John Victor: The Origins

CHAPTER 23

"Jacob? If he managed to defeat Revada, what eventually happened to him? Fred mentioned he was dead. Any idea who might have been responsible for that?" I questioned.

"Slow down with the questions, John. I wasn't even around during those days. I've shared what I've heard from my sources." she replied.

"Curious, how old are you?" Nick chimed in.

"Remember, it's not polite to ask a lady about her age." she quipped.

"Yeah, I know, but still curious." Nick persisted.

"I'll be hitting the 200-mark next year." she replied monotonously.

"Now I get why the mask, grandma. Camouflaging those wrinkles, huh?" Nick teased with a grin.

"Oh, cut it out! No granny labels, okay? Age is just a number, and I've got the looks of a twenty-something." she shot back.

"Prove it, unmask." Nick dared.

"I'll unveil it on my 200th birthday. Deal?" she proposed.

"Deal. Until then, granny it is. Fair?" Nick bargained.

"Fine, whatever. Call me what you want, I can take it." Calypso said with a mock pout.

As they chatted, my mind was preoccupied with thoughts of how Jacob could have defeated Revada. I speculated if it might have been Julius who managed that feat. What was the fate of Julius, Jacob, and James? Was there someone even mightier who took them down? Could it be that James was the one who ended them, given his sinister nature? I suspected that Fred held the answers to these questions, but he wasn't revealing the whole story. His own lineage remained a mystery as well. If the Richards family was indeed the most powerful clan of hunters, and Fred asserted he wasn't the strongest, then who could claim that title? Who could that elusive entity be? An onslaught of questions swirled relentlessly within my mind.

"Calypso, here's a thought. Could James Victor have been the one behind Jacob's demise?" I inquired.

She quickly covered my mouth with her hand.

"John, what the heck? Aren't you aware of the protocols?" she cautioned, her voice trembling.

I removed her hand gently. "What's the issue?"

"The name James Victor is banned in numerous dimensions. Uttering it aloud could have dire consequences." she whispered.

"Why is that?" I asked.

"I don't know all the details, but rumor has it he's done some seriously messed up stuff—like beyond your wildest nightmares. That's why mentioning his name publicly is strictly prohibited. Some claim that even now, his name breeds fear among people." Calypso disclosed.

"Damn, imagine a person's name getting banned because it scares the shit out of everyone. He must have been one badass evil motherfucker." Nick remarked.

"He certainly was." she confirmed.

"I'm eager to learn more about my ancestors. Do you have any leads on who could provide me with information?" I inquired.

"Definitely, I might know someone who can help. But right now, our priority is to find the relic before the demon king does." she explained.

"Alright, where are we headed?" I inquired.

"We're going to Bonewatch. It's the dimension where the relic is hidden. Let's get going and I'll fill you in along the way." she said.

"But what do we tell our parents? They'll get concerned." Nick interjected.