The Prince a seedling short story

Flames twisted into a cage trapping me in front of the Prince. He sat on his throne of rock and velvet. The back rose above his head and hung over him like a claw.
“You felt yourself better than the menial tasks given to you. You are guilty of treason,” his voice echoed throughout the great chamber. His red eyes danced, the fire reflected off them gleefully.

“Is that your final verdict?” I asked letting my wings unfurl.

The look of shock on his face was a joy to behold. For two hundred years, I had served the Prince of Hell and not for one moment had he suspected me.

“It cannot be,” he hissed. The flames grew taller and more wild in reaction to his anger.

“A spy in my ranks all this time.”

“Yes brother,” I let my facade fall away. It felt glorious to show my true self after all this time. The years in hell had made me feel dirty, sullied but now, as the angel light enveloped me I felt rejuvenated. “You needed to be controlled. How better to do that than keep an eye on your organisation from within. Allow you some of your schemes to work and doom other to failure. It kept you occupied for a time.”

The Prince roared. The noise would have deafened a mortal and some of his serfs around the room doubled over clutching their skulls. He launched from his chair and faced me, growing in size. His intimidation techniques did nothing to me as I matched him, flames melting away as they touched my skin.

“I shall end you,” he threatened.

I laughed pityingly, “You cannot, you know that.”

“Perhaps not, but I shall enjoy trying,” he moved backwards as he started to contort, his body bending out of shape. The corruption had taken a physical toll on his body and now he was truly grotesque. Pitted, red skin like a snake and deadly claws.

I centred myself and willed my clothes to transform into my armour. I held my blade high in a defensive position, its white light too pure for the demons to look upon.
Silence reigned, then we charged.

This story was expanded from a #vss365 prompt #verdict in response to AJWalker’s Seedling Challenge.

Word count= 365