His eyes still honed in on the khadga. He knew what he needed to do. It was time. When he had turned to an archon, he not only gained his father's powers but also pieces of his knowledge. He knew what he was and what he could do. What he had to do.
"Please, let me have the khadga," he said, handing out his hand to Elyon who watched him. For some reason, Blake had a feeling that Ahriman had exaggerated Elyon's threat. He was powerful without a doubt, but didn't seem hostile. In fact, he almost seemed... adoring.
Elyon let out a sigh, like it was all a bother but still handing him the khadga. A slight smile on his face like he was pleased Blake had spoken to him.
"Don't give him that! It is a dark artifact!" Ahriman hissed but his brother just ignored him. Looking even more pleased that Ahriman disagreed with his decision. Two of the most powerful beings in the world are acting like five-year-old brothers and they say Blake was a problem.
Blake took a deep breath, feeling the energy from the khadga. He closed his eyes, feeling his mind reaching across the realms. Opening them he saw the horned druid bowing their head and pointing toward the dark spot and then at Blake's shoes.
Removing his shoes, hearing the disagreeing sigh from Jaxon, Blake walked over to the dark spot with the khadga roughly gripped between his fingers. The cold didn't bother him, and he just walked feeling the dark magic seep into him. It was like it was drawn to him, wanting to defile him. He knew why, and he knew that he wouldn't let it.
Turning around, meeting Jaxon's bemused gaze for a second. Feeling the warmth from the love he felt, and the promise that he would never let anything happen to him, Blake reached out to the source of his power.
Though time and space, through realms above realms. He reached and finally arrived. A dark void, seemingly devouring all life put also giving life. The source of all magic and energy. Khaos, the first Anterion. No mind or emotions came out of the black void. Only pure power, and Blake closed his eyes, letting it devour him.
The dark magic in the glade was amalgamated by him. Dark veins grew across his skin as he devoured the magic. The dark veins grew towards his heart, his source, trying to defile him. Devour him.
Pain echoed through every nerve in his body, but Blake didn't budge. He opened his eyes, facing a mirage in the void. Once it might have been human. Now its skin was dark grey, cracking by the seams. Dark veins adorned every part of the skin, and the head was filled with long grey hair. A mouth filled with fangs that dripped black blood, and eyes that were nothing but black void. Black inky tears seemed to drip from them, but that was no tears. It was only the taint coming of the archon to defile all it touched. A long, snakelike tongue game out, licking the creature's lips.
"Hello, Zarazen," Blake said. His voice echoed in the void, no fear crossed his face. He knew Zarazen wasn't actually there. He was no longer Heka, Anterion of Magic, so he could no longer enter Khaos.
"Finally, after all these years. I thought Khaos wouldn't dare give birth to a new Heka, but you have finally come into your fleshy skin. Ready to discard it and sacrifice yourself for the world," Zarazen chuckled. His long bony fingers reached out but could not even come close to Blake.
"Such as cruel fate. Your father must be beyond grief. Archons cannot have children born from them, no matter how much they might wish for some. Elyon tried when he created the Seraphims. Only to make them obedient servants to him. Then he created Adam and Eve out of clay, the first golems but they turned away from their father, hating him for not being true humans. Then you came along, born from Ahriman. His bliss must be unrivaled, only to find out that you are Heka and your destiny is to die."
Blake ignored him, focusing on the tainted magic. His mind once again came back to the glade. The pain flourished inside him and grew, but he just took a breath. Feeling the magic fill him. It was still his. His to command. It touched the inky energy.
With one last push from Blake. It all turned. The blackness in the energy faded and turned back into its original blue form.
The black veins started to glow in a blue light and pure magic burst out of him, purifying the spirits in the trees and in the ground. The glade seemed to sigh in relief, and Blake finally let go of the power. Letting it once again rest, and cutting his connection to Khaos. Looking down, he saw the blade of the khadga shining. Not a hint of dark magic in it.
He let out a sigh of relief, turning to the avatar. Finally recognizing her as the girl Leon's grandfather has cared for and betrayed. "Here you go, miss Mahadevi. Guard it well."
"You know who I am?" Amara Mahadevi asked, her surprise obvious.
Blake shook his head. "Amos Graycrest knew you. His spirit shared his memories and regrets before the reaper got him. He loved you very much and locked his spirit into the chest guarding the khadga. Only you would be able to receive it."
Amara took the khadga, looking down at it with conflicted emotion. "That does not make what he did to me right. That doesn't take away his betrayal."
"No, but he was a mortal man. Even gods like Kalika made mistakes, why would we hold a mortal man in higher regard than a goddess? What matters is that he only had one life unlike Kalika, and unlike her, he actually tried to right his wrongs. That might not make him a great man but he was at least a better one than the one you remember."
Amara seemed to consider it for a second, before holding her palms together, the thumbs pointed to her chest, like in a prayer. "Namaste."
She helped the man named Silas to his feet, and walked away. Not intending to stay any longer in the clearly strange company. Blake turned to Elyon who had watched the exchange for a while before looking up at the rift in the sky.
"Now I have to clean up Ahriman's mess-"
"How is that my mess? It is clearly his," Ahriman pointed accusingly at Blake who blushed. He thought the only way to fight Nemain was to become an archon, he hadn't known he was an anterion. How could he? He didn't realize that until he took his father's form and gained his knowledge.
"How could Khaos think you could be a good father?" Elyon sighed, and started to fade into white mist.
"What the hell do you mean by that?" Ahriman asked, turning into black smoke and together they soared to the sky. Most likely to close the rift.
Blake could only shake his head at the strange sight, before turning towards Jaxon with a smile. The smile faded though when he noticed something behind Jaxon.
The spirit of a wolf. A very familiar wolf. Blake felt a lump fill his throat, a whine escaping him as a glimpse of Ahriman's memories rushed back to him. A gunshot and a sorrowful scream. Jaxon must have noticed his tear-filled eyes for he rushed over.
"What is it, Blake?"
Blake didn't want to reply, knowing the answer would hurt Jaxon. The wolf howled, seemingly glad to know his youngest son was all right, and turned around to walk back to his resting place.
"Blake?" Jaxon's worried eyes filled his vision. Blake forced his words out, knowing they should come from him.
"I'm sorry, Jaxon."
Jaxon's hand was warm as it brushed Blake's hair. "For what?"
Tears started to flow. "I saw you father's wolf, Jaxon. He was just here."
"That isn't possible. The wolf doesn't leave the shifter unless-" Jaxon's words cut off, his mouth hanging open as he slowly realized what Blake was saying. The words turned into a wail. Jaxon's heavy body fell into Blake's trembling arm, shaking and screaming out his sorrow. The glade was so eerily quiet but Blake could have sworn that he could hear the distant howling of wolves as they realize their patriarch has died.
*****
Watching the funeral from a distance, Alex heart ached. He couldn't bring himself to walk over though. How could he? His father did this, but even worse than that, Alex couldn't help but feel hollow. The man was a monster, but he has always been there. Now that his father was gone, all that was left was Alex and his guilt.
"Mon amour," Hadrien's voice pierced his wallowing in sadness. Turning around to face, Alex saw Hadrien's pale face. The curse that controlled him died with the man who cast it, but his face was still harrowed. "Are you okay?"
"I could ask you the same," Alex muttered, touching Hadrien's face. He was colder than normal, which only was yet another reminder of his father's crimes. "You have been through hell."
"And I came through. Did you?"
His question was so simple, but Alex's answer was far from satisfying. "I don't know."
Howls from wolves pierced the air, the entire pack sounded their final farewell to their former patriarch. Alex glanced at the funeral, but Hadrien pulled him away, holding him close to his body.
"What do you need?" Hadrien whispered.
"To leave," Alex said. "Wherever I go, I see his face. I cannot do it anymore. I intend to leave. My mother has asked me to travel to China. My family needs my help with something, so..."
Swallowing, Alex looked up into Hadrien's eyes. Fearing what he will see there. Hadrien's brown eyes watched him, inspected him but did not blame him. There was only understanding.
"Have you told Blake?"
"Yes, he understood."
Hadrien nodded, looking up at the sky. Alex wanted to leave, feeling that goodbyes were the hardest. Hadrien held him tight though, finally meeting his eyes again with a smile on his face. "Then I will go with you."
"Excuse me?"
"What could a limey like you possibly do without a Frenchman to clean up your mess?"
Alex let out a burst of hoarse laughter, "You bloody frog."