03 Atavism of the Ifrit Page 26

  Odin the All Father was dressed in a wolf pelt coat that emphasized knotted arms and a ripped hairy chest while Gungnir stayed almost glued in his left hand, the hand meant of welcoming. In his right meant Gungnir was about to be used violently. King Pegasus was dressed in brilliant golden armor, ready for battle, as were all the leaders. Magistrate Morom of the Ogres wore silver knightly armor with a helmet tucked under his arm and held a club that made Zaxis look more like a twig. His seven inch long horn designated him as one of the most powerful Ogres in existence and at his side was his Nymph wife Edda who seemed to have been poured in a bark brown leather suit supporting a longbow as tall as she was. Beside them was General Kiroq of the Gargoyles. His kind never wore clothing or used weapons other than gauntlets that were sharper than their already deadly claws. They were flesh and blood, but their skin was hard as stone and were fire resistant which is where the myth of stone came from. Chille the Pixie princess wore a baby blue bikini and stood behind the Gargoyle general, but Ethan noticed she wore one of the thousands of coins around her wrist like a charm bracelet. On Pegasus’ other side was the Amazonian queen known as Gra wearing a gold circlet over a freckled brow. She stood seven feet tall, had huge arms of a body builder and auburn hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. She was quite pretty, both fairest and strongest of all Amazons. At her side stood her paralyzed genius of a husband Tattoo who wore an exo-skeletal suit that empowered him with the ability to once again walk after more than thirty years of being chair-bound. Plus his name was apt for he was covered all over in animal tattoos he could bring to life and was the most powerful human Specialist. Beside him hunched Crait the Naga High Champion with his massive double handed sword slung across his back. Collu and Mia of the Centaur herds. High Witch Morgane stood beside her nutty husband in a light blue dress and was as placid as ever. High Wizard Merlin bounced impatiently on the balls of his feet, brown hair sticking in wild directions as if he’d just got finished sticking a knife in a power outlet while standing barefoot in a puddle of water.

  Likely doing that very thing.

  Behind the leaders was the rest of the permanently living residences in the main hall of the giant castle. Eager eyes peered around the leaders, but the House’s warriors acted guard for those few who weren’t.

  The First House held the most percentage of warriors than any of the fifty. The percentage of warriors was seventy one. That meant one hell of an attacking force. Add to that that everyone was armed to the teeth, or even teeth themselves, spoke of great preparation and readiness.

  The open portal showed the hall widely as Floa made it more than adequate for the two tallest. The silence of the hall was all wrong. It was always loud and lively. Even the TV’s lining the walls were off, but burning glass orbs containing Celestia’s Phoenix feathers forever burned and was used as a never ending light source. Gargoyles and Pixies hung from the vaulted rafters and weight bearing braces. Some individuals stood on Pegesai for a better vantage, but the silence was thick and oppressive.

  Blossom wrecked it with “AUNT KANNA!!!” as she flew through the open portal and straight for Kanade’s neck, to grow into a teenage girl and hung from her neck. “Look! I’ve got boobies now!” and lifted her shirt to show off a filled out training bra.

  There was a dual smack as both Floa and Odin high-fived their own foreheads.

  Tension snapped as Blossom’s words funneled down and a burst of laughter ripped through the hall and into the cabin.

  Kanade blinked several times before saying “I’m so proud!” and hugging her right back.

  “Put them away, Sis!” Baldr put a hand over his eyes.

  “Uncle Baldie!” Floa recognized and tackled him next.

  “Baldie?” Ethan raised an eyebrow.

  “Blossom, I told you not to call me that!” Baldr lightly chastised. “Just because I like my hair shorter than the average Ogre doesn’t mean I’m bald.”

  “Uncle Baldie will always be Uncle Baldie. Just Like Aunt Kanna though she’s my sister now too.” Blossom piped, shrunk, flew up and dove down Kanade’s cleavage to pop her tiny head and comment “There’s too much room down there now.”

  “Because a push up bra won’t work in this dress.” Kanade told.

  “Not the kind of greeting I had in mind, but our daughter did break the ice.” Ethan heard Odin telling his wife.

  “So what’s with all the defenses?” Ethan asked as he stepped through first and his apparent Ifrit changes quickly silenced the hall again, dropping more than one jaw as he came into their midst.

  Magistrate Morom spoke, not moving from his place due to the fear of Ethan’s very presence in real life. He still didn’t allow his voice to quiver which was remarkable. “Just a precaution after I took yesterday’s report of the trap and verified the Wizards identities. It is for our sake as well as yours, Mr. Volorum.”

  “Just because my body’s changed doesn’t mean I have. I’m not an idiot. Zandri can’t reach me here. What’s going on?”

  “Told you he’d see through the farce.” Tattoo said over Pegasus’ back. “Ethan, since you like straightforward answers I’ll tell you.”

  “No.” Crait said. “I will.” The Naga stepped forward and unsheathed his sword and aimed it at Ethan’s throat… or so he tried.

  Panther appeared before his master, dislocated Crait’s arms, knocked him on his back and planted a foot on his throat, extending his claws to skewer the High Champion who was bested by an overwhelming force.

  “Stop.” Came the deep baritone order and Panther’s claws paused a centimeter from plunging. “Leave him.” The Balam stood.

  Even among all the hardened warriors of the First House who lived for battle, were startled their reigning swordsman was defeated faster than their eyes could see.

  “I guess the point was made for us.” Mia said as Crait endured the pain silently.

  Panther said in a promising tone “I will not tolerate weapons pointed at my master. Am I clear?”

  “Crystal.” Chille fluttered, having shrunk out of instinct to flee. “Tattoo, perhaps you better clear up the misunderstanding. I’ll take Crait to…”

  “No need.” Blake said as he approached with Reevy, looking like they did yesterday, but without Goblin blood staining. The son knelt and felt the injuries. “A simple dislocation. Had General Panther wanted you dead, Father, your sword wouldn’t have made it all the way out before your head went flying.” A solid grip preceded a loud pop as the joints were properly put back in their place. Crait, a hardened warrior used to pain, merely allowed a jaw muscle to twitch as each shoulder, elbow and wrist were put back in alignment.

  Tattoo held his hands up in surrender as he stepped a few times closer to the two giants who came through so far. “We leaders thought it prudent to defend ourselves in event of hostility. Between what Fate told us compared to Odin, King Pegasus and Floa’s testimony’s after the incident, we didn’t know who to believe. Time and experience are weighed against you, but you’ve been through the metaphorical fires and proven yourself a friend and ally. We gambled on you since your record speaks for itself, even by how short it is. For the safety of this house to allow you to come, we leaders still chose to take up arms if any side were to be a threat to us.”

  “Tattoo, you were once my commanding officer, so you and likely Magistrate Morom did a thorough check on my mental stability since I let Dress have permission to tell you all my fears, joy and likes. You all gave us permission to come here with my minions on the promise neither side would be the first to show aggression. Crait needs to be replaced. Panther would have killed him had I not ordered him to take it easy.”

  The Naga hissed, but went silent as he heard Ethan challenging growl and saw the look those ruby orbs promised. “Crait, you better back the fuck down. I may be weaker, but I’m still six times stronger than when I first came here as a human. Only Odin and Pegasus have the power to resist me and they still wouldn’t be able to get close enough to be a threat… or do y
ou want to go through with that thought you just had… what was it? Use stolen venom from Jormungandr’s soaked on a dagger you have hidden in the sole of your shoe that will spring when you twist the heel of the boot on the ground.”

  Hearing his serious breach, Odin turned and transferred Gungnir to his right hand and put the tip at the Naga’s throat. “What is the meaning if this? How did you enter my room? Only I and Morgane keep Jormungandr’s venom in private stores and she is the only one who can find and retrieve hers… and I doubt she’d willingly hand over his venom. Turn your heel.” Crait simply glared. “I said turn it.”

  “No.”

  Blake did it for him with a barefoot nudge. A six inch blade flew out if the tip covered in piercing rune and coated entirely in a milky white liquid that held no odor so it wouldn’t be detected till it was too late.

  Odin was outraged the moment his lone eye fell upon the coated metallic sheen. “Explain yourself, Crait.”

  “No.” He hissed again.

  “Will you let me kill him now, Master?” Panther said slowly in the next moment of silence.

  “RAMAZIEL! YOU FUCKING BASTARD! SHOW YOURSELF. I KNOW YOU’RE IN HERE! I CAN SMELL YOU!” Roared a red faced Ethan instead of answering.

  “What is it?” Came the teenaged voice of Fate digging out his ear. “You didn’t have to yell.”

  Appearing physically came a blonde haired, blue eyed teenager with flawless, unblemished skin. Fate looked like a teenager, maybe fifteen to seventeen, but was clearly inhuman for no boy held himself with so much ageless poise. He stood dressed as usual in a modern black on black tuxedo rather than last time he was last seen out in the void of space, in a toga carrying a wicked scimitar at his hip. His build was leanly muscled, but it was deceptive. Fate was also a powerful Transcendent being and one not to be underestimated. But something strange was about him, much more than usual. He had a vacant stare for everything around, all but for a hated adversary. Those blue eyes were riveted to red. No stimulus drew his godly eye or sound distracted. Like someone so engrossed in a book that their mind was elsewhere while their body remained behind. It was as if he were both there and not, simultaneously.

  But it was enough.

  The ground shook as Ethan grabbed the universe’s ultimate manipulator around the throat and slammed him into the wall. The foundation and nearby grounds trembled. Fate didn’t show the least bit of surprise or discomfort. Everyone else had to back away as the air grew hot from anger. Sparks around the horns flared with violence. Kanade and the others came through to watch, barely holding back from venting frustration too. “Ramaziel, how did you manage to take Crait’s wife against my curse?”

  “Oh… you think I kidnapped her because of you do you? My how self-centered and arrogant you’ve grown. Not everything is about you.” More cracks ran through the magically reinforced wall like breaking ice as Ethan cracked the boy’s head against it again. No blood or damage marred the boyish features.

  Fate was a sturdy little bastard.

  “WHERE IS SHE?!” Some fire blew from his flared nostrils.

  “She is safe and doing quite well somewhere very special to me. It was Crait who thought to defy me and learned what it is to disobey his superior. I had no knowledge he was going to try maiming and killing you with the only venom capable of killing a Transcended abomination. Had I foresaw anything I would have been forced to intervene. Just like you forced yourself upon me.”

  “Only because you withdrew your influence and turned a blind eye knowing full well of his hatred of me because his son trained me and not himself. Crait wanted me to be a swordsman rather than another exterior manipulator, but Blake’s intentions rubbed him the wrong way… I read him and know you did so as well. I felt your lingering traces. You knew he’d discover a way to likely kill me.”

  “Did I? Who can prove it? Your word isn’t good enough to hold sway with anyone. By the way… Wouldn’t your curse prevent me from allowing any forethought to allow harm to hurt your pretty little head?”

  Weapons all around the room were readied. Swords sang, bowstrings hummed, leather creaked, metal slid against metal and magic sweetened the air. Aimed not at Ethan, but who he held. Still, Fate showed no sign of reaction to anyone else.

  “Chance. You knew there was a slim chance he’d fail to figure it out. A chance he could bribe Jormun to give a drop or two. A chance to break into Odin’s room.” Ethan realized. He growled and punched Ramaziel, Fate’s true name, square in the face. The wall cracked further with fissures from the force behind the blow, but Fate remained entirely unharmed. Ethan was not currently powerful enough to cause any damage. Add in the fact his mind was slower, it took longer to read Crait’s real intentions. “You made him assume killing me would make you pleased enough to allow her to come back… just because he saved the life of a human child from a building collapse last week and he cursed your name. Give. Her. Back.”

  “Perhaps a trade.”

  “So that’s your game…” Ethan growled menacingly as flickers of silver flame sparked all around him, showing he was a hair trigger from losing control. Regardless. “Speak.”

  “She’ll be in my care for the next four hundred years. Asleep mind you. I’ll not allow the female to lose sanity without him. Pitiful drawbacks immortal women have. Such a weakness… Unlike you, I’m not an rabid animal. Slumber will halt the madness.” Angry hisses, growls and shouts came from everywhere. Still no reaction, as if blind and deaf. “In exchange for her return I want this bothersome curse removed. It’s interfering with my work.” A violet mark throbbed on the curve of his neck where the marking was placed.

  “Master, don’t consider it.” Panther advised from behind. “If you remove his leash he will destroy this world for turning its back on him. Too much Chaos has infected his established structure of Houses and how effectively these Order warriors are seen by those he uses to his own ends. The balance has shifted from his calculated plan. He’s destroyed worlds for less before.”

  Since Fate didn’t again react and only Ethan seemed to get anywhere he asked “If I do will you destroy the Earth?”

  “Probably not. Human souls are quite valuable.” Fate replied, but didn’t deny. ‘Probably’ from his tone wasn’t any form of assurance. A mere whim was too much to chance by removal of a curse. “You won’t be here so I see no reason to wipe the slate clean. I’ll find another way to rid the universe of your unnatural taint. Time’s prophecy can be averted… I must see to it. You’re leading to the annihilation of everything. Your involvement has changed my calculations too dramatically. You cannot See what I do. You are but a force of destruction and cannot see the ants withering away at your feet. Blindly tearing everything apart. An Ifrit with a soul is too dangerous. You must…”

  “Lad, put him down.” Odin said gently though fury hammered in his heart. Still Fate continued with his monologue of ignorance.

  “What? You want me…” Ethan looked down by his knee.

  “No, one life isn’t valuable enough to let him loose. The curse must stay for everyone’s best interest. Who watches the watchers? Clearly he has never known hopelessness and is fearful, an experience he’s seen countless times but never truly experienced firsthand. Someone finally challenged him and he’s reacting like a child who will not grow up or knows you can end him.

  “Fate has shown his true colors before us all and revealed a blind hatred at what you are and not as a person. He’s lost the faith of everyone here. Look.” Hatred was by far the most common expression of the hall. “Our task remains the same, even without him. We keep the world safe from destruction and safeguard all souls… even for those we fight for. Order doesn’t embrace abrupt change. The Transcendent Ones most of all forget what it means to live, but then they realize they can be challenged will cause such instability and fright. Look at him, he doesn’t even hide his intentions or think any one of us matter. Lad, he isn’t listening to us. That much is clear. He’s only allowed the tiniest shred of himself t
o become corporeal here. He’s right to be afraid, but has stooped to a coward’s act to prey on your humanity… not your demonic side. He doesn’t yet realize it, but I do. Fate can see souls and yours is good. He’s trying to manipulate it like the rest of us… think Lad… Fate knows you are not like others, but can’t see why. Old age makes things harder to accept change. He just can’t accept an Ifrit can be good. You. Are. Good. Don’t prove him right.

  “Keep him cursed… otherwise he may change his mind and kill us just to spite you. Be wise like you were when you cursed him. He serves a vital function in Spirit World for souls to thrive. That hasn’t changed. Humans need to grow and die. It keeps the universe moving smooth. He’s a coward and won’t find friends after this. Release him, Lad.”

  “Though I cannot kill him with this shred of essence, I can make it really hurt, Master.” Purred a voice.

  “Do it!” Ethan said and threw Fate several feet over a shoulder like a ragdoll. Ten Balam claws laced with so much Demon Energy they turned red pierced the teenage looking being like a pincushion, who’s clear blue eyes widened and an inhuman scream tore through its throat a moment before it dematerialized. “Thanks.”

  Panther smirked. “It was all my pleasure. My pleasure indeed.”

  More silence followed Ethan as he walked past Kanade and Kyoko who each touched him compassionately in passing. He knelt on one knee before the High Champion. “Crait, you have my word that once I regain my full powers in six days I’ll find your mate, punish Fate and give her back, even if I have to break into Spirit World to find her. Almost no one can stop me anymore. Believe it. In return you need to step down as High Champion. Someone with a more level head needs to lead. You almost let an insane celestial being manipulate you into killing someone who only wants to help.”