From below them rose a dark, formidable shape far larger than Simurgh’s tattered body. Surging up in a dark wave came a creature thought gone. The Ziz screamed her fury at the Angels that had made her what she was. The Lifestream surged up, twisting into a dark parody of its emerald beauty. Stormy grey it washed through the Angels’ lights smothering their powers.
You will not have me! She screamed to the Angels as she unleashed all the powers of Hell upon the forces of Heaven. The Angels scrambled to ascend to Heaven, they had not been prepared for the Ziz’s powers, not even for the Ziz itself.
The Greater Demons were not gone, and they were no longer under their control.
Around the world, the other Greater Demons turned to face the Caspian Sea as the felt the dark ripples flow through them. None of them had realised that Hell still lived on inside them or that they had the powers to wield it.
In Mexico mortals were burned with a wave of Hellfire started by Asmodeus, in Las Vegas Mammon erupted into flames as molten gold sprayed off of him and in the ruins of Utah the Forsaken danced around the fires of Agrat as she ripped open the Angels’ people to feed their flesh to the Wendigos.
In southern Africa, a rebelling city was burned to the ground as Samael and Medusa erupted in Hellfire. In Iceland, the baby Dragons danced backwards as their parents roared into flames. In Crete, another city burned to the ground as Eisheth and Asterion burned with Hellfire. In Thailand, Naamah stared in surprise at the flames rolling around her as her sister Lilith also stared in surprise at the flames pouring off of her in Ur. Beneath the waves in the ruins of Atlantis, Python stirred as the water around her boiled and in the Baltic Sea Jörmungandr surged up to the surface amid Hellfire and boiling water.
And somewhere within the realm of Darkness Lucifer flamed with Hellfire bringing temporary light before it faded away.
Part 2
Divine Inheritance
Chapter 10
“Will this not annoy her?” Aisling asked her mother.
“She can live with a little annoyance, this, however, is far too important, if we miss this than we have to wait another year. It needs to be now.”
They continued to signal Brigid alternating between the two of them in a near constant stream. Brigid had taught them how to signal her, but they doubted she had intended for them to do this. Thankfully they didn’t have to wait long.
Brigid appeared in a blast of fire and sand. It was likely she had come straight from Africa. Her annoyance was written all over her face, and her attitude was far from her usual pleasantness. “What?” she snapped at them both, her temper clearly frayed.
Neither replied, they simply slipped their hands into hers, and before she could utter a word or prevent them, teleported her.
They appeared in a small underground grotto, with bright sunlight streaming down on the stones sitting on top of the rich loam and between the thick foliage. Light infused the whole place even though they were underground and the Lifestream flowed slowly across the ground. Brigid looked around in wonder as her senses went spiralling. “Where are we?” she was no longer in Avalon but nor was she in the Otherworld, she seemed to almost be between. She could feel her annoyance leeching out of her as though the place itself deemed it inappropriate.
“The Heart of Avalon, the most sacred place for all the Fae Queens. Come” Sorcha let go of Brigid’s hand as she led the other two down a brightly lit passageway paved in what appeared to be slabs of emerald, jadeite, and green opal. The walls of the passage were a blending of beige sandstone, grey granite and several other rocks fused into each other in the most unnatural combinations. It was obvious that this was not a natural formation, but she still could not place where she was or who might have built this place.
“Who built this place?” despite her irritation she was fascinated.
“Avalon. She built this place before she returned to the Lifestream. It is between Avalon and the Otherworld.”
“Why?”
Sorcha looked back with eyes shining with all the powers of the Lifestream, in spite of her own phenomenal powers Brigid felt a moment of fear. Despite having lived on the Isles of Avalon for several millennia she still knew so very little about the Fae. They were the most Otherworldly of species she had ever encountered except perhaps the Lampades. Sorcha smiled and Brigid felt that moment pass “That is what you are here to learn Brigid.”
Silence resumed, Brigid knew she would get no more out of Sorcha until she decided to. Sorcha had all the personality characteristics of the Divine, if not the immortality. The Fae were a strange Divine race.
She glanced back at Aisling, and she noted that her eyes were her normal appearance, she was not infused with the Lifestream. Whatever was occurring affected only the Fae Queen.
The passageway led out into a wide brightly lit grotto. The edges were thick with plant life, even plants that appeared to be living metal. She hadn’t seen plants like that in millennia. The only she remembered were Gaia’s golden apples which had graced the Garden of Eden and the Hesperides Garden. These were beautiful, golden leafed lilies with metallic blue flowers, copper leafed roses with metallic black roses and silvery reeds. There were many others, but she glossed over as her attention was drawn to the pond that dominated the grotto.
The Lifestream flowed out of the pond and spread out across the ground, the sheer amount of it certainly explained the unusual formations and plant life. But there was more to it. She walked closer, drawn to this pool, it held power and secrets, but what were they? She stilled as the Lifestream drifted away from a part of the pond, within was not water but a metallic green fluid. She knew instantly that it was Divine blood.
She turned to Sorcha, who watched her with those unnerving glowing eyes. “Avalon created the Heart of Avalon for the Fae. Within is her blood, which every Queen drinks from when she becomes Queen. In return, we offer our blood back to our mother. Her blood flows through us, for we are the Daughters of Avalon, her children, and caretakers of her lands.” The Lifestream started tracing the blood vessels around Sorcha’s eyes and lips before spreading. It was very similar to the darkness that traced Nyx but this time, it was glowing green light.
“Why am I here, Sorcha?”
“Because the Fae have deigned it time. You are the Heir of Avalon but now, Brigid, it is time for you to accept the Mantle of Avalon.”
“How long will this take? We all have Victoria and Cathair’s wedding in the morning.”
She smiled, “This will not take long, Brigid, but it has to be done at the stroke of midnight.”
“For the winter solstice?”
“It is the darkness that nurtures life. Light may be essential to life but so is darkness. It is in the darkness of the earth that seeds germinate, it is within the darkness of the egg or womb that animals develop. It was in the darkness of winter in those wild days that Avalon raised and claimed her lands. It was in the darkness of winter that the Fae first came to be though we walk in the summer sun. It is when the darkness is at its deepest that creation is also at its zenith. It is a most magical and sacred time.”
The sunlight infusing the area started to weaken and fade, shadows crept in from the edges. Sorcha and Aisling ushered Brigid forward to the pool, there were steps carved out of what appeared to be metallic green bones. She had a sudden and terrifying thought that the Fae had killed Avalon and trapped her here, but the Fae would not be flourishing so. The place was happy and content, whatever Avalon had done here, she had done willingly. Her clothes vanished as she descended into the pool, the blood was warm against her ankles. She lowered herself as the darkness grew further, sweeping inwards from the walls until the sunlight disappeared. The only lights were from the pool and Sorcha’s eyes.
She lowered herself until the blood covered her breasts and the steps ran out. She had the feeling that the pool went down for a very long time. Darkness rippled across the surface followed by green lights as the Lifestream flowed in all directions. From it gathered an i
mage above the surface.
She had seen Divine shades before, though she hadn’t thought them possible, so she recognised this. It loosely resembled a woman in the broadest sense. A feminine face with long brown hair that swept around her. Her eyes were burning beacons of light, this was no normal shade. Her body was formless like many of the early Primordials, but two elegant arms reached out to touch her face, underneath her delicate fingertips sat partially unsheathed claws. Her face while beautiful was feral, her eyes were larger, her mouth while smiling had two fangs poking out, her ears were long and pointed, sticking out from her mass of hair. Her face was otherwise featureless, no pigmentation, no hair or any of the other features the Gods mimicked.
Brigid. Her voice was soft and caressing, with a soft, gentle thunder rolling underneath. There was far more kindness in her voice now than Brigid remembered. Avalon had not been overly impressed with the various Divine pantheons that had migrated to her isles.
“Avalon?” she felt sure that it was Avalon though she had only seen the Primordial Goddess a handful of times before she returned to the Lifestream.
She smiled. A memory of her, preserved forever until my Heir comes to accept the mantle.”
“The mantle of what?”
Why my mantle. The connection to my sacred isles, the connection to my children and all the responsibilities and power that go with it. The Fae have marked you Brigid as a fitting Heir, they have chosen you to accept the mantle.
“You mean you didn’t?”
My dear, I am dead, long returned to the Lifestream. Perhaps to be reborn, who can say? Before I returned, I granted my children the power to choose my heir. It is the Fae that must be won over to gain my powers. But saying that, Brigid, I am glad they chose you. You are a fitting heir.
Brigid was unbelievably touched. Avalon had always seemed rather cold and distant to all the Gods and other Divine, who had invaded her lands. She had always struggled to align the Fae’s warm adoration of her with her own memories of her. But it seemed Avalon had not been as cold as she had seemed. “That means more than I can express.”
I understand, Brigid, so very well. We are two of a kind, so unlike our brethren. Very few Primordial Gods claimed both a land and made a people for them. Even if they did do either, they did not hold on for long. I, on the other hand, conceded nothing. My Isles were always mine, no other Primordial dared enter without my permission. Very few Gods dared either, though your pantheon dared to. My hand was stilled by you and you alone, Brigid. There is a quality within you that I valued within myself. You genuinely care about your people and risk much to protect them. Your kind often shunned you or teased you for being odd, but the land sang to you in ways it has only ever sung to me.
And now it shall sing for many more eons to come, for I know you shall nurture it and my children. Know this Brigid, in accepting the mantle you accept many responsibilities. The Fae become yours, oh, they will always be my children, and none will have the power to destroy them as I could, but they are yours now to nurture and protect. Treat them well and they will ever be yours to command, but treat them wrong and they will show teeth few realise they have. In drinking my blood you accept the mantle and the responsibilities, you also acknowledge your debt and gratitude to the Fae.
Brigid glanced at Sorcha, who had longing written across her face. The Fae loved and adored Avalon, she was their mother and creator, she was the blood in their bodies and the ground beneath them. Huge shoes to fill but if any God could do it, it was her and her alone. She would appreciate the love the Fae gave her more than the power she would gain. Indeed, she wasn’t really aware of how much power she would gain, Primordial power was very different.
“I accept the Mantle of Avalon and the Guardianship of the Fae.”
A smile ghosted across Avalon’s face, she had the feeling that what she had said had crystallised an opinion of her. Brigid Avalon, my Heir, I grant thee my complete inheritance. She leaned forward and kissed Brigid on the lips. Brigid felt power surge into her as Avalon’s arms reached up and pulled her down into her blood.
There seemed to be nothing but power, around her, inside her. Her senses were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of power surging through her. Her own powers, which had been reasonable by Divine standards, were washed away in the deluge of power. Even her phenomenal faith powers were overwhelmed. She had never truly understood just how frightfully powerful the Primordial Gods were, she was thankful it was a limited spectrum. Avalon’s power was terrifying, and she had no idea what her spectrum range was.
She felt a warmth pass through her heart and another brushing of lips on her lips, then she surfaced gasping for air. Why was she gasping for air? Gods did not need to breathe. And yet she was breathless. She felt hands slip into hers and haul her from the pool. It was only then she realised she couldn’t see.
“Relax, Brigid, you have a lot to absorb. Give it time. Avalon was most generous to you.”
“Why wouldn’t she be? I accepted the mantle.”
“Yes you did, but that did not guarantee all her powers. Your priorities are what won you the full mantle. You now have all the powers of Avalon.”
“That is slightly terrifying.”
Sorcha laughed “Ah Brigid, don’t ever change. For the Fae you are perfect.” She caressed her cheek and gave her a gentle kiss.
Brigid was touched. Today had been a day of compliments for her.
The currents were shifting, the darkness was at its zenith, soon it would be on the wane. Was it the winter solstice? But was it the northern or southern one? Surely it would be the northern one if Erebus still contained him. He wondered actually if the solstices had any effect on the realm of darkness, after all, when one-half of the world was in darkness, the other half was in light. He wondered now, and he had no answers.
Yet still he felt the darkness fluctuating, something was affecting the darkness. Something called to the darkness…of creation. How did he know that? Had he progressed to a point where he could sense the flavours of darkness? Were there even flavours of darkness? Once again he was confused and yet he felt sure that the darkness gathering around him was strong with creation.
Of that, he felt certain.
He also felt sure he recognised the power. Not Brigid but it made him think of her.
You sense it too, young Prince.
He cast out with his senses but still there was nothing but darkness. But he thought he sensed fleeting amusement. “Erebus?”
Yes, young Prince, it is I
“Why am I here? Why won’t you let me out?”
The Prince of the Darkness must master the darkness to wear that title. Contrary to what those of the light might think, darkness is incredibly complex, possibly more so than the light. It harbours the primordial powers of creation. You are now heir to such powers Lucifer, and you must master your control.
“Master my control? All I’ve been doing is floating around in darkness for the Gods know how long!”
You have been learning about darkness.
“I have learned nothing!”
Then how is it that you sensed the turning tides of darkness or the shift in Avalon’s powers.
He had no answer, and Erebus knew it. You have not realised but you have refined your senses to darkness and in turn, you have unknowingly gained an understanding of it. You still have far to go young Lucifer, but you have other powers to master as well.
Light flared brightly through the darkness as he was sent hurtling around. We shall meet again, my heir, go with my blessing. The light turned green, and he was flung out through the darkness onto something painfully solid. He felt temperature on his skin, and he could feel latent light. His senses were slowly coming back into focus.
“Lucifer?”
He would know that voice anywhere.
“Lucifer, why are you naked?”
What? When did he become naked? He felt warm hands on his brow as she tilted his head. Two fingers touched his eyes and with a slight f
laring, he could see again. Sariel was looking down at him with concern. “What did Erebus do to you?”
“Trapped me in the realm of darkness.”
“I didn’t even know there was a realm of darkness.”
“Neither did I.”
“Did you escape or did he let you go?”
“He let me go. Apparently I learned enough to satisfy him.”
“Oh, he was teaching you?”
“Not as I would understand it. I was floating around for the Gods know how long.”
“Three months, more or less.”
“Three months!”
“Yes. I was beginning to worry.”
“It takes you three months to worry about me?”
“Lucifer you are the High Lord of Hell, the Prince of Darkness, the most well-known Fallen Angel. If you cannot look after yourself who can?”
He just looked at her, she smiled sweetly at him. “When did you become so Divine?”
“Must be the company I keep.” She smiled as she brushed back some of his hair. His eyes were strangely dark, there were no whites or irises.
“How is your family?”
“I haven’t seen much of them, I have spent most of my time with the Atlanteans. Samael is well, he and Hecate are really enjoying their conquest of southern Africa. Any attempt by Heaven to interfere with them have been easily dealt with. Lilith has discovered that she is actually Ereshkigal’s sister and has been assisting her in controlling the Demons and Daemons. Did you know your citizens have scattered far and wide all over Eurasia and Africa.”
“They are not my citizens. Ereshkigal is your mother’s sister? That means Inanna is also her sister. You are related to the Mother of Angels.”
“All the denizens of Hell are still under your power whether you accept it or not Lucifer. Remember that your powers have changed and will come back to haunt you. Look what Erebus did to you. What do you mean the Mother of Angels?”
A Gluttony Of Faith Page 12