Episode II — The Sah’s Pyramid

Chapter 5: Gebmar’s Oath 

Tyrone, in his werewolf form, stands exhausted before the ballroom door. His werewolf and vampire officials lie drained beside him, their energy spent. Perseus and the High Council watch impatiently, while Michael’s parents and grandmother look on with concern. Tyrone’s claws sparkle and transform into solid crystals and he makes a final attempt to break down the door, but it remains unmarked.

“I’m sorry, Dad, but the magic protecting this door is too strong,” Tyrone admits, taking a deep breath.

“Move aside, you hound. I shall take care of this!” Perseus commands, pushing Tyrone away and unleashing an asteroid shower attack on the door. The protective barrier absorbs the attack without a scratch.

“Not a single mark! What kind of magic is this?!” a member of the High Council exclaims.

“Nyx’s magic,” Perseus responds, his anger barely contained. He turns to his son and lowers his voice. “Take your best scouts and search the area where we saw that quasar!”

Tyrone nods submissively and signals two scouts to accompany him. They promptly leave. Suddenly, the magic surrounding the door dissipates, and it begins to open. The Archmage and the guests turn their attention to the opening door that reveals nothing but darkness within the ballroom.

“He passed the test!” Nyx emerges from the darkness in a celebratory mood, followed by Michael, still drowsy and confused. He is immediately surrounded by everyone, celebrating his achievement. Giving them a shy smile, he almost collapses, but someone rushes to place a chair behind him so he can rest.

“Is he all right?” Julie asks Nyx, concerned.

“He’s just tired from the test, that’s all,” Nyx replies casually.

Ember and Gebmar emerge from the ballroom as well, but amidst the celebration for Michael, they go unnoticed. Ember yawns, expressing her exhaustion, and heads off to her room without anyone noticing. Gebmar watches with sadness as the crowd overwhelms the exhausted mage. He approaches to help Michael, but is intercepted by Nyx.

She leans in and whispers, “I know you want to protect him, but please, not this time. We need to talk. Let’s go to the garden in the backyard so we can speak without any unwanted attention.”

Reluctantly, Gebmar nods and moves to follow her. But as they head for the exit, the Archmage steps into their path.

“May I inquire where you two are going in such a rush?” Perseus asks in a low voice, suspicion lingering in his eyes.

The devas say nothing, staring down at the Archmage in defiance.

“That powerful quasar I saw outside. That was Michael, wasn’t it?” Perseus insists firmly.

“It was just thunder, Perseus. Chill,” Nyx says dismissively as she shoves past him. She strides outside, Gebmar following close behind. He pulls the door shut in Perseus’s face.

The Archmage rolls his eyes, forcing himself to swallow his anger. Then he turns back to the crowd, his expression smoothing into a practiced smile.

“Now, why don’t we all go and celebrate? Drinks are on me!” Perseus announces, and the hall erupts in cheers.

As the crowd leaves, Perseus stays behind, observing Michael intently.

“What’s the true nature of your power, Mike? That wasn’t a normal quasar,” he murmurs to himself while he watches the devas slipping into the garden maze behind the mansion. And those two know the answer. I’ll find it one way or another!

***

Deep within the mansion’s sprawling floral maze, the devas are embroiled in a heated discussion.

Gebmar sits on the ground, his four arms crossed. “You’re asking too much from me. This isn’t right or fair. I can’t do that to him, or myself. Find someone else for this job!”

“The Deities chose you for a reason,” says Nyx in a firm tone. “You can’t defy their will. Besides, you knew Aethryon better than anyone, and you swore to protect him, no matter what.”

“Couldn’t the Deities have revealed their whereabouts to you instead? It’s been nothing but disarray back home since all six Deities’ disappearance, and fucking Khronos proclaiming himself the ‘interim ruler’ of the Elemental Kingdom in their absence,” Gebmar retorts, his voice rising in anger.

“No, they didn’t say anything about their whereabouts,” says Nyx, feeling a little aggravated. “And don’t change the subject; let’s focus on Aethryon!”

“They should have at least given me a heads-up that Aethryon had been reborn as a human! I waited so long for his return; it’s been so difficult for me without him,” Gebmar shouts. “Now that he’s a mortal, do I have to wait for his passing for things to go back to normal? Gosh, now I feel like the worst for just saying that!”

“If they’re letting Aethryon return as a human, there must be a good reason. An important mission he needs to fulfill. Let’s just stick to the plan,” explains Nyx, but Gebmar interrupts her, his voice tinged with frustration.

“You don’t get it. I wasn’t ready for any of this!” Gebmar holds his pendant close, his heart heavy. “Why can’t I just tell him everything? It would make things so much easier for both of us.”

“He’s not prepared to handle the truth yet, nor such power. Imagine if the Fae, Khronos, or Perseus catch wind of it? We need to keep his powers dormant until we’re certain he’s safe enough that we can help him recover his memories and master the enormous power that resides in him. Only then can he fulfill whatever mission awaits him on Earth!” says Nyx.

“The longer we keep him in the dark, the harder it will be to control the situation,” Gebmar warns, his eyes fixed on the night sky, avoiding Nyx’s gaze.

“I’ll do my best to find a solution as soon as possible,” says Nyx.

“Just give me one good reason why I should agree to this,” Gebmar shouts.

“Because you love him, and you swore to the Deities you would always be there to protect him,” she replies.

Gebmar falls silent for a moment, then speaks, “Yes, I do love him, but . . . I also failed him. He wouldn’t be in this mess if it wasn’t for me.”

Nyx approaches him, gently raising his face to meet her gaze. “Then see this as your second chance.”

Gebmar does not respond, silently nodding in agreement as Nyx opens the portal to the Elemental Kingdom.

“I’ll be back tomorrow to check on how things are proceeding,” says Nyx, before jumping into the portal.

As Gebmar walks back to the mansion, he talks to himself, feeling overwhelmed. “Easier said than done. What did I get myself into? So much to take in at once.”

He comes to a stop and gazes at the pendant.

“Aethryon, I hope this is over as soon as it begins. I wish for things to go back to the way they were before that dreadful day,” he whispers, as one of his tears falls on the pendant’s surface.

Thank you for reading Chaos’s Key.

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