Ascendants of Ancients Sovereign (Worlds of the Crystal Moon, Book 1) (39 page)

LASIDIOUS
and his team are in his home, deep beneath the Peaks of Angels. The gods present at this meeting are Yaloom, God of Greed
;
Mieonus, Goddess of Hate; Hosseff, the shade, God of Death; Jervaise, the spirit, Goddess of Fire; Lictina, the lizardian, the Goddess of Earth; and Owain, the dwarf, God of Water. The one god missing from the meeting is Celestria, the Goddess of Beasts.

Planning has begun. Lasidious has told his team about George, Kepler, and Kroger’s alliance. Since the Mischievous One is unable to give his team the exact location of the first piece of the Crystal Moon, all he could divulge was that he might change his mind and put a second piece on Grayham. By the moment the meeting ended, they all congratulated him on the manipulation that ended in Bassorine’s destruction.

BAILEM
, said to be the only angel in existence, also the God of the Sun, is holding his own team meeting. The gods present at his home are Alistar, God of the Harvest; Keylom, the centaur, God of Peace; Calla, the Goddess of Truth
;
and Helmep, the God of Healing
.
They don’t know where to start. All they know is the first piece of the crystal is somewhere on Grayham. The meeting seems pointless, but they do hope to recruit the new ascendant the Book intends to exalt when he replaces Bassorine’s position as God of War.

SAM
has finished his early morning training, and he is now familiar with Angels Arena. The fighter is with Shalee, and he has a few moments before his fight. Sam’s battle will be the last fight of the evening, and by all estimates, the confrontation will end just before dusk.

HELGA
is working to plan stronger lessons for Shalee. The older sorceress has given her pupil a few Peaks off in order to accomplish this task.

The night prior to his destruction, Bassorine visited Helga during the estimated series of moments called midnight. He told the sorceress that Shalee could handle aggressive growth to her magical foundation. He would not say why, but he did instruct Helga not to speak of their conversation with anyone, including Shalee. As with most beings, the God of War left the older sorceress with many unanswered questions.

CELESTRIA
is on Luvelles. The mother-to-be is helping the witches clean their home to prepare her baby’s room. She hasn’t been this excited about anything since she became a goddess. It has been well over 100,000 seasons since last she made something without using her power. She is finding the task to be quite the challenge.

MOSLEY
stayed with BJ after Sam was finished familiarizing himself with how the sand of the arena floor would affect his movements.

The fights started at the Peak of Bailem. The trainer then excused himself and headed for the nobleman’s box.

Mosley is about to receive an unexpected visitor.

Thank you for reading this edition of the Grayham Inquirer

CHAPTER 15

A God's Gift

and

A Revelation

Angels Village

MOSLEY WAS SNIFFING THE walls of the corridors beneath Angels Arena to pass his moments. He was about to give one of the walls a squirt when the Book of Immortality appeared.

“Mosley, we must speak,” the Book stated as it hovered in front of the wolf. Without waiting for a response, the Book teleported with Mosley to a secluded location on the hidden god world, Ancients Sovereign.

When they reappeared, they were in a valley that was nestled at the center of a mountain range known as Sylvan Spirits—the same mountain range where Hosseff, the God of Death, had made his home. The valley was vast, and the shade had turned it into a personal garden, but this garden was not like any other Mosley had ever seen.

The vegetation was angry and tormented. Groups of trees were scattered throughout, but no matter what species the wolf looked at, they looked ghost-like. Their long limbs were reaching for their neighbors as they plucked each others’ leaves. They discarded them to the ground as if they were disgusted by each others’ presence.

In another part of the garden, various bushes were at war. They rustled relentlessly, taunting one another in territorial confrontations. They were pulling their roots out of the ground, scurrying into another bush’s domain and then forcing their adversaries to move on as they replanted their roots in the space they had seized. They would maintain this new place of dominance until a larger, stronger bush was able to shove them aside.

Even the grass throughout the garden lamented. Every blade was transparent and white, and they had a voice. The grass literally moaned as the wind whipped across their tops.

There was nothing peaceful about this place. The garden reflected the God of Death’s preferences, and he clearly had enjoyed creating a sanctuary that most any other being would have considered miserable.

The Book of Immortality opened its heavy binding. A light-gray powder filled the air and settled on the vegetation. It was not long before the tree’s branches fell limp, the bushes stopped rustling, and the cries of the grass fell silent.

The Book did not give the wolf the chance to adjust to his surroundings. Instead, Mosley could only stare at the Book’s black binding as the thin slit that functioned as the Book’s mouth opened, and the words poured out.

“Mosley, I apologize for the abruptness of my actions, but I have much to say and only a short period of moments in which to say it. You must listen carefully. Some of what I must reveal will be upsetting, but your emotions need to be set aside for now.”

The Book could feel the wolf’s anxiety. “Mosley, I realize you’re questioning your abduction, but I assure you, it was necessary. For now, I ask that you be strong. When the moment is right, you may grieve.

“Bassorine has been destroyed. You, Mosley, are to become the new God of War. You were Bassorine’s choice.”

Mosley knew of the Book, but he had never seen it before, nor did he understand its function. He struggled to set his surprise aside and worked to focus on what was being said.

“Destroyed? How could this be? There is no stronger pack leader than him. It’s not possible.”

“Oh, but it is, Mosley. But alas, the moments are not available to us to debate this truth.”

Mosley growled. “I am but a pup compared to Bassorine. Why would I be exalted? Me being his chosen doesn’t make sense.”

“As I have said, there aren’t the moments to explain. I cannot risk the others acquiring knowledge of our conversation. I must hurry. You shall ascend, and it will be your task to fulfill Bassorine’s role as the God of War. That’s all I can share right now.”

The Book of Immortality did not wait for a response. Instead, it imparted the power of the gods to Mosley, enlightening him to their ways. The knowledge of everything the Book knew to be true—or rather, what the Book portrayed to be the truth—was forced into the wolf’s mind like an avalanche mowing down a tree-covered mountainside. Even the fact his wife was not waiting for him in Heaven, and her soul only rested inside one of the Book’s many pages was now known to the wolf. This hit Mosley hard. All he could do for what seemed to be forever was stare at the Book and wonder on which page Luvera’s soul rested. Mosley tried to organize his thoughts, but found the task to be overwhelming.

“Mosley!” the Book said as he opened his binding and clapped it shut to capture the wolf’s full attention. “I regret that I must strip you of your mortal agency. Exaltation is not a choice, it supersedes free will. It is the ultimate sacrifice. Once you’ve ascended, you’ll have agency as an immortal being.”

Mosley’s just stood in stunned silence.

The Book continued. “According to the laws on my pages, the gods must choose one being to replace them in the event of their destruction. Because of this, your mortal life has been terminated.”

Again the Book waited for a response, but Mosley only tilted his head in confusion.

“You may return to Grayham to say goodbye to those you love,” the Book added. “But before you return to Ancients Sovereign, you shall bestow two gifts on anyone you choose. But you should search your mind. Bassorine hoped that you’d bestow your gifts on a specific individual, but as I have said, you may impart the gifts to anyone you so choose.