God Rising: Battle Of Atela

"Yes."

"Do you know how risky such a move is?" The old wolfman banged the table. Vincent smiled, expecting him to react that way. He threw a grape into his mouth then spoke softly, "So sweet. Want some?" He pushed the bowl full of grapes to his uncle, but he declined because of his rage. He was acting too much like his father for an adopted son. They both had the comic character whenever a serious matter had to be discussed.

"I only requested his death. We will frame the slave he"s traveling with. There is no need to worry, uncle." 

Klaus still had his doubts about killing Darren before Marcellus. To him, it was a wrong move, but to Vincent, a perfect checkmate.

Vincent picked up the gla.s.s on the table, gave it a little shake and watched the red wine sway "I am fully aware you want my Father"s death for your own advantage." 

Klaus gulped. His lips parted slightly, and a cold sweat formed on his brow. 

"To take over from his place, right? Well, that"s not happening." Vincent stood up "You know best not to talk about this to my father. If you try, I"ll expose your plans of conspiracy. Excuse me," He moved out of the room, and Klaus remained "That boy ruined all my plans!" He knocked the gla.s.s cup off the table, then pulled his hair "I have to get rid of all of them!"

Vincent continued to move down the corridor and chanced upon somebody he hadn"t seen in a while. The middle-aged wolf looked at him through eyes that mirrored his face. "Humph!" He uttered as he progressed more into the castle. She reminded him so much of his pathetic brother. In terms of character, they were both the same. Timid and inferior.

"Lady Roesia" Monica bowed. The wolf had her eyes fixed to the back of Vincent before he made a turn and was out of her sight.

"Are you ready?" She was startled by Monica"s unexpected voice, but she smiled at the head slave before walking out of the main doors to the carriage waiting for her outside. Time had come for the DemiG.o.d"s wife to give offerings to the Star G.o.d. Monica waited outside the Cathedral as Roesia walked in barefooted to supplicate. She dropped the structured plate of sweet-smelling blossoms, then clasped her hands together before closing her eyes.

"I"ve come back here again to ask for forgiveness because of all the lies I"ve told in my life. I look at the present, and wonder how things would have been if I didn"t lie so much, If I didn"t follow my husband"s path of greed and l.u.s.t for unending power. All I ask for is the protection of my son wherever he is, and in exchange I will tell him the absolute truth and break out from the cage of lies I built with my hands. Whatever Marcellus does to me afterwards is nothing compared to the bottomless perdition I was heading for." She bowed before turning to leave. She looked one more time at the altar, then smiled, hoping everything would be all right.

***

"Hey!" Artemis called Darren"s attention, and he followed the course of the voice. She leaned against the wall with her hands crossed, and her bag hanging on her shoulder. He approached her, and she had to tell him what she"d planned to do first.

"There"s no need for us to see the queen." 

Darren pinched the bridge of his nose then sighed, shaking his head right after "That"s the wrong thing to do, Armin. We have to see her first."

Artemis started walking, "Let"s just get the gem and get out of here." He raced to her side, then grabbed her arm, "We need the Queen"s help. We"re outsiders in this domain. At least let"s go meet her." 

Artemis grabbed his wrist then pressed it firmly with full intent to damage it. He screamed as he quickly pulled back, then took a few steps away from her. It hurt, however he tried his best to not shout, or cry, or do anything he was often scorned for. 

Darren had no other choice but to follow. He couldn"t leave her alone in a place that had the richest slave masters. And with her aura, they"d think she"s a prized possession that would bring a lot of gold.

They traced their way through the paths, following an old map Zircon, and the Pearl had sketched out with their own knowledge of things. They couldn"t ask for directions because they didn"t want anyone to question them or get to know more about the powers the book possessed.

Dust swirled in the late afternoon, and the pair came to a stop. Their faces were too numb to give a reaction. The once smooth sandstone walls were nothing more than a ragged pile of rubble on the sand. They wanted to believe they were in the wrong place. They couldn"t accept that that they traveled so far just to meet old remains. They moved further hoping they"d find something, but all they got was countless Scorpions rapidly moving to shaded spots to hide, and some ready to attack with their pincers.

"f.u.c.k!" Artemis hissed as she kicked the sand. Zircon and the pearl found it hard to believe that such a magnificent tower built centuries back had crumbled.

"Let"s leave. We"re done here." Artemis turned back, but Darren didn"t move an inch.

"I said let"s go!"

"I have a feeling the gem might be here, somewhere else at least." 

Artemis crossed her hands and looked at him with contempt and rage, "I hope you aren"t planning to waste more time?"

"We have to see the queen." 

The book opened up and zircon wrote, "Listen to him, Artemis. We have nothing to lose." 

Artemis huffed, and she surrendered to Darren"s will, "Fine. Let"s go meet the Queen."

They traveled back to their starting point. Locating the Queen"s temple wouldn"t be difficult because they could finally ask for directions, and they could easily differentiate it from the other flat-roofed buildings in the city.

The pair finally came across the temple, and they sighed in relief. They walked around the hieroglyphic mud walls before advancing through the white pillared entryway.  

"I"ve been waiting for you sir Darren. Word spread about your presence, but you dared to not tell me in person." A serene, but oddly shrill voice filled the hall, and Darren quickly went on a knee, then bowed his head. 

"Arm" he whispered, "Get down." The queen had already picked their presence long before they stepped foot in her temple.

She did exactly what he did because she feared they were in a dangerous den. Artemis couldn"t see beyond the bra.s.s sculpture in the center of  the room. 

"What do you have to say for yourself, Sir Darren of the Livingston household?" She spoke as she caressed the human lying on her laps before slapping his bare back. He couldn"t dare to express the pain. He bit his lip, and stayed still as his back reddened, and the Queen"s ringed finger marks were left behind permanently.

"I"m sorry, your Highness. I didn"t mean to disrespect and disregard your superiority. Forgive me for my misdoing." 

"I pardon you. Do not repeat your mistake" A smile formed on her face and she soon permitted them to move forward so she could see them properly.

Artemis"s eyes widened, "Could that be?" 

Darren was also suspicious of the bright gem she had on her uraeus. 

"Tell me sir Darren, what brings you here after all these years?" While the queen spoke, she fixed her gaze on Artemis, and Artemis also had her eyes on the big dark elf whipping the back of a human slave. 

"We came here in search of a gem. But Zuru tower seems to have been destroyed."

"Ah, that is correct. For long I"ve been keen on reaching the white light from the crest of the old pinnacle. I had to bring it down because the tower couldn"t be climbed. Legends have it that those who reached the top never came down. So I had to destroy the base and bring the top to the bottom."

That tale made a shiver run down Darren"s spine. "That explains the gem on your uraeus, right?" 

She giggled as she stood up, allowing the tied slave to fall to the ground. She placed her hands on her waist, with her eyes still on Artemis. 

"Why does she keep looking at me? Does she think I"m Darren? Can she see?" Artemis tried her best to ignore the Queen"s stare, but it made her uneasy even though she stared at the floor the whole time.

"My queen I am here for the gem!" 

"Why? I can"t give you something that makes me feel beautiful." The dabs around her transparent white overgarment and brilliant belt wasn"t good enough to satisfy the Queen. 

Darren had little time to think of what might convince her to release the gem without referencing the book. Just like Marcellus, the Dark elf Queen was also a threat. She might act uninterested about politics, but she was a well-known sly by many.

"Huh?" She was standing on her altar a second ago. He didn"t blink for a millisecond, but she"d vanished without him noticing.

"Say, sir Darren..." He c.o.c.ked his head and was left dazed as he witnessed a live molestation of a Livingston slave. The Queen"s hand moved around Artemis chest and advanced down into her pants. She was too frightened to even think about moving, and her face had turned the shade of a tomato. 

"Why don"t we trade. Give me this slave, and in return you get the gem."