Oracles and Demon Lords

“I’m going to be an adventurer!”

“That’s great.” Father smiled at the overzealous scamp. I sat at the table, half dozing in my chair but still awake enough to feel annoyed.

“He says that every morning.” I whispered just loud enough for everyone to hear.

“And one day it’ll come true.” Mother sat down with a plate of eggs at the head of the table.

Chin’s eyes shifted downward. He seemed a bit worried about something but I wasn’t going to ask luckily mother wasn’t one to miss those sorts of cues. What is it, Chin?”

“I had that dream again, about that angel I saw in the comet.” If my eyes weren’t already half-closed I would have rolled them. It was the same thing every day.

“Except this time she was older and though she was still in the garden all of the flowers looked black and rotted, and there was this dark shadow hanging over her.”

“Ominous” Our father looked deep in thought.

“Could it be…” Our mother seemed to be sharing the thought.

“In fact it is!” A voice boomed our from nowhere, echoing through the room, “AN ORACLE!” It was him.

I shook myself awake and grabbed hold of the bowl that had been set out in front of me. The entire house began to shake and a figure materialized under the kitchen doorway.

The figure was an eight foot tall, wrinkly red skinned man in a high collar button up with a beige overcoat. He also wore a straw hat with two horns protruding on either side of it. This was Orix the Red AKA the former Demon Lord AKA me and Chin’s grandfather.

“Goddamit, I thought I fixed the warding just the other day.” Mikael the hero (currently MIA, presumed dead) turned toward his wife, Crystella the Diamond AKA the current Demon Lord (currently MIA, presumed dead).

“It looks tacky. The neighbors were complaining.” He gives a disapproving, doubtful look, “Father said he might be stopping by.” She admitted quietly under his admonishing gaze.

Mikael gripped a butter knife in his hand, “You have 30 seconds before this butter knife turns into a great sword.”

“Mikael, not in the kitchen!” Mother chided.

“Umm, what was that about an Oracle?”

“That’s right kid, your dream was more than a dream: it was a vision, a vision of the future!”

“The future…?”

“Allow me to explain.” Grandpa snapped his fingers and the room suddenly went dark. A magical spotlight materialized in the center of the room, shining down on Orix.

“On drums, Thuggish the Brute.” A four armed giant appeared sitting behind a drumset.

“On first and second guitar, Lem the Army.” A gaunt skeletal looking man appeared and the separated into two people.

“And finally on brass, Windy the Storm!” A ghostly girl appeared with a saxophone.

“And, of course, I’ve always been a piano man.” He sat down at a magical piano, “Okay, Thuggish, lay down something with a cool high hat, and let’s get a simple jazz walk-up on the bass.” Lem split into another person with a bass guitar, “Now, kick into double time.”

Dad and I began to grind our teeth in annoyance while Chin and Mother were waving their hands in the air in anticipation.

Orix threw a glissando and began to sing,

“Way back in ancient times, in the days of god and man                                                         Them beings from up on high would send a helpin’ hand                                                           It’d be a night mare or a daydream to meant to guide them on their way                                 To a future possibility or a holy promised land

Oracles and prophecies will point the way to go                                                                       They’ll spur you on toward better things or loss and tragic woe

There once was a man name Oris (Not Orix)                                                                                   He was a man of some renoun,                                                                                                         An evil so and so and a man about the town                                                                                 He too received an Oracle, an omen of future greed

A hero would come to slay him, take his daughter and destroy his lifeeeee”

He stopped singing and looked to be on the threshold of tears, but regained his composure a second later.

“Not every prophecy can be changed,                                                                                             but darn it all it’ll lead you where you’re meant be

Oracles and prophcies will point the way to go                                                                               To be changed, or changed by you only your will can sew                                                     They’ll spur you on toward better things or loss and tragic woe! (tragic woe!)”

““Woo!”” Mother and Chin cheered as the group dispersed. Me and dad both threw forks at the disappearing ghosts of the former Demon Lord Honor Guard, but they just stuck in the wall.

“So, there you have it.”

“So, cool!” My brother had been talking about setting out to find this girl for years, but this ill omen he dreamed up, along with encouragement from our grandfather finally gave him the kick he needed to actually do it.

“Over my dead body. Chin, you are not ready to go on such a long grueling adventure.”

Mikael looked over to Chin only to find the boy already had a pack on.

“When did you get that?!?”

“It’s my Garden Girl Retrieval Kit! I’ve had it since-”

“No, that’s not what I-”

He once again paused as grandpa attempted to stuff me in the pack with all the other junk. It was actually kind of a nice fit, I felt like nodding off right there.

“Arasa is not an item you can stuff in a pack, Orix!”

“I’m fine, just let me sleep a bit longer.” I began to close my eyes.

“I see, I see, age is finally creeping up on you isn’t it.”

“I’ll vanquish you right here!”

“With your miniscule amount of power, my how delusional you’ve become. Do you see, my darling daughter, this man can no longer protect you or my grandchildren, perhaps you’ll finally consider dropping this domestic fantasy?”

“I’m sorry, father, but despite his fault he’s still the hero I fell in love with.”

“Shame, still how have neither of you realized yet.”

“What are you on about?”

“My granddaughter, Arasa, has been blessed with the title of Demon Lord.”

They all stared at me in shock, I hadn’t really been listening. Orix nodded his head, “Upon her return I shall train her to be my successor!”

“””What?!?””” The entire family shouted in unison.