“Avalon smiles on us all and Gaia smiles on her. We reap the bounty of looking after the land. Brigid has done well in weaving together all the errant strands of these islands. I do not remember these isles ever being healthier, it is only in the memories of the ancestors that is see is so.”
“The memories of the ancestors?”
“Every Fae Queen carries within her the memories of all that went before, right back to Fae herself.”
“Fae?”
“She was the daughter of Avalon and the very first Queen. My line runs unbroken back to her, we are the only surviving unbroken line from Avalon and Fae, the other lines all ended in males that were married to my line.”
“Does that mean once you die that Aisling will inherit your memories?”
“Indeed she will, and her daughter will inherit hers. If she ever gets around to producing one.” She studied Victoria “you wouldn’t happen to have any powerful sorcerers interested in mating with her would you?”
If she had had a drink she felt sure she would have spluttered it everywhere. She turned to look at Sorcha in alarm but she was completely serious. “Um maybe. I don’t know, I’ve never asked them.”
“What about the First Sorcerer? He has good genetics.”
Victoria laughed “Oh Sorcha, he is gay”
“So?”
“He doesn’t have sex with women.”
“Spells can temporarily change that.”
She laughed then realised that Sorcha was serious “You can do that?”
“Of course. Sorcerers and Sorceresses are most commonly homosexual, if they wish to breed they cast spells to make them attracted to their chosen partner. We Fae are masters of such spells, we have always sought strong bloodlines for our offspring.”
“I’m not sure he would be agreeable to that.”
“Will you ask him at least?”
“Why is it so important for Aisling to get pregnant?”
“To ensure the continuation of our line.”
“Why is it suddenly so desperate?”
Sorcha’s eyes focussed on the distance “uncertain times lie ahead, many things may or may not happen. Aisling must have a daughter to ensure the survival of the Fae, for we shall always endure so long as we have our Queens.”
“Have you seen something?”
Those emerald eyes turned to her, hiding so much and yet not enough. “No. As I said uncertain times lie ahead. I would feel more comfortable knowing I have a secure legacy.”
“I will ask him.”
Further conversation was cut off as two guards came running in. They turned to face the red uniformed Human and the blue uniformed Atlantean “come quickly, Your Majesties. There’s a Dragon asking to see the Queen and Empress.”
They looked at each other in surprise. This was different.
They followed the guards at a more sedate pace through the palace out into the gardens. They were led to the official landing pad, for all the winged creatures and races as well as for helicopters. It was a wide expanse of grass set between two of the forest gardens. A tree lined avenue bisected the landing area before spreading out into a large stone circle as the trees dropped off. It was in this wide stone landing area crouched a large dragon.
It was nothing on Tiamat who was truly a behemoth of the skies, but this Dragon was still larger than a house. It was a beautiful forest green colour, dappled with fresh green and emerald green. Its widespread wings had membranes of white with smatterings of green across it. Smatterings of white on its head and down its back looked like snow. It was a beautiful creature, strong of build but graceful. And those bright green eyes with their starburst pupils were filled with intelligence.
Queen of the Fae and Empress of the people?
“Indeed, we are, I am Queen Sorcha, and this is Empress Victoria.”
I am Foraoise, eldest of Tiamat’s grandchildren. I have come to acknowledge the powers that are already in these isles.
“Are you seeking to live in Britain?” Victoria couldn’t hide her fascination, she had not gotten a close look at Tiamat, this was the closest she had been to any Dragon. There was a feminine beauty to this great beast.
“The powers of Avalon are ancient and all who come must bow before the power of the Seelie Court.”
Foraoise snorted at Sorcha. Do not take me for a fool Queen Sorcha, you are well aware that the bonds of your court could not bind one such as I. Do not take my acknowledgement as a formal request to remain here. I am made of these isles, and this is my home, I am merely being courteous.
“You are made of these isles? How do you mean?”
She turned those eyes on Victoria. I like you, little Empress. My mother flew to these isles to consume the earth and give me shape within her womb. My generation will not be the First Dragons but rather the species that came after.
“So the earth that each mother consumes shapes what her offspring will be like?” she could see some logic to it.
Indeed little one. Mine came to these lands because no land is richer with the Lifestream, the others presumably went to lands also rich in magic before returning to birth. The strength of this land runs through me.
“So you’re British?”
A deep rumbling laugh came from her. I suppose that is one way to look at it, but I am not yours to rule little Empress. No laws bind the First Creatures.
“The First Creatures?”
Dragons were the first beings to house spirits in bodies. The First Dragons were spirits housed in living rock and elements. It was their reward for honouring the Great Mother and her work and for encouraging her creation to flourish. Dragons are older than even the Gods, and the world has missed our presence.
“Can I at least ask you to refrain from harming my people. Otherwise, we shall come into conflict?”
You can certainly ask, and because you have asked I will refrain. Conflict would not be advisable for both sides. The Dragons went extinct once, and the world mourned out loss greatly. Anyone seeking to kill us again will feel the retribution of the world itself and yet these lands are claimed by the most powerful Goddess in the world, one who so easily summons the Lifestream and channels Gaia’s powers. Such a confrontation would be disastrous. You show great wisdom for one so young Victoria.
“Are you not younger than me?”
Regarding physical ages, yes, I am but days old in your terms. But I have the memories of millennia running through my veins and mind. I am far more ancient than you and your memories. Far more ancient indeed than even the Fae Queen and all her collective memories. Avalon’s lands were always open to our kind because of the powers we brought with us.
“The memories of your race are contained within your blood?”
Memories are never lost, they are simply returned to the Lifestream when we all die, when it so chooses it can give back those memories. In our case, we have been given back the memories of our race, which despite the laws of nature are held within our blood because they are magical memories, not our own physical memories.
“Fascinating” Victoria was amazed at the history of the Dragons.
Now I must leave, but I shall return for I find you most interesting Victoria and this floating island would make a most suitable nursery. She flapped her mighty wings lifting herself up into the air, raining down from her were little snowflakes that lightly coated the landing area and grass as she flew away.
“Well, that was different. Who would have thought that the Dragons would return?” Sorcha was surprised at the knowledge the Dragon had held.
“This is truly an amazing time to be alive. Gods, Unicorns, Shadowhounds, and Dragons, what next?”
“That is a very good question, more races will surely return.”
Nemesis eyed up the new army before her, constructions of Izanami’s experimentations with life. Most were recreations from eras lost and forgotten, but they would serve them well in the Dragon Empire’s expansion.
Tengu stood in orderly rows as far as the e
ye could see. They were the archaic and wild form of their imagery. They had red-skinned faces, and the rest of the skin that showed was also red. They had a humanoid shape, but then things changed dramatically. Instead of noses and mouths they had large wicked looking beaks above which sat glaring avian eyes. Instead of feet they had bird talons, and their fingers ended in talons rather than nails. They had feathers covering their upper arms, thighs and bodies, rising up as crests on the top of their heads. They had wings on their back, small compared to the Angels’ large wings. They were dressed in priestly clothes, a peculiar habit of theirs. Despite this, they were ready for war, their faces determined and bitter.
There were also legions of Oni mostly of blue or red skin, though there were rarer variations. They were brutish creatures, reminding Nemesis of Ogres. They stood taller than even herself, lumbering about as Ogres and Giants tended to. But Izanami had decked them out in proper armour that was made to fit, their clubs had been improved on. Where once had stood rough wood now stood iron.
There were other creatures too while the Kitsune had been skilful enough to avoid much of Heaven’s purges their fellow Japanese shapeshifters had not been so fortunate. The Tanuki and Bakeneko had been hunted to extinction but now stood once again living beside their Kitsune brethren. The three races were among the most powerful magic wielders to have ever developed in Japan. All three races stood dressed ornately as belied their rank, all three formed the upper echelon of the Dragon Empire’s army and society.
Despite their ability to transform fully into animals and appear almost completely Human all three were most comfortable in their natural state, the humanoid version of the animal. The Kitsune were the tallest, lean like the foxes they had been crafted from. Their eyes held all their natural cunning, their eyes flicked back and forth constantly, and their nine tails flicked gracefully back and forth. The Tanuki looked about with their large eyes, below their eyes, their snouts were curved into almost permanent smiles. They were quite short, standing no taller than five feet, and their racoon-dog appearance convinced people of their vulnerability, but they were more than capable of defending themselves. The vertical pupils of the Bakeneko eyed their surroundings with suspicion, their tails flicking back and forth, from what emotion it was impossible to say, their cat-like faces were completely stoic.
Nemesis was fascinated by the three races, she had never encountered them before.
The last two species were quite small and numerous. One were the Kappa, which looked a lot like turtles that had traded flippers for arms and legs then learned to walk upright. They came in a variety of colours, but most of them were green or brown. They waddled about the place holding swords and spears that seemed too big for them, but they wielded them with a skill that surprised her. All of them had a metal helmet on their head, a safety measure to contain the magical pools in their heads. The other race was the Xiao, which in essence were intelligent winged monkeys though of grey-purple colouring. They too held weapons with a surprising degree of skill.
Nemesis had to hand it to Izanami, she knew how to rustle up an army for her. With this she would cause such destruction, the question was where should the Dragon Empire strike next? It was something that she, Izanami and the Emperor had been dwelling on. The Empress in the meantime had been utilising these Daemons to complete infrastructure and major constructions throughout the empire.
She might not have any temperament for war, but Nemesis found herself liking the Empress. She was a practical woman and unafraid of herself or Izanami. For a Human, it was unusual to be so forthright with the Gods.
There was a clear line that defined the borders of Abaddon’s territory. On the southern side was the dry Zambezi basin cutting through the barren savannahs of Angola and Zambia. Though neither country still stood, the regions were still referred to by the countries’ names. North of the line was burning wastelands. Skeletons and decaying corpses were scattered wide about the place amid vents of noxious gases and burning buildings and vehicles. Demon shrieks and inhuman screams drifted across the landscape within the smoke screens. It was something out of a nightmare.
Samael and Hecate stared at the wastelands in shock. Every God had made the attempt to revive the land and make it healthy again. It seemed Abaddon had done the opposite, he had stripped these lands of what little health it still had. He had recreated Hell on earth, and the Demons had come flocking to him.
It also appeared that the Wendigos that they had released had found their true master. Their forms could be seen walking within the smoke, feasting on the corpses scattered everywhere. What corpses were not scattered across the ground had been crucified or impaled on stakes.
They had seen a lot of brutal things in their time, but this was something different. This was madness.
Around them their mortal army looked on with avid fear, not even the staunchest Ailuride or Atlantean managed to hide their shivers. Even the now Divine Maenads and Gorgons looked on with trepidation at the scene before them.
“Are we sure we want to go in there?”
They turned to face Medusa as she slithered up to join them. They shared her sentiment. Abaddon had ruined the lands he held, so much so that even the skies were red and black. He had created a Hellscape in central Africa. “If we don’t we shall have to go around and leave ourselves vulnerable to this. Do you really want this unattended at our flank?”
“No. It is easy to see why in such a small space of time Angola has collapsed, and the warring city-states have devolved into anarchy. What else might we find in there?”
“Abaddon, and likely a great number of Demons. We would do well to be prepared for the worst. We shall halt here and rest. Form defensive perimeters and double the sentries tonight. I do not want to be caught unaware by whatever is in there.”
Hecate cast a glance back over the ruined landscape, how could she convey to Brigid the sheer destruction before them?
Michael glanced up as Nuriel entered his command centre. “Nuriel, what can I do for you?” He wondered what new information she had for him. She and her people were so essential to their cause. Without Nuriel’s ability to gather information and piece it together they may well have lost long ago. She was invaluable.
“Ereshkigal has formally named her empire.”
“Oh?” Gabriel had appeared next to her husband, her hand resting on his shoulder in an affectionate manner. Gabriel continued to surprise Nuriel in all manner of things. Despite all her skills Nuriel could not paint a full picture of Gabriel, she was just too multi-faceted.
“She has named it Great Babylon.”
“That whore!” Michael broke the table he had been standing next to.
Much to Nuriel’s surprise Gabriel flashed her an amused smile. “It would seem that Ereshkigal certainly has a wry sense of humour, it is as though she is giving us the finger.”
“She will pay for her audacity. She will be made to suffer for her arrogance. The streets of Ur will run with the blood and be filled with her screams.” Michael stormed around the room.
Nuriel didn’t think it prudent to say that there were likely not enough living people in Ur to make its streets run with blood.
“When the Caliphate is strong she can be made to see the foolishness of her decision,” Gabriel said calmly to her husband.
His eyes focussed “yes, yes she can. The Caliphate is just the thing to wipe her out, or Pakistan after India is conquered.”
“Whichever comes sooner.” Gabriel didn’t really care, she just wanted the people doing as they were supposed to be. She turned back to Nuriel “make sure the Council learns of this, they could do with understanding the implications of Ereshkigal’s naming. Perhaps it will be the kick they need to stop being so stupid.”
Both Nuriel and Michael doubted that. Much of the Council were fools that lived in their ivory towers. They moaned about being made to fight for their own survival. If it were not for the fact they would be even more vulnerable without them, Michael felt sure Ga
briel would have thinned their ranks to remove their stupidity.
“Of course, my Lady, is there anything else you would like passed on?”
Gabriel smiled, “actually, there is.”
Zelaris materialised in the Commanding Assembly, the cold of fear growing within him. There was very little in life he feared, but he now feared what the decision of the Assembly would be.
Technically he was no longer bound by the Assembly for it controlled mortal Atlanteans and now he was immortal. He could claim to be an Angel with his newly Ascended status. He could walk away from their decision. When it came to the legacy of Atlantis he wasn’t sure he could, it was deeply ingrained in all Atlanteans.
He would abide by the Assembly’s decision. Even if he didn’t like it.
He walked into the centre of the room, well aware that the most powerful people in Atlantean society sat and judged him. Even Queen Sorcha was in attendance, sitting between the other Guardians. It was strange to look at his empty throne sitting next to her.
It was Xandelexis who spoke, for it was his right as the longest serving of all the Guardians. This was technically an issue for Atlantean safety, but he was not there to ask the questions so I had to fall to Xandelexis.
“Zelaris Zeus Angelus you have been summoned before the Commanding Assembly because we have heard reports that you have Ascended.” There was a tone of his voice that implied he didn’t believe it at all. Zelaris couldn’t understand how he didn’t see it. He could see that Sorcha, Selarine, Zenar and Tenexus all saw it.
“It is true. I have Ascended to become Divine.”
Shocked murmurs rippled through the Commanding Assembly. Xandelexis looked at him with a complete lack of understanding. “Please explain to the Assembly how this occurred.
He started with the conquests within Indonesia and how they had captured an Elder Angel. The responsibility had fallen to James as the First Sorcerer to quench the Angel. His two apprentices were as yet untested. James had lacked the understanding of how to kill the Angel whereas he did but had not the power. He had shared a link with James, which had connected them when James had quenched the Angels, inadvertently delivering Divinity to him. They had then had to quench several other Angels.
A Gluttony Of Faith Page 24