The Devil Among Us: The Devil Is he?

Everyone knows the story of God, and of how one of his children, now known only as the devil rebelled against him, but what some don't know is that the Devil was not a Lucifer but a Lucina, that's right, The Devil himself was in fact the Devil herself. After losing the battle, God cast her down with all her supporters to the land that will one day become hell, her duty their to ensure the punishment of those who broke gods law. Whilst there her appearance changed, her skin became grey from the fiery ash, her eyes turned from brown to red from the ash in her eyes. Even her hair did not escape the ash in Hells air, from brown to dark black, yet within the ash of fires of hell, she was now truly no longer an Archangel, but an ArchDemon.

Then God created the Earth, piece by piece as time went by, slowly influenced the creation of mankind's evolution. Then there was a need for a barrier, a protection. So he created the Veil, a mystical shield of magical energy that surrounds the kingdoms of Heaven, Hell and the Earth.
The Veil only permits two things to pass into the next world the Archangels and the dead, yet every wall has a weakness, and the Veils weakness was the location of its birth, known only as the Gateway. But what none seem to truly comprehend is that the kingdom of Earth was once inhabited by other creatures, what God called the Harbingers of Earth, or Harbingers for short, these creatures, beasts and monsters, soon found a place within the world of humanity.

The deal that they had with God known only as the "Pact" was that as long as they did not openly involve themselves in Mankinds affairs, then God would permit them to stay on earth. And when necessary protect the Gateway of the Veil.
Many honor this deal, erecting a great fortress over the spot where the gateway could be found, allowing it to be easier to defend from any who would attempt to enter the next world before their time.

And for a time life was pleasant, the Harbingers kept themselves secret, Heaven became prosperous, and Hell continued its duty of punishing those whom had broken Gods laws, or had failed his judgements.

Chapter 1: A Son
As Man began to truly form himself as civilized, finally starting to learn how to grow their own food. Things were Hotting up in hell as they say.
To ensure that Lucina, the devil, the Archdemon remained locked behind the gates of hell, God sent down one of his most loyal Archangels, to go down to the world beneath and ensure that the gates were still locked. It was a decision that many would consider him to regret, for the Archangel and Archdemon, met and as a great surprise, forged a bond. Soon they beared something more.

Soon God discovered, what had occurred behind his back, Lucina was pregnant with Samuel's child, Gods first true grandchild. In shock God permitted his daughter to return to heaven for a single day to explain herself, but God was cunning.... He knew that the ancient Punishment he gave his daughter all those millennia ago was something that the devil no longer felt pain over.

So God, despite knowing full well that Samuel was as loyal as any of his Archangels, decided to punish them both equally by using the unborn child as the focus. He told them both that he would offer a choice, a single choice, that they can only choose a single option and there were no negotiations of any kind. Both of them must agree to their answer before deciding, and the choice was rather simple.

Option A was that the child would be born and then given to the Azrael, the Angel of death to claim, to which the child shall be pierced by Azraels Eternal blade. Meaning that it wouldn't just be the child being claimed by death but also its soul, in other words the soul would be destroyed as well.
Lucina instantly refused this option, for she wanted to bring the child into this world, see it grow, and make this world become for the better. to which God gave his alternative option.

Option B was even more shocking to the parents of the unborn, for the Child would be permitted to live, however when it is born the child shall be taken away. Lucina shall return to her imprisonment in Hell, Samuel shall remain in Heaven. But the Child shall go to Earth, to become the first official Guardian of the Gateway to ensure that none of the living either find the Gateway or Use it, Whilst also enforcing Gods law on the Harbingers that break the ancient pact they have with Heaven.
Despite wanting to desperately argue for different set of options, Lucina the devil, Humanities chosen bad guy, understood that there were no other options either the Child is born and taken away or the Child is destroyed period.

Both of them agreed that the child shall go to earth. And so it was that the only Archdemon/Angel hybrid was sent to Earth upon his birth, and raised amongst the creatures and monsters that honored the pact and to forever hunt those whom broke it.

Chapter 3: The Harbingers

As the centuries and millennia past them by the child grew, in both age, height and anger. The numbers of Harbingers within the ancient fortress grew larger, before there was only one, an ancient three head dog, the size of a horse.

Cerberus has defended the ancient gateway long before mankind even attempted to use it, he still bears the scars from his battle with the human known only as Hercules, the only person to have ever used the Gateway into the Kingdoms of Heaven and Hell. He was the one who raised Alexander in a manner.

As mankind grew more and more numerous and powerful, the number of harbingers grew due to mankind's willingness to involve them. These harbingers became legends and monsters.

Creatures like the Minotaur of Crete, who was imprisoned in a Immense Maze by man for use as a weapon of fear, he was forced to kill and eat the humans that were sent to him in the maze just in order to survive, at least until Alexander was able to assist Theseus in freeing him from the eternal maze.

Another was infamous Pied Piper, famed for his use of magical music to draw rats away from a city at the behest of the ruler, yet when the ruler failed to pay the Piper. He took his vengeance on the city by using his flute to draw away the children from the city for him to murder. Alexander, had no choice but to bring the Piper to the Gateway, to use his Magic to protect the fortress. Since then his music has made people think the forests surrounding the fortress to be haunted.

From the Americas, come a few creatures and beings, the most monstrous is known to the native tribes by many names, but the most common is the Wendigo. A creature, that would run on all fours, moving like a chimpanzee, only twice as strong, with deer like antlers atop its head, dark black fur, a Human like face only with extremely sharp teeth. Alexander had to bring Wendigo to the fortress after Wars in the European Colonies, brought him to greater infamy after hundreds of settlers were found torn to shreds and even cannibalized.

Also from America was a more well known European Harbinger, called the Headless Horsemen. Alexander hunted the Horsemen all across Europe and then followed him across the Atlantic where at the time American were fighting for their Independence. After a small fight, the Horsemen was brought to the Gateway, where his skills in battle would serve God in protecting the Veil.

From the Oceans, came a few more. Yet fewer than those on the land, as of course the ocean is greater and much easier to hide in, yet that still doesn't mean that some are willing to hide away.
Like the Great Moby Dick, famed for destroying hundreds if not thousands of ships in the millennia of man traveling the oceans.

It was the first and last time that Alexander truly went "Whaling", since then Moby has lived within the protected Cove and underwater Caves lying beneath the Fortress. He lives there with another Oceanic harbinger, calling herself Marina, she is a Mermaid known to tempt Sailor to their deaths by her beauty. Now don't think that being a mermaid she is more human, she beared the tail of a Dolphin but her more human upper body was hairless even upon her head. Instead the skin color around her around her head and the back of her neck as well as her skull ridge showing atop her skull, gives the appearance of dark black hair.

By the 1800s Alexander found himself more and more busy, in his hunts. Such as for the one whom got away, He goes by many names, Fenrir to the Norse, the Beast of Gevaudan to the french and the Hound of Baskerville in England. Fenrir was chained for many centuries by the Viking ancestors, and this made him extremely angry. after he was able to break out he became very active, hunting and killing people wherever he went.

Alexander was able to catch him in England with the help of a Human known now as Sherlock Holmes, since his capture Fenrir has become a willing protector of the Forests and the Fortress, even going so far as to take over a large local wolf pack and enlisting them in his duties.

Two specific Harbingers became well known in the British Isles for several Murders.

Most well known was a name that everyone would easily recognize, Jack the Ripper. Famous all over the world for the brutal murders of Prostitutes in London's Whitechapel District, yet few know the full truth that he killed many more over the centuries. Jack the Ripper didn't stop his killings, he was stopped, but not by any Metropolitan officer of the law, Alexander had to bring him the Gateway, because unlike his previous killings, those in London were too conspicuous. So Alexander had to intervene before humanity found him.

The other Harbinger famed for murder was one that has never really been seen in daylight. He has gone by many names, Wraith, Claw but the favorite is Spring Heeled Jack, due to his long claw like fingers, The medieval doctors plague mask with the long beak. Spring as he is called by the other harbingers, has been recognized by Londoners for his devilish appearance and his brutality, it was these reasons that he had to be removed from Britain and brought to the Gateway.

And there are many other harbingers within the Gateway, but they prefer to keep in the shadows, or remaining hidden in the deep caverns and dungeons that lie beneath the Fortress Castle. Life within the Castle is mostly pleasant, the Harbingers grow their own food, livestock, they are permitted to do whatever they wished, yet there are rules. First and foremost they cannot approach the Gateway, Second as their souls have become linked with the Castle and their duty to protect it, they themselves cannot leave the Castle grounds.

Yet as history has proven, things never stay the same.

Chapter 4: Change has come

The Year was 1891, the empires of Europe sat at each others throats, each readying themselves for what some knew to be an inevitable war. Yet for the Harbingers it was life as usual, especially for those within the Castle, Alexander himself didn't care after all why should care what humans do to each other, the only thing he knew was his job in protecting the Gateway and enforcing law to the Harbingers. Yet it was this very life that he hated the most, many of those in the Castle began to think that his hatred wasn't at God but his parents.

Yet in a small town not far away, change was coming his way, for within the town was a young woman, barely 19 of age. Her name was Alexandria, she was well known amongst the townsfolk, for always being kind and offering a helping hand to the shopkeepers, no matter the job. She was known for keeping her dark black hair tied back so it would hang between her shoulder blades, he brown dress kept just above her ankles to keep the bottom of it clean, at least in theory.

Her life was her home, a small house on the outskirts, for her father was woodcutter by trade and she would often help him collect wood for him to chop or saw.  when not doing that then she would attend their small garden, where they grew cabbages, carrots and potatoes so then they would have a little extra food in the winter.

Yet on one of the days she went to collect firewood, she went deeper into the forest than she had ever done, and she knew it. For the Forest which she had always recognized as beautiful, flowering and full of life, was now empty. There were no bugs or birds in the air, not even flowers on the ground the forest was almost completely dead. With a slight fog covering the air.

But in the fog her brown eyes could see something in the distance, a silhouette, a strange shape, of towers and walls, higher than any building she had ever seen. She was amazed and it was plain to see on her face, but then a snarl like sound came from behind her.
She turned to see something that all feared, Wolves several of them watching her from within the trees, all of them with their ears back against their heads. Their mouths open showing their canines and teeth against her.

This made her feel even more fear, and with a quiet frightened voice she tried to calm them "There now, I'm not here to harm you" Yet this did not stop them, they instead began to move ever closer.
She turned and ran for her life, dropping all the wood she had collected.

She didn't know where she was running too, and she didn't care, she was just running away from that which would kill her. Ahead of her she saw a chance for survival, an archway with a bridge beyond. She made a desperate attempt to reach it, with the wolves at her heals.

She ran through and across the bridge, seeing hope, a great wooden gate, with immense Stone walls stretching outwards and upwards to her left and right. She turned to see if the wolves were still chasing her. Yet no, they were just standing at the Archway, not taking a step further they seem afraid, yet why, what is it they could be afraid of here.

She knew she couldn't stay there though pushing hard against the Gate she found it unlocked, the gate creaked open, with both sides creating a great slam as they hit the stone. What she saw beyond made even more surprised, it was a castle of truly monumental scale. Surrounding was a garden with all kinds of plants, trees and crops, all them blooming with truly stunning beauty.

She walked the garden paths leading to the Castle entrance, she was impressed with the Garden, she loved plants yet she would have never imagined that plants could grow so beautiful or that a garden could be so successful. Yet with every step she began to get the feeling that she was being watched.

And the feeling only got worse as she found the main doors to the Castle, the doors were huge, strong, impregnable. The sheer height was almost four times hers, she knocked upon the door with all her strength, the sound echoed through the empty gardens. The deep boom of her slamming her fists against the wood, told the door was as thick as it was high.

She waited for one minute then two, yet nothing, no one came to answer her knocks neither did she hear any calls for her to leave or to enter. Her curiosity spiked and with a great amount of caution she pushed hard on the door, with the sound of the hinges creaking echoing out throughout the gardens.

Inside she could see a great hallway, with stone pillars on either side of room holding the ceiling, yet the room was very dark, with the only light coming from small fire torches and a large decorative window far atop a flight of stairs far into the great stone hall. She would have thought the place deserted if it was not for the whispers and flickers of music coming from a direction of a empty doorway, A doorway with glimmers of light coming forth, a fire? came the thought.

She slowly made her way, trying not to make a sound as her shoes tapped the stone floor. with every step she got closer and closer, allowing her to hear what the sounds were.

"I hear the wolves howling again.... wish bloody Fenrir would tell um to shut up" One voice went.
The reply however was a mixture a musical flute like sounds.

As she got to the doorway, she attempted to peak around the stone archway and managed to see the two talking, both were men, one was wearing a long dark black coat and a top hat, his face hidden in darkness, a two knives strapped on either side of his belt, one on each hip.

The other was a strange man, wearing a simple white shirt and black trousers with a long brown coat, in his hands, close to his mouth was a flute, with the flute running along his mouth and out in the direction of his left cheek. As the other spoke, the flute handler, responded through the music of his flute, she began to become even more confused, asking "Why doesn't he just speak?" in her mind.

But then a growl, she froze in fear, the sound came from behind her. Slowly turning she saw what was growling, a monstrous looking creature. Its face was like that of a normal man, but its skin was grey, it sharp teeth plain to see with long upper and lower canines. Its body like that of a great apes, dark black fur covering it. But what caught her eyes were the two deer like antlers.

She stood their frozen in fear, not able to move. When suddenly "WENDIGO!" a shout came from atop the stairs, she looked up to see another figure, even more peculiar, a man hunched over slightly wearing a strange mask looking like that of a long beak, clad in dark black clothing and long metallic claws coming atop his fingers and stretching out beyond his finger tips. "THAT'S ENOUGH NOW...... no need to scare the poor girl" he continued, the creature before her began to back down, before dashing off in the direction of another empty doorway, growling as he went.

"My apologies young one" The figure atop the stairs said, mounting the stone rail of the great staircase, and Jumping down, landing just in front of her, "He's never really been good with visitors"

"That's because we don't get any" another voice came, from behind her, turning she saw the two she had been watching before, the one with knives and the flute player. A string of music came, from the musician, after he said those words, she began to speak in fear and shock " I didn't mean to intrude, I got lost and was chased by some wolves"

"Well you can't stay, I'm afraid, Alexander won't like it" The knife holder stated

The clawed masked figure scoffed "Nonsense Ripper, we can't just chuck her into the cold, it will be dark soon" Offering his clawed hand to her he continued his point "Lets at least get her something to eat or a bed for the night"

The Musician sent whistling music through his flute, before the clawed man spoke again "Come now Piper.... let us introduce ourselves, my lady..... I welcome you to the Gateway fortress, I am Spring heeled Jack" bowing his head, one hand to his chest and the other extended out behind him.

She stood still, the fear she had before had escalated monumentally, the man before her was an infamous monster and murderer. "The one with the flute, is called the Pied Piper, can't speak though only, he can only speak through music.... and the knifee friend is Jack the Ripper...... The Ape that scarpered was Wendigo..... Who might you be?" extending his hand to her.

She stuttered at first, not able to form a sentence. "I'm... uh... um.....Alexandria"
This names caught their attention straight away, "Alright if your here for the night, then lets get you something to eat" said the Ripper, moving by and walking off to one of the many doorways.

They all, including Alexandria followed him closely, as they made their way down one the corridors, she noticed the many statues of monsters and creatures, some she recognized others she did not. "How is your able to speak Mr Spring Heeled?"

They chuckled at the question, but it was Ripper that spoke first "Yeah he speaks.... its getting 'im to shut up that's the trick"

Chapter 5: All he Knows....

They brought her to a large Dinning room, with a long table with over twenty chairs running along its sides and at its head a grand throne like chair covered in Webs. Lighting up the whole room from the right of the door she now stood before, was a great fireplace, but it was not the fire that caught her attention. What gripped her was the creature sleeping in front of it. A Wolf of monumental scale, almost the size of a horse, as they guided her forward towards a chair free of webs, the wolf awoke, and began to growl. Understandable she thought at first, after all she was a stranger, yet the wolf stood up and began to growl in specific ways.

"Yeah your pack outside, scared her, forcing her to run here for safety" The Ripper stated answering the growls. The wolf merely snorted and made its way past her, and out the room, its claws and paws tapping the stone floor.

"Sorry about him.... he has some problems with humans" Spring heeled spoke offering her a chair upon which to sit.

"Why?" she asked taking her seat

"Because he was chained up for over 3 centuries by the Vikings" the Ripper interrupted, "When he finally broke free, he decided to do what anyone would do" he began to walk off towards a small empty doorway hidden in the fires shadow.

"And that was?" she asked again

The Ripper turned to her, his face finally revealed from the shadows, but his appearance still forever masked, by a small cloth like bag, with eye slots cut into it, "Vengeance" he called, before making his way into the other room.

She just sat there, at the table watching and waiting for whatever was coming from what she thought the Kitchen was. Finally a few minutes later, the Ripper returned, bearing a small tray, upon it were a knife and fork. a small plate of fried eggs and toast, a small bowl of piping hot soup and a cup of tea alongside sugar and milk.

He placed it down before her, and asked "Would you like some tea with your egg and toast?" he asked in a more polite manner. she nodded ever so slightly, barely able to speak, she just kept catching the sight of his blades still upon his belt. "Don't worry love.... I don't do that anymore, not since I came here" he said pouring her tea "Sugar?" She shook her head.

"You murdered and butchered people" she whispered.

he caught notice, and nodded his head "Aye I did..... but not anymore..... Not since Alexander captured me"

She caught that from his voice, "Whose Alexander?"

He pulled a chair out and took a seat, before looking to the others in the room, Spring heel and the Piper, both nodded slightly "Well Alexander is the master of this Castle, the lord if you wish...... its his purpose and his job to ensure that the Harbingers...us..... keep to the Pact"

"Pact?" she asked taking a bite of toast

"You don't know much about the universe do ya.." Spring heel interrupted "Well to put it simple.... Harbingers are beasts, creatures, beings and monsters that were upon this Earth before it was the Earth.... Before Humanity came......the Almighty God alongside the other Deities aloud us to stay as long as we followed the terms of the pact"

"And they were" She muttered through the toast in her mouth.

Ripper leaned forward placing his arms upon the table, when Piper came forward, placing a tankard in front of him alongside one for Spring heel. "The terms are simple, we keep out of Humanities business.... if we do we are brought here by the Guardian...." he paused to take a long swig of the contents of the tankard "Alexander is the Guardian....if we interfere with humanity... he hunts us and brings us here"

Alexandria swallowed her bite of toast and took a sip of her tea, "Is he an Angel?"

"IN A MANNER!" a shout came

The three in front of her paused looking about in all directions, until they all looked behind her. slowly she began to turn, looking behind the chair she could see the open doors of the dinning room with someone standing within the opening. A very tall man taller than anyone she had ever seen, possibly three metres in height at the most, with dark hair reaching down past his ears, dark black eyes, a powerful upper and lower body.  But coming from his forehead and reaching upwards and backwards was a set of strong horns, like those of a Antelope.

"I am neither Demon... nor am I Angel..... And you are?!" He asked slowly pacing his way down the dining room, before standing to her left, leaning down to look her dead in the eye.

"Alexandria" She whispered, placing her tea cup back down.

He saw the table, alongside the food and tea that they had offered her, "I see that my friends here, have been keeping you comfortable"

Spring heel was the first to stand up from his chair "Alexander... she was scared by Fenrirs wolves, she came in hoping for shelter..... we didn't want to scare her... so.... so... we.... um"

Alexander turned to him, standing firm, muscles flexing. Spring heel was quick to stand down and cease talking. "Offered her Supper" Spring heel just nodded "Might I remind everyone here...... that there are rules...." he started to move around the table to far side, to the cobwebbed chair at its head "We guard something that the living cannot be allowed to reach.... the Living bring war... the living bring trouble...AND ...... THE LIVING ARE FORBIDDEN" Slamming his fist into the table, creating a great crack into the smooth wood.

Finally Alexandria stood up, no longer holding fear "You are not an Angel.... you said so yourself.... but that doesn't make you a demon" she shouted

Alexander found himself in awe, never had he seen someone speak in such away, without having some kind of reason corrupted by mans wish for power. "No... I am not a Demon.... but that does not mean you are allowed here" he stated firmly "However.... I know that Fenrirs wolf pack would kill you the moment you leave, so you can stay for the night.... but at dawn you are to leave"

He finished his sentence and stormed out shouting his orders "Give a room.... be sure she does not wander" his words ended with a sudden and distant slamming of a door.

"So now you've met Alexander.... the son of the fallen one" Ripper stated finishing his drink

She heard those words, and her curiosity spiked "Son of the Fallen one.... you mean he's..."

"Son of Lucina... the Fallen Angel.... the ArchDemon.... the Ruler of Hell.... the Devil Herself.... yep" Spring heel Interrupted. Yet this merely deepened her interest.

"Lucina.... your saying the DEVIL is a woman?..... I can't believe it.....  Is he um... is he... mad at me for being here?" she asked waving her arms around in shock and amazement.

Spring heel was the one to speak next, but it was only after the Music of the Piper tried to offer and explanation. " Too understand that... you have to understand him being here.......Well Lucina, was cast down to hell for rebelling against the Deities.... But one day an Archangel was sent down to ensure the gates of hell remained sealed, they fell in love and beared a child.... the only problem was that well....."

Ripper was quick to interrupt "God didn't want them too.... so he offered a choice... the child dies or the child comes here.... to be raised by Harbingers and enforce Gods law on them..... that's kinda why he's so pissed... and always angry...." As he spoke down in the Dinning room, Alexander was in his personal room, Meditating, hoping his learning's of the old ways could help him channel his emotions.

"And that kind of Anger needs a focus... Most would think he would hold against God and the other Deities... but Nope...." Alexander stops meditation, stands and opens the doors too a stone balcony, hoping the nighttime air would help. "He focused all his anger towards his parents..... In his mind his parents.......They abandoned him here...and every night he tries to meditate around it.... yet every night we know that it didn't work"

Back in the dinning room the Ripper reached into a pocket of his coat, showing his pocket watch opening it with his left hand, and counting down on his right... three, two, one. Suddenly a earthly thunderous, bellowing, booming roar echoed out through the castle.

"That their little one is why he is angry.... because its all he knows" another voice came, this one more covered amongst grunts and growls, turning she saw the creature from before the Wendigo. "And that kind of anger leaves little room for other emotions"

Chapter 6: The Soul

The rest of the evening went without little excitement, Alexandria finished her supper was guided to a room for the night, and simply lay in the bed unable to sleep. From the sheer amazement of the creatures and being here in this very castle, murderers, musicians, wolves the size of horses, and the son of the Devil.

By the time the sun began to shine, she had some idea what was in the room she attempted to sleep, a simple dual bed, in the center of a large room. With a collection of draws and a large wardrobe opposite the bed, a wooden screen next to them, for changing clothing in privacy. And a window opening to a simple small balcony, with the curtains flaying in the slight wind of the morning breeze.

Then a sound within the breeze, laughter, grunts and chatter. All of which were coming from far below the window, She removed the covers, readied herself by putting her clothes from the night before, opened the window stepped out onto the balcony looked down and saw a familiar face, "Father!" she shouted.

Her father was surrounded by Creatures, of all kinds. She ran back through the room out into the hallway and down the stairs, hoping to find the way to the gardens. She found it, and ran around to find the monsters and creatures, A Minotaur, A Centaur, the Wendigo alongside the Ripper and Spring heel from last night. "Father!" she shouted again.

"Alexandria... my daughter... I found you" he ran for her, but was held back by the Minotaur.

"So this is your father..." A voice came, turning around Alexandria found Alexander "I am sorry for this.... but I can no longer let you go.... it is too risky"

"What.... you said I could leave today" she shouted

Alexander continued to walk too her father "That was before... I could afford to let you leave.... no one would believe one person.... if they said they found a castle filled with monsters and creatures...."

"But a family, might be believed.... If i am continue my duty of protecting this place.... neither of you may leave"

"Wait.." she shouted "One may not be believed.... so let my father go.... and I shall remain"

A second shout came running out "NO.... Take me..... Let my Daughter go"

Alexander paused, turning to Alexandria "You would willingly surrender yourself.... to a lifetime of imprisonment here.... to save your father" he stood there in shock, stunned at the emotion of love she was showing.

"I would..." she stated

"You are aware of the consequences, by agreeing to this.... your soul would be bound to this place.... you would never be able to leave" Alexander explained, looking down to her.

She pondered her choice and then looked up to him "I agree to the terms", Alexander offered his right hand, she accepted and shook it, from with the cusp of their hands a small glow came, signifying that the deal had been struck.

Forever tying her soul to the Castle.

Chapter 7: The Stories behind us

Alexandria had to stand there as the monsters and creatures dragged her father away, through the very gate she went through the night before. Before finally seeing the gate slam shut, and all she could feel was the tears rushing down her face, she turned and looked at those around her, Alexander was already gone, walking off back into the Castle without another word.

This made her feel even worse, the fact that she had sacrificed her future and it meant nothing to him. He had just left.

It was only the others who showed some care for her and her sacrifice, a Centaur (Ancient Greek creature, with the body of a horse and the upper body and head of a human where the horses head would be) came up to her and offered her a hand. "I am Kier-On, what I have just seen was very brave" Alexandria couldn't say a word or even move, taking his arm  around her he began to lead her away from the gate and around the garden "I see you have a gardeners hands".

Finally she responded looking down upon her open hands, "I tended the garden back home, growing potatoes and tomatoes with the flowers"

Kier-On chuckled, "Well that's good to hear, because we could use some help in tending the crops and animals we have here"

She suddenly looked up at him in shock "You grow crops and raise cattle"

Kier-On looked down at her, pausing his movements and pointing ahead of them, she saw something she had never seen. Crops of all kinds wheat, corn, apples, plums, strawberries, tomatoes as well as Potatoes and Carrots, above the wind she could hear the moos of cows, the clucks of chickens and the oinks and grunts of pigs.

She finally brought forth a smile and even a small laugh, running towards the rows of crops. she walked among them, amongst more plants that she has ever grown, and they were healthy more than anything she had ever grown herself. Kier-On followed behind, at a slow pace, his hooves shuffling the dirt underneath, his head high above the tops of the crops.

"We here, grow all the food we require..." he stated "Crops, Livestock, we even have a fish farm.... Its watched over by Moby and Marina"

She turned to look at him, "Ripper said that your all here for a reason, what are they"

Kier-On looked down for a second, took a deep strong breath and answered "Each of us has a story..... Fenrir over there" he pointed to the great wolf "Was chained up in a cave by the vikings for 3 centuries.... Minos, the Minotaur, was held in a maze, surviving only on whom ever the king sent down for him to feed on"

he turned away, and began to walk on "Moby Dick and Marina, uh.... She's a mermaid.... they both hunted and killed human sailors, Moby hunted Whalers for murdering his kind, and Marina for starving hers, with over fishing"

"Piper for being a mercenary who was not paid, Ripper and Spring heel you know why..... Wendigo...... for hunting, killing and eating people during Americas war of Independence" and that was where he paused "and Me for killing those who hunted for profit and trophies"

Alexandria was shocked from the stories behind them being here, she never thought about these monsters having a reason for being a monster. And now she would have to grow to accept them after all she would is to remain here for the remainder of her life, and possibly eternity for her soul.