But Nyx? In all my fucking centuries of existence, I can't recall ever hearing about this Greek goddess.
"Who the hell is Nyx?" The question rips from my throat, my curiosity getting the better of me.
The woman beside Odin, who's been quiet as the grave until now, finally speaks up. "Your mother wielded powers beyond mortal comprehension, Rhyland. Nyx, goddess of night, could bend shadows to her will, manipulate the very fabric of darkness itself. Every whisper in the dark, every spirit that haunts the shadows—they all answered to her."
Something in my expression must give away my confusion because she softens slightly.
"I am Frigg, wife of Odin and Seeress of Ásgard," she says, her tone gentler but no less powerful. Her golden hair catches the light like spun metal, and those piercing blue eyes seem to look straight through my soul, reading secrets I didn't even know I had.
Realization hits me like a goddamn freight train. All these centuries of moving shit with my mind, of reaching out and bending reality to my will—it wasn't just some vampire quirk. It was my mother's blood, her power running through my veins.
"Nyx was ancient even by our standards," Frigg continues, her voice taking on an edge of reverence and fear. "She emerged from Chaos itself, wielding power that could reshape reality. The night wasn't just her domain—it was her very essence."
I listen intently, my mind racing with the implications of her words. My mother, a fucking goddess of darkness and nightmares. It's almost too much to wrap my head around.
"Nyx was feared and revered in equal measure," Frigg's voice rings out with divine authority, her eyes distant as if peering through the veils of time itself. "She commanded the night, casting her shadow across existence, plunging worlds into darkness. And with that darkness came the nightmares, the primal terrors that lurked in the depths of mortal minds, waiting to be unleashed."
"Hold up," I cut in, my mind reeling from this cosmic bombshell. "Are you telling me my mother created the very Darkness we're fighting against?"
The irony of this shit is almost too much to handle.
Frigg's expression softens, her celestial aura pulsing with gentle reassurance. "Not precisely, Rhyland. Your mother was far more complex than that. Nyx wielded her power for the greater good," her voice takes on a note of respect that makes my skin tingle. "She possessed the ability to transform the darkest nightmares into the most brilliant of dreams. She was a force of healing rather than destruction."
Then Frigg's expression darkens, and I can tell she's about to drop some heavy shit on me. "That is…until Moretemis coveted her power..."
"Fuck me." The words tumble from my lips, a half-whispered curse that echoes through the chamber. My throat feels like it's been scoured with razor blades, and my pulse is pounding so hard I swear my veins are about to burst. "So you're telling me this power, this darkness...it's inside me? Flowing through my fucking blood?" My voice is raw, jagged, torn between mind-numbing fear and a twisted sort of wonder.
Odin's voice cuts through the chaos in my head, his tone steady and sure. "Not entirely, Rhyland. From what we can discern, your abilities seem to align more closely with your father's lineage. However, the full extent of your powers remains to be seen."
I barely have time to process this before Frigg continues."The blood of Nyx flows through your veins, Rhyland. Granting you a portion of her immense power—it is a heavy burden to bear but one you were born to carry."
I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself against the weight of her words. A burden...that's putting it fucking mildly. The idea that I could have that kind of power, that kind of influence over the minds and hearts of others...it's both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.
"But you must be careful," Frigg warns. "The power of Nyx is not to be trifled with. It can consume you if you let it. It can twist your mind and soul until you become what you seek to destroy."
I clench my fists so hard my knuckles turn white, fighting like hell to keep my shit together as the truth hits me like a goddamn sledgehammer. "No fucking shit," I spit out. "The Soul Stone—that's her power, isn't it? My mother's legacy wrapped up in this piece of cosmic jewelry?"
"Watch your tongue, boy." Odin's voice cracks like thunder across the chamber, his single eye blazing with divine fury. "And yes. That very power forged the Soul Stone—the artifact Moretemis hungers for to fulfill his twisted destiny."
Holy shit.
The stone in my pocket suddenly feels like it weighs a thousand pounds, its presence burning against my thigh like a brand. Its whispers start creeping into my mind, seductive and dark, promising power beyond my wildest dreams. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block out the voices, fighting against the pull of its ancient magic.
I can't let this thing get its hooks in me. Not now. Not when there's so much at stake. But Jesus fucking Christ—as if things weren't already fucked up beyond repair enough, now I find out I'm carrying around a piece of my mother's power, and in my veins, the very thing our enemy wants to use to tear the realms apart.
The irony of it all makes me want to laugh or punch something—preferably both.
This explains why Azrael wanted me for his fucked up ritual.
What does Moretemis know?
"What happened to them?" I demand, the words tearing from my throat like they're being ripped out. "Where the hell are they now?"
Odin's gaze drops to the floor, and I swear I see a flicker of pain in his ancient eye. "They fell in battle against the forces of Moretemis, fighting side by side until the very end. Magni was struck down first, his body broken and bleeding, but still, he fought on, determined to protect your mother and the realms they both held dear."
The Valley of Ancients...those goddamn walls. I relive the memories and the visions we saw dancing off those ancient stones as we watched that battle play out. And I had no fucking clue those warriors were my parents.
"In Magni's final moments, Nyx cradled him in her arms, her heart shattering as his life slipped away. But even in the depths of her despair, her fury knew no bounds."
