Stone Cold NV: World of Sin, Book 1

by J. A. X. Mikesell

  A few of the council gasped when she stated this and started whispering to their neighbors.

  “You’re not old enough to get an anima.” Ethel said. “I still don’t have an anima, and I’m the best in my field.”

  “No offense Council Member Ethel, but demonology isn’t exactly a magic source. It’s the study of demons. You wouldn’t be able to even get an anima in your field.” Cory told her.

  “Be that as it may, Ethel is correct, you are still not old enough to have been granted an anima.” Carson said. “Hell, Byron wasn’t even offered his until he was a hundred years old. How is a paltry 18 year old able to get an anima when the rest of us, who are the highest in our fields, have not been given one ourselves?”

  “I don’t know the answer to that question.” Cory said. “But it’s true. I was given the egg, then had to go through my trial of learning the spell to be able to Shift like the Shifters can, and then-”

  “Nonsense!” Ethel shouted at her. “Nobody has been able to unlock that spell for thousands of years. Anyone that has tried has gone absolutely insane. You did not unlock the spell, and if you have something that looks like an anima with you, then you have stolen it from someone, or it is but a regular animal. Go sit down, I will hear no more of this drivel.”

  Cory opened her mouth, about to say something, when her face went completely red and she turned and stalked back to her chair by Az.

  “Don’t worry about it.” Az whispered to her. “We know what you can do, they’re just a bunch of old biddy’s that would be jealous if they knew someone like you unlocked it before they could.”

  She smiled at him before they heard Pappy speak again.

  “Unfortunately, there is one other thing I need to mention.” He replied. “Asril, please step forward. Chris, a table in the middle if you please.”

  Chris got up and went into the shrubs to the left of the guest seating area for a moment before coming back out with a small folded card table, setting it up in between all the council members. Az got up and walked over to it, setting his shoulder bag on it and looking at Pappy.

  “My grandson, Asril.” Pappy announced, looking around at everyone. Once they said their hellos, he spoke again. “Asril was actually the one that found the bullet, and he is also the one that figured out when it touches blood, it turns the blood green and the bullet into clear crystal. He also found an old journal with the newspaper articles.”

  “How is a journal something that we need to worry about?” Ethel asked.

  “If you would shut up for once and just listen, maybe you’ll get your answer before you ask any stupid questions.” Grace commented.

  Ethel sat back, letting out a huff and crossing her arms. Az pulled his bag closer to him and opened it. Pulling out the journal and opening it to the first page on Araminta.

  “The journal itself isn’t something that needs to be worried about. It’s what’s written in it that is.” He said. “At one point when I was doing something else by it, the journal flashed and I noticed that there were some new things written in it that weren’t there before.”

  “A self-writing journal?” Lance asked. “I have never heard of such a thing in all my years of research.”

  “I don’t know how it works.” Az told him. “I just know that that is what happened. At first it only had-”

  “Why should we trust what this boy says?” Ethel asked. “No offense Jimmer, but even if he is your grandson, his story just sounds too far out there.”

  “Give him a chance to explain.” Pappy told her, nodding for Az to continue.

  “Anywhooslebees.” Az said, sighing a moment. “There were only a few different potions listed at first. I’d looked at all of them many times, but they’re harmless. But after it flashed, there were a few pages that were added explaining about a demon of envy, one of the princes of hell, a potion and the directions on how to make the potion.”

  “So it’s a potion book?” Harrold asked. “Ruby, have you heard anything about a potions book doing something like that before?”

  “No, I haven’t.” A woman said to the right of Az. “I would very much like to see what is in this book though. I may not be a potions master, but I strive to do everything I can to be better.”

  “Umm…” Az stumbled out. “Ok…”

  He walked over to her and handed her the book, then took a small step back and waited while she flipped through the book. Worry creasing his forehead when she raised her eyebrows and looked at him before turning the pages slowly back and forth again. Finally, she shut the book and set it down in front of her.

  “Asril, I’m not sure what to say here.” She said slowly. “From what I can see in this book, it’s some old language that I’ve never seen before. Are you able to read and speak in a different language?”

  “No, ma’am. But I’m not surprised you can’t read it.” He said to her. “My sister and Pappy aren’t able to read it either.”

  She looked at him another few moments before looking across the table behind him to Harrold.

  “Harrold, will you look at the book? Maybe see if you can make any sense of it?” She asked.

  Az walked over to Harrold and handed him the book before taking a step back again and waited. The worry deepened on his forehead when it seemed that Harrold also couldn’t see anything while flipping through the book and tracing the drawings with his finger, but completely missing what the picture was and looking like he was randomly stroking the page.

  “I’m sorry, my boy.” Harrold told him when he finally looked up. “It seems like you found a joke of a journal. There’s nothing here but nonsense writings.”

  Az took the book back and went to the middle table again to put it back in his bag.

  “I don’t see how none of you are able to see anything in the book.” He said to them. “It’s plain as day as to what it says. There’s the healing potion, the energy potion, and a concentration potion, then there is the page starting in on Araminta, Leviathan, the potion and the directions for the potion.”

  “I’m sorry, my boy, but this thing is just garbage. We cannot take it into consideration if only a boy is able to read it.” Harrold said. “I vote we strip this from the record as well, it’s just a complete waste of time.”

  “You know what!?” Cory yelled out, jumping up from her seat. “No, don’t strike it from the record. You stupid, old pieces of worm shit need to shut up and listen to what we’re saying. Az has a magical book that only he can read. I was able to unlock the secret to Shift and got an anima. Deal with it!”

  “Young lady, that is no way to-” Ethel started before being cut off, her face going red.

  “No! I said shut the bloody hag wart up and listen.” Cory yelled at her, stalking forward and stopping by the table. “Or maybe you’d rather watch.”

  She stopped, took a breath and closed her eyes for a moment. Breathing deeply and steadying herself. After a moment, gray and green fur grew from her face and arms that were visible out of her shirt. Within a few minutes, she was on the ground struggling to get out of her clothes. Az walked over and moved the shirt to the side, revealing the new raccoon that she was. Everyone was silent and staring. Even the gateway guards in the back row of the guest seating were staring open-mouthed.

  “See?” Az said to them. “We aren’t little kids that want to lie and get attention. We’re telling you the truth about what we’ve been able to do and what we know.”

  Cory grew back to herself and snatched the clothes from Az and put them on again.

  “You can all keep your snotty noses to yourselves as well. I don’t want your help.” She said to them all. “I will fight against Araminta and Leviathan because I believe that my brother is correct. We may not be able to see what the book says, but he’s not a liar. I am going after them to end this, because I know what it’s like to be under that spell. I got so jealous that a Shifter could change his form and I couldn’t. That’s not who I am. I am comfortable knowing who I am and what I
am. But, it was an overwhelming urge to find the secret to unlock the spell. I know how it is to be under the influence of whatever the hell was shot into me, and how it drives people into wanting something so badly that they kill for it. I will not sit by idly while some old asses decide that they’d rather hide than fight. Come on Az. Chris, will you please open a portal back to the room?”

  She turned on her heel and walked back to the landing stage behind the guest seating and waited for Chris and Az to join her.

  “Pappy, we’ll see you back there when you’re ready.” She called out.

  Az

  “So the potion requires the hammer and anvil of a god, a wild Anemone flower, the Anima for Araminta, hemlock roots, ambrosia, and the essence from a virtuous person?” Cory asked. “How the hell are we going to get essence from a hag blasted angel?”

  “Cory, we don’t need to get the essence from an angel. It says ‘the essence from a virtuous person.” I explained. “I’m sure we could find just a virtuous person around here and get it from there.”

  “Well, what is the essence that we need to get?” Cory asked. “Is it some spit? Some blood?”

  She stopped and paled after saying it.

  “Please tell me this isn’t blood magic, Az.” Cory said. “That’s like, the ultimate form of black magic. That’s why there are no airplanes anymore.”

  “I’m not sure, Cory. But blood is about the only thing that I can think of when it comes to essence.” I replied.

  “What is a virtuous person? Like, how would we find someone that’s basically an angel?” She asked.

  “Being virtuous doesn’t mean that you are an angel. From what I found online, there are different virtuous attributes that people can exhibit. Some people are able to exhibit those virtues a lot more than others, which I am pretty sure that we just have to find the one that would embody kindness and selflessness to a much higher degree than others around.” I told her.

  “So, like the guy that you saw the other day in the alley? The one that apparently got rid of the bullet somehow?” She asked.

  I sat for a minute and thought about it. Then perked up.

  “Yes! He would be perfect for it.” I said. “And I still have his wallet because I was trying to find you. We already have his address, so we can go talk to him once Pappy gets back.”

  The door opened as I was finishing my sentence, and Pappy walked in.

  “We can talk to who once I get back?” Pappy asked.

  “To the guy that Az thinks is the virtue that the book is talking about for the potion.” Cory told him. “It calls for the essence of a virtuous person. And Az had seen that guy get over his infection of the envy bullet by being kind and selfless to his friend and then helped his friend to get rid of his infection as well.”

  “What exactly does the list of ingredients say, Az?” Pappy asked.

  I read the ingredients out to him.

  “The essence… That sounds pretty ominous. Does it say exactly what the essence is?” Pappy asked.

  “No, but I’m thinking that it might be his blood, unfortunately.” I told him. “I think we’re going to need the council's permission to complete the potion on trapping Araminta.”

  “Hmm.” Pappy said. “If that’s the only way to do it, I suppose the council can deliberate on the best course of action. I’ll give them a call and we can go over details. I’ll also have Chris be ready for when we know where to go to get the plants.”

  Pappy pulled his phone out of his pocket and stepped away to start making calls.

  ◆◆◆

  “I still don’t see why we had to come all the way to Greece just to get the plants and then go back to Vegas.” Cory was complaining as she held the Ziploc bag out for me to put the hemlock roots into. “We could have gone to a nursery for them.”

  “The best potion ingredients are always the fresh ones, Cory. Not to mention, it specifically said wild.” I told her. “Besides, the only reason you’re so butt hurt about having to come here for them is because you’d rather be shopping than gathering ingredients.”

  “I am not butt hurt, Az.” Cory sneered. “But it would be nice to do a little shopping while we’re here. Can’t we go to just one store, Pappy?”

  “When this is over we can Cory.” Pappy replied, shifting the bag of Anemone flowers to his other hand and checking the time on his phone. “We need to find a way to stop Araminta as soon as possible, and this potion that Az found just might do the trick.”

  “Alright.” Cory said, somewhat dejectedly. “So, about this virtue. Do you think we’ll be able to convince him to give us some of his blood for this potion? The council has been pretty adamant for decades on not using blood magic or you’ll get severe punishments.”

  “We have the head of the council with us, I’m pretty sure that he will be able to see that we’re not trying to go against council guidelines with Pappy right there as well. I think the biggest problem we’re going to have is finding the Anima. I mean, what type of animal is it? We don’t even know what Araminta is a master of. It could be some lost form of magic that we couldn’t begin to understand.” I replied.

  “I don’t think that will be an issue, Az.” Pappy said. “Madgie have always been known to catalog every aspect of the spells they are able to produce and invent. We still have scrolls in the council chamber libraries that come from around 500 B.C.”

  “Ok, well at least we don’t need to worry about an unknown form of magic then.” I said. “But I still am not sure how we can find her Anima. Maybe I’ll check the book when we get back to the hotel… Do we have all the hemlock roots?”

  Cory held up the bag of roots and shook it.

  “Yup. Now we just need to get the virtue, the hammer and anvil, the ambrosia, and the Anima. I’m not entirely sure, but isn’t ambrosia the food of the gods?” She asked.

  “I think so. We just need to figure out how to contact the gods and ask for some of it. We might be able to get it at the same time as the hammer and anvil.” I said. “I’m just not sure where to go for that, much less who to talk to about the ambrosia.”

  “I believe that we are quite near Mount Olympus.” Chris piped up. “We could see about stopping there and asking for help from Zeus. I’ve heard he does occasionally help others. As long as there’s something in it for him though.”

  “Mount Olympus?” Cory asked. “Isn’t there just a statue of Zeus there? It’s not actually where the gods hang out, right?”

  “Correct, but from what I have heard there is some message relay system in place that if someone were to ask Zeus for help that he will hear it.” Chris said. “I’m not sure how it works, but I’ve heard of it happening before.”

  “Are you talking about how Hercules went there to ask him for help?” I asked him. “I’m pretty sure that was more of a myth than something that actually happened.”

  “My great, great uncle Herold was around at that time and watched him fight the hydra. Said he was the worst kid to be around before he met Meg. Always moping around about how he was abandoned, being picked on by his uncle Hades. Yada, yada, yada.” Chris said, rolling his hand in the air and rolling his eyes. “But once Meg was in the picture, apparently Herc did a complete 180. Spouting off how he was glad he was abandoned, and that he was able to prove to her how strong he was and impress her.”

  “I’m surprised that he was a real person.” Cory said. “But how does that help us? I don’t think we could get Zeus’ help cuz we’re not his children.”

  “You don’t have to be one of their children in order to ask for their help. Most mortals that go to them offer a payment in exchange for their help.” Chris replied.

  “A payment?” I asked. “What would they do with mortal money?”

  “Oh no, not money. It’s usually an item that you possess, or a favor that they want you to owe them in the future.” Chris said. “My great uncle had gone to ask for the gods' help after his business folded, trying to see if they could help him with keepin
g his house since it had been in the family for generations.”

  “What did he end up paying them? A favor? Or did he give them something?” Cory asked.

  “He ended up giving them a cow, a goat, and a goose.” Chris said. “I can get us right outside the entrance to where Zeus’ statue is located if you would like to go now.”

  “Is Zeus the one that we need to actually talk to?” Cory asked. “Isn’t he the god of thunder? We need the god that has a hammer and anvil.”

  “Zeus may not have those particular items, but he would be able to point us in the right direction.” Chris said. “They’re all related and, for some reason, love to annoy each other. So I’m sure that he will send us to the right place.”

  “We need to try anyway.” Pappy said. “We need to get this potion complete as soon as possible and make sure that Araminta doesn’t gain a foothold in this world again.”

  ◆◆◆

  We stepped out onto what seemed to be a cloud above Mount Olympus. The roiling mist solidifying as we took steps out of the portal.

  “This isn’t what I expected.” Cory said. “Where is the building?”

  “It’s in front of us, we just need to continue walking and it will appear as long as we aren’t here to harm anyone or anything.” Chris said.

  “Then let’s go. I don’t like standing on a cloud.” Cory said, trying not to look down.

  We continued forward; I was looking around and trying to see where the top of the mountain was. Pappy’s Madgie mist surrounding him and creating a thicker robe to keep out the cold. Cory stoically looking ahead, not daring to look anywhere else. Then, after a dozen feet, a marble door appeared in front of her and she stumbled to a stop.

  “Just push on it.” Chris called up to her from behind me and Pappy.

  Reaching out, Cory touched the cool stone and pushed as hard as she could, forcing the door to slam open into a chamber that was hidden before.