Dawn of Arcane Destiny

Chapter One Hundred Fourteen

"So, this is where it happened?" Caelum asked looking over the strange pond and eerie church.

"Yes. I thought maybe coming back here might give us some ideas." Drayce said. They stood on a section of grass that had been flattened by feet. Caelum sat on an old stump just outside the tree line. Their horses were tied behind them to a tree.

"I see what you mean." Caelum said. "That church is downright scary."

Drayce nodded absently looking down at Defender, pulsing in his hand. "The sword soaked up Keir's power." He said more to himself. He looked up at Caelum who was watching him closely. "You said that you would rather kill something physical."

"Yeah." Caelum said cocking an eyebrow. "Wouldn't you?"

Drayce chose to ignore the sassy part. "What if we can get him to show his physical self to us?"

"Does he even have a physical self?" Caelum asked. He looked oddly comfortable on his stump considering what they were discussing.

"I don't know." Drayce admitted as he started pacing, treading the grass down even more. "I don't even know how we would do that. Is there some sort of ritual?"

"You could ask nicely."

"I'm being serious, Caelum. A little solemnity on your part would be nice." Drayce said exasperated.

"I am. I assume he knows what we say, especially since we're next to his prison. His prison is probably his tie to this world. His source." Caelum said. He said louder. "Hello? Mr. Keir? Yes, we would like to talk to you face to face, if you're not too busy killing the good men of our kingdom."

He sounded so ridiculous that Drayce rolled his eyes. There was no way that worked. Then he stopped up short when the pulsing vibrations changed their pattern in his hand. He looked down in amazement as the blade of Defender started to glow.

"Holy Non, you actually did something." Drayce said staring at the sword.

Caelum looked surprised for a moment before saying: "Told you. Now you probably have to call him. He doesn't like you, but he hates me. If I'm lucky he'll just ignore me again." Caelum said.

"Keir! Show yourself!" Drayce demanded. "We need to talk."

Not far away, the air seemed to bend. It was the strangest thing. It was like the surroundings started to refract. With a sound like shattering glass, Keir appeared. Actually appeared. Drayce probably would have stuck on this fact if his appearance wasn't a slap in the face.

He was handsome?

For the past year whenever Drayce had thought of Keir he had always imagined some demonic monster that only had malevolence coursing through his black heart. He probably did have malevolence coursing through his impure heart, but his appearance was so strange. His skin was no particular color. If Drayce tried to focus on it, he couldn't pick out what color it was. One moment it would be as dark as charcoal, the next it would be as white as chalk. His eyes were gold. Hard and cold. He stood hard and rigid, but some how at ease as well. He looked at them lifting one sharp eyebrow.

"It's always interesting to see mortal reactions when they see a god." Keir said. "Usually its confusing mixed with awe and respect. All I see from you, Drayce, is confusion and hatred."

"Boy, I wonder why." Drayce said sarcastically. "We have more important things to speak about than your appearance."

"Yes, we do." Keir replied. "I was on the verge of winning everything by a landslide, when someone cleverly figured out how to take my power. I would like it back."