by Drako
Ares had returned her to her room on Solaris alone. Zeus had called the war god away, which really irritated her. She needed someone to talk to and currently her father was busy. The twins were wrapped in their own affairs, and Andreas was with Kazarian.
“Is something troubling you, my daughter?”
Victoria turned to face her mother, who stood in front of her window. “I’m sure by now you know that Ares took me out to hunt.”
“Of course I know. I’m always aware of where you are.”
“Well, it was strange. Normally, werewolves travel in small packs of no more than ten, and that’s usually considered large. Rogues have always been even less likely to gather en masse, yet tonight I took down well over a hundred rogue wolves.”
“Have I taught you so little about those that serve under Lucifer?” Hecate asked, impatience evident in her voice.
Victoria scowled. “What do you mean?”
“Lucifer’s servants are persuasive, just as their master is. When given power from him, they can persuade the weak minded rather easily, and most rogues are fairly weak minded. They need a leader, otherwise they’re like a lone nut without a cult. The power of persuasion can tame these wolves quite easily under a powerful warlock.”
“Balthas is more powerful than I thought to hold so many under his sway.”
Hecate strode forward to stand before her daughter. “He is powerful, that much I cannot deny. But I believe the unity of these rogues is due to Lucifer himself exerting his influence. We cannot deny that he is very close to entering the mortal realm, despite our best efforts. It would appear that his return to the mortal realm is fated.”
“Surely upon his entrance to the mortal realm Father will destroy him?”
“I have no doubt that that is your father’s intent. But knowing your father he has a more elaborate plan. After all, he is one of the oldest gods in existence and a master of fate. Even I cannot guess at his motives. He is older and more powerful than I. In the meantime, I have my own goals to accomplish. I will counter Lucifer’s perversion my own way. And frankly, if your father doesn’t get to him first, Lucifer is mine.”
Victoria studied her mother. “Can you defeat Lucifer?”
“Of course I can, and I will. I could not do so through you because there is a limit to how much of my power you can utilize. The best I could do is to defend you until your father arrived. However, should I face Lucifer myself, I can more than hold my own.”
Victoria kept her skepticism to herself. She’d felt Lucifer’s power first hand, but she couldn’t say for sure that he was stronger than her mother. Measuring the power of the gods was close to impossible for anyone that wasn’t a god. So while Lucifer seemed overwhelming to her, perhaps it would be different for her mother.
“Anyway, I think it would be best if you actually rest as I told you,” Hecate continued. “This journey in the Rose Realm will not be any easier for you than it is for your nephew. You must be completely rested and focused to survive this place.”
“This grimoire that we’re going for, what’s so special about it?” Victoria asked. “Why are we making the venture for it instead of you gifting Brandon with one the way you did with me?”
“This grimoire was specifically written for him. It is, in all actuality, his grimoire. He simply must prove himself in order to get it.”
Victoria gave a puzzled look. “I don’t understand.”
“This is something that has been destined for him for millennia. The spells and information collected in that book were collected and stored at the behest of several primordial gods. The knowledge was given to me to place in that grimoire with implicit instructions to hold it until the appropriate time came. I was told that the book would go to a male with the blood of the three most dominant races in existence. While I could simply give him the knowledge, that is not the way of things. He must earn it, and you must guide him to it.”
“I seriously hate your cryptic speak, Mother, but I have no problem with helping my nephew,” Victoria told her mother. “But what happens if he transitions while we’re there? Can he control himself without the grimoire?”
“I certainly hope so, but I cannot say for sure. Your father would have a better answer than I, and at the moment, he is preoccupied.”
Victoria remained silent for several seconds before speaking again. “I’m going to trust that my nephew will find a way to control himself and his immense power if he should happen to transition before we get to his grimoire. I get the feeling that his transition will occur while we’re in the Realm of Roses, and if I had to guess I’d say Demun’s will occur at the same time. But so long as Brandon can control his power, Demun will control his as well.”
Hecate nodded. “Your feeling on this is correct. I cannot pinpoint the moment of his transition. I cannot clearly see the future. But you know what you must do. And I’m sure you’ll have a guide in the event that you need it.”
She vanished, leaving Victoria to her thoughts.
Twenty Seven
At long last, it was time to go into the Rose Realm. Victoria and Brandon dressed in their armor and met with Jarel and Hecate in the throne room. Jarel sat on his throne with Hecate standing next to him. Victoria and Brandon stopped just in front of them.
“So, you’re ready to leave now?” Jarel asked.
Victoria snorted. “I’ve been ready since we were told we were going. I hate sitting around doing nothing.”
“I’d suggest you get used to it,” Jarel told her. “Part of your training with your brother was in strategy and planning. This realm will require you to be patient at times. There will be points in which you can do nothing but watch what happens around you. You do not know the landscape of this place, and you know even less about those that inhabit this realm. Do not let the name fool you. While this realm is filled with roses, the most beautiful roses you’ll ever see, it’s also filled with danger. It’s a survival of the fittest type of environment. You’ll find lone creatures of every sort, and you will find groups. Sometimes settlements and sometimes in packs. Either can be dangerous.”
“We feel that it is only fair to give you some warning, and a sense of direction,” Hecate added. “The grimoire is sealed in the coliseum. You must make your way to it and enter the competition together. You must win the competition to get the grimoire.”
“What sort of competition?” Brandon asked.
“You’ll have to fight for it,” Jarel answered. “The way to win these fights is to incapacitate your opponent, so you win by knockout or death. It all depends on your level of compassion. But be warned, some of these creatures can’t take the idea of losing. They will continue to hunt you even after you leave the realm and return here. So be aware that the choice you make there can haunt you here and anywhere else you go.”
“But if this is s competition, wouldn’t that pit us against each other at some point?” Victoria asked.
Hecate shook her head. “No, this is a team effort. But you will be at a disadvantage. There are only two of you going, and some of the others will have more. But you two are well accustomed to fighting against large numbers. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
“I would recommend transforming into dragon form only as a last resort,” Jarel told his daughter.
“Is there anything else we need to know?” Brandon asked.
“Both of you have things to teach the other.” Jarel looked at Brandon first. “Your aunt has skills that would be of extreme use to you.” He looked at Victoria next. “He has a calmer head, much better for strategy. You two should balance each other out in this.”
“I will send you into the realm in a clearing in the wild, which is the entrance to the realm. You must navigate your way to the coliseum on your own.” Hecate waved her hand and the two vanished in flash of bright violet light.
“I sincerely hope that this mission you’ve given them doesn’t take too long,” Jarel told Hecate. “I can’t afford to be without the two of them
in the coming battle.”
“That is entirely up to them,” Hecate replied. “It has to be done if you don’t want your grandsons to be mindless instruments of destruction. Brandon needs this in order to remain as he is during this transition. And if you think about it, you brought this entire situation about in your quest to gain dominion over demonkind. You purposely had a child with Desdemona to start the prophecy that one of her own line would overthrow her, and if that one is in your service, in essence, you gain dominion over demons as well as all the creatures you created.”
Jarel scowled. “Yes well, we can’t always see past the decisions we make. Had I known I could potentially unleash monsters upon the world, I’d have thought twice before making that decision. And the fact is, neither I nor my sons will have the heart to hunt the twins if they were to lose control.”
“So then, who would do so?”
“My brother would generally be expected to do anything that I cannot, and if he won’t either, then Zeus most certainly will.” Jarel looked to the opposite side of Hecate. “Show yourself, Ares.”
Ares appeared as commanded.
“I think you know the Rose Realm well enough to guide them a bit. I need the additional firepower for the coming battle,” Jarel told him.
“I’ll try to speed things up without directly interfering. After all, as a god I can’t help them compete for the book,” Ares replied.
“That is true, so long as another god doesn’t interfere in the competition,” Hecate told him.
Ares raised a questioning eyebrow, prompting the goddess to elaborate.
“I have a suspicion that Lucifer will show there. He is not, after all, banned from any realm but this one and the mortal realm. Everywhere else is fair game and he would love the power contained in that grimoire himself.”
Jarel snorted. “Of course, he’s a fool. Did he truly think I’d be so stupid as to store the power he seeks in a book? The book is nothing more than the key, and it’s useless if you don’t know where the power it unlocks lies.”
“So the power he seeks is within your grandson?” Ares asked.
“Part of it, yes,” Jarel answered.
“Can I ask what kind of power we’re talking here?”
Jarel smirked. “A power that would increase Lucifer’s tenfold, which would make him piss me off even more but inevitably wouldn’t save him from my wrath. And I owe him eternal pain.”
Ares knew better than to ask what Lucifer had done to warrant that kind of menace. He probably wouldn’t get an answer and being that it was Lucifer, he was positive that the god deserved it.
“Anyway, I’d suggest you follow them now,” Jarel continued.
Ares vanished. Jarel waved his hand and Andreas appeared.
“Well, I’m certainly glad I wasn’t occupied with anything embarrassing,” Andreas muttered.
Jarel ignored that statement. “We have preparations to make. Very shortly, we go into full on battle. Our forces need to be organized, and you’re the leader.”
Andreas nodded in acknowledgement. “Just how many do we need?”
“I want every one of the Black Dragons here and ready for battle. We’re going against Typhon and Echidna and they churn out children faster than a lightning bolt from Zeus moves through the air. This means we’re going to be up against some of the wildest, deadliest creatures imaginable. And I want the Blue Dragons in this too. If we can stamp them out in this one battle, it’ll make our lives much easier, leaving only the Titans to deal with.”
“We’ll be down by two with Victoria and Brandon in the Rose Realm,” Andreas commented.
Jarel nodded. “I’m aware of that. Hopefully, they can return in time to make a difference. But we will survive regardless.”
Andreas looked skeptical. “Father, the boys’ birthday is only a week away, which means their transition is at hand.”
“I’m aware of this, and the fact that it can either cripple our forces or destroy Typhon’s.”
Andreas frowned at his father. “Just how powerful are these boys going to become?”
“They will be greater than the children I have produced before, both my dragon children and the Dragon Gods themselves.”
Even Hecate looked shocked at that revelation.
“How could they possibly become that strong?” she asked. “The power they are to gain is great, but….”
“The power does not come from that source alone,” Jarel interrupted her. “Remember, they are descended from me and Desdemona. The power they are inheriting is an addition to the power they genetically inherit from us. And as you know, I’ve never produced a weak child.”
Andreas scowled. “Father, I think it’s about time you start giving me a bit more information. I’m going to be on the front lines of the battle. I need to know what I could be dealing with. If they turn on us, I’m probably first in their path.”
“Even you may not be able to take them down. They will become gods, after all,” Jarel replied.
Andreas’ eyes widened. “But your law says that your descendants will always be dragons.”
“There is an exception to my law. After all, I destroyed a god and therefore must fill his position with someone. The god of darkness has been long gone for millennia, and now he must be replaced,” Jarel explained.
“So are both of them going to fill that role?” Andreas asked.
Jarel shook his head. “No, one must become god of demonkind. And the boys have already chosen the role they will fill. They just have to finish the steps to come into their role.”
“I can get our forces gathered, but then what?” Andreas asked.
“Work with Demun,” Jarel ordered. “It can’t hurt to make sure he’s in complete control of his powers as well. Perhaps it will balance things out if Brandon doesn’t get the grimoire in time.”
Andreas left the room. Jarel looked to Hecate.
“I would suggest you return to Olympus to prepare for the Titans. Zeus will always appreciate your help.”
Hecate studied him for several seconds. “I helped the first time he fought them, and this time shall be no different. We shall see if Athena can fit me into her plans.” She vanished.
Jarel sat on his throne, enjoying the solitude of the moment. From here on out, he would rarely enjoy such a luxury again. This would not be the first time he’d led his forces into battle, but never had victory been less assured. Even as powerful as he was, a battle with Typhon would not be easy. He remembered all too well the point at which Typhon had first appeared and attacked Olympus. And now he would attack Solaris. His realm would be the site of one of the greatest and most destructive battles of all time. All of his subjects that were able to battle would be there to protect those that couldn’t. And no matter the outcome, he would take heavy losses. Forefront in his mind was the pain he couldn’t save his grandson from. Before the start of the battle, there would be a heavy loss. And for once, the Black Dragon God was completely powerless to stop it.
Twenty Eight
The Rose Realm was quite beautiful. Roses of every color made up all the plant life there, even growing from the trees. Brandon and Victoria stepped out of a cave in the side of a mountain right into a forest.
“Why is there always a damn forest to navigate through first in every alternate realm?” Brandon grumbled.
“I think it’s because the gods all have a sick sense of humor and enjoy torturing us poor souls that have to wander through these hellholes to complete a simple task,” Victoria answered irritably.
“You mortals are so unappreciative.” Ares appeared before them. “We give you beautiful scenery and you bitch about walking through it.”
Victoria rolled her eyes. “Unless you’re going to teleport me through this crap to the coliseum then can it.”
Ares laughed. “I would if I could, but your mother and father specifically prohibited me from offering any physical help. I can guide you on the walk, but not move you to your destination.”
&n
bsp; “Fat lot of help you are,” Victoria muttered.
“I’ll take what I can get personally.” Brandon shielded his eyes from the sun as he gazed out over the horizon. “I don’t think this is going to be a short walk. Couldn’t we have at least gotten some horses or something?”
“That’d be helping you physically, so I can’t bring any here for you,” Ares told him.
Victoria had brought a backpack with her, which she’d slung over her shoulder but now removed to look inside. “Fortunately, I’m a witch. I haven’t conjured an animal in ages so I’ll have to look up the right spell for it.” She pulled out a large, black leather-bound book. It had several intricate designs on it which looked suspiciously like her in dragon form.
“That’s your grimoire?’ Brandon asked.
Victoria nodded as she opened the book to search for what she wanted. “It’s filled with all the spells I’ve learned over the years. It has a spell on it so that as soon as I learn the spell, all information about the spell is added here. It also chronicles any additional information I may need to look back on about the foes I’ve faced over the years. Right now I need a simple conjuring spell to give us a couple of horses to make this trip easier.”
“I didn’t realize there was a spell for that,” Ares commented.
“There’s a spell for most things, really,” Victoria replied. “Or at least there is when one has served directly under the goddess of witchcraft and magic for over six thousand years.”
Ares and Brandon waited as she finally found the spell and began to speak in the mystical language of the Craft. Her power stirred up a strange wind that surrounded them before centering in front of them, forming a large funnel cloud in front of them. When it cleared, two large black steeds stood in front of them, complete with saddles and reins, ready for them to ride.