Chapter 1 - Darkness

Once, long ago, before there was such a thing as time,

the world was shrouded in twilight.

Then came the splendor of a new dawn,

bringing life and love into the universe.

Edward, the Lord of Darkness...retreated deep into the shadows of the earth,

plotting his return to power...

But precious light is protected, harbored in the souls of unicorns,

the most mystical of all creatures.

Unicorns are safe from the Lord of Darkness,

they can only be found by the purest of mortals...

Such a mortal as Jake, who lives in solitude with the animals of the forest.

A beautiful girl named Bella loves Jake with all her heart.

In their innocence, they believe only goodness exists in the world.

Together they will learn there can be no love without evil...

No love without hate...

No heaven without hell...

No light without darkness.

The harmony of the universe depends upon an eternal balance.

Out of the struggle to maintain this balance comes the birth of

legends

.

.

.

.

His massive, maleficent form slumps heavily in the tall throne. Encompassing heat exudes around him from everywhere...The flames bellowing against the charcoal rock walls in waves, encircling the damp, shadowed domain.

"Mother Night, embrace your dark wings about me. Hold me within your black clutches. I sit amongst the emptiness, alone and exiled whilst this force, this presence, returns to persecute me."

The blazing blankets of smothering, unending heat swim within the thick air as his chest rises with anxiety and grating breaths.

A feeble knock reiterates throughout the sinister chamber...The frail noise completely irking the beast.

"Enter!" The callous voice rumbles through the ominous darkness around him...His yellow eyes glow neon amongst the shadows. They roll with impatience.

Why does he not bring himself to execute these squalid, witless imbeciles who disturb his silence?

He growls.

"Ah..." The Lord of Darkness summons his cowering slave. "Jasper. Come closer." The deep, rolling voice touches Jasper's ears sorely, and he swallows in fear. If he displeases his master, he knows he will never see the dark of night again.

Jasper timidly steps forward, the subterranean shelter saturates his body with sweat. The sound of his Lord's heavy breathing holds his attention as he reaches the throne.

"Jasper, are you not the most vile of my demons?" The giant, horned beast questions as he leans forward in his throne. The servant replies with a trembling nod.

"Indefinitely, master." The weaker demon complies.

"And is your heart black and full of hate?"

"Black as midnight over a foggy mire, blacker than the foulest vampire."

"I feel a disturbance in the forest...an aura I had blissfully forgotten."

"Must be wretched indeed, to trouble you, Sire." Jasper's voice cracks as he anxiously observes the supreme being.

"These creatures I have seen...They are so frail, and yet, they hold so much power. One could rule the entire universe with it." His large, neon stare impales Jasper with harrowing intensity, causing the frightened demon's body to quiver. "You must find them for me and destroy them."

"Yes, your lordship." The demon slave is nervous to question the devil, but he finds no spare option. "W-what are..." He clears his throat. "What do they look like?" He jumps at the booming roar erupting from within the massive figure...The devil's demeanor gaining vexation.

"Idiot fool!" Edward bellows, rising from his throne. He is monstrous, towering beside the smaller demon. Jasper can hear the scatter of phantoms within the shadows like a thousand dark angel's wings as they seek the shelter within the black, hidden cavities of hell.....They, too, afraid of what they are about to witness.

"Forgive me!" Jasper gasps, falling to his knees in submission at his master's hooves. He shakes in terror, never certain what the beast plans to bestow upon him. He stares at the cloven paw before him as he remains knelt against the hot, rough terrain. Unsettling laughter emanates from above his trembling form, stirring Jasper's insides violently as his body tightens in fear.

"Does my grotesque appearance frighten you?" Edward sneers with travesty as he watches the young demon crouch low before him. He sighs and drops a sharp, black, pointed claw to the top of Jasper's head... Dragging down until it scrapes against the servant's face.

Jasper slowly reaches up to wipe the beads of sweat tickling his jaw, concentrating earnestly on the large palm hovering above him. It would be effortless and complete nature for the enormous devil to execute one of his demons for being incompetent. He is done for.

"Rise before me, Jasper." Edward's command brings the young goblin to his feet almost instantly. Relief begins to wash over him as Jasper realizes this may not be the end of his entity. As he raises his gaze to his master once again, he is taken by surprise.

"This is more to your liking, my amateur son?" Edward scornfully laughs with his smoother voice. His body has shrunken, his height almost aligned with Jasper's. The horns that had been atop his head are not present, but a thick nest of copper hair. His body is thin, and his crooked smile sends a shiver through his underling.

"Yes, my lordship." Jasper murmurs, finding it easier to face Edward when he does not look so much like...well...what he is.

"This is but a mere illusion, Jasper, only for our use when dealing with the humans. Do not forget that." Edward's eyebrow raises at the servant. Jasper, understanding the not so subtle hint, suddenly begins to dissolve...the energy around him shimmering and crackling as his body reforms. His breaths rattle as the loathsome creature stares up at Edward in submission, waiting for his directions.

"That is better." Edward states coldly with a smirk, turning to reach for something. Jasper's breath catches when Edward turns back to him with a gleaming knife in his hand."The creature you must find..." He drags his long, pale fingers over the blade's length and up over the glinting point, as if adoring the piece of shiny metal. "...is crowned with a single spiral..." The golden eyed devil whips his glowing eyes up to glare straight into the goblin's. Jasper's hand travels along his clothes, finding the sword resting against his side. He wants nothing more than to pull it out and slice the devil's head off with one clean swipe, yet he knows that he is no match for the massive beast. His shaking hand begins to wrap around the sword's handle, but before he has a chance to move a centimeter, there is a sharp point sticking into the skin of his forehead. "...reaching like an antenna straight to heaven, you fool!" Edward pronounces with intense passion.

"I get the point, Lord!" Jasper shrieks throatily...The nightmarish laugh returns...Booming about the beast's domain. Jasper opens his eyes to see the hideous, two horned creature laughing with great amusement at the smaller goblin. The sharp point leaves Jasper's skin with a scraping sound. The laughing stops...There is silence within the molting darkness.

"Bring the horns to me, Jasper." The sound of Edward's deep voice is grave, allowing his inferior to grasp that he is serious. "Bring the horns to me."

"Where shall I look, sire?"

"There is only one lure for such disgusting goodness, one bait that never fails."

"What be this bait, my dark master?” Jasper begs....his guttural voice carrying across the infernal pit.

His answer is but a whisper amongst the thick mist.

"Innocence..."