FanStory.com - The Chronicles of Bethicaby amahra

At the end of ch 19 (part 1), Gangus is greatly angered after learning the dangerous quest Prince Norr had Dinary to complete before granting his assistance in defeating the Nordoxz. But he keeps it from Brehira, knowing her possible revenge would end the help the prince has granted.

Today's Chapter:

Chapter 19 (part 2)
War of the Gods

From his lofty perch, Raziel, the god of gods who ruled over deities and mortals with a golden fist, remained adamant about his ban on the gods' physical involvement in their subjects' disputes. When he learned Nelchael had allowed access to a level of his realm which held a Fallen Angel, he increased the powers of the arsenals he'd given Gangus, Brehira, and their comrades.

Meanwhile, Barthod sat in a mystic circle of demonic symbols layered with the sacrificial blood of a young male humanoid. A voice that wasn't his boomed from his throat through his opened mouth and called out a name mortal lips could not form. It echoed through the halls of the dark realm, and the walls seemed to answer the voice that had beckoned him.

A stream of black smoke slithered through the shadowy halls and up to the abyss, splashing through its eternal flames. It slithered within red hot lava and across the black dirt of a landscape. Like lightning, it shot to the sky; invisible, it took on the form and color of the clouds, seeped through the roof of a private abode--descended to a white marble floor, and lingered in midair before Barthod.

At first, the Shaman was frightened, but when the demonic smoke took on the likeness of a seven-foot-tall, wide man--the head of a bull with clawed feet and hands, Barthod smiled and greeted him.
*****

Nightfall, Brehira's body shifted beneath the covers. She reached for her husband, but his warm, muscular body was not there. Brehira rose with a frown and remembered he had kissed her and told her not to wait up--promising he'd join her after finalizing some war plans.

Wrapping a cloak around her, Brehira ventured into the cool night air to the war room in an adjoining building. As she made her way down the hall to the room, her heart thumped in her chest as she observed a heap of black ashes where each of several guards had stood.

Frantic, she screamed Gangus's name. It woke everyone within earshot of her. Dinary, Celio, Olatunji, Rhico, and the Domari sisters were the first to reach her. They followed Brehira into the war room and gasped--finding it in disarray: Tables, chairs, and lamps were overturned. Miniature battle objects--pieces of a map scattered and glass shattered upon the floor. There were drops of blood, but Gangus was nowhere in sight.

Soon, everyone was alerted. Some stayed behind to guard the area while hundreds searched for Gangus holding blazing torches--shouting his name and dreading his demise.

However, Gangus, though bleeding heavily, was very much alive--somewhere beneath the realm of Bethica and the outer limits of the Underworld. The place was flat and empty; darkness hovered above as Gangus stood on a hard, ash-gray surface before the Fallen Angel. Gangus felt like he was in a weird out-of-doors where a scorching breeze parted his hair. The place was strangely lit though no moon or stars appeared from above, nor were there crafted lights anywhere.

The demon raised his hands, and streams of hot lava shot toward Gangus. But Gangus spoke quickly to his staff-- the wind met the lava midway and held it. Back and forth, the demonic and divine energy fought to dominate.

The Shaman, viewing the duel from a magic window through a large, round crystal, spoke an incantation and the lava immediately shortened the distance of the wind. Gangus, straining with every muscle in his body--bulging veins in his neck, shouted to his staff, and the wind pushed the streaming lava within inches of the demon's talons.

Barthod let loose a torrent of incantations. The staff caught fire and was consumed. Seeing his staff as a small pile of ashes, Gangus didn't know why, but his instincts told him to call for the ashes, and immediately, the embers flew to him. But as soon as the gray particles touched his hand, the staff became whole again. Gangus suddenly realized the staff could do many more things and was shocked as the new commands seemed to come to his mind out of nowhere.

When the demon saw that the staff had bested everything he had, he shot a bolt of lightning from each claw; it struck the staff, knocking Gangus across the wide, flat surface. He landed hard, dropping the staff, but managed to stop the following bolts with his shield. The bolts ricocheted, knocking the demon to the ground.

Before Gangus could hop to his feet, the demon flew through the air--claws sparkling, sharp as needle points, and pounced on Gangus. On his back, Gangus held the demon by the wrists, desperately trying to keep his claws, within inches of his face, from ripping his throat. Closer and closer, the points inched to his neck--blood trickled, and Gangus lost strength. Suddenly, a ball of energy struck the demon knocking him to the side of Gangus.

The demon's eyes widened when he saw Brehira, her weapon hand still raised, and Dinary, Celio, Olatunji, Rhico, and the Domari sisters behind her. The Gunji had used one of Gangus's garments to cast a locating spell. Because Gangus had been swept into a strange realm, it had taken every bit of strength the Gunji could muster to find him.

Gangus scrambled to his feet and called to his staff. All of the arsenals of the gods were in play against the Fallen Angel. But his arrogance never sensed a defeat.

Watching, Barthod used his most powerful incantation, which enabled the demon to unleash a horde of magical artillery. Though it was matched time and again with the arsenals of the gods, the battle stayed even for several minutes, with the demon slowly gaining power.

Afraid they could lose, Olatunji quickly shapeshifted into a huge golden eagle. The eagle spat a substance that turned any entity, mortal or immortal, into a pillar of salt.

The bullhead demon stiffened--with eyes widely fixed, arms melting into his sides, it hardened into a seven-foot-tall solid beige mineral. Straightaway, the magic window disappeared in a flash of light, and Barthod's crystal ball exploded, sending Barthod flying across the room. Too terrified to be furious, Barthod lay on his back, trembling, knowing the pending consequences of his failure.
*****

Days later, Emperor Vaganor stood seething in his castle when he learned Gangus was alive. He yelled at his Shamans, particularly Barthod, who stood with eyes cast down. "What do I have you around for?"

The Shamans stood still and quiet.

"You're supposed to be able to call on the powers of darkness. Yet, this...this bloody human is still breathing. Why is that? TELL ME!"

The Shamans stood before him trembling. Vaganor squinted at them. Then his mouth twisted into a hideous grin. "I have a good mind to feed the lot of you to my pets," he said, speaking of the flesh-eating Bohaus.

Sweat poured from the Shamans. They had witnessed many enemies fed to the beasts and had sickened at the sounds of their screams as flesh was ripped from their bones.

"Please, My Lord Emperor," Barthod intervened. "It was Raziel's interference. Surely you did not expect us to win against the god of gods."

"Of course, he interfered, you bumbling idiot. He must have gotten wind that you went whining to the Undergod."

"But I was only trying to help rid us of the human, Your Majesty."

"Which you failed to do!"

"But..."

"SILENCE!" The Emperor shouted--shooting a squinted stare at him. "We could have beaten him again with what we had. But no, you had to rise in rank. You thought only of yourself. Now, Raziel is involved!"

"But...Great Emperor..."

"Speak again without my permission, and I will feed your tongue to the Bohaus while it is still attached to your throat!"

Barthod tightened his lips together and hung his head. Fear paralyzed him from the neck up. Moisture in his mouth seemed to have disappeared, and his throat cracked dry like a scorching desert. However, Barthod delighted in his sudden, temporary, and painful condition; for he found he could not speak even if he'd tried.

Vaganor paced up and down while his Shamans stood quietly trembling. The Emperor stopped and sighed heavily, then turned to Barthod. "I can guess what Nelchael promised you. But what did you promise him?"

Moisture quickly welled up in Barthod's throat and he swallowed hard. "Why...nothing, Your Majesty," he lied, shifting his eyes.

End of Part Two

Image: by Dantegrafice from Pixabay

Main Characters
Lord Gangus Abram Leader of his tribe
Lady Brehira (Bree here rah) His wife
Dinary (Deh nah ry) Youngest Son
Celio (Seal le o) Soldier and close friend
Princess Netrekka (Neh trek kah) Dinary's Lover/wife
Olatunji (O Lah Tune Gee) Cushite Soldier
Gangus's Staff Command Tierphenjinochun (Teer fen gin o tion)

Minor Characters
Khimah (Kee ma) Eldest Son
Captain Dulcy P Dordrecht (Door check) Captain of the Cristofur
Judian (Jew-dee-in) Second in Command of the Cristofur
Kofius (Ko fee us) The Sail Master
The Drake (like it's spelled) The menacing dragon
The Gunji (Gun-gee) A magical humanoid