Chapter Twenty-Eight

After the Angel disappeared April felt that her test was over and began walking back to Aldemar's temple. Aldemar is sitting at the table when April walks in the temple.

"I see you helped the Angel move on?" asks Aldemar.

"Where's Ace?" asks April.

"I see the Angel taught you some things." says Aldemar.

"She did, she may be dead, but her hearing isn't broken." says April.

"Master Aldemar, I have returned with Carrie. And while talking to her I found out her brother is Damien." says Ace entering the temple with Carrie.

"Fantastic of you Ace. Welcome to the temple Carrie, your brother is in the back training. I'll have Ace show you your room." says Aldemar.

"Yes Master Aldemar." nods Ace.

"Thank you sir Aldemar." says Carrie as she follows Ace down the hallway.

"Listen to me child." says Aldemar as soon as Ace and Carrie leave with a serious face.

"Excuse you?" asks April.

"You are not here to meddle in the affairs of the Dark Empress. You need to mind your own business." says Aldemar with a serious face.

"I was in that affair long before I was in this one." says April.

"Was, is the key word. Now you're here. Adapt your powers or risk ruining this for all of us." says Aldemar.

"For you. Ruin this for you. It's you that wants the Dragons to return." says April.

"The Dragons returning are what's best for everyone. We have the chance to rebuild our society." says Aldemar.

Ace reunites Carrie with her brother Damien in the courtyard. Brandon sits on a bench smiling at the reunion.

"Only one more left and we can do this thing!" exclaims Brandon.

"Yes, we just need to find the last Psychic and then we can do the ritual." says Ace.

"Any idea where they are?" asks Damien.

"Not yet." says Ace.

"Master Aldemar would like you to continue your training." continues Ace as Carrie,Damien, and Brandon nod.

The Empress is sitting next to her husband after returning from her meeting with Ace.

"I assume we got what we wanted?" asks the Emperor.

"Very much so." says the Empress smiling knowing that her lie may soon catch up to her.

"Now that we don't have to worry about the Dragons invading us we just have to worry about that foolish Raven. Who by the way has now officially raided three camps, two barracks, and made an attack on a city just a few miles out." says the Emperor.

"She is of no worry to me. We could easily destroy her." says the Empress.

"Rumor is she has a Genie trying to find the Holy Sword of Hell." says the Emperor.

"And?" asks the Empress.

"The rumors could be true. She could find it any day now." says the Emperor.

"Then we strike on her first so the Genie has nobody to return it to." says the Empress.

"We could indeed. The only problem is we have no idea where they are residing." says the Emperor.

"There's nothing that money can't buy. If we put a bounty on her head, her sister Emerald and her friend Matt will turn. Bounty hunters want nothing but money and they will sell anyone out." says the Empress.

Just as the Empress finished her statement the Emperor called upon a guard to get a bounty set out on Raven. The bounty for Raven is set at three million dollars. Since this was a direct order from the Emperor it was immediately sent to the presses and within ten minutes thousands of copies of the bounty were being distributed in the streets. At this time Emerald and Matt were stationed by Raven in the main city to remain undercover and watch the guard's patrol in the city to check fr weaknesses. Emerald grabs one of the bounty papers and handed it to Matt with a discouraged look on her face.

"What should we do?" asks Matt.

"What do you think?" asks Emerald.

"We were bounty hunters first, but this is your family. It's your call." says Matt.

"Three million dollars is a lot of money." says Emerald.

"But are you willing to drop a match on the bridges we've worked so hard to rebuild."asks Matt.

"We need to think about it." says Emerald crumbling up the paper and tossing it in the street.

Emerald and Matt leave the town late that night and report back to Raven like they do every night.

"Anything new sister?" asks Raven.

"The Emperors put a bounty out for you." says Emerald.

"It was only a matter of time." says Raven.

"Where do we go from here?" asks Matt.

"if they're looking for me they won't kill any of you. So I should go to a hideout I set up. Will you two escort me?" asks raven.

"Of course sister." says Raven.

"Always ready to help." says Matt.

"Great, let me tell Maven." says Raven.

"No need, I overheard." says Maven walking in the room.

"You and Rick are in charge Maven. Good luck. I'll come back when it's safe." says Raven.

"I wish you the best of luck in your travels Commander Raven." says Maven taking Raven's hand and dropping to one knee.

"Thank you Maven. I'm trying to build a new Hell. A hell where the people don't have to be evil and be scared of the people tat are supposed to be ruling them." says Raven.

"I'm ready." says Raven to Emerald and Matt.

"Let's get going then." says Emerald as she opens the door and leads the way out.

"Where is the hideout?" asks Matt.

"Over a hill where the sun doesn't look." says Raven as she continues walking with Emerald and Matt.

"The Valley of Shadows?" asks Emerald.

"You remember it?" asks Raven.

"Of course, it was our vacation home outside the city." says Emerald.

"They started going there the year they got married." says Raven.

"Up here it is." says Emerald as they approach a house that was almost invisible just a few feet ago. The house is clouded in the shadows, just as the name forewarned.  The Valley of Shadows is one of the only places in Hell, or ever anywhere that the sun cannot get to. No one really understands why but it is a simple fact. Few dare to trek there because of the myths and legends that surround the valley. Some say monsters only born in Hell, while others say it is simply a myth. Raven digs in her satchel and pulls out a key and puts it in the lock and opens the door. She takes a few steps in and is stopped. She doesn't understand why. She keeps trying to move around but it seems as she is stuck with only a few steps to every side.

"What's going on!" exclaims Raven.

"What the hell!" exclaims Emerald as she tries to turn the lights on but they lights do not turn on.

"It's too dark to see anything!" exclaims Matt.

"It's time you fools learn of a real power." says a male voice form the other side of the room.

"I agree honey!" exclaims a female voice from another part of the room.

"No!" screams Matt as he is lifted off his feet and slammed into a wall.

"Matt!" screams Emerald as she covers her head to avoid any falling glass not knowing where it came from.

"What the hell is going on? Emerald! Matt! Are you okay?" yells Raven still trapped.

"Why don't you turn on the lights and fight me like you mean it?" says Emerald.

"I don't have time for this to be quite honest. I came for my prize." says the man.

"God! Ow!" yells Emerald as her body hits the floor and she becomes unconscious.

"Show yourself!" yells Raven, and as soon as she's done talking she hears a snap and all the lights turn on.

"Well look who it is." says Raven.

"You Black sisters are so predictable." says the Dark Emperor sitting in a chair over in the corner of the room.

"It was so easy we had to do it ourselves." says the Dark Empress walking down the spiral stair case. 

"You won't get away with this!" screams Raven.

"Who's gonna stop us?" asks the Empress.

"I think it maybe the people who don' know where your going." says the Emperor.

"Or the people who think your dead." says the Empress.

"No I got it! The people you haven't talked to in years! No pun intended but the people you left in the shadows." says the Emperor.

"Is this supposed to be it? What? I surrender and you take everything? The war, the kingdom, the luxuries? asks Raven.

"Actually I think your head ill look amazing on our mantle in the palace." says the Empress giving a loud cackle.

"You know, I know a lot more than you think I do Empress. All I don't know is what Ace wouldn't tell me." says Raven with a grin.

"Shut your mouth!" exclaims the Empress.

"You were a seven year old girl who got tired of her parents. So you sold your soul to a Demon." says Raven.

"Stop! Shut up!" screams the Empress.

"So the Demon cut your parents brake lines and, poof just like the your parents were as gone as the wind." says Raven sitting cross-legged in the Demon Trap that encloses her.

"You'll stay in that trap the longer you talk!" screams the Empress some more.

Ten years later the Demon came for his payment. He told you that if you weren't ready to die you had to give him two souls, one for your mother, and the other for your father." says Raven.

"Stop! Please." begs the Empress now crying.

"By that time you were living with two foster parents, that family lived next door to Ace's family. Ace told me that you two had become best friends. You went to school together. Ace watched you do it while the Demon sat on your steps and told you how to do it. You killed your foster parents!" yells Raven.

"I died a week later! That Demon lied to me! He promised me a another full ten years! I should still be on that damn planet! Living life to the fullest! How is it fair that I get my whole life dictated by a Demon I met when I was seven! Seven years old!" screams the Empress starting to cry and sob.

"Hit by a car who's brakes went out. You could say that karma is a real thing." says Raven.

"Did he." says the Empress crying not able to look up.

"Yes, he told me about the curse you got placed on each other. You wanted to keep him as a friend and that wasn't the way." says Raven.

"The deal was simple. He never utters my name and I never reveal his secret. If he were to say his name or I reveal his secret we die, a very slow painful death. We have to live with our organs and other body parts shutting down one by one." says the Empress.