The Tear of Gramal

by Phillip Jones

“What kind of accord?” George grumbled.

  The goddess placed her hands on Athena’s cheeks. A moment later, she smiled. “Athena is with child. You’re going to be a father again.”

  George took a step back. “Are you sure?”

  “I am.”

  “Hmmm. I wonder why she hasn’t told me. How far along is she?”

  Celestria closed her eyes and lowered her hand to Athena’s belly. “She is nearly 60 Peaks.” The goddess’ head tilted as if she was searching for more of an answer. “Your baby will see this world in 210 Peaks.”

  “That makes sense. Her back is covered with acne again. That’s what happened during her last pregnancy. But she hasn’t been sick like before.”

  The goddess dropped her hands to her side. “Not all pregnancies are the same, George. It appears you’re about to begin another journey. You want your baby to be born on a world without chaos, and I want my son back.”

  “So tell me about the accord you want to enter.”

  “It’s simple. You help me find my son, and I’ll extend the lives of your family.”

  “How are you going to do that?”

  Rather than answer the warlock’s question, the goddess placed her hand on George’s cheek. “Please, kneel.”

  “What for?”

  “I’m going to rejuvenate your soul.”

  George remembered what it felt like to have his body rejuvenated. Lasidious had done it once before. He gladly took a knee.

  The goddess reached under his chin and lifted George’s head so she could see his eyes. “I’m going to do more than just rejuvenate your soul. When I am finished, I will have imparted whatever knowledge I possess of the new Hell into your mind. You will know its lands. This should help you with your search.”

  Looking up, the warlock protested, “I don’t need knowledge of Hell. If anything, I need knowledge of Dragonia. That’s where Kepler is, and like I said, I want to save my friend.”

  Celestria smiled. “Must I remind you of your equation? Dragonia and Hell are now one in the same. The gods have abandoned that world, and soon, the beings who live there will be caught in a neverending nightmare.”

  George frowned. “Then I definitely need to get Kepler out of there. I can’t allow him to suffer. And no matter how much I dislike Sam, I can’t let that bastard suffer either.”

  Rather than respond, Celestria placed her hands on top of George’s head. It was instantaneous. The warlock’s eyes closed as a soothing energy passed through the goddess’ hands and entered his body. It was not long before she took a step back. “How do you feel?”

  George jumped to his feet. “I feel like I could take on a Mack truck and win. I’ve never felt this amazing.”

  Celestria reached down and took George’s hands. A sense of peace entered his being. “If Lasidious has taken my son, it would be in his best interest to hide on Hell.”

  Nodding, the warlock responded, “That seems like a reasonable assumption. If the gods have abandoned that world, what better place to hide.”

  Releasing the warlock’s hands, Celestria walked down the steps. “You must search for my son while you search for your friends.”

  “What do you mean, me? What about you? Aren’t you going with me?”

  “If Lasidious is on Hell, my presence would be felt if I was to remain on that world for an extended series of moments. He would know something was wrong. If he’s on that world, he would abandon it and take Garrin with him. We cannot allow that to happen.”

  The Goddess of Beasts picked up the pebble off the ground. She enclosed it in her hands. A moment later, she tossed the pebble up the steps.

  “What do you want me to do with this?” George queried.

  “I’ll take you to Hell as soon as you’re ready. You will find your friends and search for Garrin. After you find my son, summon me with the stone. As a reward, I’ll bring you and Kepler back to Luvelles, and the lives of your family will be extended.”

  “But I get to choose how long they live,” George chided.

  “If you wish. I care not about the length of their existence.”

  The warlock crossed his arms. “I didn’t expect you to say yes. What about Sam? Will you extend his life, too?”

  Celestria shook her head. “Sam will not want to leave. If I am right, his desire for power will drive him to stay.”

  George’s foot tapped against the top step as his mind created other questions. “Has Kepler’s memory been effected because of stasis?”

  The goddess nodded. “Kepler will not remember you, nor will he remember your family. You will be faced with the task of recreating your friendship.”

  “Damn it!” George shouted. “I knew it! How am I going to convince Kepler to return with me if he doesn’t remember who I am?”

  Celestria motioned for George to toss the pebble back down to her. After catching it, she placed it between her hands. A moment later, her hands began to glow. When the light faded, she tossed the stone back to George. “We will use the stone as Lasidious did, only in reverse. Touch the cat with it, and his memories will return.”

  George shook his head. “Well that’s easier said than done. He’s just as powerful as I am. He could rip my head off before I can make that happen.”

  The Goddess of Beasts smiled. “You will surely need your wits about you.”

  “Hold on a moment.” The warlock tossed the stone back to Celestria. “Can you make the stone work twice more so that I can restore Athena and Brayson’s memories as well? If I’m going to be leaving, I need to make sure Athena understands why. I need her to know who Kepler is and how much he meant to this family before I go tromping off to who knows where.”

  Believing George’s logic to be sound, the goddess did as requested and then returned the stone. “I will return in the morning to take you to Hell.”

  George chuckled. “Ha, and I’m actually looking forward to the trip. I bet you’ll never hear me say that twice.”

  Celestria could only smile. “When I leave, your family will step out of stasis. Do what you must to prepare their minds for your absence. You only have 210 Peaks before your new daughter arrives on this world. Hell is massive, and you won’t have a large amount of moments at your disposal. I am sure you won’t want to miss your baby’s birth.”

  “You’re right, but that’s the least of my concerns right now. You and I need to figure out a way to cover up the lie I told my family. Once Athena and Brayson learn that Garrin is yours, they’ll have a million questions. I won’t be able to help you if my family is falling apart because they’ve lost faith in me.”

  The goddess smiled. “I will take the blame for you when the moment arrives. You need not worry about losing their love.” Celestria vanished.

  As soon as the goddess departed, Athena stepped out of stasis. Confusion filled her eyes since George was no longer standing at the bottom of the steps with a woman’s hand on his face.

  George smirked. “What’s wrong, babe?” Before she could answer, George took Athena’s hand and placed the stone in her palm. “We’ve got a lot to talk about...”

  CHAPTER 15

  Garesh! Garesh! Garesh!

  The Vampire Kingdom

  Beneath the Mountains of Gannesh on Hell

  Tardon, the Vampire King

  and

  Yolan, the Vampire Queen

  FELLOW SOUL ... WHEN LASIDIOUS AND ALISTAR APPEARED before the Vampire King and Queen with the babies in their arms, Tardon had just finished serenading Yolan. The king’s love for Yolan was well known throughout the underworld that existed deep below the peaks of Gannesh, and Tardon’s minions worshipped their queen almost as if she was a goddess in her own right. But no matter how much the Vampire King loved his mate, he desired power more.

  With the Mischievous One appearing in front of Tardon’s throne, the king knew it was only a matter of moments before the final details of their agreement would be worked out, and soon, his eyes would behold what he wanted to see most.<
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  Tardon pulled his attention off his queen and redirected it toward the gods. “Good evening, Lasidious.”

  The Mischievous One bowed to show the king respect, despite Tardon knowing full well that he was in the presence of a god. “Your Grace, there’s much to discuss.” Lasidious looked at Yolan. “You look lovely this evening, Your Highness.” He walked up the steps to the throne, stopped next to the queen and then handed Sam Jr. to Yolan. “Alas, we have run out of your milk. I’m sure the children would like to feed.”

  Before Yolan could respond, Alistar teleported to the top of the steps and placed Garrin in the queen’s free arm. “I believe you’ll make a fine mother.” The God of the Harvest stepped back and enjoyed the look on Yolan’s face as Garrin reached out to touch the points on her teeth.

  The queen’s voice was soft. “Hello, little ones. I’m so happy you’re finally here.”

  Seeing Yolan’s reaction to the children, Alistar allowed a smile to spread across his face. “Your milk appears to have lowered the children’s defenses. They like you already. Are you prepared for motherhood?”

  Yolan kissed Garrin on the cheek and then sniffed the hair of the prince. “I’ve longed for the beginning of the seasons in which I could show them my love. These children will know true happiness.” The queen found Lasidious’ eyes. “Thank you for your gift. As promised, I shall stand at your side for the rest of eternity.”

  Redirecting her gaze, the queen’s face turned sad as she spoke to the king. “I know this is your heart’s desire, my love. I don’t want to hold you back. I shall miss you after you’ve gone.”

  To lighten the mood, the Mischievous One added, “I promise to sing better than Tardon if it would make the transition easier. I’ll make sure you don’t miss him for long, Your Highness.”

  As the king laughed, Yolan readjusted the babies in her arms while the sadness slowly diminished from her face. “I must feed my darlings.”

  The queen snapped her fingers. A moment later, two of her female minions, each with long, dark hair and pale skin, entered the throne room. Yolan descended the steps and placed the babies in their arms. “Take the children to the nursery. And don’t allow the smell of their blood to tempt you.”

  Both vampires bowed. “Yes, My Queen.”

  Yolan turned to face the king. “Please say good-bye before you go. I want to have the memory of one last kiss.”

  As Yolan turned to leave, Tardon watched the queen until she was out of sight. “I’ll miss her.”

  “How could you not?” Lasidious responded. “But I assure you, where you’re going, you won’t regret your decision.”

  Nodding, Tardon clapped his hands and another servant entered the room, but on this occasion, it was a thin male with short, blond hair. “Paramus, bring us three mugs...” The king paused and looked at the gods. “What flavor do you prefer ... red, green or white demon? Or perhaps you would prefer some form of were.”

  Alistar held up his hand to wave off the offer. “I think I’ll pass.”

  Lasidious smirked at his brother’s response. “We have not yet acquired a taste for blood, Your Highness. I shall also have to pass until after the transformation.”

  Tardon shrugged. “You don’t know what you’re missing. Since this is my last opportunity, I shall drink the finest blood in my cellar. Paramus, I shall have red demon with a dash of green. Make them both chilled and serve it in a tall mug. I want to savor every drop.”

  As Paramus turned to go, the king changed the subject. “Lasidious, you’ve kept your word. You have given my queen that which I could not. For that, I shall remember you once I have ascended. Whenever you need me, I’ll be there for you.”

  The king readjusted his gaze and nodded in Alistar’s direction. “How rude of me. I haven’t asked your name.”

  Before Alistar could respond, the Mischievous One reached out and patted him on the back. “This is my brother.”

  A look of understanding appeared on Tardon’s face. “Lasidious has spoken fondly of you over the seasons. Has he informed you of our arrangement?”

  “He has, Your Grace. I’m prepared to assist you in any way I can to ensure your arrival on Ancients Sovereign is well-received.”

  The God of the Harvest reached into his pocket and produced a small flower. The plant had bright red and yellow petals with an orange stigma. He handed the flower to the king. “When the moment comes, you must eat this. It will help you focus and will be key to your success.”

  The king lifted the flower to his nose. “Thank you.”

  Alistar turned to face his brother. “Ancients Sovereign won’t be the same without you. I’ll miss you.”

  Lasidious grabbed the back of Alistar’s neck and then kissed the top of his forehead. “You know where I’ll be.” The Mischievous One winked and then took a step back. “See to it that Tardon finds the home I’ve prepared for him. I’m sure the others will want to speak with him first.”

  With a feigned look of concern, Alistar questioned. “Are you sure this is what you want, brother?”

  “It is.”

  “Are you also sure Tardon will have the power to end him?”

  Lasidious pulled his eyes off of Alistar and then placed them on Tardon. He spoke to the king with confidence. “The power you’ll possess will be more than enough. You will be untouchable, and everything I’ve promised will be yours once the task is complete.”

  Tardon leaned back in his throne. With his hands resting atop the stars at the end of the armrests, he responded. “I don’t know that I’ll ever understand your reasoning for this arrangement. I can’t fathom why a god would wish for an existence that is beneath him.”

  The Mischievous One smiled. “Perhaps one of these Peaks you will. I look forward to that conversation when it happens. But that is then, and this is now. There is much we need to discuss before we begin the transformation.”

  Nodding, the Vampire King stood from his throne. “I’ll leave you to your goodbyes. Alistar, I look forward to our next meeting.”

  “As I also do, Your Excellency. I shall return to Ancients Sovereign and call for a meeting with the gods. By the end of the Peak tomorrow, you shall be one of the mightiest gods on Ancients Sovereign, and together we’ll rule the heavens.”

  A large smile spread across the king’s face as he left the room.

  Alistar smirked. “Poor bastard.” He reached out and placed his hands on Lasidious’ shoulders. “Are you sure this plan is solid? Are you sure it’s even possible?”

  “You worry too much. I’m sure of everything.”

  “I only wish I had your confidence.”

  Lasidious grinned. “I have enough for both of us.”

  “There are moments when I forget who I’m speaking with,” Alistar replied. “If only I could walk in your shoes for a single season, the lessons I would learn.”

  Lasidious reached out and patted his brother on the chest. “I often think the same thing about you.”

  “Really?”

  “Of course. You have many admirable traits. I often feel that you’re a far better god than I am.”

  The room fell silent for a moment while Alistar enjoyed Lasidious’ compliment.

  The Mischievous One pulled the God of the Harvest into his embrace. “You must protect the remains as we discussed. Can I count on you?”

  Placing his forehead against Lasidious’, Alistar responded. “I won’t let you down. Just be careful, brother.” The God of the Harvest vanished.

  The World of Harvestom

  The High Priestess’ Palace

  The Next Morning

  The room Sharvesa, Mosley and the priestess were standing in was on the third level of the High Priestess’ school. The floor and the walls were scorched from the countless number of experiments that had gone wrong during instruction, and the tables that normally sat at the center of the room had been pushed toward the walls.

  After another mishap, Sharvesa waved her hands in front of her face to
clear the smoke. “No, no, no! You’re not teaching him correctly, Fosalia. How could you have attained your position if you can’t instruct the wolf with competence?”

  The High Priestess did not respond, but Mosley did. “You forget, Sharvesa, your power didn’t come to you overnight while you were living on Dragonia.”

  Hearing Dragonia, Fosalia shook her head. She had already told the wolf on a number occasions that Dragonia was not a real place, but Sharvesa’s response suggested that she no longer needed to pretend that world never existed.

  “I haven’t forgotten the tedious moments of my training,” Sharvesa argued, “but I can assure you, my teacher possessed far greater skill than what has been displayed in this room.”

  Before another word could be said, a voice echoed throughout the palace. “Priestess!” the voice shouted. “Your presence has been requested in Hydroth!”

  Fosalia looked up at Sharvesa. “If you’ll excuse me.”

  After the High Priestess stormed out of the room, Mosley sat on his haunches and scratched the back of his neck. “I think you were a bit hard on her. Fosalia’s heart is in the right place.”

  A scowl appeared on Sharvesa’s face. “Her heart won’t be the one fighting George when the moment comes for you to claim vengeance. I think the moment has come to restore what has been taken from you.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  Sharvesa adjusted her yellow gown and then knelt next to the wolf. “I want you to relax. I’m going to place my hands over your eyes.”

  “Why?” Mosley queried.

  Sharvesa grinned. “Must you always question me? Have I not been training you for enough Peaks to have earned your trust? Now close your eyes.”

  The wolf complied.

  “Remember,” was all Sharvesa said as she placed her large, red hands over the wolf’s eyes and restored the memories Lasidious took from him.

  As the demon-goddess lowered her arms, Mosley began to laugh. “That explains so much. I knew there was no way I had been found in the Neutral Territory of Southern Grayham.” He looked toward the door. “Barramore must also be Lasidious. I wonder if Celestria knows that Lasidious has had a child with another woman. I can only imagine her reaction when she finds out.”