Primalcraft: Crimes of the Father (Book 3)

Chapter 13

"Are you sure?" asked Alex, watching Leon's face for any change that would reveal any hidden intention.

"Yes, I have several spies still inside Elan coven. They have opened the vault and intend to use a very dangerous artifact to try and kill Nemain."

"Is that even possible?" asked Elliott, glancing over at Ahriman for answers. Ahriman just tilted his head, looking rather uninterested in the subject while his eyes perused the decor of the office.

"I would say no, there is no object that can kill an archon. What artifact do they intend to use?"

"The Khadga of Kali," Leon said, making Alex frown. Khadga is the name of mythological swords used in ceremonies. It is a bit unsure of what they are but Kali is the goddess who destroys evil.

"Well, that's a bother," Ahriman said, suddenly interested. "They really shouldn't use that."

"You know of it."

"Yes, probably more than you mortals. It was a tool created by my brother and given to the mortals when the Devas started to override his decree and come into the mortal world with their powers intact. The only way a god could enter this world was if they temporarily relinquished their power. The Devas, and later the Asuras avoided this by being reincarnated into a mortal body. Becoming an avatar."

"I thought only those with a soul could be reincarnated and gods don't have one, making them unique," Elliott said.

"You have been reading up. Yes, that is correct but the Devas created a source similar to a soul that would allow them to be reincarnated and unlike humans, they often had their memories intact," Ahriman explained, uncurling his hand in front of them. From his palm, black smoke formed the shape of a half-moon blade. "So, my brother created a khadga that could kill a god and gave it to the mortals. If the gods would go out of line like before, the mortals could kill them."

"My grandfather found the khadga in a temple that revealed itself in India in around 1930. He retrieved it and kept it safe by locking it away," Leon explained.

Ahriman made a fist and the smoke image faded away. "An act that most likely saved many. The Khadga has been defiled by the Archon of Taint, Zarazen, the creator of Dark Magic. It now siphons magical essence from the one it cuts, sending it directly to Zarazen, and defiles the one who carries the blade."

"What does that mean for us?" asked Alex, not liking the sound of that.

"Let me give you a glimpse of what Zarazen wants. The mind of an Archon. He is the personification of dark magic. The Defiler. He wants to rise from being an Archon to become an Anterion. For that he needs power. If the foolish mortal would try and use the khadga on Nemain, his power would be transferred to Zarazen and he would be one step closer to achieving that goal," Ahriman explained, smiling grimly. "And if he achieves it. Every source of magic would be defiled. Spirits would turn to shades, shifters would turn to Penumbras and witches would only be able to use the dark arts. I don't think I will have to utter the urgency that we need to get our hands on that blade."

"Why would your mother allow this?" Alex asked Leon who looked all the grimmer. "She must have some knowledge of this."

"Not to that extent. We know it can kill gods which already is a serious act since killing gods affect the world order. It shouldn't be done lightly, but we didn't know it was defiled. At least we pretended not to know," Leon sighed, letting his fingers run through his hair. "My mother is changed. Ever since she was burned by Nemain, she has wanted revenge. It has dimmed her mind."

"Your mother was always a mental case. Sorry to say so, but she was ambitious and greedy. Two traits that always lead to disaster," Alex said. "So, we will need to steal the Khadga."