“Always.” He rumbled, breathing slow and deep. “But you could have won the wager a hundred times. You stayed in here the whole time.”
“Yeah, but then I wouldn’t get what I want.” She was put down to her feet and they vanished from sight and making sound. It was only the two of them as her fingertip’s glow vanished and she dropped to her knees to undo his pants and get a reward for all her effort. She was so fast and eager he didn’t realize what was going on till he sucked in a breath as she took him all the way in her mouth and worked till he could not hold back and released. He restrained exploding and causing a forest fire, but heard her loudly gulping every last drop and moaning with pleasure. “Ah, that was good. Thank you for the treat. By the way, it tastes like white chocolate now. I’m goin’ to be doing that a lot more.” She stood and hopped up to kiss his cheek as he leaned against the nearby tree to recover.
“And what about your needs?”
“Oh, later I’ll get them scratched. But you can control yourself better doing oral. All the other kinky delights will hurt too many around here.” She gave a slow smile as he pulled his pants up. “Besides, we both got a treat from that… but which way is the way back?”
Having a natural sense of direction, Ethan pointed and Kanade ran that way laughing. Hot on her heels was him until they ran side by side, easily dodging Nymphs or others out for a morning stroll.
They blew out of the Grove holding hands, finding it easy as if they were walking. To the group the change was immediate. His moves were lithe and honed to perfection. Valande nodded. “Well done, Daughter. Whatever you did has made his gait seamless to even my eyes.”
“So, what’s next?” Ethan asked.
“Now that you can move without stumbling,” Valande smacked the palm of her hand to the boulder’s rough exterior. Due to the lack of snow covering its surface or riding up its sides, it was new to the area. “we will hone muscles. This is roughly four and a half tons. The best way to lift it is to punch a hole, but Magnus was kind enough to use his club to bore a set of hand holds.”
Two dark holes waited, as did a curious Blake who finished his morning meditation. Ethan let go of Kanade’s hand and looked at it closely. Some in the large group didn’t believe it could be so much as moved without magic, machinery or breaking it apart into smaller, more manageable pieces.
Ethan slipped both hands inside, spread his legs for lifting a heavy load and gave a half grunt and growl. Muscled in his arms, legs and back bulged. Skin stretched and his wings tensed. Before their very eyes they watched the boulder shake and lift one inch at first. Two inches. A foot. Three feet. Six. His eyelevel.
“Yhaaa!” He yelled triumphantly as he held it over his head. His face nearly as red as his hair and beard. He breathed heavily and ground out “What now, Val?”
Calmly she said. “Walk around the whole lake once without dropping it. If you do you must start over from that point and circle to it again. Word of advice, go slow and watch your footing. With all that weight on your feet, even normal ground will make you sink… as it is doing right now. And don’t stop.”
‘Thud’ The ground trembled in his first step. ‘Thud’
“If not for my eyes, I’d not believe it.” Kira said in awe.
“Looks kind of like the Titan Atlas doesn’t he?” Reevy hissed to the group watching him slowly walk with a boulder over his head.
Blake nodded. “Yes, but my friend was punished to hold up Mount Olympus for six thousand years. He still has another four hundred and nineteen to go. Atlas… we should visit him tomorrow and give some company. It’s been a few years and even a Titan gets lonely.” Reevy agreed wholeheartedly while they watched Ethan struggle walking.
Thrice dropped and two hours later Ethan heavily dropped the massive rock down in the last hole that had been made when he leaned too far back and fell. During his walk back he remembered how his team ate up time was sparring with the other two. Lillianna had returned happier than a Pixie with a puppy covered in gems as she passed her trial to become a squad leader. He didn’t catch what she was made to do, but compared to her previous leader, she was loved by her team. But as he did his walk, Blake had everyone square off and spar, just to see how well it could work out. The twin Wizard brothers were deadly together and laughed as they fought together or against one another.
His approach called the mock battles directed by his second to end. He rolled his shoulders and smiled as Kanade did. Her happiness always felt better than sex and staying linked mentally let him know no matter how he looked, she loved him more than anything there could ever be. She could get rid of it all to be with him and never look back or reconsider. She too knew he was just as devoted.
Tired, but not overly so he asked “What’s next, Val? You going to kick my ass with the rods?”
“After lunch.” She admitted. “But until then let us do what you told me you wished ever since my child took your soul to Spirit World. Let us fly now that the sun is out. We can teach the finer points of…”
“Just like before when we ran.” Kanade thoughts interrupted his attention to Valande and she secretly showed off her red lace silk thong again. “Don’t think about flying. Think of this.”
Before Valande could finish explaining, Kanade already spread her wings, bent her legs and jumped.
But what shocked the Enforcer was when his great wings unfurled and he bent lower than she imagined he’d need to launch himself straight up and slammed the sails down and shooting off like a missile. Her own thoughts were on just how seamless his launch was. It was natural and had not a shred of hesitation. She didn’t know what her daughter had done, but he was after her like a hawk to a sparrow. Valande spread her wings and followed at distance.
Cool air passed over his wings and held him up. Freedom had never felt so sweet. He didn’t focus as hard as normal as he enjoyed the feel of his back muscles twist, lift and bring down the wings while lesser muscles in the upper joint of each wing extended and retracted them properly. He didn’t force it. Ethan just let it happen and marvel at the act he was flying, gaining altitude. It felt so innate and smooth. Like breathing. Crisp, chilly air caressed the membranes and gave a sense of a dream come true. Like everyone, we all have a dream to fly. Butterflies fluttering in our stomach. Hairs over our body standing up and alive. Knowing you are in control of living and doing what you want without restrictions.
The moment Kanade twirled and flew backwards to rise to hover, her wings flapping a little harder to maintain height, he pulled up and let his do the same. It was a bit of a struggle, but not too strenuous. “Ready?” She asked.
“You know I am.” And he flew up with her into the cloudless blue sky. Clouds from the morning storm seemed to let them have a perfect moment.
So began an aerial dance. Ethan circled, dipped and dove around her and she was in perfect sync. They flew closer than any dare do, brushing their hands over the other as they passed in a ballet done high above the mountains in the northwest. His heat radiated after sensing her getting a chill, but as soon as she felt it she smiled, flew up and kissed him before kicking off his broad chest like a springboard and doing an acrobatic curl before snapping her wings out and continuing the flying duet. Despite his size, he was just as precise and agile as her and faster since he was bigger and his wings caught more air.
Valande watched the inspiring scene for over an hour, crying happily from time to time. Soon when they had danced enough they glided side by side, wingtips less than a yard apart as if they had flown together all their life. They leveled off and hovered. The only sound for a few moments was three sets of wings slapping the air to resist gravity’s pull. “That was so beautiful you two!” Valande said oddly emotionless. Just as fast she appeared happy. “Even when Mikhale and I first flew together was… nothing compared to the beauty of what I just witnessed. I wish I had recorded it.”
Ethan concentrated and said “Not a problem. Ellen and the team recorded it all. Ever since I took off they
did it. And Blake just sent Floa to download it to the house servers to show everyone my first experience flying. I don’t want to touch any more minds than my team’s, but focus your eyes to the roof of the castle where the nursery is. Nearly the entire house was watching us.”
Truth it was and more. One unknown observer in particular wasn’t in awe or speechless. Blue eyes were filled with pride and whiskers twitched before curling up beside the window to enjoy the rest of the distant show.
“Never have I seen such a natural flyer. But now we must test if your wings are good for combat as they are in a sensual dance.” She went on a surprise attack.
Enough space afforded him to react by slamming his already descending wings down and lifted out of her reach by a dozen yards. She pursued relentlessly, but even her own wings weren’t as large, so naturally he was faster. To correct that imbalance she fortified herself with additional power, but he sensed it. He closed his eyes and she was like a beacon in his mind. Though she was silent and swift, he always avoided her attempts to tackle. Eventually he countered, messing with the air itself, creating violent thermals in random areas he could safely navigate.
Kanade and everyone watching below was slack-jawed as Ethan evaded one of the deadliest Enforcers known to exist. What made it more amazing is he seemed to be effortlessly doing it while she struggled to get close. His natural talent clearly overwhelmed several millennia of experience.
Recordings of that day were collected and put together so nearly every angle could be used three dimensionally by one of Tattoo’s programs. But in many scenes they had to use slow motion just to see the graceful movements Ethan used as many times the naked eye was too slow to follow and only the compiled records of over four thousand camera angles both on land and in the sky, thanks to the Gargoyles, allowed the capture tactics to be distributed and analyzed for enjoyment and tactical purposes.
Like flying, landing came just as naturally. His new legs were perfect for absorbing the impact of his advanced weight. Even Ethan was surprised at how easily he adapted as a flyer.
Friends rushed up and Floa said “Finally found something you’re good at eh? Originally you were an awkward human with no real world strengths. You couldn’t even ride a Pegesai correctly. But then all of a sudden you grow a pair of wings and can use them better than anyone I’ve ever seen!” She gushed in front of his right eye, fluttering her own butterfly wings.
From behind Ethan knew it was coming and held his arms out as Kanade folded her own wings and dropped into them and circled her arms around his neck, beaming with joy and pride. “You did good, Darlin’.”
“He did indeed.” Valande allowed, not as upset as Ethan or anyone expected. “Few can boast to out-fly me, but you’ve no experience and yet you did it with your eyes closed. Nice use of creating violent thermals, but how did you beat me?”
“Power.” He said. “My wings are large and let me move faster without needing to put power into going faster. You needed to and I sensed where you were the whole time. But holy crap!” He laughed and spun Kanade through the air in his arms. “That was everything I dreamed of!”
Rosy lips met his before withdrawing and giggling as his short beard tickled her chin. “Me too! I’d swear you weren’t meant to be human. You were born to be a flyer.”
“So it seems.” Came a strange deep voice from behind.
Ethan paused and watched as the groups coming all stopped and hurriedly dropped to a knee and bowed their heads. Valande too was on a knee with her head lowered. Slowly he adjusted Kanade to her feet and turned around to meet the gaze of a too handsome blonde haired blue eyed man in a tuxedo. The man was nine foot tall as well, but looked ready to go into a business meeting, not stand in snow or radiate power far beyond anything Ethan could imagine. The wingless man was far beyond any Ethan ever met, but he got the strange sense he knew the man. “Fate?”
Administrator of Order smiled. “And here I thought you wouldn’t recognize me like this.” Fate then shrunk as if a balloon deflated to look like an all American high school quarterback. But the immense power Ethan couldn’t sense before being trained in casting remained despite appearances. Fate slowly walked around Ethan and he noticed Kanade also on her knee, knowing who it was immediately. Ethan went to kneel too, but Fate forestalled it by holding up a hand without breaking the leisurely stride around him. Those intense blue eyes gave the Elemental the feeling he was being seen through. “Remarkable changes. I didn’t foresee my lost hand over your destiny resulting in this ancient form. Nor can I reestablish a hold over your future.”
“Clarity would help out here, Fate.”
“Everyone aside from Kanade and Valande Cerulean, leave us.” Fate calmly said while doing another pass.
Orders from one of the great celestial powers in the entire universe weren’t taken lightly and the crowd drew well away from being overheard or interrupted. As soon as they were away Fate told the two kneeling women to rise and said “Again you cause me to question, Mr. Volorum.” Ethan still found it disconcerting hearing such words coming from the mouth of a teenager, nor the agelessness within those blue orbs.
“What do you want, Fate? Why now? You aren’t the kind of person to drop by unexpectedly, nor do you talk without reason.”
“Hold your tongue.” Valande hissed as she brought her light-giving sword from its sheathe and put to his throat. Ethan realized she was indeed a soldier who would even threaten someone she liked, no less her son-in-law.
“Be at ease, Enforcer. I’ve plenty earned Ethan’s animosity after our last encounter when I tore through his mind to search out why he had power I didn’t unlock or gift to his body when I resurrected him. Sheathe your blade.” Like a good soldier, Valande did so and stood at full attention. “As for coming at this moment, Mr. Volorum, I just watched you outmaneuver one of my father’s most lethal warriors without breaking a sweat. I wished to congratulate you on such a miraculous feat.”
“Then why did you say ‘resulting in this ancient form’? Do you know what I’m becoming? And why do you mean by reestablishing your will on me when it was a deal you gave me?”
“Problems are a part of life and even after billions of years I’m still surprised what mortals are capable of.” Fate still didn’t stop walking and it was really beginning to piss Ethan off, but he didn’t move. Even angry, Ethan knew he was no match against a being most would consider a god. “But you are no longer a mortal now are you? Not at all I’m afraid. My guiding hand doesn’t affect you in any way anymore. Only the most ancient of beings can resist me, much like you’re doing now. I’m trying to get you to strike me like the time I set fire to your brother’s and past female acquaintance’s apartment. But yet you stand still. Defiant. What is worse is I can barely see you back in Spirit World as the rest of me is trying to as we speak. Ever since the Elf arrow, you’ve become steadily more hazy to my view. Due to it those closest to you are also blurred. But it seems in my haste to let go of your reins has allowed irreversible changes to come about within you as well. I didn’t sense it before, but I do now. I was suppressing your power all your life and when I stopped, the changes began. Since I used your old body to make this one, the genetic potential was there all along. If I had made you a new one this wouldn’t have happened.” He gently tugged on a wing. Ethan though couldn’t believe Fate was actively trying to make him hit himself. “As to which ancient is responsible, I cannot say for it eludes even me. But for an ancient to couple with a human successfully without my knowledge is baffling to say the least.”
“I can’t tell if you’re pissed or curious, Fate.”
“Neither. I’m stumped actually. And that rarely happens. But the results of my actions in restoring your physical substance are better than I calculated. Even you saving one of the houses was beyond my calculations. There was a ninety eight point five three percent chance of it being destroyed. Yet you saved it. Resurrecting you was a good choice and I’ve not regretted it, but I’m not fond of being unable t
o calculate what is happening to you. But there is one thing I’ve calculated with a one hundred percent chance of failure.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow when he felt Fate touch his backside and then removed the envelope Magistrate Morom gave before breakfast. “What does failure have to do with that?”
“Everything.” Fate then simply glanced at the envelope and it suddenly ripped into pieces smaller than fine sand and let it drift off into the wind. “Had you studied this, the Demon Lords you will meet yet will not agree to the plan with an ninety one point six seven thee percent likeliness. In fact it will get Kanade killed. As in even her spirit form will die as well. She will be forever gone.”
“WHAT!” Ethan growled with narrowed eyes. Kanade went ashen and fainted in his arms. Valande though didn’t even blink for some reason.
“You heard me. You would have tried sticking to Morom’s list of proper etiquette and angered the Titan Gaia by referring to her as Baleek-Gaia and she would miss biting your head off, literally, but instead take Kanade and eat her before you could completely eradicate everyone and things for over a hundred square miles and thereby allow Sheedan to finish her plans as you will come to me to make me destroy your soul since Kanade’s would be gone as well.” Kanade came around to hear that and stared up in his emotional eyes and knew he would do just that.
“But I thought you couldn’t predict Chaos’ influence, Fate.” Ethan asked and swallowed the bile burning its way up his throat. Information was key now so it wouldn’t come about. “And why would Gaia attack? She’s supposed to be the most sensible and wisest of them.”
“In order of your requests. First, often I cannot, but when Morom and Edda drafted the paper I just destroyed, you would have had another of your famous assumptions.” Fate smirked up at him. “You assumed the word was Baleek rather than Balak. Instead of referring to her as ‘Good Mother’, you’d call her ‘First Whore’.” Ethan’s eyes bulged. “Yes, you would have called the oldest Titan a whore had I not stopped you here and now. The paper was enough for me to see the probable future within Chaos and you would have unknowingly doomed this world and handed it to Sheedan on a silver platter.”
02 Wrath of Flames Page 32