A Warrior's Perception (49 page)

Demon snorted and a trail of smoke burned Kagan's eyes,
“
I am son of Pegasus and Deylia. I am Demon of Vacrey Isle and I was born to carry you to the shores of your destiny.
”

“
My destiny was taken from me. She is beyond my reach now,
”
Kagan whispered.
“
I lost her to ye bloody isle.
”

“
Do you think she would want to see you broken and lamed with grief? Or,
”
Demon flicked his ears,
“
do you think she would prefer her proud warrior?
”

Kagan stood and leaned onto his sword,
“
She wanted to go home. She did'na want to stay with me.
”

Demon pounded his hoof onto the ground and fought the urge to put Kagan on his arse,
“
She would have died! Thank Fae that Crimm saved her from your foolishness! Thank Dagma that he did not let you interfere.
”

Kagan's back stiffened as the truth rolled off of Demon's tongue. His heart tightened and his head ached. His eyes lifted to the heavens and rage filled his heart. He roamed the sky for answers, for sanity, for strength. He screamed in bitter outrage as the sky off
ered no remorse for his plight.

His voice split the sky open,
“
How could ye take her? I served ye with absolute conviction! Why can I na ha'e the one thing I desire most? What kind of god are ye? Or are ye a god at all?
”

The sky rumbled and the stars disappeared behind giant black clouds that cracked and boomed. Kagan's shoulders squared and his face twisted in anger as lightnin
g crashed down before his feet.

“
Face me Dagma! Come on! Dare to stand 'fore me as a man?
”

A single ray of brilliant light poured down to the ground before Kagan, It glittered with flakes of gold and dusted the ground with dark smoke. Kagan clutched his sword as the smoke whirled and formed an image of a tall broad shouldered warrior. The god's face cleared and Dagma stepped out of the smoke and stared back into his own ey
es.

Kagan's tongue swelled as he looked upon the god he had worshiped all of his life. Here he stood before the God of Steel and his gaze locked with the god. Grey eyes scorched his own as Kagan stood his ground. He would not back down, he would not bow before Dagma, and he would die an honorable
death at the hands of his god.

Dagma stared hard at his grandson. He was by all rights, a very proud granddad. Kagan had grown and developed into a powerful warrior with a strong heart. His fist and sword was only equaled by one man, his other grandson. Dagma couldn't help but see himself in Kagan's eyes. They shared the same stance, the same hair, the same eyes, and the
same defiant demanding nature.

“
Do not disgrace me boy! This war is not yet over. My blood runs through your veins and no grandson of mine will wallow in
self-pity
!
”

Kagan clutched the crest on his breast as it blazed with intense heat. The god's words were booming in his mind as he tried to comprehend the language. He raised his sword and winced as the pain in his temples vibrated his body. Dagma effortlessly knocked the blade to the ground and splayed his hand across the crest. The crest of McKregan glowed and Kagan leaned on the hand that now clutched his soul. Dagma's thoughts ran freely through K
agan's mind and the pain eased.

No words were spoken as the two shared their hearts and minds with one another. Kagan fell to his knees as the truth of his birth released his anger and his heart accepted Dagma's well thought out plan. Dagma's blood ran through his veins like liquid fire and consumed every inch of his body. The innate yearning and fierce need to be free of mankind's bindings coursed through his instincts. His
well-trained
restraint and unfaltering loyalty to man shattered as his true
destiny was revealed to him.

Destiny! If he could have managed to laugh at this point, it would have been a long deep laugh. The Fates had been angered when Dagma had changed the course they had so painstakingly planned for the future of mankind. The God of Earth had not been willing to let his creation be destroyed by the goddess sisters of space and time that so eagerly mettles with the affairs of men. Dagma had out witted them when he had planted his seed on earth with Kagan's mother. Mettle with man they could, mettle with gods they could, but there was some hope with Fae's offspring. Fae! Fae
was once a part of the Fates.

She was the fourth of the sisters. And she had fallen in love with Dagma and left the other three sisters to go to his side. They had plotted against her and doomed their love. They had ordained that Fae was to be banished to Vacrey Isle and her powers sealed to the lake that fed the isle with energy. She could take her true form but once every one hundred years and only when the moon disappeared complete
ly from the sight of Valhalla.

She had taken a single strand of hair and a tear drop and placed it in the womb of a woman from earth. And from that moment, the fae had begun. The woman had birthed the first of the fae, Ell'andra's great-great grandmother. Fae had bided her time and energy into siring a woman strong and defiant enough to be her successor. Andra's trials were hard and heavy set with perils, but she had prevailed and Fae had accepte
d her as the rightful heiress.

Kagan was born to be Dagma's successor. Part man, part god, and all warrior! His birth swirled in his mind as his grandfather's thoughts pressed deeper into his subconscious. The crest of McKregan, his birthmark, lay upon his chest as he emerged from Dama's womb. He was the first
born of man and god. What of Darten?

“
Darten is as you are, part man and part god. His life is to be lived on earth, in Doilshire, with his fae wife. His destiny is clear and is a much needed part of my plan. The Fates
cannot
interfere with a race that will have the traces of a god and a goddess running through their veins!
”

Dagma's words were as crisp and clear to Kagan as the air around him. His voice no longer split into Kagan's head like an axe and Kagan welcomed his deep oddly familiar voice. Familiar, yes, and yet it seemed not old and cracked enough. He now could understand the language of his ancestor and his new found tongue eagerly wanted to speak. Kagan tried to voice his questions b
ut was stilled by Dagma's hand.

“
I created your mother from a drop of my blood and the lightning that carries my energy. I had to create a goddess and a woman all rolled into one to get you and in doing so I created my path to diverge away from the throne of Valhalla. The Fates have some power over the throne and it will be your greatest test to overcome their mettlesome behaviors. It is my great grandchild that they will not be able to mettle with. In his blood is mine and Fae's power and once he is awakened the Fates will not mettle with man or fae.
”

Kagan struggled to remain standing and slowly found his voice,
“
My son? Heir to the throne of Valhalla? What makes you think he will not be controlled or mettled with?
”

“
He will have their power as well as mine! They will not dare to defy the powers he will possess.
”

Dagma released his hold and stepped back as Kagan regained his strength,
“
Are you prepared to accept the rest of the power I am giving you?
”

Kagan stood firm as the sword of McKregan, the sword of Dagma, lifted off of the ground and sailed through the air to hover between the two mighty mountainous gods. His answer was a mere roguish smile as he grasped the sword's blade. Dagm
a grinned and grasped the hilt.

“
My power has always been with you, hanging at your side, waiting...
”

Kagan laughed,
“
Seems you also have always been by my side...Tom!
”

The hearty laughter split the sky as Dagma's power sped down the hilt and slammed into Kagan's palm. He welcomed the godly energy and seemed as if his soul had finally found part of what it had been seeking all his life. He was man, he was god, and he was all warrior! There was but one other thing that he neede
d and wanted. Ell'andra Duncan!

The great sword fell to Kagan's feet, deformed and melted. Dagma's form whisked away in a soft gray smoke and ascended back to the heavens. His deep laughter slowly disappeared
as the clouds parted
to reveal the clear star filled sky. And standing on earth, Dagma left a god, Kagan God
of Steel, to find his destiny.

Kagan marveled at his new found knowledge of the universe and profound immortal vitality. His molten silver eyes gleamed as his roguish smile spread across his handsome lips. He stretched his arms and turned to Demon, who s
norted and stretched his wings.

“
Well? What are you waiting for? She waits on the shore of Vacrey.
”

Kagan's form swirled in gray smoke as it slid onto Demon's back.
“
She has always been mine. We ride to my destiny and my heart's only desire!
”

Demon rose into the air and chuckled,
“
The battle is not yet over! She is a strong minded defiant fae and your arrogance will not win you any favor in her eyes!
”

“
She is mine and will succumb to me.
”

Demon snorted and fire flew from his nostrils,
“
Does everything have to be a battle with you? Just tell her you love her and she will fall to your feet!
”

“
First she must love me! Then she must accept that she belongs to me!
”

Demon shook his head and rolled his eyes. The war was not over and he hoped for Kagan's sake that his arrogance would shatter.

The Fates, mettlesome old creatures that they were, watched as Kagan flew to Vacrey Isle to embrace his destiny. They listened as Flaron and Keyra renewed their vows of love and swore to protect and watch over the young couple that now ruled Doilshire. They sighed as Fae and Dagma left Valhalla hand in hand. They laughed as Haggart, better known as father Time, returned to their side and joined them in their spying. They applauded as Andra gave Jahfar the gift of demi-god and title of Death. They cried in happiness as the babe in Andra's womb stretched and embraced the first
combined taste of fae and god.

All had gone as they had planned. There was only one thing that remained to be settled. They frowned knowing that this one decision was not one that they could mettle with. It was a battle of hearts and true love. The one law that even they could not break. Their trials had been many and difficult. They could only hope that it went as they wanted and as they knew only too well, Time was the only one who knew for certain
what the outcome would be. And h
e was not inclined to
discuss the outcome, although h
e was inclined to spy.