Chapter 115: Difficult Decisions
The alarms woke everyone and each member pondered their best options. Sera and Lucious tried desperately to calm their screaming, crying newborn. Sora tried using calming spells, but nothing worked.
"It’s ok sweetie, Mama and Dada are here, those are just loud noises. I know you’re tired!" Sera said softly. She began cradling her and slowly rocking her back and forth while Lucious sang a lullaby.
"Nice job sexy," Sera whispered to Lucious, who smiled while singing softly. "I didn’t know you had such a great singing voice."
Meanwhile, Celeste teleported to the security room.
"Oh, no. They’re coming for the mansion. I need to tell everyone!"
She connected telepathically to the party. She spoke calmly and clearly.
"Everyone, this is a direct attack on our home. Sera and Lucious must stay behind to protect Iris. Please prepare yourself mentally and say a prayer before teleporting to the battlefield. I am heading out. I will travel invisibly."
"I’m coming with my daddies!" Mindy said proudly. "You can’t tell me no. I’ll just keep teleporting there so you need to let me fight. I’ve trained every day!"
Ox and Jubelle looked at each other and tried to hide their nerves. Mindy grew exponentially since receiving the serum and looked like a young teenager. Her werewolf form grew to 10 feet and she could manipulate blood like the Ashwood family.
"Ok Mindy, but if you’re in any danger, you must teleport back to Sera, ok hunny?" Jubelle said while giving her a firm hug.
Ox joined for a group hug, and they bowed their heads and prayed.
Ignis unpacked his gear from his bags and strapped on his armor, boots, hip plate and helmet. His flames enveloped the gear and they swirled within it. ’Time to show them what a phoenix can do!’
Levi noticed his sword shaking and Sasha grabbed it off the wall.
"Here handsome. Please don’t do anything reckless. We make a geeat team. Who are you praying to? I hope Selene hears us." Sasha said while handing him the sword. She kissed him passionately and Levi smiled.
He read his sword and frowned. The message quickly disappeared when Sasha glanced at it.
"Well? What did it say, Levi?!"
"I cannot say. The first line said Protect this secret or lose your life. I’m sorry." Levi said and used his deception skills to protect the secret. His stone face was unreadable. Unfortunately, he was telling the truth about the sword’s horrifying message.
He kissed Sasha passionately. Rather than breaking away, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and stared into her beautiful pink eyes.
"Don’t worry, we have Athena, Sora, Brie, Celeste, Xander and Paradise on our side. We will not lose."
Sasha forced herself to smile. "Even if Xander helped us bring reinforcements, would it really be enough?"
"It’s not their battle to fight. This is personal."
*****
Sora teleported to his family and quickly paced around the room while running his hands through his hair.
"Calm down babe. Seriously, why are you so stressed? You’re never like this!"
"I don’t know what to do! Can we really ask Xander to help us in this fight? What about Mindy, Julius and Rissa? They’re all so young!"
"Babe, they’re here because they love and trust you. If you start second guessing yourself, they will panic. Just be you." Brie walked up to him and kissed him. "Let’s pray to Athena!"
Xander came over and touched both of his parents. "Dear Nana Fena. I’m sorry I looked at other planets and made them angry enough to attack us. Please watch over everyone in our party and thank you for preventing Helen and Eris from creating anymore portals."
Sora and Brie smiled. "That was beautiful Xander. It’s not your fault and how did she do that?"
"I’m not sure. But the Ancient titans are here with werewolves, and demons. There’s about 50,000 enemies. We only have 25 and 3 of us won’t battle today."
"Sera, Lucious and Iris right? How do you know all of this sweetiepie? You said you didn’t have foresight." Brie asked calmly.
"I can’t see the future. I saw the portal close and Zaza and the goddesses looked angry. Only Athena has strong enough magic to close their portal." Xander shrugged. "Let’s go kick some titan’s butts!"
Baffled, Sora and Brie walked through the portal Xander opened into the living area, where Johnathan, Lionel, Connor, Koda, Luna, Ignis, Bishop, Rissa, Julius, Jax, Levi, Sasha, Jubelle, Ox, Mindy, Luna, Faye, Aegir, and Leila huddled together in prayer.
Lionel led the prayer and spoke softly.
"We ask our glorious gods and goddesses from Paradise to look down and protect us today. A horrifying evil threatens this great planet. All of us have failed in many ways and we are not perfect. We fight for your honor so that those who come after us can live a more peaceful life. Athena, thank you for providing us with amazing absolute rulers. For your honor."
Everyone repeated, "Athena, for your Honor," and looked toward Sora, Brie and Xander.
"Well Sora, what’s it going to be?" Ignis asked with a grin.
*****
The masked god teleported Eris, Helen and Azazel to his realm.
"What the hell do you mean you can’t open a portal?"
"Athena is the only one who could prevent the three of us from walking through a portal. She also blocked our abilities to create portals to Exteria. Tesarion will lead them." Eris answered furiously.
"Don’t get your fricken panties in a bunch. Relax, I’m sure some of their little party will die today!" Hades said as he appeared randomly between Helen and Eris.
"Why do you look so sad? Did you really want to fight?" Hades teased.
"I’m not sad, I’m irritated. I planned to eliminate that King from Solstice." Azazel sighed in frustration. "We learned from our mistakes, but it didn’t come without loss. I understand why we’re moving in early, but if they destroy the Ancient titans–"
"Shut the fuck up Azazel. They’re not going to destroy my creations!" Eris charged toward him, ready to fight.
"Will you two PLEASE stop fighting?" Helen screamed. "Seriously, you have been getting along since we started improving and gaining power. We only have four planets left and it’s been 6 months. We’re on a great pace."
"I’ll watch the fight. Winner takes the other’s power. If Eris wins, Azazel dies too!" Hades said while laughing hysterically. "You three are too much. No wonder everyone else from our group hates you."
The realm fell silent for a moment. The masked god observed the formations of the Ancient Titans.
"This should be an interesting fight. The werewolves and demons will die quickly."
Everyone moved closer to the edge of the realm where they could see the battlefield perfectly.
"Tell me again... how are you able to reveal any battlefield, on any planet, so perfectly without giving yourself away. Who the hell are you?" Hades said while staring at him psychoanalytically.
The masked god laughed. "Don’t pretend like you don’t know Hades."
"He seriously knows? Why won’t any of you tell us?" Helen pleaded.
"Because he’s the only one who gets things done correctly. You have sex with your demon puppet and Eris is ready to kill the both of you, even though you’re the ones who rescued her from Athena’s prison! Why the hell would I reveal my secrets?" Hades tone completely shifted to a diabolic, calm god who instilled fear when he spoke.
"Fair point. Well, what should we do? We can’t go to the battle." Azazel asked.
Hades opened a portal to the seventh planet. "Take your time. Get the job done correctly. Your sins and princes are already waiting. They’ll be assisting you moving forward. Just because you can’t make a portal to Exteria doesn’t mean I expect you to sit on your lazy asses."
Hades’ stare caused them to hurry through the portal. He closed it and turned to the masked god.
"I hope they put on a good show!"
