was going and what route he was taking through the white stone halls filled with various representations of gods spirits and famous celebrated humans.

***

After a while of walking, the light had fully graced the commune and Sammy reached a pair of marble doors guarded by a spirit even taller than his mother in high heels. The radiant armored spirit eyed Sammy wordlessly and stepped to the side while the huge intricately carved doors opened.

*sigh* here we go then, it’s time...

Sammy entered the colosal room, his footsteps echoing through it blinded by the holy radiance of the tall mosaic windows representing the gods of the holy council.

“Sammy, my boy!” A familiar voice brought the first genuine smile of the day to his face as he realized who the blurry figure at the altar was!

“Father Aswald! I didn’t know it would be you performing the ceremony!” Sammy sighed in relief, seeing the only friendly face in the entire commune was comforting to say the least!

The mans light brown hair and ruby red eyes contrasted with his eggshell white robe and matching jacket, he’d really dressed for the occasion.

“Well, I had to pull a few strings to manage it, but I wouldn’t miss it for the world!” A warm embrace enveloped Sammy, and for a split second, it felt like home.

“Where are your parents? Not coming again?” He whispered.

Sammy didn’t answer and just frowned, he didn’t like to be reminded of his parents when he was with Aswald.

“Don’t stress about it my boy! After today everyone will want a piece of you!” The man chuckled.

“Shall we get it started then?” He smiled releasing Sammy from the hug and wrapping his arm around him, guiding him to the marble altar in the center of the pew filled hall.

The white altar sat on a golden circle, as Sammy approached he could feel the spiritual energy it exuded, if his holy breakfast was a droplet then this circle was an ocean! Sammy really had to fight to stay afloat and not drown in the proverbial sea of spiritual energy, luckily for him, father Aswald’s hand firmly pushing Sammy from behind, making sure he would not falter.

“Don’t worry we’re almost there now, just a few more steps, take as much time as you need.”

Sammy was unaware that approaching and entering the circle had taken him a full 10 minutes, his mind was simply lost. Waves crashed into it washing away his impurities and leaving their mark on him as a true Oracle, this process didn’t provide any physical benefits, but he would be much more resilient now when facing the overbearing might of the otherworldly spirits and gods he would be facing from here on out.

Sammy pressed his hands on the white marble slab, the ocean calmed and parted! Taking a huge breath, Sammy could finally think again!

“By the gods, I didn’t expect the ceremony to be that difficult!”

Aswald rubbed the boys back reassuring him “You did fantastically Sammy! Now for the last part.” His warm smile hiding his own discomfort under the pressure.

“Right!” Sammy closed his eyes and circulated his spiritual energy through his mind, his body and his soul, just like he had been tought to for the last 4 years.

Slipping into a trance, the white stone slab Sammy was pressing his hands on began to glow a subtle shade of yellow. Sammy’s breath deepened and his consciousness faded, then it happened.

This was the event that changed his life forever, for better or worse. Sammy thought back to this day many a time in his life.

As Sammy focused on the ritual of the ceremony the alter shon gold, Aswalds gaze was filled with relief ‘It didn’t happen after all! He didn’t fail! Praise the gods and all their mighty wisdom!’

*creek*

A tall pale woman with a figure and face rivaling the gods themselves with long silver hair and high heels stepped into the colosal room.

“Well that’s a surprise! I half expected the altar to be in pieces! The boy can actually accomplish something after all!” She spouted, amusing only herself.

The other two figures in the room weren’t quite as pleased about her arrival.

Aswald’s eyes almost burnt her with fury “Mrs. Brown, please! Refrain from your cutting remarks for at least the duration of this highly important devine ritual, Sammy’s emotional state could wildly altar the results!” He said stepping out of the golden circle.

With the arrival of his dreaded mother and the sudden absence of father Aswalds reassuring presence, Sammy’s conviction wavered, he began to lose control of the energy he was pumping into the altar and through his body.

His heart beat faster, breath quickening, ‘No, I can’t fail now! Not in front of her!’

The room shook slightly and the glow of the alter grew faint.

“Ha ha, that’s more like it! See, your a hinderance to his progress after all! Come now Aswald, enough games, move aside! If anyone is going to present the boy to the gods it shall be me, his mother!” She stride forward, a smirk on her face.

The ground beneath Aswald began to spark with his barley shackled rage “Lady Brown, your self-indulgent schemes have reached new highs, of all people why would your help and presence be required for such an event! Lest face the truth! You were hopeful that the gods would choose you instead of the boy! How utterly childish, jealous and selfish of a parent can you be! Im done! You’ve Fone too far! I’m not going to stand by and watch you mentally abuse this poor child any longer, YOU stand aside Isabel!”

Hearing the argument Sammy struggled to regain composure, a rainbow of emotions settled in soon followed by frustration ‘Why did she come! Why did she stick her nose in this time as well!’ “I hate her!”

Sammy was overcome with the frustration so much it soon turned into anger, floods of memories of his mother’s cutting words and his fathers inaction came to the front of his mind, that this whole situation had come about because of her pushing him constantly, all her hopes and dreams of power weighing down his shoulders! 

“Enough!”

Sammy didn’t even want to be an Oracle! It was never his dream. Even when he gained the gift of the gods sight, he was still hesitant!

Why couldn’t they just all live a simple life! Away from the gods, away from the spirits, away from all of these pointless responsibilities!

‘Why can’t they put what I want above their own god damned greed!’

*BANG!!* Sammy collapsed and the alter fractured in half!

Aswalds eyes burned, but now simmered with worry and a sudden realization, his mothers did also, but for her own fate, not Sammy’s well-being.

“Sammy!” Aswald leapt to his aid followed closely by mother, the woman’s echoing steps slowed and her pale face paled even paler, sitting in the middle of the alter, at the center of the fractures was a black rectangular box as thin as a finger.

Now, a simple black box by itself wasn’t enough to cause such worry and panic, but an Oracles focus was a gift from the gods, such an object was meant to be overflowing with spiritual energy, except this black box exuded none!

The absence of any spiritual energy terrified the woman more than anything

Before she could even react and organize her thoughts, Aswald grabbed the thin black box in one hand and with the other he grabbed Sammy, throwing him over his shoulder he ran, sprinting out the marble doors. The sin of wrath lapping at his very being left a wax trail staining the marble floor.

The guardian spirit of the Altar room stood confused at the commotion, watching father Aswald turn a corner And leave his sight, he turned around and peered into the room he was meant to be guarding from threats, devious snakes and demons, not that he’d ever seen any of those before.

A rather beautiful Lady was stood in front of the broken altar stunned, her eyes darting back and forth wildly trying to piece together a new plan to save her reputation.

The guardian pulled his sword, his mighty weapon gifted to him by the council. Hearing the weapon leave its sheath, the woman shook free of her thoughts and jumped backwards, almost tripping on the broken pieces of the once ancient holy altar, she stared wide eyed at the approaching guard, then as loud as she can, she screamed:

“DEMON!!, THAT BOY IS A DEMON!!”

Surprised by how loud she was, the ever silent guardian took a moment to think back to the recent sight of father Aswald sprinting out of the room with a boy in one hand... and in the other... oh gods!

He put away his sword and grabbed a   Curled horn, massive in size the horn clearly came from some otherworldly creature, he put it to his lips, breathed in a torrent of air, and blew the dreaded horn he wished he’d never have to blow.

***

*huff, wheeze* Aswald ran, as far as he could he ran, huge chunks of flesh melted from his body like a living wax figurine, but he was almost there! He’d been prepared for such an eventuality, but had hoped he didn’t need it, not Sammy, poor boy.

He flew past a bewildered crowd of people and spirits, some spirits offended by such an action attempted to peruse, then a sound few had ever heard rang throughout the commune.

The Demons Horn. Contrary to expectations, no one panicked, no one said a word, they simply turned around and went home, closing their doors and waiting for the ascended to arrive.

Aswalds worry grew after hearing the horn, but no matter, finally he had made it, he was home!

*SLAM* The brown door of his middle-lowborn house almost came off of its hinges as he raced through the house.

“ZOEY! Zo, where are you!?”

The young girl, approximately the same age as Sammy, maybe a bit taller came out of her room, tying her chestnut hair into a ponytail and straightening her simple red tunic that matches her eyes she asked:

“What’s the rush! Forget your lunch again loser?” Too tired and panicked to reprimand his daughter, he tossed the boy to the floor face down and threw the black box at the girl.

“Code C, hide, wake him up, and go to wherever the box takes you, and no matter what stay there!” He turned to run, but a thread of emotion pulled taught bouncing him back to his daughter.

His dripping wax hands tries to wipe his forehead, his mind shuddered, the realization of what he had done hit him.

He hugged her, tighter than he ever had, kissed her forehead and wiped his tears “ I love you, always remember that”

Before she could reply her father was gone, sprinting out the door yelling “DEMON, THIS WAY, IM OVER HERE!” Fading into the distance soon followed by the sound of heavier footsteps.

Looking at the boy on her floor and the box in her hand she locked the memories of what just happened away and jogged her memory on what she had to do.

“Plan C,... right.... SHIT!” She hurriedly grabbed his legs and dragged him face down over to a third room, her late mother’s room, she really disliked going in here.

She closed the door and rolled up half the carpet, revealing a man made trapdoor sitting on a shoddy square hole no bigger than a wardrobe. She opened it up, pushed the boy into the hole and jumped down herself, then finally reaching a hand over to roll the carpet back out.

Looking around the dark small square room she felt around the walls until she felt a loose stone, grabbing it and pulling until it came out no more she then pulled in it with all her might, groaning under the strain “Grrraaahh” the wall opened up into a new room.

A little light entered the room, then a much more spacious hall was lit with a single everlasting candle came into view as the wall she pulled opened up like a door.

She started to hear footsteps above her, distinctly not those of her father.

“Shit, shit, shit” she whispered grabbing the boys legs again, dragging him into the spacious room closing the wall-door behind them.

She took a large breath and let her racing heart rest, she deeply sighed and sat on top of Sammy, arching down to look at the back of his head.

‘Silver hair, wait’

She tiredly got up and rolled him over, seeing the boys face for the first time in a long time.

“Wait, Pipsqueek!!” She thought back to a few years ago of a weak, silver haired boy she used to,... well, “boss around” in General Learnings Class.

“Shit, I didnt know!... Damned old man never told me YOU were Sammy!”

*sigh* She stared at his passed out face for a few minutes.

“So you’re the Ill-fated Demon of Tigerbane, huh?”

***