Five more orbs appeared in colors of green, red, gold, gray, and white. They circled the black one and were about half its size. “We roamed the Earth alone for so very long, reveling in our powers and creating indescribable creatures. The humans’ God did not take kindly to the beasts we imagined into being and wiped them from the Earth. He then made his own creation—humans.”
Little smudges of light flickered to life all around. “They did not live long, but they bred quickly, spreading across the Earth. At first, we did not know that we could breed with the humans. When I learned of the children from those pairings I had them brought to me. The first of those children had many strong powers. Yet they needed to be trained.”
I smiled as Nikomedes tried to touch one of the orbs and his fingers passed right through. There was much still for him to learn. “The descendants of my brothers and sisters grew until their numbers could not be contained. The need arose for us to create a society and lead our people together. The six of us created this island near the Greeks, who fascinated us.”
I swept my hand out and a scene appeared. Six dark figures hovered in a circle over the Aegean. Streams of power stretched from their chests like neon ropes to meet in the middle of the circle in a blinding ball of light. The sea churned below them as soil pushed to the surface, spreading like a pool of molten bronze. The land grew until a roughly circular island of bare dirt stretched out for miles.
The ball of light from the combined powers suddenly sank into the center of the island, drilling deep beneath the surface to create a cavern. Then the ball of light rose once more into the air. Just before the cavern was sealed over, a small seed-shaped gem could be seen glittering from its depths. Then the powers cut off and the six figures circled the island until they touched down at different points along the shoreline. They raised their arms, and a tidal wave of color from each of them spread over the island. In their wake, the landscape took shape as each created their territories.
I glanced at my son. “Alone, my power is greater than any one Chaonian. Linked with my brothers and sisters, we are far, far stronger. Thus, the Order of Chaos was born. Here we made our home and named ourselves the Chaonians. We decreed that any descendants were to be brought to us by their fifth year to be tested for their powers and trained.”
“First was the Titans, right, Father?” he asked eagerly.
“Yes, they were first born. It was Eros who named them Titan’s Children, which was later simplified to just Titans. They chose to leave our island and build their refuge atop Mount Olympus. There they formed ties to the Greek people and became known as the Olympian gods.” I scoffed. Much of the fun in playing with the humans had lost its appeal long ago for ones as old as my siblings and I. “The Olympians are the most powerful of all of the descendants.”
“Eros and Gaia made lots of half babies, right? But not you. You waited for Mother so you could have me.”
My eyes were drawn back to the spheres hovering in the air. “It is true my descendants are few, while my brothers’ and sisters’ descendants are many. Their halflings made more halflings, their numbers growing beyond my ability to find them all. The humans called those they discovered devils, and whole villages were slaughtered at first. We could not allow more halflings to be discovered.”
Dozens of orbs appeared in fainter colors of the other five members of the Order. “We dare not reveal ourselves to the humans. They war too easily, and their numbers are far greater. The Order is powerful, but we are sworn to both the God of Chaos and the humans’ God to seek balance for the sake of both of our races. A halfling loyal to the humans would be too dangerous. Such an alliance could easily upset the balance. Many of the halflings of today would be no match for a human warrior.”
I held out my palm where a black orb shot through with white streaks rested. “This is you, my son. You and your sister are the direct descendants of the God of Chaos. My brothers’ and sisters’ lines have been diluted by too many years of breeding with humans, each generation’s powers growing weaker. Nerine is a many times great-granddaughter to Poseidon. Her powers—none of the other halflings’ powers—will never match your own. That is why you must protect them.”
He cocked his head to the side for a moment before his face lit up. “If you were my nursemaid we could practice our powers and the swords every day. I would be the greatest warrior in all the lands. We could battle together to protect the half babies.”
The boy was a born strategist. “No, son,” I said firmly. “Nerine will continue to be your nursemaid. It is her duty. As mine is to lead and protect our people.”
He frowned but squared his shoulders proudly. “I will protect them, Father. I will not do the fire when Nerine makes the fluttery eyes at Cook anymore.”
My son was a better man than many men already grown. “Perhaps after the winter solstice celebration, we will add an extra practice session each week.” He bounced in place at this news. “Now we must go greet our guests.”
2
We stood upon the rocky shore watching as the fleet of ships cut through the deep blue waters of the Aegean Sea. The humans only saw a busy seaport with merchant ships passing to and fro. In truth, we did trade with many of the societies that surrounded the Aegean, however, only those of Chaonian blood could see the true island of Atlantaionia.
Our powers allowed the island to exist anywhere we chose; on a distant star, at the bottom of the ocean, or the top of a mountain, keeping it hidden behind a veil that could only be pierced by those we allowed through. Such as the Olympians aboard the twelve ships speeding toward us. Unlike the later generations that more closely resembled the humans, the Olympians were born with many Chaonian traits. They manifested strong and varied powers. They were also long-lived and uncommonly attractive. They were the first to be trained by me, and my training had been thorough. As such, they were fierce and independent.
At the flick of my wrist, the rocks below our feet rumbled as they stretched out along the water to form docks for the ships. Nikomedes ran along the rock as it lengthened until he reached the end and then dove off. A spiral of water emerged to catch him, and he rolled upon the tip of the swirling water in a fit of giggles. The water spiral rose higher into the air, towering over the ships as they neared the docks. Nikomedes gained his feet and spread his arms wide. Fire erupted from each of his palms and shot into the sky. The welcome display for our guests would be seen across the whole island, and our people would gather at the palace to greet them.
Another column of water rose beside the second boat and a tall man stepped out onto it. The column carried him toward us across the sea. His long navy-blue hair with the braids at each of his temples writhed like the waves that lapped at his feet like playful kittens. His aqua-blue tunic glittered with seashells and colorful coral like a decorated general of the deep. His eyes blazed an electric blue so bright that they rivaled the sun. Abruptly, he stopped about twenty feet from Nikomedes and stood with his thick arms crossed.
My son wasted no time in diving from his higher perch directly at the man. Nikomedes, his face set in firm determination, tucked his arms close to his sides and sliced through the air like a blade. Ten feet. Five. Three. Nikomedes locked eyes with the man, a smile of triumph lighting his little face. His hands stretched out to clutch the man, but he missed. His face filled with a look of shock. He kicked and struggled as he continued to fall past his target.
The man shot me a smug look and my mouth thinned in disapproval. Rage bubbled in my veins as vivid visions of the torture I would have inflicted upon this man in the past filled my mind. I knew my son could not die from this fall, but the thought of his broken body having to be healed felt like acid in my chest. If I interfered, it would give the Olympians more ammunition to call me weak. My teeth ground together as Nikomedes neared the surface of the water, his shock turning to terror at the sight of the deep blue depths mere feet below him. Just as my fists clenched to call him to me, a whip of water snapped around his waist an
d pulled him up.
The man recoiled his whip of water, depositing my son on his shoulder as the column of water he stood upon brought them to shore. I inclined my head in a cool greeting. I would not give him the pleasure of seeing any outward sign of the concern that had set my pulse to racing.
“Poseidon.”
“King Titan.” He nodded back but did not bow. “I believe this belongs to you.”
Poseidon grabbed Nikomedes’s arm with one large hand and lowered him to the ground. “A fine welcome this year, little prince. Perhaps next year your powers will be great enough to help you succeed.”
His tone implied he doubted it.
“Did you see, Father? Did you see?” Nikomedes’s eyes were bright with excitement. “I was very close this year.”
“Yes, son. You did well.” I placed my hand on his shoulder, my eyes never leaving Poseidon’s as I dared him to contradict me.
Poseidon opened his mouth to speak just as lightning speared across the sky and rendered everything silent. The boats no longer creaked where they bobbed upon the waves. The shouts from the crews and thudding of cargo as they unloaded the ships had ceased. Even the sound of the seagulls flying overhead could no longer be heard. My skin tingled from the charge gathering in the air. My fingers tightened on my son’s shoulder, but I gave no other sign of my reluctance to greet the man who was about to make his appearance.
Lightning bolts stabbed the ground, scorching a circle all around us. I felt Nikomedes tremble beneath my hand as the air became so charged that it felt like it would ignite with the smallest movement. A massive lightning bolt shattered the air before us and sent out an explosion of energy that rocked my son back against me, my hold on him the only thing keeping him from being knocked to the ground.
The intense light of the crackling bolt burned my eyes but I refused to look away. I caught movement within the bolt far above us. My eyes trailed the golden man-shaped figure as it slithered down the lightning bolt. Once it neared the ground, the golden light faded to reveal a man dressed in a stark white kilt. His long white hair floated around him. Bronze braces embedded with diamond lightning bolts covered his tanned arms from his elbows to his wrists. His long white beard brushed against his bare muscular chest.
His sandaled feet touched down gently on the ground, and his fist contracted around the lightning bolt until it shrank to the size of a small dagger on his palm. “Here, child, a gift for you. To show your little friends the power of a true god.”
I tensed. What were they planning? Of course, I had been aware of the group of children hiding at the edge of the woods. My son’s closest playmate, Theodoros, had gotten brave enough to leave the shelter of the trees. He was one of Erebus’s descendants and was attempting to pull the shadows around himself to hide. All he had managed to do so far was make his legs disappear from the knees down. The children loved to watch whatever spectacle the Olympians performed each year. This time, however, a sense of foreboding filled me as I waited to see what these men who had become a thorn in my side would do.
Nikomedes glanced back at his friends and then at the gift. He grabbed the lightning bolt and almost dropped it when the sting of the electricity rippled over his skin. His eyebrows lowered in determination, and he tightened his grip on the bolt.
“Can you hit the ground between the boy’s feet?” Zeus asked. “No, no. That is too hard for a first lightning strike. Here, try something a bit easier for a boy your size.”
Zeus waved his hand, and a bouquet of red flowers pushed up from the ground a few feet away. Nikomedes turned to look at his friend and then the flowers. I would not belittle his judgment by stepping in, but my jaw clenched at the way Zeus was goading him to prove himself. Just as he now often did to me.
There had been a time when Zeus was my right hand in all things. We had bent the world to our every desire and left a trail of destruction in our wake. He hadn’t believed me when I told him that I was going to marry Lyannìa. When I didn’t return to his side to indulge in women and battles his disbelief turned to anger. Every year his anger grew and turned him even more bitterly against me. He viewed my peaceful rule these seven years as weakness. That I no longer sought the destruction we wrought in our youth did not mean I would not do whatever was necessary to protect our people. However, Zeus wanted to wage war not in defense but for the sheer joy of it. I tolerated his vehement disdain out of respect for the many centuries of friendship we shared, but he needed to remember that there were limits to my tolerance.
Nikomedes glanced at me, but I kept my face carefully blank. I knew he would make the right choice.
He looked once more at his friend. Then he drew back his arm and let the bolt soar. It flew over the flowers and toward the children. Theodoros’s eyes widened, and he dropped to the ground as the bolt flew past him. The other children stood frozen in fear as the bolt continued toward the tree line. An explosion sounded when the bolt blasted a rock the size of a vase and sent fragments shooting in all directions. The children in the trees cheered and rushed to pick up the shattered pieces of rock.
I smiled at Nikomedes. “A wise choice, son. Your friends will be telling this story for years to come.”
Zeus reluctantly acknowledged his skill. “Yes, that was quite the show for your first time.”
Ignoring the men who had just been bested by a five-year-old, I bent down to my son. “You have earned some time away from duties. You may go and play with your friends.”
Nikomedes glanced at the towering men at our side, then back to me. “No, Father. I will stay with you to greet the rest of our guests. I will also ask Uncle Eros to assist Mother in the courtyard.”
Clearly my son felt the threat these men brought just as keenly as I. “As you wish, my son. Your mother will be glad of the company.” I straightened back up and waved my hand toward the trees. They parted, clearing a path all the way to the palace. My brothers and sisters appeared at my side. I turned to the Olympians and gestured to the path. “The Order of Chaos welcomes you to the winter solstice celebration. Make your way to the palace for refreshments. Lyannìa will direct you to your rooms.”
3
The rest of the Olympians came ashore without all of the fanfare of the first two. My brothers and sisters escorted them to the palace, making sure no one caused any trouble along the way. The servants used their powers to transport the ship’s cargo. Chest after chest of cloth, jars of oils and spices, jewelry, and furniture made their way to the palace by air, water, or earth. Other servants herded animals.
Nikomedes became so excited when he saw the dragons that he lost control of his powers and set a chest of cloth on fire. Servants shouted in alarm. Before anyone could put out the flames, a dark red and black dragon about the size of a small horse hopped over to the box and lay down in the fire. It rolled around like a puppy in the flames, sending embers sparking up in all directions. I puffed out a breath of arctic air to freeze the embers that threatened the rest of the cargo. The dragon shivered and tried to bury itself deeper in the flames.
Nikomedes approached cautiously, one hand held out to the dragon. I waved the nervous servants away and waited. Fire dragons were known for their temper and love of all things hot. My son’s first and strongest power was fire. The flames would never burn him, but my senses tingled with the knowledge that there was more to this dragon than met the eye.
In the same way that I was able to sense the power that each person wielded, I could see the deep red thread of power that fed this dragon. I was like a bottomless well from which my people drew their powers, my creator the ocean that fed me. The threads that wove us together tingled through me when they were near, each one with its own resonance based on the degree of power.
This thread was too red. Its note rumbled deep in my chest, too intense to be just fire. This was a rare lava dragon.
The dragon went still. Large red eyes with black vertical slits watched Nikomedes intently. Its black wings with the red undersides rose into th
e air and its powerful legs tensed, like it was preparing to fly away. My son stopped inches away from the beast and made a rotating motion with his finger. A flame rose from the dying fire and licked along the beast’s black side. It flowed around to the larger deep red scales of the chest and twined up the long neck to reach the short black horns. The big reptilian eyes blinked slowly in pleasure as the flame spread along the black spikes down the back of its neck. A purring sound issued from its mouth and smoke puffed from its nostrils.
Clever boy.
Nikomedes bent slowly and reached into the flames under the dragon. The purring stopped, and it swung its long neck around to watch him more closely. He opened his hand to reveal a glowing ember. The dragon opened its mouth to display long pointed white teeth as it came eye to eye with my son. A black ball of death formed on my palm as I prepared to end the creature should it attack.
The dragon’s long red tongue licked the ember and the hand that held it, then gently nipped the ember from Nikomedes’s hand and swallowed it whole. My son smiled at the dragon in obvious delight that it had trusted him to take the offering. The dragon gently nudged his hand, asking for more, and giggles filled the air. My fist collapsed around the black ball, extinguishing it as if it had never been.
A gray-haired servant that I assumed was the beast’s keeper stood in shock as my son continued to feed the dragon embers while running tendrils of fire along its scaly hide. When I quirked an eyebrow, the servant bowed. “I am sorry for staring, my king. I have never seen her take to anyone. She has fought all attempts to tame her before now.”
“A gentle hand can conquer the most savage beast.” I was proof of that. “What is the beast’s name?”
“Fiamouria, my king. She belongs to Lady Athena,” he replied with another bow.
“Ahh, she must be the offspring of Marron and Thaina then. Tell me, how are the pets that I created for our little warrior?”
Dawning Chaos Page 2