Determination (24 page)

“That’s it,” Nero said approvingly.

Roxie focused on two gods wrestling with each other. While they were physically fighting, there was a mental battle going on as well. They were urging each other to give up and give in to what the other wanted. Roxie wanted to step in and break up the fight but stopped herself, remembering that this was just a reenactment. She gripped the hilt of her sword.

“You’ve got it,” Nero said.

“I don’t get it,” Daio said. “What else is there?”

“You cannot perceive the will of a god without Frava, Daio. The battle you see is not just a physical struggle; a battle of wills unfolds as well. Frava allows an Aigis to sense a god’s will, along with fight it. Without such power, we’d be crushed like any other mortal. Now, be fairly warned that you can’t mask your will any more than a god can from you. Your fight with Nexus will be physical
and
mental, but the battle of wills is far more important and demanding. Now, watch how the fight shifts when you add Aigis to the mix.”

A hundred Aigis, all dressed and looking like Nero, appeared on the fringe of the warring. Their eyes were glowing white and their pale bodies outlined in a mist. The gods paused in their fighting.

“By the way, the Aigis are protected from the cold and lack of air by Olod. We’re resistant to temperature extremes, but the cold of deep space is beyond our tolerance, and we need air or other gasses to stay alive. Not all mortals breathe oxygen.”

Roxie nodded. She could feel the Aigis’s contempt for the gods’ behavior. They had come with the intention of ending the warring. The gods sensed this as well and wore amused smiles.

One Aigis floated closer to the gods and spoke telepathically in Nero’s voice. ‘
Stop warring now. We will kill all who refuse.
’

“That’s you!” Roxie said in disbelief.

“Told you I was old,” he said lightly.

‘
We’re gods
,’ one said. ‘
We’re immortal. Nothing can kill us. We have designed ourselves to be so.
’

“Remember, Roxie,” the present Nero said, “no words were exchanged in this moment. This war took place before mortal language. We merely shared our intentions through thoughts. It’s a simpler way to communicate, yet it’s not how many mortals do anymore.”

The Nero from the reenactment said, ‘
We are Aigis. We have been given the power to kill you. You have been warned.
’

A couple dozen gods heeded the warning, breaking away from the fray by either vanishing or moving a healthy distance from those who stayed put. The Aigis took note of their number of opponents, then charged in and the fighting began anew.

It became an all-out fight of god versus Aigis. Gods who’d fought against each other teamed up without hesitation and numbers began falling on both sides. The gods who died condensed into spheres of energy, glowing like stars, and Aigis corpses floated through space in the direction of the death blow had propelled them. The sight of so much death saddened Roxie, but she understood the gods had given the Aigis no alternative.

“See how fearful and cautious gods grow when they realize they’re not invulnerable?”

“I do.”

The gods who were still alive gaped at the energy spheres as more fell to lethal blows to the head or chest. Gods began fighting like they had their backs to a wall. Some threw up their arms in surrender, asking to be spared, to be given a chance to end the warring peacefully. Several Aigis rounded up and guarded the yielders while Nero and the rest fought on. More and more died on both sides, until the Aigis began outnumbering the gods. The last few gods surrendered, their wills broken and bodies limp but alive.

Roxie let go of her emotionally detached state and took a calming breath. It’d been hard to resist joining the fight after the Aigis stepped in. She’d wanted to help. Hunched-over corpses and glowing spheres of energy littered the space. “What happens to gods when they die?”

“Their energy is recycled back into the universe.” Nero waved a hand and the scene froze. “There is no finite death for mortal or divine. Only beginnings and endings, and then new beginnings. We all remain part of the universe in one form or another. It’s a constant state of change and growth. This doesn’t mean that death is meaningless. Quite the opposite. It means that life is all the more precious. When you die, Roxie, you’ll cease to be. However, your soul, your essence, your energy will remain a part of everything. It’s a magical thing.”

“It sounds like death isn’t as sad as we often make it out to be.” Still, it didn’t make losing Aerigo any less painful.

“It shouldn’t be but, psychologically, it may always be. Death is loss. You will never be exactly who you are again after you die, but you’ll still be you. Now tell me, what do you understand from watching that fight?”

Putting thoughts of death aside, Roxie filed through the reenactment, along with Nero’s commentary. “I think my fight with Nexus will be both mental and physical, but my physical actions will support my strength of will. If I can break his will, then I don’t have to kill him, but I have to go in with the resolve to kill him, or there’ll be no chance of him yielding. He’ll be convinced he can beat me and never give up. Aerigo was doing his best to kill him. That’s why Nexus was so afraid of him.”

“Very good. It’s almost a paradox. The stronger your resolve to kill a god, the less likely you’ll have to. Gods value their lives, their immortality, above all else. However, if Nexus is too consumed by what he wants from his prophecy, you’ll have to kill him. He may not back down.”

She nodded unhappily. “How exactly did you kill those gods? If they didn’t look like that, then how did you do it?”

“We willed them to die,” Nero said plainly, his pale face devoid of happiness. “It’s a battle of wills. Don’t forget that.”

“I won’t. I just wanted to make sure I understood what I saw.”

“You do,” he said with a nod. “And you have one other option: destroy Nexus’s icon.”

Roxie turned to Aerigo. “We protected Leviathan’s on Phaedra...”

He nodded.

Nero said, “You don’t have to be an Aigis to break a god’s icon.” He studied Aerigo. “Leviathan had a
very
close call. Since the obelisk supporting the icon was harmed and not the icon itself, you were able to save him and his icon.” He turned back to Roxie. “There is one last secret more closely guarded than the knowledge of Frava.” He looked at everyone. “Aigis can sense the location of a god’s icon. You just have to get close enough to it with Frava released and you’ll know what it is if you look for it.”

“How close do I have to get?”

“Within the average size of a populated planet. It sounds big but it’s not. The universe is endless. Go in for the kill, not the icon. I pass this secret on to you in the off-chance that the opportunity presents itself.” He waved a hand and the Aigis, gods, and cosmos vanish, the rocky plain and body of water returning, along with sunlight. “Now...” He crouched into a fighting stance, his eyes glowing white. Roxie felt his energy building like she was standing next to a growing bonfire. She backed up a step as Nero released Frava with a thunderous bang. His twenty-foot-tall frame became enveloped in white light before revealing himself clad in black, formfitting armor from neck to toe. He no longer wore the loincloth, but the flaps were still layered over pants that looked like something joggers wore during winter. He also wore gloves and boots and his eyes remained glowing. “Fight me.” He blocked out almost the entire sky as his towering frame came at her. He landed a blow to her face before she could tighten her grip on the hilt of her sword.

Chapter 17

Divine Pawn

“What are you doing here?” Nexus said to Vancor.

Baku was wondering the same thing. Vancor’s attention should’ve been on the war, not the three of them.

“I’ve come to aid you in your discussion,” the satyr said.

“I don’t need your help. Get out!”

“Oh, but you do. I overheard your struggle to think clearly. We don’t want you to abandon your prophecy so late in the course of things, now, do we?”

“Of course I’m not going to abandon it. Now get out and stop eavesdropping. This is a private family discussion.”

“Family? Am I not family after all these millennia?”

“You are my friend and mentor, Vancor. You have my utmost respect and admiration.”

Baku had a very heavy suspicion that Vancor was the one manipulating Nexus. It was all adding up. Why else would he eavesdrop and even butt in on their conversation? But if he
was
the manipulator, he was making it painfully obvious by showing up like this. What did he stand to lose if Nexus called off the prophecy? The final results? That couldn’t be it. Nexus had the most to gain from it all. Vancor wouldn’t lose any worlds because he’d sided with Nexus.

“Just friend and mentor? After all I’ve taught you about being a Creator, after all I’ve nurtured you. Nexus, you insult me.”

“I am his father,” Baku said flatly. “Not you.”

Vancor gave him a look of disgust. “His father? And where have you been all this time? Gloating over your creations and ignoring a goddess you don’t deserve.”

Baku sucked in a breath to retort but Kara stepped forward. “He didn’t gloat or ignore me. I was avoiding him in hopes that he and Nexus would fight less.”

To hear his wife come to his defense brought Baku so much joy. He was still absorbing the truth that she’d loved him all this time. However, Vancor’s company dampened his joy.

“So I was wrong,” Vancor said with a shrug. “I apologize. However, Kara, you’re too good for him. To lovely.” He reached for her like he was about to cup her face and she froze, eyes wide.

Nexus slapped his clawed hand away. “Don’t you dare touch her. You barge in on a private conversation, accuse me of wanting to abandon the prophecy I’ve worked so hard on, and then try to make on advance on my mother? I should ban you from my realm.”

“Ah, yes,” Vancor said, unperturbed. “Flaunt your control over the only thing you have in this universe. Go ahead.”

Nexus narrowed his eyes and said nothing.

“Any more empty threats?”

“Get out,” Nexus said in a deadly calm voice. When the satyr made no move to leave, he added, “Now.”

“No.”

Baku wanted to make his accusation, eager to keep Vancor around for questioning, but he didn’t want to upset Nexus’s desire to talk to him and Kara. On top of that, he lacked proof.

Kara touched Nexus’s shoulder. “Don’t banish him. We need answers.”

“Answers?” Nexus said, raising an eyebrow.

Baku stepped forward and steeled himself. Solid proof or not, there was no time collect any. “How long have you been manipulating our son?”

“I’m not his puppet,” Nexus said flatly. “What gives you that idea?”

“What indeed?” Vancor said.

“You were struggling to think straight,” Kara said, “just a moment ago.”

“It happens now and then. What of it?”

“Don’t you find those occurrences a bit odd? We were discussing your prophecy and you suddenly lost your train of thought. I find the timing more than coincidental.”

Baku said, “I also find Vancor’s intrusion suspicious.” He met the satyr’s haughty gaze. “Why are you so determined to see this prophecy through? You’re already a Creator. What have you got to lose?”

Vancor’s gaze shifted to Kara for a fraction of a second before returning to Baku. “I’m protecting my investment. I’ve worked very hard on it.”

“You selfish bastard!” Kara snapped. “Let him go!” She shoved him in the chest.

Catching his balance, Vancor smiled as he placed his hands over where Kara had touched him. “Temper, temper.”

Nexus said, “Why have you been making a fool out of me like this? And for how long?”

“There’s nothing you can do to force answers out of me.”

Baku said, “Nexus, call off the prophecy. It’s probably his doing anyway.”

Vancor’s smile waned almost imperceptibly as Nexus gave him an incredulous stare. “Are you insane? I’ve worked so hard on it. Harnessing the power of the Voice of Prophecy was my idea.”

“Who told you such power exists?”

“He did, of course. And he warned me of the risks of everything, and left it up to me to decide whether I wanted to go through with it.”

“Yet he made it too enticing to pass up, I suspect.”

Nexus opened his mouth but closed it again and thought a moment. “No. I refuse to believe the prophecy was his doing. I wanted to use it so I can become a Creator. You and Mother won’t bestow such power on me, so I had to find my own way to acquire it. The prophecy will give me what I’ve wanted for so long.”

“We would’ve made you a Creator if you’d proven yourself ready for such a responsibility,” Kara said.

“I
am
ready. What in all creation makes you believe I’m not?”

“Your behavior,” she said like the answer should’ve been obvious. “Now I’m glad we decided against it. For a while we wondered if giving you the power would help you mature and become a better person, but I’m certain Vancor’s meddling would’ve prevented that.” She glared at the satyr. “What are you after?”

Baku did
not
like the smile Vancor gave his wife. It made his insides squirm and his blood boil. He stepped between the two and puffed up his chest. “Stay away from my family.”

“Vancor, release your hold on me. This is beyond disrespectful.”

“Call off the prophecy,” Kara urged, touching her son’s arm.

“No, Mother. Not after all that hard work.”

“Good prophet,” Vancor said. “Your prophecy is the only way you’ll ever become a Creator. I have no intention of releasing my hold over you. My will is stronger than yours. I have you right where I want you.”

Kara stood beside Baku, her waist-length hair writhing like snakes. “Would you like to find out if your will is stronger than mine?”

“My dear goddess, I would never fight you. You’re much to beautiful and fragile.”

Bam
.

Vancor crashed into a wall and plopped to the ground in a heap. Kara stood in front of Baku with an outstretched fist. She straightened up and her hair stretched towards the satyr like it had been kicked up in a sudden wind. Her hair lengthened and wrapped around his body, forming a cocoon and leaving only his head exposed. She lifted him to her face. “Let. Him. Go.”

Eyes squinted shut, Vancor grit his teeth, baring his fangs, and tried flexing his arms. He made the hair bulge, grunting with the effort, but Kara bashed him against the stone floor.

“I’ll break your will if you don’t,” she said with such conviction that Baku backed up a few steps. Nexus glanced at him and backed up as well, standing at his side. They exchanged shocked glances.

“If you don’t mind me saying,” Baku said to Nexus, “I advise against interfering with your mother right now.”

“For once we are in accord.”

Vancor caught his breath and opened his eyes. “Do you think it wise to break my will? Think of my creations. They will suffer with a shattered god watching over them. Despair and chaos will run rampant.”

She bashed him again and he coughed, spitting up blood. “Your selfish meddling is affecting all worlds. This prophecy will create chaos for the entire mortal realm, and it’s all because of you.”

“Not true,” Vancor said in a strained voice. “Your son is responsible for that.”

“You’re the one who taught him!”

“Only because he wanted to learn. He urged me to teach him. He pestered me for a way around you two so he could become a Creator. I decided to be the good friend and surrogate father and tell him, tutor him. I even warned him that he risked his sanity if he failed, yet he plowed forward and has succeeded. Am I so evil for helping him get what he wants?”

“If helping him is all you wanted, then why manipulate him?” She squeezed him and he grunted, then fell silent, face red with strain. Kara lifted him into the air and bashed him a third time. “Answer me!”

Baku tentatively stepped forward. “Kara.” She looked at him, eyes full of wrath that softened a little when she met his gaze. “I believe I know. I saw it in his eyes when you asked him what he’s after.”

Her gaze snapped to the satyr. “That look made my skin crawl.”

Baku stood over Vancor. “You covet my wife.”

Vancor gave him a baleful look full of pain.

Gasping, Kara let go and backed away, hugging herself as her hair shortened to waist length. Baku pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head, which smelled like the flowers that grew on her realm.

“Is it true?” Nexus said. “Of course it is.” He looked at his hands. “That would explain all the times I--” He charged Vancor and punched him in the face. “You!” He punched the satyr again.

Kara leaned against Baku. “Nexus, call off your prophecy. Now.”

Nexus paused in his assault. “Only if you’ll make me a Creator.”

She shook her head. “Not until he removes his hold over you, and you prove ready for such responsibility.” Their son glared at them with a mix of hate and hurt.

“We have reached an impasse,” Vancor said.

“Not if I break your will,” Kara said, straightening up. Baku let her go.

“Allow me, Mother.” Nexus cracked his knuckles. “This day was supposed to be the happiest of my life. Now it’s turned out to be the most vexing.”

Kara put a hand on his shoulder. “No. You’ll lose while he still controls you. Just stay back.”

As much as Baku wanted to fight in his wife’s stead, he felt it wiser to let her have her way. She had to have a lot of pent-up frustration and anger.

Vancor pushed to his feet and wiped the blood from his face.

Kara stood before him, the top of her head barely reaching his sternum, and glared at him, unintimidated. “I give you one last chance to peacefully let my son go.”

“I refuse to harm you,” Vancor said tenderly, “hence why I never tried to manipulate you. You’re too lovely a creature for the likes of the mate you’ve chosen.”

“Please tell me you’re not stupid enough to believe I’d ever look your way after all you’ve done.”

“I did it out of love from afar.”

“You’re despicable.”

“Not even gods can control who we fall in love with. Have pity on me.”

It was true, gods were at the mercy of their emotions, just like mortals. Before the War of Creationism, all gods had loved each other equally and unconditionally, but as they grew more individualized and unique, pairings cropped up, along with polygamous relationships. Now monogamy was predominant, along with fleeting relationships, but to meddle like Vancor had? It wasn’t unheard of, but it was looked down upon. He should’ve known better and accepted Kara’s monogamous relationship with Baku. Did Baku pity Vancor? A little, but only a little.

“You should’ve better controlled yourself,” Kara said, eyes narrowed.

“What’s done is done,” Vancor said, “all in the name of love.”

“I’ll never be yours.”

With a bow fit for a ballroom, the satyr vanished.

Nexus made a strangled noise. “No!” He charged the spot where Vancor had been and swiped at it. “We need answers out of him.”

Frowning, Kara shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Nexus, you’re the one who’s spent the most time with him. Maybe you haven’t put two and two together yet.”

“He never divulged his wants regarding you and I never suspected them. How could I possibly guess any other ulterior motives? And now all my memories of him complimenting and admiring you make me furious.”

“What’s the whole point of the prophecy? Just to make you a Creator?”

“Of course not. That’s just step one. I wouldn’t have been able to persuade so many gods to side with me if there wasn’t something in it for them.”

“So what’s in it for them?” Kara sounded like she didn’t want the answer.

Nexus looked at Baku. “It really shouldn’t be that hard to guess, especially for you, Father, since you’re a Creator.”

With that morsel of a clue, Baku still had no idea what the answer could be.

“Think about the War of Creationism. It was before all our time but we’ve all heard the story. What did the gods fight over?”

“The laws that should govern the mortal realm,” Baku said. “Is that what this is all about?” He felt the color drain from his face.

“You got it. Many want another go at weaving the fabric of reality. Don’t you ever wish you could change some of the laws, or at least bend them?”

“Of course. But the ones put in place were deemed the best course of action, even though they sometimes cause pain.”