Chapter 43: Dominance

  “You dare escape once again?” The loud voice boomed through the entire island.

  The entire group stared in terror at the Titan. A being so powerful that it was beyond comprehension. A being with burning rage and a group of furtives on which he could release his anger.

  Corin felt abject terror. He remembered the last time a Titan spoke to him directly. When Arandu had captured him and nearly killed him.

  Livia crawled over to him.

  “I would rather die than be a sacrificial pawn for you!” Zhi shouted back at Tonatiuh.

  Tonatiuh did not directly respond to Zhi's retort. Instead the sky above him did. A large massive storm cloud formed above him. The temperature on the island dropped fast, thunder crashed at a more furious pace, the wind blew as if a storm was upon them.

  “Corin!” Livia called out.

  Corin looked over to his wife.

  “The artifact, I don't. I don't understand.” He began but couldn't continue.

  “We tried love.” Livia said with a sad smile. “It was always a risky gamble, we tried, but we lost.”

  Corin looked away from his wife. He felt immense guilt over their current situation.

  “This is my fault.” He said. “I shouldn't have agreed to this. We could have been home, you and I. I'm so sorry, you deserve better.”

  Livia put her hand on Corin's.

  “No my love.” Livia said. “I wouldn't have anyone else. Remember, we will always weather the storm together.”

  Corin brought his wife in close and they held each other. Thunder continued smashing the air above them, the wind blew large debris around, the air around them was freezing.

  “You really are,” Corin struggled to speak as he shivered, “the best part about me.”

  Lightning rained down around the group. A cylinder of lightning formed around them.

  “This is your final warning.” Tonatiuh's voice boomed. “Submit now.”

  Zhi looked around her. All her companions were in various states of distress, they knew death was coming.

  “Damn that bastard and damn his offer!” Simeon shouted.

  Nobody raised any objections to him.

  The cylinder of lightning began to tighten around the group. Soon they would have no room and would perish.

  Corin felt a slight shift in the winds around him. It seemed as if a vortex suddenly formed ahead of them.

  Corin saw gaps in the cylinder of lightning around them. Between them and Tonatiuh Corin could see a large pool of black liquid. He could not recall seeing that earlier.

  The thunder around them began to crash in disharmony. Corin saw red lightning shoot down around them, seemingly at odds with the regular lightning.

  One of the red bolts shot straight into the black pool. The liquid began to bubble and a shape began to emerge from it. First to emerge was the head, covered in the thick black liquid, the body followed, and soon a humanoid stood covered in the black liquid ahead of them, beyond the lightning cage.

  “What is that?” Livia asked.

  “Who dares interrupt-” Tonatiuh's voice began to roar.

  “Silence!” The humanoid shouted at Tonatiuh.

  A blinding red light flashed above Tonatiuh. A massive red thunderbolt shot from the heavens and struck Tonatiuh directly.

  Corin was blinded from the light. Although he could not see, he felt the wind dying down, the electricity around him ceasing, and the temperature rising. He heard a massive body slowly crumple onto the floor.

  Corin's eyes adjusted. The cylinder of lightning had disappeared. Where Tonatiuh once stood now there only remained his gargantuan corpse. Tonatiuh had been killed.

  The humanoid in front of them was no longer covered in black liquid. It resembled a female human.

  “Who is that?” Kadus was the first to ask.

  The figure turned towards them. Behind it, three large orbs of light manifested.

  An Onsiel?

  Corin could see the figure in better detail now. It was a tall woman, even taller than Nanaua, of fair complexion. She had long dark hair tied in a braid, and deep dark eyes. Her face seemed chiseled from stone with high cheekbones and a strong jawline. On her she had a shimmering black robe. When Corin looked at it, it almost seemed to him as if he was staring at the night sky. She locked eyes with him first, and he recognized her immediately.

  “Jokasta.” He exclaimed.

  The group looked at Corin and then back at her.

  “Impossible.” Simeon muttered.

  “My child.” The woman spoke as she addressed Corin. “You have served me most admirably.”

  “The statue! In Vivenah!” Kadus began. “The images. She was the one in them!”

  The woman turned to look at Kadus.

  “Kadus son of Kirono.” The woman spoke.

  “How did you-” Kadus began but the woman continued.

  “Simeon son of Galbon. Nanaua daughter of Trono. Livia daughter of Nicholas. Zhi daughter of Jun. Corin son of Cesar. All of you, furtives. All of you, my children.” Jokasta said.

  “You all helped free me from my prison. Your reward is here. Join your goddess. Join me as I seek to end the Gods and their Titans. Join me as I restore furtives as the rightful rulers of this world.” She finished.

  “It really is you.” Corin continued. “Jokasta.”

  “Yes, my child. All those years, all those conversations between you and Cyril about your Goddess. Your doubts about a champion for the furtives that will fight against the Titans and their cruel Gods. Those are all one and the same. I am she. Jokasta. I am your Goddess. I am your creator. I am your mother.” Jokasta finished as she looked at Corin.

  “Your presence,” Corin began, “it feels so familiar. But how?”

  “I've been with you child, through this entire journey.” Jokasta said as she walked to Corin. She stood in front of him now.

  Corin felt compelled to stand up. She towered over him and looked down upon him as she spoke.

  “You did not know it.” She said, “But you carried a piece of me with you this whole time.”

  She reached down toward him and grabbed his pendant in her hand.

  "This pendant was enchanted, long ago. Its purpose was to find a furtive of character. A furtive that would do whatever it took to see their Goddess freed from her shackles.” She told him.

  “This?” Corin asked, surprised. “But how? Simeon brought this pendant.”

  “It was no accident. It was my doing that ensured your friend found you and your brother. Without my intervention your friend would have perished in the sea. It was because of my intervention that Simeon learned of the island where your home is located and he was able to flee his pursuers.” She told him.

  “I found the island because of you? Did you manipulate me?” Simeon spoke up.

  He sounded confused.

  “I do not manipulate my children!” She spoke to Simeon now. “Without my intervention you would have died many years ago. Instead of accusations I should hear gratefulness from you!”

  “At the mines. After I found this pendant.” Simeon began. “I relive this memory every day. I had always been able to smell leaks of poisonous gas before. But that day, that day was the first time I ever failed to notice it. Such a strong odor. But somehow that time I missed it and the outcome, it cost me everything. Was that your doing?”

  “The only thing I meant to do that day was to help you forge a new path in life.” She replied tersely. “The pendant did not find you by accident. It did not choose you as a target. It saw what was in your heart. It saw a desire to escape. It saw a desire to be rid of the life you had. It only gave you what you wanted.”

  “What I wanted?” Simeon sounded confused. “But what about my family? Their deaths! I never wanted that!”

  “My powers, great they might be, do not allow me to see the future. You quibble with me on what the outcome was, but I only made what your heart wanted a reality!” Jokasta scolded Simeon.

  Simeon was too distraught to speak.

  “I know what's in all of your hearts. The same cause unites all of you. Freedom from your oppressors! If you join me, I will elevate each one of you to be my own Titans. Furtive Titans, with the power to match the Dragons, the Leviathans, and the Giants. You shall be the vanguard in our coming fight against the Gods and their cruel Titans.” Jokasta finished.

  “You can give us the power to face a Titan?” Kadus asked. He walked slowly towards her.

  “Yes.” Jokasta replied. “All you have to do is submit to me.”

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  Kadus slowly knelt in front of her. He looked at her with pleading eyes.

  “I, I submit.” He said.

  “No longer shall you fly the skies in fear, Kadus.” She said as she raised him. “From now on, Titans will look to the skies and tremble as they see you.”

  Kadus stood up slowly. Right before his eyes Corin could see Kadus change. The faded colors on his wings grew vibrant again. His plumage extended, his face looked younger and the large gash on his beak disappeared. He exuded power.

  “Fly my son.” Jokasta told Kadus.

  Kadus did so. Propelled by a great invisible force Kadus shot into the sky, breaking the ground underneath him. He flew so fast that Corin quickly lost sight of him.

  “Impossible.” Livia said.

  “No, my child.” Jokasta said as she looked at Livia. “Through me nothing is impossible.” Jokasta said.

  “Lord Tonatiuh!” A voice cried out from the distance.

  They all looked over. A large dragoor stood in the distance. Behind him a mass of furtives formed staring at the body of their Lord.

  “Ah more of my children.” Jokasta said as she turned to them. Her appearance completely changed. Now she looked like a blue scaled dragoor, but her imposing physical stature remained the same.

  “Nanaua!” The dragoor yelled as he got closer. “How is this possible?! What sort of treachery is this? What happened to our Lord!”

  “Teresh my child this is the doing of your Goddess.” Jokasta spoke to the dragoor now.

  “I know you are confused,” Jokasta spoke now in the form of a dragoor. “I, your Goddess, did what you always wanted done but never had the strength for. I know you harbored hatred in your heart against Tonatiuh since he sent Nespa to her death. I made sure Tonatiuh paid the price for his crimes against the furtives he oppressed.”

  “What? How could you? How did you?” The dragoor Teresh could not understand what was occurring.

  “No, no, this is a test!” Teresh began now. “I see! My Lord Tonatiuh, he is testing my faith in him!”

  Teresh sounded convinced of his own argument.

  “You who take Nespa’s form! I don't know who you are! But I won't fall for your ploy! Lord Tonatiuh I will prove my allegiance!” Teresh yelled.

  He began running towards Jokasta.

  “Foolish child.” Jokasta said.

  Blades of wind shot out. Teresh’s extremities were all cut off cleanly. The dragoor fell onto the ground screaming in agony. The mob of furtives gasped in horror. Fear quickly spread.

  “Is that a different Onsiel?”

  “Is Lord Tonatiuh really dead?”

  “What is happening?!”

  “My children!” Jokasta loudly uttered. “You have all seen the cruelties of the Titans first hand! You have all lived a life of indignity in order to survive! Vilkus, you had to continue slaving away for Tonatiuh personally after he ate your darling Hilde. And you did so that your children would not suffer the same fate. Polybus you watched as they killed your parents as a young child and were made to take over their duties lest you and your siblings suffered the same fate. Troi, Paclo, Jurg and the rest of you have similar experiences in your life.”

  The crowd of furtives gasped as she spoke. They could not understand what was happening.

  “I am Jokasta.” She announced strongly. “I am your Goddess. I have returned and I have slain the foul beast Tonatiuh. His death will be the first of all the Titans. Submit to me and you shall never suffer any injustice at the hands of the Titans ever again!”

  The mob of furtives was silent. They all stared in disbelief at what they heard.

  One of them stepped out in front of the group. A smaller dragoor.

  “Noibe my child. Your life has been filled with much pain.” Jokasta spoke softly. “I will give you the strength to ensure you never have to live through the pain of losing your family ever again!”

  The dragoor stopped in her tracks. From this distance Corin could see her face streaming with tears. She knelt in front of Jokasta.

  Other furtives saw what transpired and followed Noibe. They all knelt in front of her. A few stayed behind observing what was occurring.

  “My children. This will be the first day of a new chapter of your life.” Jokasta said. “Together we will bring about the age of the Furtives!”

  As soon as she finished saying that all the kneeling furtives disappeared.

  “What happened?!” Corin yelled.

  “I took them to their new home.” Jokasta calmly replied. She turned back to face them. She still had the same appearance of a dragoor.

  “This island will soon fall to the surface.” She calmly said. “But now it is time my children come and join me, help me bring in the new world.”

  Corin stared at Jokasta. A pit had formed in his stomach.

  This is what we had been fighting for. What we came all the way here to do. So why do I feel so uneasy about this?

  “I will fight for you.” Livia stated.

  Corin turned to look at his wife. She stared at Jokasta with devotion. Corin's heart dropped.

  “Livia!” He said.

  She turned to look at her husband.

  “What?” Livia replied. She seemed taken aback by Corin's response. “Is this not what we have been fighting for? Is this not what we came here to do?”

  “She's right Corin.” Zhi spoke up. “When I met you I promised I would give you a way to fight the Titans. You supported our fight! We have succeeded Corin! Despite impossible odds we now have what we have been searching for this entire time! Not just a weapon to fight against the Titans! But a Goddess that is on our side! The Goddess you spoke about!”

  Corin could not think of anything to say.

  “But why must we submit?” Simeon spoke out now. He didn't sound confused like earlier. Now he sounded angry.

  “She keeps throwing out that word!” He stated. “We came close to dying many times to free her from her prison! Instead of fighting for us, with us, her request is for us to submit! I did not escape from a Dragon Lord only to submit to another!”

  “Simeon!” Livia spoke out loud. “We would be dead if not for her intervention!”

  “Dead?” He replied with disbelief. “My family is dead because of her! My entire life destroyed!”

  “Simeon please do not-” Zhi began.

  “Enough!” Jokasta shouted. With a single step she took a wave of concussive force shot out. It blew everyone back. Her form changed once more, and she now resembled a human once again.

  “I will not be insulted by a mere child!” Jokasta began. “You do not know the millennia of torture that I endured while imprisoned! Imprisoned only because I championed my own children above all else! I will not hear an ungrateful child question their Goddess's wisdom! Unless you recant your statements I shall have to punish you!”

  “I am no child! We are not your children! No parent would kill their child just like you killed that dragoor right now!” Simeon replied in anger.

  “You have chosen death!” Jokasta stated.

  What transpired next occurred so fast that Corin did not even react until Simeon was on the ground. In the blink of an eye a sharp ice dagger flew from Jokasta’s hand piercing Simeon straight through his chest and the apeman crumpled on the floor.

  “Simeon!” Corin screamed in horror.

  He ran to his friend's side. Simeon stared at the sky, his face in shock.

  Livia and Zhi both stared in horror. Nanaua stood to one side unsure of what to do.

  “Now Corin and Nanaua. It is time for you both to submit.” Jokasta said.

  “You, you killed him.” Corin said. “You. How? Why?”

  Jokasta walked over to Corin.

  “Child, I did what had to be done. War requires obedience. Acts of defiance before the fight begins will only make us weaker.” Jokasta said as she stood above Corin. “Now come.”

  “Simeon risked his life to free you many times!” Corin replied. “And this is how you repay him?!”

  “None of you risked your life for my sake!” Jokasta replied. “You all did that of your own accord. You did not do this due to a high cause. You only wanted the power I promised. The power I promised your friend and he refused. The same power I am offering you now.”

  Corin held his friend in his arms. He looked at him.

  “No.” He muttered.

  “Speak louder.” Jokasta told him.

  “I said no!” Corin shouted as he looked at her. His face red as tears poured down.

  “You are right. We only freed you because we wanted power. The power you are promising. But I am not going to submit to you or to anyone.” Corin said. “If that means I'll die then so be it.”

  “Corin please.” Livia begged him.

  Corin still stared at Jokasta. He knew death was at hand.

  “I am disappointed in you, my child. You were my champion.” Jokasta said. “Within time you will realize the error of your ways. I will be waiting for you then.”

  “Nanaua, come.” Jokasta spoke to her now.

  Nanaua locked eyes with Zhi.

  “I cannot.” Her reply was short and terse.

  “Nanaua!” Zhi sounded shocked. “What do you mean!?”

  “Simeon was correct.” Nanaua said. “I did not escape from Tonatiuh to serve another Lord. If I am to fight the Titans I will do so on my own terms.”

  “You will die on your own terms child.” Jokasta shot back.

  “Then I shall die a free furtive.” Nanaua replied.

  “Freedom.” Jokasta replied. “You mistake the simple accidents of everyday life that have led you to this point for this concept you hold in high esteem. This concept of freedom you believe you possess. What you have is not freedom, it is a staying of the executioner's blade. It can be taken away from you in mere moments. Freedom can only be achieved one way, through power. Do you wish to continue in this fantasy you live in, or do you want to pursue real freedom?”

  “The offer you make is one I have heard before. Tonatiuh spoke of freedom in similar terms.” Nanaua replied. “My answer has not changed.”

  “I see.” Jokasta said as she looked at Nanaua and then Corin.

  Corin prepared for the worst. But Jokasta turned around.

  “Children,” Jokasta began, "you have much to learn yet. You think you have seen war, you think you know the cost, but you don't. When I lead furtives in battle the Titans will retaliate. There will be no place for either of you to hide. When you require sanctuary I will be there. For I am a gracious and forgiving Mother.”

  “Corin please. Please don't do this.” Livia pled with her husband.

  “I can't Livia.” He shook his head as he spoke, still holding onto Simeon. “I just can't.”

  “You have been warned.” Jokasta stated.

  Suddenly she along with Livia and Zhi disappeared.

  “Zhi.” Nanaua muttered. She fell to her knees.

  The ground began to shake. Fissures in the earth began to appear around them.

  “What is happening?” Corin asked.

  “Argh damnit!” Nanaua yelled. “With Tonatiuh dead the palace will break apart!”

  “Corin…” a weak voice called out. “Corin.”

  “Simeon!” Corin cried out as he looked down at his friend.

  “Corin, my boy.” Simeon coughed in between words. He smiled at his friend weakly.

  “Simeon, we'll find a way to get you out of here!” Corin said.

  “Corin, there is no escaping this one for me.” He said weakly. “Please… leave me. Save yourself and Nanaua.”

  “No… no, I can't. I can't Simeon. I won't! We’ll keep going! I swear!” Corin cried as he spoke to his friend.

  “I'm sorry Corin but this is it for me.” Simeon said.

  “This, this is all my fault!” Corin yelled. “I got you involved in this! I'm sorry Simeon, this is all because of me!”

  “No, my boy.” Simeon said that. “Please… don't say that. I would have never let you leave Trinixo without me.”

  Simeon coughed as he said that.

  Corin cried as his friend gasped for air.

  He kept muttering “I'm sorry”.

  “Don’t be.” Simeon coughed. “You and your brother… you gave me another chance at life.”

  “I loved you and your brother like my own son.” Simeon weakly said.

  His voice was barely audible now.

  “Corin… promise me.” Simeon said.

  “What? Anything!” Corin replied.

  “Get Livia back… and live a happy life.” Simeon said.

  “Yes, yes.” Corin cried. “Simeon, I'll do that. Please just stay with me.”

  Corin looked at his friend's face. The light in his eyes disappeared.

  Corin held onto his friend and quietly wept.

  “I'm sorry Corin.” Nanaua said weakly, her voice breaking. She put her hand on his shoulder.

  “He was a great man.” She added. “I know that he cared for you deeply.”

  Corin kept holding onto Simeon. He felt as if the moment he let go of him the finality of it would be true.

  The ground around them continued to crack. They could feel the land slowly begin to fall underneath them.

  “We have to leave Corin.” Nanaua told him.

  “How?” That was the only thing he could say.

  A loud whistle rang through the air.

  “Kadus?” Nanaua said.

  A large figure flew into the sky and approached them. The pyornis landed in front of them and began pecking at the ground.

  “It must be waiting for us to get on.” Nanaua said.

  Corin began to get up as he tried to lift his friend. He struggled, but Nanaua reached out and helped him.

  “Let's hurry!” She helped Corin with Simeon’s body and the two got on the Pyornis.

  The gargantuan creature flew up and began soaring down. Corin held onto Simeon while Nanaua held onto him and the Pyornis.

  As they flew down Corin could see fragments of the Dragon Palace break off and rain down.

  The flight down was straight and less violent than their flight upwards. It had not been long since Corin, Nanaua and Kadus took to the skies. But in that short amount of time their entire world had changed.

  The Pyornis landed on the ground now. Corin and Nanaua got off. They did not know where they were. It was dark all around them with only the moonlight above them.

  Another whistle echoed and the Pyornis took flight without them.

  “I take it that both of you are well.” A voice spoke to them from nearby.

  “Kadus?” Nanaua spoke.

  The sparrowling did not speak; instead he walked over to the two of them.

  “She killed him, Kadus.” Corin said as he looked at him. “She killed him!”

  Kadus looked at Corin and then Simeon.

  “I know that Corin.” Kadus said. “She also instructed me to return and ensure your safe landing on the surface.”

  The revelation made Corin angry. He wanted nothing to do with Jokasta.

  “I won't join her. I'm not like you.” Corin replied.

  “Not like me?” Kadus replied. “You know, several years ago I was just like you.”

  “I had a wife, I had friends, I had a community. I lost all of that because of the Titans. Give it time, and you'll see just how similar you and I are.” Kadus finished.

  “Where did she take Zhi? Do you know?” Nanaua asked him.

  Kadus turned to her.

  “Yes.” Kadus replied.

  “Tell us! We must go at once!” Nanaua quickly followed up.

  “I'm afraid I can't tell you that.” He replied.

  “What do you mean? Just tell us!” Nanaua barked at him.

  “I am prevented by pact from divulging the location of her base.” Kadus replied.

  “So now you only serve as her mouthpiece.” Corin added.

  “Call it what you want.” Kadus replied. “When you all came to me you offered me a deal and I accepted. I provided my end of the bargain and you did yours. This was what I agreed to, what you all promised me.”

  Corin and Nanaua were silent.

  “Right now you are in the Peltian steppes.” Kadus said. “This is wide open land, with little in the way to impede your travels in whichever direction you wish to go. If you head south from here you will encounter the Loitta Range. At the base of one of the mountains there is a small community of sparrowlings. They are welcoming to outsiders and would house you.”

  “Was this also Jokasta’s suggestion?” Corin asked.

  “No.” Kadus replied quickly. “This is just a suggestion from a friend.”

  With that Kadus flew away. He took off into the sky and darted off.

  Corin and Nanaua were left alone.

  “In the morning.” Corin began. “Will you help me find a place for him?”

  “Yes Corin.” She replied.

  The sun slowly rose. Corin and Nanaua studied their surroundings. The terrain around them were wide open plains.

  “Over there.” Corin said as he looked over to a tree in the distance.

  They went there and dug a grave for their friend. He was laid to rest.

  Corin looked at his friend’s grave.

  “How?” That was all he could say. “How did it go so wrong? We did what we thought was right.”

  Corin looked at Nanaua.

  “What are we even supposed to do now?” He asked.

  They had been through so much recently as they fought for a specific goal. But now that had come and they found themselves lost.

  “I will find Zhi. I will do what I must to get her back.” Nanaua said as she put her hand on his shoulder.

  Corin looked at Nanaua. There was determination in her eyes. He knew that her heart was already set. She would go to the ends of the world to get back Zhi.

  “Will you join me?” She asked him.

  Corin thought about it. He had lost so many people. His parents, his brother, Simeon. He could not let Livia go now. He had to do whatever it took to return to her, despite whatever Titan or God or Goddess might stand in his way.

  “I will.”