The Gods' War

Chapter 8

         LUCAS HAD SPENT the entire night reading the book. It was all about him. This man, Bartholomew, claimed to be his great grandfather. He explained that he was a prophet, a seer, and had seen that he, Lucas, would lead the worshippers and those loyal to the gods into battle against evil.

        Lucas found this hard to believe – the man was surely mad. But then again... seemed to know everything about him. But how could it be him? He was just someone from a small town who happened to stumble into the world of magic. Who was he to lead people?

        Who was he to fight the forces of evil – a god, perhaps the most powerful god, Erebus? Erebus’ kingdom grew stronger by the day, with more people dying - more to do his will. But Mistress Colitz had also said something about him and a prophecy... 

        The book also said that he, Lucas, was the only one who, besides Bartholomew, could enter the study. It said that he should keep it a secret until he knew who he could trust – but that was hard because the book said that he should trust no one; it was impossible to know who really was on his side.

        The book listed all his ancestors and very distant relatives. It had a family tree that took up ten pages. It included a picture of his real parents which he took time studying.

        Bartholomew explained that the books in his study were books he had collected through time to help Lucas better understand the ways of magic. He had also written a few of them.

             There was one book that Bartholomew said he should read immediately, it sat on the far right of the desk. It had a red leather cover, with the title in grey words: Rift Walkers.

           Bartholomew said that the one closest to him would betray him, that that person would try to harm him. Lucas wondered who that would be. It appeared to him that it might be Laura. No, he thought, she loves me, she would never harm me. Maybe he meant Adrian? Bartholomew had probably seen that fight between them, that was all – nothing to worry about.

        Lucas picked up the book entitled ‘Rift Walkers’ then tucked it under his arm, and left the study. He had been gone the entire day and night, he wondered if people were looking for him.

                                                                                 ***

“You want me to do what?!”

        “I want you to kill him,” repeated her master.

        “I cannot!” she paused and said softly, “I love him.”

        “He has located the library.”

        This came as a shock. She had not even found the library; she had spent two years looking. “I love him, I cannot kill him.”

        “Love?” asked her master, “What do you know of love?! I lost all I had for the love of my brothers and sister! I love more than you could imagine! Did I not give my entire being, my soul, just so your kind could come into being?! Do not speak to me of love. I have lost all I have for love. If this plan is going to work, you must kill him!”

        “When am I to kill him?” she asked, with a bowed head, resigned to what she had to do.

        “Soon. I will call upon you in the morning. Leave me.”

        He turned and left her alone. She looked over her shoulder. Someone was watching her. She did not like staying in His realm for too long. Soon though, all the Earth would be His realm. She would be rewarded; she would make sure of that.