Arcane

Chapter Two

             A pale shimmering form stood in the shadows of an orange tree.  An air of indifference surrounded it, as the figure slunk deeper into the darkness.  It watched as the arrogant god fell to it knees, and the other make a halting journey away from the still body.  The flickering mirage of the god disappeared as the owner closed his eyes, forcing himself back to his body.

             Opening his eyes the deity found himself back at the Xperion palace, the home to one of the most ancient pantheons of gods.  Silently he padded his way through the vast marbleized halls of the gaudy estate.  Superfluous statues crafted out of gold dotted the walkways, giving it an air of distant regality.  The god’s eyes flickered over everything with a touch of disdain.

             Pushing lightly on one of the doors to the main hall, he was greeted by a cacophony of noise.  The moment the light swish of air, rushing under the opening door, reached the attending gods’ and goddess’ ears the noise stopped.  Everyone halted mid-sentence.  Frozen in mid-action they held their breaths, unsure of how to react.

             “What is it?” Niscirene flew over to where the god stood.  “What has that fool done now?”

             An eyebrow was raised in slight annoyance at the tone that the Queen Goddess was using.

             “Why send me to babysit him when you know he’ll just get into mischief?”

             Niscirene threw a sharp look at the god.

             “You very well know why Atolycus.  If he makes some sort of mess it’s better to know as soon as it happens so it’s easier to clean up.”  She threw up her hands in supreme irritation.  “Now be out with it.  What has that idiot done now?”

             Atolycus quirked an eyebrow at the flustered goddess, enjoying the feeling of having irritated her.  It was a macabre sense of masochism that led him to goad the irrational woman.

             “Liirton’s dead,” he began, halting to give Niscirene a pointed look with a hand raised in warning, telling her silently that if she spoke he would not disclose what it was that he knew.  The goddess drew herself up in indignation at being treated so, but kept silent all the same.  “The idiot had actually found her.”  Atolycus gave a bored derisive snort before stating, “He had propositioned the chit for sex.  Saying that if she satisfied his needs he would let her be free to leave.  The offer was met with extreme repulsion.”

             The detached god gave a rare chuckle of genuine mirth.  The bold actions of “little Fredonia” amused him.  He had never before thought much of the young goddess, expecting her to be a weak, sniveling creature.

             “Where is she?!”  The command was rife with frantic excitement.

             Niscirene was a verocious shark that had caught a blood scent.  Intent on finding the wounded prey before it had time to recuperate.  She snatched impatiently at the front of Atolycus’s tunic.  Balling it up within her fist, she used the material to pull him close to her.  Locking gazes with him she hissed,

             “Where is she?”

             Fury sparked in Atolycus’s eyes.  He hated being handled in such a rude manner.

             “Vunyh,” Atolycus ground out through clenched teeth.

             Satisfied Niscirene dropped her oppressive hold on him.  She gleefully turned to her court of gods.  A sneer upon her lips Niscirene stalked about the room, weaving between the frozen gods and goddesses.  She rubbed her hands in thought.  Finally.  Finally the time for her to exact her revenge has come.  Fredonia has nowhere to hide, for Niscirene has finally picked up her scent.

             Mind made up Niscirene swirled around to pierce Atolycus with her gaze.

             “It is time to be rid of this nuisance.”  Her low, deadly voice wound around the room.  “Brithane, Hilayos, Giodarno, Krater, Pifany, and Atolycus you will come with me to Vunyh.”  Her words ringing with finality, Niscirene vanished from the room.

             Atolycus watched as the summoned gods blinked out of Xperion.  Closing his eyes for patience he counted slowly in his head, trying to dispel his anger.  How he hated dealing with that woman.  A wicked part of him cheered the naive Fredonia’s bravado.  He had seen first hand how resourceful she was.  And had seen just how powerfully talented she was with cloaking her godhood.  If Niscirene thought tracking her down was going to be easy, she was about to be rudely surprised.  The thought of the violent goddess becoming irate warmed him.  A flippant smirk stretched Atolycus’s mouth as he quitted the palace.  Niscirene would have her comeuppance.