Chapter 29
An hour later found us sitting in a very luxurious room, in the palace. Shaitan was sitting to my left, my wife to my right. One of the two Ancients that had been at the meeting on the battle field, was seated next to Morning Star, who commanded the room with his very presence.
I kept a close eye on my wife. I was worried about her for two reasons. One was that damned oracle crap she had gone through, and the other was that Morning Star was a very beautiful and magnetic entity.
I gritted my teeth, and tried not to think what I would love to do with him. There was that aspect of sexuality I had never explored, nor ever wanted to, before. I wondered how the Ancient was handling that, or if he even got that same feelings radiating from Morning Star that I did. I knew my wife did!
I could see her stare at him, and lick her lips, unconsciously. I clamped down on my jealousy. It was not my wife's fault. I knew that. Still, I was upset with her reaction.
"... and then we will be in a position to cause my brothers and sisters to come to the bargaining table. They need to hear what the oracle has said," the Ancient was saying.
I shook my head. "I still find it disturbing that my wife is playing such a pivotal role here. Why is it that only she can go to this meeting, and deliver the message? You heard it, why can't you speak to this council of yours?" I asked reasonably.
"Because I would be suspect. You wife, however, still carries the... imprint, call it... of the oracle. They all can see that for themselves; and by seeing, will know she speaks the truth. I promise you, she will be safe, but she must come with me to my world and give the message.
"I am sorry, but you cannot come with us, Paul. You have been to our world already, and have served your function. Also, you are a very deadly fighter, and there is resentment against you. While you have not exactly killed any of us; you have damaged them so severely that they will be months, if not years, recovering," the Ancient was saying, in what seemed a reasonable tone of voice.
"We are agreed then? Mariel will accompany the Ancient through their portal and a truce will be in place until her return," Morning Star said with a beautiful voice.
I so wanted to please him and say yes, but my mouth said no. Everyone turned to look at me.
"Before we do this, I want to talk to my wife in private. I am sorry, but I really need to do this," I said petulantly.
I stood up, and held out my hand to my wife. I didn't give them a chance to say 'no'. I bowed to Morning Star, and nodded to the rest. We left the chamber, and walked the short distance to the rooms that had been assigned to us.
After we went in and shut the door, I cast several spells to insure our privacy. Finally, I turned to my wife.
"You're not seriously thinking of going with the Ancient, are you?" I asked worriedly.
"I have to. I feel I have to go. Paul, this is bigger than us. It is like... preordained, or something. I am having a hard time finding words to describe what I am feeling. It just seems right that I do this," Mariel said with an intent look.
I nodded slowly. But I also got an idea that struck me like lightning! It was perfect! Mariel must have seen by the look on my face, and asked me what I was thinking. I just shook my head, but I could hardly contain my excitement.
We talked for a few minutes more, but nothing new was resolved. I felt better, though, having come up with a 'plan B'. I just had to make sure neither my wife nor the others found out about it.
We returned to the others, and while I was not pleased she was going, I was pleased with my back-up plan. I told the assembled personages that I would let her go by herself. You could feel the tension go out of everyone. I hadn't realized that they had been that worried by me.
"You have done the right thing, Paul. The Ancient guaranties her safety. It is unheard of for an Ancient to have broken their word," Morning Star said in a soft voice.
I nodded, not trusting myself to say anything. I let a sour expression flash across my face, convincing them I was reluctant to let my wife go. I didn't have to act too much, at that.
The next morning, I was with my wife, saying goodbye to her at the Ancient's gate. Well, it was theirs since they controlled it. I watched as my wife went through the gate, and I sighed heavily.
"Come. Now we wait," Shaitan said to me.
Shaitan gripped my arm, and teleported us back to the palace. There was no battle, today. Both sides had agreed to keep the field clear, so there would be no mistakes made by over-zealous troops.
Now was the part I hated. I waited, while my wife was out of my direct contact and help. If something happened, we would not know about it until afterwards. Shaitan got a couple glasses and poured a very fine wine.
"Let us drink to the success of this mission. With a large enough faction of Ancients on our side, it is possible this war will come to an end," Shaitan said almost gleefully.
I took a gulp of my wine, and it was good. Still, I wanted to knock the grin off Shaitan's face. Unfortunately, it would likely get me seriously hurt, or killed. Shaitan was a very very powerful demon!
So we drank. I drank until the wine got a very sweet taste to it. From experience, I knew that to be a sure sign that if I continued to drink, I would throw up. I told Shaitan I was going to get something to eat. He waved me to sit down, and called for a servant. The servant then brought us platters of food.
I forced myself to be patient. But as the day wore on, and my wife still did not return, I started to worry. Passing on a prophecy should not take this long. I mean, how long does it take to repeat some words and have someone, or a few someones, check to see that she is telling the truth.
I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach as the day came to a close, without my wife returning. I started to give Shaitan and others dirty looks. Shaitan would send for a servant, ask him something, and get a negative. I think Shaitan was worried, too.
The next morning I knew things had gone wrong. I was in a foul mood, and even the demons were careful around me. Morning Star was avoiding me, and Shaitan was nowhere to be found. I almost took the head off of the servant who asked me to follow him.
I was led into a room I had never been in before. Morning Star was there, as was an Ancient. The Ancient was not in very good condition, as morning Star seemed to be over seeing a bit of torture.
"Paul. It is my sorrow to report to you that the Ancients have decided to keep Mariel a hostage for your good behavior. They wish you to withdraw from this conflict, and they will return your wife to you when they have accomplished their aims.
"Since this will not happen, I thought to tell you in advance that I plan on not honoring any more deals with these Ancients. As you can see, I captured this one after he delivered the message of betrayal," Morning Star said with a hiss to his voice that was horrible to hear.
"Thank you, but you do not speak for me. I have my own contingency plan for something like this. I will return to my room now, and prepare," I said, spinning on my heel, and leaving.
Thinking on it, it was not the best idea to turn my back and walk out on Morning Star! Still, I did have a plan, and it was very workable. I was almost eager to get to it! I didn't need the gate, I didn't need an escort of Ancients to get to my wife. I had something better.
I had her pocket universe opening. I could enter the pocket universe through my opening, and exit to where ever she was, through hers.
I collected my cloak, and checked the spells that I had hanging. I heard a pounding on my door.
"Paul? Morning Star thinks we should talk. I know you are angry..." that's as far as Shaitan got. I concentrated and walked into the pocket universe. My staff, fully charged and fairly crackling with power, was standing in the middle of the room.
I grabbed it. I felt my contact with chaos, and I pulled hard on it. I sank myself into the river of power that flowed into, through, and around me from it. I laughed at the feeling of it. I felt ready to take on the Gods themselves!
When I exited from my wife's opening, I intended to be ready! Gripping my staff tightly in my left hand, I felt for, and found my wife's access to this universe. I stepped out through it, ready for anything.
There was my wife, frozen with the same sort of spell that had been used on me, not so long ago. No Ancients were around. I looked carefully at the spell, and broke it. I caught my wife as she fell.
"Paul!" she gasped at me.
"It's ok, Mariel. I have you. I want you to go into the pocket universe, I will join you shortly. Don't argue! Just do this for me, now!" I said in a forceful tone of voice.
She looked at me, with fear in her eyes. She knew I was going to do something, but didn't know what it was. She nodded, gave me a quick kiss, and vanished as she entered the pocket universe. I sighed with relief.
I went out the door and turned right. I don't know how I knew, but I new what I wanted and where to go. I didn't question it. I felt this must be similar to what my wife felt. I felt the rightness of this.
I found what I wanted, shortly. I had turned myself invisible, during my walk to this place. I loitered at the door, totally at ease, and waited for it to open. When it did, I went in as others came out.
The chamber was huge. It was filled with thousands of Ancients. I felt something bubbling up inside me, something dark and horrible! I feared it, and shrank from it, even as I welcomed it! It was something with which the God of Death had gifted me. He had told me I would know when to use it. Well, now was 'when'.
I reached over and touched an Ancient.
"Arkvon says die," I told him.
The power rushed out of me, and into him. It also expanded, and started filling the hall. It was the dark deadly cloud of death. I didn't stick around to see what happened. I KNEW what was happening. Death had come to the immortal Ancients, and while they might not die right away, they were no longer immortal. I had just contaminated the immortals with death!
I stepped back through my opening into the pocket universe. I was shaking badly. I felt like I had carried a great weight, and it was finally gone. I was sweating and gasping from what I had done. Mariel lunged towards me, and wrapped her arms around me when I arrived.
"Paul! What's the matter? What's happened? What did you do? Are you all right?" the litany of questions rolled on.
"I'm fine," I gasped out. "I just did something that I doubt a human has ever done before. I just wielded the power of a God, and it was terrible," I said with a shudder.
Mariel continued to hold me as I shuddered and sobbed. That darkness that had been in me, was out, finally. I had not realized how it had been affecting me. It was as though a storm had been inside of me. Now that it was gone, sunshine filled me. The sad part was, I had never realized what had been happening to me.
Edited by TeNderLoin
