Rising Heroes Book Four: The Sands of Ouroboros

Chapter Thirty-One: The Longest Time

Disclaimer: I don't own HOO or VE

Chapter Thirty-One: The Longest Time

New Orleans, sometime in the past

Over the course of the plane ride to New York (which took some heavy glamouring from Andi), each of the Grigori told their stories of time travel. When they had explained everything, James pulled Lily to the side.

"We need to talk," he said, and she nodded in agreement.

The rest of the group loitered around a hotdog cart. Andi glanced at Roc. "Are you ok with this?" she asked.

Roc didn't look surprised as he nodded, and Andi remembered he could read emotions. "We're always gonna be a part of each other's lives," he said. 

"Hopefully we'll be co-parenting," Andi gave a wry grin, which Roc returned. "Seriously, though. I know we're just kids, but we've done enough adulting. And meeting our kids in the future... I don't know, it was kind of a wake-up call. We have to fix this."

Meanwhile, James was watching Lily carefully. "I guess the truth is... well, this is your baby," Lily finally said. "Roc said he's willing to be the father. But, I talked to Andi, and she's willing to coparent too."

James took Lily's hands. "I met our daughter in the future," he told her.

"Really?" Lily asked, her face lighting up when he nodded. "What was she like?"

"She was strong, and confident, and kind," James said. "She was a powerful dreamwalker. But... she also did consider Roc her father. So I talked to her, and I told her that for her sake, we can both be her fathers. So, yes, if Andi and Roc are willing, we can co-parent."

Lily hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you," she said.

"I'm sorry I was such an ass," James stepped back and squeezed her hands. "And look, Lily... I'd still really like to be you partner. And your friend, if you'd let me."

"A while ago I would have said no," Lily said. "But now... yes, James. I've missed you."

They shared a smile, then turned back to the group. Andi hugged Lily.

"Guys," Seb said. "I hate to break this up, but look," he gestured to the newspaper. "Isn't this a week before that big fight the demigods were talking about?"

Lily snatched the paper. "That's right," she said.

Seb snapped his fingers. "The prophecy," he said.

"What prophecy?" Roc asked.

Seb cleared his throat. 

If wings and swords should collide,

The tears of gods will rain down upon us,

And if a parent is younger than their child,

They will turn back the hands of Kronos.

The river of life will then diverge,

To make the world crumble and burn,

The only path to set it right,

Is when the lives of twins divide.

"Wings and swords are Grigori," Andi decided. "Parent younger than child... I mean, Lily, weren't our children older than us? When they went back in time."

"Ciara was older than her father, too," James added. "I'm sure a lot of us were."

"Hands of Kronos... river of life..." Lily bit her lip. "Crap. Guys, I think somehow... I think Leviathan and Rhea went back in time and changed things."

"But how?" James asked. "How?"

"They must have fixed the Immorties," Lily said. "With everyone gone, everyone was probably distracted. And once they joined forces..." 

"The Immortie!" Seb face-palmed. "When we went back, the Immortie flew back into the rift. We all thought it was a fluke, but I bet they found it somehow."

"So now Lilith has won?" Andi asked.

"There's only one way to know for sure," Roc said. "We have to visit the Academy. But, if she did, and Sammael is still here, I'm betting they're going to help Kronos defeat the demigods as well."

They tromped through the streets, finally arriving at where the Academy was supposed to be. But when they got there, all they found were the remains of a demolished construction sight.

Andi looked like she was about to cry. "What now?" she asked. James put an arm over her shoulder.

Lily brushed her dark hair out of her eyes. "I guess there's one other place we could go," she said. 

A half hour later, the group was outside of Ascension. But that, too, had been boarded up and looked run down.

Roc kicked at some of the boards. "What now?" he asked. 

Lily shook her head. "I really thought they might be here," she said softly.

James placed his hands over the boards. "I think it's a glamour," he said.

Lily placed her hand beside his. "You're right," she said. Closing her eyes, she focused her power on the boards until they melted away to reveal a sewer drain below them. Roc raised the lid as Andi replaced the glamour, and one by one they climbed down.

When they reached the bottom, they found a line of tunnel connecting to the system. They were surprisingly clean, and a row of lights led down one tunnel. "Wait," Roc said when Seb started to walk down it. He pushed at the bricks behind them and another tunnel slide open. "I can sense someone's emotions behind this."

They walked down the secondary tunnel, the bricks clicking closed when they were all inside. Roc led the way down the tunnel, and they finally reached a set of open rooms with a table, a cot, and rows of maps and figurines.

Suddenly a figure leapt out from the darkness; a wiry young man with glasses and a mop of blonde hair. Roc took him down easily, then threw him to the ground. 

"Who are you?" Lily asked as the man stood up, brushing off his pants. She could see now he was a teenager, and was actually familiar... "Simon?" she asked.

"How do you know my name?" Simon asked.

Just then two more figures burst into the room. "Dapper! Onyx!" Andi cried out. 

"I can sense you're Grigori," Dapper said warily, "but who are you?"

"We're... from the future," James said slowly. "My name is James Morris. My mother is Stephanie Morris, my father is Salvatore."

"That's impossible," another voice said. They turned to see Stefanie stepping out from the shadows, clutching a book to her chest. She looked skinny, run-down, and tired. "You can't be Salvatore's son," she said. "He's dead."