Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fourteen
Micah had been ready to defend himself, but he was still surprised by the sheer force of the god’s attack. Especially since the god looked like he was about a million years old. He had summoned his own sword in time to block the first blow, but the impact of the consecutive strikes was hard enough to make his arms tremble and quiver.
Fucking hell, he hadn’t been expecting the geriatric god to pack such power.
That was his mistake.
The god moved like a being who had been born with a weapon in his hand, using it as an extension of his own body. He seemed hell-bent on only fighting Micah, though. When Kellen and Lia tried to jump in and help, the god simply used his magic to shove the shifters out of the way. They seemed to get the clue after being tossed aside several times, but they hovered close by, ready to jump back in if needed.
As they continued to fight, Micah couldn’t help admiring the god’s skill. However, that admiration was obviously not reciprocated, which was evident by the way the god sneered at him.
“Is this how you protect your friends, boy?” the god demanded. “I’ve seen younglings put more effort forth.”
“I was going easy on you old-timer,” Micah shot back. “You know, respecting my elders and all that.”
The god scoffed. “There is no respect in a fight to the death.”
“Is that what we are doing here? I thought this was a test.”
“A test you are failing,” the god growled. “Imagine that I am the one thing that is standing between you and a chance to save your mate. Will age make you hold back? Pathetic. Perhaps you don’t love her as much as you claim you do.”
That made Micah snap.
Questioning his love for Jackie was a fucking hard line, and the god just crossed it.
All reason went out the proverbial window as he got down to fighting for real. He no longer fought like he would during training or even a sparring match.
He fought to win…no matter what.
Micah used every dirty trick he’d ever learned while trying to survive his insane family’s teachings, going for low blows and high ones as he released his black wings once again. He used his wings as the weapons they were, using them to strike and defend the same way he used his sword. The god’s eyes flared bright with interest as he scanned Micah’s wings, and he cursed viciously when he almost slit the distracted god’s throat.
He wanted to win, but not like that.
“Fucking hell! Pay attention, old man!”
When the god threw his head back and laughed, Micah didn’t know what to make of that. As they continued to hack at one another, Micah sensed the tone of the fight had shifted. He was used to dealing with crazy so it didn’t faze him much, but it seemed like the god was actually having fun.
Micah, not so much.
The scenario the god had tossed at him repeated in his head and sank into his heart. He would do anything to keep Jackie safe. Kill anyone who dared to harm her. Destroy worlds that tried to keep them apart. Hell, he’d tear his own fucking heart out if she needed it.
His love for her was that absolute.
“Good,” the god finally said, stepping back. “You will need to remember that.”
“What?” he panted.
Damn it, the old bastard wasn’t even breathing heavily.
“Remember what you are willing to give. Don’t hesitate. Don’t second guess. Do what is necessary, or you might not get a second chance.”
Micah wanted to groan at that cryptic advice. Couldn’t he be a little more straightforward?
“I am being straightforward. It’s not my fault if you don’t understand.”
“I don’t—wait a damn minute. Are you reading my mind?”
“You are thinking very loud,” the god shot back dryly.
Arguing with him about that wouldn’t change anything, so Micah just let it go. “Are we done fighting? Can you tell us who you are now?”
“I am Merlin.”
“Merlin? Like the wizard?” Lia asked in a loud whisper.
“I am not a wizard,” Merlin said stiffly, clearly insulted. “I am one of the oldest reapers ever to exist.”
Well, fuck.
As a dark god, it made sense why he was so powerful. Unlike the celestials who had lived a pampered existence for the most part, the reapers were ancient gods who used to rule over the Hell Realm back when it was known as the Realm of Souls. But what was an ancient reaper doing hanging out in a grotto in the middle of nowhere?
“You said this is the Realm of Illusions?” Micah asked. “I’ve never heard of it before. How did we get here?”
Merlin’s sword disappeared as he took a seat on one of the flat rocks. No longer looking like the powerful warrior he’d just proved himself to be, he simply looked like an old man who had lived a whole lot of life.
“You are here because the Goddess of Illusions tricked you into coming,” Merlin told them. “This entire realm is her domain, except for this cavern. This space exists outside of normal space and time. It is the exception to every rule.”
“The Goddess of Illusions?” Micah repeated. “Why did she bring us here? I mean, why is she targeting us?”
“Because you know her by another name…Queen Bianca Frost of the Winter Kingdom.”
Lia gasped. “What the—”
“No wonder,” Kellen breathed out.
“Fuck!” Micah roared. “Jackie’s mother is a goddess? How the fuck is that even possible?”
“The goddess is not your mate’s real mother,” Merlin explained. “She just took the real queen’s place at some point in the past.”
“What has she done to Jackie?”
“I believe she is holding her captive.”
“Where the fuck is the exit?” Micah growled, ready to go after his mate.
“Not yet. If you leave this cavern, you will only be putting yourself in danger. Then, you will ruin your only chance to save your mate. Is that what you want?”
“Of course, not,” Micah said through gritted teeth as he forced himself to remain where he was when everything in him wanted to go find Jackie. “This is all starting to make sense now. But how do you fit into all of this?”
“That requires you to understand some of the background first. Sit,” Merlin ordered. “I am not going to harm you. You have passed this second test and proven yourself well. So, now you will listen and learn.”
“Second test?” Micah asked, confused. “What was the first?”
“Getting through the protection wards. Although you took a shortcut and didn’t actually find the entrance,” Merlin said, sounding amused. “It still counts, though. Evil cannot tread here.”
“Breaking through the wards was my fault,” Kellen admitted as he took a seat.
Merlin turned his glowing gaze on the wolf shifter. “You are a Shifter God?”
“Apex Alpha of Wolf Shifters. I’m only starting to come into my powers now, like being able to break through the protection wards surrounding this cavern.”
“And I’m the Apex Alpha of the Alicorn Shifters, though I haven’t gotten any of those powers yet,” Lia explained once Merlin turned his attention toward her. “I just found out I was a shifter not too long ago, so it will probably take a while before that happens.”
Merlin nodded in understanding. Turning back to Micah, he said, “You are surrounded by powerful friends.”
“I am.”
“But as a dark angel, you are powerful in your own right. But not enough to deal with the Goddess of Illusions in her own realm. Not yet.”
“But you are, aren’t you?” Micah asked. “As an ancient god, you have to be.”
“Perhaps, if I was not bound to this space.”
“How long have you been trapped here?”
Merlin sighed. “This all started centuries ago. You must be aware of what happened when Lucifer and his army came to the Realm of Souls.”
Micah shifted a little in his seat. He wondered how much he should tell the dark god, then just decided to spill. If he wanted answers, he would have to be willing to offer the same. “Lucifer is my uncle by blood, and his son Braxton, is my sworn brother.”
Merlin’s expression immediately changed, and a smile spread across his face. “Well, then. This makes things easier. As Lucifer’s kin, you should be aware of the disappearance of the other reapers.”
Micah nodded. “He and many others have been searching for them for centuries. Even some of the celestials like Keo, the God of Fate, and Seraphina, the Goddess of Fire, have been helping with the search.”
“The Goddess of Fire? Why would she help?” Merlin hissed. “She is sister to the Emperor of the Celestial Gods.”
“Who is a raging asshole. We are well aware of that. But how this all came about is a long, complicated story.” Micah blew out an audible breath. “The short version is Seraphina and Lucifer had a child together. My cousin Braxton, who I mentioned earlier. The emperor attempted to kill Brax before he was born, so Seraphina hid away until she could give birth. Then, she handed the baby over to Lucifer to protect him. According to the God of Fate, Braxton’s birth was destined. Fast forward years later, Brax entered the Merit of Godhood Trials in order to keep his mate safe, and he is now the original God of Souls.”
“But not only that. He has both dark and light god powers, so that makes Braxton the only dual god in existence,” Kellen added. “Or at least, that we know of.”
“He would certainly be an asset if he were here. Unfortunately, there is no way to seek his counsel until the Goddess of Illusions is destroyed. Your mate is now in the hands of the goddess. I can help you save her, but you will have to pass a trial and make a promise for that to happen.”
Rage filled Micah. His mate was in danger, and this dark god was trying to force him into making an exchange?
Fuck that sideways.
“This is by necessity, not by choice,” Merlin said with a heavy sigh. “We are all trapped here in the Realm of Illusions, which is completely under the goddess’ control. Only this cavern is safe from her influence. If she isn’t defeated, you will all be stuck in this realm with no escape. Even your powerful friends will not be able to track you here.”
“So, in order to save Jackie, I need to destroy her fake mom?” Micah’s voice was deadly quiet. “I have no problem with that.”
“To do that, you need more power. In order to obtain that, you will have to pass the trial. Becoming the new guardian of the reapers is the only way.”
That bit of news startled Micah. “Guardian of the reapers? You know where the reapers are?”
“Of course, I do. They have been cursed and cannot be woken. They were trapped here in the Realm of Illusions, but we managed to move them into this protected space to keep them safe. Now, they remain in stasis until they can be woken. Only a guardian can access the reapers’ location, which is why the trial is necessary.”
“So, does that mean whoever takes over as the guardian has to stay here?”
“Part of my soul was trapped here when the spell was cast on the rest of the reapers, so I cannot leave. You are not bound by the same rules I am. If you become the guardian, your power will increase enough to help you destroy the goddess and save your mate. But first, you must prove your worth. This is your trial. Your test. Whether or not you succeed is up to you and your strength of will.”
Micah blew out an audible breath. He wasn’t sure he wanted to partake in some mysterious trial given to him by some cave-dwelling reaper who had been hidden away for centuries, but at this point, he had nothing to lose. And he would do just about anything to save his mate.
“Okay, what do I need to do for this trial? Save a phoenix? Fight a monster?”
“It is easier than that, yet even more difficult.”
Micah scowled. “What the hell does that mean?”
“Follow me and find out.”