Heroes Rising Fiction: The Missing Mythic Part 2

Part 2

Gamma and Gar were led through the palace to a small, square garden with an open sky and rooms on all sides. These were the guest quarters. In the center of the garden was a table with fresh pillows placed for them. A servant set out tea for them when they arrived with the Lord and Lady.

“Hello.” Gar greeted the youthful servant girl. She smiled

at him and then shuffled away without saying a word. He frowned, “Odd. She acted as though she did not understand me.”

Gamma said, “She might not speak your language.”

“I can understand and be understood by all languages. It is part of the power that makes me live.”

Lady Phoenix answered this exchange, “These servants are not real people. They are simple spells. Think of them like dolls.”

“Have a seat.” Lord Dragon commanded.

Everyone sat around the small table. Lady Phoenix poured the green tea.

Gar held up a hand when she offered him a cup, “Thank you, but I do not eat or drink.”

“Oh, how interesting.” She answered.

Gamma sipped the stout green tea, then asked, “So, what is this next phase of Jinn’s plans, and why have you not been helping us all along?” His tone wasn’t nearly as respectful as it should be.

Lord Dragon gave him a deadly look, “I have worked diligently for seven human centuries to keep track of my people and make sure they are safe and not breaking the rules we set out for them. A few have broken those rules and punished. I felt it was our responsibility and that the humans didn’t need to deal with my kind in these issues.”

Gamma casually stated, “Meaning you didn’t trust us.”

Gar said, “I believe my friend just means...”

“They know what I mean,” Gamma stated.

Lady Phoenix kindly said, “It is not that we did not trust humans. It is that we felt that we would place a hardship on your people. Until Jinn began this plan of his, we have been able to deal with our kind adequately.”

Lord Dragon held his teacup as he solemnly added, “Jinn is our son. I have been cleaning up his messes for many years. I felt responsible for him, more so than the others. I...” He paused as the words seemed to stick in his throat, “My ego was on the line. What he did reflected on me and I wanted to be the one to deal with him. I apologize for this hardship. But, now, we must work together to save my kind and stop him before he fulfills his plans.”

Gar asked, “What are his plans?”

Lord Dragon looked at his wife, as though he couldn’t bring himself to tell the sordid details of his progeny’s actions. Lady Phoenix answered, “As you know, Jinn has been stealing the power from others of our kind. Many years ago, he attempted to overthrow this world using his powers. We stopped him and sealed his powers in his talisman. I took it and kept it safe. This left him powerless. He lived as one of you for three hundred years.”

Lord Dragon continued, “We had hoped he was learning humility and wisdom in a humbled position as a human. We didn’t expect him to be plotting a wicked scheme all that time. This is my mistake, I always underestimated his ability to scheme, I should have...”

Lady Phoenix stopped him with a gentle touch on his arm. “It is no sin to hope your child seeks wisdom. We were both blind to his evil.” She continued the story. “He began a quest to regain power. But, instead of seeking his own back, he stole power piece by piece from some others of our kind. Santa was first, then Cupid. Then he obtained all the power within Leprechaun. This is when his plans changed. He now has more power than when I took his from him. He is stronger than any one of our kind.”

Gamma said, “This is bad. I thought this was the case, but I had hoped I was wrong.”

Gar asked, “Does this mean he will try to take over the world again?”

“Yes, but his plans still have a few phases left.” Lord Dragon said, “Jinn has been silent for too long. Once he stole the magic from Leprechaun, he disappeared. However, we knew he wouldn’t be foolish. Even with the power he has, he is not strong enough to contend against both his mother and myself at once. We are still greater than him. I remembered how he once stopped Legion, and then it all became clear.”

Gamma asked, “He stopped Legion?”

“Yes.” Lady Phoenix answered, “In our long war with them, he found a power to stop them, a strength that was greater than anything we knew. It was enough to push back Legion, but it was a dark, corrupted power that is forbidden.” She paused, unable to speak this.

Lord Dragon quietly said, “This power is called soul-eating. It is ancient, forbidden magic our people practiced eons ago. By sacrificing one of our own, and stealing their heart, their core, the wielder can craft himself into a being of power that is nearly unstoppable.”

Gamma asked, “I know this was a terrible action he used, but Legion was already murdering your people. Why worry if he kills one? If he can become strong enough to fight them, then let him. I know it’s cruel, but in the end, one death could save millions.”

Lady Phoenix said, “It is not that simple. Such a terrible act tears the soul and turns the user dark as each moment passes. He was a brilliant, powerful man after the act. But, within days of victory over Legion, he had taken his father’s throne and was growing more wicked by the hour. We traded one vile enemy for another.”

Lord Dragon said, “I was able to stop him and render this power out of his soul. The cost in lives to defeat him then was...unacceptable.”

Gar asked, “And you think this is what he is doing?”

Lord Dragon said, “Undoubtedly. He had a taste of this dark power and has desired it ever since. Jinn is calculated, his only genuine chance to contend against the superheroes of this planet and his people is to obtain power greater than even our most dreadful enemy.”

Gar asked, “If he needs to sacrifice one of your kind, then why has he not done so yet?”

Lady Phoenix answered, “We are no longer suitable victims.”

Lord Dragon explained before they could ask, “Each of our kind split our magic between ourselves and a talisman, such as Cupid’s bow and Santa’s sleigh. Jinn was able to harvest power from the talismans, but he couldn’t get a complete heart. None of us are complete anymore.”

Gamma asked, “Could he force someone to recombine with their talisman?”

Lady Phoenix shook her head, “No. It is possible to recombine, but impossible to force.”

Gar said, “Then, we are safe from this plan?”

“No,” Lord Dragon softly answered, “Before we arrived on this planet, one of ours had already come here. What happened to him is a mystery to us. How he blended into your society, what he became, nothing about him has been made known to myself or any of my kind. We have suspicions, but far too few facts to go on. What we know is that this person did not split themselves. They are complete, and this puts them at risk.”

Gamma shrugged, “Logically, they would get as far away from here as possible.”

“We believe that they do not know who they are.” Lady Phoenix said.

“What?” Gamma asked.

Lord Dragon nodded, “After all this time, we believe that they are unaware of their identity. When we first knew we would take refuge on a primitive world, the plan was to clear our memories of our homeworld, and assume identities of myths here. I decided we needed to remember the past, or we would risk repeating it. However, this person was not there when I made the decision.”

“They think they are human? Wouldn’t living a few centuries kinda mess that idea up?” Gamma asked.

Lord Dragon answered, “We do not know what identity they gave themselves. I doubt they took on a full human identity. I believe that they retained some of their power, but assumed some hidden persona. In any case, they are out there and their life is at risk.”

Gar added, “Plus, the world is in danger if they are found.”

Lady Phoenix nodded, “So, you see our problem. We have searched for this person for many years and not found them. Time is not on our side any longer, we need help, we need BADGE.”

Gamma smiled under his mask, “So, we come to the reason that BADGE can finally be trusted by you two.”

Lady Phoenix laughed, “I see you aren’t afraid of speaking your feelings.”

Lord Dragon sternly said, “It is growing late. I will have a servant show you to your quarters. Please contact Director Nova at once.”

Gar volunteered to contact while a pretty servant girl approached and gestured for them to follow her.