Realm of Monsters - Chapter 642: Gods & Children

Chapter 642: Gods & Children

  “I’m telling you, it’s this way, trust,” Callum said confidently and strode into the Grand Hall. He froze in his steps as he came face to face with the two giant women.

  “Is this the place?” Kithina almost bumped into him, but managed to step around him at the last moment. She looked up and saw Bellum staring down at her with a raised eyebrow. Kithina’s jaw went slack.

  Lysaila sheepishly peeked her head from around the corner.

  “Kitty? Cal?” Sylvie said, surprised.

  “You know these people, daughter?” asked Bellum. Her wolf ears twitched as she cocked her head to the side.

  “Y-Yeah. They were on the island,” Sylvie replied slowly.

  A pang of pain dug into Callum’s chest, a dagger to the heart. Not even friends. They had spent an entire year in the academy together, and she couldn’t even call them her friends. The Sylvie he knew was truly well and gone, or perhaps she had never existed to begin with.

  Kitthina was too preoccupied to even notice Sylvie’s words. Her jaw went up and down, but no words came out, only a mumbling sound, her eyes never leaving Bellum. Her knees went weak, and she stumbled back a step.

  “Kitty! Cal! You’re alive!” Stryg’s voice cut through the tension. He kicked off the throne, much to Lunae’s annoyance, and crossed the entire grand hall in a single leap, landing next to the goddess of war. He ignored Bellum entirely and pulled Callum and Kithina in a close embrace.

  The two mortals winced in pain at the tightness of the hug, but they couldn’t help but be surprised. Rare was the day Stryg had ever shown them such affection. Kithina, in particular, was stunned. The last time she had seen him was before he left for the Undergrowth Tourney; he had been in a dark place after Clypeus’ death.

  “It’s good to see you, too.” Kithina smiled.

  “Yes, wonderful. I think you’re breaking my ribs,” Callum wheezed.

  “Sorry.” Stryg let them go. “I’ve been working on trying to control my newfound strength, but it’s not as easy as it seems.”

  Kithina and Callum glanced at the entire distance of the grand hall and back at Stryg. “Are you saying that wasn’t an agility spell?” asked Callum.

  “Nope,” replied Stryg.

  “What about Yellow? A wind spell?” asked Kithina, though she seemed distracted, constantly glancing at the giant war goddess watching them curiously.

  “Nope. Just me.” Stryg beamed.

  “You know these people, too, Stryg?” asked Bellum.

  “They’re my tribemates,” Stryg answered.

  “Tribemates? Really?” Bellum asked, skepticism clear in her voice.

  Stryg looked up at her without shying away. “Yes. They are my tribe.”

  The weight of those words suddenly felt very heavy to Callum and Kithina. How easily Stryg had claimed them as his own with not a hint of hesitation in his countenance, even in front of a goddess. The two felt humbled and honored all at once.

  “Hm. You keep— curious company, cousin,” said Bellum.

  Kithina did a double-take. “Wait. Cousin?”

  “You’re related?” Callum’s eyes were as wide as saucers.

  “Bellum is Lunae’s niece. Lunae is my step-mother,” Stryg gestured to the throne.

  Callum and Kithina followed his gesture and stared at the goddess of the moon sitting on the throne, tapping her fingers on the armrest impatiently. “Y-You’re…” Kithina sucked in a deep breath. She could hardly wrap her mind around the fact that Bellum existed and was standing only a few paces from her. But this? The Watcher herself was in the same hall.

  “So you were adopted by a goddess?” Callum concluded carefully. Sylvans did not marry, so the thought of Lunae marrying Stryg’s mortal father made no sense whatsoever. 

  “Yeah, I guess so,” Stryg shrugged.

  “That’s— extraordinary. Are you Lunae’s Chosen or something?” Callum asked excitedly. 

  “He is my Chosen,” said Lunae, her tone sharp, daring Stryg to contradict her words.

  Callum swallowed hard. “That’s… wow. I guess it makes sense. Right, Kitty?”

  “Huh? Oh. Y-Yeah.” Kithina laughed awkwardly. “I’m sorry, it’s just…” She gave Stryg a forceful smile. She couldn’t help but to keep glancing back at the goddesses. “You know, for a second there, I thought you were actually related to a god. Like, you were part god or something. That sounds stupid when I say it out loud. It’s just, this is all a lot for me.” 

  Stryg froze.

  Bellum looked at Kithina as if she were stupid, then gestured to Stryg, “He is a child of Death.”

  “Uh, I don’t…” Kithina wasn’t sure what to say. Was the Guardian of the Realm telling her that Stryg brought death to others? That much was true, she supposed. Or was she saying Stryg was a danger to the Realm’s safety? How did one even greet a goddess? Was there a certain etiquette she had to follow?

  Sylvie shook her head. “Kitty doesn’t know what that means.”

  Kithina glanced at her once-rival defensively. “Stryg kills a lot of people, I get it.” 

  “No. I mean, well, yes, it’s in his nature, but not what I meant. Hm. How do I put this?” Sylvie hummed to herself in thought.

  “Put what?” Kithina asked.

  “Stryg is the biological son of an ancient and powerful deity who is the world’s embodiment of death, hence his name, Death. He goes by many other names, too; you might be familiar with some of them. Mortem? Stjerne?”

  Kithina stared at Sylvie and a fidgeting Stryg, then burst out laughing. “Oh, I thought you were being serious for a second. Haha… Wait, why are you two looking at me like that?”

  Bellum snapped her fingers. “I get it now, this one is quite dim, isn’t she?”

  “It’s not a joke, Kitty.” Sylvie sighed.

  “Hold on.” Kithina shook her head and pointed at Stryg, “You’re telling me that Stryg, our Stryg, is part god?”

  “He is a god,” replied Sylvie.

  Kithina looked at him. “Stryg…?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

  Stryg had never seen her appear so vulnerable, as if her whole reality was being questioned. He hated the way she looked at him. To her, he wasn’t the friend she had spent countless nights studying together, sharing meals with, and enduring the triumphs and trials side by side. No. Right now, he was nothing more than a stranger. What could he say that would not feel like a betrayal of everything she knew about him?

  Why was it that the more he delved into the world of his heritage, the more he felt isolated from the world he had come to love?

  “Stryg is Stryg. He need be nothing more.” Gale came to the rescue and appeared behind him, a Shadow to her Ward.

  Stryg cleared his throat and nodded. “I’m me, Kitty.”

  “I…” Kithina took a step back and frowned, confused.

  Callum stepped forward. “I’m sorry, Stryg. This is just a lot to take in, for all of us.”

  “Not for me,” Lysaila muttered. The boy was the son of Mortem, the Blood Sovereign? Of course, he was. Why else could she not harm a hair on his head? But if that was true, then… “Stryg, about my people’s curse.”

  Stryg winced. “I’ve been working on it. I have good news and bad news.”

  “What’s the bad news?” Lysaila asked.

  “I think we should talk about that in private.”

  “And the good news?”

  “Soon I’ll have enough power to grant freedom to all beastkins in Hollow Shade and its territories. House Noir and House Veres have already adopted it into practice. I know it’s a lot, but—”

  “I need to speak with Holo. I completed my end of her bargain,” Lysaila said.

  “She should be around,” Stryg said.

  “Are you two close now?” Lysaila asked.  

  “I guess you could say that.” Stryg shrugged.

  “You’re close with the legendary Holo the Tall, too? Let me guess, she’s your mom.” Kithina threw her arms up in frustration.

  “No, my mother is a goblin. Holo is my sister.”

  Kithina blinked. “I’m dreaming,” she muttered. “This is all a terrible nightmare.”

  “Again. Not surprised.” Lysaila crossed her arms.

  Callum touched Kithina’s shoulder comfortingly. “We just came to ask for your help, Stryg. If you’re willing.”

  “Always. Who do you need me to kill?” Stryg placed his hand on Krikolm’s white hilt.

  Callum smiled wryly. “No, nothing so barbaric. Do you remember Kitty’s family? Lived in the Commoner District?” 

  “I remember. We visited a couple of times.” Stryg nodded.

  “Right. Their house was burned down in the fire. We were hoping you could use your connections and influence as Lord of House Veres to get access to the list of refugee camps and their occupants. Perhaps spare a few men to help us search the camps,” Callum said.

  “Of course. Gale?” 

  “I’ll have a retinue established to find Kithina’s family. I assure you, they will not rest until her family is found,” said Gale. 

  “Thank you,” Callum bowed.

  Gale turned to Kithina, “We will do our best to locate your family, but you must understand, the Commoner District was hit first during the siege. Many people lost their lives. There is a chance that your family did not make it. I only say this to help you prepare for that potential reality.”

  “…I understand,” Kithina mumbled. The light in her green eyes had dimmed. She seemed older, tired.

  “Thank you, if you’ll excuse us. We have a lot of ground to cover,” Callum bowed and gently pulled Kithina away.

  Lysaila glanced at Stryg, gave a subtle nod, and slithered after her friends.

  “I stand by my words, cousin. You keep a strange group of friends,” mused Bellum.

  “Now that that’s all dealt with, Bellum, we need to speak,” said Lunae.

  “I could not agree more. Darling, why don’t you go play with Stryg, hm? Get to know one another,” said Bellum.

  “Mom, I already know Stryg—”

  “Hush, child. The adults are speaking now.” Bellum waved her away, not even bothering to look at her.

  Sylvie frowned.

  Stryg, eager to not be stuck meeting any more nobles for the day, did not need any more encouragement. “See ya, bye!” he said quickly and dashed out of the grand hall.

  “Your eminences,” Gale bowed to Lunae and Bellum before following after her Ward.

  Sylvie grumbled something under her breath and left to find Stryg.

  “Sorry about all of that,” Bellum said.

  “They’re babies, what can you do?” Lunae said.

  “I’m still surprised you took one in yourself. You always used to say you were the mother of all goblins, that they were your children, and you didn’t need a child of your own.”

  “Stryg is a goblin.”

  “Heh. Fair enough.” Bellum walked up to the throne and smiled. “It’s been too long, Aunt Lunae.”

  Lunae leaped up and wrapped her arms around her. “I’ve missed you, Bellum.”

  “And I, you. Truth be told, I never thought we’d meet in this city.”

  “Yes, the enchantments around the walls were too powerful.”

  “Unless we tried to break them.”

  “Not that such an outcome would be pleasant.”

  “True, but I’m sure you’d have found a way if you wanted.” Bellum smirked.

  “And what about you? Are you not afraid that Caligo will retaliate and harm your last daughter?”

  “The moment Caligo tried to send one of those dragonbanes into another realm, it ceased to matter. I cannot stay back and do nothing.”

  “You were always eager to do what you thought was right. I always admired that about you.”

  “That means a lot coming from you.” They finally pulled away, and Bellum took a good, long look at Lunae. “You look well. After what happened at Lunis and with my father, I wasn’t sure you’d ever recover.”

  “Neither did I,” admitted Lunae.

  “Does it have to do with the boy?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is that why you’re here? In this city with your army?”

  “It’s one of the reasons. How long have you been in the city?”

  “I arrived last night. I’ve read some reports about the siege, but there is still a lot to get through.”

  “Do you know about the Ebon Tower?”

  Bellum narrowed her eyes. “What about the Tower?”

  “Its vault was breached.”

  “No.” Bellum paled at her words. “Then, my father…?”

  “Solis is awake and free.”

  “Where are they?”

  “I do not know.”

  “Even with your vision?”

  “Caligo and Solis evade me. I believe they have left the Realm.”

  “Then the situation is worse than I thought.”