Sitting by the window, I looked out at the sunset over an endless blue ocean. It was a beautiful location and while Landorian had practically ran when I started to try and get us, or more so me, out of this place, I enjoyed the moment of solitude to think. Ironically it had nothing to do with the fact that I was stuck back in time.
The feel of the golden handcuffs still lingered on my skin where they had dug in, bruises had started to show on my arms and all over where I first fought the chains. I ached and was thankful the bad wasn't easily forgotten, especially thanks to that kiss.
"You're so, fucking, stupid." I glanced inside to where Landorians true form sat on the table watching me. "What do you think?"
It nodded rapidly in agreeance and I wasn't surprised.
Last time I had time travelled, Sobek had taken me back to when the Treaty was signed and Cain had sent me to the future where I belonged. All his skills and abilities had been shown to him or learnt from what he had seen others do. So, from who in the great big encyclopedia of these legends, did he get that ability and would I be able to contact them to assist me now?
Thankfully my powers worked the same as they always had and the greek mythology book appeared in my lap. I started to read, finding myself flicking to a rather familiar section I'd browsed a hundred times before. There was no God Killer mentioned within Apollos pages, or Artemis. Producing more books, there was nothing about defeating Sobek, or anything anywhere now.
I was not going to be erased.
I don't know how long I'd been reading for, but it was dark when Landorian slunk back in, browsing over the library I had in front of me he sighed heavily.
"No one will help you." He added very unhelpfully after he was done flicking through a couple.
"You're right. Father Time is Cronus and I helped Cain kill him. He's still technically alive now, unaware of what's coming to him, but also in their world so still don't like my chances, plus it never really mentions him time travelling as such. None of them do really. Maybe Hermes, with his ability to go through time, space and realms?"
"He won't be here for at least another eighty or so years."
"Great." I sit back in the chair and rub my eyes. "I'm immortal. I'll catch up to me eventually, won't I?"
What would I tell myself if I did?
I probably wouldn't believe me anyway. Maybe I wouldn't even have to wait that long, and could turn up at the Treaty again, warning myself of well, everything, and avoid this.
"Got five hundred years or so of patience to go with that idea? Living once was bad enough, now I have to do it again." He dropped his head to the table and banged it lightly. "I wasn't expecting you so soon. I hadn't even finalised my business arrangements incase this happened. I had a feeling, but the signs didn't appear fast enough."
Could I wait all that time?
Not a chance.
"I have known the wonder of hot showers, michelin star restaurants and the Spice Girls. I only just began to get to know my daughter. Now what she will think of me? And I wanted another. I quite like siring young of my own." He groaned into the cushion.
"That you're a hero, who got himself back to her. We're not stuck here. How do you normally come and go?"
"It takes a bit of effort, this was easier because everything was all ready for us."
"Effort like magic effort? Can we work together?" I offer.
"No. There's a bunch of things, Virgo needs to be in Saturn with the third full moon of the season and-" He pauses. "Nope. That's nearly as long as it takes Hermes to come by."
"I am not staying here that long."
"Why do you keep thinking you have a choice?"
"Why do you not?" I quickly add.
"Because I have seen what he can do. Why do you think I even did any of this? It wouldn't be my own personal choice." Landorian shouted, not hiding his rage. "I loved my life, then he reappears and now look at what I'm back to."
"Seems like more of a reason to get the hell out of dodge." I shrug. "He does not get to tell me what to do. I am not scared of him."
"Maybe you should be, and on that note, remind me to never introduce you to King Henry. That's Henry the eighth. I can imagine how you'd end up Ms Boleyn." He made a croaking sound as he ran a finger across his neck.
"Oh a Magician and comedian!" I roll my eyes and go back to my books while he retires to his chambers or some other nonsense.
The whisky I get myself goes down well, too well, and as I crack the second bottle I move to sit in front of the fire as the night gets colder. I'm starting to feel sorry for myself as the doubt of getting out of here starts to sneak in. My glass is forgotten and I drink straight from the bottle, staring at the fire until my eyes water and I have to look away.
Glancing up, the man in the picture is jumping around and waving at me. He runs to the bookcase and points again, seemingly thrilled he finally has my attention. I look back and forth a few times until I finally get up and stagger to the actual structure. The red spine stands out and getting the ancient book back to my chair, beautiful hand drawn pictures with scrolling texts greets me.
"This one?" I ask him, and he nods eagerly. "You're helpful. You couldn't have stepped in like, I dunno, within minutes of me arriving?"
He shrugs and I open the millionth book of the night.
"Lesser gods and other deities?" Yet as I flick through it, the pages are empty. "It would be more helpful if it had words or pictures in it. Maybe even a whole chapter on time travelling?"
The painting man nods as the flames of the fire crackle and roar uncharacteristically distracting me for a moment. Before I can close the empty book, the pages begin to turn, and watching it cautiously, a portrait appears of a young, childlike boy; Aion. Related to Cronus, which of course he had to be, this guy was also associated with time, in a more infinite way.
"This is who we need to see." Only I had no where he was or if he would help us.
After getting lost twice, I managed to get myself to Landorians room. Two knocks and no answer, I hesitantly opened the door to find him laying in bed. Creeping in, the amount of noise the old door had made should have been enough to wake the dead.
"Landorian?" I stop beside him and give him a little nudge.
"I don't want to talk about it."
"You don't even know what I was going to say, I could be asking for a tour of the kitchen." I sigh. "But I think I do have a way-"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"You might if-"
"No one here will help you. We are stuck and its wise to do as Cain wishes. Good night."
I stood there for a second, trying to clear my mind a little. I'd learnt what his presence felt like, and it wasn't quite this. Plus his tone was flat, repetitive.
"Are you ok?"
"Good night." He repeated.
"Just, can you please look at me for a second?"
Sure enough he rolled over and sat up, his movements stiff. "I don't want to talk about it."
His face was blank, eyes lifeless, and he barely flinched as I waved a hand in front of his face.
"What colour is the sky?" I ask instead.
"I'm tired. Good night."
"Answer me, and I'll leave you alone."
"I don't want to talk about it."
"The Valkyrie are down stairs, your kid is one of them." I don't hide my excitement, as fake as it is.
"I am tired. I don't want to talk about it. Good night."
This wasn't Landorian, and I had seen one of these copies of a person before because Cain had done it for me when I went to his world. It was a copy.
"Well, now I know where he got that from. What else have you taught him?" I wondered, deciding to sit on the bed.
The fake magician layed back down, and I must have done the same as when the real one returned, he snored. It was still early, the light dim outside which meant it wasn't quite dawn. I contemplated going back to sleep, until I remembered what I'd found the night before. Rolling over, I poked him hard in the arm, then the cheek, before forcing one eye to open.
"Go, away." He groaned, flicking my hand back. Barely a second later he was upright and out of bed. "How, why are you here?"
"Your body double provided such stimulating conversation I decided to stay." I yawn, sitting up and finding my book. "Neat trick by the way."
"I shouldn't have drunk so much last night." He mumbled, wiping his face dramatically. "What are you talking about, a body double? I was here."
"Sure you were, and you didn't make a copy of yourself, fed it a few lines to stay to hopefully keep me away for at least our first night here while you clearly snuck out to a pub. Am I forgetting anything?" I look at him expectantly and a slight blush appears on his cheeks as he tries to think of something to defend himself with. "Chill. Cain did it to me once, that's how I picked it."
"He did?"
"He did."
"Oh." Landorian falls back down beside me, takes a few deep breaths and then turns my way as I open the book up ready to show him what I found. "What is that?"
"Aion. Do you know of him?" I try to hide my excitement, but fail.
"No."
"He's like a time Power. I think this could be our way out of here."
"Do you think they just walk around, telling people who they are, what they can do and that they aren't of this world? That's not how you survive. He could be living as a peasant, in a village miles from here. He might even be on another continent. He might not even here at all. There is no way to know. And will he help us? I doubt it. Powers don't seem to do anything out of the goodness of their heart."
"All good points, but it won't hurt to try and find him, will it?"
"Oh only if a certain King drops by and finds out what you're up to." He answered dryly.
I shrugged. "That's his issue, not mine."
"And mine. I will be held accountable for your actions."
"You'll be fine. Besides, like you said, he might not even be here. We'll never know if we don't even try." I push. "Think of, um, Lydia. Isn't it worth a chance if it means you'll get to go back to her?"
"I value my life, even if you don't seem to value yours." He huffed, getting up and storming off, slamming the door behind him. A fraction of a second later he returned. "This is my room, you get out!"
"Fine." I walk past him without another word and manage to navigate back to the original room.
I send all the books away and the evidence of my own booze filled night. The portrait is still and empty, so wherever he is now is of no help to me. I get myself breakfast, and freshen up, then with coffee in hand, wander around the castle while trying to plan my next move. Finding a library, the bear rug disturbs me as I go in and avoiding it, browse the spines looking for something like, read me, or all the answers are here. Apparently they have either not been printed yet or added to the collection. I end up sitting on a desk in the middle of the room, and spin the globe idly beside me.
"Are you here Aion?" I ask it, letting the globe barely trace against my finger as the map of the world goes around and around.
Then I feel it. A pull of my powers, a feeling that is similar to a cold burn, but less painful. The globe slows and I feel a tug on my fingertip as it stops completely. A strange feeling of being watched washes over me, yet looking around, there's no one here.
"Paris, France." I bite my lip, unsure if I should push this with Landorian. "I'm taking this as a sign to go to there. Tell me I'm right. Please."
Silence.
And then the book opens beside me, the pages flying open to Aions page yet again.
"Well, that'll do." The library door opens and gathering my coffee and the book, I go back downstairs. This time my corpse friend is waiting and in the picture there is the same world globe. "That was you?"
He nods.
"Thank you. Ok, so I need to go to Paris, in this era. What does one wear?" I think of everything I know about this period, which isn't a lot.
I remember watching The Other Boleyn Girl with Mum once, that Drew Barrymore movie and Afie went through a stage of watching The Tudors. So a big, uncomfortable looking dress is essential and trying to focus on something that fits the time, I feel the weight of the fabric replacing my jeans and shirt. Hopefully I'm not too far off and the much more helpful and encouraging Landorian of the painting nods his approval - he even claps.
"Right. Well, next stop Paris. Wish me luck." I take a deep breath, well as deep as I can with this costume on.
Focusing on Aion, and the city I knew, the sounds of horse and cart replaced the quiet of the castle. Thankfully I didn't end up in the middle of the road or park where I would be noticed and sticking close to the buildings, try to ignore the foul smell on the breeze. This isn't quite the Paris I knew and also wondered if I would have been better off trying to disguise myself as a man thanks to the looks I was already getting from the predominantly male crowds. Then again, this outfit clearly wasn't of a lower class standard either which may also be why they were staring.
I walked slowly, trying to work out if I had come to this location for a reason or if I had just been triggered by thinking of the time I knew. It wasn't like when I'd been following Heath, or hung out with V or any other visit. Buildings were different, some yet to be replaced or even exist. I had no real idea where I was without finding a landmark I could identify; even the Eiffel Tower wouldn't be here within this lifetime. Not that it mattered, I wasn't here to sight see.
Turning a corner, the marketplace that greeted me was a hive of activity, with the majority of people either leaving or heading towards it. A welcome feeling on the back of my neck told me there were supernaturals around, yet it was that hint of a Power that dominated it which had hope rising. After mindlessly following this, feeling, for what felt like an eternity, I saw him. He matched the profile in the book perfectly, yet despite his youthful appearance, he was unusually tall, especially this crowd.
The closer I got, the more I realised he just had a boy like face, not that he was actually young. Most he passed dipped their heads and lower their gaze, while Aion walked with purpose and confidence seemingly oblivious to it all. Stopping at what appeared to be some kind of shopfront, he went in and deciding to take my chances, I followed.
"Bonjour, desole Je suis fermé le aujourd'hui." He called as a tiny bell chimed behind me.
"English?" I asked hopefully. Instead, I was met with a pair of angry eyes and a rather large, golden blade being pointed my way. "No english then?"
"Yes Mademoiselle, but the language we use is of no interest. You are one of them." He practically hissed.
Slowly I raised my hands up in surrender. "I assure you, I am not. Well, I am, but not how you think. I come in peace."
His head tilted slightly, yet his eyes only narrowed and he didn't lower the weapon. I didn't exactly blame him on that, I wouldn't have either.
"Speak."
"Well, I know who you are. This book showed me." I pulled it out of my bag and he snatched it quickly.
"This book, it is not an ordinary book." He mused., tossing it onto the counter.
"No. It's from The Magician. Do you know of him?" I really hope that didn't backfire.
"I have heard the tales. I live on this side of the ocean to avoid his kind."
"Of course you do." I sigh, praying that good gut feeling wasn't leading me astray again. Look what happened when it told me to follow Landorian. "Honestly, I'm from the future. Yes I am a Power too, but I wasn't born that way so hopefully that makes me a little more likable than the rest of them. I am hoping you are able to help me get back to my time."
It was then that I noticed all the hourglasses on the wall and strange little mechanical looking things around them. He noticed me staring, and slowly lowered the sword.
"When is your time?" He asked slowly.
"Two thousand and fourteen." Aion's eyes opened wide, the disbelief obvious. "My name is Elise Bunting, I am a Hunter and-"
"Women are not Hunters." He scoffed.
I try not to roll my eyes. "So you're aware of us?"
"Of course. They avoid the big cities, which is why I am here. My powers are abnormal to them, they fear me for they do not know what I am, just that I am not human." The sword vanished, as did the book and he leaned back against the counter. "Why do you think I can help you?"
"Your a child of Cronus, and-"
"I am no child of his. Did your book forget to tell you of my banishment? I am in this place, not by choice, but by his will." Aion growled. "I do not have temples in Roma. My figure is not etched into stone. I am a bastard child to an ancient Power that denies I am even his. I am one of many abandoned throughout the realms, left to die."
"Your half-brother, another bastard child of Cronus put me here as a form of banishment. The Fallen One." This makes him frown. "I refuse to accept this."
"What did you do that warranted your banishment?" He asks after a slight pause.
"Honestly, just existing seems to be a trend. A Seer told him that I would be the only one able to kill him, so as he was unable to kill me, I get this."
"My sire did not like that my abilities resembled his own. He thought I would use them against him and take his place." Aion closed his eyes for a moment, his breathing stopping as he gripped the edge of the counter making his knuckles turn white. Before I could think of something to say, he returned to normal. "Do you want to kill him?"
"I didn't, but now I'm open to suggestions."
"I long for the day I would be in a position to end my sire and understand how you must feel, but alas, I fear I can not give you what you seek. I can not send you to your time." He almost sounded like he did regret this.
"The book said-"
"I need my staff."
"Can you not rehire? What are we talking about here, I'll help. We can find some people, erase their memory after or something?"
"My staff. It's a cane of sorts, a long stick. I can not cross through the sands of time without it."
"Oh, that kind of staff. Okay, so, where is it?"
"It was taken from me just after I first arrived. A strange creature with black eyes, white hair like a crone and skin like milk, the softest I had ever felt. A woman. A demon. Her beauty and presence was that of an angel. I thought she had come to save me, to take me to the Underworld, only I was not that fortunate."
"Portia!" I curse. "That good for nothing mother fu- I know who it was."
I pause as he looks at me like I could quite possibly be crazy.
"You are an odd female."
"If I can get it for you, will you help me?" I ask, ignoring that comment.
"You will not be able to retrieve such an object." He scoffed. "I have tried and failed numerous times."
"Do I have your word, if I get it, will you send me back?" I ask instead, extending my hand.
"I do not know how your world functions. I have told you it can not be done, yet still you insist?" I can't stop myself from glaring at him, knowing this is going to bring so much satisfaction He shakes my hand. "As you wish. Return my staff, and I will return you to your time."
"I'll be in touch." I promise, and return back to Landorians castle where isn't happily waiting.
"Where the hell have you been?" He shouted the second I saw him.
"Out. Just wanting to make the most of time in ye olden days."
"I call bullshit."
I'm back in jeans and a sweater, the gown vanishing as I take a seat by the fire. "Hypothetically, where would Cain be at this time?"
"No. No. No." He continues to scream. "You are out of your fucking mind! The guy that's here, is not the same one that you knew. I know you know of Dracula. Guess which period that shit went down in? Guess who drove kingdoms into chaos and made these insane, bloodthirsty warlords?"
I had kind of forgotten to factor that part in. The fact Cain and Portia had also parted ways a few times throughout their history together lingered in my mind though. What the problem was, was that I didn't know if this was one of those times or not.
"Oh, yeah. I forgot."
"You forgot? What scheme were you in the midst of plotting before that friendly reminder?" He huffed, reminding me more of my Dad than anything right now.
"It was nothing. Never would have worked." Looking to the painting, Landorian jumped between us.
"No. Oh no. Whatever you two are conspiring can stop." The sheet that had covered the painting when we arrived was returned.
"He's so much more helpful than you are. Did he get all those genes while you got, this?" I waved my hand over him, and if he looked annoyed before, he was pissed off now.
"I am helpful. I am very helpful. Before you vanished, I was even considering helping you!"
"Oh you are? Great. Because what I think we need to do, is find Portia. Not Cain. I'm pretty sure this is one of those periods that they weren't talking or together."
"I'll play along. Why?"
"To get Aions staff back from her so he can do his time travel thing and send us home." I give a little shrug.
"Right. Of course. Why didn't I think of that?" Landorian groaned. "You're not going to stop, at all, until you get what you want, are you?"
"Pretty much. It's one of those annoying yet endearing qualities I have." The more I smile, the angrier he seems to become.
"Endearing is not a word I'd use."
"You will when I get us home."