Rising Heroes Book Four: The Sands of Ouroboros

Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Wall of Water

Disclaimer: I don't own HOO, Lucifer, or VE

Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Wall of Water

Santorini, sometime in the past

As the water towered over them, Reid watched as Nixie pushed her hands out and concentrated. Wind swirled around them, pushing back against the giant wave.

Then rows of explosions went off, creating a smaller wave beneath them. Reid watched as it grew higher and higher, pushed further by Phoenix running along top of it and Nixie now pushing her wind against the wave as well. The wave slowly rose higher and higher, pushing against the bigger wave.

Reid knew immediately what they were trying to do. He remembered his Uncle Percy and Adrian fighting with water. Adrian conjured a giant wave to try and knock his dad out, but Percy conjured a smaller wave which disrupted the bigger wave and rendered it into nothing.

But still, their small wave was still too small. All of the Grigori nature users were working the best they could, but it wouldn't be enough. "We need more!" Reid shouted.

Then one of the Grigoris shouted, and a second set of explosions went off. The wave rose even higher, pushing back the tsunami and settling it into the water as a row of smaller, choppy but still manageable waves. Their boat rocked and overturned, but they were still safe.

They had done it. Santorini was saved.

But...

"The volcano went off," Milo looked stricken. "Shouldn't we be home by now?"

Roc looked at the island forlornly. "I think I know someone who can help," he said. Ignoring the startled cries of the people around him, he spread his wings and rose into the air, making a beeline for the island.

"Well," Sal said dryly. "That solved literally nothing."

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Roc flapped towards the island, trying to look for the two women he knew he would see. One he spotted right away: his grandmother, Lilith, walking beside Phoenix. Her long golden hair was blowing in the wind, and she walked barefoot across the scalding island surface as though she was walking across the beach. 

And then he saw Lily's grandmother, a woman with long black hair laying beside the volcano. A lion paced around her, and Roc made a beeline towards them.

But just as he was about to hit the ground, his surroundings changed.

He was now in what looked like a sort of bar, with a large glass wall full of alcohol bottles and windows letting in streams of light. There were couches and tables and even poles on top of many of the stands, a large grand piano, and a felt staircase winding up to an upper level.

Sitting at the bar was a man with a black suit and dark hair, with a full face of hair and strange dark eyes. He was sipping bourbon from a crystal glass, and raised his glass at Roc when he went to sit beside him.

"You're an angel," Roc guessed.

"Oh yes," the man said, and Roc was surprised to hear a British accent. "But which one?"

"Lucifer," Roc said. "Lily's angel maker."

Lucifer threw back the rest of his drink and then slammed his glass on the table. "One and the same."

"Why did you pull me here?" Roc asked.

Lucifer shrugged. "I spoke to Lily a few months ago," he said. "Told her what her powers were, gave her an idea how to control them. Told her what was needed to defeat Leviathan. But now I fear I may have left her too soon."

"She's been struggling," Roc admitted.

"I thought letting her choose her own path was the best course of action," Lucifer sighed. "This was never an option for me. But now I fear I must correct some things."

"She used your advice to save Salvatore," Roc said. "We've been whittling his forces."

"Ah," Lucifer said. "But while you all were stuck in time, Leviathan and Rhea have gathering the Immortalities once more, and using them to go back to the most significant battles of the past." 

"So we have to go to those times," Roc said. "Stop them once and for all."

"I have handled it," Lucifer told him. "You all have been sent to these events, separated, of course, by your loyalties."

"Grigori and demigods," Roc guessed.

"Yes." Lucifer nodded. "But I'm afraid that's all I can do. I have my own issues to deal with."

"Why not tell these things to Lily?" Roc asked.

"She goes not need my help anymore," Lucifer sighed. "And... she wouldn't listen."

"She's very stubborn," Roc agreed.

"A spitfire, that one," Lucifer looked almost proud. "Now, I must send you back."

He was about to wave his hand when Roc said, "Wait!" 

Lucifer stopped.

"Why did you give Lily your essence?" Roc asked.

Lucifer shook his head. "I don't know," he admitted. "Maybe because... well, maybe I just wanted to be of use. Or maybe I saw in her a strength and will powerful enough to control my essence and to overcome the inherent darkness of its power."

Roc nodded. Somehow, not having a reason make perfect sense for Lily's essence. 

Then the image disappeared, and Roc was back on the boat with his friends. "Whoa!" Nixie said, surprised.

"You... you were just flying!" Milo protested. His mouth was dropped open, and Sal pushed his jaw closed.

"I got a message," Roc said grimly.

Suddenly a yellow vortex appeared above them, sucking the whole boat towards it. "Where are we going?" Reid shouted.

Roc turned to face him just as he and Grove were sucked up. "Rhea!" he shouted. "Stop Rhea!"

If Reid heard him, he didn't give a response. And besides, it was too late; they had already been sucked up and were headed back (or forward) in time--again.