03 Atavism of the Ifrit Read online

  Ethan had one goal in mind locating Crait’s mate. Ethan knew her mind and energy as she was once part of Merlin’s homework to learn how energy was different to each person, like a thumbprint or DNA. She was one he tested out of curiosity so he knew her essence and with that firmly wedged in his mind trillions of trillions of searching thoughts spread far and wide.

  Down below the group looked up through the hole he made in the canopy and watched his wings beat as he basically hovered, surrounded by a faint silvery sphere of energy. Using everything, he passed worlds as if a grain of sand. Discarding as soon as tested. It was like searching for a needle in a haystack the size of a star.

  All of a sudden Ethan sensed Fate’s essence and could smell the fear. Glowing red eyes watched on and in one of the many tendrils came exactly what he sought. Fate was trying to move her, but was overwhelmed by an even greater and much more pissed entity. With a mental knee to the face, Fate screamed and let go of her. Ethan let Fate scurry back to his little hole.

  Cocooned in a warm energy Ethan sent his thoughts to Earth well on the other side of the universe and connected to the minds of the First House’s leaders. They were all in council and knew right away someone of immense power just made contact. Around the semicircular table appeared a silver flame shaped just like Ethan so they had something to look at while he thought “Good afternoon everyone! Ethan here. Just wanted to let you know we all made it to Demon World safely and Kira’s potion worked. But I’ve got more pressing matters.”

  “Did you find Crait’s mate?” Odin wondered.

  “That and gave Fate another swift kick in the ass.” The room chuckled. “Princess Chille, I’m going to give you her location.”

  “Ready.” The princess of Pixies tried not to squirm as his mind managed to imprint the place and helped her fix it by targeting the energy he surrounded her with. It was a complex yet simple method never showed to anyone before. With a loud clap the slumbering Naga woman appeared at the feet of the fiery apparition that waved goodbye and disappeared with the foreign mind.

  Ethan landed effortlessly and folded his wings back to hear Blake say “Thank you for finding my mother. I could not do what you did. Fate is still too powerful for me.”

  “Not a problem. I’m finding I like making Ramaziel a punching bag. It’s been long overdue someone put him in his place.” He looked down at the smallest of the group. “Dallare, you stopped feeding from me. I take it you’ve replenished your strength?”

  “Yes, Master. Are you prepared to go to the palace?”

  “Anytime.” He smiled and watched the scene of glowing forest shift.

  Ethan’s jaw dropped at what he next looked at and felt mentally it should have hit the floor, tongue unrolling like a cartoon with eyes ballooning out and an air-horn blaring.

  Boldly consuming everything before the eye was the Fire King’s Diamond Palace. From the ground it reached thousands of miles into the sky and shimmered with Demon World’s lights, making the facets gleam and sparkle. Even around sixty miles away the palace made everyone feel utterly insignificant. Made Fate’s Crystal Castle a child’s toy castle in comparison. Diamond shards miles long and hundreds upon hundreds of feet thick seemed jammed together, each one linked like a puzzle piece. Wicked points made the walls more like spikes. And each one was a pure diamond polished to perfection. Great clouds rained around and caused streams to continually wash and keep it clean to a sparkling shine. White lightning struck many of the sharp points, but didn’t char them. And it boggled the mind as it was a palace the size of Jupiter, made completely of flawless diamonds. Even as it was half underground.

  The grounds outside were filled with wild jungle, but mile wide dirt roads were like veins leading from its millions of entrances. The ground wasn’t sand, but rich, fertile earth despite constant traffic. Even this far away the road was far from deserted. A pack of wolf Shifters in animal form stopped along with a bronze skinned naked Titan man carrying dead Kelpie in each of his four hands. They were the nearest to gawk at who just suddenly appeared. Even an Arachne off in a nearby tree ceased spinning a web to watch.

  First words out of Ethan’s mouth was “Oh my god. It’s the Fortress of Solitude on steroids!”

  Baldr snickered as Fourth Mistress Nenetl inquired “The what, Master?”

  “A fictitious story from Earth, My Mate.” Panther said as Ethan was too busy gawking at the Diamond Palace’s grandeur to respond. She inclined her head.

  “Hard to think something so beautiful could be made in such a brutal realm. The stories do not do it justice.” Nell said. “But why diamond and where did it come from?”

  The great general himself stepped forward to say “Diamond, even here is nigh unbreakable. Spells make sure to keep it that way. Diamond cannot burn so what better building material than it for my masters to have? There are many, many chambers so big that lush forests, large mountains, vast lakes and sprawling deserts lay within for all manner of desires to those of high caste. Furthermore…”

  Panther’s next words were drown out by a deep, angry rumble that shook the air as well as the ground and trees. Strange birds, bugs and lesser creatures flew and in the forest hopped Ghoul’s like frogs, Goblin’s threw nets and Elves shot arrows at the fleeing creatures.

  Assuming the sound was some kind of threat Ethan ignited the air around them in a silvery inferno. The seven Balam smirked at his reaction to the unknown and that of his team forming a circle around them. He asked “What the fuck was that?”

  “The king’s stomach.”

  “Come again?” He asked Panther as the growl continued freaking him and the others out.

  “It is how Demon World has told time these past few centuries in our kingdom. It is the Fire King’s hunger.”

  “Bull. My stomach never made that sound before.” Denied Ethan as his mind turned upon the palace’s many extremely powerful entities, especially the greatest one of them all way up high. Ethan felt Zagan and knew he was likewise being observed though neither one initiated contact.

  “It would if you’ve not eaten for many centuries. His stomach’s rumble signifies feeding time at this time each day. As you’ve seen out in the forest, his stomach is the call to hunt, Master.

  “Centuries? Why the hell hasn’t he eaten anything in so long.”

  “It is not my place to tell you.” Panther though oddly cut a look to Kanade, daring her to do something. It was strange. “What is more pressing is going into his presence. Master, we must leave. I will summon an escort for us.” And vanished with a burst of speed towards the trees.

  Fire died down along with the rumble Ethan realized was actually a stomach’s rumble. It didn’t make sense the Fire King was starving himself, but Panther earned enough respect to not be pressed.

  The ground shook and Ethan’s head turned to the Titan to find it dropped to its knees, placed its prey in a pile, put four fists on the ground before placing his forehead flat in as deep a prostrating bow as it could. The wolf pack and Arachne as well bowed to the prince of fire.

  Kyoko mentally gave Kanade a nudge so she looked down at her woman to find how she stood and quickly realized what was required of a First Mistress. Kanade stood taller, clasped her hands in front of her lower belly, raised her chin and took on a regally royal air of superiority. Kanade was in public now with her guards.

  A thrumming pressure in the air turned heads to find Panther riding between the horns of a mud brown Dragon. It was easily over a hundred feet long and looked marginally in pain. Panther had to use a little persuasion to get its compliance when it couldn’t sense his power due to a seed’s influence. But as soon as it got closer and saw an Ifrit the Dragon seemed downright frightened.

  It landed heavily to hear Panther say “Nell, Magnus, Baldr, Kira, Mistress Kyoko, Dallare here is your ride. The rest of us will be faster on foot.”

  And so they climbed aboard the Dragon. Patli the Fifth Mistress to the general stayed close to Kyoko and would until another det
ail was placed.

  Just as soon as everyone was situated Ethan and Kanade lithely jumped up and spiraled into the sky on majestic wings. The Dragon struggled to get off the ground, but managed it. Below, the five other mistresses spread out and maintained position beneath Kanade though she flew. A Harpy too curious for her own good dropped out of the sky as Sacnite killed with a powerful leap. Even without wings the Balam mistresses protected.

  Blake, Reevy, Vitalli and Ellen seemed to glide across the ground at speeds they never imagined they could sustain, but their new bodies moved tirelessly. The Nagai couple were sleek serpents while the giant Centaurs were still adjusting, but learning how to move. Ellen’s thick hair was stretched all the way back due to the speed her hooves carried her. And a full smile of rapture gripped her as she always loved to run and gallop, but now it was something completely new and amazing altogether.

  Side by side Ethan and Kanade flew towards the palace consuming everything, keeping a somewhat straight line due to the dirt road. It slightly twisted and curved around lakes, a swamp and through several hills. Up high they saw many strange, freakish creatures, sentient and not. Once Kanade pointed out an oddly blue plated mountain, but as soon as it moved showed it to be what she called a Fortress Beetle. Used primarily to carry fighters into war and to break through barriers and walls. It could fly, barely, but was near unstoppable when let loose in a direction. To Ethan it looked more like a rhinoceros beetle, long nose and all, but was bigger than most mountains he’d seen in the past weeks with the Demon Lords.

  Smoke rose out of many trees showing homes, both built and grown. It seemed the stomach growl was a dinner bell for everyone to feast on whatever got scared and didn’t get away. Fights, snarls and murder was all too common as they flew. It was just as described. Just as it was beautiful, so it was dangerous. Both go hand in hand. Competition was survival of the fittest.

  But as they flew, heads popped out windows, spread the canopy, rose out of water and popped up from underground as they detected an immense power on the move to see Ethan and his beautiful companion with vibrant blue wings as marvelous as the lights in the sky. It was impossible not to go unnoticed with the magnitude he put off. It made flyers back way off. Bugs though exploded by the guards, sensing Spirit Energy, long before being a threat even though they were harmless to them. But to Ethan, he was glad to have come despite the brutality and primal nature of this realm. Here, no one would die just standing in his presence and now he’d never have need of a necklace. It felt good to be free.

  “Hey, Kanade, what do you think?”

  “Darlin’, you know exactly what I’m thinkin’.” She wrinkled her nose adorably and stuck out her tongue.

  “That I was geeking out calling the palace the Fortress of Solitude.”

  “Almost wet myself tryin’ not to laugh. If Baldr had let loose I would have been a gonner.” She giggled into her hand as she flapped her wings to keep up with his speed. “I knew you would have said it sooner or later. It even surprised me and I’ve read what it looks like. A picture couldn’t quite capture this palace’s majesty. I’m also surprised by how clean the air smells. I always imagined rotten eggs and swamp. It’s rather like an unpolluted Earth… only with more death and blood. I’m just glad Kyoko helped strengthen my stomach.” She peered down and behind upon the back of the Dragon to see her woman smiling right back.

  “I know what you mean. The air… I don’t know… is calming. Like a home my body longed for.” He swooped around to fly upside down for a few moments to stare into the strange new sky.

  “Darlin’, with everythin’ we’ve gone through I’d change not a thing. I’m uncomfortable, but I’m also oddly calm. It isn’t shock. More like all my life I’ve been fed lies. Always the horrors and backstabbin’ lies of Demon World… But now…”

  “It’s the other side of that coin.” He finished when she couldn’t figure out how to say it. “No need to think they’re lying through their teeth if they come right out and say they’re going to kill you.”

  “Exactly. No pussyfootin’.”

  Miles were eaten up in no time at all heading to the palace. An opening over ten miles high showed turned out to be an arched diamond portcullis that was closed tight with a lowered wooden drawbridge which had armored guards stationed at either end of the bridge as well as a small welcoming party that didn’t appear all that inviting. Ten gigantic and armored male Titans stood at the back, the armor was crimson painted steel mimicking their allegiance to fire. Two great swords over a hundred feet long crossed their massive backs along with another at each hip. One sword per hand, but a massive shield ten stories tall rested on the ground, held upright by their two lower arms. In front of them were fifteen red or brown Dragons. Lining the side were a mixture of Siren and Elvin archers. Kelpie and other terrifying moat monsters swam the river beneath the bridge to the palace. Two more male Balam with black coats stood naked before the Dragons, but those were the normal gate guards.

  The odd welcoming party front and center was what looked to be like five human Buddhist Monks, but were wearing white and blue combat robes. They looked like bald human men in their twenties or thirties, but were all between fifteen to sixteen feet tall and carried obsidian quarterstaffs.

  Apparently their presence wasn’t kind or calming as the road was cobbled yet the crowd steered very far away in a thick line wanting access to the palace and not even attempting to talk these five men into letting them pass. The thick crowd stayed deathly quiet and still.

  It only grew more when Ethan and Kanade landed before them. As soon as they tucked their wings in Kanade’s five new and permanent guards surrounded her with impassive expressions and the General appeared between Ethan and the monks. Blake, Reevy, Vitalli and Ellen managed to bypass the waiting crowd and stopped behind them without remotely breathing hard after sixty miles of running. The Dragon also landed further back and unloaded the precious cargo before getting the hell out of dodge as soon as the leader of all Balam said “I am General Panther and I order you to explain the reason you block access to the Master’s heir, Seer Monks.”

  Mentally Kanade cursed while assuming her dignified stature. “Ethan, those are fuckin’ Seers! Think of ‘em as the demon equivalent of Fate. They catch glimpses of the future and serve as the Fire King’s advisors and only him. This is not good… they don’t look happy.”

  “Should I give them a laxative? They look rather constipated to me.”

  Then the five monks answered together in one voice. It was like their minds were one, but used separate bodies. “The king demands the first test begin now. We will kill him if he fails to defeat us to gain access.”

  An instant later five bright silver Drones hovered in front of their surprised faces. The spheres looked like heatless orbs as large as their heads and would instantly turn whatever their target was to ash. Only Dragons or other flame harnessing creatures had resistance, but the amount of power contained in the five Drones were galactic destroyers. Literally each could vaporize whole galaxies. Ethan smugly dug his pinky finger in his ear and said “Didn’t quite catch that… What were you saying about an eating contest. If you Seers were any good you’d know I’m quite hungry after squeezing over to Demon World. Care for a little light? If you don’t have food, particularly Cultivated Humans…” He slowly took a breath to taunt. “I don’t see what good Seers are if they can’t see that. So get out of my way or I’ll eat you since I don’t want to listen to babble anymore.”

  Ethan knew they were fishing for weakness and listened to Panther’s advice. No one may challenge the king or heir and live. And Kanade explained one touch from those obsidian staffs was a death sentence to all but Balam. The Seer Monks were masters in physical combat and killed by touch. The staffs were the manifestation and extension of their lethal ability. They saw ones death. Ethan just displayed he was not a pushover. The power in each Drone proved it. Each fireball would kill with but a simple thought and their staffs were useless. Drones
passed through physical things and destroyed energy. In other words, the Seers were at Ethan’s complete mercy.

  Their worried expressions switched to humble rather than angry and together said “Enter, Fire Prince. Your meal awaits your choosing.” They bowed and stepped aside to raise an arm towards the drawbridge.

  The ground shook as the Titan guards and Dragons moved to either side and stand at rigid attention.

  Without looking back Ethan walked forward with Panther on his right and slightly behind both Kanade and Kyoko followed, surrounded by the Six with the remainder of his team following right along. In the privacy of the mind Kyoko proudly congratulated him while Kanade sighed again and again by how worried for nothing she was. Panther walked with his hands folded behind and at his lower back, but Ethan knew he was quite proud of the way he had handled himself in public. The drones flew back into Ethan and he absorbed the energy though it didn’t amount to much.

  Next the portcullis began to rise to about a mile up, cranked by several Titans till locked in place. Last to follow were the five Seer Monks, not only speaking of one mind, but also walking. Their clothes even seemed to ripple in the same way. In silence they walked, following the Ifrit as if he belonged and owned the palace. Kanade walked hands still clasped, her high heels clicking on the smooth surface of the metal hard wooden bridge. But further back, petitioners and businessmen of Demon World who had lined up began moving under the watchful eye of the guards.

  Ethan found out not only was the walls of the palace made of pure diamond, but so was everything inside. Floors, stairs and everything in between. Rushing water from the clouds ran throughout the inside as well and made fountains spray beautifully. Grand artistry in the form of sculptures randomly dotted the spacious hall, many out of a type of white marble Ethan couldn’t believe anything could be so pure. Some sculptures were gruesome, like a Goblin’s intestines being slurped like spaghetti by an Incubus. Some were raunchy and depicted wild sex, straight and homosexual of both sexes. Some were of battle scenes frozen in time. Others of creatures Ethan’s mind had yet discover or was otherwise extinct.