Titans of Ages Current

Part 9: Brothers and Blood

The plaza within the seafloor cavern was dimly lit by brazers along the ceilings. The table we sat at was round and consisted of wooden planks, looks like from ships. The first round comes in as I turn to Jack, "listen, we've risked our lives today, and on many occasions. We can ourselves Titans, but what does that even mean?"
Vlad cuts in on my sermon, "I thought we were here to talk about you. Suddenly you can see and talk again, and were supposed to just ignore that?"
"Fine, I'll answer your questions first.
Asmodeus spoke to me today."
Jack sticks his hands out "woah woah woah! I thought you overcame him."
"I guess that doesn't mean killed." I reply taking the first sip of the night. It's a little bitter but we are at the bottom of a cave. Who am I to argue?"
"So we have to deal with Asmodeus again?"
"Not this time, he's dead, but I didn't do it."
They both wore confused and delirious expressions. Jack speaks up, "then who did?"
"That's what I'm trying to find out. Asmodeus said that a prophecy was being fulfilled, and that only three demons would survive. The rest is pretty vague. I can hardly remember it."
Vlad had half his glass downed before torting, " I can see it."
Jack responds, "how so?"
"Well, Asmodeus just died and Jack... Mammon is not with you."
That's certainly news to me, and Jack was completely taken aback. He goes on the defensive, "what the hell are you taking about, I'm a host just like you guys."
" Jack, you're like us, but it's because you're not a host. "
Now I'm confused, Vlad had Satan's power, yet claims that he is like me, "did you overcome him?"
"No, he was slew before the squall ended. I have his powers as the result of the IAC host initiative."
"Vlad, what the fuck are you saying?"
Vlad starts his second glass, drinking continually through his metal mask, "I'm gonna have to come clean with you guys. Jazz, you want to know what being a Titan means to me? It means finding answers. Do you want to know my name... It's Vladimir Zher."
No, that could only mean... "Vlad, are you related to Derkeszher."
He taps his glass on the table, signifying the next round to be readied. "Fucking twins." He seems genuinely distressed from merely stating the facts. He grabs his helm and clasps it, as if feeling like he incriminated himself. "Guess I gotta come out with it."
Jack was looking a little tipsy... He begins rambling about some guy named Bill at this point. He seems to be listening, as he does chime in, "that's right! You better... So tell us about your brother."
Vlad goes livid at the statement. Without even nudging the rest of his body an inch, his hand crushes his glass with an utmost serious demeanor. Broken glass covers the table, Vlad gets up and leans over the table, " that is not my brother! He shares my blood but that is the only thing!"
Jack leans back from his chair and falls over and out. I had to ask, "what do you mean that's all?"
He falls into his chair, looking defeated by the truth. "Alright listen, long ago Derkeszher was a researcher on religious history. He had a side job as a physicist and an engineer. At the time Torpor ran the IAC, he got called upon by Xio to assist him in his studies. That's where I come in.
They wanted to try something, called it soul transmuting. They tried to make me a host of Satan. But we all know what dampens that light."
We all nodded in agreement. Satan was slew during the squall... And I always wondered how Vlad managed to be considered a host.
" so, how did you do it? "
"I didn't... Derkeszher was given the captured souls of the other diety sins... The ones that lived. He pressed all of their energy inside of me. Six of the seven. My body.... "
He pulls at his helm, revealing his true face. It is all scar tissue except for one spot, that only be called his eye, and his mouth.
"My body was engulfed by hellfire, even though hell itself was set out. Now... I understand why. They called it soul transmuting for a reason. They used the universal concept of balance as a tool... My body became a chamber for the energy of the other six, but the sevenths energy was in the maelstrom. The imbalance of the energies literally pulled Satan's power from the maelstrom and put it inside myself."
I can't... I never could have guessed.. Jack is just as confused, but he's asking someone else questions... He's been doing that a lot when he gets drunk....
So Derkeszher can pull energy from anywhere. That sheds light on many things. There is still more to ask though.
"So Vlad, why did you join the Titans?"
"Etrius was an assistant to Torpor before he left the IAC... When Etrius left, I went with him. Not long after that, we meet Ba-al, then Luciere. That's when we started searching for the artifacts of Alrach. We couldn't get our hands on one.. So we made a new resolve. To find the other host."
"Wait, you said the IAC contained their souls."
"Yeah, but that was before the experiment. Afterwords the rest escaped, all except Belaphegor."
"Looks like it still found its mark though."
"Exactly, which makes me worry about the whole deal with the IAC. Why would Etrius accept Bell in? I mean, the IAC had Belaphegor under lockdown. Wouldn't it seem bizarre if a host of an already imprisoned demon just waltzes up to you and ask to join your organization. What'd even weirder is that she used to n with for the IAC."
That can't be true can it? "But Etrius said that the IAC wouldn't be able to identify her."
"Maybe, I mean Xio was killed, and Derkeszher I imagine wouldn't leave his office ever these days. She stands a good chance."
I don't know how true my own assurance was. With new light shed on an age old problem, I feel the worst may yet to happen. As I have faith in Levy's power and Bell's intelligence, Zher has a reputation of being unpredictable.
Vlad rebrandishes his helm before taking at his tenth or so glass. "So, any incriminating secrets you'd like reveal to us brother, who is soaked in the same blood?"
Jack seems delirious, as he is in a full blown argument with... 'Bill'.
"Guys give me a minute," hiccup "I'm trying to figure out what to do about Levy."
"What so you mean about Levy? She's going to be fine, we head out tomorrow."
"No no no... I mean.. I need to tell Levy.. That I'm Nelly's father."
All I could manage was the sheer expression of shock. Vlad was equally as dumbfounded. I have no idea if Jack was being honest or not, but if he was, he's probably going to want to get to the IAC building pronto.