“What do you mean? Lost what?” I shook my head in confusion.
He smiled sadly at me. “Our magic—pieces of it, at least. It all ties back to the balance. As we shifted more to chaos over the years, we lost bits of our magic. We still had plenty, but the pure abilities our ancestors first had were long gone.”
“Huh,” I murmured, thinking it over. “I don’t feel like I’m missing anything. If that’s true, I wonder what kind of abilities they had then that we could have had.”
“Maybe we’ll find out,” Calix smirked mischievously at me, and I bumped my shoulder into his, or into his arm at least—I couldn’t reach his shoulder dammit, laughing slightly as I shook my head at him.
The palace loomed before us as we neared the front entrance, and I startled, finding another creature now blocking our path. It appeared out of nowhere—unnervingly silent for something so large. It snorted, leaning forward in a slight crouch and stomping a grey cloven hoof on the green gem-strewn ground it stood upon. The diamond held strong, not bending to its heavy step. I swear, this place didn’t makeanysense.
“Minotaur,” Calix whispered, his eyes wide with shock. I looked the beast over, and I could see the resemblance to Titan’s form. The long horns and hooves, for sure. The creature also stood head and shoulders above a normal Fae, much like Titan did in his own Minotaur form. They looked a bit different, but then again, so did Calix and I in our own dragon forms.
“Why are you so shocked?” I whispered, baffled by his reaction. “Titan?—”
Calix shook his head furiously, silvery-white hair flying. It brought my attention to it, and I realized his hair looked somehow brighter in this realm, despite there being no moon in the dark sky to illuminate it.
“Titan is the only Minotaur shifter in our realm. There’s never been another documented. The creature was considered nothing but a myth once,” he explained, eyes cutting to me before going straight back to the dangerous-looking beast snorting at us angrily.
“Titan wasn’t born a Minotaur, but a dragon shifter. I had no idea until he told me the truth of his birth,” he said, and I gasped in shock, my free hand coming up to cover my mouth.
“I didn’t even think of that,” I admitted. “I was too focused on the rest of it.”
“Of course you were,” Calix reassured me softly, squeezing my hand in support. “He told me my great-grandfather brought him to the Oracle for help after he reached Night. The gods apparently accepted his request for aid, and helped hide him by changing his form.”
“Into a Minotaur. A previously thought mythological being,” I stated, trying to wrap my mind around it.
“Minotaur’s are guardians,protectors.” Another voice said, and my neck actually cracked as my head spun too quickly to face whoever spoke.
“We knew Titan would be a great guardian and protector to you both, and thus, granted his request with an appropriate form.”
Calix and I hit our knees at the same time, bowing our heads. Before us, two luminous beings stood. One emanating a glowing white light, and the other a pure black darkness that swallowed the light coming from the being next to him. The brief view I had of them was overwhelming. It was obvious they were something not of my world,something greater,with merely a glance.
“How does one address the kings of the gods?” I whispered to Calix, wishing I’d thought to ask earlier, but a bright laugh rang out around the space.
“No need for all of that right now.” I couldn’t see it, but I could swear the voice held a definite smile in it as it answered my question. “And no need for that any of that either. Please stand, both of you.”
Calix’s eyes met mine beneath the curtains of our hair, and I shrugged, unsure what else to do, before we slowly stood up. Cautious, wary… awed and mystified.
These were the godsdamned gods! The kings of them at that.
While they were taller than normal Fae, and more otherworldly for sure, they had the same pointed ears we did, and even fangs. Though theirs were significantly larger and more prominent. As if our fangs were the baby version of theirs.
“Welcome, daughter. Welcome, son.” They intoned together, smiles on their faces.
“We know it has been quite the journey to arrive here, but we are so pleased to finally meet you both.” The one lit up with white light said. “I am, of course, Earendel, your ancestor, Asteria.”
“And I am Erebus. Your ancestor, Calix.” The one emanating darkness added. His hair was long and black, but the tendrils moved like shadows, whereas Earendel’s was long and white, with strands made of pure light. Both had hair that glowed with their power, just like the rest of them. The very essence of light and dark made into physical form.
“It’s an honor to meet you both, Your Majesties.” Calix bowed his head quickly to them.
“Yes,” I added belatedly, mirroring him. “An honor. Majesties?”
Earendel looked amused, but another voice rang out before he could say or do anything. Thank…them. I couldn’t remember ever being so discombobulated, and that was saying something.
“I know you two aren’t starting without me.” It was a woman’s voice, and as she came into view, I had to stifle my gasp. She was emitting a silvery, starry light, just like my own power. As she came closer, I realized she was curvier and shorter than the two kings, though she still towered over me. She still had pointed ears and sharp fangs the other two sported, a common thread between us all.
“Of course not; we were merely welcoming them. They’ve come a long way.” Erebus told her with a raised eyebrow that sent a bolt of amusement through me despite my nerves. His eyes were pitch black and incredibly eerie. Looking at them felt like falling into the depths of the universe, with no landing in sight. Earendel’s weren’t much more comforting, glowing with bright, white light that was somehow more intense than looking into the sun.
But this woman, and there was truly only one woman she could be, had silver eyes full of swirling stars to match her hair, which fell to her waist and glowed with starlight that bounced around as she walked.
