Hunter: Gods & Monsters

7th July 2014

Eric finished the spoonful of ice cream with a satisfied burp. He put the bowl on the bedside table and leaned back into his mountain of pillows, before beginning to change the channel repeatedly. He was positive he'd managed to watch all the television. The satellite channels offered nothing new, and giving up, he switched it off. He had never been this bored before, in all his long, long, life.

From outside his bedroom, the distinct sound of glass breaking had him up in a flash; a little to excited at the prospect of company, no matter their intentions. Flicking on the main light, he was surprised to see Megan standing over the smashed glass, and looking up towards him she grinned rather sheepishly.

"Sorry!" She giggled.

"What are you doing here? Are you all back?" Eric rushed over, not giving the glass a second thought as he hugged her tight - at least not until he stepped on a shard that had him mumbling every curse word he knew.

"Some of us are, others may take longer, few will never return." Megan mumbled.

While Eric sat down and tended to his foot, Megan now managed to successfully pour herself a pint of mead. From her lucid movements, and lack of focus, he had a suspicion it wasn't her first either.

"Where's Kara? Elise?" He asked as she flopped down onto the chair beside him.

"They stay. Staying." She sighed, taking a long gulp. "Elise is Queen now. Kara doesn't want to leave either now Odin is gone. Dark King is dead."

"What?"

"Time to pardy, parsy, party!" Yet Eric saw the tears in her eyes.

"Are you alright?"

"No." She admitted. "I don't wants to go back. Ever. That world, that hell, is not my home and this time it took Kara."

Eric said nothing at first, drawing her in against him as she sobbed into her glass and on his shirt.

"She will come back. You know she is protective of the girl. She's your Commander." He soothed.

"Not anymore. I am. I am boss now! I'm honed. But. I will not be Kara." She hiccuped. "I do not wish to dishoned her memory."

"She isn't dead, and I'm sure it's only temporary. You'll see." Eric held her until the mead was gone and sleep, or something like it, took over.

He set Megan up in his bed, with painkillers and water ready for morning, as well as a bucket, and went to clean up the glass. The job was nearly finished when The Magician appeared, making he crave the boredom and silence he'd been loathing only an hour or two before.

"What do you want?" He huffed.

"The Tower appeared, with Death. That never bodes well and my guides are talking. I can't ignore what they say." The Magician answered with a shrug, glancing around curiously as if he expected an answer to just, jump out at him.

"Your guides? You mean your tortured, trapped, Power enemies. Some magic you have."

"Mock me all you want. I feel your pain. You miss your own abilities, but that is on you, not me." He teased.

Eric glared at him. "What are they saying?"

"Times are changing. It's the end of an era. I was foretold this months ago, but now it's all they say so it has happened. Have you heard, from the other side?"

"The God Killer is to become Queen. Kara is staying with her. The battle is won and the Dark King is dead." Eric shared with him what Megan had said, and the state she had returned home in.

"No, that can't be right." The Magician shook his head, producing a deck of cards that he spread out before Eric. His hand moved fast, removing three cards that he turned over and then reshuffled before Eric could process the images on them. "No, he lives. I would stake my daughters life on it."

"That doesn't say much about you." Eric frowned. "Megan told me Elise killed him. Stabbed him right in the heart."

The Magician produced a card.

The Fool.

"What does-" He pulls another before Eric can finish. "Seven of Cups?"

The Magician smiles, producing The Lovers. "I knew you were wrong."

"What does that even mean?" Eric asked, going to touch the cards only to have them snatched away.

"You'll see. Also, in light of your own predicament," one last card appeared in his hand. "The cups are busy tonight. Nine can only mean good things are coming your way bartender. Whatever it is you want the most, will be yours. The cards talk. Things are changing, even as we speak. You will bear the fruits of this reward soon enough."

"Huh?" Eric couldn't keep up considering how fast he spoke. The Magician tucked the cards back into his coat pocket, and smoothed the lapel of his suit jacket.

"Next time you see the Queen, be sure to thank her. It would be rude not to considering what she is about to do."

"The Queen? Elise?"

"Yes, for now." He taunted.

Eric leaned the broom against the bar, his head spinning. The Magician was not someone they had ever trusted, and every instinct told him that was right. Yet, his quick talking babble had Eric hooked, and if his friends were involved, he needed actual answers not just stupid cards. Turning back to face the other man, he stopped and cautiously looked around, cursing as he did so.

The Magician was gone.