The sun was slipping through my dreary eyelids. the first thought that came to mind reminded me of the traumatizing dream I had just experienced. I opened my eyes to a weeping willow towering over me. The smell of burning wood touched my nose. Then I became sure- it was not a nightmare.

 

         “Tievel.” A whisper scraped into my ears. Frightened, I looked around for whoever had spoken. That was when I noticed him. A tall, pale man was standing under the shade the tree. Right away something in my gut hit me. Something told me not to trust him. His eyes were rusty red and he had the faintest smell of murder. I knew he wasn’t from this world. This was the man that had appeared in my dreams a multitude of times.

 

         “Who-who is Tievel?” I spoke in fear. He only smiled at me, baring his yellow, rotting teeth. “Why am I in a graveyard? What happened? Who are you?” I started to bomb him with these questions that I couldn’t have answered on my own. The stagnant man lifted his arm and pointed towards the smoke engulfed building. The orphanage. “No. No!” I jumped up with shocking speed,attempting to sprint towards my only home. I was stopped by his icy hand that seized my shoulder. I shivered violently.

 

         “Tievel, where do you think you’re going?” He spun me around and  looked at me with those bloody, hypnotizing eyes. I felt like I couldn’t break free.

 

         “My name is Elliot!” I said hitting hard, jerking away from his immortal grip.

 

         “Not anymore, son.” He growled violently.

 

         “No. You, your... You’re not my- father?” I was hit by his words. Who does he think he is? My father only existed in my dreams. I started to back away from his advancing stance.

 

         “I am Mortifer, King of the Underworld- and your father. The time has come, and you should know…” Trailing off with his words he looked down at the burned building. He placed his hand on his head, running his fingers through the greasy black hair.

 

         “I am not your son!” I spat my words at him. He tried to remain calm and continued.

 

         “Yes, you are, and everything you knew has burned away. It is all your fault.” I couldn’t stand to hear is raw voice cut through my mind like a hunters knife. How is any of this my fault?

 

         “How is any of this my fault?” I asked him, choking on my tears.

 

         “Your powers aren't developed yet. You can’t control yourself.” He stood over me, absorbing my child like posture he continued. What the fuck was he talking about? Powers? I felt nasty for thinking about that swear word but I felt like I had no choice. “You started that fire. You materialize it into reality. Now your must face it- It’s time to be a man and move on. Embrace who you really are.” His words slithered from the back of his throat.

 

         “I didn’t start any fire! They’re not dead. They can’t be! It’s not my fault! I know who I am!” Screaming in fear, I couldn’t hold it back. I could taste the salted tears in my mouth as they ran down my face. My whole body was shaking again.

 

         “Tievel, stop that crying nonsense!” He yelled at me in anger. “You’re not insane, you know. You have extraordinary powers, being the Devil’s son and all.” He tilted his head up and laughed.

 

         “I’m what?” I murmured in confusement as I looking up with sobbing eyes. I did not understand him.

 

         “You may not realize who you are face to face with, little boy- but I’ll have you know that you are the child of one of the most powerful being that has ever existed!” He became aggressive with his speech. Stepping forward he growled “And you, my son, must follow in my footsteps and become king of the Underworld.” My heart was pounding. Hard to breathe, my racing mind came to an abrupt stop. I could only reply in a bland voice.

 

         “I think you have the wrong kid… I don’t belong in Hell.” I frowned,  turning away I tried to walk. Again I was stopped.

 

         “Then where’d you get this, then?” The vile man reached for my neck, and with a small tug my key was off.

 

         “I don’t know. I’ve had it since I was a baby.” I attempted to pull it from his grasp but it was no use, for he had dangled it at least seven feet over my head.

 

         “Well it’s the key to Hell and it’s mine.” He spoke, his eyes accusing me of thievery and smile deviously teasing me.

 

         “Give it back!” I whined like a small child. Unaware of how immature I sounded I bared my teeth.

 

         “Nope!” He chuckled in amusement. Watching me struggle gave him pleasure. I could sense it.

I wasn’t going to let him bully me like this. I felt a jittery feeling in my stomach, and tightness in my muscles. Twitching with frustration I stepped back a few feet and lunged with all my 10 year old might. Swinging my fist back I let it loose- knocking him to the ground. A twack rang out through the sky. I stood over him, sighing in anger. I picked up my key and I turned my back to him. The air was silent, except for a small breeze blew through my messy black hair. It was like a scene linked to the past.

 

         It was a warm tuesday afternoon, and my nightmares had just begun. The bully of the orphanage was picking on me again, but I just about had enough. I stuck my hand through the silver chain linked fence and took a large jagged rock from behind it. As he approached, throwing his nasty remarks, I whipped it at his head. With a demented crack, the blood poured out from his nose. He fell to his knees and let out a horrendous scream. I continued to thrash down on him until he was limp like a sock monkey. Everyone gathered around. They stood there, blankly looking at the two of us. I took in his pain as a reward. I felt a new feeling, one of hate and glory. Something I never wanted to feel again.

 

         “Well done, my son. Well done.” I heard him chuckling as he congratulated me. “Honestly, what normal 10 year old could take on the Devil and put his dick in the dirt?” He smiled proudly and stood up and brushed off the remaining scuzz.

 

         “Fine. What if I am your son, so what? What am I supposed to do? What does that mean?” I didn’t want to believe the words that dripped from my mouth. Someone once told me that anything is possible now of days. Whilst something inside me felt like I could not deny it.

 

         “It means you are going to do great things. I have big dreams for you, son.” The man who claimed to be my father put his hand on my shoulder and kneeled down. He removed the necklace from my fingers and placed it upon my neck. He stood up, knees cracking, he overpowered my height and patted my head. “Now, lets go home.” Without looking back I followed his word. I thought in a low tone to myself. What just happened. It honestly felt like he had a spell on me, for I would never have agreed to any of this.

 

         My father walked me through the field that grew more dead as we got closer to the center, and right in the middle of cemetery was a chamber with a padlock. A sign on the door read “Do Not Enter”. It was written with penmanship as menacing as the burial tomb itself. I shivered in fear as my father nudged me forward.

 

         “Open it. He demanded kindly.

 

         “How do I op-?” I was cut off as he quickly spoke.

 

         “The key, son. Use the key. And trust me, this is going to be good.” Father raised his eyebrows as looked between me and the lock.

 

         “Okay, here goes everything.” I said while untying the necklace. I inserted the key into the hole, and turned it. A little click signaled that it had been unlocked, and while the door was hard to budge- I managed slide it open. The tomb was dark from the outside, looking as if it never ended. My father pulled me into the doorway. Soon we reached another closed entrance. My father unsealed it in a similar way to the original- by sliding it open. The gateway was dark. We exited the chamber, only to find ourselves standing in the exact same position as before. The grass was burnt- ridden of all life. And the tombstones were broken with their words’ mostly scrapped off.

 

         “What is this place?” I asked my father as my eyes widened to the sight of the dark, abandoned realm that laid before me. The trees were vaguely etched out by the moon that leaned against a deep blue sky- It complimented the whole ‘Hellish’ feeling.

 

         “The Underworld.” He looked off into the distance, clearing his throat he started down the steep hill. “Aren’t you coming?” My father was stern with me. I could see the calmness blanketing over the excited anger that lived in him. Something inside him was fueling a fire, but I couldn’t tell what.

         “Uh, yes.” I ran after him and together we traveled into the eternal night.