by Sean Stone
He'd nearly ruined everything after killing the curator. It was stupid to be so impulsive but the man really had been tremendously rude. Luckily he'd stabbed him in the chest with a letter opener and not used any magic, so the case had been referred to the regular police. And they were as useless as a druid in a magic fight. Actually, that was harsh, druids could be useful if used correctly.
He still hadn't come up with a way to get Alistair into the sarcophagus. Even with the power from Laurent and Winters, he wouldn't be able to fight his old mentor. Maybe he could trick him somehow but he suspected the old man was too smart for that. One way or another he needed Alistair gone so he could go after Nickolas without any interference. The chances of being able to take Nickolas's power were horribly slim now. He was having to hurry his revenge as it was. If he could figure out what object Nickolas held his magic in then he could find a way to take it directly from the object without fighting Nick. But that was no easy feat. For now, he needed to focus on the Laurent family. He'd already conceived a plan. Now it was just a case of making sure it went accordingly.
First, he'd lure Elizabeth into a trap at the museum. Then he'd visit Genevieve at her home. He'd already phoned Elizabeth and asked her to meet him in the museum warehouse. Surprisingly she hadn't even asked why, she'd just agreed. Stupid girl.
Once at the museum he went straight to the warehouse and began purifying his athame with fire. It was after hours and the building was empty. If anybody had been remaining he would have killed them. He didn't like all the subterfuge that came with pretending to be Adam. It was far easier just to murder as he saw fit.
The door opened and he heard someone step into the warehouse.
"Adam?" a small timid voice called. He hated being Adam. Even the name was rubbish. It had no grandeur to it. Unlike Henry; the name of kings. Once he left town he'd revert back to being called Henry. Nobody would know Adam where he was going. Not that he knew where he was going yet. Somewhere far away. But there was still quite a bit to do before he could leave.
"Over here," he called back. Elizabeth was a rather feeble sorcerer. The girl was scared of her own shadow. Killing her would be no achievement. He was amazed some other warlock hadn't already killed her. Despite her pathetic demeanour, she had a lot of power. She rounded the corner and he smiled wide in greeting. "Elizabeth, good to see you again."
"Have you finally figured out what you're going to do about my mother?" she asked.
"I beg your pardon?" he said, completely lost as to what she was talking about.
"My mother. Have you found a way to break the link that binds us?" she clarified.
"You're bound together?" Interesting. If their magic was bound together then that made things so much simpler. Stealing power from one would take it from both automatically. Once Elizabeth was dead he would be able to kill a powerless Genevieve. Sometimes things came together so nicely.
"Yes, you know that," Elizabeth said. A look of confusion crossed her face.
"He does indeed. And I have explained to him why that link must remain intact. Unless he has found a way for you to control your powers without my aid," Genevieve said as she strolled towards them. He hadn't even heard her come in. Elizabeth looked at her with utter terror.
"Mum, I—"
"Not now, Elizabeth," Genevieve said, not taking her eyes off Henry.
"Genevieve," said Henry. He looked at her, trying to come up with a new plan on the spot. His mental faculties were failing him.
"Adam," she replied evenly. "What is you wish to discuss in this warehouse?"
"I wanted to show you something," he said. There was only one thing he could try. One way that he could get out of this. He would have to reveal the sarcophagus.
"Go ahead," Genevieve prompted.
Henry walked to the back of the room where he'd left the sarcophagus. He tucked his athame into his pocket. There was no way he was going to be able to sacrifice them now, it was too risky taking them both on. He moved his hand over the sarcophagus and his concealing spell vanished, revealing the ancient artefact to them. "The Horus Sarcophagus," he said with a flourish of his hand.
"This is what you wanted to show my daughter?"
"Yes."
"Alone in the warehouse?"
"Absolutely."
"Do you really expect me to believe you, Henry?" she said. It took him a while to register what he'd just heard, but once he had he realised that the game was up.
"Ooh, Genny, Genny, Genny. How did you figure it out?" he asked. No use pretending now.
"Agent Rasul's investigation linked the murders. Being the one who sent Adam up to your manor, it didn't take me long to realise what had happened. Your impression of Adam Kent is lacking."
"Where did I go wrong?" he asked, like a drama student looking for tips.
"You're just too ebullient. Adam is a rather plain man. And as frustrating as he can be, I'd like him back." Genevieve stepped in front of Elizabeth, shielding her. Preparing to attack.
"Not possible. I'm afraid Adam took a rather permanent leave of absence after he saw his family massacred. Even if I left this body he wouldn't come back. I haven't heard a glimmer of him since his sprog died," Henry said, flashing her a false apologetic look.
"Adam, if you can hear me you need to fight. We will help you but you need to help yourself," Genevieve said.
"You're wasting your breath, darling. He isn't here."
"I suppose it's all down to us then," Genevieve replied.
"Us? You expect her to help?" Henry said. Elizabeth was next to useless in a fight.
"We don't need her to." On Genevieve's cue, the rest of the coven came into view. They stepped out of their hiding places and formed a ring around Henry. After his killing spree, there were less than twenty left, but there was still only one of him.
"I'm getting a sense of de ja vu," Henry said and laughed. "Do you really want to fight me? I'm pretty powerful."
"You were defeated by nine sorcerers last time, Henry. And you're not half as powerful as you were then."
"Alright. Let's do this then." Henry stepped forward and bowed low as if he was stepping into a fighting ring. Nobody returned the sign of respect. "Rude," he muttered. Then he struck. One quick flash of magic sent one sorcerer spiralling into the distance. The others all came forward. None of them struck, though, instead they were chanting something. At first, Henry was confused, then he understood. It was a spell to pull him from Adam's body. He raised his hand to strike at them, but something hit him in the chest and knocked him over. He smelled burning. "Fuck!" he screamed as he realised his shirt was on fire. He patted the flames until they went out and then looked up to see Genevieve standing over him. The only one not chanting.
"You aren't going to win Henry. You should have just—" He cut her off with a blast of magic that sent her careening into the shelving unit behind her. The shelf, over twenty feet high, creaked loudly as it began to topple. Henry held out his hand, freezing it in place, then with sheer force of will he brought it back the other way. The chanting sorcerers noticed what he was doing and dove out of the way. One of them was too late and he got crushed under its weight. Then there was magic coming at him from all angles. Blasts hitting him in his abdomen, his legs, his face. He tried to shield, but there was just too much to defend against and they smashed his shield to pieces. All the while the chanting grew in volume and speed. The wind around him picked up and it sounded like the very elements were screaming at him too. He could feel something tugging at him, trying to tear him from his vessel. Then he remembered his athame. It was still prepared. He pulled it out and flung it at the nearest sorcerer. It found her chest easily enough and she fell down dead. Her power flowed into him, but it wasn't enough to counter their spell. He called the athame back and threw it again. Another one dead. Still not enough power. He was losing sensation in his legs. He really didn't want to find out what would happen if he had no body and was this far from home. He called the athame back. He threw it.
Elizabeth caught it in the air. Henry froze. She held his power in her hands. She threw it back at him, adding new power to it, speeding up its journey. He didn't have enough time to stop it.
"No!" Genevieve screamed. She shot it out of the air with her magic, just moments before it hit him. They didn't want to risk hurting Adam. They still thought they could save him. Cute.
"You should have let her stab me!" Henry shouted above the wind. He blasted Genevieve back off her feet. He called his athame back. He aimed. Then there was a scream but not from anyone in the warehouse. It was the wind. Henry felt the most abnormal sensation he had ever experienced. It was like somebody had sucked him up into a straw. Then he saw Adam flop to the ground as he was torn from his body. He tried to scream, but he no longer had a mouth with which to do it. His vessel was taken from him.
*
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
1413
By the time Nick was twenty-four he and Olivia had pledged themselves to one another and she had moved into the temple with him, Kayla and Set. Kayla had given them their own chambers which consisted of several rooms. Dominic had not approached Nick again, although he had tried to cause trouble from afar on several occasions but he hadn't attempted anything for years and he had settled down with a wife of his own. Nick used the word wife although there were no marriage ceremonies in Elysium. People just got together and that was that. If they wanted a ceremony of sorts then they were welcome to one but there was no official law.
On his twenty-fifth birthday, Nick was in his potions chamber concocting a brew of his own when Kayla came in.
"Happy birthday, my child," she said. Even though Nick had been a man for some time now she still referred to him as her child. He didn't mind it; if anything he liked it.
"Thank you, Kayla," he replied.
"Where's Olivia?" she asked.
"She went to the village to get some things for dinner," Nick replied. "She wants to make something special."
"There's something I need to tell you," she said softly.
"Okay." Nick couldn't tell if it was good or bad news.
"I found out that some months ago King Henry of England died," she said. Nick stopped preparing ingredients and stood perfectly still. Bolingbroke was dead. He'd expected to feel elation when it finally happened but instead, he felt nothing. Nothing at all.
"How?"
"Some illness. How do you feel?" she asked. She was watching him closely, trying to read him.
"I don't feel anything. I am neither happy nor sad," Nick said truthfully. He pushed his work away and moved from the table. "I always thought this news would bring me such joy. Why hasn't it?"
Kayla smiled. "Because you've moved on. You've built a new life and you've found happiness in new places."
"I suppose I have," he replied smiling back.
"I"m proud of you. You haven't just found happiness, you've given it. You've given it to Olivia and you've given it to me. Nickolas, I have not been this happy since before my family died. You are my family now and I want us to be family forever. I want to make you immortal."
"What?" Nick said. He'd never imagine she might make this offer to him.
"I couldn't bear to lose you, Nickolas. So I want to make sure you can never die. Will you let me do this?"
Death was something that had always troubled Nick and for several reasons. There was so much to do in life that he couldn't imagine dying before he'd done it all. And of course, he had no idea what happened in death. Each country in the world seemed to have its own idea of what was waiting after death. Some people even believed that there was nothing there; you just ceased to be. Neither Kayla nor Set had been able to provide answers and if they could not then nobody could. Until Nick knew for sure what waited on the other side he did not want to go there. And now he didn't have to. "Yes," he replied. "I will."
Kayla did not wait around and took Nick away for the ceremony at once. Nick did not argue; having the gift of immortality bestowed upon him was an honour he did not want to risk having rescinded. Not that he thought Kayla would rescind it. Ideally, Nick would have liked to have Olivia there with him at the ceremony, but she was out in the village. Kayla led him back to a door at the back of the entrance hall. It was a door he had never seen before despite having explored every inch of the building.
"I have never seen this place before," Nick said, probing for an explanation.
"It takes more than just eyes to find some parts of this temple," she replied. She was usually far more open about such things and Nick knew that no amount of questioning would get him the answers that he sought. Some things Kayla did not share.
The door led to a winding staircase that led them deep underground. Nick estimated that they were far below sea level. At the base was a seemingly endless corridor that opened into a circular chamber. The chamber was made with simple undecorated stone, the same as the corridor. On the wall opposite the corridor was a tall and wondrous door. It was a single arched door made entirely of gold. Covering the entire surface was a majestic eagle, its wings spread wide, and under each wing was the ankh symbol.
"What's through there?" he asked.
"Things which most shall never see. Only I can pass through that door, and those I allow to."
"Will you ever allow me to?" Nick asked. He'd only just seen the door and he was already itching to see beyond it.
"Wait here," Kayla said, neglecting to answer, and then she crossed the chamber. Stopping before the doorway she took a small blade from her sleeve. Kayla sliced her own palm with the blade before returning it to her sleeve. Then she pushed her palm onto the door. A loud crack filled the hallway, bouncing off the walls and echoing again and again. The door opened a crack and then Kayla slipped inside. Nick waited in silence, looking intently at the door, trying to catch a glimpse of something through the crack in the door, but it was just too dark.
He thought about going in and saying he was checking on her. He quickly brushed that thought aside knowing how unbelievable it sounded. As more time passed though the temptation grew too great. He moved carefully towards it. As he reached the door Kayla emerged, blocking his path and the door closed behind her with a dull thud.
"Sneaking a peek?" she asked with a bemused smile on her face.
"I was just checking on you," Nick lied as his cheeks flushed red.
"No need, I can assure you I am perfectly safe," she replied. In her hand, she held a golden bowl which contained a thick orange substance that looked a little like honey only darker. In the other hand was a sheathed dagger. The hilt was black and pentagonal with rubies encrusted in each of its five sides.
"What's that?" Nick asked.
"What you see before you are all of the things needed to create a true immortal. There are ways to give immortality without these objects, but it is not true immortality. True immortality means that no matter what kills you, you will never stay dead. Only these items can grant that," Kayla said. "Sit with me." She sat cross-legged on the floor. Nick followed suit and sat down facing her. His heart was thrumming in his chest and palms were exuding sweat at an alarming rate.
"Will this hurt?" Nick asked with both fear and excitement circulating his head.
Kayla nodded. "Yes. But once it is done you will never feel pain like it again." She unsheathed the dagger and offered it to Nick to hold. He took it delicately in his hands and found it far heavier than he expected. The blade was glistening gold, just like Set's sword. As he turned it over in his hands Nick saw that the blade had a design like tree roots engraved in the metal on both sides. Towards the hilt was engraved an ankh on one side and an eagle on the other. Nick knew that the ankh was the Egyptian symbol for life and the eagle represented supreme spiritual power in the Greek texts.
"Is this solid gold?" he asked in wonder.
Kayla nodded again. "It is called the ambrotos dagger, for it gives immortality, and it is one of the few weapons that can also take it away. It is rumoured that this dagger is one of the things that t
he jinn wanted from the ancients."
"So they could use it to kill you?" Nick asked.
"No. The jinn are one of the only races powerful enough to kill an ancient without a weapon. And this dagger alone cannot kill an ancient in any case. They wanted it to make themselves eternal." She held out her hand and Nick returned the dagger to her. She used it to cut her palms again and then she dripped her blood into the golden liquid. The wound healed instantly. "After this ritual, you will heal as quickly as I do."
"How does the ritual work?" Nick asked, looking at the items Kayla had laid on the stone floor beside them.
"First, you must consume the blood of an immortal. Then the dagger must be used to take your life. The magic of the dagger and the blood of the immortal will resurrect you and when restored to life you will be immortal."
"Similar to how to create a vampire?" Nick said. Set had taught him that much to Kayla's chagrin.
"Yes."
"But vampires are dead. And you said the dead cannot come to Elysium," Nick protested. Was he about to get banished as well?
"That is where this comes in." She gestured to the bowl of golden fluid. "This is ambrosia. It has many uses. It can not only prolong a person's life but it can bring them back from the dead. I have mixed my blood with the ambrosia so that when you return you will return as a living immortal, not an undead one. The ambrosia also grants true immortality. If I used only my blood you could still be killed if your head or your heart were destroyed. With ambrosia, nothing can kill you. As long as your heart can heal you will return from death each time it takes you."
"So I will be able to die?" Nick clarified,
Kayla nodded. "But you will never stay dead. Unless you are stabbed directly in the heart with this dagger." She lifted the ambrotos dagger. "Are you certain you want to go through with this?"
