Lost From Home

17 Years Ago...

"Neh-neh-neh-neh" the voice of a newborn baby could be heard echoing throughout the vast hall of Pandemonium, Hell's capitol. It was loud and packed as they welcomed the Demon King Sigmund's successor.

"Sigmund the child is born" Veronica said faintly, feeling pain all over her body.

"Thank you my love for giving birth to this beautiful child we will cherish and raise her together" King Sigmund murmured as he gently kissed her hand. They gaze at the infant admiring its features. She has a fine eyelashes, her lips were red like a young cherry wrap with a morning dew, her hair were blonde that shines as bright as the sun, her cheeks so rosy, so tender and shockingly she has a marking on her back much like the king.

"Yes dear this child will bring prosperity to all of us and we will embrace her deeply" Veronica remarked with a charming grin

The demons and guardians were all overjoyed to see the newborn baby, but then something unexpected happened. The environment suddenly vibrated when a loud explosion occurred.

"Wh-what was that?" Veronica screamed, attempting to rise while protecting the infant.

Sigmund yelled, "Veronica take our child to a safer place!"

Veronica was baffled by the events unfolding before her. She glanced at the infant and saw her child's fearful face as it began to cry.

"Quick! there is no time please leave!" his husband's voice jolted her up from her slumber.

"Please be safe, My Love" she said as she took the baby and teleports to the bottom part of Pandemonium. She places her in a straw basket and covers her with a blanket to keep its temperature normal.

"My child I need to send you to a place you will call home someday by the time you know the truth please do not resent us and acknowledge who you truly are" she stated as she lift the basket and opens the link to the Human Realm.

The battle raged on for hours until Pandemonium was shredded to bits. All of King Sigmund's guardians who are engaged in the war against Caesar have been summoned.

"Our Excellency!" Azazel exclaimed as he saw King Sigmund in such a horrible condition. "My Lord, are you alright?" Naamah, who was badly wounded in the fight, asked as the other three guardians approached them with a concerned look.

Sigmund repositioned himself, his complexion is very pale. "My guardians this is my wish please hear me out," he murmured solemnly. "You're not dying, are you?" Azazel protested, trying his best to keep his emotions in check. "Listen first I need to assign all of you on an essential task before it's too late"

"Please speak your majesty" Naamah responded softly, attempting to change the tone of the conversation.

"Caesar placed a powerful sealing mark on me and in a moment I'll be dragged into a chamber that no one can break even I failed, I know with certainty that my own flesh and blood will be the one to reverse this curse."

The guardians were stunned and astonished when they learned of the king's bad news.

"But your highness you are powerful! can't you undo them?" Belphegor, the youngest of all the guardians muttered.

"I tried till my hands bled until my strength was sapped, but I failed! I wanted to protect my daughter I wanted to protect Veronica I want to save everyone but I failed! I am Useless! Worthless! This malediction is far more stronger than I thought" Sigmund shouted while tears started running down on his face.

"Listen to me when the right time comes please find my daughter and bring her here; you must protect her with your life because our future is in her own hands"

"Where is the princess right now, my Lord?" Azazel asked

"Veronica has brought her to a safe location when the demonic marking on her back awakens, you will know" Sigmund replied

"When will it happen?" Leviathan asked politely as he approaches the king. ”

"The markings will be activated when the girl reaches the age of 18, her power will be more powerful than mine, at which point I'd like you all to guide her in the right path please do this in my absence and shield her from any future harm that my enemies will cause" he said

After the lengthy conversation, a cloud of dark smoke engulfed Sigmund, and he vanished in an instant, leaving no one to know where he went. The failure of the Five Guardians to defend the King they adored and cared for like a father caused them disappointment.

"This affects us a lot and I know it's a pain, the sudden disappearance of the King, the attack of Caesar, and the wreck of Pandemonium our home but most importantly the obligation King Sigmund left us is to protect the princess even if it costs our lives" Enepsigos, one of the guardians said after a a minutes of silence. " There is no time for whining and mourning we must carry out his desires and do everything we can to protect her, Now is the time! ” he added

"We have to track her!" Belphegor screamed on the top of his lungs and cried till his sight became dry.

"We must wait and organize the society here in hell until the marking is awakened, we must train and strengthen our talents in order to defend her but for now the defeat of Caesar is needed" Azazel growled, his power emanating from rage

The rest of the guardians agreed that defending Pandemonium should be their main focus for now.

Meanwhile, in the land of the living where humans exist, Veronica sobbed while looking at her child for the last moment. "My child, I-I deeply apologize I'm sorry! I'm sorry that your mother and father will be unable to raise you How I wish that we can play, laugh, and bond together. Forgive us my baby"

She cried and cried reminiscing the moments she had with her child.

Veronica wanders around and comes across a Kamagong Tree with an exquisite leaves. She brought the basket to the tree and placed it there. "I am certain that your new family will raise you well, my darling" she smiled sadly, grief spreading across her visage. Then she gave the princess a necklace, a peculiar one with an embroidery of large horn and cross, at the back of it were words that might be the child's name "ANTONELLA" which means PRICELESS.

"I will watch over you from above my child and I promise that we will see each other again on the near future I need to go back to your father and help him. We love you with all our heart" Veronica said before bidding the princess goodbye.

She returned to Pandemonium through the portal, witnessing the ongoing fighting and the injured citizens, realizing that his beloved husband has been defeated. She stood boldly facing Caesar from afar, unable to bear the horrific scene beneath her skin.

“lux egredere, pugna hoc malum, ut obsistat bellum, offero tibi animam meam et nunc ibo domum ad patrem meum in caelis” she chanted repeatedly

A blinding light engulfed Caesar and violently burned him in the hall of Pandemonium where the war was taking place.

"AAHHHHHHHH!!! you wench!" Caesar screamed from pain

"THIS IS NOT THE END VERONICA! I WILL RETURN FROM ASHES AND WILL KILL YOUR CHILD! I WILL FIND HER!" and that Caesar disappear with the wind.

The guardians were perplexed when they saw Veronica smiled at them and say, "For now I shall rest till we meet again my guardians" implying that the Goddess of Power had died.

"LADY VERONICA!!!"

The conflict came to an end, and all that was left were the desolate, broken halls of Pandemonium, with blood splattered everywhere. A major dilemma has been thrust upon them, and the guardians are frustrated as to how things have come to this. They were a group of losers who couldn't even protect the King and Veronica.

After 3 days, a funeral was held. Everyone was still seeking to rise from the ashes and establish a new foundation of themselves. The guardians were divided in their perspectives on maintaining Pandemonium's safety.

Every dawn, Azazel would pay his respects at Veronica's grave and proclaim his devotion.

“I swore to my life o King Sigmund and Lady Veronica to find your child and Protect her”