CHAPTER THIRTY

Lord of Shadows


               ur interviewer finds Berkana only hours before her wedding to Flagg, where she graciously agrees to share her story of Asmodan.

"Okies, well on Asmodan... Its hard to tell it chronologically... But he was a student of my uncle. Aqueila Val'Des... his apprentice. But he grew corrupt as the EC started to work and chaos seeped into the City. He started to use my uncle's works for greed and power. Aquiela saw this, and the same from his other apprentice... Fenr'al. So it was time to bury the Book of Shadows (a.k.a The Book of Val'Des)... I am not sure how much you know of the ways of Magick but one's workings, journals, etc. are placed in a Book of Shadows....Val'Des foresaw what was to come as his two prized students slipped from the Balance of the Shadow and turned to Chaos for power. He cut them off from the Book and this enfuriated Asmo and Fenr'al.

"Whispers came back to Aqueila that Asmodan planned to overthrow he and his brothers and claim the Keepers for his own. Thus the Book of Shadows had to be hidden. So Aquiela and his brothers headed to the heart of the City and performed the Rite that would place it in the hands of the Shadow, deep within the City. Once done they cast themselves adrift. And Asmodan took over and the true Keepers were lost only to be remembered by the Shadow... or so Asmodan hoped. Asmodan ruled as the Dark Lord of the Shadow and struck fear into all who opposed him. He brought a dark cloud over the House of KoES and no one remembered what the truth was snd this was when I had no clue Aqueila was my uncle too

"Now some confuse things on that... many think that it was Asmodan I brought back but this is wholly not true. No no. Asmodan has been trying to regain his coherence in the City ever since Kiroko and Mi'Raj banished him. He used his children and others to help him come back.... Ultimately he "piggybacked" on Darion when Munchkin and Ilandria helped him come back from the Chaos

" The Book of Shadows didn't seem odd to me when I found it since it was of my ways. I didn't know this was not commonplace here… but after months of research and then being brought into the Keepers it all came clear. Little piece of trivia for ya... My last name is An'Gealach... translates to The Moon... I was recruited to the Keepers as Guardian of the Moon... Coincidence? No, My Mother's place....It is a title bestowed upon the "High Priestess" of my shard. That is a whole Craft deal that I can explain another time.

" Asmodan's legacy of Lord of the Shadow was now being threatened with the Book resurfaced. So he double times it to getting back in... He sought to gather his children to rule at his side as the Dark Lord of the Shadow again, through some faery glamour o Munchkin's sister Istania, Asmodan was able to "Shadow Form" into the City.... He yanked at anyone and everyone he could to gain minions to help him. He used RayvenFire's weak spirit to assist him, her betraying the Witches' Laws and all to aid him in obtaining the Book of Shadows to help him. HE wanted back for good. And he became fully coherant when he piggy backed with Darion."

What was in the book that he was desperate to have?

"The Book of Shadows? Alchemy, Magick, History, the whole truth of the first Keepers, the beliefs and laws of it all. But I spent 6 months researching and uncovering the truth that had been lost. It has been my lie, is my life. Now the first time I helped save RayvenFire break free of Asmodan is when I accidentally brought Fenr'al back. It was then that I found out that I was Val'Des' niece .... Ultimately, Asmodan and I were raised on the same ways. He learned the Craft as I had... and the fact that I held the Book made me not exactly his favorite person. Soooo..... He wanted the Book, and to quote him "my brain ripped from my head." He got the empty shell of the Book, but knew I could still stop him. So, he tried another tactic, taking the one thing I valued above all else.... flagg.

" Then, when flagg escaped ... well, Asmodan has not been back. Yes actually.... the same time I figured out how to break through his shield... that cloak. I tested it.... He was in sanctuary, and I lashed him a shard of pure order... it was a fake codex, but he ran... and ran every time I tried to get close

"Since then I have been able to obtain a REAL shard of pure order... and I wait. I will be ready. The suffering stops with me. I will not allow anyone to endure the pain that man imposed upon me."

Our Interviewer also discovered the following monologue, spoken by Fenr'al himself. This is another fascinating addition to the story of Asmodan, his children and his enemies.

Tome