The Demons of Rome

XI - Consequences

"Right," said Aelith, "I hold the stone and then dismiss your bonds and we all return to the Ether."

Iatus nodded.

Aelith spoke the command and the stone spewed out a purple tendril that reached for Iatus, made contact with his chest and began drawing away mana.

Iatus felt light headed, and then the bonds holding him weakened until he felt them simply slip away, and the world faded with them.

There was a flash of light and Iatus found himself at the foot of a mountain, just where the surrounding grassland met rock. He closed his eyes and sighed in contentment as the mana flowed through him, lifting him up and making him feel like he could do anything.

He sighed and opened his eyes again. The grassland stretched on for as far as the eye could see and was populated by what appeared to be cows, mostly, except for the occasional added appendage or serpent for a tail. The mountain also seemed to reach on forever, scratching the cloudless orange sky and all around it, in a great spiral, was carved a set of stairs.

Iatus looked around the plain and then back up at the mountain.

Well, upwards looks the most interesting I guess.

So Iatus began to hover up the stairs, winding his way up the mountain. Every hundred yards or so there would be an ornately carved archway or statue, depicting spirits of all types wearing full armour and wielding different weapons, from axes and swords to spears, javelins and bows.

At the top was a massive palace, made completely out of gold, catching the sun so that it was difficult to look at.

Iatus stared up at it, taking it all in. It was bigger than any building he had ever seen, even bigger than the Academy. Tentatively he took a step inside.

It was eerily quiet, not even the wind blew through the open doorway.

He appeared to be in a long hallway, leading into a temple-like dome room with a set of gigantic thrones laid out in a horseshoe. Only one was currently occupied.

"Come in Iatus," said Jupiter calmly.

Iatus' eyes flickered about nervously then stepped into the temple.

"Hi," Iatus tried.

Jupiter frowned at him, "Iatus, why are you here?"

"I don't really know, I didn't really know my way around so I just headed towards what looked like civilization."

"No, why have you returned to the Ether when your world is in danger?"

Iatus looked confused, "It's not in danger though..."

Jupiter sighed, "Iatus, your selfishness has blinded you more than I thought possible. A group of rogue magi bind you in human form and you don't think to even ask about why? When we first met, you asked me if you would eventually become like Remus, well, look at yourself now."

Iatus frowned, "I'm not like Remus."

Jupiter snorted, "Iatus, I've been watching you for the last ten years. You kill for the hell of it, prance around like a god and believe everyone else to be completely insignificant."

"I do not!"

"Well then, if you can empathise with something, change form. Go on! Prove you care about something other than yourself."

Iatus scowled, he had been trying to change form for years and had been unable to.

"You see? Your recklessness has bought a great evil into your world, turn and look."