(Jason, 16)

There we go, the last piece is in play. Now all I have to do is watch and wait. Thankfully, I hit the fourth level of grey magical power while performing my preparations, which makes some of what is to come easier.

Expanding my scanning spell to cover all of Varilsy, I sit down on my couch and request snacks and tea from Cecilia, who promptly serves them, having been informed a couple of hours ago I would be rather hungry upon my return.

Mama Elena is back at my mamas' and papas' home to deal with the little ones not feeling well, while Mama Alyssa returned just for a few nights to spend some time with them. Papa Michael is in the palace, and Papa Jared is at the company headquarters. Papa Harold is still traveling, as usual, Mama Elizabeth is at the house I grew up in, as usual, and Papa Samuel is still up north.

Leaving me here with just the maid, the butler, and the valet. Along with Rufus and Zevenas, who want snuggles and belly rubs. Well, Rufus was belly rubs, Zevenas just wants to curl up in my lap and relax.

As I eat the cookies Cecilia baked for me, I watch as Alex and Jacob travel through the tunnels, looking for Jacob's guards. Jeddy's on his way here with the rest of the Leviathans. Lina and Uncle Zach are sleeping peacefully in the palace, while Franklin is up late, pacing back and forth.

All of that and more, I take in as I watch the city like a god of myth and legend. Or rather, the gods of Earth's myths and legends. The real gods aren't omniscient, and aren't portrayed as such here on Midlaris, likely due to their former presence.

I pull out a comm plate, bop Zevenas on the head with it, then call Wolf Alpha.

"'Sup, Boss?" He asks quietly.

"Stop sniffing around the laundry room and go to Franklin, would you?" I ask. "I need to tell him something."

"I'm-"

"Two o'clock, six steps forward, turn right past that bucket, nine steps past it, into the one up ahead. It's buried under the laundry."

I watch as Wolf Alpha makes his way to the mentioned wooden washing bucket, and he jumps into the dirty clothes, protecting himself from them with a thin layer of force magic. He digs his way down to the bottom, grabs a small stuffed bunny, then climbs back out. Wolf Alpha shakes himself off as he opens a small gate and passes through it.

The golem stuffie steps out of it into the palace nursery, slips past the nursemaid, and hops up into a crib, setting the bunny down in it before disappearing through another gate. The nursemaid continues rocking the servant's crying baby, noticing the stuffed bunny after a minute. She picks it up and hands it to the infant, who instantly calms down.

Wolf Alpha has such a kind heart.

He makes his way to Franklin's room, hopping up on the prince's bed and watching him.

"Project me," I say. "Franklin, if you keep pacing like that, you'll only stress yourself out more, making it more difficult to sleep."

Franklin jumps, looking around until he spots the stuffie.

"Jason?" He asks.

"No, I'm Wolf Alpha," Wolf Alpha responds.

"I know that," Franklin snorts as I turn on view mode, allowing me to see him. He's wearing a nightshirt right now, his hair ruffled and crazy. "Is that Jason talking through you?"

"Yes," I answer. "Franklin, what's bothering you?"

"Jacob went missing," he says. "And Lina and Uncle Zachary went to bed, acting as if it were no big deal."

"Because I told them to," I tell him. "I promise that Jacob will be okay, Franklin. He's with Alex right now."

"Alex?" He asks. "Baron Alex Levirar?"

"Yes," I answer. "They're currently freeing Jacob's guards, Wyatt and Evan, from the cell they were placed into. After they do that, they're planning on slaughtering thousands of monsters. I'm keeping an eye on everything."

"They plan on what?" He asks. "They are leaving Varilsy after-"

"No," I interrupt. "The monsters are underneath Varilsy, and before you panic more, I'm keeping an eye on the situation. The only reason I haven't stepped in directly is because a god is attempting to trap me and I'm waiting for all the pieces to be in the right spots before I act."

"The pieces?" He asks.

"Yes," I answer. "The pieces, like in chess. I assure you, Franklin, that our cousin will be just fine. Now, I need to go. Focusing on the entire city at once is rather draining mentally, and I really shouldn't be doing it. Go to bed. Seriously. I swear as the High Magus that Jacob will come out of this alright."

I end the call, then close my eyes and return to focusing on everything at once. It really isn't something I should be doing because of how many things I have to take in simultaneously and watch. There's a reason normal gods aren't capable of omniscience.

Narrowing my focus down, I look at all of the pieces for both sides of the play, waiting for Jeddy to arrive with the rest of the crew. It takes him a few more minutes, and when he does, he's bloody, his left arm is hanging limp at his side, and he collapses onto the ground, his lava constructs falling apart.

Thankfully, I prepared for their arrival and protected everything from the lava, which I send into the ocean through a gate using a little bit of force magic. The staff helps bring in the crew and we get them set up on the couches, then I set Cecilia to providing them with food and drink.

Jeddy, meanwhile, is still unconscious on the floor, bleeding profusely. I lift him up with force magic and teleport us directly into the bathing room, setting him in the tub. I remove his armor, boots, and weapons and set them to the side, then use wind magic to cut off his clothes as I run the water. Manipulating it with magic, I run the water over him, thoroughly washing the blood off of him. He has deep cuts and harsh burns everywhere that wasn't protected by the armor, and bruises all over underneath.

Poor guy, facing off against the mages, soldiers, and monsters he did just to escape the tunnels with the crew. With them being out of it, he had to handle the fights alone, without any assistance from others at all.

But he's a tough little guy, so he managed it and still kept his constructs running until he fainted.

I set to work treating his injuries, focusing on the worst ones first. It takes me nearly half an hour to finish healing him, and by the time I finish, Jeddy's woken up.

"Jason!" He exclaims. "Alex is-"

"I know," I tell him. "When you arrived, he was preparing to fight against a horde of monsters with Jacob and Jacob's guards. He'll be fine, I have Griffin Alpha and Leviathan Alpha with them, they arrived while you were walking here."

"The crew?" He asks.

"Safe," I tell him. "They're in the family room, sleeping on the couches. Cecilia gave them some refreshments, and the crew passed out right after consuming them."

Jeddy lets out a sigh of relief, then stands up.

"Wash yourself off," I tell him. "I cleaned you as I healed you, but there's still some blood, and no soap or shampoo was used. I'll be in the family room."

He nods, and I return to the family room, where Cecilia serves me tea again. I expand my scanning spell and locate Alex and Jacob, who are busy fighting against monsters. They'll manage just fine, so I pull my spell back in and wait for Jeddy to return. When he does, he's dressed in a nightshirt, looking as exhausted as he probably is.

"You can sleep in the spare room," I tell him. "The bed is fluffy."

"Is Alex really going to be okay?" He asks. "It was… scary, the stuff I faced."

"Nightmare-inducing," I nod. "But don't worry about Alex, he's much tougher than you realize. A Magus of green magical power won't die against foes that weak. Go get some rest. There's an enchantment on this house to ensure nice dreams."

Jeddy nods, then goes to his room, and I wait until the four Elemental Alphas contact me, saying it's time, hours later.

Standing, I stretch, then open a gate outside of Varisly, to a field more than a dozen miles to the west. I jump up onto a rock and look up at the sky, watching as the sun begins to rise over the horizon. The day has come, and soon, the fighting beneath the city will conclude as well.

As the sun finishes rising past the horizon, a person walks towards me, a man who appears to be in his twenties, with crimson hair streaked with silver, his eyes silver in color, his skin marked with red and silver patterns. He wears just a pair of crimson leather pants, showing a scar running from his left shoulder down to the right side of his abs.

I gave him that scar, during the war.

"Hello, Reizanik," I greet the god.

"How did you know about my trap, Nolan?" He asks. "Or should I call you Jason?"

"Have you forgotten who I am?" I ask. "Has three thousand years of hiding from me and the free gods of this world made your memory dull?"

"My memory is just fine," he snarls. "You are the remnants of an ancient being, and nothing more."

The remnants of an ancient being? What? Is he really that thick that he can't read my soul properly? Any god should recognize it as the soul of the Divine Dragon! Especially him, considering he's one of the gods spawned from my true self.

"High Magus," Reizanik says. "With as weak as you are in this life, you can't challenge me. Why wait?"

"Why talk instead of fight?" I ask. "You're wary, suspicious. Afraid that you're walking into a trap you can't detect. Worried that this time, I won't just leave you with a scar. Terrified that I may actually take your life."

"Ha!" He laughs. "As if! I simply wish to hear what you have to say before I bind your immortal soul into an object. So tell me, why did you decide to meet me?"

"How much do you remember about the Battle of Lroshitan?"

Reizanik pauses, thinking back to what he knows of the battle. Then he laughs and shakes his head.

"No such battle occurred," he says. "In fact, no such place exists. You can try to play me all you want, Nolan, but you won't succeed."

"Shame," I say.

"Yes, shame," he snarls. "You can't trick me, Nolan! I am Reizanik, god of traps! I know all about-"

"It's a shame," I say. "That you don't remember the Battle of Lroshitan at all. I would think that a god who was here during the war and stayed here after, hidden, would remember it."

I pop a grey bean similar to a jelly bean into my mouth. I chew it twice, tasting the earthy, yet sweet and decadent flavor, then swallow. The effects are immediate, and I feel my magical power increase rapidly, a grey aura forming around me as the powerful god stumbles back, pure terror on his face as my own magical power overtakes his in mere moments.

"Let me give you a demonstration of its conclusion."

(Jacob, 17)

Alex, Wyatt, Evan, and I make it out of the tunnels and into the early morning light. We are exhausted, we are bloody, and we are battered, but we are alive. As soon as we began fighting monsters outside of the room I was held in, they seemed to become a never-ending stream.

The only ones we never managed to kill were the ones with the shadowy forms, which Alex said even he could not figure out how to harm after reading the minds of several of their makers. It is something which we need to speak with Jason regarding.

Otherwise, we managed to take out every group of monsters in the tunnel.

"Good job," Alex holds up a fist, and I recognize the gesture as one he performs with his crew. "Ya did good."

"You did good," I meet his fist with my own, and the moment they connect, we both freeze up, sensing something far more powerful than possibly even Jaklenai outside of Varilsy. "Alex, I think we might need to use our Magus Swords."

Alex nods, then opens a gate outside of Varisly. We pass through it, then use flight magics to take off into the air, soaring in the direction of whatever it is we are sensing.

It takes me a couple of minutes to notice something off about our trip. With how quickly we are flying, it should not have taken us more than a few minutes to reach the source, I am sure of it. Yet did we pass that formation of rocks for the fourth time?

"Jake," Alex moves in next to me, talking loudly so I can hear. "Space is being distorted. I think Jason's ahead, and he's doing something to the area to prevent anyone from drawing too close."

"Jason?" I ask. "You think he is doing this?"

"Jason is the most powerful of us," Alex nods. "Think about it, Jake – if he's running from Reizanik, he'd not want anyone getting caught up in it. Messing with distance wouldn't be too difficult for him, not at third-I mean fourth-level of grey magical power."

"It's not Jason," Griffin Alpha flies up to me. "Though it is his magical power."

"What does that mean?" Alex asks.

"Jason prepared this area beforehand to lure Reiznak into a trap," Leviathan Alpha soars next to Griffin Alpha. "Part of the preparation included setting Fire Elemental Alpha, Water Elemental Alpha, Earth Elemental Alpha, and Air Elemental Alpha into this area to prepare the distortion spell. The four of them are the ones doing it."

"I'm requesting permission to enter," Griffin Alpha says. "We should be-there we go! We're inside, so we shouldn't have an issue getting there. We'll pass through the illusion shortly."

A few seconds later, and the immense amount of magical power vanishes completely. Alex and I shoot each other worried looks. If Reizanik disappeared, then he no doubt won the fight. Even with Reaper, we agree that Jason would not manage to win.

Even if he set up a trap for the god of traps, I doubt he would succeed in fighting him, not with his current magical power level.

We put on speed, and are able to tell immediately when we pass through the illusion, as there is a massive hole in the ground, uneven around the edges, at least half a mile at its shortest and nearly a mile at its widest, stretching around thirty feet at its deepest.

The field has damage all over it, as if something simply pummeled it with immense force.

Standing at the edge of the hole, a torrent of water rushing out of his hands into the pit, is Jason, looking whole and healthy.

"Think it's another trap?" I ask.

"That's Jason," Griffin Alpha swoops down close, and we follow.

"Jason?" I ask as we land.

"Let me finish turning this hole into a lake," Jason says. "Then I'm going to promptly pass out."

"Where's Reizanik?" Alex asks. "The stuffies said-"

"He's dead."

"But ya ain't powerful enough to fight someone that powerful!" Alex exclaims. "We could sense his magic from Varisly! Ya-"

"What?" Jason gives him a confused look, then laughs. "That wasn't Reizanik you were sensing. That was me. That temporary power boost is why I'm going to pass out, which is why I want to finish turning this into a lake first. If you two would be so kind as to help me?"

Alex and I look at each other, then at the stuffie golems, who are already contributing to the filling of the hole. I suppose turning it into a lake is better than leaving a giant hole in the ground.

"What happened here, anyway?" Alex asks as we and my guards assist Jason.

"I reenacted the ending of the Battle of Lroshitan."

"What on Midlaris was that?" Alex asks. "Ya ain't even hurt, Jason! Heck, ya look like ya were just out for a stroll, found a pit, and decided to turn it into a lake! And that's something I can believe!"

That is definitely something Jason would do.

"The Battle of Lroshitan?" Jason asks. "It was a fight I had during the war, nothing to concern yourselves with. And my temporary power boost allowed me to fight without being harmed."

You created a new lake wiping out a god, Jason. Just how did you boost your power like that?

My griffin cub joins us as we fill in the hole, and he contributes his own water magics to the formation of the lake. Jason passes out as we fill it, and Alex stops to check on him, before helping me finish.

A lot of the water will soak into the ground and change the edges of the lake, but it is doubtful the lake will disappear anytime soon. We receive enough rain to ensure that it will stay filled for a long time.

When we finish, Alex picks up Jason, then tells me he is taking Jason home. I nod, then watch as Alex disappears through a gate, Leviathan Alpha following him. Griffin Alpha opens a gate back to the castle, and my guards and I step through it, the stuffie golem following after.

He opened the gate straight into my room, so I tell my guards to head to their quarters, wash up, and rest up, then I head into my bathing room and strip off my clothes and gear, stepping into the shower and turning it on.

Ten minutes later, I'm washed, dried, and dressed in a nightshirt. The report on what happened can wait, I feel ready to pass out. I walk to my bed and climb onto it, asleep before my head even hits the pillow.

"Jacob!" Papa shakes me awake, panic in his voice, and I find myself mumbling something groggily as I open my eyes, looking at my papa. "Thank the King and Queen of the Gods, you were not waking."

"Did something happen?" I ask, sitting up. Papa, Lina, Franklin, Sage Michael, a pair of healers, and about a dozen Royal Guards are in my room. The griffin cub is standing between Papa and me, growling, and I put a hand on its head, soothing it. "This man needs his sleep."

"Jacob," Papa says. "What happened? Jason assured us you were fine and everything would be okay, then we felt that power earlier. Your valet came in to do his normal duties, and found you passed out and your gear bloody in your washing room. He rushed for a healer and sent for me, and when we arrived, we could not wake you. It has been twenty minutes."

"Probably because I am exhausted," I complain. "Papa, I spent at least five or six hours fighting monsters. My body is sore, my mana is drained, and I need to sleep. Please? I will fill out a report once I am able to."

"Monsters?" Papa asks. "Where? Why? What-"

"Your Majesty," Wyatt speaks up. He woke up? That surprises me. "There was an attempt to attack the city with monsters from within. Evan, Prince Jacob, Alex Levirar, and I were all kidnapped by the people attempting to perform this coup against you. With the help of Lord Levirar, we were able to break out, then were attacked by some of the monsters. We had to fight them all in order to escape. With all due respect to you, Your Majesty, Prince Jacob needs to sleep. We returned less than an hour ago, which means that his valet found him shortly after he lay down. If you allow him a few hours' rest, he should be able to fill out the report on the situation, which no longer has a high priority due to the efforts he, Lord Levrirar, Evan, and Lord Jeshema put in to the situation."

"Jason?" Papa asks. "What did he do? You did not list him as fighting the monsters."

"He was that source of magical power," I say. "As my guard said, I need my sleep, Papa. So does he and Evan, and I feel certain Alex is passed out somewhere, too. Please, let us return to sleep."

Papa opens his mouth to speak.

"Want me to evict them for you?" Wolf Alpha and Griffin Alpha jump up onto the bed. "I can put up barriers to keep them from returning."

"I expect a full report once you finish resting," Papa tells me, then looks at the guards and healers. "Let us give him some space."

Everyone leaves, and I scratch the griffin cub behind the ears again, before thanking Wyatt and lying back down, falling asleep immediately once more.

When I wake this time, the griffin cub is curled up against my chest, but I am otherwise alone and feel quite refreshed. I look at my alarm clock and determine that it is nearly noon, so I get up and dress, then check on my guards. Both are awake and playing cards, and they join me as I make for my office to write up the report.

The official story will state that we filled in the tunnels and leave out several things, including the god who pretended to be Alex. That would only cause a panic, and Alex assured me that it is doubtful anyone else had the proper runes carved for that, the ones he knew of were for other demonic magics. I also leave out what happened with the street rats, Alex assured me the Keeper's Resistance would handle them.

I finish the report, as well as begin writing up the preparations for the drug issue and situation monitoring. Once I finish with everything, I leave my office and deliver them to Papa, who asks for more information regarding the drugs.

"I will need to have Jason and Sage Elena analyze them," I tell him. "I managed to rescue a few samples. Even if they are considered failures, I feel certain Jason and the Sage are capable of creating a counter. I am heading over to their mansion now."

"Okay," Papa tells me. "Return no later than four."

"Will do," I say, then open a gate and step through it. When I arrive in the mansion, I find Jason and Alex sitting on the couch, Tiger Alpha between them, Zevenas on Jason's lap, and Jason reading a story. "Sorry if I am interrupting something, but Jason, I need you and your Mama Elena to analyze something."

"What?" Jason looks at me as I approach.

I open up my spatial storage and pull out the drug samples, which I hand to him and explain why I know of them. Alex does the same, mentioning that though I destroyed the failed batches, the finished product is stored somewhere, ready to be distributed.

"I have already made the arrangements," I tell him. "For them to be located and destroyed, however, the knowledge is out there, which means this is an issue we will be dealing with. We will need a treatment for those who are affected by it, especially when considering the curse within."

Jason opens up the box with the Crimson Pearls and examines one, then holds up his right hand. Several seconds pass as I sense him performing some sort of spell, then Alex and I both watch as a black-and-gold orb of magic swirls into existence.

Jason looks between the orb and the Crimson Pearl several times, then sighs.

"This will not be fun," he says as he opens a spatial storage and places the orb inside, then he sets the Crimson Pearl down. "We have a more severe issue on our hands. The gods taught humans a pretty nasty technique."

"A pretty nasty technique?" I ask. "What sort of technique? What was that orb?"

"Never mind that," Jason pats the couch beside him. "It's something I will handle. Come on, join us for the story. I'm translating it from Ivekon, one of the fifth-years at the Royal Magic University brought it with her when she and the others returned from the tournament."

The tournament? Ah, yes, the tournament. I was unavailable to greet them when our students returned from it a few days ago, brought back through a gate, along with a diplomat from our neighbor, who came to negotiate a treaty between Iveko and Varil as well as speak with Sage Harold and Sageson Magical Technologies.

As usual, our students won first place in everything, so as usual, the other kingdoms are looking at the second-, third-, and fourth-place winners to know which kingdoms have budding talent. Or rather, whichever places occurred after our students, as our students won up through fifth place in some competitions.

I decide to join Jason and Alex for the reading and sit beside Jason.

"Thank you for the help," I tell Alex.

"No problem," Alex tells me. "Just keep that in mind next time I need help."

"I will," I tell him with a smile.

After we fought together for hours last night and helped each other out of the tunnels, it seems Alex has finally come to accept me as a friend and ally rather than an annoyance.

"I do need to return to the palace by five, though," I say.

"Yeah," Jason nods. "Alex and I need to be there, too."

"We do?" Alex looks at him. "Why?"

"Just something Uncle Zach wants," Jason tells him. "Come on, let's read. Oh, and by the way, Niko killed a god last night, as Jeddy was on way to try to rescue your crew, Alex."

"What?" Alex asks. "Noo! That means he killed one first!"

"Yeah," Jason said. "So you're the third Magus to kill a god, not the second. Now shush, let's read."

Jason reads until it is time for us to head to the palace, then we do. I follow Jason as he walks with a purpose, though he will not tell me where we are going.

We arrive in the Great Hall, where a band is playing and the room is full of decorations, food, nobles, and classmates from the Royal Knight University and the Royal Magic University.

"What is going on?" I ask.

"Come on!" Jason pushes me towards the front, where Papa greets me with a smile.

"Everyone!" Papa calls out as Jason pulls Alex to a seat, and the band stops playing. Lina gives me a smile. "Let us give Jacob our thanks for the help he has given Varil these last few months, ever since my injury. First, he ran the kingdom in my stead, keeping it functioning, then he traveled through the kingdoms east of here, greeting their nobles and royals and negotiating for them to stay out of the war Vel has decided to wage! Between that and since his return, Jacob has performed numerous actions which go above his station as my heir in order to ensure Varil continues to function and remains safe. May the King and Queen of the Gods Bless him and watch over him!"

The crowd toasts as the realization that they are throwing a feast for me hits. I accept the toast and take my seat at Papa's right, not needing to make a speech myself. As I sit, everyone claps for me, then the feast begins.

Tasha sits to my right, and I like that we are able to spend some time together, with how busy the two of us have been with our respective duties lately. She gives me a kiss as the celebration begins, and I give her a promise that we will have a proper date soon.

The band plays, actors perform, dancers dance, and everyone laughs and eats and drinks. People approach me, thanking me for all I have done these last few months, and I feel good. But at the same time, I cannot help but wonder what that orb was and why Jason seems so concerned about it.

Only the thoughts of that and the coming drug problem sour the mood of the feast, everything else wonderful. I push the thoughts of the negative out of my mind, though. Papa and the others arranged this feast because they know how much I have put on myself these last few months and wish for me to enjoy myself.

(Niko, 16)

After creating an orb of the essence of curse magic half of the size of my usual ones, I toss it at the group of trolls, using magic to carry it to them. When the orb is in the center of the group of eight trolls, I shoot a bolt of force magic at it, breaking the orb.

Immediately, a wave of curse washes out, spreading more than one hundred feet in all directions. Everything it touches begins to decay, the trolls' supreme regeneration neutralized on those wounds.

Within seconds, only rotten flesh, dead lands, decayed plants, and cursed rocks remains in that circle more than seventy yards in diameter. I wait several seconds, then turn and face Kyron, the elders, and the handful of other mages standing there.

"That," I tell them. "Is what I am making, though as you know, the ones I make are twice as large. The area of effect more than doubles when the size doubles. That is why I have not taught any of you how to perform the spell. It is not something meant to be learned or used by humans. Does that satisfy your inquiry?"

"Yes, Lord Benefactor," one of the elders tells me. "We were merely curious, you did not need to perform a demonstration."

"I thought a demonstration might be best," I say. "So that you do not wonder if I might have exaggerated the capabilities of the spell. It allows you to see with your own eyes just how dangerous it is."

"It is more than dangerous," the elder bows. "Thank you for the demonstration, as usual, you are more than kind to us."

"Speaking of kindness," I tell them. "My time here must come to an end soon."

"Sir?" He asks.

"I have other duties to attend to, in other lands," I tell the gathered Garoyalans. "In around two weeks, I will return to Varil to continue with my duties there. I wish to make you all aware of this in advance so that you may prepare to return to ruling yourselves in my absence."

I will conceal my arm and leg after I leave here, using the cuffs Jason provided for me. I am eternally grateful to his help and friendship. The reason I plan on leaving now is because the realization that I will reach violet magical power soon came to me, and I want Lina to see the green of my eyes again before that happens.

That, and I really do miss her. A lot. I will hide my broken body until I reach grey magical power, when it will restore itself. No one but Jason, Eli, Aiden, and Jason's blood family will know about it.

Everything will work out, I am sure of it.