Fire and Fantasy: A Limited Edition Collection of Urban and Epic Fantasy

by CK Dawn

  “I’ve read up on him.” A simple response and an obvious lie.

  “And through your readings you developed a personal vendetta?” No, her story wasn’t adding up and it was much too early for him to give a damn about pressing the topic.

  “Why does it matter?”

  “Hey, I explained my reasoning to you. I think it’s only fair that you afford me the same courtesy.”

  “Look, like your family, I have my reasons for not wanting the gods to return. Ares is just one that always seemed to rub me the wrong way. God of War, never caring what his callous ways did to others, the lives that were lost or destroyed because he felt like it. This world is shitty enough as it is without him returning to make it worse.” She sat down on the couch where they were the night before. “Does that suffice as reasoning enough for you?”

  “I suppose it will have to, but I know that there is something more you aren’t telling me.” He left her in the living room by herself, officially abandoning the gifted drink, without so much as a thank you. He called over his shoulder, “In time you will tell me!”

  “Don’t hold your breath,” she muttered as she sipped more of her coffee and smiled. She loved a good cup of joe, easy on the cream. Though she had his loaded with the stuff. She had to poke at the bear a little bit. Just because she was agreeing to play along, didn’t mean she was a fool. There was still a very real chance that Carter was working for Ares. If he didn’t know who she really was, she damn sure wasn’t about to offer up the information for him.

  Carter stepped into the shower, the warm water slowly heating as he let it run down his back, relaxing muscles as it passed. He wondered what the hell he had gotten himself into. He’d always believed that going after the returning gods was the right thing. He was sure that the path he’d been set on so many years ago was the one that was meant for him. The problem he faced was that last year had caused him to question if that were still true. The woman who sat in his home, waiting for him to pull himself together, was yet another reason for him to question his choices.

  He wondered who she really was. She was no ordinary woman for sure—that much was a basic part of his lessons as a child. He was taught how to detect magic, power, and there was much more that she possessed than the little tools and tricks residing in the pouch she kept strung to her side.

  She questioned what kept him up the night before, but he figured it should be obvious. Her revelation, her declaration that he was a demi-god, the only thing she’d said to him that truly got under his skin. It was something that he’d always questioned. Something that he felt was true. He was stronger than most and aged slower. His mother never told him what made him special, what made him different from the others of their collective. It was a secret that she would take to her grave and a question that would never leave his mind. Asa wasn’t the only one who brought the topic up. When he was a teenager, his caregiver, the woman who had taken him in as favor to his mother on her death bed, slipped up. She was drunk, sobbing because she had just lost her best friend and in her moment of weakness, she said in literal agony, “I told her not to do it, those gods are toxic, I told her not to sleep with that man. We knew he was one of them and still she did it!”

  Carter stood hidden in the shadow of the hallway, watching the woman knock back whiskey and talk to herself. His mother had been cremated, to prevent the use of her body after her soul’s departure. It was the way of his people. After the wake, after everyone paid their respects, they’d gone home and left the two of them in her gaudy house, alone. As the weight of her drunken words set in, he wrapped his arms around himself and tried to hold it all together. His mother had been with a god. Did that mean that he was the product of that interaction? As he aged, it became harder and harder to believe that he wasn’t. He was stronger than the others, he was faster, smarter, and gifted in areas that everyone speculated was unnatural, and in time he became alienated. Speculation arose and he suspected that the woman who cared for him had slipped up in another drunken moment and told the community about him. He found the home of a local woman, one of the elders of their community. She took him in whenever he needed and helped to guide him in ways that no other would offer. He never asked his mother’s wounded friend about the drunken slip up, because there was no point. She barely talked to him. Clearly she blamed him for the death of his mother. Theirs was not a relationship of love, it was of obligation.

  After Asa made her exit, Carter found his way to his room where he laid awake in bed for the rest of the night, his eyes only sliding shut to a dreamless state just moments before the knocks sounded at the door. He was going to need caffeine to make it through the day, and the sugary concoction she had gifted him was not going to do the trick. As he dressed, he questioned if he could trust Asa, the woman who was holding tight to her own secrets and yet demanding to know everything about him. Granted, he had secrets of his own, but she seemed so guarded, and he knew that if he made the wrong move she wouldn’t hesitate to take him out. Once again, he found himself questioning his decision-making skills.

  A flash of slash was all Asa saw as Carter crossed the hall from the bathroom to his bedroom wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. He was strong, his body was built—ready for a fight—and his skin scarred, evidence that he’d been in quite a few. There were cuts, the healed markings of battle wounds across his back, and arms. She was sure further inspection would show much more damage than she could see. What could have happened to damage him in such a way?

  She yawned; the caffeine of her drink hadn’t kicked in yet, and her night was a sleepless one. She’d gotten a room at a local hotel, and though the amenities were of great quality she couldn’t get comfortable enough to accomplish a good night’s rest. She stared at her borrowed ceiling and recounted all the events that had led up to her current situation. She couldn’t get the face of Ares out of her mind. Every time she closed her eyes, expecting to be consumed by sleep, she saw him. Dark eyes staring her down. He was plotting out her demise—he knew that she was still alive, he knew that she wanted to destroy him and there was no way he would allow her to accomplish that goal without a fight. She had no hope of defeating him; if he were already back, plotting and planning, he was getting stronger. How much longer would it be before he was fully restored?

  “Feeling refreshed? Ready to face the day?” Asa asked when Carter entered the kitchen area. She sipped the cup of coffee, nearly emptying the container.

  “A cup of coffee would help me get there.” He shrugged and eyed the cup that remained on the counter. Asa couldn’t help herself. The frown on his face was too much and she burst out in laughter. “What’s so funny?”

  “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to see if you’d actually drink it. At least you were polite about your obvious disgust.”

  “Very funny.”

  “I put on a pot while you were primping.” She pointed to the pot of coffee that sat freshly brewed on the counter.

  “How kind of you.” If nothing else it was nice to know Asa had a sense of humor. Carter poured himself a fresh cup of coffee and sipped it slowly, happy for the strong flavor. “So, you want to strategize, and I’m assuming that this couldn’t wait for the sun to finish rising, right?”

  “No, It couldn’t. I highly doubt our enemy is taking time to sleep. He should be plenty rested after his time away.”

  “Right, okay.”

  “Tell me what you have in mind.”

  “Oh, so it’s on me to concoct the plan?”

  She shrugged. “Well, obviously, it would be a collaborative effort, but I am interested in seeing what you are starting with.”

  “I’m not starting with anything. Ares was never on my radar, he is your target. Remember?”

  “Yes, that’s true. Well, I have to admit that he is ahead of me. What I can’t figure out is how he did it. The beacon brought me to you, yet clearly you are not him. Which means he found a work around.”

  “You think he fo
und a way to come back without anyone knowing about it?” he asked, his brow furrowing.

  “He had to. Think about it … only I felt the beacon, you didn’t.” She thought for a moment. “What about any of your people? I’m assuming there are others like you and you aren’t a lone wolf.”

  “You’re right. There are others. And no, no one else felt it. There is usually a call put out whenever a new arrival happens and that didn’t happen. For someone as powerful as Ares, we all should have felt it.”

  “What if he isn’t the only one who has used this work around?”

  “Well, then we are screwed.” He put his mug down on the counter. “I’ll get my things and we can head out.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “To visit my … family.”

  “Your family? From that hesitation, I’m moved to ask what’s the issue with visiting your family?”

  “I’m not exactly a fan favorite there,” he admitted. Not very many people were sad to see him leave home, and they wouldn’t be thrilled about his return either.

  “Why is that?”

  “Let’s just say, you aren’t the first to theorize that I am more than the average man.”

  “Can’t imagine theories such as those would be well received by a group out to kill gods.”

  “You’re right about that. Just prepare yourself.”

  “So where is your family?”

  “Oikos.”

  “As far as I know, there isn’t any modern land named Oikos. Unless your home is inside of a cup of Greek yogurt.”

  “Very funny, and no, my people do not reside inside a dairy snack. Oikos isn’t on this plane. To get there we will have to cross through the veil.”

  “Is that so? It’s been a long time since I have heard anyone speak of such things. People never really thought it was at all possible. You mean to tell me your people found a way?”

  “When the gods fell, my people, those who I am descended from, knew that they would one day return. They used the last of their magic to create Oikos, a land hidden by a veil, a land no god can enter … or at least that was the hope.”

  “But you.”

  “Exactly. I, as you and they believe, may very well be a demigod. Which means there is a work around, a flaw in the magic.”

  “Which means if the gods return, they could plot to have their offspring penetrate your home. Wouldn’t be unlike them. They want everything for themselves. To tell them there is a world they cannot claim, would be to start a war.”

  “Exactly. A war, which they at one time thought they would be able to win for sure. And my very existence, should your claim prove to be true, would mean that they gave up everything here on Earth for nothing.”

  “And this is why you all are on the hunt now?”

  “Yes. Stop them from coming, stop them from taking our home.”

  “How do we get to Oikos?”

  “We will have to wait until tonight. The veil cannot be crossed during sunlight.”

  “And until then?”

  “Until then we will prepare ourselves.”

  “So, this is more than just a quick visit home?”

  “Look, I know there is more to you than what meets the eye, and my people, they will know it as well. The magic in you, it is an ancient thing, that which echoes the magic of my people, the magic that created Oikos. You need to figure out how you expect to answer those questions. You need to decide how many of your secrets you expect to keep to yourself.”

  Six

  They sat in a small nook of a breakfast eatery called The Early Society that reminded her much of her time in places like Italy and Spain. The food was some of the best she’d ever had and the service was impeccable. On a Saturday morning, the crowd was light and they were able to commandeer a small table in a recessed corner that gave the privacy from the other patrons. While he ate, she found herself staring at the pictures of people both known to her and not. Human idols, no one she considered worthy of being glorified in such a way. “Now that you are fed, and properly infused with coffee, care to start in on the explanation?” She’d waited patiently, having agreed to allow him time to get his mind going. Their exhaustion was a mutual consideration so she put up very little fuss.

  “I could probably do with a few more waffles, but yes.” He wiped his mouth of the homemade jam that he’d already asked for second helping of.

  “Good.” Smiling, she handed him her own napkin to further clean his face with. The man ate like a savage.

  “Oikos, my home. Where do I start?” He sipped his coffee and signaled the waitress, indicating that he needed a refill. “As I told you, my people, the ones I am descended from, were witches. They were a powerful coven, but they had been abused. Poorly treated by the gods as their powers were used up. Whenever they desired, they would descend upon the coven, demanding spells, cures, and curses. Of course, there was absolutely no concern for the ones they used. The gods didn’t care about the ramifications that came to our people because of using magic for evil. They didn’t care that the darkness caused crops to fail and children to fall ill. It was of no matter that for a period of time our women were unable to bear children. As long as they got what they needed, that was all that mattered. Anything in the name of Olympus.

  “When the time came that the gods were beginning to weaken, when it became noticeable, my people, my ancestors, started to search for a way out. Everyone worried that the gods would come for them and drain them of both power and life in an attempt to restore their own. It would never work. An entire coven, an entire family, would cease to exist just so the gods would have a few more weeks or months of life. This was not something my people were willing to accept. They had already lost so much, fell from their days of happiness and peace, and they refused to forfeit the lives of future generations as well.

  “Our coven has always had a collective that leads it with a High Priestess as the deciding voice. That is how it always was, until they realized that in order to save everyone, they would need to combine their powers. After which they would be the High Order … all equal, all voices work as one or as nothing at all. Legends told of a group who did quite the same thing, though that coven was never heard from again. Some surmise that it was a bad storm that wiped them from the face of the earth. Neither claim could ever be proven. The High Priestess decided it was worth the risk to chance finding the freedom they felt they deserved. The spell would either work out and release them from their tyrants, or it would kill them all. Either way, they wouldn’t suffer at the hands of the gods any longer.”

  “Why not just use a cloaking spell?”

  “Those only work for so long, and require a lot of magic to maintain. Especially on such a grand scale, and when hiding from something as powerful as a god. Eventually they would have run out of power. Then they would have to face the wrath of those they’d hidden themselves from.” He thanked the short waitress who refilled his cup and handed him more jam before slipping away. “Think about how that would have turned out. They would have been murdered for the deception alone. They knew the gods would fall but not how long it would take or if they would be able to outlive them.”

  “True. Knowing the history of the Greek gods, they would have killed every last person in the village just for wasting the magic. Because, of course, to them it would seem as a waste, not a necessity.” Tightened jaw, Asa held herself steady and listened to Carter. Her own hatred, anger, and repulsion for those who inhabited Olympus was emerging.

  “Exactly. My people did what they had to do, and though it makes life harder, I completely understand it. Hell, I would have done the same thing to preserve the lives of myself and my family. Unfortunately, with the gods coming back, it puts a target on everyone who lives there.”

  “Why not just lock the doors and never return to Earth? Cut all ties.”

  “That was the plan, I believe, until … well, me.”

  “The suspected demigod.”

  “Right. Until I showed u
p they planned to enjoy Earth until signs of the gods return and then cut all ties. Not sure what the fascination was, I think they just liked watching how much it changed year after year. The progression and stagnation of the human population. If you’ve watched it for as long as they have, it can seem rather compelling.

  “Right. They realized then that if the gods ever found out about Oikos, they could use their offspring to penetrate the new home. Olympus, as it once was, is no more. They need to go to the land to become completely restored, but would also need a new place to call home. Oikos would be the perfect place for them to call their own. Speculation is that there is a flaw in the magic that created Oikos. The coven wasn’t at its strongest when it was created. That weakness may have allowed for a way for the gods to deactivate the layer of magic that prevents them from entering. If it wasn’t for this new … development, no one would be concerned for the safety of Oikos.”

  “You think what we need is in Oikos, that there is information there that we can use. What makes you think they have what we need to defeat Ares?”

  “There is someone there, a witch who once worked for Ares. It wasn’t uncommon for her to craft spells, potions, and curses for him. If there is anyone who can help us figure this out, it’s her.”

  “You think she will have insight on how his mind works?”

  “She is the only person I know of to have worked with him. She is the only one he was even remotely close to. If she can’t help us, or at least provide more understanding of what makes him tick, I don’t know who can.”

  “Tell me more about Oikos.” He may not have been able to think of anyone else, but she sure could. Herself, but unfortunately, she was not as knowledgeable about the man as she would want to be. While they were together he kept more of himself hidden than she wanted, and when they parted ways, her concern was much more about how to avoid him than to understand him.