《The Divine Works》


 Book One : The Realm of Madness // Prologue

    December 12, 2012 arrived and people reacted. Some were dancing in the streets, others who firmly believed the world would end spiraled into chaos. Most, believed the world would not end, and everything would be the same. As it was, neither party was right.


    At twelve past noon, at exactly twelve seconds after the twelfth minute, a man appeared in the heavens, and pronounced himself the new God. That was it For two minutes, there was a man''s face in the sky, he spoke for two seconds, then vanished. The sky was left empty once more. However brief his appearance, it sparked a huge uproar among the people of Earth.


    Many of the people, fell to their knees immediately, worshiping this new God. Even those who didn''t have any religious belief before that moment, did now. The people who followed their religions judiciously, rebelled against this new God. They already had one. Surely now, of all times, he would make himself known to them. They all went to their temples, churches, and holy places to pray. The Pope himself, stood before his faith, his devoted followers watching from all over the world as the news camera''s were zeroed in on him.


    He told them, this was a test of faith. God, could not show himself to his people because it would surely be too magnificent for their minds to handle, it would surely kill them all.  This new God was merely a test. To prove how devoted they were to their God, they needed to unite together. They had to declare war! They had to fight this new God, and slay him if they could.  They could not let this false deity sway them from their beliefs or their rightful place in heaven.


    As the mass of people in the crowd before him, and around the world, cheered in agreement with the Pope, the new God appeared behind him. The new God materialized a sword out of thin air, and with the grace that no human could ever copy, beheaded the Pope. The screams could be heard even from space as several millions of people, screamed together as one. The new God was standing where the Pope had been but seconds before, no blood could be seen on his person, the body of the Pope already vanished.


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    His face was everywhere as the world quieted. News and streamed lived over the internet. He stared at them all with a blank expression.


    "I am the God Hektor." His deep base voice boomed over the assembly before him. "I come from another place that is forever blocked from here. I will not go into detail as it is not important. What is, is that this is my home now, and you are my people.  Those who oppose me, will meet the same fate as the man who stood here before me." He looked over the people for moment, allowing his words to sink into their minds. Then he continued in the same calm tone. "You must decide; either you are with me, or you are not. Because I am a fair God, and believe in chances, I will spare all for now. You will have two days. I believe that is a fair amount of time. You must follow me, worship me completely, if there are blasphemers, terrorists, or evil doers, I will find you, and you will be eliminated. You will be complete, or not at all."


    Having said all he needed to say, he vanished once more.


    The two days he gave became known as the ''Time of Decision''. Within the first few hours alone, thousands committed ritual suicide. There were those who tried to kill their children before killing themselves. If they were going to the afterlife to be with their true God, then so would their children. However, when they tried, there was an impenetrable barrier around the children, and anyone else who didn''t want to die. Not even bombs could harm them.


    One the third day, those who opposed Hektor dropped dead. For some people, people who couldn''t, or wouldn''t, devote themselves to Hektor completely, died. This week became known as the ''Week of Reaping.''


    At the end, Hektor appeared once more. For the first time, he smiled. "Welcome my children, to a new Era. Welcome to my order."

 Book One : Realm of Madness // Chapter One

    "And pray tell Alyson Rivers, what happened after that day?"


    Alyson looked up from her notebook, it''s pages covered with an equal amount of doodles and notes. She looked around the rest of the class for help, only one offered her an encouraging smile. "What day?"


    Her history professor Mrs. Cross, crossed her arms over her chest, Alyson suspected she did that whenever Mrs. Cross faced off with a female student who had bigger boobs than hers to make her seem more superior. She looked at Alyson very annoyed. Her voice carried that tone as she spoke. "Would you please inform the class what happened after the day of Deliverance?"


    She proceeded to grin at Alyson, a malicious grin, "Since you don''t seem to need this lesson, you might as well help me teach it."


    Alyson fought the urge to sigh. The only thing that would have made this even more obvious it was a trap, would be if Mrs. Cross held up a neon sign that read TRAP.  Alyson set aside her pencil and folded her hands together to keep from picking at her nails or balling her hands into fists as she often did when she was frustrated or angry. She didn''t want to give Mrs. Cross anymore reason to come after her.


    "Following the day of Deliverance, Hektor began to issue demands and rules. His religious code that his congregation was to follow. The first was that all guns, bombs, and the weapons of mass destruction were to be destroyed. The ones that couldn''t be or were too lethal to move, vanished. The process took the rest of December because, naturally, many didn''t want to part with their weapons. The former United States and Middle East were the loudest protesters. The Government tried to keep what they thought was theirs."


    "And what was the result of that?"


    Alyson breathed a sigh of relief. Mrs. Cross sounded disgruntled, but Alyson imagined it was because now she couldn''t make a fool out of Alyson or punish her for not doing the homework. Or something like that any way. She realized she must have taken to long to answer because Mrs. Cross was suddenly glaring at her, and another student spoke up.


    "Those pig headed hoarding dick heads were found massacred." The student beside her laughed. "Washington DC in particular was a bloody mess by the time Hektor got done with it."


    "Thank you Rick, but I was asking Ms. River, please refrain from speaking out of term in my class again."  Mrs. Cross didn''t even bother glancing at Rick as she spoke. Her eyes were locked on Alyson.


    Rick winked at Alyson, a form of encouragement, she was sure, but in that moment, it did little to instill confidence.


    "Places in Washington DC was said to be a bloody mess." Alyson continued. "The only ones spared was a group of children, a hundred and fifty-eight in total, who were there on a school trip. Having completed that, Hektor started to organize the world as he saw fit. The process took the entire month of January. Though he did not decree it, his followers made the holidays ; December twelfth - Revelation Day, December thirteenth and fourteenth - The Time of Decision, December fifteenth through the twenty-first - The Week of Reaping, December Twenty-second - The Day of Deliverance, December twenty-third through the thirty-first - the Purging. Then there''s the entirety of the month of January, the Time of Rebirth. I imagine he was amused and humbled by that. He gets practically two months of constant recognition and worship where the other Divines only get a day or so."


    "Keep your imaginings to yourself Ms. Rivers, they''ve no place in my classroom."


    "Yes ma''am."


    Alyson  quickly looked back down at her notebook and fought off the urge to sniff. While she was slightly embarrassed, it wasn''t as if she was about to start crying, her sinuses were just acting up. Though, clearly Rick took it that way. She felt hiss hand under the table give her leg a comforting squeeze. She could tell by the way his hand lingered for a moment before finally leaving that he wanted to leave his hand there. She was relieved when he finally pulled his hand back to himself and put on the table where she could see it.


    "Alright class,  your homework for our next class is to read the next five chapters. On top of that, I want an essay one of the Divines and the contributions they have given to society." The class caught wind of the aggravation in her tone, it silenced any groans and complaints before they were even voiced.


    Alyson didn''t want to meet Mrs. Cross''s eyes, but when the woman started to walk her way, she knew she was supposed to have looked up. Right as Mrs. Cross made it to where Alyson was sitting, the bell rang and everyone filed out of the classroom. Rushing off to wherever. Anywhere was better than with Cranky Cross. Even Rick gathered his things and had rushed out the door. He must have expected Alyson to have been right on his heels because a few seconds later he was at the door and motioning her to follow him. Alyson ignored him and looked at Mrs. Cross.


    "I take it there was something you wanted to say to me, Mrs. Cross."


    The woman''s nostrils flared, and her face turned a shade of red. Alyson had to wonder if the woman''s blood pressure was healthy. "Mr. Rivers, just because your grandmother was a former professor here at the college, does not give you the right to do as you please in class, nor does it give you the right to make an attempt to make me look bad."


    Alyson almost pointed out that she didn''t make Mrs. Cross look bad, she did that to herself. And she had been paying attention, but when Mrs. Cross went on and on, ranting about something that had nothing to do with the subject at hand, she couldn''t help but let her mind wander a bit. Alyson almost opened her mouth, but knew better than to say anything to the woman before her.


    "I''m sorry Mrs. Cross, it won''t happen again."


    "Don''t apologize, you did nothing wrong!" Rick came into the room, and stood beside Alyson. "It''s not her fault that her grandmother was a favorite among the staff and students here and you''re not Mrs. Cross. It''s not Alyson''s fault that she spent a lot of time with her grandmother before she passed away and learned a great deal from her. It''s not Alyson''s fault that your jealous of your predecessor, and that you tend to rant and ramble about the fact that this job hasn''t gotten you a date in years. Stop taking your problems out your students, or I''m taking this up with the Dean. And considering who the student is, you can bet your ass will be fired."


    "Rick!" Alyson said standing between Rick and Mrs. Cross. "You shut your mouth about things you don''t understand. Stop threatening Mrs. Cross."


    "But she was harassing you! Do you honestly expect me to sit back and do nothing when some bitch tries to hurt you?"


    "When you don''t have all of the facts, yes." Alyson said firmly. She turned to Mrs. Cross. "I''m sorry for the trouble ma''am, please don''t let it bother you. I''ll have both homework assignments done for when I see you again. Provided I''m still attending college then."


    Having said all that she was going to say, she gathered her things and walked out the door. Rick followed her. "Someone needs to light a candle to the Goddess Olivia."


    She rolled her eyes. "If anyone needs patience right now it''s me."


    "Why? Also, why did you defend her, Alyson the woman was trying to make you look bad."


    "Rick, I''ve spent my entire life living with people who wanted to make me look bad, I''m used to it by now. As for why I didn''t do anything to Mrs. Cross, it''s because she''s scared of me."


    Rick faltered at that, and took her hand so she would stop. Alyson looked back at him, knowing she wouldn''t be able to get home until he''d said his piece. "Why is she scared of you?"


    "Haven''t you ever wondered why I was able to go to this college despite the fact that my mother and stepfather were unable to pay for it? This is one of the most advance and top colleges there are today, not exactly something they can afford right now. Especially if they want to send all of their children to college."


    Rick shrugged. "I always assumed your dad or grandmother left you a college fund. That or my grandfather pulled a few strings so you could go."


    Alyson shook her head. "The college gave me a full ride, they are even willing to give me transportation."


    Rick balked at that. "Really!? That''s great Ally! Why?"


    Alyson glared at him. "What have I said about calling me Ally?"


    "Sorry, sorry," Rick threw his hands up in surrender. He started walking towards his car and she followed. "So, why are they giving you a full ride and transportation should you need it?"


    "Because they are hoping that I will take up my grandmothers place once I graduate."


    Rick looked at her in shock. "A college professor right off the bat, that''s impressive, and that would be a great advantage for our future. We could probably even start having kids much sooner than we''d planned."


    Alyson shook her head. "But that''s not fair to Mrs. Cross, who has dedicated her whole life to this job. She was under the impression she would have this occupation until she retired or until she died. To suddenly find out that a person who doesn''t have the passion for the work you do is being favored for your position is a cruel thing to learn. She was basically told all she was doing was keeping the seat warm for me. I don''t blame her in her attempts to make me look unqualified. She just wants to keep her job, otherwise she''s lost in this world."


    Rick nodded. "Yeah, that is a hell of a thing to realize." He looked her in the eyes, "Does that mean you don''t plan on taking the job?"


    Alyson sighed. "As of this moment, I don''t even know if I''ll be able to go to college anymore."


    "Why because of what happened back there?"


    Alyson shook her head. "No."


    It wasn''t anything like that. It also wasn''t as if her mother and stepfather were trying to keep her from it. She just had a feeling. A strong feeling, that she wouldn''t be attending college after this weekend. Why? She didn''t know, she just knew it.


    She heard Rick sigh, he wanted to push the issue, she knew, but he stopped for the moment and began to pat himself down. "Now where did I put my keys?"


    "Jeans, front right pocket." Alyson answered automatically.


    He pulled his keys out of the pocket where she said they would be. He grinned as he unlocked the far and got behind the wheel. Once she was seated and buckled he looked at her with eyes full of affection and appreciation. "What would I do without you?"


    "Probably what you do every day, just without me there."


    He chuckled before leaning over and kissing her lips softly. Because she was expected to accept his kisses, she didn''t move, but she didn''t offer anything more. As he began to deepen the kiss, she started to get sick. She pulled back then and took careful breaths in an attempt to calm her stomach.


    "Come home with me tonight." Rick pleaded breathlessly, trying to pull her back to him. "Please let it be tonight!"


    "I can''t. I''ve got all this homework to do, my mother to face, I have to baby sit my siblings tonight, and I have a mountain of laundry that I need to get done before Monday."


    "Why don''t you bring your siblings to my house, forget the laundry, I''ll stick to you like glue so your mother will stay away." He suggested. "My parents can watch the kids while you and I can have some prolonged alone time."


    His tone and chuckle made her want to gag. She managed to stifle it as she turned to look at him. He put on what he considered to be his puppy dog look, the one he was under the firm belief no woman, especially Alyson, could withstand. "Come on, pretty please?"


    She shook her head. "I''m sorry Rick, I can''t."


    "Can''t or won''t?" Rick asked sitting back in his seat.


    She would have preferred him to be angry, to get frustrated with her, but he didn''t. Which is why it was so hard to be honest with Rick about things. He got heart broken. How could she explain she wasn''t really attracted to him the way he was with her? How could she explain that when he kissed her, it felt like she was kissing her brother? How could she possibly say that she was dreading their wedding day? If he got angry, she could handle that. In reality, he''d probably break down bawling like a baby. She couldn''t bring herself to hurt him so much.


    "I can''t Rick."


    He sighed and leaned over to kiss her forehead. That gesture didn''t seem wrong in her mind.  "Soon we''ll be married, and then no one will be able to keep you away from me, make you feel guilty about being with me, and I can finally take you away from that house. You''ll never have to go back again."


    All she could manage was a weak smile. It seemed to help him, because he started the car and began to drive. They fell into companionable silence, only the radio was making noise. She''d known Rick since she was a small child. Their grandfathers had been best friends, they still saw each other, even in their gathering old age. When the two saw how well Rick and Alyson got along, they had the two of them betrothed. They had the paperwork drawn up and had it officiated by a Temple Keeper at the Temple of Marriage. The statues of the married Divine couples could be found there. Sitting side by side, bound together for eternity. With that done, the grandfathers spent the rest of their days joyful in the thought that soon they would be family. It was official, only Hektor himself could undo the contract.


    Alyson shuddered at the memory of how her mother and stepfather reacted. It was revealed then that her mother was planning on doing something similar. Only, the man Alyson would have been betrothed to was her stepfather. According to the mock contract they had drawn up, Alyson could have legally married him when she was fourteen, if the temple officials agreed to that. While fourteen wasn''t the youngest a girl had married, the officials were always reluctant to let a girl marry under the age of sixteen.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    As it was, Alyson could have married Rick when she was eighteen, she knew Rick would have vastly preferred that. She had managed to convince her future in laws that it was best for everyone if they waited until she was twenty. She wasn''t exactly sure how she had managed that, but she did. The date was pushed back another two years. Which were up in one month. The wedding planning was going to get under way the day she turned twenty, if Rick didn''t drag her off to the temple to elope with her that very same day.


    "We''re here."


    Alyson pulled herself out of her thoughts and looked out her window. The house that was technically her home stood before her. The place hadn''t ever felt like home to her. It was the house that her mother and stepfather moved into after they were married. It was three stories, with an attic, and a basement. The basement was mostly for storage, while the attic was converted into Alyson''s bedroom when the babies really started to come. An intercom system was put throughout the house there would be no need for shouting.


    "So we are." She took hold of her bag and started to get out of the car.


    "Hey! Don''t I get a goodbye kiss?"


    Because she didn''t want to hurt Rick anymore than she already had today, she turned back, quickly pecked him on the lips. That clearly wasn''t what he wanted. He moved in to get a better kiss when there was a fist pounding on the passenger window. Before Alyson could do anything, the door was opened, and her sister looked down at her very ticked off.


    "Mom wants you inside. Now!"


    "Chill Magdalena." Rick said matching her cold tone.


    Alyson got out of the car and faced off with her younger sister. Magdalena was two years her junior. The second and last child that their mother had with their father, her first husband. He''d died rather untimely in car accident when Alyson was four, Magdalena two. While Alyson didn''t really remember much about her father, she did know that he was a kind man. Her mother had waited barely a year before remarrying. Ethan Rivers wasted no time adopting both Alyson and Magdalena. He raised them as if they were in own, and more babies started to be born, he didn''t treat them any differently than his blood children.


    Which is why the betrothal to Ethan came as such a shock to Alyson. She was ten when the whole betrothal mess was revealed. Why her mother and stepfather wanted her to marry him, she never knew. When her mother couldn''t give Alyson to him, she signed Magdalena over. He made sure he never voiced this if Magdalena could hear it, but Alyson often heard him say he would have much rather have had Alyson instead.


    The whole thing sickened her, but there was nothing she could do about it. She had been certain the temples would deny Magdalena being married at fourteen, but she was wrong.  Whatever case Ethan presented was enough for the Temple officials to bless the second marriage to Magdalena. While monogamy was practiced among the Divines, Hektor and Olivia did give their blessings for the mortals to practice polygamy if they so chose. So when Magdalena turned fourteen, Alyson had to attend her sisters wedding to the only father Magdalena could remember having. As much as Alyson winced at the whole thing, it seemed to really please Magdalena, so she kept her thoughts to herself.


    While Magdalena wanted to brag about her new found adulthood, and how Alyson was still a child, Alyson refused to hear of it. Going as far as to smack her sisters face when the girl refused to shut up.


    Recently, they learned that their mother couldn''t have any more children, and Ethan still wanted to have more. Now the second marriage made sense to Alyson, even if Ethan''s choices in his second wife were confusing to her. With their mother unable to have any more, the task of bearing children now fell onto Magdalena''s shoulders. A job she took with great pride. If her protruding stomach, bear for the world to see, wasn''t proof enough, her attitude was.


    As of late, Magdalena had become unbearable to live with, and it wasn''t just the hormones a pregnant woman experiences. She kept trying to boss everyone around, and stepped over anyone who got in her way. Her target most of the time with Alyson, and while Alyson could handle it, it was when Magdalena turned that wrath onto the children that they problems.


    "I will not ''chill'' you wasted whelp!" Magdalena spat at Rick. "We have reservations, Alyson is our babysitter, and I will not have you keep her from her job. That would make us late, and I will simply not stand for it."


    "Magdalena, you do realize that you will have to find another babysitter soon enough right?" Rick threw at her. "Because once Alyson and I are married, you won''t have that precious free babysitter."


    "Alyson has already been told she has to babysit for us, whenever we ask, without question."


    Rick busted out laughing, and didn''t stop for several minutes. "Magdalena," He finally said when he had a breath, "I am telling you here and now, that will never happen. And before you try getting all authoritative to me, let me remind you I am several years older than you are, and when you try to boss me around, you''re not this big and bad mother figure, you''re just a bitch."


    Magdalena slammed the door she was holding open with a shriek. Alyson shook her head and walked inside. The moment she was through the door and her bag on the peg, two little girls ran up to her with open arms. Without a second thought, a sincere smile spread across Alyson''s face as she scooped the two girls up into her arms for a twirling hug.


    For all of her issues with the adults in her family and Magdalena, Alyson was very fond of her siblings. Larissa and Julia were the latest addition to her family. Julia being her newest little sister, and Larissa being her niece.  Alyson was often left home and in charge of everyone. Larissa and Julia seemed more like her own daughters at times.


    Having gotten their hugs, Alyson put the toddlers down so they could back to whatever game they''d been playing before she walked through the door. Her mother, apparently having been waiting somewhere out of sight, now the took the opportunity to approach her.


    "You''re late."


    Her mother''s tone was dark, and promised this would not be a decent conversation. Confirming her fear, Larissa and Julia immediately started to whimper and took cover. Alyson took a deep breath and prayed silently. Olivia, please give me strength, I promise I will light a candle later.


    "I''m not late mother, if anything I''m a little early. I only had the two classes at the college today."


    "A waste of time." Her mother glared at her.


    "Then I simply won''t go anymore mother." Alyson assured you.


    Her mother seemed a little bit calmer. "Good, then you realize your place is here, caring for the children."


    "No, it''s not."


    Alyson immediately regretted those words, her mother stepped forward and slapped her across the face. "Don''t you EVER talk to me in that manner. I am your mother, and I will be treated with respect you little bitch!"


    Alyson looked at her mother in shock, fighting against the urge to go and comfort the two little ones crying behind the chair. If she went to them now, her mother would follow, Alyson refused to expose the babies to any more of this than necessary.


    "Mother, I meant no disrespect, I was simply stating a fact. Or have you forgotten that I''m supposed to marry Rick in a month?"


    "Don''t mention that boy to me!" Her mother threatened. "That boy ruined everything!"


    Alyson stared at her mother. Something was wrong here, and it was nothing she did. Something happened while she was away at school to make her mother so furious. Magdalena walked through the door, her face flushed from the tantrum she''d just thrown. The two women who were equally mad at Alyson one moment, turned that wrath onto each other. Alyson took the chance to run to the little curls and hugged them tightly.


    "You traitorous bitch!" Her mother hissed at Magdalena. "How could you do this to me!? How could you betray me like this!?"


    Magdalena merely smiled viciously. "It''s your own fault. You were the one who proclaimed you can''t have anymore children. Why should you remain the most important wife? The number one when you have nothing you can offer your husband anymore?"


    "It was the doctors who said it, and I have plenty more I can offer my husband."


    "But not what he wants." Magdalena pointed out in a smug tone. "He wants more children, and I think the one who is able to give him that should be the main wife. it''s only fair after all."


    Alyson hugged the girls close, and kept inching the three of them even farther away from the situation. She didn''t want the babies anywhere near the two of them in that moment. Despite her dislike for the man, she had never been more grateful to see her step father descend the stairs. He took one look at the situation and knew immediately what was going on, and took charge.


    "Magdalena, it is very unbecoming if you to put down your mother in that, now go get changed for dinner, or I will leave you here."


    Magdalena looked at him in shock. "You can''t do that, I''m your main wife now, you need me at these functions!"


    Ethan sighed. "You may very well hold the title, but you have a lot to learn. As for leaving you here, I can and I will if you do not behave and act like an adult. Now go get changed, while I like that outfit and you showing off how proud you are to be having my child, you cannot wear that to dinner tonight."


    Alyson had to hand it to her sister, Magdalena managed to keep a straight face until her back was to Ethan. Then she looked down right livid. With her gone, Ethan walked up to Alyson''s mother.


    "Angel my love, please calm down, and stop taking this out on everyone."


    Alyson watched as her mother burst into tears. "Why Ethan why?"


    Ethan sighed. "If I want to be able to keep having children, I need to appease her."


    "Don''t you have enough?"


    Ethan shook his head he stroked Angel''s hair. "Not if I want to maintain the status as the Lord of the area. Gegkall is closing in on fourteen children, and there''s rumors that his wife can''t have anymore after this one. He''s against polygamy so all I have to do is have this one with Magdalena, and then I''m still the Lord for the next five years. Or until some idiot tries to stake his claim again."


    Alyson didn''t understand much about politics, but what Ethan was saying made sense. Since the fall of the former governments and universal one had reigned for everyone. Lordship was appointed to the families that had the most children. One, so there would be heirs. Two, the tasks of the Lordship could be evenly distributed among the family once they were old enough. If there were no Lords in the area, and a family met the requirements and could prove themselves capable of handling politics, Lordship was granted to the family.


    "I didn''t know you were in competition for Lordship." Alyson found herself saying.


    As Ethan pulled her mother into a hug, he nodded. "It''s not something I want advertised among the children yet, it''s not official, but I am in the running."


    "So that''s why the second wife?" Alyson asked.


    Ethan nodded. "You probably didn''t know, but you are related or a Lord. He was your three or four greats Uncle on your maternal grandfather''s side. I didn''t even know until I received the letter almost ten years ago."


    "Before the whole betrothal stuff."


    "Yes. That''s why I wanted you as a second wife. The more connections I have the better." Ethan pointed out. "But, since you''re to be married to Rick, I had no choice but to marry Magdalena. There are no more candidates that could help my cause. You see, I can''t marry just any other woman. The only way a potential Lord can take a second wife is if that second wife has connections to another Lord."


    "Why become a Lord at all?" Alyson couldn''t help but ask. "Sounds like a lot of work and restrictions."


    Ethan nodded. "It is, but the benefits of being a Lord, far out way that of the trial period till one is chosen."


    Alyson nodded, and her mother seemed to happier. She could see now that Ethan was just humoring Magdalena until he got the Lordship. Alyson also understood why Magdalena wanted to be the main wife. Whoever was the main wife of the Lord, would become the Lady, and while Alyson didn''t exactly know what that role entailed, she did know Magdalena wanted it.


    Magdalena came downstairs and left with Ethan and Angel. Alyson noticed that while Ethan and her mother hugged and kissed Julia and Larissa goodbye, Magdalena had nothing to do with Larissa, her own daughter. As the others began to arrive home from school, Alyson lit the candle she promised she would, and began to take care of the children that needed caring for, checking in on the older ones to make sure they were behaving.


    Now she understood something about her stepfather''s situation, it only took her a decade. But then her mind wasn''t one for politics. If it wasn''t in her books, various projects, or the children she cared for, she often tuned everything else out. Which probably wasn''t a good thing since she would be entering the "adult" world soon enough. As she tucked the little ones into bed, she knew she had to do something. It was a long shot, but it was worth a try.


    After all, He, had never let her down before.


    <hr />


    chapter one didn''t have any interaction with the Divines. In the original draft, there was more talk about them, but in this version I thought it best to just introduce a few key characters, to see the kind if life Alyson has been living, and in chapter two, which will be posted in a week, there will be more information about the Divines and the role they play in this world.


    Please forgive any mistakes, I just did a quick pass through.


    WD

 Authors Note

    This is not a chapter, just a letter from me.


    Hi everyone!


    Sorry that the story is taking awhile to pick up into the good stuff, it''s coming, I promise!


    Originally chapter one was MUCH longer and was far more creepy than it is now. I had to cut it because the rest I think will make for a good Chapter two. Where I can go into the mechanics of the religion that Hektor made.


    Now if I had started with Hektor''s story first, I probably wouldn''t have to do that, because it would already be explained. But I didn''t. I started with what is probably the fourth story in the series. When I thought up the story three years ago, there was just one, but there was so much more to the story it ended up becoming a mini series in my head. Aleksandor''s and Alyson''s story being a bit farther down the line. But as this is the first one I''d had written, and have a complete outline for, that''s the story that I''m going to start with. Afterwards I might back track a bit and get to the second generation of Divines and how they came to be, and end that part with Hektor''s story. Which, unfortunately for me. Ties into yet another story line that I have stuck in my head. I will probably work on it after I''ve finished with the Divine Works, and how much I write of it, depends on how well this goes, my mood, and time.


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!Time is Key.


    I can promise a chapter a week, provided nothing happens, if something does, I will post an apology, and hopefully have the chapter out the following week.


    In last weeks case, I had a lot going on. I will probably explain later, but at this moment, it''s not the time.


    But yes! Chapter one is out, the story is officially started, next week, between Wed-Fri, chapter Two will be released, unless I get it done sooner.


    Thanks for Reading!


    WD

 Book One : Realm of Madness // Chapter Two

    With the herd all in bed and fast asleep, she was alone with her thoughts once more. She didn''t bother with her homework, she didn''t see the point. She''d already made up her mind, she wasn''t going to college anymore. Part of her brain argued that perhaps she was only doing this because Rick approved of the career path and wanted her to take it. She had to argue back with herself that it wasn''t true. Well, not completely. Rick''s approval did automatically have her wanting to run in the other direction, but it wasn''t what sparked the choice to quit. She''d had this feeling, that college wasn''t going to go anywhere, so she was better off not doing it at all.  That and she didn''t feel comfortable taking away another persons lifes work when she didn''t feel as passionate about it.


    Now that the matter was resolved in her head, she went up to her room. Usually, this quiet time was when she worked on her projects. Her paintings, drawings, writing, here recently she''d begun to make a quilt for sister Pixie who would be celebrating her tenth birthday soon. Alyson wanted to mark the occasion. Not tonight. Tonight she went through her candles and made the preparations to pray.


    When Hektor had finished making the world as he saw fit, the people asked how were they to pray to him. Hektor, who had promised he would never again actively be among the humans, told them candles. He created the Prayer Candles. If a person wanted to pray to a Divine, they but to light a candle, and their prayer would be heard. Each Divine had a specific color of candle, some were a mix of colors. The King of the Divines, The Ultimate Authority, The father to All, Hektor''s candle was gold. The Divine of Patience, Mother to all, Olivia''s candle was silver. She took out her candles, lining them up, grouping her spares together. She examined each of the Divines candle and was lost in the wonder of how beautiful each individual candle was.


    Despite Hektor''s assurances, promises, and efforts, there was a war. But he had made a vow, he could not go down among humanity again and actively help or slaughter them.  He had made this vow, but his son, Balor, had not. Balor went down among the humans, and aided the ones loyal to Hektor and the other Divines against their enemy. Before this, Balor had to Divine Grace, he was just simply a Divine being. However, when joined the war, he became the God of War. His candle was a spiral of Gold and Silver. Colored so for the weapons of war he wielded while in battle, as well as his status among the Divines. The Eldest son of the Divine Realm.


    At the end of the only war that was a stain on the new worlds history, Balor discovered his wife, and his other half, Serenity, Goddess of Peace. Her candle was pure white and smelled of vanilla. They had two sons between them who took on the Divine Grace of the elements. Kale''s was the Divine Grace of Air, and his candle was a spiral of pale blue and silver. Their other son, Kane had the Divine Grace of fire, and his candle was red with bright orange and yellow flames decorating the sides.


    So far, Kale and Kane had yet to find a bride. Rumor among the church officials said that they didn''t like humans. She''d just heard it in passing. Alyson wasn''t sure it was true or not. It honestly wasn''t her business what the Divines did.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Hektor and Olivia had a second child. A daughter named Thalia. The Divine of Order. Her candle was a pale peach color and was also scented of the exotic fruit. The fruit was extremely difficult for humanity to come by. One grove bore peaches, and each year, the crop was less than less. Thalia''s husband, Graeson''s candle was pale gray. He was the Divine of Sanity. Thalia and Graeson had one son. It was his candle Alyson sat on floor staring at. Running her finger tips over the unique candle. The main color was black, but it was spotted and had swirls of a variety of colors.  It looked like a crazy mess, which was the point, Alekzandor was the God of Madness.


    Out of all the candles she had, this one was her favorite. She felt it resembled her own mind and soul. Given she too was a chaotic mess at times.


    She put away most of the candles, keeping out Olivia''s, Serenity''s, Thalia''s, Graeson''s, and Alekzandor''s candle.  Clutching them to her chest, she closed the lid of the chest that held all of her candles and made her way to her alter. She placed the candles in their usual places. Alekzandor''s candle sat on the bottom alter, solitary, away from the rest. She lit his first, then set about lighting the others. When all the candles were lit, she closed her eyes and prayed. Since no one was home or awake who might hear her, she spoke her prayers aloud.


    "Olivia, Divine of patience, please gift this house with your divine grace so we may deal with our conflicts calmly. Serenity, Divine of peace, please gift this house with your divine grace our those conflicts are few and nothing serious. Thalia, Divine of order, please give this house with your divine grace so the chaos may end. Graeson, Diving of sanity, please gift this house with your divine grace so the children may get through this awful time."


    Taking a deep breath, she blew the candles out one by one, till the only one left was Alekzandors. She watched the wax drip for awhile. Mesmerized by how it melted and the multicolored wax dripped down into a puddle that became a uniform black with only flecks of the once mass of color. She had always loved his candle the most. This was her last one, she wouldn''t be able to get more for a long long time. For her prayer to be answered, she had to let it melt until the wax was completely melted into a puddle. The longer one left the candle lit, the greater the chance of their prayer being answered.


    She stroked the side, ignoring the sting of the hot wax as it hit her fingers. She drew a shaky breath.  "My Lord . . . "


    Authors note :


    Yes, chapter two ends on a cliffhanger, please forgive me.


    I know this chapter is short, and I apologize for that too. But next week you get into the world of the Divines the story switches POV''s! I can''t wait to start on it.


    Sadly I have shopping to do, and my permit so I can drive in the mean time.


    Maybe once I get my new laptop I can post updates faster, but for now, once a week will have to do.

 Book One : Realm of Madness // Chapter Three

    When Graeson became the God of Sanity, the other Divines didn''t try to hide their confusion at the situation. When the other Divines married, their spouse got the divine power opposite of theirs. Which is what drew them together in the first place. That redeeming quality that balanced each other out. That''s what the Divine couples were, balance. War and Peace, Authority and Patience. Balor''s sons had closed themselves off in their realms of elements and were rarely seen anymore.


    Thalia''s other half would have been Chaos. That was the opposite of her own Divine Grace, order. However, when Graeson ascended the Divine Grace he was given, was Sanity. It was baffling, but they let the matter go. There were things in the works they couldn''t understand. At least, things Thalia, Graeson, Balor, and Serenity couldn''t understand. They suspected that Hektor and Olivia knew just what they were doing.


    For awhile, things were fine, and no one questioned anything. Thalia and Graeson were happy and doing well. The Divine realm was peaceful, and humanity was thriving. Then, Alekzandor was born, and there was panic. Alekzandors Divine Grace was Insanity. The Divines were in a state of unrest, it took Hektor to calm it all.


    "It makes sense." He argued. "There is a Divine of Sanity, we need a Divine of madness. There has to be balance among us."


    "Then why isn''t Graeson the Divine of Chaos?" Balor asked.


    "We create enough Chaos for the time being." Was Hektor said without looking at his son. He took his grandson from Graeson''s arms and held him close. "He''ll be alright."


    Thalia broke down crying. She got down on her knees before her father. "Please! Please bless him with a different Grace please!"


    Hektor shook his head. "Even if I wanted to, I couldn''t. There has to be balance."


    "Exactly!" Thalia screamed scaring the infant. She rose to her feet and glared at her father as tears streamed down her face. "There''s already a Divine of Sanity, my son will spend an eternity alone if you don''t help him! No one could ever love a Divine of Insanity!"


    Hektor glared at his daughter, "Do you mean to tell me that you do not love your son? That I do not love my grandson? That no one here in this realm cares for him?"


    Thalia stared at her father in shock. "Of course I love my son! I know that all of you do as well!"


    "Which contradicts everything you just said to me Thalia." Hektor said turning his back to her and handing the baby to Olivia who was glaring at her daughter. "Or is it, miss Thalia, Divine of Order, that you are appalled and repulsed by the fact that you have a child of madness? That your precious neat little world will soon be over turned and possibly ruined by an infant?"


    Thalia began to cry all over again. "Even if I was afraid of that, Divines cannot change anything in another''s realm. My son could not do anything to hurt mine."


    "Then have faith my little girl." Hektor said looking back at her. "Nothing is ever hopeless."


    Nothing was ever said on the matter again. While they worried for the boy, they let him be, let him come into his own as they would for any other. In private, they worried more, and even pitied the poor boy. As his grace matured with him, any mortal he touched would go insane. The longer he was in contact with them, the more and more their minds withered away with madness, till there was nothing left. It made intimacy impossible.


    Alekzandor himself was fine with it all. As his mother said, no one loved him. At least among the humans. Which made finding his other half that much more difficult. The Divines didn''t breed with each other. They found their pair with the humans. Since they all wanted nothing to do with them, he avoided them as well. He didn''t even spend time with his family. Once he was able to make his own realm, that''s where he stayed. In the old world, his realm would have been considered Hell, or a very very dark trippy version of Wonderland. He rather enjoyed the stories that dealt with those two places.


    His realm was full of the insanity of men, and anything Alekzandor could come up with. Horrors no human mind could handle, or at least, not for very long. Depending on where Alekzandor dropped him in his realm. It was because of this, the horror and madness that Alekzandor could wield efficiently, that Hektor gave his grandson all the souls that deserved eternal torment. Later on, Hektor began to send the souls that had sinned greatly in life and needed to pay for what they did. They may not have been there forever, but they would be there till they had suffered enough to repent. Then they could reborn to try again.


    But the Realm of Madness wasn''t a place the other Divines ever thought of visiting. Even though Alekzandor had a room away from the rest of the realm where his relatives could live in peace.


    He secluded himself in his realm, and did what his grandfather tasked him with. He never thought about what he was missing, he never thought about how people avoided him, he never stopped for a second to care that any woman he embraced was technically dead before he let them go. He didn''t think about his loneliness. He didn''t even think about the mortals who didn''t even spare him a second thought either.


    When a Divine is prayed to, when their candle is simply touched, they feel their worshippers and it allows them to locate, hear, and answer any prayer the mortal has. However, Alekzandor didn''t know what that felt like. Whenever his candles were touched, there was never that warm feeling that his family had described to him. Whenever his candles were touched, there was a cold, hollow feeling. No one had ever prayed to him, and when they touched his candle, most, barely even let their skin touch it. Using other means to take hold of it as if it were a cursed or poison object they wanted nothing to do with. As such, there was a part of Alekzandor that left him feeling empty, hollow. Lost in a black abyss that no light could penetrate.


    Until, that one day.


    The first time Alekzandor had felt the warmth, full, feeling that his family often talked about, was when Alyson was six years old. Her grandmother had taken out the prayer candles and was teaching the young girl about them. She let the girl hold each candle as she talked about it. It was when she took up the candle that represented Alekzandor that she got the most excited.


    Alekzandor had been experimenting with creating a creature from old world stories, dragons. They were nothing more than mindless beasts, capable of nothing if not given specific tasks. They would serve to creature some massive horror to many souls if the experiment was successful. Only he felt a warmth spread through him, and it had him doubling over clutching his heart. The place where the warmth originated from.


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Immediately, he tracked down the source and found the girl. She was small for her age, but he could tell by her lineage she would go to a decent height someday. In the meantime, her small size allowed her to curl up and go unseen if she wanted to. At the moment, she was squealing with delight as she looked at the candle in her hands.


    "Gramma! Gramma! Lookey! Lookey!! It''s so pretty! Is it for me!?"


    "No, dear, that one is not for you." the Grandmother said patiently, watching the girls excitement. "Though, what''s been forgotten is the date of the Divine of Insanity''s birthday. Your birthday my dear."


    "We share the same birthday!!??" Alyson shrieked gleefully. "YAY!!!!!"


    "It''s not the joyful of a fact dear." the grandmother said as she took hold of the girl and attempted to calm her.


    "Why not?"


    Alekzandor wanted nothing more than to do something that would make the girl smile again. He couldn''t bear to see the smile off her face. She was still holding his candle, and he could feel the confusion she was feeling. He wondered, if the reason for the tears in her eyes, was because of his own that were falling uncontrollably.


    "Because, people fear him." The grandmother explained. "Most, even hate the very mention of him and get extremely angry when he is."


    "Why?" was all Alyson said.


    The Grandmother sighed, obviously not sure how to explain it, or even if there was any good reason behind it. "Because of what he is. He is the Divine of Insanity my darling. People think that''s evil, have labeled Alekzandor so, and have avoided him completely. It''s said even the Divines avoid him."


    Alyson broke down crying and he watched heartbroken as the girl curled into a ball around his candle, and cried the tears he had been unable to cry until that moment.


    "Poor Alekzandor!" She wailed. "Poor Alekzandor! He must be so lonely! Everyone hates him, but no one really knows him! That''s horrible Gramma!!! That''s horrible!!!!"


    She was right. Alekzandor had been lonely, only he wasn''t aware of it, or rather, he didn''t really admit it to himself until now. When there was a warmth, a light, spreading through his soul and shining through the black abyss. The girl immediately became everything to him. He watched over her the rest of the day, she never let go of his candle. She said to her grandmother she didn''t want him to be alone anymore. For the first time ever, he smiled a sincere smile. It felt odd on his face. Usually, if there was smile on his face, it was a mad smile, not a real one. The kind one would see a villain make.


    That night, she slept curled up around his candle. He stayed by her side, careful not to touch her, and sent her dreams of a place of bright colors and peace. He had made the place once as an experiment. It was something he had read about in a book, and he thought the image would be a nice dream for a child her age. She had brought warmth to him, peace. For the first time in his life, he felt the love a follower, and love her back with everything that he was. He wanted to give at least something back for the gift she''d give him. The next morning however, no about of good dreams could erase what was done.


    Alyson''s mother and stepfather had arrived to pick her up, and saw what she was sleeping with. They proceeded to yell, and beat Alyson. All the while she clutched his candle and at the last moment, prayed for his help.


    The moment the beatings began, Alekzandor had left to get some help. He couldn''t intervene, if he did, the mortals would be dead, and he wouldn''t tarnish his first follower''s impression of him by killing her entire family. Besides the fact that it was also against the laws set by his grandfather. Immediately, he went to his grandmother and his aunt Serenity. The Divines of patience and peace to help. Once they saw the girl, they immediately knew the situation and calmed it. The Divine realm came alive with the gossip of what the girl meant to him, and from that day on, any prayer Alyson had, the Divines answered.


    Looking at the grown woman before him, Alekzandor wondered what Alyson would think, or do, if she knew that each of the Divines she had prayed to that night, now stood in her room watching over her as she prayed. Listening to her requests. He smiled at the sight of her, like he always did.


    "What do you want us to do mother?" Alekzandor heard his mother Thalia ask.


    Alekzandor looked to his grandmother. Olivia had heartbroken look on her face. She hated to see children suffer. It was one of the reasons she had never visited his realm. There were children there who had done terrible things and were being punished for them.


    Olivia drew a heavy breath and nodded. "What we always do, we bless this house with our Divine graces and hope for the best."


    Each one bent down and kissed the crown of Alyson''s head, though she did not feel it. One by one, they vanished after that. When each Divine had left, she blew out their candles Alekzandor had noticed.


    His father turned to him before leaving. "You coming?"


    Alekzandor shook his head. "She hasn''t dismissed me yet."


    Graeson merely nodded and vanished. He knew his father had returned to his mothers side. The two were always together, rarely apart. He used to be annoyed by that, but now, he understood the love behind it. He looked back at Alyson, he had been right, she had grown to an average height, and her adorable face because a thing of beauty.


    He sat down beside her alter and studied her face, though he knew every look she had, every detail of it by heart.


    "You may speak, we''re alone."


    She drew an unsteady breath, still staring at his candle, she spoke. "My Lord."


    _____________________________________


    Well everyone that is Chapter Three!!!


    Chapter four next week will still be from Alekzandor''s point of view.


    Hope you enjoyed it and plan to stick around for more!!! the juicy parts are coming!!!!

 Book One : Realm of Madness // Chapter Four

    "My Lord, I need your help." Alyson said softly in an unsteady tone. She continued, seeming close to tears. "You''ve always been there for me. I lit your candles, sometimes I prayed, sometimes I just talked, sometimes I said nothing. Just offering the knowledge that someone does know and care about you. If my doing so ever upset you I apologize most sincerely."


    "It never did." Alekzandor said, his voice thick and heavy with emotion.


    His heart skipped a beat seeing Alyson smile warmly. Then her expression turned into a remorseful one, and his heart plummeted down to his feet.


    "Next month, is my birthday." Tears fell down her cheeks as she struggled to get the words out. "I would have waited until that day, since my birthday falls on yours, it would have made the prayer stronger, but I feel like my time to do this is running out. Plans are being made, and I have no say in them. Even if I did, I wouldn''t know what to do. I don''t think I''ll be here on my birthday, and I know others are not tolerant about worship towards you. I fear even my husband to be may feel that way. So my only other option is do this now."


    "You''re babbling, you can say what''s on your mind."


    Though he knew she couldn''t actually hear him, Alyson somehow sensed his words. Always had. She acted on, or responded as if she had heard him. He felt like he''d actually had several conversations with her.


    There was a sigh of relief, and Alyson found her voice again. "When I marry, possibly before then if Rick has his way, I will leave this house. As I''m twenty, I know it''s time I did. Ethan can''t keep giving me those looks and getting away with it if I stay any longer. I know it''s time, but I''m scared. Mainly for the children. Who will protect them when I''m gone. Magdalena is up to something. I can venture a guess as to what, but I can''t even put it into a coherent thought, let alone words. It''s too appalling to me."


    Her face became serious as she continued. "My mother could do it, Ethan too. If they weren''t so focused on other things, or wanting things they can''t have. I know that''s human nature, but the things they want aren''t logical. At least in my mind."


    "And that''s where I come in." Alekzandor chuckled. "There''s something you want to ask me."


    "I need some help, my mother needs to be the woman she was before Ethan corrupted her. Ethan needs to see the light about the situation his life is in. Otherwise the children will be at risk. Please, will you help me?"


    His heart beat faster and his stomach clenched. Didn''t she know by now that he would do anything for her? Didn''t she know that all she needed to do was ask? Then he smiled softly. Of course she knew on some level. That''s why she was asking. Because she knew, at least a part of her did, that he would grant her wish. Any wish. He looked at her, and knew then, there was something more that she was wanting.


    He would get to that in a moment, he needed to be told something first. "What do you want me to do?"


    He needed boundaries. If she didn''t give him any, then there would be blood. Lots of it. Death with reign. He was insanity after all. Once he let his power out, there was no telling what would happen, but he could predict the outcome. He needed her to tell him specifically what she wanted him to do. He didn''t want to risk doing something that would frighten her.


    "Magdalena needs exposed. Whatever evil she''s planning, the truth needs to come out." Alyson said after a moment of thinking.  "My mother and Ethan need to realize their way of life is going to only lead to ruin, there are better ways for Ethan to get what he wants and still have a good life waiting for him. However it happens, whatever you do, the children cannot be harmed. Magdalena, I honestly leave her fate in your hands. I love her dearly as a sister, but I honestly don''t know how much of my sister is left in that mind of hers."


    "I won''t, you have my word." Alekzandor said reaching to touch her knee, then quickly withdrew his hand. Remembering almost too late, the consequences should he give into the urge and touch her skin. He needed something to distract him, now, before he forgot. While he let his dragons loose in his realm to wreak havoc, he asked. "What else did you want to ask?"


    Alyson looked away, as if ashamed and she didn''t want to answer that question. He waited a few moment, and when she didn''t answer, he repeated his question more firmly. She sighed and looked back at his candle, pouting slightly at that. He chuckled at the sight.


    "I don''t want to marry."


    For a moment, he thought he had misheard. She had spoken so softly, if it weren''t for his powers, he probably wouldn''t have understood a word she said. But there it was, the words she had never spoken, but they both knew to be truth. When he found out about the engagement, he was heartbroken. While he didn''t think he''d get the happy ending about sweeping the woman he loved off her feet and into his arms, for a while, he had allowed himself the hope that maybe, just maybe, he might have found his other half in Alyson. However, Hektor said nothing to him about Alyson being his, or made an effort to stop the marriage contract with the mortal.


    It broke his heart, but it was a cold hard reminder, one that he clearly needed. He could never touch Alyson, it would break apart her mind and slowly kill it there was nothing left of her. Not even her soul. He couldn''t do that to her, he wouldn''t. He loved her too much to subject her to that, and he would not have her be lost forever because of his own selfish desires. So even though it killed him, he had to admit that this marriage to the mortal was a good thing. She would be able to have a normal life, a loving husband, children, grow old, and find happiness. With him, there would never be that option.


    "I''ve looked for ways to nullify the contract, a way to get out of it, even if I told Rick that I didn''t want to marry him, I would have to." Alyson sniffed burying her face in her hands. "Rick would make me even if there wasn''t a law saying I had to. To show me that he could make me happy. But he doesn''t understand, we''re two different people. If he knew the true depths of my heart, my soul, he wouldn''t like them, and seek to change me to fit his image of me. I don''t want that to be my life."


    She surfaced from her hands, tears streaming down her face. "Please, if there''s a way, will you please, please, please, find a way to end this marriage before it can happen. I don''t care if you steal me away to your realm till the day I die."


    No, she wouldn''t mind that at all. She often pretended as a child that he would appear and whisk her away to his realm. He smiled at the memories. After the beating she took as a child, her parents never brought the subject up again. Thinking they had successfully beaten him out of Alyson. They were wrong.


    While he would have been present in her life either way, It was her grandmother''s last request that had him as an ever constant person in her life, even if he was unseen. After the parents calmed down and left, the grandmother took out his candle and prayed to him. She knew it was because of him that Alyson was spared a more severe beating, and asked that he always watch out for the girl. Alyson''s grandmother didn''t say it, but he knew she thought that Alyson was meant for Alekzandor. In answer, he gave her a hundred of his candles. She in turn, knew just who they were meant for.


    The candle Alyson was burning, was the last one of that one hundred. Which is probably why Alyson was so restless about this prayer, she feared she wouldn''t be able to communicate with him ever again.


    "I''ll do what I can." Alekzandor finally managed to say.


    Alyson sniffed and began to wipe away her tears. She stood up, leaving his candle burning as she went about her nightly routine. He watched as she slowly took off her clothes, as if to taunt him. He knew that wasn''t what she was doing, but it certainly felt that way to him. Especially when he watched her like this. He sighed and wondered, just when did his feelings grown?


    He had always loved Alyson. From the first moment. He watched over her, protected her from threats that even she was unaware of. While he couldn''t guard her from everything, he was able to make sure so serious threat could get close to her. He watched her as she played. Pretending he was having a tea party with her. He even joined in on it. He would sit there, answer whatever it was she said to him. That''s when he noticed she would answer him as if she had heard him.


    She was clairvoyant. That''s why she could always answer him even though she had never heard his voice. Why she could predict things before they even happened. Why she was so insistent that her requests be asked now instead of another day. Something was going to happen if she didn''t do it soon. He learned to trust her gift, and had been around her long enough for it to not bother him anymore. If anything, he made him feel like he was actually a person in her life and not an invisible voyeur.


    When she climbed into bed, he got up, and left her to sleep. Though he did blow a kiss in her direction so she would dream good things until he came back. Then he couldn''t guarantee what form her dreams would take. She would probably see what he was going to do before he did.


    He returned to his realm and had to rest his head against one of the columns. When did he realize he loved her in a romantic nature? When the marriage contract was revealed. Or rather, he realized that his love would develop into that someday. He loved her as a child could love, and it grew as she did. When she became of age, he began to have more lustful feelings for her. While he wasn''t exactly a stranger to lust and where such feelings would lead, it was difficult to feel that way about someone whom you could never touch.


    He decided to put the matter aside for the moment. He had some requests to grant, and he needed some help. He needed his father for one of his plans, and for the other, he needed to speak with his grandparents. He knew where his grandparents would be, in the Center. When he tried to locate his father, he found that both his parents were in the Center as well.


    "Oh happy joy joy." He mumbled as he made his way there.


    The Divine Realm had many realms within it. Each belonging to the Divine who created it. The Center was where it all began. Where Hektor had taken Olivia when they were married, and there they stayed. Very rarely did they leave and go another''s realm. The next to be created was the Realm of War, when Balor was old enough to create his old realm. Later it became the Realm of War and Peace, when Serenity joined Balor in Divinity.


    A Divine''s realm could only be changed by the other who was meant for it. Much to his mother''s dismay as she had tried many times to bring order to his realm. He had only caught her the one time, but he knew from her attempt that it was not her first.


    After that Balor''s ream, Thalia made her realm, the Realm of Order. When Graeson came, it became the Realm of Order and Sanity. The only realm there was besides Alekzandor''s own was the Realm of the elements that had two smaller realms within it. Each dedicated to the element his cousin''s controlled.


    While he could have immediately teleported there, Alekzandor enjoyed the walk along the garden path that led to his grandparents home. The garden that surrounded him once he reached the center was vast, bright, colorful, and beautiful. In the center of the garden, somewhere to his left, he knew there would be a little cottage that his grandparents house. He found his parents and grandparents sitting in wicker lawn chairs, enjoying a peaceful afternoon on a cliff by the sea. He couldn''t help but think as he approached that Alyson would have loved this view. The place had a warm homey feeling to it.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    When he got close enough, he noticed the conversation had stopped. He suspected that the reason his parents were visiting his grandparents more was to talk about him, and his ''situation''. Though it could  have easily been that he was acting severely paranoid. The sudden silence merely confirmed his suspicions. He could have gotten angry, but he tended to save that madness for the people he tortured personally. Instead, he chose to be amused.


    "Well that''s not suspicious at all." He laughed as he sat down the wicker chair that appeared out of thin air. "Obviously I was subject, but what was the specific topic this time?"


    "Lemonade?" His grandmother asked offering him a tall glass of pale yellow liquid.


    He nodded, despite his aversion to the stuff. Taking a sip, appearing as if he was calm. When in truth, he was doing anything that would help him be calm. His mother opened her mouth to speak to him, and he knew he wasn''t calm enough when his rage flared. Before a word could be uttered, he held up a finger.


    "Sorry mother, but if this is about my realm, you can forget it. It''s made to suit me and my purpose not yours. I happen to like my realm the way it is."


    His mother frowned and glared at him. He had succeeded, whatever she truly wanted to talk about (he had a strong feeling it was about Alyson), was pushed aside. "When will you let that go?"


    "When you stop trying to find ways to change it." Alekzandor said taking another sip of the lemonade. This time, because he actually liked it. He took a couple more sips and looked at his grandmother. "Excellent lemonade, did you change the recipe again?"


    She nodded and smiled fondly at him. "A bit of corn syrup to make it sweeter."


    "Well it worked." He grinned at her. "I might be able to drink the whole glass and ask for more."


    That made Olivia beam with happiness. She had been altering her recipe for years in hopes of finding a version that he''d be able to drink. Why, he didn''t know, but she was insistent and after years, her efforts finally paid off. He actually liked this version of lemonade.


    "As it happens," Hektor said with a bit of volume added to his voice, then lowered it as he continued with everyone''s attention. "Your mother wasn''t talking about your realm."


    "This time." Alekzandor stated still nursing the lemonade.


    "Why do you drive me crazy?" Thalia groaned.


    He laughed again. "What part of Divine of Insanity is eluding you, mother? Driving people crazy is my job."


    "As it happens, your mother was expressing her concerns." Hektor said firmly.


    Alekzandor knew he was attempting to calm a potentially dangerous situation. What Alekzandor didn''t understand, is why Hektor was oblivious to the true danger? Or did he know? In which case, what was his grandfather up to? Why did the man always have to be so damned cryptic? Hektor caught his eyes for a moment and glared a bit for a fraction of a second before putting a stoic face on again. The man knew when he was being belittled in people''s thoughts, yet he did nothing to stop it from happening? And people thought Alekzandor was insane. The thought earned him yet another brief glare from his grandfather.


    "Concern about what?" Alekzandor finally asked. Knowing there was no longer any way to avoid this conversation.


    Thalia took a deep breath. "About the girl, Alyson."


    Alekzandor felt his insides freeze, and his fury flare. His amusement was gone, and there was no way to recover it now that the words were spoken. He was grateful for his grandparents presence. They would keep him under control, keep him from doing something terrible.


    However, they didn''t do anything to mask his emotions as he spoke to his mother. "What about her?"


    Thalia sighed, clearly not understanding the situation. She rested her hand on his knee. "I''m not trying to upset you honey, I''m just concerned. This, I''m not sure what to call it, whatever ''it'' is, this situation with her isn''t healthy."


    "Right," Alekzandor scoffed, "Because I''m totally the picture of mental health."


    His mother sighed again. She removed her hand from his knee, sitting back in her chair, she looked at him determined. "Your attachment to her isn''t right."


    Alekzandor said nothing. He didn''t trust his voice at the moment while the rest of his body was threatening to shake with rage. What part of his very being insanity did his mother not understand? When he was in the Divine Realm, around his family, his true self came out. A man who was insane. Usually a Divines powers didn''t take over them like his did with him. The only time his powers were just that, powers, and not his state of mind, was when he was around Alyson. When he was away from her, like now, he was what he appeared to be, a mad man.


    "She''s to be married next month." Thalia said firmly, still staring at him intently.


    He wasn''t about to tell his mother that was one of reasons he was here. Even if he told the truth that it was by her behest, she wouldn''t believe him. Just think it was a fabrication he made up to keep her to himself. No. He wouldn''t justify what his mother was thinking. What she was clearly fishing for him to confess so she could point out all the wrong that was with him. Not this time.


    Still, he wanted to end this. He hoped his next words would silence anything further from her. That for once, she would be his mother, and offer sympathy, and not make things worse. "Don''t remind me."


    "Someone has to!" She all but yelled at him.


    There was an audible snap. Alekzandor was on his feet, the glass in his hand was thrown, as it shattered where it landed he yelled at his mother.


    "Don''t you think I already know that mother!? Did it ever occur to you that I already knew I would have to deal with another man marrying her!? Touching her body in the way I want to!? Claiming her in every way that I ache to do!? Did it ever cross your selfish stubborn bitchy mind that this is most agonizing thing I have ever dealt with in my entire existence? Or were you too worried about your embarrassment of a son doing something that would ruin your precious order!?"


    His mother shrank back in her chair with each new question he yelled at her. She was staring up at him positively terrified. When Alekzandor had finally stopped yelling, he honestly didn''t expect her to open her mouth and make the situation worse.


    "Calm down, you look like a madman."


    "I am!" He shouted with everything that he was. As loud as his inhuman voice with all of his power, rage, and heartache would allow. It shaked the Divine Realm and everyone in it knew heard him and knew he was pissed off.


    "Enough!" Hektor thundered. It was by no means anywhere near as loud as Alekzandor had shouted, it didn''t leave the Center. But it was powerful enough to get the message across.


    Alekzandor allowed his grandfather''s control course through him. He allowed his grandmother''s patience do the same. Together, they calmed him. Keeping him acting out in a violent rage like he wanted to do.


    "Alekzandor, you came here for a reason, what was it my boy?" Hektor asked him after several moments.


    "I need my father for something." He said. His voice rather hoarse. "I''ll come back later for a different matter I''d like to discuss with you if that''s alright."


    His grandfather nodded his consent but his mother looked at him outraged.


    "For what!?"


    "Sure thing." His father said standing.


    "Graeson!?" Thalia said in a threatening tone. "We haven''t accomplished a single thing we came here to do, and now he wants to drag you off for something he won''t explain to the rest of us? Then he''s going to come back, I''m assuming when we''re not here, to discuss something that we most likely won''t approve of. This is not the time to go galavanting off, we need to sit here and get to the bottom of things. One way or another."


    Alekzandor watched as his father kissed his mother''s lips. "Don''t worry so much. I''ll be back soon."


    "Mother! Father!" Thalia yelled.


    "Leave it alone Thalia." Hektor said in his ''ultimate authority''  tone. "Don''t say another word on the matter, or I shall punish you."


    He took more pleasure and amusement than he should have as his mother sat back dejected and looked positively livid. Alekzandor turned to leave when Olivia took his hand. He looked down at his grandmother and saw the look of heartache on her face. She knew better than anyone the depth of pain he was feeling. One of her abilities as a human was empathy. It carried over into her Divinity. He got down on one knee beside her chair and looked into her eyes. When he did, he knew that she knew what was going to happen, and the other matter he''d come to discuss was.


    "Alyson already made me promise that the children will not be harmed." He didn''t like seeing his grandmother in pain, he wanted to reassure her. Even if all he could offer was his sincerest words.


    "If you do this, one will be." Olivia said softly.


    Understanding what she meant, he took a careful breath. "Better that one than the ones whose lives have already begun grandmother. They would be scarred in many ways, that one won''t be, and it gets the blessing of having a better family when it''s soul is reborn."


    Olivia reached up with her spare hand and stroked his cheek affectionately. "I already have the perfect parents in mind. Just promise me one thing."


    "Name it." Alekzandor said without thinking.


    Olivia smiled, and her voice filled his mind. Ask for a price. When she realizes you granted her request, ask for a price.


    How!? Alekzandor asked heartbroken. Using the same method of communication. The only one who heard what was being said, would be his grandfather. His parents, he knew, were watching with puzzled expressions. Yes, I came to beseech grandfather to find a way to nullify that damn marriage contract, but I am not so lost in insanity that I think I can have her. I want her to find happiness, and clearly it won''t be with that Rick man. While I know I will never be able to bear the thought of her loving another, should I act on my feelings, and she act on hers, grandmother I would lose her. I would hurt her, and I really wouldn''t be able to bear that. I wouldn''t be able to live with myself anymore. What we want just can''t happen.


    Olivia smiled slyly. In her dreams it can.


    Alekzandor looked at her stunned. She patted his cheek and said with a grin. "Think about it. You have time."''


    "I will." He promised, kissing her cheek.


    He stood and left with his father at his side. His mind repeating what his grandmother had just told him. Her dreams.


    _____________________


    Well that was chapter Four!!!!!!


    Forewarning Chapter Five is going to go back to Alyson''s POV towards the end, and it will probably happen in that chapter, or the next, but things will get a bit gory for a little while.


    Cause come on, let''s face it, what''s a story with an insane god without a little bloodshed?


    Here''s hoping you enjoyed this chapter!!!


    I enjoyed writing it!!! Now I can start getting to the good stuff!!!!!!

 Book One : Realm of Madness // Chapter Five

    Hektor looked at his wife suspiciously after his grandson and son in law departed. "What are you planning?"


    Olivia looked back at him, she smiled slyly one more and said nothing.  He shook his head and grinned. He knew just what she had done, and she knew that he knew.


    "Mother, what are you going to do?" Thalia demanded.


    Her harsh words and threatening tone pulled the couple out of their thoughts and brought them back to the moment. They had actually forgotten that their daughter was still there. When their children were young, they never forgot when their children were in the room or area with them. Now that the children were all grown up, they often got lost in the world that was their love, and their children were forgotten. Especially when they were doing nothing but annoying their parents. Which is what Thalia was doing.


    Olivia laughed and smiled at her daughter. She was never one to get angry, even if she did, she didn''t stay that way for long. "You''ll see."


    Thalia glared at the two of them. Pouting in the way that she always did when she didn''t get her way before vanishing. Leaving her parents in a fit of laughter. She may be a grown woman, but whenever she did that, all they saw was their daughter six years old again, red faced and pouting that same pout after throwing a momentous tantrum because she couldn''t get her way. Really? Did she really think things would ever change?


    "How long have you known?" Hektor asked her softly as he ran his fingers through her hair.


    She smiled and stroked his face as she had Alekzandors. "I''ve always known. You can''t keep secrets from me. Not that you were trying to in this case. Usually I let these things be, but I know from the first moment Alekzandor came to us. But you, ever the stoic, wanting them to figure things out for themselves, didn''t say anything, and it was almost too late. So I meddled a bit to put things back on track."


    Hektor kissed her hand before pulling her up from her seat. "Well this sets things in motion. Finally. I swear that Thalia is dense, and Alekzandor inherited it."


    Olivia chuckled. "Soon they will realize that you have a plan for everyone. Even if they can''t figure it out right off the bat."


    He smiled at her playfully. "I have plans for you."


    "Oh do you now?" She giggled.


    "Yes, I need to punish you for interfering."


    She threw her head back and laughed. "And if I hadn''t, you would have been too late."


    She shrieked when he playfully smacked her bottom, then she laughed playfully. "I have a point, and you''re just too proud to admit it. Why can''t you just thank me?"


    "I will." Hektor promised. "After I punish you."


    Olivia laughed, knowing she would enjoy it.


    _ _ _ _ _


    "So what''s going on?" Graeson asked casually when they arrived back at the mortal realm.


    Once again they were in Alyson''s room. She was sound asleep, the last of the wick in Alekzandor''s candle had been swallowed by the melted wax. The flame extinguished by the liquid. Alekzandor had stopped for a moment. His eyes on Alyson, lost in her dreams. His grandmothers words repeated once again in his mind.


    "Son?" Graeson asked drawing Alekzandor''s attention back to the moment. "What exactly am I doing here?"


    "Just a moment." Alekzandor said softly, "There''s something I need to do."


    "Why are you talking so quietly?"


    From the sleeping form on the bed, the words came out in a slur, "Shh, sleeping. Good dreams, no wake up. Shhh."


    Graeson stared at Alyson for a moment in complete and utter shock. He''d just been scolded by a mortal. A sleeping mortal at that. He looked back at his son who was grinning.


    "She''s clairvoyant?" He asked barely audible for any mortal ears.


    Alekzandor nodded as he bent down and touched the completely melted candle. The puddled of wax instantly reformed into a full candle once more and he took from the pedestal and placed it under Alyson''s pillow, motioning his father follow him to the other side of the room. They sat in the chair available and talked through their minds.


    Yes, she''s clairvoyant.


    How long have you known? Graeson couldn''t help but ask. I thought the gift was all by extinct. Not even the Divines really have the ability. Besides your grandfather, and we all know why he has it.


    Alekzandor nodded his understanding. I first noticed it when she was a child. She would be playing, and I would answer her, out of habit. I didn''t really expect an answer, then she would answer me as if she had heard my words, as if I really was playing with her. Whatever I said, she acted like she''d heard me, and would respond in kind.


    Graeson blew out a breath. Well that''s something isn''t it? I take it, she''s the last in her family with that gift.


    Alekzandor nodded. Which is why the grandmother favored her instead of the younger one, Magdalena. Alyson was the only one with the trait. Which, lead the grandmother to believe that Magdalena may not be her biological grandchild.


    So Magdalena isn''t Alyson''s full blooded sister?


    Alekzandor shrugged. I''ve never delved too far into it. Never had a reason to. But from my understanding, any and every child Alyson''s father had should have carried the trait.


    So, Magdalena might very well be the product of an affair. Graeson said with a sigh.


    That or she''s not sane enough to realize her gift.


    Speaking of sane son, Graeson said looking at him. Why am I here? You still haven''t told me.


    I need your help to grant a request Alyson asked of me.


    And what exactly was that request?


    Alekzandor drew a breath. To restore sanity to her mother and stepfather and find a way to stop Magdalena''s plans. Whatever they may be.


    Which is why you need my help. Graeson nodded understanding. Well then what are we waiting for?


    Alekzandor looked at his father. "The right time."


    - - - - - - -


    Graeson had to hand it to his son, the man knew just what to wait for, and what to do to make it happen. After being enlightened about the situation, and what his role would be, Graeson could see this was his son''s element. If he didn''t know any better, he''d swear that Alekzandor himself was clairvoyant. But it was a trait that Hektor didn''t pass on. Why he didn''t know.


    Alekzandor knew what to wait for, and what to do once it was the right time. He may even know what would happen once all parties woke up. But that wasn''t predicting the future as people thought. It was simply his Divinity. Alekzandor could predict what would happen because it was within his power to do so. If there was insanity, Alekzandor would know the outcome.


    Looking at his son now, who was staring rather intently at one of the many posters on the young woman''s walls, Graeson wondered for the upteenth time, how Thalia had missed this. How she could possibly miss the fact that their son was heartbroken and suffering was beyond him. They had all thought that Alekzandor may have finally found his match with Alyson, but for whatever reason, she was now betrothed, and unable to get out of the marriage. While they all mourned for the youngest Divine, Graeson had to wonder just how many of them actually stopped and thought about what Alekzandor must be feeling.


    When the boy was a babe, Thalia almost never let her son go. Graeson didn''t get the hold him but a handful of times for the first two years of his life. Then, the awakening began. Usually, a born Divine didn''t get the powers till they were six or ten, but Alekzandor''s started when he was three. From the first moment that spark of madness awoke, Thalia had all but abandoned the boy. Hektor and Balor could accuse Thalia of not wanting an "evil" Divine for a son all they wanted. They could accuse her of being selfish and not wanting an "embarrassment" for a son all they wanted. Graeson knew the truth, even if Thalia didn''t want to admit it.


    She was the essence of Order. If even a speck of dirt was out of line, she find a way to put it back until her fingers bled. She could be very obsessive about it at times. While things were better with Graeson there to calm her, she was still very neat, very orderly, and didn''t like anything out of place. Some thought, it was same with her son. Because he was out of place.


    He knew Thalia adored their son, so much so, it made her blind to many things. She avoided him because everything that their son was, was the opposite of her, and it grated her nerves. Being around their boy when his Divinity was active was like swimming in a pool full needles. Because Alekzandor couldn''t control his Divinity even now, it was difficult for Thalia to be around him. All she wanted was to be able to hold her son again. Even if it meant finding another Divinity for him. Here lately, she wanted all distractions removed so he could instead focus on controlling his powers.


    But right now, sitting in the mortal woman''s room, Graeson didn''t sense anything from Alekzandor.


    Graeson looked around the room. Searching for anything to engage conversation. Something other than his line of thinking a second ago. "Did she do all of this?"


    "Hm?" Alekzandor looked at him. "I''m sorry?"


    "Did Alyson do all of this?" Graeson gestured around the room.


    The room was filled with wall to wall pictures drawn by hand, pieces for making quilts strewn about the place, a large bookshelf on one wall was filled with binders and journals he knew carried stories Alyson had written herself. There was also a chest that was open and filled with dolls she had made herself.


    Alekzandor looked around himself and nodded. "Yup. She''s been writing and drawing more and more lately. She has a story that she posts on the interspace. It''s under a penname, not even Rick knows that it''s her who''s creating the story. It''s not even her only one, just her more popular one."


    "And what one would that be?" Graeson asked.


    Alekzandor grinned. "A story about a girl and a werewolf. The one fashioned off of the old story Little Red Riding Hood."


    Graeson''s jaw dropped. "The one with all the . . ."


    Alekzandor nodded. "Yup."


    Graeson whistled low and long. Even the Divines knew about THAT story. While the old internet and webspace still existed today, it was no longer called those things. it was called interspace. A combination of the two. Technology had advanced, though some places had preferred to go back in some ways. The interspace was still available. Stories and more were posted on there. The Red Wolf, was one such story.


    "I can see why she doesn''t want to marry Rick." Graeson said suddenly feeling as if he downed a shot of whiskey. "I believe he''s a part of the movement to get some of the stories removed from the interspace."


    "Meanwhile he''s reading, watching, and being a part as much it all as he can be." Alekzandor grumbled.


    Before Graeson could comment on that, Alekzandor sat straight, frozen in place for a second before looking at his father and nodded. They quickly left the room and descended onto the lower levels.


    - - - - - - -


    Alekzandor found his quarry just where he knew they would be. The second floor. Each floor had a purpose. The first, living space, dining area, and kitchen. The second, was for the married triple and the babies room. The third floor was for the older children. The attic, was Alyson''s domain. She had elected the space for herself. The adults only approved because he had influenced it so.


    Magdalena as snoring away on the rather large bed in the master bedroom. A look of complete and utter bliss as she was sprawled out of the silk sheets. Her large stomach jutted out from her body, the baby within moving so much both men were surprised the mother was still asleep. Too keep it that way for the time being, the two cast out their aura''s and all the mortals within the house would sleep till they retracted it.


    Instead of starting with the problem itself, Alekzandor left the master bedroom, and headed to the smaller one where the parents were sleeping. Curled up together in a smaller bed. He nodded to his father. The two stood at the foot of the bed and held out their hands. Immediately, the mortals heads began to glow two different colors. One a bright yellow the other a pitch black. The black being the more dominant.


    Once again, Alekzandor heard his father whistle low and long. "They have more insanity than not."


    Alekzandor nodded, "I know, I''m a little sorry to say I didn''t have any part in how they got this bad, I may have played on it a few times, but they got this bad on their own."


    While Graeson held the mortal''s sanity in place, Alekzandor pulled out the insanity. Once most of it was removed, only a little remained, Graeson then bolstered the sanity. Making it stronger so the insanity that remained wouldn''t grow anymore. They walked out of the room, and in Alekzandor''s hand was the insanity he had pulled from the parents. He walked back into the room where Magdalena was still snoring. He stared at her form, and then down to the insanity in his hand. He knew if he did this, there would be no going back. One, perhaps two, lives would be lost. But he could see the result as well. Yes, there would be horror, yes, there would be death, but out of the tragedy, Ethan''s life long wish would finally be granted, and a new Lord would emerge. Now that he was sane, Ethan''s reign, and the reign of his heirs would be a peaceful and prosperous one.


    So what did Alekzandor want to do? Have one glorious night of horror and insanity, or a steady build of it over many years. In which Alyson would be hurt. Ethan would never be satisfied with Magdalena. Not when the one he wanted was asleep two floors up. In the end, he extended his arm so his hand was just over Magdalena''s head. Her mind''s state was instantly visual. She already had a black spot of madness that was pretty big. Her actions weren''t caused by insanity. Mostly, she was selfish and self absorbed.


    He released the insanity he''d been holding and it fell onto Magdalena''s head. Instantly being absorbed into her mind. The once mostly yellow mind was now completely black. He backed out of the room and met his dad in the hallway.


    "Do you want me to stay?"


    Alekzandor shook his head. "No. Your part is done, and mom needs you now."


    "Alekzandor, about your mother  . . . ."


    "I know."


    His dad didn''t say another word just vanished.


    - - - - -


    Thalia was pacing in her living room when Graeson arrived home. She was so lost in thought for a few moments she didn''t notice him come in. Her eyes were on the floor, a steel gray carpet, on a white tiled floor. Her white walls gleamed as the sunlight came in through thick pale blue glass windows casting a sea green glow over the room. When she finally raised her head and sighed, she noticed him.


    "Oh Graeson!" She threw herself in his arms and collapsed against him.


    "I wasn''t gone that long."


    She looked up at him and glared. "That''s not what''s wrong and you know it."


    "Okay, my bruised ego aside, what is wrong?"


    "My parents! Our son!"


    She stood and began pacing again. "I keep trying to go back to their realm, but they have locked it. No one can get it in or out."


    "They probably want some privacy." Graeson pointed out.


    Thalia winced. "Do not put that image in my head. They''re my parents."


    "They are also adults, who need adult time." He continued. "Just because things didn''t go the way you wanted, doesn''t mean they''ve locked you out specifically not to deal with you anymore."


    "You sure?" She threw at him. "My father is petty enough."


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.There was a snapping sound, and Thalia''s hands flew up to the back of her head as she looked around her room. "Really dad!?"


    Graeson could all but feel Hektor''s laughter. He shook his head and looked at his wife. "You need to leave him alone."


    Thalia stopped and looked at him. She knew who he meant by that. "He needs help. I just can''t sit back and do nothing."


    "You can, and you will, because it''s what he needs right now."


    "What do you mean!? ''What he needs right now''!? He needs to control his powers! Or he needs a new one!! I can''t even be in the same room as my own son Graeson!"


    "I know, but dear, you are so worked up trying to ''help'' him so you can hold him again, that you are blind to the one thing that really can help him."


    Thalia sat down and stared at him. "But, she''s to be married. . . ."


    "And maybe that''s what your parents are working on."


    She sighed and shook her head. "I don''t know. I just don''t know."


    She broke down crying, and all Graeson could do was hold his wife.


    - - - - -


    She had been having such a good dream. She was sitting a field of blue grass, the sky above was clouded over with light gray clouds. The clouds made the sky look as if it were an ocean of gray waters. It was beautiful. She sat on a black and white checkered picnic blanket. Beside her was a picnic basket filled with her favorite goodies. On her other side there was a man. She knew it was Alekzandor, though she had never seen his face before. His face had always been shrouded, or she had never been able to look directly at him. But there was no filter now, nothing keeping her head down in submission, she was able to look up and look at him.


    Excited, she started to do just that, but when she did, her eyes fluttered open. The first thing she noticed was the playpen that had been put away was opened up, pushed back into its corner, and inside was the sleeping forms of Julia and Larissa. That was very odd, considering she had put them to bed in their own beds, in their own bedroom, which was two floors down next to the master bedroom. She got up and walked over to the little cube made of mesh, metal, and a foam mattress. Inside the two were sleeping peacefully.  Each curled around stuffed animals and covered in their little patchwork quilts. What were they doing in here? This corner had been where her table and quilt works were when she fell asleep. No one could have moved everything without waking her. At least, no human could.


    She froze. No. No human could have, that only meant . . .


    She slowly turned and looked behind her. Under the skylight, as the moon came through the clouds, shining it''s light down into her room, sitting in a recliner, his elbow rest on the arm resting, his fist curled up slightly as he cheek rested against it, was Alekzandor. Who else could it be? Even Rick wasn''t crazy enough to sneak through four floors to get into her bedroom. (One of the reasons she chose this room.)


    His attire was all black. Black combat boots, pants, shirt, even a black trench coat. She had expected black hair, and dark eyes, but instead she saw blue hair that was fell to the back of his neck and into his eyes. Cut to frame his face and head. She couldn''t guess at the color of his eyes as they were still shrouded in dark night.


    Of all the things she had envisioned, this was not one of them.


    "My Lord, what are you . . ."


    Before she could finish her question there was a shrilly scream she recognize as her mother''s. She moved to leave, but she stopped when Alekzandor stood.


    "You can go, no time will have passed, though once you leave that door, it will start up again."


    She looked back at the two toddlers sleeping. "What about them?"


    "They''re in a barrier, they can''t hear anything. I suggest, once you reach the third floor, you send the rest of the children up here. I don''t think the, situation, will leave the second floor, but just to be safe, they''d be better off up here."


    She nodded. "What do you need me to do?"


    He looked her in the eye, "You need to see."


    She didn''t need to hear anymore. She quickly ran out of her room and down the stairs to the third floor, the other children were already emerging from their rooms.


    "Get upstairs, now!" She ordered them as a second scream rang out. "Lock the door behind you!"


    She ran down the other stairs and stopped frozen on the second floor. The door to the master bedroom was swung wide open, she could see blood. She looked to the bedroom across the hall as her mother and Ethan came running out. Both looked shocked, horrified even, but they didn''t appear to be physically harmed. She was about to sigh in relief when she saw where the blood was coming from. Magdalena stepped out of the room, a knife in hand.


    "I did as you asked." She heard Alekzandor say behind her. "Ethan''s and Angela''s sanity has been restored, but all that madness had to go somewhere."


    "You put it in Magdalena."


    "Yes."


    "Why?" Alyson asked. "Wasn''t she already insane?"


    "No."


    Alyson wondered if this was where she was supposed to be horrified, if she was supposed to be sickened by what he''d done. If anything, she felt relieved, and she understood. If Magdalena had concocted all of those plans while sane, then the only way for her to do something that would put her in her place was for her to be insane, or deemed insane. Alyson wanted to say something more, would have, but just as before in her room, time seemed to have stopped, and now, it was moving forward again.


    "You!" Magdalena said in an extremely hoarse voice.


    Alyson watched, her eyes going back and forth between her parents and her sister. Magdalena only had eyes on Ethan as she spoke. Ethan himself had paled visibly at the sight before him. Apparently just now getting a good look at Magdalena and her state. Her nightgown was ripped and shredded open, now soaked in blood from the three wounds she had on her round stomach. Blood and more leaked from those wounds onto the floor. Given the bloody knife in her hand, and her hands covered in blood, it was clear who had stabbed her. Yet, somehow, Magdalena was still conscious, still moving. Her eyes glued on Ethan.


    "Magdalena . . . . what?" Ethan began to say, but unable to speak beyond that. Words failed him at the moment. Too shocked to think clearly.


    "I told you to never have sex with her again!" Magdalena yelled. "I told you!"


    Something finally seemed to snap together in Ethan''s mind. Alyson watched as he pushed her mother behind him and moved towards the stairs, Magdalena''s eyes on them the whole time. When Ethan was finally between Magdalena and her mother, pushed her toward the stairs. "Go Angela! Run! Call the police, and whatever you do, do NOT come back up those stairs! Take the lift, find the children and get them out!"


    Alyson could see, as much her mother hated the idea of leaving Ethan, she did as she was told. Alyson stepped back into the corner that was available to her, she could feel that Alekzandor was in the corner to her left across the hall. She imagined he was quite at home in that moment. He was in his element after all. Madness.


    To accent that point, Magdalena''s voice once again rasped out, and all were listening to her deranged ramblings. Not that they had much of a choice. She was armed, while weak, she could still wield it and do some damage. Alyson knew that''s the only reason Ethan didn''t rush her as soon as Angela was out of sight.


    "I told you if you wanted more children you were to never, NEVER, sleep with her again." Magdalena threw her arms this way and that as she spoke, as if trying to accent her point. Instead, she looked like a drunk woman trying to hang her coat. All the while, the knife was firmly gripped in her dominant hand. "I told you to sleep with only me! That I was to be your main wife! Me! ME! ME!! Not her! I am younger, prettier, smarter, and am able to bear children! I am the perfect image of what a Lord''s wife, a Lady of the land, should be like!"


    Magdalena suddenly held still. Too still. She didn''t even appear to be breathing. She tilted her head till it was almost touching her shoulder, holding her arms at an awkward angle. feet spread apart, as if ready to spring forward at any moment.


    "Did you think I wouldn''t find out? Did you think you could sneak off and do who ever you wanted behind my back? Did you?"


    "No, Magdalena, that is not what I thought." Ethan said in a firm clear voice.


    "I could have given you everything you wanted." She said holding her body in that frightening way, stepping to the side slightly. "And you would have provided me with everything I''d ever wanted."


    "And what would that be?" Ethan asked stepping forward a bit.


    Magdalena seemed to not notice the movement. "To be first."


    "What do you mean by first?"


    "Alyson was always preferred by grandmother, because she was so much like father. Mother always gave Alyson things first." Alyson didn''t think it was possible, but Magdalena''s head dipped further down, looking as if it was broken. Alyson could see her sister''s reflection in the mirror, that Magdalena''s eyes were wide, almost bulging out of her head. "Even you, my husband, wanted her to be your wife. I overheard you and mom talking, she wouldn''t have been your second wife, she would have been equal with mother. Whereas I, am merely a lowly second wife. I have no duties, no real purpose other than your own pleasure and siring children when you wanted them. Which was almost immediately. One after the other. that''s always good for. In your eyes, that''s all I''d ever be good for.


    But as your main wife, with mother out of the picture, I would have been able to prove to you that I was better than mother at everything. But first, I needed to remove the only thing that made her the main wife. Took me a couple years, but I finally did it. Once I was the main wife, I would be able to prove how perfect I was."


    Ethan and Alyson both looked at Magdalena stunned. "You are the reason Angela can''t get pregnant anymore?"


    Alyson stared at her sister''s reflection as Magdalena''s mouth fell open so a thin line was open, the corners rising slightly. "And what if I am? There''s nothing you can do to reverse the damage that has been done. Even if you could, I doubt very much that you''d want to. After all, she''s just abandoned you. She''s left you all alone, but I never will my dear husband. I can do everything she did for you and more! I am still young, I can still bear you a lot of children. I can be the loving wife, doting mother, and perfect Lady of the Land that you need."


    "No Magdalena, I don''t think you can." Ethan said softly.


    Magdalena''s arms fell slightly, but her head and feet were still in the same terrifying position. The look on her face had changed as well, instead of the insane smile she had on her face before, it was now a look of confusion. "What do you mean my love?"


    Ethan merely looked down at the holes in her stomach then to puddle of blood and clear fluid on the floor before looking back at her face. "How is the baby?"


    Alyson didn''t think about that. Of course, Magdalena wouldn''t try to kill herself in a fit of rage, she looked at Alekzandor, the time in the room stopping as she did so. "What about the baby?"


    He looked at her soberly. "The body is lost, but I assure you that the soul is not. The baby will be given to another family. Apparently, my grandmother already has the perfect family in mind for it."


    There was nothing more Alyson could say or do. Yes, the body was dead, but at least the soul would get a better chance at living. She hoped the child''s soul was a patient one, otherwise the mother who was going to carry it was going to suffer immensely once the babe figured out it could move inside it''s mother.


    Time began to tick again, and Magdalena was still looking at Ethan confused. "Why are you asking about the baby? The baby''s fine."


    "Is it?" Ethan asked.


    Once again Ethan looked at the carnage state of her stomach, then to the puddle on the floor. Magdalena followed his gaze. First seeing the red, then the damage. Alyson saw recognition flash across her sister''s face in the mirror, and knew, Magdalena was now aware that her child was lost.  While Alyson may not have given birth yet, she had raised many of her siblings to know what being a mother was like, and for a moment, her heart broke for the mother who had lost her child. Then she remembered that Magdalena was the one who did the damage to herself. Alekzandor may have planted the madness, but it was Magdalena who made the choice to harm her baby.


    Magdalena''s scream of anguish fill the air. She fell to her knees. The effects of the blood loss and the injuries finally taking their toll on her. She began crying, but it was not like any cry Alyson had ever heard before. It was distorted, raspy, and wrong. She couldn''t tell if her sister was physical pain or not, but the emotional pain was clear to see.


    Ethan began to inch forward, despite her breakdown, Magdalena had yet to release her death grip off the knife. Slowly he inched forward, he looked up once realizing that Alyson was there. They held eyes for a moment, and in them, Alyson saw none of the previous desire he once held for her. In them, she saw just a worried man, a worried father. She merely nodded, and pushed herself further back against the wall. The movement cause Magdalena''s attention, despite her reflection being in clear view in the mirror, Magdalena had apparently been unaware of any other person besides Ethan until Alyson moved.


    Magdalena''s wails stopped. Her head slowly turned toward Alyson was standing, her hair dragging through the puddle of blood and fluid on the floor as she did so. Her eyes were once again wide, but her expression was almost completely blank as she looked up at Alyson. While it wasn''t written on her face, Alyson knew her sister was furious. The mad fury of an insane woman. And it was Alyson''s fault.


    "You." Magdalena rasped softly. "You did this. You killed my baby."


    Before anyone could blink Magdalena was on her feet once more, lunging for Alyson. Her shrilly scream filled the air and the knife was raised high. Both men moved, one unseen to everyone but Alyson.


    "Alyson run!"


    Even if it hadn''t been both men who had shouted that, she would have done exactly what they said. She slid left as Magdalena went crashing into the corner she formerly stood and took off for the stairs, she dared a look back. Alekzandor was gripping Magdalena''s neck, Alyson saw all the light, the life, leave her sister''s eyes, and the body fall back against the wall dead. The knife had been dropped when she hit the wall, and Ethan''s efforts went to retrieving the knife first and foremost. When he looked up, he saw the same thing Alyson did, Magdalena was dead.


    Alyson went to stop herself from running, but the motion did not go as planned. Instead of catching her, Alyson''s foot slipped on the puddle and the last thing Alyson saw before she black was her stepfathers and Alekzandor''s shocked and worried expressions. She was sure the shriek was her own, but it was lost as the two men shouted her name. She fell backwards. The back of her head hitting one of the stairs, Alyson felt, heard, and saw nothing after that.


    _ _ _ _


    A/N : Quite possibly my longest chapter yet.


    Yes this one got gory, I told  you it would. Here after, I don''t think things will get as gory, but I don''t know, we are talking about the realm of madness here, and while I may be armed with an outline, I don''t know where the story will take me once I start writing.


    The original draft of ROM ended about here. Now I''ve written a bit more, trying to figure out where I was going with the story and I might use it in the next chapter if I don''t decide to do things a bit differently.


    This is also vastly different than what happened in the original draft. Or I should saw, the rough draft. In it, there seemed to be no rhyme or reason for anything Magdalena did, and it got a lot gorier. But I decided to not do it because, well, this is the internet and total strangers are reading this.


    So for those of you who didn''t quit the story and still plan on reading, thank you and welcome to the Realm of Madness. The fun is begins now.

 Book One : Realm of Madness // Chapter Six

    Ethan had shouted her name, but was completely unaware that another had done the same. He knew he should be worried about the body that lay behind him. His second wife, and former step daughter, but he was more worried about the living. He rushed forward nearly falling down the stairs himself as he slid through the blood and fluids on the floor, laying on the floor, unconscious, was Alyson. Angela was already hunched over her, trying to wake her, when she pulled her hand away from Alyson''s head, there was blood. They both looked at one another, the same fear on both of their faces.


    The ambulances came, the police quickly followed. He answered questions, honestly at that, holding nothing back. He didn''t care anymore. Angela went with Alyson, while he brought the children out through the lift and out the back. Bringing them all to his mother. Where he knew they could be safe, and they could unwind from what had happened. The babies cried and cried and begged for Meme. Alyson. He knew they were more like her daughters than his own. They viewed Alyson as their mother, and he knew she felt the same about them.


    He rushed to the hospital once he was sure all was well with the other children. He wanted to rush with Angela there immediately, but he knew someone had to take care of the others. When he arrived a nurse directed him to where he needed to go, and he rushed there. He found Angela crying in the waiting room.


    "Why are you in here?" He asked breathlessly, "Why aren''t you with her?"


    Angela sobbed. "They . . . they had to take her . . . to do . . . some tests."


    "But she''s alive?" Ethan asked sitting down beside her taking her hands in his own.


    She nodded as she broke down more. "Yes, but they, they don''t know, what damage was done. They said something about a concussion, and possible brain damage."


    Ethan pulled Angela into his arms and did something he never thought he''d do. He closed his eyes, and prayed. Please Divines, please, please don''t take Alyson from us. Please heal her so she may a part of our lives still. Please, I will do anything you ask of me.


    Then he remembered, he remembered when Alyson was still a child, how her paternal grandmother had  something about Alyson being born on the day of the Divine of Insanity. Alekzandor. If anyone could save Alyson, perhaps he could. Once again, he closed his eyes. Alekzandor, I don''t know if you can hear me, much less if you will listen to what I have to say. I will light your candle later to make for not having done so at the moment. But please, she was born on your day, she loved your candle so much we became scared. I can sit here and justify myself all night, but please, don''t let her die or be damaged for my mistakes. Please, help her.


    Ethan opened his eyes with a sigh, and then froze. Standing at the other door the waiting room, was a young man. His hair was a rather unorthodox color of blue, he was dressed in all black, even down to the combat boots. His dark eyes were locked on Ethan''s own. He stared at the young man, at first unnerved that such an odd young man would be so fixated on me, then, it connected.


    Alekzandor?


    The young man gave a nod of his head.


    Please! Please save her!


    Did it ever occur to you that I would be doing just that?


    Ethan gave a sigh of relief. When he looked back toward the door, the strange looking young man that he now knew to be Alekzandor was gone. Angela was still sobbing in his arms. He took her face in his hands and rested his forehead against her own. "She''s going to be alright my angel. She''s going to be alright."


    "How can you know that?" She asked tearfully.


    "Because I have faith." He said with a smile, adding further. "I believe someone we once feared is going to save her."


    "Once feared? Who?"


    "Let''s just say we shouldn''t try to stop her, or any of the other children, from worshiping any of the Divines for any reason. No matter what."


    - - - - -


    Alekzandor wandered through the hospital unseen. There was the woman he loved, laying the hospital bed, a bandage wrapped around her head, obscuring his view of her beautiful hair. Thick, slightly curled, mostly brown with a hint of burgundy among the locks. Her pale blue eyes were hidden behind the closed lids that showed sign of bruising. He didn''t need his powers, or the doctors to tell him that things were bad. He could see it. The crack on her head was bad news. But thankfully, he did have his powers.


    He wanted so much to touch her, but he knew if he did, nothing good would come of it. So he merely held his hand above her head and allowed the healing magic to flow through her entire skull. Healing the parts of the brain that were damaged and most of her skull. All she would have was a bruise, a slight concussion, and one hell of a headache for a few weeks. He stayed with her as she was wheeled from one hospital room to the next, finally to a room where she could rest in comfort until she was well again. Two floors up the ER and ICU.


    Minutes after she was admitted into the room, her parents came through the elevator. Her mother was looking panicked, and was frantically asking questions. Ethan, he had to hand it to the man, had one hell of a poker face. The man kept his face as blank as a fresh sheet of paper. He watched as the parents rushed to the room, and the events that followed.


    "Oh my God! Alyson!" Angela sobbed with relief as she came in.


    The bandage had been removed upon realizing the wound was closed, and not nearly as bad as they thought it was. Her hair was spilled out over the pillow, and Alyson merely looked like she was sleeping.


    "Please wake up baby! Please!"


    "I would let her sleep if I were you."


    All parties in the room looked toward the doorway and found a woman with graying hair standing in the doorway with a long white coat on.


    "While I''m sure you are very worried about her, considering the fact that she''s unconscious, it''s best we let her be and let her wake up on her own." The doctor said walking into the room. "I''m Dr. Beatrice Grant, and I am in charge of taking care of your daughter. Or this one at the very least, my colleague Dr. Bruce Demtry is currently in surgery with your other one, and I promise, the man is the best at what he does. But onto the facts at hand. Alyson suffered a blow to the head, as a result she has a slight concussion, but we''ve determined that it''s nothing serious." She turned to Ethan. "You said she fell down a flight of stairs?"


    Ethan nodded as he rubbed Angela''s shoulders, "Yes, she hit her head as she fell."


    Dr. Grant nodded. "I see, well all of her injuries are consistent with a fall down a flight of stairs. Most of the damage was done to her legs and arms. Bruises mostly, she has a fracture on one of her ribs, but it''s not as bad as it sounds. All in all, I''d say your daughter is very lucky."


    Ethan smiled a bit at that. Alekzandor knew the man was thinking it wasn''t luck, but Divine intervention. "You could say that."


    "Why won''t she wake up?" Angela asked tearing up again. "If it''s not as bad as you say, why hasn''t she woken up?"


    Dr. Grant sighed. "I wondered that myself, so I asked the psychologist on call, the best theory we have is the brain shut down to the shock of it all. From what I gathered from the police and my colleagues, she witnessed a rather horrific scene, and then suffered a very painful injury. The mind shut down so as to not deal with it right away."


    "So, she''ll never wake up?" Angela asked breaking.


    Dr. Grant shook her head. "I believe that she will. It may not be tonight, it may not be tomorrow, but she will wake up soon. She responds to every test we have, and her brain functions are working properly, she just refuses to wake. It''s a coping mechanism to my understanding. She just needs time to come around."


    Her parents nodded and they went back to worrying about everything that had happened to them. Alekzandor had only eyes for one. He knew that Magdalena was down stairs in the ER. But it wouldn''t do them any good. While they were trying so hard to save her life, it would all prove in vain. Her mind was not there anymore, even Ethan knew that when he saw her. The child she carried within her body was pronounced dead before they were even able to remove it from her. Alekzandor felt guilty about that, but knew his grandmother currently had the babies soul in her hands, and was fixing to put it in a new mother. One who would love the child, and care for it properly.


    It was time, he supposed, to put his other plan into action. He moved toward Alyson putting the spell he needed into the tip of his finger, then rested it for just the briefest of moments and against Alyson''s forehead. Once the spell was absorbed, he quickly retracted his finger. He skin didn''t really touch hers, it was just the spell, but still his heart pounded from the contact. He took a deep breath, and quickly left. Returning to his realm. Where he saw to some of his work, and waited for her to come to him.


    - - - - - -


    Ethan sat with Alyson in the room. They were both sipping on coffee, but even with the added caffeine in her system, Angela was still nodding off. Dr. Grant had left, leaving them to be with their daughter when she woke, but nurses came and went. Making sure everything was alright. Another doctor had come in shortly before dawn, the Dr. Demtry that Dr. Grant had spoken of. He went in there with a look of acceptance, regret, and perhaps even a little guilt. Ethan already knew what the man had to say, but still he listened.


    Magdalena had stabbed herself, and through herself to the infant she carried. The infant was lost before Magdalena was even brought to the hospital. Magdalena herself was gone. The body remained, but the mind was gone. They had done everything that they could to save her, but even with their efforts, the damage to her organs was irreversible, and with the mind gone, there really was no point in even trying. Ethan dealt with Magdalena''s remains and allowed Angela to stay with Alyson. When he returned, he found her exactly where he''d left her.


    "What are we going to do with her?" Angela asked in a very calm voice.


    He didn''t know if it was just she''d already cried herself out, if it was shock, or she''d just accepted that Magdalena was lost without issue, but still he sighed. "I suppose we can bury her with her father, if you want. Or we can find a place in my families cemetery."


    She nodded. "I think we should have her cremated, have her ashes scattered."


    "Where at?"


    "I was thinking the gardens at Serenity''s temple. So that she can find peace in her next life."


    He nodded. "I like the sound of that, I''ll see what I can do."


    "What do you think happened to her?" Angela asked him looking up at him. "To us?"


    He knew what she meant. A few days ago, they all had a one tracked mind. Getting the Lordship, having more sex so they could have more babies, and everything they did was for that purpose. Added to that, Ethan greatly wanted to find a way to get Alyson into his bed. He wanted her to accept him much like Magdalena had. He realized now the insanity that all of that was. They''d woken up to not only the horror Magdalena had created, but more sane than they had been two days ago.


    "I don''t know." He said honestly. "I can speculate, but I don''t know. All I can say is, we''re better off."


    Angela looked at him horrified, "How can you say that!?"


    "Because Magdalena made you sterile." He saw the shock on her face and continued. "It''s not impossible, but how she got her hands on the drug without us knowing is something I''m looking into. I think, she had this planned from the moment she knew she was going to be my second wife. She wanted to the first one, wanted to be the most important. She told me so herself. I know it wasn''t just a mental break having her say that, even if it was, she really truly meant those words."


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    Angela shook her head. "No more. I don''t want to hear anymore. Magdalena is gone, end of story. I am mother who lost a daughter, and I''m sitting at the others bedside while my babies are somewhere else."


    Ethan said nothing, merely offered silent comfort as he sat down and took her hand. He knew nothing more would be said on the matter.


    "Where is she!? Where''s Alyson!?"


    Both of them jumped and looked out at the reception as a familiar face looking furious demanded answers from a panicky looking staff. Rick didn''t wait for the answer he wanted, he looked up, spotted Angela and Ethan and knew that was the room he needed.


    - - - - -


    Rick woke up like he usually did. He brushed his teeth, he combed his hair, he choose his outfit, and then he sat down to the coffee that had been made by his mother and opened up paper. Ah, that was the life. He wouldn''t deny that he''d lived a rather privileged life. His father was clergy man for the Divines. He was in charge of over looking the temples In the area. As a result, he''d wanted for nothing, and his mother was able to stay home and look after things.


    That''s what Rick truly wanted. He knew if he pushed Alyson toward a job she didn''t want, the more she would rebel away from it. He wanted a wife who would stay home all day waiting for him. Looking after the Jr''s. Keeping the house clean, and perfect, no matter what the situation. He wanted a hot meal for when he came home, a cold beer, and a game on somewhere. He wanted his wife to be up, dressed, and have coffee and breakfast waiting for him when he got up.


    Alyson was perfect for the part. Course it helped that his grandfather had seen to it this woman was his since childhood. He''d hoped he could break her down and be what he wanted over that time. It hardly worked. He used to think he was smart, that he was cunning, that he could break her down and rebuild her to be the perfect woman for him. Nothing he did over the years had worked. . Now if he did a reverse thing, pushing her onto something she didn''t like, she would take the road that was leading to the breaking and what he wanted.


    There was still a whole list of things that needed done. He needed to get her to quit her projects. To change her style in clothes. Her style of hair. Wearing it long like that, and that color, it was all wrong for Alyson. She needed it shorter, and she needed to be blonde. He had a weakness for dumb blondes. The first woman he''d had sex with was a blonde.


    Alyson didn''t know, and he would deny it even to the Divines should she confront him about it. But what was a man to do when his wife to be had denied him several times, and even pushed back their wedding another two years. Two years! There was an unspoken rule that a man with a wife, to be or already married, should not remain a virgin past sixteen years old.


    It was a matter he could take up with her later. In the mean time, there was the wedding to plan. He could worry about the rest after they were married. They would have the rest of their lives, so he had the time, and there was no chance of Alyson escaping from him. He wondered if he could convince her to move in with him early. He could argue the convenience of time and wedding planning she needed to do with his mother. Her reluctance was a thorn in his side, but that''s something he could deal with. She couldn''t run from him, she was his. She would have to accept that sooner or later.


    As he got his second cup of coffee, he set aside the paper and turned on the news. The paper lacked a few things that the local news could provide. The news anchors came on, announcing the latest in the headline news. He was about finished with the mug when a video came on with the image of a house. A house that he knew all too well.


    "Last night reports say that the choice for the district Lord, Ethan Rivers, suffered a tragedy at home when his second wife Magdalena Rivers had a psychotic break and went on a short, but bloody, rampage. Magdalena, herself, did not survive the incident and is currently being transported to the local funeral home. Meanwhile, Lord Ethan and his wife Angela are at the hospital with their eldest child who sustained injuries during the incident. More on this story as it develops."


    He registered the mug falling from his hand, but he paid it no mind as he dashed to the counter where the car keys were kept and hurried out to his. He didn''t pay any mind to the traffic laws as he drove, he didn''t care about anything in that moment. All he cared about was getting to the hospital and quick. The news anchor had said the eldest. The eldest of that house was Alyson. Alyson was in the hospital.


    He had to get there and fast. He could use this to get Alyson to move out of that house early and into his with him. Ethan and Angela had let Magdalena hurt her, what made her think she would be safe there anymore? She would probably argue about the children, the babies that she cared for. Screw the little brats, it wasn''t like they were her babies. However much the idea of getting her pregnant at a young age pleased him. She needed out and in with him, and he would use this to make that happen.


    Also, he had to work up anger. How dare Ethan and Angela not contact him intermediately. He was after all, her fiance! He should have already been there, already been at her bedside. Whispering things into her ear about the people who let this happen to her, showing her that he was the only one who had her best interests at heart.


    He stomped through the hospital like a man on a mission. He didn''t care whose toes he stepped on. He didn''t care who he upset or annoyed. He didn''t care about the nurse he''d left crying in the ER. He needed to get to Alyson now.


    He arrived at the floor and immediately began shouting at the nurse behind the reception desk. "Where is she!? Where''s Alyson!?"


    The nurse said nothing, merely stared up at him in shock and a bit of fear. He turned away from the pathetic little snot and looked around. He saw Ethan and Angela standing in a room looking at him positively horrified, and in Ethan''s case, with a bit of fury. He didn''t care about that. Why the man was given a Lordship he''d never know, he had fantasies about taking that Lordship away from him. He would too, with Alyson by his side, they would cease to be fantasies, they would be plans.


    He entered the room and rushed to Alyson''s side, squeezing her hand hard for a moment he thought he felt bones snap. He eased his grip a bit but kept her hand tightly in his own. "Alyson!? Alyson!!! Can you hear me!? Answer me!"


    Ethan stepped forward as Angela sat down. "Shouting isn''t going to change things Rick, you need to calm down so we can explain the situation."


    "I don''t want to listen to your shit." Rick spat at him. "I need her to wake up. NOW. And then we''re leaving. I won''t permit her to stay with you anymore. Not when you let her get hurt this way!"


    Ethan sighed, and crossed his arms over his chest. "I won''t sit here and justify myself, because you''re right. I didn''t see the signs, and if I did, I ignored them. I let this happen with my inability to protect my family. But I can''t let you force her awake. Though I doubt your efforts would work regardless."


    "Why''s that?" Rick asked. He got the feeling he was missing an important piece of information.


    "She''s in a self induced coma." Rick stared at Ethan confused. "She witnessed a horrific event, and then she fell down a flight of stairs, hitting her head on the way down. The doctor thinks she''s retreated into her own mind for a little while till she can cope with what happened."


    "In any case," Ethan said stepping forward. "I will not stand here and let you harass me, threaten me, to get what you want. You want to be with Alyson, that''s fine, I won''t stop you. However, you will do as the doctors and nurses tell you. You will not rush her awake, you will not hurt her anymore than she already has been. You may be her fiance, but Angela and I are still her parents, and we still have the power right now. I can have you thrown out and have the security know to not let you back in no matter what. So sit down, be quiet, or leave."


    Rick sat down and kept his hand on her own. He wasn''t going to let her go. He was going to stay there until she came out of this coma. He sat staring at her, trying hard not to grimace at the sight of her. Yes, she needed to be blonde, maybe loose a few pounds, and needed to stay far away from the hospital from now on. Housework would need done, meals cooked, and her husband to please. Being stuck in this place would keep from all of that.


    So he sat, and waited like he was told. He didn''t like it, but he knew it would be worth it in the end.


    - - - - -


    Alyson had laid there in the dark, she''d felt the pain for a brief moment, then felt nothing at all. She was just floating in the blissful black. Neither fully asleep, but neither fully awake either. She just floated, and as she did, she heard words, almost whispers, when she focused on them, they got louder. She heard the diagnosis for herself, she heard what the fate of her sister and the baby. She heard her parents talking and making arrangements, then she heard nothing for awhile. She just floated once more along the current that was carrying her.


    Then she heard him.


    "Where is she!? Where''s Alyson!?"


    Her insides froze, no. No. He shouldn''t be there! Still, she knew that Rick was there, she was grateful that she couldn''t feel her body because she knew he was probably squeezing her hand too hard as was his habit.


    "Alyson!? Alyson!! Can you me!? Answer me!"


    Really? What did he expect her to just magically come out of her coma, or whatever this was, just because he told her too? That''s not how these things worked. Even if she wanted to wake up, she didn''t see anyway out of this black current. Now that Rick was there, she was sure she didn''t want to wake up. Thankfully, she didn''t hear anything after that. She was pulled into the black. Deep into the darkness, she was falling through the element landing on a watery substance. She could hear music as she stepped. She danced around listening to the tune it made as she did. She danced and danced moving forward with the current of the water as she did so. Singing words she didn''t understand as the music flowed through her.


    The further she traveled across the water, the more the black waters colored and rose up as she moved. As if trying to touch her hands as she extended her arms and twirled. The dark retreated and there was a spiraling stair case appeared on the beach that was just within her reach. She danced to the sandy ground, and stepped toward the stairs. looking up it seemed to go up to the sky. She took each step with care. She ascended into the heavens, stopping occasionally to look around the place where she was. The world seemed to be this endless ocean surrounding a tiny island. So she kept going up. Soon she could see the ground, and she was surrounded by the clouds. Strangely, she didn''t feel cold, she didn''t feel tired as she kept climbing.


    At the top of the stair case, there was a platform of onyx. She stepped on to and looked around to see columns also made of onyx, with deep red stain curtains billowing in the slightly breeze all throughout the place. The place was open, airy, and dark expect for the light that came through the curtains as they swayed. In the back, leaning against one of the corner columns, was Alekzandor. He looked up at her and smiled.


    "Welcome to my home."

 Book One : Realm of Madness // Chapter Seven

    Alyson walked further into the place staring at Alekzandor. "You''re home?"


    He nodded. "Yes, this is my home. My realm."


    She stopped and looked around, inspecting the place. "Not what I expected of a realm of madness."


    He laughed. "Well, this is merely the management residential section, they actual insanity goes on outside these walls, away from the more volatile residents."


    She laughed as well, "I can see how having them in your private home might be an issue. So will I be seeing the rest of the place?"


    "Not if I have any say in the matter. This place, and perhaps the beach you saw, will be the only places you will see while you are here."


    "I would like to see it again." She said taking a cautious step forward.  "In the mean time, perhaps you could tell me what exactly I''m doing here?"


    He watched her, she seemed a little nervous, but over all she seemed very pleased to be here. He could feel the excitement, the anticipation washing over her, and his own beat within his racing heart. "There''s always a price when a Divine grants a wish."


    She nodded. "Right, but I didn''t expect you to pull me to your realm. Won''t I be missed?"


    "You''re not really here." He said looking back out the window, implementing a few changes in his realm so he could spend time with her without worry. "You''re body is back at the hospital and it''s still perfectly healthy besides a few injuries. You''re mind, soul, is here. You''re dreaming, but not dreaming."


    "If there''s a whole sciency explanation thing there, I''d rather you save it for someone who could actually understand that language." She said holding up a hand to stop him. "So I''m dreaming, but anything that happens to me in this form, happens to my body back at the hospital."


    He nodded, "That''s right."


    "So, why am I here?" She asked again. "You still haven''t given me a straight answer."


    He stepped toward her. "I wanted to try something, and the only way I could do it, is to have you here in this form."


    "What would that be?"


    He raised his hand slightly and rested it against her cheek. Her heart beat faster in her chest and heat rose into cheeks. He was touching her, shouldn''t that be impossible?


    "You can touch me?"


    "I could always touch you, I didn''t because doing so would have slowly killed you''re very soul as your mind descended further into madness. I didn''t because I didn''t want to hurt you in that way."


    "But you can touch me in this form?"


    He rested his forehead against hers and smiled, "Apparently I can."


    She wasn''t sure what he was planning on doing next, but seeing him like this, so happy at the simplest of touches, she threw her arms around his neck and rested her lips against his own. His response was immediate, there was no shock on his end, no hesitation, as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly against him, and deepened the kiss. Sliding his tongue over hers as he explored her mouth with this own, coaxing her to do the same to him.


    Alyson responded, and kissed him in a way she had never kissed before. Rick had tried to have these kinds of kisses before, and she had to stop them before she threw up in his mouth. With Alekzandor, she only wanted more, she mimicked his movements, and pushed her body even further against his own.


    She wished there was bed, so they could see where was going. As she moved her head to let him nibble at her ear and neck, she opened her eyes and froze, there, not six feet from them, was the exact bed she had imagined. A large, four poster king size bed. When she frozen, Alekzandor had pulled back and looked in the direction she had as well.


    "Thanks for the bed." She smiled looking back at him. "I didn''t realize you could read minds as well."


    Alekzandor looked back at her, "I can''t, and I didn''t make that."


    Her face fell. "Then . . . I made that?"


    "Doubtful, only Divines can make changes to their own realm." He said looking back toward the bed. "I guess I can read your mind. That''s the only explanation I can think of."


    She looked up at him. "Well, you didn''t bring me here to sit and play chess the entire time, or have an outrageous tea party. That kissed proves it."


    He looked back at her, and looked her up and down. "Are you sure? Whatever changes occur here, will happen to your body. You won''t be a virgin on your wedding night."


    She looked at the bed for a long moment. He was right, her birthday was in a month, and her wedding would happen almost immediately afterwards. But being here, and looking around the place now, and lingering her gaze on the bed, she knew, deep down, if she went through with this, the wedding wasn''t going to happen. She didn''t know what events were going to stop it, she didn''t know if what had already happened had changed things for Rick, or if Ethan and her mother were going to step in. She didn''t know what was going to happen, but she did know things would be set in motion because of her choices here.


    She looked back at him and took her face in her hands. "Do you not want me?"


    He shuddered at her hands touching him, and took hold of them, resting them against her chest. "More than I''ve ever wanted anything in my entire life."


    She took a step back and backed up toward the bed. "Then, take what you want."


    Alekzandor stepped toward her, held her tightly against him as he crushed his lips against her own.


    _ _ _ _


    In the Heart, Olivia looked up at the ceiling and gasped.


    Hektor immediately rose onto his side and looked down at her, "My love, are you alright?"


    She looked at him and smiled. "Yes, I''m fine.  It''s done, he took my advice."


    He leaned down and kissed her. "Thank you for your help."


    She kissed him back and giggled. "You''re very welcome my heart."


    They began to deepen the kiss when there was a bang, and a shout from outside. "Mother! Father!"


    They both groaned as they got out of bed, and dressed. Taking their movements slow, as they did so. They opened their door there stood Thalia. Not that they expected it to be anyone else. Her face was contorted with rage and determination. She was about to stomp into the room, but they used their magic to keep her from doing so. Instead she was left fuming on their front stoop.


    "I can''t get into Alekzandor''s realm! I need you to go to him and override his power and let me in there so I can see my son!"


    "No." they both said at the same time.


    "Excuse me!?" She shrieked at them.


    "You have no authority here," Hektor reminded her. "I am your father, and I am the King of the Divines. If Alekzandor has closed off his realm, he has a good reason to, and you don''t need to be concerned about it. We can sense that everything is okay with Alekzandor, and is realm is quiet, peaceful actually considering some of the vibes we all gotten from there in the past. Everything is okay."


    "No it''s not!!" Thalia yelled at them. "Alyson is in a coma, and Alekzandor has closed off his realm! Doesn''t that strike you as odd? He must have abducted her! He must have taken her soul there! We have to stop him before he doesn''t something he can never undo!"


    They both looked at each other before looking back at her. "No."


    With that, the door slammed in Thalia''s face, and she was forced to go home without results, and without any power to change what her son was doing.


    - - - - - -


    Alyson had stayed with Alekzandor in his realm for two whole weeks. Each day, they made love, and he showed her his realm. He kept his promise and they had a picnic on the beach. She ran around on the sand, as little creature she imagined came to life and chased her. Sweet, tame little powder blue elephants that squeaked and made similar noises to their counter parts. Inspiration had stuck Alekzandor and he used the basis for that creature to create something new in his realm. A pale green elephant headed man with six tits that sprayed acid and a long tail that could break titanium. The souls suffering in his realm now ran from this fearsome creature while he sat comfortably on the beach watching the woman he loved play with the creatures she''d imagined, and he brought to life.


    Though it was odd. Whenever he created something, he usually had the thought pass through his head and then the things took form. Now, whenever Alyson thought of something, his powers seemed to be making it happen without his knowledge, it was curious, but he left the matter alone. He could think on it all later. It''s not like they would all be here once she left. They were only being created because she wanted them here, so their existence was temporary, once she left, so would they. He tried not to think about that. He didn''t want to think about the fact that soon she would be leaving him, and he would never be able to do this again.


    "Oh my god they''re so cute!" She gushed as she collapsed onto the blanket, wrapping her arms tightly around him and fell with him onto the ground. "Thank you so much!"


    He laughed as he met her kisses with patience and love. "You''re very welcome."


    "What are we having?" She asked looking over the display of food. Everything she loved to eat was laid out for her, but there was a round fruit she had never seen before. She took it and held the fussy thing in her hand. "What''s this?"


    "It''s a peach."


    Her eyes widened and she looked down at him. "But that''s impossible, they''re so rare."


    "Not in the Divine realm, they''re pretty common here. My grandmother and aunt grow them for fun."


    "Can I eat this?"


    He took the fruit from her hand and using his thumb, he broke open the fruit and handed her a piece. As she moved to take it from his hand, he pulled it back a little. Grinning as he did so. She smiled, and leaned, knowing what he wanted her to do. She ate the some of the fruit right out of his hand. Using her lick to clean the spill away juices as they ran down his hand. His breathing quickened as she teased him. She was surprised he lasted as long as he did when he finally broke, throwing the fruit away and crushing his mouth against her own, throwing her down on the blanket and took her there on the beach. Divine magic was something amazing, the blanket never moved, despite the roughness of his movements and the many positions he put her body in. No sand got onto her skin or in places they shouldn''t.


    She didn''t fight him, she accepted him, and when he finally stopped, she pushed him down onto his back and mounted him. Riding him as he attempted to catch his breath. When they both lay spend on the blanket, they watched the sun go down over the waves, and the moon rise over the black water. Black waters, that began to glow. Everything beneath the waves began to emit a neon glow. She got up and wandered to the edge of the water, she wanted to dive beneath those waves and explore the world that glowed so bright in the darkness. In that moment, she fell to the ground.


    "Okay, I maybe clumsy, but even that was odd."


    Alekzandor got up and wandered over to her, "Look at your legs Alyson."


    She did as he said and gasped, her legs were no longer there, instead, there was a tail. A mermaids tail, glowing a bright neon blue. She looked up at him, beaming with excitement and fascination. "Can I?"


    He nodded. "Nothing will harm you."


    She looked toward the water then back up at him. "Think you can help me?"


    He lifted her into his arms and began to walk toward the water.


    "Are you planning on joining me?"


    "I can''t swim."


    She gave him a funny look. "Sweetheart, once you''re beneath those waves, the form you take will know what to do."


    He smiled softly and kissed her head. "I would, but someone needs to keep watch and make sure my monsters down there don''t touch you, I have a better vantage point here and more power since I''m closer to my base."


    She could tell there was some lies in there, but she let the matter go, he wanted her to have this moment, and he needed a few alone. When he put down in the water, she dove under and took off. She expected there to be some difficultly, swimming with a tail instead of her legs, instead, it was effortless. She flew through the water, chasing after the colorful fish and exploring the world that glowed against the black that surrounded it. She had so much fun, she almost didn''t notice the monsters that deep within the black. She couldn''t see them, but she could sure as heck feel them. They were crowded together, pressing themselves against the barrier that Alekzandor made, lurking, trying to get closer.


    She could feel their blood lust. Their whole purpose their reason for creation was to hunt, to kill, to cause unimaginable pain, and they had their next target in their sights. Her.


    At first she could ignore them. At first, she was lost in the glory of it all, experiencing something so magical, it had only ever existed in imagination before. It was better than she could ever have imagined it before. But soon, the water thickened with animosity, and the creatures were getting hungrier and hungrier. As the feeling got worse, the more she became afraid. She wanted to be by Alekzandor again. He would protect her. He always had.


    She swam for the surface, once she breathed the air again, her legs returned to her and she walked up to him. Looking him square in the eyes, she frowned. "That wasn''t very nice."


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "I''m not a nice person Alyson." He said firmly. "I may be with you, but you are the only exception of those who I''m nice to outside my family."


    "What was that?" She asked pointing to the water. "You have the power to keep them far far away, and the vibes they send out, and you could have come down there with me. This wasn''t about you protecting me, this was about giving me something I wanted and then scaring me into leaving."


    Once again she was right to the point it almost scared him. It felt more like she read his mind than he could read hers. "It''s better if you hate me when you leave."


    She walked up to him and took her face in his. "Don''t do this. Not to me, not yourself. Yes, leaving will be difficult for us both. But do not sully what we''ve had, what we feel for each other by trying to turn me against you. It won''t work. I love you Alekzandor, and nothing you can do will ever turn me against you."


    He stared at her for a long moment. She had never said it, and he had never dared voice it before either. For all of their time together over the last two weeks, all of the times they made love, their never said the words. They said with their bodies as they connected in passion. They said it as their lips touched lips and skin.


    He broke. One second they were on the beach, the next they were in bed. This time, he stripped her slowly, letting his hands and fingers linger over her skin as he pulled the dress from her body. He kissed his way over her body, her shoulders, her back, the back of her legs down to her ankles. He flipped her over, kissing his way up her body, lingering over her sensitive areas, lavishing them with his mouth and tongue until she was crying out and panting from the contact. At last when he settled on her lips, he let her flip him to his back as she explored his body much the same way.


    When they he finally gave them what they both wanted, he slid in slowly, taking her slowly. Having it all build with each movement he made. She rose to meet him, wrapping a leg around his lower back and her arms around his shoulder. She said his name as the passion built, as their movements began to quicken slightly in the anticipation of release. He shuddered and emptied himself in her body her whispered her name against her skin. Kissing her one last time he rolled to his back.


    "When you wake up, you''ll be back there." He said breathlessly.


    "Will you say it?" She asked softly.


    No words came after that, sleep claimed him, his lingering power was enough to ensure that his promise would be done. When she woke up, she would back in her body, and in all likelihood she would never see the man she loved again. She didn''t want to go sleep. Not yet. Instead, she rose, in the corner of the room there was a desk, with a pen and paper on it. She walked over, and began to write him a note.


    My love,


    I know why you won''t say the words. You''re afraid, and I understand. But I know what''s in your heart, and if you asked me. I would gladly leave the mortal realm for yours. I would stay here forever with you.


    But I know this cannot be. I have to go back. I have to set things right with my family, make sure the babies are looked after, and set things right with Rick. I won''t be marrying him. I don''t know what will happen, but I do know that I will not be marrying him.


    I love you. I always have, and I always will.


    Alyson.


    She set the note on the pillow that she used, and watched his sleeping face. She loved this man so much, and the thought of waking up without him, had her crying. She wandered back over the wall that held the desk, and curled up against it. Crying silently as her heart broke. When she had cried herself out, she closed her eyes and sleep took her. Immediately she was met with familiar smells and sounds that indicated she was in a hospital, when she opened her eyes, she knew she was back. She was still in the hospital bed, an iv drip hooked into her left arm, an oxygen tube running through her nostrils, and sleeping on the bed to her left was her parents. In the chair to her right was Rick, also asleep. Her hand was no longer in his death grip, but she could feel the soreness in it and knew he had gripped it very hard.


    She rolled over onto her left side and fell asleep again. This time, falling into true sleep, where she dreamed of little blue elephants, neon ocean life with a black world around it, towards the end was a little baby, with brown hair and dark eyes, laying on the bed in Alekzandor''s realm staring up at her with a bright smile giggling as it kicked it''s legs.


    When she woke the second time, her parents were awake, talking quietly.


    "He needs to leave, he''s just causing problems being here."


    "I agree Angela, but there''s nothing we can do."


    "If the bride wants him gone, he has to leave." Alyson said softly.


    Her parents turn and relief could be seen on their faces. Her mother wrapped her arms around her as Ethan sat behind her and hugged them both tightly.


    "Oh my god you''re okay!" Her mother sobbed.


    "We were both so worried." Ethan said as his own tears fell.


    She smiled as her tears fell. "I''m okay really I am. How long was I out for?"


    "Two days." Her mother sniffed pulling back and taking Alyson''s face in her own. "Let me look you at baby, I need to see you''re okay."


    Alyson let her mother fuss, and hugged her back when her mother fell into arms sobbing again. She could hear Rick''s steps approaching and looked up at her stepfather.


    "Please, send him away. I don''t want to see him, or deal with him right now."


    Ethan nodded, closing the curtain around her bed before stepping out into the hall. She heard Rick curse as he had to stop.


    "Fuck man! You made me spill my coffee."


    "My apologies, I''ll buy you another one."


    "No thanks, I''ve been gone long enough. I need to get back in there now."


    "You need to leave Rick."


    "I told you I''m not leaving until she wakes up!"


    "She is awake."


    "Then let me in god damn it! I need to see her!"


    "No." Ethan said firmly. "She doesn''t want to see you, and if you don''t leave this moment, I will call security and after they confirm she doesn''t want you here, you will not be allowed back in. Leave. You can see her when she''s discharged."


    "This is bullshit! You''re poisoning her against me! Aren''t you!?"


    "Believe me, I want to, but I''m proud to say this decision came from her."


    There was a long moment of silent before she heard Rick turn and leave. She sighed in relief and relaxed back against the hospital bed. For another two days, she did as the doctors and nurses told her. They didn''t want to release her, but she was healthy, and healing fine, there was nothing they could do to keep her there. So they were forced to send her home. The minute she walked through the door she was greeted by smiling faces and tearful expressions of happiness. She hugged them all, and spent the rest of the day with them, catching up on everything they''d been through while she was away. When she finally made her way up to her room, she found more of Alekzandor''s candles lined up neatly on the floor, the dress he''d given her laid across her bed, and a bowl of peaches on her beside table. As she packed away the candles and changed into the dress she cried at the loss of him. She curled up in bed, and fell asleep, wishing she could see him again.


    _ _ _ _ _ _ _


    Alekzandor let sleep claim him. He didn''t dare let himself wake up. He floated in the black abyss that had always been like home to him when he slept. Now, it felt like what it was, a version of Hell, cold, and unwelcoming. When he emerged from the sleep, he laid curled into a ball and wept till he passed out again. When he woke the second time, he took all of his power and cast it out over his realm. All of his occupants looked up toward the sky, as their memories returned and the knowledge of everything returned to them. They knew who they were, they knew what they did to deserve to be there, and they knew that their warden was about to hurt them far worse than he ever had before.


    They all stood frozen in place, unable to move from that spot, staring up at the sky. Clouds covered everything, and instead of rain that fell from them, acid, tar, boiling oil, and fire balls alternated and fell on the stationary victims. They felt all of the pain as their skin melted from their bodies and they were left merely skeletons till even they disintegrated into a pile of dust that in no way resembled who they once were. Then they reformed, and went through the process all over again when the next substance fell.


    With that done, he laid as still as possible till a squeak made him jump. He rose off the bed for a moment, then he realized he was still on the bed. It should have all vanished right after Alyson left, but everything she had wanted and he created was still there. On the floor, looking up at him with sorrowful eyes, missing Alyson. He sighed and let them climb up on the bed and curl up with him. Their silent tears falling. He must have wanted them all to stay. So he could remember her, so he could always have some part of her with him.


    He closed his eyes and did the same thing for her. He wanted her to have something, something that would remind her of the time they had together and she would always think of him when she saw them. It was the least he could do he supposed.


    He pulled the pillow she used closer to him and heard the crinkle of paper. He opened his eyes and looked at the piece of paper that now lay slightly crinkled on the bed. Curious he took it and read it. She had left the bed after he had fallen asleep, wrote him the letter, and if his powers were correct in showing him the past, she didn''t come back to bed, she curled up on the floor and cried herself to sleep. He fell against the pillow, and wept till he passed out again.


    - - - - - - - -


    The minute his realm was unlocked, Thalia rushed to Alekzandor''s side. They had felt the wave of heartache and fury  as Alekzandor fell apart and cast it out. When she entered his coliseum (at least that''s what she thought it was) and found changes. So many changes. A bed near the back, there was light there, a hint of warmth, when usually this place was bare, dark, and cold. Her son usually slept on the floor, or he slept down in his realm, surrounded by the madness he created.


    Along with the bed, there was more furniture, a few plants, and on the bed surrounding her son, were a bunch of powder blue elephants. They let out a loud squeak when they saw her, Alekzandor shh''ed them and they fell silent, once again laying around him, snuggling in close to him. Something even she couldn''t do, even in his baby days.


    She stepped further into the room, waiting for his power to waft over her. But there was nothing. She could sense that he had his full power, and he could use it, but it wasn''t out of control like it had been in the past. She didn''t feel the constant prick of needles and pins in her skin when she was around her son. She stood for a moment in shock. He was in control, he had control of his powers now. She wanted to rush to his side and embrace him, but she knew such actions would scare him off. Instead she approached slowly and sat down on the bed and ran her fingers through his hair like she used to when he was a child.


    "Is there anything I can do?"


    "No."


    She nodded and looked around the place. "You''ve made a lot of changes here."


    "She wanted. I kept them."


    "Want to go get a milk shake? You used to love going to get those with me."


    "Not right now."


    "Well, maybe we could take a walk down on the back that you have here."


    "No offense mom, I appreciate the gesture, but I just want to wallow in my pain for awhile."


    Thalia leaned down and kissed his cheek. "You know how to reach me if you need me."


    "Mom."


    She stopped her departure and looked back at her son. "Yes Alekzandor?"


    "Thanks."


    She smiled and left before he saw her tears. She went home and collapsed into Graeson''s arms. He had been pacing, worried, since they felt the wave come from Alekzandor''s realm. She noticed first when the barrier dropped and went to him immediately without telling Graeson.


    "What''s the matter? What happened? Is he alright?"


    She surfaced and laughed a bit. "He''s heartbroken, so no, it''s not alright. I''m not sure what happened, but she was here. Alyson. He sent her back and now he''s hurting."


    Graeson sighed. "There has to be something we can do."


    "No." Thalia shook her head. "It''s not something we can do, or help with. We just have to be there for him. No matter what."


    "What''s gotten into you?"


    She smiled up at his puzzled face. "I''m beginning to realize that my father does have a master plan, and we''re all a part of it. Alekzandor is no exception." She laughed as she voiced the thought that had popped into her head. "Perhaps there is order to the madness after all."

 Book One : Realm of Madness // Chapter Eight

    While Alekzandor refused to leave the bed in his realm, and wallowed in the pain of his breaking heart, Alyson was forced to carry on with hers. She didn''t attend college anymore, instead she stayed home, watched after her siblings, and worked on some of her projects. She tried to carry on, but she would suddenly find herself breaking down and crying. After a couple of weeks, she started to get sick. Her parents and everyone else suspected it was because of what happened the night she was injured, the "incident" she witnessed. She let them think that, though she knew that wasn''t the case.


    Carrying on was harder than she had thought it would be, what made it worse was Rick. He insisted on coming over everyday, much to his annoyance, his visits were supervised by Angela or Ethan, some days both. Which Alyson could tell pissed him off more. He kept hinting and suggesting that they spend some time alone together. In the form of suggesting that perhaps she needed a nap, and he would escort her up to her room. Maybe she''d like some air, he''d talk a walk with her around the block. Each time she refused, and each time the fury in his eyes got worse and worse. It would emanate from him, coming off and spreading out like waves. She felt it get each time, and each time he visited, she ended up hunched over the toilet. It was then her parents said visiting hour was over, and he needed to go home.


    She was heading down to get some water one evening, hoping to at least get something in her system, when she heard voices from the family room. She stayed hidden and listened closely.


    "Listen, I''ve just saying, maybe if she moved in with us, perhaps she''d start doing better than she is now if she were to come and live with us at our house."


    Alyson recognized the person as Emilia, Rick''s mother. If she was here, then so was Patrick, Rick''s father. Emilia never visited this house without Patrick. Alyson was never sure as to why. Sure enough, his voice was the one she heard next.


    "I''m sure we''re all concerned, but perhaps the reason her health is declining is because she''s staying the house where the, ''incident'' happened. Maybe if she went someplace new, some place peaceful, she could start to get better."


    "And I''m sure you think your house is just the place?" Ethan asked.


    "No, on the contrary, my cousin has a place out in the woods two hours south of here." Emilia said amiably. "It''s a small little cottage. Alyson could live there by herself until she felt she was able to face the world and the everything in it."


    "You mean, you aren''t pushing forward with the wedding?" Angela asked, Alyson could hear the surprise in her tone.


    "Given everything that''s happened, we''re thinking it should be postponed." Patrick said firmly. "If things keep up the way they are, it may even be canceled. I know it''s unheard of, but I don''t think even the Divines would blame Alyson if she decided she''s not ready for marriage for awhile."


    "I''m surprised you feel that way." Ethan said after a few moments of silence.


    "Why is that so surprising!?" Emilia asked in a raised voice, Alyson was shocked herself, she had never heard the woman who was like a second mother to her get so angry. "We care about Alyson just as much as you do, and we want what''s best for her! If she decided that Rick wasn''t the man for her, I would support her decision every step of the way because I care about her more than I care about what having her for a daughter in law could bring to my family. I don''t care about your influences Ethan, I don''t care about any of it! I just care about the girl who is sick, and clearly traumatized and needs rest!"


    "Emilia, please." Ethan said patiently. When Emilia had calmed, he continued. "I know how you feel about Alyson, and I know you don''t care about any of this. I''m surprised because Rick''s been going around saying that the wedding is still on, nothing can stop it, and he can''t wait for the day to take Alyson away from here."


    "That''s the other reason that we''re here." Patrick said carefully, "If we agree to do this, Rick can''t know where she''s really going. He can''t know until it''s all said and done, and Alyson is a safe distance away. We were thinking, to keep him appeased, he could help with the packing, of things, and we could pack up a bunch of things that you don''t want anymore, and say that you''re ''donate them'' to Rick and Alyson''s new home. Which I can pretend like I''m buying him a house. I have a friend in real estate and he owes me a favor. Plus, if he makes it look like he''s got another buyer, he might be able to sell the house faster.


    Anyway, on the day that we officially move Alyson out, he''ll take the truck with all of the donated items, and Emilia can take the one with all of Alyson''s things and her, to the cottage, saying they''re taking a different route to get a treat or something. Once I have Rick in town, and we''ve dropped the donations off at the place you want to go, as I''m sure Rick won''t want them, I can tell him the truth. By then Alyson and Emilia will be far enough away he won''t be able to go after them and stop them. Since he doesn''t know the place, and we won''t tell him, as long as don''t tell anyone else the truth, no one will know where she is, or be able to go after her."


    "I like the plan." Angela admitted. "But I hate the fact that it''s sounding like we''re hiding my daughter from an abuser."


    Both Emilia and Patrick sighed.


    "Sadly, I think that is what my son is becoming." Emilia sniffed. "You do the best you can as a parent, but you can only do so much, and they become their own person. I didn''t realize who Rick was becoming."


    "We both didn''t." Patrick said softly. "But we realize now that if we give Rick what he wants, Alyson will suffer more. We love her, and we want her safe as much as you do."


    "So, are we doing this?" Angela asked.


    "We need to run this by Alyson, and see what she says." Ethan answered her.


    Water was forgotten as her stomach heaved and she ran for the nearest bathroom. She used to think a house with eight bathrooms was ridiculous, now, she couldn''t have been more grateful. She spit out her last attempt to eat, she laid down on the floor, waiting for her stomach to stop heaving so she could wash her mouth out. A glass of water was in front of her when she opened her eyes. Her mother was sitting near by, but knew better than to get closer or touch her. Ethan was standing in the doorway, his eyes full of fatherly worry.


    "Dearest, we need talk when you''re ready." Angela said cautiously.


    "I heard." Alyson said as she sat up slowly, she took the water, swishing it around in her mouth before spitting it into the toilet. "I''ll do it."


    The relief, pride, and a great deal of light came across their faces as they looked at her. Usually they looked at her with so much worry, and the heavy weight of stress could be seen. They wanted to stay with her, but they knew she needed to make her way back upstairs, and she would much rather do that alone. So they stepped aside, and just kept a watchful eye on her movements till she was in the lift and had pressed the button to take her up to her floor. Climbing two flights of stairs was not an option at the moment.


    "If I didn''t know any better Angela, I''d swear that girl is pregnant." She heard Ethan say as the lift began to carry her up. "She''s acting just like you did when you got pregnant with our first few."


    In her room, Alyson curled up in bed and laid as still as she possible could. Two things repeating over and over in her head. The first, was the words she heard from Ethan, I''d swear that girl is pregnant. The second, was Alekzandor''s, Whatever changes occur here, will happen to your body.


    Was it possible? Of course it was, history said Serenity was pregnant by Balor before she became a Divine. She had their first son before the process was finished. Meaning she had been impregnated by the Divine before he took her to his realm. She was still mortal when she conceived. So it was possible, and it wasn''t like Alyson or Alekzandor took precautions to keep her from getting pregnant. She sat up slowly and looked at her calendar on the wall. Each month artistically displayed as she created it herself. Each month up until the current had a little red S for when she started her period, and a little silver E for when she ended. She kept track for medical reasons, so she could answer any questions with east. Not because she had a problems. But in the current month, there was nothing. She had yet to start. And she should have by now.


    Could she be? Carefully, she got out of bed, and made her way down the stairs to the second floor. While the lift was mostly silent, she was quieter with the stairs. The second floor was also where the pregnancy tests were kept.


    Since the incident, the master bedroom had been closed off, and Ethan and Angela were staying the bedroom across the hall. There was plans to convert that room into the new nursery, and the current nursery would be converted into the master bedroom. Alyson had seen the plans and offered some suggestions, which her parents took seriously, and added them in. But all of that meant the current master bathroom was currently unoccupied and it''s contents unguarded. She snuck into the room, and across to the bathroom.


    Didn''t take her long to find the box of tests, and there was always six at any given time. Currently there was seven, so she was able to steal just one, and went back upstairs to her room to take the test. As she wanted for the results, she wondered if she should have waited, Magdalena always took it in the morning, but her mother always seemed to take it at night, right before going to bed. Was there a right time? Should she have waited?


    When the allotted time had passed, she got up and checked the results. A blue plus sign stared up at her. Pregnant. She was pregnant. She was? She was!  She was carrying Alekzandor''s child! She rested her hand over her stomach as she smiled and tears fell from her eyes. So she had more from him than just a few souvenirs. She was having his child. That meant there was more for them, a chance they could be together forever. One of Hektor''s laws of the Divines was they could only get their other half pregnant. So there would be no bastard half Divines roaming around the mortal realm, and bad blood between the Divines and mortals. He didn''t want a huge scandal like there had been in most of Greek mythology.


    She had to tell him, but how? She could light a candle, pray to him, he would get her message. If not him, the one of the other Divines, and they could bring her to him. As she yawned, it became apparent she needed sleep first. She wanted to be awake and alert when she did call on him or the other Divines. Feeling more light hearted, and happier than she had in a long time, she curled up in bed and fell asleep.


    _ _ _ _ _ _ _


    When Rick arrived the next morning, there was a spring in his step, and a smile on his face. It was happening at last. He was finally going to be moving in with Alyson, and their wedding would happen in a matter of days. He had a feeling it wasn''t going to be the grand ordeal he''d always pictured it being, but that''s what renewal of vows were for. As long as they were married, they could renew their vows in a year or so, and they could have the wedding he always knew they would have. So he would settle for the plain and simple, the quick, easy, and cheap wedding he had a feeling was going to be his.


    He walked in with four of his most trusted friends, didn''t knock, didn''t bother to announce himself, just strolled in and headed straight to the lift that would carry him up to the third floor. They may not be moving furniture today, but they would be packing up a bunch of stuff, and going up and down the stairs constantly would become rather tiresome. He would rather save that energy for that night. He was planning on coaxing Alyson into coming home with him. She might as well, soon they would have their own home, and she would be living with him, as his wife.


    He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall of the lift. He''d visited the house that same morning with his father. It was a beauty of a house. Perfect for them. It was a simple two story, with a four bedrooms, a living room, a large kitchen, and three bathrooms. There was also a basement he could section off and create a man cave if he ended up having more daughters than sons. He honestly didn''t care if only had girls, girls had value as well. He could marry them off to wealthier families and stand to gain a lot more. He knew Alyson would love it once she saw it. As long as she didn''t become too eccentric, she could decorate it however she wanted.


    When the lift opened, he saw Alyson at her alter, all of the candles for the Divines were out, given everything that just happened that shouldn''t surprise him, but all, of the candles were out. Normally, when people said all of the candles, or thought it, it was all of them, minus the one of the evil Divine. But even that was out on the alter as well, and it was the first one she was going to light.


    "Alyson!" He shouted stomping into the room. She jumped and looked up at him shocked, whatever color had returned to her cheeks since the last time he saw her was once again gone. She was left looking paler. "What do you think you''re doing!?"


    "Lighting candles to the Divines." She answered simply.


    "I can see that damn it!" The fear he had been feeling turned to fury, and wanted nothing more than to slap her if she didn''t answer him in the way he wanted again. "I was asking why you were fixing to light the candle of divine of darkness and evil!"


    She sighed and stood to face him, there was strength there he hadn''t seen in years, he thought it had left and her only strength was what he gave her. He''d been wrong. She was proving to be quiet formidable, and it was pissing him off even more.


    "He is not an evil Divine!" She spoke to him firmly and his hands twitched with the desire to backhand her. "He''s the Divine of Insanity, and while his task isn''t something anyone would wish for, or upon him, he takes his duties seriously and with pride. He''s perfect for the job, and everyone knows that. But he is not evil! And you will not say such blaspheme again in front of me! I was lighting a candle to him because it''s normal for a person who shares a birthday with a divine to light their candle on that day."


    It dawned on him exactly what she was saying. Yes, today was her birthday, their wedding was due to happen any day. His parents kept saying once she was moved out. But it just now dawned on the meaning of her words.


    "You, share a birthday, with the Divine of Insanity?"


    She crossed her arms and gave him a look that spoke defiance in volumes. The twitching in his hands worsened. "You already knew that Rick, or at least you should have, if you chose to forget then that''s your problem. Now if you''ll excuse, I was in the middle of a ritual, you can wait a few more moments before we start packing."


    Fury and fear ran neck and neck inside of him. She was talking back to him, and she was doing something he clearly didn''t want her to do with him standing right here. Well, not if he had any say in the matter. He rushed forward, her calm movements didn''t account for this act, and she couldn''t stop him. Not that she expected him to lunge forward and grip the candle tightly in his hands and snapping it over his knee. She may have expected him to grab it, but his sudden urge to destroy the thing was too powerful to ignore. He looked back at her after tossing it to the floor in pieces. There was a look of shock, the sickness had returned, and tears were streaming down her face.


    Her reaction confused him. Why was she looking that way? It was just a candle. Grant it, it was a prayer candle to a divine, but it was an evil divine so it didn''t count. It was just a stupid candle no person should ever have. He threw his out the moment he realized he had one. Not that he ever really prayed to the Divines. They never answered his prayers anyway. But this wasn''t what he was expecting. He expected her to get the message and to fall in line like the good wife to be that she had been before Magdalena''s stupid stunt. Not this. This broken, devastated look, the tears streaming down her face as if he''d just snapped her babies neck. The next thing he heard, was the last thing he ever expected to hear from quiet Alyson.


    A shrilly scream filled the air as she rushed forward and scooped the pieces off of the floor, cradling them to her chest.


    - - - - - - -


    Alekzandor fussed over himself as he hurried. Today was his birthday, and his grandmother was hosting a birthday party for him. If it was his mother, he''d say no. He''d feel a little guilty, but he''d say no. When it came to his grandmother though, he was helpless. So despite his desire to curl up in bed all day, and have nothing to do with anyone, he was forced to get up, use some power to clean his clothes, and find something that said he was happy to be there, or at least as happy as he could be in a time like this.


    It had been almost a month since Alyson had first arrived here. Well, two weeks there abouts in the mortal realm, but for him, it had been just a day shy of a month. Her pillow still smelled like her, and the elephants still squeaked about the room. He planned to take them with him to his grandparents. Maybe his grandmother would get attached and she could take most of them off his hands. He wanted to keep the one Alyson was most attached to, but the others, well, they needed a good home.


    Alekzandor wasn''t used to being so crowded, and the whole thing was weighing on him if he was being honest. He wanted things to go back to the way they were before her arrival. It felt like a part of him had been cut away from him, and the feeling was heart breaking. While he wanted them gone, at the same time, he wanted them to stay there.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    He had just finished tying his boots when he fell to his knees choking. His hands clasped loosely around his throat, feeling for something, anything, that might indicate an invisible being or power chocking him. As strangely as the sensation started, it stopped. He was kneeling on his floor breathless, his throat aching. He didn''t waste time by grabbing the elephants, he quickly transported himself to his grandparents garden.


    One minute, all parties were smiling, and shouting happy birthday! Then they saw him on the ground and went into action. Crowding around him, fussing and asking if he was okay, what was wrong, what happened. His uncle eager for a fight.


    "I don''t know." He finally managed to say, "One minute I was fine, prepping to come here, the next, I was on the ground, chocking. I don''t understand what''s happening."


    Right as he felt the last of the damage heal, it started all over again.


    - - - - - - - - - - -


    "Oh my god what you done!" Alyson sobbed as she stroked the candle, hoping Alekzandor could feel her. "These were a gift from Alekzandor himself! How could you destroy something so sacred!?"


    Alyson felt the sting of a slap on her cheek, then hard hands pushing her down. The back of her legs caught on the edge of the bed and she fell backwards onto it. She was left staring up at Rick, defenseless. His fury spoke in volumes, but she saw and felt the fear that was just as strong. To someone who wasn''t precognitive, or didn''t know what Rick was really like, wouldn''t have seen the fear. But it was there, strong, and that made Rick even more dangerous.


    "Now you listen to me!" He shouted at  her. "I will not have that kind of influence in my house! Besides, you''re just a pathetic mortal woman to him! He cares nothing about us, he''s probably even forgotten about you by now!"


    He stepped closer, dropping his voice as he did so. "You and I are getting married. Not you and some lowly evil divine. Even you can''t be so vain as to think that any Divine would want to marry you when you are spoken for by a perfect man like me! I will say this once more so you know, I will not have that dark influence in my own, around my children, and you are never, never, to pray to him again!"


    She feared Rick in that moment, more than she ever had before. If he was this way after seeing her just about to light a candle, what would he do to her baby? She curled into a ball into the corner, hand clamped over her mouth to keep herself from getting sick, one hand over her baby. She wasn''t going to let anyone hurt her baby. Not now, not ever. She didn''t care who it was.


    She watched sobbing as Rick gave orders to his friends about what to pack up, and what to straight up throw away, which was 90% of all of her projects, as he threw open her chest full of candles. She knew what he was seeing, even if she couldn''t see the contents from this angle. There were the regular prayer candles, and then there were the candles from Alekzandor, which was about half of all of the candles in the chest. The fury that never left his face surged into rage, and with something akin to a battle escaping from his lips, he proceeded to dig into the chest, rip out all of the candles that came from her love, and break them. His friends stopped what they were doing and followed suit.


    It was all over in a matter of seconds, so by the time her parents came up to her room, it was too late, the damage was done.


    - - - - -


    Ethan had heard the shouting, though faint through his many floors and the layers between Alyson''s bedroom and his office. When he heard the scream, he stopped and walked around the house. It sounded like Alyson, but why would she be screaming. Rick wasn''t here yet, was he? Fearing that he had missed something, he walked to the front door and sure enough there was a trio of vehicles he recognizes. The owners being Rick and his band of friends.


    Ethan hurried to the lift, but it wouldn''t move, so he rushed up the stairs. Angela was in the nursery with the two babies, but as soon as she saw him rush by, she left the two with their older sister, and ran after him. When they reached Alyson''s doorway, she was curled up on her bed, backed into a corner, sobbing as she tried desperately not to be sick. In the room it''s self, he was greeted by the sight of five grown men standing over the fragments of the candles that were once Alekzandor''s.


    "What madness is this!?" He shouted. Unable to stop the words as they came out.


    However appropriate, he didn''t want anyone laughing as if it were a joke, or to defend the Divine he owed a debt to. Thankfully, the men turned to him, slightly breathless from the excitement of what they''d just done.


    "My dearest!" Angela sobbed as she crossed the room and scooped Alyson into her arms. "Are you alright, did they hurt you."


    Angela turned to him them, "She has a mark on her cheek! Someone hit her!"


    He didn''t need told who it was. He glared at Rick. "You struck my daughter!?"


    "She''s not your daughter!" Rick threw back at him, "And yes, I smacked her! She was fixing to pray to an evil divine! I needed to stop it before did something terrible! You should be thanking me, not getting pissed off."


    "Thanking you!? Thanking you!? What part do I need to thank you for exactly Rick! You struck an innocent woman was praying to the Divines! Alekzandor is not an evil Divine, and he deserves to prayed to just the others! It''s not something to punish a person for! No temple official would agree with you, therefore even a judge would find you guilty of abuse!"


    Rick merely stared, apparently holding firm to his convictions. "I did what needed to be done."


    Ethan stepped forward till he was nose to nose with the little snot who dared strike his daughter. Because whether he liked it or not, Alyson was his daughter, and there was nothing Rick could do about it. "Get out of my house, and do not come back."


    He held up his hand before Rick could open his mouth and start talking again. "I don''t want to hear a word out of you. No arguments that you are her fiance, no arguing that you came here today for a reason, nothing. Get out before I have the police escort you out and sit the night in jail."


    "Abuse of power Lord." Rick spat at him. "The people won''t care for that too much."


    "Once the people see the mark you left on my daughter, they will side with me."


    Ethan smirked when Rick''s face fell and he looked toward Alyson. She was curled in her mothers arms, sobbing, the mark already slightly purple on her cheek. There was going to be a bruise, and there would be no denying that he slapped Alyson. Not even his friends would dare lie about such a thing under oath. Because if they walked away from such a trial without being found guilty, then Hektor himself would issue judgment, and that was never a pretty thing to witness. History was littered with rapists, abusers, and those who backed them up being punished by Hektor. Some, never lived through it.


    Clearly realizing this wasn''t a fight they could win, Rick and his gang left. Angela gently took Alyson from the room. He didn''t know where they women were going, but he was grateful they were gone. He looked over the broken fragments of the candles. It wasn''t as simple as they broke the candles. It may have started out that way, but whatever possessed the action to break them went further, and now every one of Alekzandor''s Divine candles lay crushed on the floor having been stomped on. Ethan knew why, broken candles could be fixed by temple officials. Crushed ones like this, couldn''t. And if Rick was serious about Alyson not praying to Alekzandor anymore, he would see to it that there was no way.


    The only thing he could do now was clean up the mess that was left behind. With each careful sweep of the broom he apologized to Alekzandor, and with each piece he carried, he asked for forgiveness. He couldn''t bring himself to throw it all away, so he placed them all in a little box that Alyson gave him for his birthday, decorated so lavishly, and placed it in the fire. Watching it all completely burn. Hoping that as the wax melted, Alekzandor could feel Ethan''s thoughts on the matter and feel how broken Alyson was by what had been done. He hoped, and he prayed.


    - - - - - -


    He would have screamed if there was air in his lungs to do so, but the chocking prevented any from getting in. While he couldn''t die, the pain was excruciating. The pain was worse than before, and it didn''t stop at his throat, instead, this time, it radiated throughout his body. It was all too much and his body gave out as he fell into unconsciousness.


    His mind flew to the scene, and he saw what had happened to make him feel this way. He saw Rick break the first candle. He saw into Rick''s mind as he did so, the fear he felt, the hatred he had toward Alekzandor. The more Alyson talked and reacted so unexpectedly in Rick''s mind, the more Rick was convinced that Alekzandor was attempting to steal Alyson away. The mortals mind immediately going to dark and despicable things, unable to comprehend that Alekzandor did truly love Alyson, far more than Rick did.


    As Rick broke the rest, his friends joined in, he felt their fear, their hatred. He felt everything they felt, heard their thoughts as they thought it, as they crushed the candles into a pile of mush. He watched as Alyson''s parents rushed in, Alyson curling up in her mothers arms, he watched and listen to Ethan''s argument with Rick. He watched Rick leave, Angela bring Alyson downstairs to get something to drink, and as Ethan cleaned up. He felt the mans emotions, and heard his thoughts as well.


    Then, he drifted into darkness. He was only seeing after images after all. It wasn''t like he was there when it happened. But the event was so powerful, he was able to experience what happened. When he finally came to, he was on his bed, and his family was around him. His grandmother holding one of elephants, Serenity as well, everyone looked so worried, it turned to relief when he sat up.


    In that moment, it became quite clear, they had seen the same thing he did. The storm raging across all of the Divine realms and even in the mortal said it all to him. They had all seen, and they knew that someone had insulted a Divine, and even caused one a great deal of pain. Hektor and Olivia were furious, and the evidence was the vicious storm. His mother rushed forward, the first one to reach him, and held his face in her hands and she looked him over.


    "Are you alright?" His mother asked fretfully.


    "I am now." He looked to his grandfather. "I would like permission to go after those responsible."


    "Now hold on a moment." Serenity said in her ever gentle tone. "Perhaps you''re overreacting. Considering who''s responsible, who can blame you? I just don''t think this calls for immediate, or severe, retaliation."


    "It most certainly does!" Balor said firmly. Though with his natural voice it came off more as thunder. Alekzandor was quite taken aback because this was the first time his uncle had so adamantly defended him. "Alekzandor may never be able to have Alyson, but he now has a legitimate reason to get rid of his rival, and more importantly, a man who doesn''t deserve her! I would have supported Alekzandor''s retaliation for that reason, and that reason alone, but we all know that''s not what has our parents so furious at the moment. Five mortals have broken one of the oldest decree''s and among the first our father ever made. Never disrespect a Divine, or damage anything that belongs to them. Which these five did, and didn''t seem to care about the consequences. You all saw and felt it. They honestly think they can do something like this and get away with it."


    He took a breath and his expression softened as he looked to his wife. "I''m sorry Serenity, but if we don''t do something, if we don''t make an example of these five, they are going to start talking, and so everyone will be doing that to all us. Soon we could all end up experiencing what Alekzandor did, and there''d be another great war on our hands. While I live for battle, I am not eager for another war like you lived through my love. I''m sorry, but sometimes a vicious act is necessary to stop a greater evil."


    Serenity, to Alekzandor''s surprised, looked to Hektor and nodded. "I agree."


    For a moment, no knew what to say, not even Alekzandor, who always seemed to have a smart ass remark, or comment available. But in that moment, nothing came to mind. All eyes turned to his grandfather, awaiting his judgement. Hektor looked down at him with a vicious smile Alekzandor had never seen before.


    "Do what you do best my boy."


    One by one, they all left his realm, returning to their own so he could set about enacting his revenge. Only his uncle was left.


    "You know, when I first became the Divine of war, anyone I touched wanted to go into battle."


    Alekzandor stared at his uncle. "No, I didn''t know that."


    "I thought not. I asked my father to keep it a secret. I didn''t even want your mother to know." Balor said taking a seat at the edge of his bed. One of the elephants jumped into his lap, and he proceeded to pet it absentmindedly. "I would have thought that Hektor would have told you, considering you suffered from a similar affliction, but he made a promise, and Hektor doesn''t break one if he can help it."


    "Why tell me this now?" Alekzandor asked.


    "Because I stayed away from Serenity for decades before I finally gave into my love for her. She was in her forties, and carrying our first son when I finally brought her over. I knew she was my other half, but I stayed away. I feared if I touched her for too long, then she would become battle crazed and no longer be the woman that I loved so dearly. One night, during an eclipse, I had no power on earth, and I took her, viciously. The next day, I left. I came back when I almost got into a fight with my father. She was pregnant, and I knew then I had to take her to my realm. She deaged back to the age she was when I first saw her, twenty five. Within a year, our son was born. I could touch her, and my powers didn''t effect her. It took being around her constantly for my powers to be under control. Once they were, the war ended, and the peace we still have today is the result."


    Alekzandor''s heart pounded in his chest as this all sounded far too familiar. "What are you saying?"


    Balor chuckled as the elephant in his lap squeaked and rolled so he could pet it more. "That history has a habit of repeating it''s self. You can touch Alyson, I''m sure of it. After you''ve rounded up the blasphemers, go to her, touch her just a bit, and you''ll see. You have control now because of her. She''s our other half Alekzandor. She''s meant to be here. Bring my niece home. I''d rather not have to do it for you."


    Alekzandor thought over his uncles words, they all made sense, but dare he hope? After what he planned to do, no one would be in the way. He would have a chance with Alyson. Perhaps this really was all meant to be. He stood and prepared to leave, stopping and turning back to his uncle. "You know, this is the realm of madness."


    Balor nodded. "I know."


    "Need I remind you that I can create a whole manner of creatures? It is possible for you to say, fight a dragon."


    Balor looked at him, grinning from ear to ear. "You may have mentioned something like that before."


    "When I get back, we''ll talk seriously about it." Alekzandor said with a grin of his own as he vanished.


    He went to the mortal realm. He went to each of the rooms, creating what appeared to be a black hole in each of them. One by one, they were all sucked in, the process would be vicious, and painful. They would be cut up, bruised, and possible have a broken digit or two. They would all into his realm, where they would wander aimlessly for a time before being attacked by terrible creatures and malicious monsters. They would be killed, in the most horrible manner imaginable, then they would appear in his chamber, encased a glass case they could see and hear out of, but no one would be able to see or hear them. They would rot away, never knowing what their families were doing, maybe if he was feeling extra cruel, he''d show them each how their families were getting on without them. The only one he left see him as they fell into the black hole was Rick. Only Rick would know who had sent him into another place.


    With Rick sucked into his realm, and experiencing some much needed pain along the way, he went to the only place he wanted to be, wherever Alyson was.


    - - - - -


    Alyson had trouble getting comfortable, she still wasn''t completely asleep when she felt it. Something was tugging, pulling her forward. She sat up, it was still there. She stood, and the tugging was stronger, pulling her forward to her closet. She looked down at her middle section, realizing where the feeling was coming from, her baby was reacting to something inside the closet.


    "What is it sweetie?" She crooned out loud as she stroked her belly. "What do you want mommy to get?"


    As expected, there was no answer. She would have been extremely terrified if her baby had somehow managed to answer her. She continued forward and opened the door, but instead of her closet, filled with all of her crafts, and shelves of fabric and paints and such, there was nothing but mist. She recognized the feeling inside as the feeling of Alekzandor''s realm.  The tugging got stronger, and she understood now. Somehow a door had been opened to Alekzandor''s realm, and she needed to go.


    "Okay baby, let''s go find daddy." She said  as she stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

 Book One : Realm of Madness // Chapter Nine

    Alyson walked through the mist without looking back, she knew there was no point. There was nothing there to see, just the past, and she needed to move forward. Soon the mist thinned and she found herself walking along a sandy path. Before long, the mist cleared even more, and she came out onto a road, as smooth as an ocean stone, and cool to the bottoms of her bare feet. On the edge of a town. At least a foot ball fields length away, perhaps longer, there was what appeared to be a town. It consisted of a large church, and smaller houses, which also doubled as businesses from the look of the signs. Down the hill from them was the beach she knew ran along the edge of Alekzandor''s realm. However this ocean looked different.


    The water was pitch black, the mass of people that were gathered together were praying, mourning the loss of someone. They were having a funeral procession, as they carried the coffin down to the beach side where they planned to set it adrift and ablaze, if the bonfire and raft full of wood and other kindling were any kind of indication. She turned to watch, when a voice spoke from behind her.


    "Don''t get closer."


    Alyson half turned to see to who spoke. A little girl, not much older than eight was looking up at her. Just as she knew to not get closer to the scene in front of her, she knew not to get closer to this girl. She had a feeling that this girl knew that Alyson felt that, but only spoke up to get Alyson''s attention. But the question was why.


    "Why not?" Alyson asked, deciding to play along for now.


    The little girl smiled a bit, the smile belayed and age that was well into adulthood, but the body still looked like that of an innocent child. "You''re smart to stay away, not that I could do much anyway. This is my punishment. Unable to do anything else. The only time I can talk is when it''s with another person who knows where they''re at and why."


    Alyson looked back toward the funeral. They did seem oblivious that their reality was fabricated, so the girl was aware. She looked back toward the girl. "You know where you are."


    The girl nodded. "I am in the realm of insanity. The place where the wicked are put suffer for what they did. I am among the few who know. Those people won''t even see you unless you wander into their punishment, and then you would just be a newcomer, and they aren''t nice to newcomers. You can see them, but can''t interact them because you''re on the road. Curious that''s so smooth and pleasant with you, when so many others suffer terrible pain when walking on it."


    "How do you mean?" Alyson said after looking down at the road, searching for some meaning in the girls eyes. "A terrible pain?"


    The girl giggled. "I mean, usually, there''s a broken glass road. Or a road of saw blades. Or a road of needles. Or a road of . . ."


    "I get your point." Alyson said holding up a hand to stop her. "I guess the people who come here do deserve it."


    The girl sighed and nodded. "Yes, yes they do. Usually the road only circles the punishments, but this one leads right up the temple where the Divine of this realm resides. If you follow it, it will take you to him. Though why you would to see him is beyond me. "


    Alyson''s eyes followed along the road as the girl spoke. The realm must recognize her as a friend, and the baby inside of her as family, so it knows better than to harm her. Unable to bite back her curiosity anymore, she looked at the girl and asked the question she''d been longing to ask since the conversation started.


    "What did you do to deserve your fate?"


    The girl tilted her head back, looking up at the sky. The conversation seemed to pleasing her a great deal, it carried out into her tone as she told her story.


    "My tale was rather tragic, or at least it was painted to look that way. I, personally, think my ending was very tragic, but certain parties would dare to disagree. Anyway, my sins started when I was just a child, the age that this form currently is. I was an only child for so so many years, I got all of the attention, the love, and was spoiled greatly. I loved it. Then my parents had another baby, my little sister. All of the love, attention, and gifts were thus transferred to her. In truth I know that wasn''t the case, I was still plenty adored and spoiled, but that''s the way I saw it. In my eyes, that baby was getting everything, and if I didn''t do something soon, I would be forgotten. So I smothered my baby sister one night with a pillow while my parents were out having their anniversary dinner and my baby sitter was in the living room blowing her middle aged boyfriend."


    Alyson knew the story was only just beginning, and hearing about the death of a baby made tears form in her eyes and made her worry about the one she was carrying.


    "Many years passed since that night. My parents didn''t bother having another child, out of fear of losing it too. They began to drift apart, and there was talk of divorce, I would have lost everything if that happened. So one night, their brake conveniently quit on the way back from a school play I made sure they both attended. I was taken in by my grandparents after that. My grandmother was already in such poor health, she died of natural causes before she annoyed me too much or got in the way of any of my plans. My grandfather, wasn''t so lucky. I was nearly twenty you see, and I was already looking at marriage to a fine man of great stature, but I needed wealth, and something to back my claim that I''d be a good wife, but my grandfather refused, wanted me to hold out for a man who was younger, better for me, and would truly love me. He didn''t understand, I could love in many different lovers if I so desired once I was a rich woman and an even richer mans wife. So one night, I poisoned his brandy. He was already clinically depressed and on pills because of the death of my grandmother, so his death was ruled a suicide."


    The girl lowered her head and looked Alyson right in the eyes now. "For many years I failed to give my husband a child. Mostly because I refused to have a daughter. I would not give birth to a girl who would turn out to prettier than I was, and would steal my husbands attention from me. So the minute the news came in that the baby was a girl, I conveniently miscarried. I even miscarried a few boys so as to not get my husband suspicious. Finally, after almost a decade, I gave my husband a boy. We hired a nanny to care for him so I could lavish my husband with my attention, but things changed after that little tart''s arrival. He started to work more and more, I didn''t realize he''d been having the affair until it was too late and he left me. My son was only six at the time. I was forced to leave the mansion I so loved, and I move back into that crappy house my grandparents own. I walked away with only what I came in with. Sadly, due to his moving, and other things, it became impossible to exact any kind of revenge on my husband physically, and because of the scandal, I couldn''t even get a love."


    "Ten long years passed, and with no lover, nothing to show for my efforts, I started to sleep with son. I slept with him for almost two years before I found a young, handsome man to marry me. He had money, but added to mine, it would just as much as I had before. My son was furious, he threatened to tell everyone what I''d done to him. So I shot him, and took great care to hide his death from the world. Everyone thought he''d ran away so as not to deal with me or his step father to be. This new man was clever, he kept me at arms length until after the wedding, I was looking forward to our wedding night, in fact that was all I could think about, the wedding night. Finally, he got me upstairs, stripped me naked, then threw me into a bathtub full of acid."


    The girl sighed, and even teared up a bit. "I thought justice had been served by my death. I suffered most horrifically, but no, that Divine of the insane appears to be a cocky self righteous son of a bitch. He saw to it that I suffer more than I already have. I am now small, insignificant, and not worth wasting time on. That is my punishment."


    Alyson couldn''t bare to be by the girl a moment longer. She turned and began to walk toward where she knew Alekzandor would be.


    "A warning before you go stranger."


    Alyson half turned back, but said nothing.


    "The Divine of Insanity is not without his tricks. Trust nothing here. Not the creatures, and certainly not the people. I know not the sins that brought you here, but take care." The girl looked around with a sigh. "Perhaps someday I shall escape this place and my evil warden."


    Alyson laid a hand on her belly, and glared at the girl. "I think not. I think you will be one of the rare ones that is forced to stay here forever. It also seems fitting, since you''re chatty with whomever walks by, that you shall be mute. People will look at you, and only see a monster, for your prison and being mute, are simply not enough in my mind. Your body will bear the marks and the pain from when you were thrown in the acid. I know it couldn''t have been long, but whatever state your body was in then, this current one will reflect, and you will always feel that pain."


    With that, Alyson turned and walked away, she''d been able to make changes to Alekzandor''s realm again, and if she was right, then it wasn''t Alekzandor making the changes for her, she made them. If she was right, and the change she just made was successful, she didn''t need to see that carnage. Her stomach was queasy enough as it was. She walked away, and walked forward, keeping her eyes on her feet and the road. She didn''t dare look ahead. She knew the journey would be faster and easier if she didn''t look at the punishments that surrounded her. If she focused on foot in front of the other, she knew she would reach Alekzandor before nightfall. She hoped her energy would last until. She may be in a divine realm, but she was still pregnant, and feeling very sick and weak. She hoped she would reach him soon. The baby inside of her gave her strength, hope, as she walked forward. The tugging got stronger with each step.


    - - - - - -


    Alekzandor arrived in Alyson''s room feeling light hearted and hopeful. He couldn''t wait to see what kind of reaction she would have at the sight of him again. But she wasn''t laying in her bed like she should have been, instead she was walking into her closet, and closing the door behind her. No, that wasn''t right, it wasn''t her closet she was walking into, it was his realm. Somehow, a portal to his realm had been opened, and she was heading inside. Could the black hole have opened up here too and suck her in?


    Worried, he rushed back to his realm to check and see where she was exactly, what he found was his uncle staring out of his gazing window, the one that looked into the parts of his realms where the souls of the damned were being punished with an amused look on his face.


    "Well it would appear I was right, and you have a slight problem on your hands." He chuckled.


    Alekzandor was frantic as he rushed forward to see where his love was. The mist that circled the edges of his realm surrounded her, like hands guiding her forward. When she came out of the mist and stepped onto the road, he feared it would like the others in his realms, something designed to hurt those who walked on it. But the minute she stepped on it, it became smooth, and nonthreatening. He sighed with relief, but not everything down there was going to accept her so peacefully. She was in the area where the punishments were. He needed to go get her before something bad happened.


    "Whoa there sonny boy, you can''t go down there." Balor said grabbing his shoulder as he turned to go get her.


    Alekzandor looked back at him, shock and worry etched across his face. "But I have to! She''s not safe down there!"


    Balor shrugged and offered a comforting smile. "She''s on the road, and the laws are absolute, even if you tried to go to her you wouldn''t be able to reach her. She is a Divine on the road to home. All we can do is watch now, maybe lend some assistance if need be."


    They heard voices and both looked back toward the window. Alyson had stopped and was talking to one of his residents. He wanted to strangle that bitch for even trying to get sympathy from his love, but his powers couldn''t reach them to stop the conversation. He tried, and it was blocked. Balor was right, he couldn''t interfere directly. He watched as Alyson listened, and looked sickened by the whole thing. The way she held her stomach told him she was about to be sick, and he wondered what he could do to help her reach him faster. As he was going over his options, he watched as Alyson spoke back, and as the punishment changed into a new verdict. The one Alyson issued.


    Balor laughed and was grinning when Alekzandor looked back at him. "Well that proves it. She''s your other half, and she''s on her way home. Congratulations my nephew!"


    Alekzandor turned back to the window. Alyson was walking his way, head down, and ignoring everything else around her. He didn''t even think she could hear it. She was his other half!? Truly!? She was his, and she was coming home. Tears streamed down his face. Soon she would be in his arms, and everything would be alright. He could wait. He''d waited countless years for her, and he could wait a few more hours.


    - - - - - -


    Alyson kept her pace for a long time, till her nausea slowed her down, and the exhaustion began to creep back. It had been late at night when she came through into the realm. She''d been running on pure adrenaline and excitement, she was lucky she got this far without falling apart. The only thing that kept her from doing so now was the knowledge with each step she got closer to Alekzandor, and she could rest in his arms once she was there.


    She passed by several punishments, she didn''t look at any of them as she did. Now that her pace had slowed, the noise from some of them crept into her senses. Still she kept her feet on the ground and kept walking. She felt extreme heat coming from her right, but didn''t look. There must be a great fire in that punishment to generate that kind of heat. But the smells and sounds from there just reaffirmed that assumption. Unable to help it, she paused and looked.


    It was a vast landscape, and all of it was burning. The tree''s, the houses, even the water, all were burning. If there were residents, then they had to be the objects that were on fire, because nothing seemed to be stopping the fire, but at the same time, nothing seemed to be making it worse. The objects stood erect, constantly burning, never falling apart despite the constant fire. Fitting she supposed for people who caused a lot of damage by fire.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Her stomach heaved, and her head was getting dizzy, it was time to get moving again, but as she turned to start moving again, she heard familiar voices, and not the welcoming home feeling kind. The kind she heard just yesterday, as they made plans to throw away most of her things, and broke all of her candles from Alekzandor. Sure enough, when she dared a glance, there was Rick and his four friends, running at top speed towards her from inside the place of fire.


    If there was a thought to move away, she didn''t have enough time or reserved energy to act on it. Rick had nearly plowed her over when he caught up to her, crushing his mouth against her own. Well that certainly hadn''t been what she expected. As quickly as the kiss started, he pulled back and hugged her close.


    "Oh my God! I thought I''d never see you again!"


    She pushed herself out of his arms, and decided to use some of what she had in her to keep him at a distance. If she was meant to be a Divine, she should at least be able to do that much. It worked to an extent, he could never hug her or kiss her like that again, he could still grab hold of her hands and squeeze them tightly. He looked completely rejected and pissed off at her distance.


    "Don''t be so dramatic Rick. I''m not in the mood for it." She didn''t keep her eyes on his face to see how he took the scolding because she honestly didn''t care. She looked over his friends having got the impression something was wrong, and she was right. There was three, not four. "Where''s Jameson?"


    All of their faces fell, two of them even looked horrified, Rick was not one of them.


    "He got eaten, by some monster." Ivan said. "How is that possible? Monsters like that aren''t real."


    Maxy looked at Ivan with a frown. "Apparently they are, because we just saw one of them."


    "None of this makes sense." Gavin sniffed. Alyson looked at him and saw he was close to tears. "This can''t be real."


    "Wonder where we are?" Alyson looked back at Rick as he was looking around.


    Alyson got the strong feeling that if they didn''t already know where they were, she probably shouldn''t enlighten them at this point. So she kept her mouth firmly shut and just kept walking forward. As expected, the four men followed, Gavin kept muttering things similar to what he had said before, while Ivan and Maxy just followed in line, but she could see the fear on their faces. Rick kept pace with her, his hand kept reaching for her own, but she evaded his touch each and every time. She didn''t look at him either. She was done trying to be nice, done trying to just not explain it and get away before he hurt her, which he already did. It was time he got the message, and she didn''t care how it was done.


    They kept walking. She kept her eyes on the ground again, but she heard the people from certain punishments, shouts for help and desperate calls for aid. Obviously, these calls weren''t normally there, or if they were, no one would be able to hear them. They could only be heard now for the four men traveling with her. Alekzandor must have pulled them through to enact some kind of revenge for what they did to her candles. Disrespecting a Divine was against mortal and Divine law. Though in all of history, she had never heard of a mortal actually committing this crime. She did glance at Rick now, he really was some kind of special stupid if he thought he could break such a serious rule and get away with it.


    The calls kept coming as they walked, she could see all of the men wanted to go help, even Rick despite his demeanor. But she ignored it and kept walking, so reluctantly, they followed. She knew soon there would be a punishment they wouldn''t be able to ignore, it was at that point she would be able to make an escape. Till then, she just had to bide her time and play as nice as she was willing to.


    A stream appeared when she could no longer ignore the call for water. She sat down at the stream, noticing a bottle and scooped the water up with it. It was ice cold as she drank, just the way she liked it. The men, apparently have been parched, or close to dehydrated, drank greedily from the water. A couple even jumped in and proceeded to wash up a bit. She noticed the water changed directions so she could have the crisp clean water if she needed more. She managed to drink a whole bottle full before Rick smacked it out of her hands.


    "Don''t drink from that! You don''t know where it''s been!"


    The bottle, instead of breaking somewhere off in the distance, came back down the stream for her to use. She looked up at Rick as she picked it up again. "It''s cleaner than your mouth on it''s best day, so it''s safe to drink out of."


    The three others laughed, thinking it was a joke until Rick glared at them. Desperate for a change of topic, and not wanting to enrage Rick anymore than he already was, they cleared their throats and said the first thing that came to mind.


    "Man I''m hungry." Two of them said.


    "This is all so strange." One of them muttered.


    Alyson rested back against the hill they were on, as it provided a natural seat for her. "I could go from some peaches."


    Rick looked at her curiously. "Why could you want something you''ve never had before?"


    "Probably because they''re coming down stream?" Maxy said.


    Alyson looked and smiled as she saw several several peaches carried by the current of the stream their way. She took three and proceeded to eat. Suddenly ravenous with hunger. She normally ate enough for two people, now she really was eating for two, and there was no telling how much she would be able to eat. The three other men all ate at least two apiece, she ate five before she was satisfied. Rick ate nothing. Merely watched with that weary plotting gaze of this.


    "Nice nightgown." He finally said.


    She smiled at him. "Thank you."


    "Where''d you get it?" The question came out low, and his teeth were practically gritting together as he did so.


    "Someone I love very much gave it to me." She answered honestly.


    "Who?"


    She didn''t answer, she didn''t get the chance to. Right as he finished his question, the sound of laughed could be heard. They all gravitated toward the sound till they saw the source. Alyson knew immediately the laughter was from something mad. The came from one of the punishments. The edges surrounded by a thickly packed forest, no person could squeeze through the trees, the clearing was fenced off with a pink gate with hearts carved out in the wood. The soul occupant was the source of the laughter.


    Alyson recognized the scene from one of her favorite stories, she even had one online that was based off of it. Only instead of there being more people inside, there was just one. A cream colored rabbit, with mangy fur, jumping around and laughing wildly. At the sight of the tea and little cakes and cookies laid out on the long table before them, the men, all of them, rushed in so they could partake of the treats. Alyson, however, remained just outside of the gate.


    The rabbit, stopped jumping the moment the men entered. He bowed at them, his face all smiles, but his voice raspy and dark as he spoke. "Welcome welcome dear guests! A very merry unbirthday to you all!"


    At that, Rick stayed suspicious, and eyed the rabbit as it moved. Doing his best to stay away from it, Alyson noticed.


    "Are we in Wonderland or something?" Ivan chuckled.


    The rabbit laughed then, loud, and wild. "Yes! Yes! Yes this is Wonderland! I hated that story when I was alive! Hated it with a passion! It was not a story for boys! It was not a story for men!"


    Alyson saw Rick''s face as the Rabbit broke for a moment with laughter. Rick was making a face of agreement, then he zeroed on the meaning of the declaration, and Alyson knew, they were about learn the truth.


    "I wouldn''t let my sons read it, I wouldn''t let them have anything to do with anything that deal with Wonderland. I didn''t want them associating with such a girlish story! Then I caught them! With books upon books! Movies upon movies! They tried to argue with me! They dared to argue with their father! They deserved their fate for that and that alone! Didn''t matter that the main characters were focused on a male occupant of Wonderland, didn''t matter at all! Didn''t matter who made the story either! They had it! And I had forbid it! I grabbed my belt, and whatever else I could get my hands on and proceeded to beat them. One of them died, apparently I was a lot stronger than I had realized, the other was nearly dead when i was stopped. He was permanently disfigured because of that beating. I was punished in life, but the blasted Divines saw fit to punish me in death as well. As if a life in prison with no women, no decent caviar wasn''t enough. It was! IT WAS I TELL YOU!!! Now I have to play the Lord of Insanity''s games until my soul is redeemed. But I''ve nothing to redeem for!"


    The rabbit was screaming at the end of the his story, jumping about, laughing and screaming as he did so. "I''ve nothing to redeem for! Nothing! I was right! I was Right! I WAS RIGHT!"


    Rick jumped back, and his group followed.


    "Lord of the Insanity? The Divines?"


    The rabbit paused, chuckling as it hunched over to look at them through wide eyes. "Yes! We are in the Realm of Insanity, of Madness! Where people are forced to endure punishments and torture!"


    "You''re being punished." Alyson finally spoke, drawing all eyes to her. The rabbit''s body still hunched over, turned 180 degrees and looked at her furiously. "You sinned in life, committed terrible acts of violence and hurt innocent people. You, and those who are evil like you, are sent here to repent or suffer for eternity. That was the task Alekzandor was charged with by his grandfather Hektor, king of the Divines, and the head of the family. That''s just one of the uses of the realm of Madness."


    Rick, was suddenly beside her, looked at her furiously for a moment, before looking back at his three friends. "We need to leave, immediately!"


    He attempted to pull Alyson into his arms, but the power she had put out prevented that, instead, he tugged on her hand and pulled her as close as the magic would allow. "I''ll protect you from him. I swear I will."


    "There''s nothing to protect me from." Alyson said venomously.


    "You knew." He said, dropping his voice so she alone could hear him. "You know, and you didn''t tell me."


    "You didn''t need to know."


    The three others were around them now, so the conversation couldn''t continue. At least not in Rick''s eyes. He turned and began to pull her behind him, but a hairy hand wrapped around her wrist and pulled her back toward the punishment. The rabbit was on the fencing, his hand around her wrist, his eyes wide and his face contorted with madness and smiling. His head resting on his shoulder as he stared at her. He seemed to be studying her, when he had his answer, his head went right side up again as he threw it back in laughter.


    "You''ve been played for a fool, my friend." He rasped looking back at Rick. He looked back at Alyson. "Alice will be born in Wonderland again."


    With that, the rabbit released his hold on her wrist and hopped back into the punishment. It took a great amount of effort to not reach toward her stomach and caress her baby. Thankfully, the meaning of that last sentence had completely gone over Rick''s head. He didn''t know that Alyson was pregnant with Alekzandor''s child. But he didn''t let her go no matter what she did to get him to release her hand. She was very pissed off at that damn rabbit. He was also much too alone in that little clearing and his tea party. He needed some company. The Mad Hatter, the mouse, the White Rabbit, The Tweedles, and the Dodo bird all in that small little clearing, all singing "A Very Merry Unbirthday" at the top of their lungs, over and over and over. As they continued forward, she heard the music, and she heard the screams of the rabbit as he realized his punishment, just got worse.


    Rick tugged her along, causing her to trip and fall to her knees, and it was enough to jar her already nauseous stomach. She retched there at the stop and passed out once the final contents of her stomach had been forcefully evacuated.


    - - - - - - - - -


    Balor was having to hold him back to keep from going down into his realm and ripping Rick to pieces. The others weren''t hurting Alyson, but they weren''t helping her either, and that more than damned them in his eyes. Balor laughed with each change Alyson made.


    "Oh yeah, she''s meant for this realm. Look how it''s responding to her! And she can even cast out a little bit of power!" The pride in his uncles tone was unmistakable, Alekzandor could tell even through his rage, that Balor was going to be very fond of Alyson. "It''s not much, but it''s enough to keep that damned mortal from beating on her like he wants to."


    Then the rabbit some something that had both of them standing there frozen. "Alice will be born in Wonderland again." While Rick and the others didn''t understand what that meant, Balor and Alekzandor did. He broke, he fell to his knees sobbing. A baby!? A baby!? Alyson was pregnant. It was his, he knew it was. She had only ever been with him. He was going to be a father!?


    "You were right." He said through the sobs. "She is on her way home."


    "Told you so." Balor chuckled clapping him on the shoulder. "I''ll leave so the happy couple can have some time alone. I can fight a dragon another day."


    Balor was about out the door when Alekzandor spoke up. "Wait, why not fight a dragon now?"


    A plan was forming in his mind, one that would allow Alyson an escape, and the one helping hand he could extend toward her. They only had the one shot, so they had better make the most of it. When Alyson collapsed, he frantically put the plan into motion.


    - - - - -


    A/N


    Sorry for the delay in the last chapter, a lot''s been happening and I was reluctant to sit and the computer. Now that the mood has struck me, it appears there will be more chapters posted this week than any in the past. It''s very possible I will have this story finished before too long.


    Hope you enjoyed this chapter and the last one.


    WD

 Book One : Realm of Madness // Chapter Ten

    Alyson wasn''t unconscious for very long, Rick wouldn''t let her be. Within ten minutes she was back on her feet, and he was pulling them all forward. The power she had used to keep him at a distance had now worn off, and when she proved unable to walk, she was also very unwilling, he picked her up and began carrying her.


    Heavier air seemed to descend upon them. The men''s walking slowed, their even breaths turned to panting, and soon the complaints started.


    "Come on man!"


    "We need to stop!"


    "We need to rest! I''m so tired"


    For five minutes, the complaints came one after the other before Rick finally grunted and stopped. He threw Alyson down and glared at her furiously. "What did that damn rabbit mean!?"


    She shrugged and gave no answer, sitting back against the tree that was behind her. She wasn''t going to explain anything to him. She didn''t want to know what he would do to her or the baby. It was through what little power she was able to grasp she knew that the baby was alright. Otherwise she would have worried that the fall hurt her baby.


    Rick dropped to his knee''s and grabbed her shoulders and proceeded to shake her. "Tell me damn it! You god damn bitch! You tell me what you know this instant!"


    Once again she said nothing, but this time she did glare at him. Hoping like hell there was a promise of death in her eyes and he could see it. She didn''t know if he did, but he saw something in them that had him sitting back on his hunches. Almost as if he was afraid to get closer and touch her again.


    Good! He needs to stay the fuck away from and my baby! Her thoughts screamed.


    "HELP!!!"


    Everyone jumped and looked towards the source of the scream. Several people came running up towards them. They stopped before Rick and the others.


    "Please! You have to help us! We have no idea where we are!" One said.


    "Our friend! Please! He''s in trouble! We can''t do it by ourselves!" Another said.


    Alyson detected the lies immediately. These people were residents. She knew this was a trap in the making, while the men  who surrounded her, seemed to be oblivious of their fate.


    Rick turned and glared down at her. "It would seem as if the Divine you keep defending has a sick fetish of abducting innocent people and holding them hostage to play his twisted games."


    Alyson said nothing. There was nothing she could say to him that he would listen to, and the less she delayed the inevitable, the faster she could make her escape.


    "We''ll help, but first I need to make sure my fiance is safe." He quickly turned to Ivan. "Give me your shoe laces, you won''t need to worry about running, as you''re going to stay here and make sure nothing happens to her."


    Ivan nodded, looking very serious. He was going to be a bit of a problem, Alyson realized, she hoped whatever Alekzandor had planned would allow her to get out of here without much of a battle. With the shoe laces tied in place, Rick leaned in for a kiss, but she turned her head and he got her cheek instead, since time was of the essence and the others were eager to go ''rescue their friend'', Rick didn''t try again for a real kiss.


    "I''ll be back for you." He said softly. "I love you Alyson."


    Alyson looked down at the little shoe laces that held her. Weak as she was, she couldn''t break them so easily. Rick took off with Maxy and Gavin, leaving Ivan to stand guard over her and watch as his friends ran off toward some unknown danger. Glory of being a hero was now lost to him, and he didn''t look all too happy about it when she glanced up at him. Her main concern at the moment was the shoe laces. She could try picking the knots apart, but Ivan would likely notice the movements and swat her hands if she tried.


    She stared down at the laces. As much as she hated them, if the laces turned to snakes, they could slither away and not be any problem anymore. She could picture them so perfectly in her mind, she saw it so clearly, that after a blink, the image in her head, happened before her very eyes. The black laces turned into thin little black garden snakes and slithered somewhere else.


    Free now, she looked up to see how best to make her escape, but once she saw the creature running toward them, she realized, she didn''t have to. A huge furry creature, dark gray, with fangs and the trunk of an elephant, a long bushy tail like a fox gave a roar and caught Ivan''s attention. At the sight of it, Ivan proceeded to scream like a little girl. Alyson could see the desire to run in his eyes, but the creature, didn''t give him that chance. Instead, the long trunk extended, wrapped around Ivan''s ankle, flung up into the air, and the creature swallowed Ivan whole.


    The movement all happened so fast, Alyson had to blink a few times to make sure that it was all actually real. With the guard now gone, the creature knelt down before her. She knew the moment she saw it, the creature had been sent by Alekzandor, it was her ride home. She got up, and climbed onto it''s back, only to realize, she could lay down comfortably on it''s back, the sides rising up to provide a natural barrier so didn''t fall off during the journey, and if it had already started moving, she didn''t feel any of it. Comfortable, warm, and utterly exhausted, Alyson fell fast asleep on the strange creature''s back.


    She didn''t know how long she''s been asleep, didn''t feel like very long when she had woken, there was a murmur of a familiar voice, and a pair of strong arms lifting her. She smiled against Alekzandor''s chest and curled into him when he laid them both down on the bed.


    He kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear. "Welcome home."


    She kissed his in return and drifted back to sleep.


    - - - - - -


    Rick followed his fellow victims across a plateau then down a hill. When he got to the destination, he realized he''d been tricked. The people who had led him down here, suddenly vanish, as if they had never been there at all. Before him, was a dragon. Huge, vicious, with a hungry look in it''s eyes. Knowing what it wanted, he quickly pushed his two friends down, sacrificing them to save himself. They would have done the same to him if given the chance really. He ran back the way he came, rocks tripping him as he went up. The hill became steeper, and the rocks were everywhere, when there had been none before. Still he got up, stumbled, and climbed till he reached the flat grown. He looked over to where Alyson and Ivan should have been.


    Ivan was gone. No doubt lost to the mammoth of a monster he now saw there with his woman. She didn''t seem to fear the beast, and despite his shouts for her to run, she didn''t. Alyson approached the creature, even climbed onto it''s back which seemed to enclose around her. The creature took off running, faster than a creature that size should have been capable of. She was gone, his precious Alyson, his only love, was gone. There was no telling where she was now, or what horror was being done to her if she was still alive. He doubted she was, after all, she had been absorbed by that monster, she was probably a part of it now.


    He felt a moist heat on his back, knowing what it was, he didn''t dare look. He wouldn''t give the mad Divine the pleasure of knowing he was afraid. Instead he closed his eyes and waited for his death. He felt the wet hot mouth close around him, then he felt cool air, almost cold. He opened his eyes and looked around. Briefly noticing that all of his friends were with him. All of them. Jameson, Ivan, Gavin, and Maxy where all huddled together in a corner on the opposite side, glaring at him.


    They appeared to be in some kind of holding cell, able to look out into  . . . . what was that place? A temple? A tower? Rick didn''t care. He saw a man sitting on a bed, his blue hair falling over his eyes as he was hunched forward, his elbows resting on his knees and his mouth resting against his hands which were clasped together.


    This was face he''d seen when he''d been sucked into that vortex. That vortex had caused him a great deal of pain. He couldn''t accurately describe or even compare it to anything. This was the mad Divine, an evil God, and the reason for all of the recent pain and suffering. He was the reason that Alyson was now gone forever. He was the reason. He was at fault here! Rick would see him pay if it was the last thing he did!


    The doors that Rick didn''t seem to notice before, slammed open and mammoth monster from before came running inside, shrinking as it did, revealing a sleeping Alyson. The enemy rushed forward, scooping Alyson up into his arms. As he laid them both gently down on the bed, Rick began shouting, beating against the glass that had encased them. He shouted and screamed till he had no voice, he pounded on the glass that didn''t seem to budge let alone crack and shatter. Soon he could make no sound, and his hands were broken and bleeding from all of his punching and pounding against the impenetrable glass.


    - - - - - -


    Alyson woke up to the familiar feeling of being held. She stretched and rolled over to face the man behind her and was met with a warm kiss. Willingly, she kissed him back. He pushed her onto her back, kissing her neck and lifting the nightgown as he did.


    "I missed you." Alekzandor said in a husky tone.


    She wrapped her arms around him kissed his face. "I missed you too."


    Their lips met, and she parted her legs for him, offering no resistance or protest as he plunged himself deep inside of her. Alyson held him tightly, and he in turn didn''t let her go, even after they had both finished. He laid there with her in his arms. Holding her against him as he traced kisses over her face.


    "I never thought I would have any of this." He finally said, smiling softly. He laid a hand over her stomach. "I never thought I would get so lucky."


    "Well believe it my love because you have it, and you''re not getting rid of me so easily this time." Alyson said with a smile.


    Alekzandor chuckled. "No, no I don''t think I''ll ever be rid of you now."


    She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. "Nope!"


    He laughed and hugged her close. "I love you Alyson, so much."


    She smiled and rested her head against the pillows so she could look up at him. "I know."


    They got up, Alyson created a dip in the floor, and created a round about couch with a lovely coffee table in the center, the bed she moved to another room. There wasn''t one originally, but now, there was the South facing doors, which led out of the realm, or to other parts depending on the openers desire, and the North facing doors which was now the bedroom. She sat down admiring her work when Alekzandor returned with the food.


    "You don''t mind?" She asked point around.


    He shook his head smiling. "Not at all, do whatever makes you comfortable, I''ll be happy as long as you are."


    With the food justly consumed, she curled up in his arms again. "I don''t think I''ll ever get used to being so tired."


    He kissed her head and rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "It''s because you''re turning from a mortal into a Divine, it also doesn''t help that you''re pregnant. Perhaps Serenity can give you some help. She went through this process while pregnant as well."


    Before she could say anything the south doors burst open and gleeful looking man came stomping inside. The smell coming off of him was so strong Alyson could smell it clear across the room. She took off running for the bathroom.


    Alekzandor looked at his uncle who had thrown his head back in laughter.


    "Serenity had a similar reaction when I went home." He said when he finally stopped laughing. "I am supposed to clean up then go home. I''ve been barred from my own realm till I am clean again. But that was worth it! I haven''t had so much fun in years!"


    Alekzandor chuckled. "Glad I could be of service to you uncle."


    Alyson walked slowly out of the bathroom, holding her breath and motioning Balor hurry inside. Balor hurried in and even through held breath, the rancid state he was in still made it into her senses.


    "That''s not good for the baby you know." Alekzandor said.


    Alyson started breathing again and noticed the sweet smell to the air and smiled and him. "You got rid of the smell."


    "I don''t want you getting sick anymore than you have to." He said holding out his arm for her to come to him.


    She laid down in his arms rather dizzy. "I have a feeling that''s going to happen a lot. At least it did before."


    "Well part of the reason you were so sick before was because you had already started the process of becoming a Divine. Had you stayed here longer, your body would have disappeared from the mortal realm. You can''t regress and become a mortal again, and if you''re on the mortal realm after starting the process, your body starts to reject everything to do with that realm."


    "Make sense." She whispered.


    "You were the one who opened the portal. Some part of you knew it was the only way to get better."


    She looked up at him confused. "I thought it was the baby. I felt a tugging, and I knew it was the baby guiding me."


    He looked at her shocked then down at the baby. "I hope not, that means the baby will be born with it''s powers. I got mine really early in life, I''m hoping ours don''t."


    "Well, we''ll find out won''t we?"


    He sighed and rested his head against her own. "I guess we will."


    "Now that! Is a bathroom!" Balor said coming out of the bathroom and grinned at Alyson. "You have some amazing powers my dear."


    She smiled at him. "Thank you sir."


    "Don''t call me." He said with a playful wince and holding up his hand. "We''re family now, so there''s no need for the formalities."


    She smiled and said nothing. A lush arm chair appeared, and Balor sat in it and relaxed back with a contented sigh. "That''s nice too."


    "Glad you approve." She said sitting up slowly.


    Balor looked to Alekzandor. "Has she pledged yet?"


    Alyson looked between the men confused. "Pledged?"


    Alekzandor began to look uncomfortable. "We say the process of becoming a Divine is irreversible, but . . ."


    "But." She prompted him in to continue in a firm voice that even had Balor sitting back hoping she wouldn''t turn her wrath onto him.


    Alekzandor had stopped talking, he wasn''t sure he wanted to continue to explain this, but he knew there would be hell to pay if he didn''t. "But there is a way. Hektor has never explained how it''s done, mostly because he''s never had to do it before, no one has ever wanted to. It''s been tradition that we offer it. If you decide you want to go back, and forget all of this, you can. Just because we''re meant, doesn''t mean you have to stay with me."


    Alyson rose to her knees, took his face in her hands and looked him right in the eyes. "Alekzandor, Divine of Insanity and love of my life, I will only say this once, so you had better clean all of that bull shit out of your ears. I''m Staying Here!"


    He pulled her to him and kissed her deeply. When they broke apart he held her tightly against him, laughing happily.


    Balor watched the scene, and smiled fondly at the couple. After a few minutes he stood and tapped Alekzandor''s shoulder. "Let''s go make this thing official then. I''ll go ahead and tell everyone."


    They stood, Alekzandor changed his clothes for something more formal, and she did the same. The dress she was wearing changed, wrapping around her neck, hugging at her chest, and flowing loosely from her waist down to her ankles. The dress was a pale lavender with blue roses dotting the whole thing. Alekzandor smiled his approval, took her hand, and they began to walk toward the south doors.


    She stopped and looked to her right, she couldn''t see it, but she knew the glass prison was there, and who was inside of it. She looked back at Alekzandor. "Let them go. I don''t want them here. I know they deserved to be punished, but the four were only following Rick''s example. It would be a worse punishment for the world to know what he did."


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    He looked to the prison, he could see the five of them. Rick was furious, his hands all bloody and broke, but no sound came from him. The four huddled in the corner to keep warm and to stay away from Rick, all looked at him in hope. They were sorry for what they had done, and they never intended to do anything like that ever again. They did only do it because Rick had started it. Now they realized what idiots they had been, and wanted nothing to do with Rick anymore. He could see the air of innocence around them. He closed his eyes and when he opened them, the prison and it''s inhabitants were gone. He looked back at Alyson, nodding that it was done.


    She smiled and looked back toward the room. "Come on Bass."


    "Bass?"


    She nodded smiling up at him. "As in Bassinet. He can care for the baby and protect it at the same time. Why would we need a crib when we have a perfectly capable creature right here?"


    He laughs and they leave their realm. There was no long walk to another''s realm. There was simply step put the door and they were standing in a lush garden with a quaint little cottage tucked into the mass of flowers and trees. Alyson thought it was just adorable. She would have admired the place a bit more if the group of people there didn''t all look up at their approach. All but two smiled at her, welcoming her, and beckoned them closer.


    "Welcome to the Divine realm Alyson." Hektor said. "Are you ready to get married."


    Her response was a nervous laugh. A woman, not much older than her physically, with long black hair and gray eyes rushed forward and hugged her tightly. "Welcome, my new daughter. Welcome."


    Alyson released Alekzandor''s hand and hugged her back. "Thanks for having me, mother."


    Thalia pulled back and wiped tears from her eyes smiling warmly at her, then the smile fell a bit and she looked down at Alyson''s stomach. "You''re . . . !"


    Thalia prompted turned angry and smacked Alekzandor. "How dare you get a girl pregnant before being married!"


    "Ow! Mom!" Alekzandor whined trying to block her attacks.


    "I raised you better than that you heathen!" Thalia yelled at him.


    "Excuse me." Alyson said interrupting. "But I''m just as fault for being knocked up as he is. I didn''t exactly stop him, and I did want any excuse to come back again."


    Thalia stopped and took deep breaths. "I was not ready to be a grandmother so soon."


    Alyson laughed and rubbed her stomach. "Well you have some time."


    Thalia put her hand over Alyson''s. "Yes, yes I do."


    "Can we get on with this already?" Balor asked. "I''m ready to make this thing official and get to eating."


    "Perhaps you shouldn''t have used up all of your energy with battle." Serenity said narrowing her eyes at him.


    Balor laughed. "It was worth every glare you''re giving me."


    She ended up smiling and shaking her head.


    "I agree with Balor." Hektor said looking at Alyson. "Alyson, do you swear to stay with Alekzandor for all eternity? To uphold our traditions and the tasks that I give you as a Divine?"


    She nodded. "I swear."


    Hektor looked to Alekzandor, but no words were said on his part because Alekzandor immediately said, "I swear."


    Hektor smiled. "Then I pronounce you husband and wife, for all eternity."


    Alekzandor pulled Alyson to him, and kissed her deeply, when they finally parted, she noticed that Balor''s two sons, Kane and Kale, had left. She didn''t have time to think about that as Olivia rushed forward and hugged her tightly before pushing back again, kneeling down and nuzzling Alyson''s stomach.


    "Oh my sweet great granddaughter! You will be so loved!"


    Alyson smiled. "A girl? It''s a girl!?"


    "Well," Olivia said slowly as she stood before smiling at Alyson. "This one will be."


    "We''re going to have more than one?" Alekzandor asked amazed.


    Olivia nodded eagerly. "Oh yes, you two are going to have a lot of children."


    "Say what now?" Alyson asked.


    Hektor nodded. "Alyson''s base power as a Divine is imagination, which goes quite handy with insanity, but if you''ve noticed, she''d got a few more leaking out all over the place."


    Alekzandor nodded. "I had thought it would be creativity."


    "I thought it would be love." Thalia said looking over at her father. "Since she was able to look past everything negative and accept him anyway."


    "I thought acceptance myself." Graeson said.


    "I thought life." Balor said. "Since he works so closely with death, and she got pregnant rather quickly."


    Hektor shook his head. "She has all of those things in her yes, but they are not her powers to control, in truth, she''s going to give birth to the Divines who will have those powers. Her power, is imagination."


    "So, I''m going to have four children?" Alyson asked.


    "Oh heavens no." Hektor said shaking his head before smiling. "You two are going to have ten."


    "Ten!?" Alyson and Alekzandor repeated shocked.


    Hektor looked at Alekzandor. "Can you honestly tell me you''ll be able to keep your hands off of her?"


    Alekzandor gave a nod of his head in agreement. "I think I need to sit down."


    "You need to sit down?" Alyson said. "I''m the one carrying and birthing ten babies."


    "You''re right." Alekzandor said sitting on a cushioned bench and pulled her down with him. "You should sit too, and stay down for awhile. Conserve the energy."


    "Ten babies." She said resting her head against his shoulder.


    "Mine for eternity." He said kissing her head.


    - - - - - -


    Rick stared furiously at the couple before him. Alyson wasn''t a victim after all, she had willingly played along. Let him and his friends be captured, tortured, even hurt, and did nothing. In fact, she had even helped. Now, to top it all off, she was marrying the evil Divine? She was pregnant!? He had been played for a fool. She was pregnant before all of this, meaning they had been together more than once, more than just this crazy day. They had planned this from the get go to destroy him. And to add insult to injury, the Divines were playing along and were making her a Divine. She was not worthy of Divinity. She was a cheating bitch, the scum of the earth and deserved nothing!


    He blinked, and found he was laying on his bed in his bedroom. He sat up slowly, unsure if he should even believe any of this. Could this really be real? Was he really home? Had it all just been a really horrible night mare? That had to be it, yes. It had all been just a bad bad dream. One where his worse fears and jealousy had taken hold and showed him a twisted fucked up scenario. That couldn''t have happened. Sweet, innocent, obedient little Alyson would never ever do anything to hurt him so much. It was just a bad dream. It had to be. Right?


    As if in answer, the pain in his hands returned. Yes, he was home, and no, it wasn''t a dream. It had all been real. The proof was his hands. broken, mangled, and bloody. The only reason he hadn''t felt the pain or lost enough blood to kill him before was because of where he had been, and Alekzandor had wanted Rick to suffer.


    His parents came through the door, screamed that the sight of his hands and rushed him to the hospital. They kept asking, how did he get his hands in such a state, he didn''t give an answer, he didn''t want anyone to know the truth. But that desire was for not. Within a matter of hours, the whole world knew the truth.


    - - - - -


    It was all over the news, the internet, and was soon made public knowledge world wide. The whole world went positively crazy with the news.  Not only had those who bad mouthed and insulted Alekzandor been punished, but they were released by it as well. A show of mercy, and a warning.


    Rick''s former friends told the truth to everyone, repeating the story for several days after they returned. They had broken Alekzandor''s candles, Rick had started it, and they had continued it. Thinking nothing would happen, and they wouldn''t suffer for the crime they had just committed. They had been wrong. They had all been sucked into the Realm of Insanity by Alekzandor himself. They tried to describe the pain they felt traveling to the realm, but they didn''t do the experience justice with their words.


    They explained how they suffered in the realm it''s self. Going into detail about the many punishments they saw, and what stories they were told by those who suffered there. They told  how they were ''killed'' then reappeared in a prison on the Divine''s home. Unable to be heard, unable to be seen. Not knowing if they would ever go home. They explained how they found Alyson along the way, and how she was the one who had Alekzandor release them.


    Alyson, another reason the world went into a uproar. There was another Divine. Appearing in every home on the alters of the mortals was a brand new candle. Silver with black and sky blue designs on it. The temple officials each received a message. Who the new Divine was, what her power was, and to whom she was now married.


    Ethan and Angel were so proud of their daughter, but they chose to remain out of the spot light, they gave one story. One where they explained everything that happened with Magdalena, and how they believed Alekzandor started his punishment for her in life, gave them back sanity, and then fell in love with Alyson. Ethan went on to say that he had seen Alekzandor when they were at the hospital, and how he had a feeling that something like this was going to happen. He was glad that it did, because Alyson had loved Alekzandor since childhood. She never believed he was evil, and she would have conversations with him, play with him all the time. They had feared it at the time, but they realized now it was wrong to. She knew all along, he was not evil. He was one of their Divines, and he deserved their respect.


    The world didn''t punish Rick or his friends. His friends were accepted back into society, and were able to get on with their lives. Rick however, was not. He was shunned, abandoned, even disowned by his very parents. The world did it''s very best to punish him more. He had committed a heinous crime after all. His hands, could not be saved. Or rather, they refused to put in the time and effort it would take to save them. It would require the rebreaking of bones, of several surgeries to fix the damage that had been done. Even then, he wouldn''t get the full use of his hands back. Maybe 50% of it back, if they had the best surgeons and doctors doing the work, but all of the best refused. Instead, his hands were removed, and he was left alone. The world ignored his very existence. If that was the punishment that Alekzandor was going to bestow on them for their crime, well then the world would do that to Rick in life.


    - - - - - -


    A month  after his return, Rick laid in his bed, and refused to open his eyes. He couldn''t, wouldn''t, accept anything that was happening to him. Reality was lying. It had to be.


    His parents had upped and left. They had dropped him off at the hospital. While there, his traitorous former friends told the falsehood of the story the Divines wanted them to tell. He had hoped he could get a hold of them and tell him not to tell that story. They had been the victims. Play things of an evil Divines and concubine.  The traitorous wench that was his former fiance. But no, now the whole world believed that Alekzandor was not evil, that he was just another Divine, and Alyson was had joined their ranks and the whole thing was to celebrated. It was shortly after that his parents disappeared, and his whole life started to go to hell.


    As if that traitorous wench and that fucking evil twisted son of a bitch Divine didn''t do enough to him, the hospital took his hands. He couldn''t even have the pleasure of jacking off anymore. People avoided him, even ignored him, and as soon as they were able to discharge him, they did. His parents didn''t take his calls, none of his friends did. Ethan and Angel eventually gave him a ride home. The only, and last, act of charity they were ever going to give, they said. When he walked into his home, he saw most of it had been cleaned out. At first he thought they had been robbed. Then, they found a note from his parents.


    Rick,


    You have sinned far greater than any we could ever forgive. We had hoped that we could turn things around for you, and you would become the man we always thought you''d grow up to be. But now we realize thats not going to happen.


    We''re sorry son, maybe someday we can reconcile this and be a family again, but right now, we just can''t.


    We love you, but we can''t.


    It was written in his mothers hand writing, he knew his mother would want to leave some kind of explanation, but his father wouldn''t. He knew he would never see his father again. Once his father wrote someone off, that was it. There was no going back again for him.


    Rick had little to no human contact after that. People avoided him, and that was fine by him, most of the time. If they were going side with quack pot of a Divine and his whore, then he wanted nothing to do with any of them. Only when he needed food, did he contact people. But not even that was with an actual person, he was given a system to help him since had no hands, and the devices he now had weren''t very good. He pressed a button, spoke what he wanted, and someone would drop it off at the door. He didn''t know how he was able to pay for all of it, but he didn''t care. He got food when he wanted, clean clothes when he needed, and somehow his house was kept clean. But he never saw a single person.


    When he ventured out into town, not even the diseased ridden prostitutes, or the ones desperate for their next meal would blow him. All of his former side bitches pretended like they didn''t know him. He was blue balling worse now than he had since he was a teenager. Even that hadn''t been this bad.


    So he laid in bed. Eyes closed, and pretending that all of this was just another nightmare, but knowing that it was no use. It was his reality. However much he hated that fact. There had to be something he could do, something to regain who he used to be. Something to get revenge against the Devil and his slut. Something. . . .


    He opened his eyes now, and smiled a bit. Perhaps there was something he could do after all. It would be awhile before he did it though. Despite the fact that he was ignored, he knew he was being watched like a hawk. People just waiting for him to make another move and they could punish him more than they already were. But, it would be worth it in the end. Soon, he would Alyson back, and he would make that little bitch pay for what she did to him before he killed her. If she was still pregnant, well then that devil''s spawn wouldn''t survive the night. He would see Alekzandor demoted to a mortal, and he would kill the Devil.


    Yes. Soon. All would be the way it was, and all would be right in the world.


    - - - - - - -


    A/N


    well, hope you enjoyed this chapter! I''m working on the next one now.


    in case you weren''t already aware, yes, book one is coming to an end, but no worries, plans for book two are coming to mind, so there may not be too long to wait for book two.


    In the mean time, I''ve got another chapter to start, and after that, a day full of plans that I need to get to.


    WD

 Book One : Realm of Madness // Chapter Eleven

    Time in the Divine realm seemed to pass by so quickly. Before long, Alyson was nine months pregnant, and her acclimation into being a Divine was complete. Usually it took a year, but for her, it took half that time. Everyone was impressed, even Kane and Kale. She was the Divine of Imagination, her candles were now in every home, and her statue was added to the temples. Her own temples were almost complete around the world.


    Because of the story that Ivan, Gavin, Maxy, and Jameson told, Alekzandor went from being hated, or being respected, and slightly more feared over night. People were praying. Some offering thanks for finding Alyson so those who needed her now had someone to pray to, the rest were to ask for forgiveness. Others made similar requests like Alyson, and asked for help to get out of terrible situations.


    Having been told what his realm was like, people wanted to avoid going to it if they could, or at least, lesson their punishment. They asked for tasks, ways to repent their sins while still on earth.


    Alekzandor was overwhelmed by all of the happiness inside of him. He had a beautiful wife who loved him as much as he loved her, a baby on the way. A baby girl at that. Knowing the gender before hand, allowed Alyson a lot of time to prepare the room, and many many things for the baby. His family visited a lot more often than they did before, his parents and grandparents being the most popular. Olivia and Thalia were very fond of Alyson, and also the clothes and quilts she had taken to making for them. They also enjoyed the stories that she also found the time to keep creating.


    Alekzandor had even reconciled with his mother. Alyson had fallen asleep in the chair one morning, so Alekzandor had laid her down in the bedroom and saw his company out.


    "Mom." He said stopping her.


    She looked back at him concerned. "What is it darling?"


    He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. "I love you too. I''m sorry I never realized how much you suffered having me as your son."


    Thalia broke down into tears and hugged her son back. "Oh my boy. I never suffered because of you, I suffered for you. You accept everything far too easily, and I suffered the pain so you didn''t have to. I just wanted to see you happy, to see you smile like you did before you got your powers and they went out of control."


    He pulled back and wiped away his own tears. "I can only hope I have more grace and tact than you did if I have the same problem with my little girl."


    Thalia smacked his shoulder, but left with Graeson grinning.


    The second most popular to visit was Balor. Having a lot more in common with Alekzandor than he had initially realized, the two had lengthy conversations, and Balor loved to battle the creatures that were in constant creation in that realm. He often hunted, battled, or offered advice on punishments when he visited.


    Alekzandor''s work load also quadrupled overnight. He didn''t mind, he worked just as easily, and efficiently as he did before. Because of the mass number of followers now, several more temples were being built in his honor. For those were sincere in their desire for redemption, he gave them missions, tasks, or instructions on what to do so they could. Depending on their level of corruption, the more difficult it was. Some were told that they had to drop their lives and commit themselves to his temples for the remainder of their lives. Some, did that anyway, despite not having sinned at all.


    There were some requests, and if Alekzandor could, he granted them. There was one, that he did without question. A man prayed to him in tears. For years, his wife had been insane after a car accident that gave her brain damage, and she was never the same again, and it was getting worse. Now, she was completely comatose, and there was no way to save her. He begged and pleased with Alekzandor to save his wife.


    He did. Alekzandor knew the pain the man was feeling all too well, and he wouldn''t wish that pain on anyone who didn''t deserve it. So the next morning when the husband woke in the hospital, his wife woke as well. Completely cure.


    It was this act that had him being labeled a miracle worker, and the love from the mortals for him got stronger.


    He had never been so happy in all of his life. Never before had it surrounded him in such a way. He couldn''t imagine things going back to the way they were before, and he didn''t want them to. He wanted things to stay the way they were now, forever.


    - - - - -


    Alyson was doing fantastic. Serenity, Olivia, and Graeson were all a bit concerned on how she would adapt to the mortals praying, but they''re concern proved to be foolish. Alyson was able to do it with such ease they were jealous of her quick transition. She was able to live her life in the Divine realm, and answer prayers with ease just like they did.


    The first thing she did was make Alekzandor''s home more of a home. Instead of a single temple like space, it became smaller, with kitchen enclosed to the left, and an office so Alekzandor could do some work in peace if wanted to. She kept the columns, she liked the way the looked for the main room and the bedrooms, but the kitchen and bathrooms were closed off for the most part. There were very large windows. Alekzandor did alter the master bathroom so it had the columns he liked so much. He had the view over looking the ocean and Alyson didn''t complain.


    All of her projects were brought over from the mortal realm, gifts from Alekzandor''s parents. A room was created with endless supplies for anything she might need. A gift from Olivia and Hektor. Saying, soon, it would just be for her, it would be for her children as well.


    Alekzandor had thought being pregnant and acclimating would slow her down, he''d been wrong. If anything, she was lighting up the whole realm with her constant working. Even when she was asleep, there seemed to be a constant pale glow coming from her. She created clothes for her new family members, quilts for their beds, and was constantly working on something for the baby''s room. Every time family visited, they had to check on the progress of the room.


    When he was done slaying the beasts, Balor would sit and either chat for awhile with the couple, or just watch with keen interest as his newest niece would work. Sometimes he watched Alekzandor work, but most of the time, he watched Alyson. The baby was growing, and doing well according to Olivia and Hektor. The baby though, was now referred to as Alyss. Alyss was healthy, and the Divines were eager for the second girl born a Divine. Most of the ones currently inhabiting the Divine realm were made Divines.


    "Aren''t you annoyed?" Balor couldn''t help but ask one afternoon.


    "About what?" Alekzandor asked confused.


    "That you''re having a girl." Balor said thinking about how he would have reacted if he had been told his children were girls. Not that he didn''t like girls, at the time, he was still of the battle mind, and sons were the preferred choice for a warrior.


    Alekzandor looked at him absolutely baffled. "Why wouldn''t I be anything but happy?"


    They both looked back out the window. Instead of the house being up in the air now, it was beside the beach, and Alyson walked along the waters edge in a white skirt and shirt, her hair billowing back in the wind. Even without the sunlight on her she was glowing brightly. Her growing belly was exposed as she walked. Trotting along beside her were the small blue elephants and Bass. Bass never seemed to leave her side anymore.  With the due date drawing closer and closer, he refused to leave his charge.


    "I have a beautiful wife, one I love very very much. It would be an insult to her beauty to not have at least one daughter to carry that beauty on. I can already picture that baby girl. I love her so much my heart aches, and I can''t wait to hold her in my arms."


    Balor left that day thinking about what Alekzandor had said. He went home and watched his own wife, who was fast asleep in the hammock under a patch of shade. Her long pale red hair flowing out from the hammock and nearly trailing the ground. She was a beauty his wife, and no other would ever take her place, or even come close to it in his heart. No other woman stirred him the way she did. He knew that was the way Hektor intended marriage to be in the Divine realm.


    Alekzandor had been dark, reclusive, and very anti social before Alyson. After discovering her, he started to smile. They were small, but they were there. Now, they were full and heart felt. There was a light in his eyes that was never there before. He knew it wasn''t all Alyson, part of that look in his nephew''s eyes was because of his unborn daughter.


    Serenity woke while he stood back thinking and looked at him concerned. "What''s the matter my warrior?"


    "You know I love you right?"


    She stood and went over to him, taking his hand one of hers and using the other to caress his cheek. "Of course I do my love."


    He fell silent, thinking about what a daughter with Serenity might look like, be like. For days he thought about that little girl, and then he started to see her. A little thing, like her mother. Their boys had been burly like him, and rough looking when they got older. She had his brown eyes, but her mother pale red hair. She had a musical laugh, and was always smiling, dressed in bright colors, and had flowers woven around the crown of her head just like her mother. He saw her in his dreams every night, always shadowing Serenity. One night, she turned and looked at him smiling brightly. She couldn''t have been more than two or three. She held her arms up laughing.


    "Daddy!"


    Her voice was so clear, like a bell. He stood frozen in shock for a moment. Clearly not the response she had been expecting, she broke down crying. It broke his heart. In that moment, he realized he already loved his daughter, before she was even born. He ran to console her, waking up once the little being was in his arms. Teary eyes closed, sucking on her thumb as he murmured words of comfort. He woke shortly after she had fallen asleep in his arms. His daughter wasn''t even conceived yet, and she already had her big burly father wrapped around her little finger.


    Balor started to bring Serenity with him whenever he went to Alekzandor''s realm. She didn''t complain. She loved to visit Alyson, and sometimes the two would end up going back to their realm for flowers. He wanted her around Alyson more, because he wanted her to start wanting another baby. Because he already knew he did. He wanted his baby girl.


    - - - - -


    Alyson sat at the edge of the surf, staring out over the black water with the neon life glowing beneath the waves. Alyss was stirring within her, so sleep wasn''t possible at the moment. The waves came in and cooled her scorching feet. Didn''t matter what she did with them, they were still burning hot at all times. Had to be the pregnancy. While the sickness had stopped sometime back, she still got dizzy, and the heavier she got with her baby, the dizzier she got, and the hotter and heavier her feet became.


    "You need some sleep." Alekzandor yawned as he came out of the bedroom to join her. Another chair materializing so he could sit beside her. "Alyss will be here any day now, and from what I hear, we won''t be sleeping much."


    Alyson chuckled a bit as she stroked the huge mound that was now her belly. "I''ll be alright. I''m just catching up on some of the prayers."


    "How are things in the mortal realm?" He asked resting his own hand on her belly, grinning when his baby girl kicked his hand. "Ethan and Angel alright with the kids?"


    Alyson nodded. "Yes, I had Hektor grant their request that the knowledge they are my parents fall out of peoples minds. There won''t be another afternoon like that. At least my niece and baby sister are alright."


    "The temples?"


    "Are finished, and people are flowing in with requests, or just to say congrats." She said with a smile.


    "Well you should have answered the man instead of thinking about how best to paint a room she''s probably not even going to use for a couple of years." Alekzandor scolded her in a teasing tone.


    "I couldn''t help it!" She insisted. "I needed to decide on what kind of theme I wanted for the babies room. What one would fit this little miss."


    "And you decided on the theme you have, why?"


    She looked back toward the house, seeing the baby''s room in her minds eyes. Pale lavender walls with pink swirls to represent a breeze blowing. Willows trees painted black on every wall with lime green leaves. The walls dotted with stars at the top and fairies on the bottom. "It just fit Alyss."


    "I almost expected a wonderland theme." He chuckled sitting back.


    "Well, I had planed that originally, and while I have a feeling that may be one in the future, that''s the not the case now." She said sighing and looking up at the sky.


    Alekzandor materialized a bed beneath them. "Seeing''s as we''re not going to get back to our bed tonight, we might as well sleep comfortably here."


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.She chuckled, "You mean, you will sleep comfortably."


    Before Alekzandor could make a remark, Alyson was bent forward, her head in her hands screaming till she was out of breath and passed out. Alekzandor was blinded by the pain that seemed to put cracks in his skull. When his sight returned he quickly scooped Alyson up in his arms and brought them before his grandparents. He''d worry about the fact that he just saw them both naked later.


    "Please!" He sobbed. "Something''s wrong!"


    Olivia was instantly covered by the silk robe Alyson had made for her and kneeling in front of him, looking him over as Hektor laid Alyson down on the bed.


    "Please!" He broke. "Are they . . . are they . . ."


    He couldn''t even bring himself to finish the thought let alone the question. Hektor looked back at him visibly relieved. "She''s alright, and so''s Alyss."


    Alekzandor calmed a great deal and crawled over to the bed. "What happened? One minute we fine, the next, my skulls falling apart and she''s screaming like someone''s stabbing her, and then unconscious."


    Hektor had a grim look on his face. "It''s Rick."


    Alekzandor looked up at his grandfather. "What?"


    "The mortal who thinks that she was his." He explained. "He''s blown up a couple of her temples, set off grenades in yours, and written slander in the temple of the Divine couples."


    "To what end?" Olivia asked furiously. "He''s not going to get anything out of this."


    "But he thinks he will." Hektor said shaking his head. "The boy thinks he will win a battle against the gods."


    "Then let''s show him, just how wrong he is." Balor''s voice filled the air.


    Alekzandor looked up toward the doorway. His uncle was standing there looking furious. "I know you feel about interfering with mortals father, but again, I say this time can''t be helped. The last time a severe crime was committed, and it''s been committed again. Look at what''s happened to our newest family member? She''s already so precious to us, and that baby she''s carrying as well. This cannot go unpunished."


    "I agree with you." Hektor said firmly. His forest green eyes glowed bright then returned to normal. "The temples have returned to normal, you and Alyson should start feeling better any moment now."


    Alyson shot up off the bed gasping for air, and the pain in Alekzandor''s skull had subsided. He scooped her into his arms and hugged her tightly. "Oh my love, I was so worried."


    She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him as tightly as her weak arms would allow. "I''m sorry."


    He pulled back and took her face in his hands. "Never apologize for that again! You did nothing wrong!"


    "Then what happened? Why was I in so much pain?"


    He sighed and rested his forehead against her own. "Rick apparently has a few more tricks up his sleeves than we had anticipated."


    She looked up at him, her arms wrapping around her belly and the baby within it. "Then deal with it. Once and for all."


    Olivia sat beside Alyson, and rested a hand on her shoulder. "You need to rest precious. It''s not good for you and the baby to be so stressed. Get some sleep, I''ll be with you, so will Serenity."


    The two women laid down on either side of Alyson, encased in patience and peace, the exhausted Alyson immediately fell asleep. Serenity and Olivia following suit soon after. The men stayed until they knew that the women weren''t going to wake up before leaving the house.


    "What''s the state in the mortal realm?" Alekzandor asked his grandfather.


    "Frozen at the moment."


    Alekzandor looked at his grandfather shocked. "You froze time!?"


    "I don''t like doing, but it can be done, and it needed done in this case." Hektor explained. "I can''t hold still for more than a day."


    "Still, that''s pretty powerful." Alekzandor said impressed.


    Hektor smiled. "Just wait till your son gets a hold of the power."


    "Son- !?" Alekzandor chocked.


    "This is all very touching and all, but what''s the plan?" Balor asked drawing them back to the matter at hand.


    Hektor nodded to Alekzandor. "He has point on this one."


    Alekzandor looked at his grandfather and uncle. "I have an idea, but it will take some time, and I don''t feel comfortable leaving the woman while we''re doing this."


    Balor whistled, and his sons appeared before them. "You two, stand guard."


    "What for!?" Kale whined. "We''re Divines, nothing can hurt us."


    "Now you listen here boy!" Balor thundered at his son. "Just because we''re Divines, doesn''t mean there isn''t something more out there that can''t hurt us. Hektor, Alekzandor, and I are the strongest ones here for now, and we have a job we need to see to."


    "He''s just one pathetic mortal." Kane said in the same defiant tone Kale had used. "What harm can he do?"


    "A great deal, if he causes the just right amount of trouble." Hektor said.


    The two of them were silent for a moment before Kane nodded. "What do you need us to do?"


    "I need you stand guard over your mother, and your cousin."


    "I''m going home." Kale said and turned to leave. "I will not protect a former mortal."


    "Kale!" Kane said firmly. "You bear in mind our mother, and grandmother used to be mortal as well. I know you care about them at the very least. For whatever reason, we are needed to add an extra layer of protection. So we will. However you feel about the newest member of our family, her baby is a born Divine like us. I believe what they mean by standing guard, is to help the women and go warn them should the baby come early due to all of the stress on the first time mother."


    Kale looked at Kane. "Fine, then you guard them."


    With that he vanished in a swirl of air that was his power. Kane shook his head and looked back toward his family. "I''ll stay."


    "Are there any threats close by we need to be concerned about?" Hektor asked.


    Kane shook his head. "I haven''t felt anything that could be threatening, so you''re good to go." He looked to his cousin. "I suggest you bring in your father and mother. One can guard Alyson''s mortal family while the other can assist me."


    "Do you think it''s necessary?" Alekzandor asked.


    Kane shrugged. "Considering that this mortal took down several temples, and trashed a dozen more single handedly, I wouldn''t doubt that he as other threats where we can''t see them. Something''s not right here brethren. I would feel more comfortable with reinforcements."


    Alekzandor threw his head back, "Mom! I need you! Bring dad!"


    Immediately his mother appeared. "What do you need and how I can help?"


    Alekzandor gestured with his head. "Kane will explained, he''s up to speed. He''ll give you each a task. Take it seriously please. I need to go deal with a problem."


    He turned and went to the mortal realm where time stood still. There was Rick, but, it wasn''t the Rick he remembered from nine months ago. Kane had been right, something more was going on here, and this one was a threat to them. He had never seen this manner of creature before, he wasn''t even sure what it was, but he could feel it''s power from where he stood, and he knew it was threat to even the Divines.


    "What is that!?"


    "I don''t know." Balor said, if Alekzandor didn''t know any better, he could have sworn he heard fear in his uncles voice. "I''ve never seen anything like that before."


    "It''s a demon." Hektor said in a dark tone neither Balor or Alekzandor had ever heard before. They turned to look at him, and Hektor sighed, realizing he would have to explain. "The universe if far complicated than you think. Parallel dimensions, vast universes in each one. The one similar to this one, the one I came from, had creatures like this. We called them demons, but we weren''t quiet sure what they were, but they also didn''t come from that world, but bled out from another."


    "You come from another universe?" Alekzandor asked.


    Hektor shook his head. "No a parallel dimension. My parents, and several others, were turned into Gods when the last of one died. They had me some years later, and when I was grown, helped with the war to get rid of this vermin. It wasn''t easy, we lost a couple of Gods along the way. My own brother was one of them. When I found this realm, and saw that the demons were coming here to infect it, I decided to take action. I came through from another dimension, and closed all the barrier to and from other worlds. I knew I would never see my family again, but in return, I kept this world safe from the evil that sought it. It would appear, that one got through before I managed to close them all, and has been biding it''s time for years."


    "Can we kill it?" Balor asked looking at it.


    "Yes, but this won''t be an easy task."


    Alekzandor looked back at the demon surrounding Rick, "Yeah, like any of us thought it would be."


    "What do we do?" Balor asked, not bother to hide his nervous tone. "I know you said Alekzandor got point on this one father, but do we still want to do that."


    "If Alekzandor feels like he''s not up for the task, then I will step in in his place, but his family is the one being threatened. We owe it to him to let him try to take care of the threat and merely help him before we try to take over the task."


    Alekzandor looked to his uncle. "What''s the plan nephew?"


    Alekzandor looked at the scene in front of him. Rick was clearly possessed by the demon. How or what ever had Rick accepting that kind of union was beyond him, but Alekzandor could tell from where he stood that the magic required for such a union needed permission on both parties first. Rick appeared to be normal. Almost a years worth of living as the scum of the earth had the obvious effects, but those were the only physical changes. Now, the demon surrounded him as well as resided within him. His pulsing black and red hued aura wrapped around him and came off his edges like a mist. His eyes had a red ring around them, further indication of the possession. Where he had no hands before, he now had black charred flesh topped with elongated nails filed down into claws. Rick also radiated the demons power. He gave the demon a host, and the demon was loaning Rick his power.


    Despite that, he could still see the tendrils of both beings mind. Both were laced with insanity. This, he could use to his advantage. He inspected the insanity of both of them, and saw the memories they carried. He was now armed with knowledge, and he had a feeling it prove useful.


    He looked back at his family with a grin. "I think I might actually have a plan."


    - - - - - - -


    Kane sat in one of the wicker lawn chairs, tapping at the material with his knuckles, not looking at anything in particular. Thalia was leaning against the door frame of the cottage, her eyes also off in the distance, but he had a feeling she was actually looking at something he wasn''t. They both stayed where they were, waiting for some kind of news.


    Graeson had elected to go down and stand guard over Alyson''s mortal family, while Kane didn''t particularly care for mortals, he knew everyone here had a soft spot for them. And since Alyson came from them, he knew they would die to protect them if need be. Though he highly doubted that was going to happen.


    They both looked up at each other when the update came. He jumped to his feet, calling out to his brother while Thalia rushed inside. He noticed the glint of a weapon in her hands that hadn''t been there before. He could hear the voices from inside, and knew the rest of the women had been told what was happening.


    "What is it this time!?" Kale demanded.


    "We need you here."


    Kale rolled his eyes. "I already said, I''ll say it again, there''s nothing that can hurt us, and I''m going to stand here and defend a goddamn mortal!"


    "Things have changed!" Kane yelled at him. "Like it or not there are things that can hurt us! This thing our brethren are going up against is one of them! It''s a demon! You need to stay here where you can be safe! Where you can help me protect our family!"


    Kale rolled his eyes again. "I''m leaving, they''re just a bunch of former mortals."


    "They''re after the baby!" Kane shouted at him. "A born divine! Does that change your mind!?"


    Kale looked back at him with cold and serious eyes. "It''s currently residing in the body of a former mortal, it can die with her if it''s meant to."


    - - - - -


    Alyson, having heard everything that was said, broke down crying, holding her belly, trying to protect the baby inside.


    - - - - -


    A/N


    Well this not how the original outline intended the story to go, but I''ve already made so many changes, and I didn''t want there to be an anticlimactic ending. In the original idea there was something like a court battle. I like the way this is going to end things a lot more.


    Hope you guys like it too. More to come! Promise Promise!


    WD

 Book One : Realm of Madness // Chapter Twelve

    Rick looked around and admired the chaos around him. He hadn''t been sure he could even pull this off, but he''d been able to, and it was a beauty. If destroying candles brought pain, then he looked forward to seeing what damage ruined temples would bring. Everything was falling into his place, and he knew just who to thank for that. Three months ago, things hadn''t been so great, and he frowned at the memories as they played through his head.


    - - - - - -


    Showering was an issue, so he was never quite clean anymore. His hair hadn''t been washed since he return from the realm of the devil, and no matter what, there was always the smell of urine one him, because without his hands, he''s couldn''t aim little rick properly. He didn''t even want to begin to think about what the lack of being able to use toilet paper did to his rear after six months.


    He broke every mirror in his house to avoid looking at his reflection. He avoided going out into public if he could help. Except for those nights when he was insane with need and sought out release from anyone, or anything. Hell, he''d fuck a snake if he thought the could get him off. But every time he lost his mind and went out, he met with the same end. Alone, crying, with a painful painful hard on, in some dark alley till he finally regained enough of his sanity to get up and walk home before anyone important saw him.


    It was on one of these nights that his luck had changed. He went out, half mad with lust, and a burning desire to get himself off. He stalked through the alley''s looking for her, this was when she got off work, so she should be within sight shortly. Suddenly, there she was. A vicious beauty, sporting a tall frame with just enough curves to make men chase her. Currently her blonde hair was down, and she was wearing a skin tight red dress, with red stiletto heals. They clicked as she walked down the side walk. She was alone, and there was no one around, it was now, or never.


    "Addie." He said from the shadows.


    She flinched visibly, then turned toward him. Having recognized his voice saved them from having the mix up of a crazy stalker. "What do you want!?"


    Now he flinched at her words. "A shower would be nice, been having some issues with that. After that a decent home cooked meal, and from there, who knows, we''ll just see how the night goes."


    "Ugh! Rick it''s never EVER that simple. It''s never, ''let''s see where the night goes.'' You always want a blow job, or a quick easy fuck that stays between us. Alyson was never supposed to know, like my father and whatever husband I was looking into was supposed to know." She stamped her foot and glared at him. "Well I told you back then, and I''m tell you now, the answer is no damn it! You know the last time we fucked around I got pregnant, I would have had the baby too, but after everything that happened, I risked worse than my father disowning me. I had to dig into my savings to get an abortion."


    "You . . ." he chocked on the words. She was pregnant!? With his baby? And she killed it!? That would have been the one person in the entire world who could have loved him now, and she killed it!?


    She turned and walked away, leaving him to stumble back into the alley shadows breaking down crying. This time, not just because of the unsedated lust. There had been a Rick Jr, and he never got the chance to know that baby. He had always planned on having children with that wench, but now that she was a Devil''s whore, that was impossible. Besides she was carrying a Devil''s spawn, and there was no chance he''d have anything to do with that creature unless it involved killing the damn thing.


    With the way his life was now, he was never going to have a wife, he was never going to have children. Addie killed his one chance at fatherhood, at having a family. They could have been a great family, and she destroyed that chance. Well, now she was another name to add to the list of people he was going to kill in a horrific way once he put his plans into motion.


    "You do know that in your current state, those plans will never come to pass."


    Rick froze. That voice, he heard it, but it wasn''t like any voice he''d ever heard before. It was similar to the ones he ones he''d heard when he was in Hell. This one was far more chaotic, this one promised to do damage, because it had the power to do so. He slowly looked up from the ground, expecting to see a vicious monster standing before him, but there wasn''t one. There wasn''t even a physical form for him to be afraid of. Instead, there was floating mass of black, as if it were thickly packed fog. It was so dark, he could see it clearly despite the already darkness in the alley. What really set the thing off from the rest of the place, was the blood red glowing eyes. Interest reflected in them as they stared at him.


    "What are you?" He asked.


    He knew it was cliche, but in his defense, he didn''t exactly have all his wits about him. And to be fair, there was a freaking ghost of darkness talking to him.


    "What I am . . . does not matter." The ghost answered him patiently. "What matters, is that I can help you."


    "Help me? How?" He was desperate this point, so much so that yes, he would even listen to a ghost, who may or may not be there.


    The ghost chuckled. Rick hadn''t been aware ghosts could do that. "I am something with power, but am unable to use it. I could, lend it to you, if you want."


    It spoke suggestively, like a hooker looking to be taken home by the highest bidder. Trying to tempt him with what he wanted. Well, it was working.


    "Why would you lend your power to me?"


    "Like I said, I am unable to wield my power. I need a physical form, something I am lacking in this moment." The Ghost said drifting closer to Rick. "But if you let me rest inside your body, I can regain my full power, and you can use what reserves I have until. You will want to be clean for your revenge I imagine."


    "I don''t need to clean like I once was." Rick snapped at the ghost. "I want that damned devil and his family of heretics to see what they made of me. To see how much damage they did to me, and then make them suffer for it!"


    "So you want to make a God suffer, not an easy task you have created."


    "It may not be easy, but I will find a way."


    "Not as you are." The Ghost said with a tone of sympathy. "You are a mortal, they are gods. You cannot battle them even if you were at your best. What would you have done? Taken them to court? What good will that have done. You know very well that they planned this all from the beginning. Going through it by the rules will accomplish nothing."


    "What are you suggesting?"


    The Ghost drifted even more closer. "Simply that you allow me to reside in your body. I am weary mortal Rick. I have been without a host for far too long, and I have no more power, other than my reserves to show for it. I need a host to do anything. If you allow me to reside in you, I can regain my former power, and together, we can make the Gods you so detest pay for what they have done to you."


    Rick was not foolish enough to think this came without a price. "What''s in it for you?"


    "The Devil Spawn you so desire to kill. . . ."


    "What of it?"


    "You must let it live."


    "Why the fuck would I do that!? That little shit ruined my life!"


    "No, it the woman who betrayed you and the God who lured her who ruined your life." The Ghost corrected in that ever patient tone. "The child is innocent. But since you asked so nicely, I will answer as to why you should. I need a host, otherwise I cannot use my power and enjoy the pleasures of Earth. Do you really think I wish to reside in a mortal body? Mortals die, and the body will still age. I need permission to even enter a body, so hopping from one mortal to the next is not exactly an option for me. I require the child, because I need a body that will live forever, and has more power than I currently possess. While a full grown God would be preferable, I would never be able to get their permission to reside in their body. I have been around long enough to witness the bonds that holds them together. Even the ones who rebel would never allow me to possess them and would surely slay me before I could try again with another. The child will fresh, new, innocent, without a will of its of own other than its basic needs for survival. I can claim that body as my new one."


    Rick stared at the ghost for a long time before speaking. "So, you''ll let me use your power, and when it''s time, you want me to enact my revenge, but leave the baby unharmed so you take over it instead?"


    "I will not be taking over your body, more like resting in the background, perhaps offering advice when needed, but other than that misunderstanding, yes. That is my deal."


    Rick didn''t answer right away, he merely thought over what the ghost was offering him. A chance of revenge, a chance to actually do what no one had done before, take down a god. But, if what the Ghost was offering as true, not just the one who ruined him, but them all. Before it had been a fantasy, taking them all down, realistically, he visualized he could only destroy one. Now he had a chance to kill them all. Actually kill them all. But to do so, he needed to merge with this ghost to have access to it''s powers, and in return, the baby Alyson was carrying, was to be left alive. An easy enough demand he supposed. But what would happen to him after the ghost left his body in favor for the other?


    "Did I mention you would get hands? Actual hands again, and you could finally do something about that lust?"


    Rick looked up at him now, "And just what would I do about it?"


    "Well, that Addie woman who wronged you has stopped down the way and is chatting on the phone as she waits for her ride."


    Rick grinned, "Hop on in Blackie."


    One blink, and the ghost was in front of him. Another blink, and he was alone in the alley once more, but not alone in his head. He could feel the demon there, sleeping he supposed, as it recovered it''s power, in the mean time, Rick had access to a little of it. He looked down, the metal rods that they had attached to his wrists to replace his hands were now laying on the ground, and his new hands moved as he tested them out. He thought it would be strange to have hands again, but it was as if they had never left him. The only visible proof that these were new hands was the fact that they were charred black with long nails. He could do some damage with those, he just needed to file them to points first.


    Before any of that though, there were two things he needed to do, and the first was right up the road, laughing at something that was said on the other end of her phone. He stalked in the shadows, unseen even though he was no longer in the alley. He grabbed, pulling her into the darkness with him. There, he ripped off her clothes, and took what had been denied him.


    He arrived home in the early dawn, licking the blood off of his new nails. He hadn''t expected he would like the taste of blood, but he supposed that''s what happens when one merges with a ghost of unknown origin. He walked up to the bathroom, and proceeded to clean himself up. The bathroom, the house, and his laundry was always cleaned, but he never saw who did it all, they went to great lengths to avoid him, and that was fine, the less he met people the better. He didn''t want to have to explain the new hands to them. He wanted to wait and save his killing sprees for those who actually deserved it.


    Cleaned for the first time in months, he laid down and slept like a baby.


    - - - - -


    Three months had passed since he made that deal, now the ghost in his head was at full power again, and together they brought down several of the temples, and he waited now, in the temple of the Divine couples, staring at the rubble that had been Alyson''s statue next to Alekzandor''s. He waited now for them to arrive. He knew they would, because he had after all, just committed that grievous sin again.


    Be wary. The ghost suddenly warned him. Your enemy has arrived.


    "Come on out Alekzandor!" He shouted. "I know you''re here."


    Alekzandor materialized at the entrance and inclined his head. "Impressive new skills you have there Rick. If I didn''t know any better, I''d swear you weren''t human anymore."


    "Oh I''m human." Rick assured him. Bring his arms up and flexing his hands. "Just a bit more than before."


    "A bit?" Alekzandor repeated. "Looks like you''ve traded those bloody stubs in for a couple of demon paws. Good job there buddy."


    "You are no friend of mine." Rick snarled at him. "And I lost my hands because you."


    "You were the one who chose to beat that glass to excessively." Alekzandor bought his hand up and pinched the bridge of his nose. "That sounded a lot less sexual in my head. Oh well, just goes to show, not everything you think should be spoken. A lesson I''ll have to remember to teach my daughter."


    Daughter? The child is a girl? The ghost groaned in his head. Damn it. I''ll have to make it procreate to get a damn boy.


    "Congrats on the little bitch."


    Alekzandor froze, and looked up at him. "Never call my daughter that again."


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Rick laughed. "What are you going to do huh? It''s not like you can attack me? I''m just as powerful as you are now. If you come at me, you''ll die. Which you will, just not before you''re on your knees in front me. I''ll call your wife, your daughter, any damn thing I want! They''re both devil whores anyway! Or at least, one of them will be once I''m done with you and your family."


    Rick blinked and Alekzandor was no longer in front him, and his senses could pick him up.


    BEHIND YOU!


    But the Ghosts warning came too late, and Rick was soon on his knees screaming. His back now bare to the world, a deep gash going down from his left shoulder, down to his right hip. Blood ran down and pooled at his knees. Alekzandor once again appeared in front of him.


    "Looks like you''re the one on his knees before me"


    Rick growled and ran at Alekzandor. His claws extended and his teeth bared.


    - - - - -


    Alekzandor jumped back, evading the attack. So far the plan was working perfectly. Neither Rick, nor the demon had yet to realize the transition that had been made. If he kept this up, soon the threat to him and his family would be eliminated, but it all banked on the demon not realizing they weren''t on Earth anymore.


    When they came to Rick at the temple, the place had been restored to it''s former glory. All of the temples were. Thankfully, there were no souls inside of the temples they needed to return to life, which would have drained more of Hektor''s power. After examining both of the minds within Rick''s body, he transported them all back to his realm, creating a place that looked exactly like destroyed temple. Only this time, Alekzandor let the full power of the realm hit Rick, and his mind was slowly being withered away.


    But, the demon would start to notice this, to keep that from happening too fast, Alekzandor blocked the attacks, even let Rick get a few hits in before rearing back and decking the man right in the face. Once the initial blow was made, Alekzandor punched several more times.


    "Never! Call! My Wife! My daughter! Devil Whores! AGAIN!" He shouted with each punch. Throwing in a kick here and there as he went.


    Rick knelt in a heap on the floor. Blood falling from his back, bruises and welts already appearing on his face. Alekzandor was somewhat breathless, but he was banking on being able to recover a lot faster than Rick. So far, the wounds showed no sign of healing, and his very soul was falling apart now.


    "FOOL!" A voice shouted from within Rick. "What have you done!? You''re soul is withering away!"


    "That''s just part of my natural charm." Alekzandor told the demon. "Any mortal I touch goes more and more insane till their very soul ceases to exist."


    Rick slowly stood again, but didn''t make it to his feet. Balor materialized, pulling out his swords and slicing Rick to pieces. Nothing was left but a bloody mess on the floor. The demon rose from the body screaming.


    "I will have that baby! I will have it! And you all will die!!!"


    "No we won''t!" Hektor thundered


    - - - -


    Hektor stepped forward as his son and grandson stepped back into the shadows. He knew they wanted desperately to go to their wives to make sure they were okay. But Alekzandor was needed to keep this illusion stable and see to it the demon didn''t escape, and Balor wasn''t about to leave until the threat had been eliminated. While both were fully capable of slaying this demon, they both had already done enough, and extended a great deal of power to do so. Now, it was his turn.


    Hektor materialized a weapon he thought he would have to use again. It was a long wide bladed sword with a serrated edge going down one side. The metal was black, and power radiated from it. It was the only thing he brought with him from home. The sword made from the pieces of the Earth and the magic of his parents. This, could kill a demon. Even if it had no physical form.


    "Come at me demon, and if you can best me, I will let you have my body."


    The demon, who had been trying to leave the place Alekzandor had created, stopped bashing it''s self against any and every surface it could, and looked back at Hektor slowly.


    "That''s what you want isn''t it? A powerful, male, body for you to inhabit? That''s why you weren''t happy when you found out my great grandchild was going to be born a girl. You were born a male, and unlike some of your fellow demons, who decided they preferred to be female, throughout all of your long years, you''ve gone to great lengths to be a male. Well, now I offer you my body. Once you kill my son and grandson, no one will be able tell you took over. You can use your power to claim every female in the Divine realm as your own, and none of the others could fight you one it. I will say this again, best me, and my body is yours."


    - - - - -


    Balor watched, horrified as his father made a deal with the enemy. The demon slowly descended from the ceiling, the last place he''d tried to escape, and floated toward Hektor. The weapon that his father had materialized vanished, and was replaced by one of the swords Balor had been carrying. In it''s place, Balor now had his father''s sword. Hektor didn''t mean to really fight it, instead, distract it. So far, everything had worked.


    "You would give me your body?" The Demon asked interested.


    "If you can best me." Hektor reminded him,


    "With that pitiful weapon, you won''t do any damage to me." The demon laughed.


    Balor lunged from his hiding spot, and sliced through the spectral form. He expected there to just be the feeling of slicing through air, but instead, there was resistance. The sword was cutting through the demons very existence. The sound of a vicious scream filled his hearing and he was forced to pass the sword off to Alekzandor and stumble back till the ringing in his ears stopped.


    - - - - -


    Alekzandor took the sword and proceeded to slash it through the demon several times. Not letting up until specks were left floating in the air and the sound of chocking could be heard from the remnants of what had formerly been the demon. He fell back breathless and the sword would have fallen to the floor as well, had Hektor not taken it up again again.


    - - - - -


    Hektor looked at his son and grandson, they had done him proud today. They stood and faced the enemy, and saw to it that when they couldn''t carry on, the other would. They didn''t let pride get in their way of the battle, both of them knowing the demons death was far more important than admitting they couldn''t continue the battle. That was the way Hektor had raised his family. To work as a team, as a unit. So when one fell, the others would take a stand, and help each other. That was the problem with his parents pantheon, they may have been good friends, but when push came to shove, most would rather battle on their own, and that''s what led to the problems his parents were still dealing with.


    He took the sword and raised his free hand, gathering the demon into one small round black mass, floating in his hand. "You underestimated the Divines in my realm. You have no more power demon, you couldn''t possess my great granddaughter even if you wanted to. But, I''m not going to let you go and let you restore your power so you can try again. Instead, this seems fitting, that I squash you like the pathetic little parasite that you are."


    With that, his sword came down and flattened on the demon in his palm, then, there was nothing. Nothing left of the demon that promised to do so much damage, but in the end, only managed to give them one hell of a work out.


    He looked up at his two boys, smiling. "It''s done."


    - - - - - -


    Alekzandor collapsed onto his back with relief. "Man that was something else."


    "I have to admit," Balor said raising a finger, "that, was a difficult battle."


    "I must say, had we not already weakened him while he was inside of Rick," Hektor said sitting down. "Things would have been a lot more bloody. As it stands, it used a great deal of power to keep Rick alive, and most of his soul intact."


    "That''s my cue." Alekzandor said standing up and walked over to the mortal backed into the corner sobbing.


    Rick once again had no hands, and his body was too weak to even support his weight. Alekzandor had seen it all in the mans memories. He went to great lengths to make himself look the part of the abused man in the temple. Rick was committed to the cause. And now, that revenge had failed. There really was no one left to help Rick.


    "You tried to kill my family."


    Rick continued to sob.


    "You have killed innocent people yourself."


    "They deserved it!" Rick shouted at him.


    "Why? Because they left you? Because they hurt you?" Alekzandor asked. "Rick, you broke a Divine law, and then you were granted mercy, had to gone to a temple to repent, perhaps we could have given you your hands back so you could find some work, and try to make a decent life for yourself. I can''t say you would have found a wife and had kids, but I can say you would have reconciled with your parents and society wouldn''t have gone to great lengths to ignore you."


    "I did nothing wrong!" Rick shouted.


    "But you did." Alekzandor assured in, surprised that his tone was calm and patient. "You did wrong then, and you did wrong after. An innocent woman was found raped and mangled. Your parents were found in pieces. They did nothing wrong other than try to leave you alone so you could discover the mistakes you made."


    "I did nothing wrong!"


    Alekzandor stood and stepped back shaking his head. There was no reasoning with him. So, there was one thing left for him to do. He erected a prison around Rick, and summoned the innocent souls who had been wronged by him. Before him appeared Rick''s parents, and the woman he''d killed.


    "Where are we?"


    "You''re in the realm of the Divines," He answered. "More specifically, my realm."


    Rick''s mother looked at him confused. "Why?"


    "Because Rick tried to take down the Divines with the help of a demon. The demon is dead, but Rick still needs dealt with." He looked over the three. "His punishment, has to be unique, and I was wondering, if I could use what happened to you?"


    "Why not make him suffer through what he did before he was possessed by the demon?" the woman asked.


    Alekzandor shook his head. "No, that only made him more determined. I need a different kind of punishment."


    "Well, being raped won''t make a difference, even if he''s slowly killed during it." The woman sniffed. "He''ll just rationalize he''s not a woman."


    "Couldn''t you wipe his memory?" Rick''s mother asked.


    "Then he wouldn''t understand why he was being punished." Alekzandor said.


    Rick''s father stepped forward. "Nothing."


    Alekzandor looked at the man confused. "I''m sorry."


    "His greatest fear is nothingness."


    "I think I see where  you''re going with this. Thank you, all of you. You may now go and rest in peace."


    "Wait!" Rick''s mother stopped him. He nodded so she could continue. "Can my husband and I be together in the next life as well. So we can try again?"


    Alekzandor smiled at the request. "Yes, you''ll be able to, and the child you will have will this woman here. If you have more, then they will be fresh clean souls. As you will be. There will be no memory of anything that happened, but the bond between you three, will never be able to be broken."


    With that, the three vanished once more and Alekzandor turned back to Rick. Nothingness huh? He raised his hand and made a circling motion. The temple vanished, and the three were standing on the beach in Alekzandor''s realm, his house just up the way. In his hand, was a clear sphere. Inside, was Rick''s soul.


    "What are you going to do with that?" Balor asked.


    "Well, if his greatest fear is nothingness. I can give him that. Unable to move, see, hear, or know what''s going on. He''s going to just be there, surrounded by darkness, never knowing when, or if I''ll start the pain. When his end will come. He''ll relive all of his pain, and have nothing but his failure to keep him company."


    "Not much a punishment." Balor commented.


    "True." Hektor said taking the sphere. "Compared to the others Alekzandor has created, it''s almost childish, but consider it this way Balor. This mortal caused us a great deal of trouble, anymore extravagant of a punishment would be telling Rick we deemed him as a threat, and we want to teach him a lesson. A lesson he will never learn because all he will be able to think about is that he scared us."


    Balor glared at the sphere. "Give me the damn ball so I can chuck it into the ocean already."


    Alekzandor and Hektor laughed as the sphere was tossed to Balor. He winded his arm back and brought it forward with everything he had in him and sent it flying. Alekzandor could tell it landed a couple hundred miles off the shore line, and drifted down deep into the black abyss. There Rick would indeed lay for all eternity. Seeming like it was just moments after the battle, and he would be waiting for the punishment to come, never knowing that he was already experiencing it. Perhaps someday he would gain enlightenment, and perhaps on that day, he could start the road of his redemption. But, that day was a long long way off.


    "Come on." Hektor said resting a hand on Alekzandor''s shoulder. "Our family is waiting."


    - - - - - - - - - -


    A/N


    There is supposed to be one more chapter after this, then book one will be complete and I can start on book two.


    I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


    WD

 Book One : Realm of Madness // Chapter Thirteen

    Alyson was struggling to breath, she tried to stop crying, but she couldn''t. Ever since Kane''s argument with Kale, Alyson had been crying, curled into a ball her arms wrapped around her belly. Serenity and Olivia gave up trying to calm her, they knew it wouldn''t do any good, the best they could do was try to keep her from over taxing herself. Kane stood outside guarding the yard, while Thalia stood just outside the bedroom, armed with a weapon. Alyson only saw a brief glimpse of it.


    "We''re back!" Hektor called from outside.


    Alyson turned to look and saw only Alekzandor''s chest as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "Everything''s alright now, I''m here, and I''m okay."


    "The baby?"


    He laid a hand on her belly. "No one is going to take our baby away."


    Alyson collapsed in his arms and fell asleep again. Still crying a bit in her sleep. Alekzandor picked up her and looked at his grandmother, "I''m going to bring her home, and I won''t be leaving again, have grandfather move whatever meeting he wants to hold there."


    He didn''t wait for an answer, he just brought them home and laid her down on the bed. Although she was asleep, he could feel her stomach harden under his hand. He didn''t understand the labor of women, but he knew it would only be a matter of hours now, if not sooner. He heard voices and left the bedroom and walked the little ways down to the beach where his family had gathered.


    - - - - - -


    Balor explained everything to the family. His father had his arms wrapped around his mother, while Alekzandor was making his way down from the house. Graeson had returned from the mortal realm, and was listening eagerly to the story. Thalia''s face was etched with worry and fear. Kane stood leaning against the stone wall that marked the start of the beach and the end of Alekzandor''s yard. He listened, but there was a look on his face that Balor couldn''t decipher.


    "Then, dad squashed the demon like the little bug it was!" Balor laughed.


    The others, didn''t share in his amusement.


    Thalia looked up at their father. "Will there be others?"


    Hektor shrugged. "That one came through as I was closing the other portals when I first came here. Alekzandor saw it''s memories, so he can atest to that. As for more, I''m not sure. According to my parents, there were more once, but they were all created on a world that''s locked away from all of the others much like this one. So either that one came from a different place, or somehow managed to break through the worlds."


    All eyes turned to Alekzandor. Searching for a better explanation. He sighed. "From what I gathered, it did from the other locked world grandfather was talking about, it was supposedly killed by another of our kind, but a small fragment of it got away. It was because it was so small it was able to get through the small break the battle created through the barriers, and was able to slip in so easily as grandfather was closing the ones to here."


    "So, there won''t be more?" Graeson asked.


    Alekzandor shook his head. "Unlikely, but that''s not to say there won''t be challenges. I did see some rather suspicious beings in it''s memories."


    "Do we need to worry?" Kane asked.


    Alekzandor shook his head again. "So far, they don''t seem to want to anger us."


    Kane nodded and pushed off against the wall. "I suppose I should tell you about what happened."


    "I was going to ask where your brother was." Balor said looking at his son. He noticed Serenity hang her head and sniff. He went to her and lifted her chin so she would look at him. "My love what''s wrong?"


    She broke down crying then. He wrapped his arms around her and looked at his son. "What happened?"


    Kane sighed. "I called Kale to the Heart, I explained what was going on, and he refused to help us. He said he wouldn''t help former mortals. Not even the baby because she was still inside a former mortal. He wouldn''t even stay to help mother. He insulted all of the women, but Thalia, that were there. He also didn''t believe that the demon could do any real damage to us."


    Balor stared at his son, holding his wife, furious. "What in the world is wrong with you boys!? Just because they live and die, doesn''t mean they are any less important than us!"


    Kane met his fathers eyes. "I don''t hate them father. At least not the way that Kale does. I have my reasons for what I feel, but I assure you, I would never do anything to harm them, or harm our family. You have my word on that."


    Balor nodded once at his son before looking at his father. The fury there was also evident. "What now?"


    Serenity looked up and looked at Hektor. "Please! Please father! Don''t be too harsh on him! Please Hektor not my baby!"


    Hektor softened a bit at Serenity''s plea. "Rest assured daughter, I will not kill him." Serenity fell against Balor in relief. "But he will need punished, and I have just the thing."


    With that, he raised his hand and snapped his fingers loudly. Kale appeared then, looked around then glared at his family surrounding him. "What now!?"


    "We need to have a little chat with you." Hektor said firmly.


    Kale rolled his eyes and looked at everyone severely annoyed. "Look, I told you, didn''t I? That the demon wasn''t a threat? I said what I had to get out of some pathetic guard duty."


    Hektor''s eyes glowed. "Need I remind you, that I can tell when I''m being lied to, even by a fellow Divine?"


    Kale''s face fell. "You can?"


    Hektor nodded.


    Kale sighed, stared at out of the waves for a moment then nodded. "Alright then yeah, I''ll admit it, I meant what I said."


    Serenity started sobbing again, and Kale rolled his eyes again. "Ugh! Mother, please, stop being so pathetic!"


    Balor rushed forward at his son, fury blazing so bright in his brown eyes, they almost glowed red. "Watch what say boy! That is your mother! You will treat her with respect."


    "She was once a mortal, and I am a born Divine." Kale said firmly. "Why should I respect something who''s of lesser value than myself?"


    "Because without them none of us would be here." Alekzandor said stepping forward. "These former mortals are our half''s, the missing pieces to our souls. They born special so they could become like us someday."


    "Doesn''t mean I have to like them, or like the fact that I came from something I detest." Kale said to him.


    Balor shook his head at his son. "Why are you like this? What happened to make you hate the mortals so much?"


    Kale gave no answer. He merely turned to look at his grandfather. "So what''s my punishment? Am I to be confined to my realm for a set period of time or what?"


    "No." Hektor said. "You''re being barred from your realm. In fact, from the entire Divine realm."


    Kale paled. "What?"


    Hektor nodded. "You shall be banished to the mortal plane, there you live among the mortals. You''ll still have your powers, but they will be severely down graded, and you shall not age, unless you use too much of your power."


    Kale shook, for the first time since appearing before the family, there was a look of sincere fear on his face. "You, you wouldn''t do that. You''re bluffing."


    "Am I?" Hektor asked. "You are henceforth banished from the Divine realm to the Mortal. You are not to be allowed back until you''re twisted way of thinking has been reversed or we deem you''ve learned your lesson."


    Hektor raised his hand once more, and Kale vanished. Serenity looked up from Hektor, "Where did you send him!? Will I ever see him again?"


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    Hektor smiled at her. "Please relax Serenity, much like with Alyson, there is a plan here. There''s something that he needs to do down on Earth. Someone, he needs to save."


    Serenity, and everyone else, visibly calmed. They didn''t know specifics, but they could guess at the hidden meaning in Hektor''s words.


    A scream from up the hill shattered the moment, and Alekzandor took off toward the bedroom. Alyson was standing, leaning against the door frame an arm under her round stomach, sweat pouring from down her forehead, a pool of thick clear fluid puddled at her feet.


    She looked up at Alekzandor. "The baby! She''s coming!"


    "What!?" Alekzandor said nearly falling to his knees. "Now!?"


    "Move! Move!" Olivia said rushing forward, "Thalia, you help me get her back onto the bed, Hektor, you bring the men down the hill, Alekzandor, get your ass on that bed and help your wife bring that baby into the world!"


    - - - - - -


    The night slowly ended, and the sky began to glow bright as the sun rose. Alyson''s cries echoed down the beach and across the water as she fought to bring life into the world. For a brief time she had fantasized that being a Divine would mean less pain, but she was wrong. Her body endured wave after wave of intense pain as her baby slowly came out of her. Alekzandor helped her hold her knees high so her feet were in the air, as Thalia and Olivia helped deliver the baby.


    As the sun crested over the ocean, Alyss''s first cries of life could be heard across the realm. The family who were down at the beach, wandered up to the house slowly. When they reached the bedroom, whatever mess that been created during the birth was gone, instead, Alyson sat on the bed, clothes in a pale blue dress, light radiating all around her as she held her new daughter, Alekzandor had his arms around both, smiling so brightly, the glow seemed to come from his as well. The sun rose higher, bathing the room in a golden light as the new life cooed.


    Alekzandor took his daughter, and stood leaning against one of the columns, looking at her and smiling so much his face began to hurt, but he couldn''t stop. She looked up at him, her eyes the bright blue of her mothers, but her hair was the pitch black. Same color of his mothers, and the color he used to have before he changed it to blue and kept it that way. Wrapped in white, with pink roses dotting the dress beneath, she was the most beautiful thing he''d ever seen next to her mother. She was going to have his nose, he realized.


    "Oh yeah," He finally said looking over at Alyson, "I definitely want nine more of these."


    Alyson laughed, offering no protest.


    Balor stepped forward and held out his arms. "May I have the honor of being the first to hold her?"


    Alekzandor grinned and handed Alyss over to Balor, walking back and sat behind Alyson so she could rest against him. Balor cradled the tiny girl against his chest and couldn''t help but grin at the tiny thing. He looked up at Serenity. "We''re going to have a daughter."


    She looked shocked for a moment before beaming with happiness. "If you insist, but what if the next one is a boy?"


    Balor shrugged. "Then we keep trying till we have a girl."


    Everyone laughed at Balor''s assurance. Since they all knew that Alekzandor and Alyson would be the couple to have the most children, Balor was certain that his next child would be a girl, and it would be his final one. He looked up at Thalia. "You sure you don''t want to have another?"


    Thalia ran her fingers through Alyson''s hair, "No, I''m good with the son that I have, and the daughter that followed when he claimed her as his bride. Besides, I''ll have my hands full with ten grandchildren. I don''t need to have anymore."


    There was laughter, light, and love flowing through the Realm of Insanity that day. On that day, several souls were touched by that glow, and redemption became possible for them. Alekzandor''s realm had once been a place so dark and full of evil, no one was sure if a soul would ever be able to pass on to try again. Now, almost half were ready to be cleansed, and to try again in the next life.


    One by one, the extended family left, leaving just Alyson, Alekzandor, and Alyss curled up in the bed. Bass was once again huge, laying near the bed so he could keep an eye on his charges. Alekzandor had Alyss in his arms, her back pressed against his chest, and Alyss lay on her side against her mother, nursing from her breast.


    "I can''t wait to see what the future holds for us." He said kissing her bare shoulder.


    "Considering we''re going to have ten children, it''s probably a good thing you feel that way." She said with a smile, "But I do have one request."


    "What''s that?"


    "Please let Alyss be two or three before you get me pregnant with the second one."


    "No promises." He chuckled before kissing her lips.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    ~~~~ End of Book One ~~~~


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    A/N And Preview for Book Two : Earth Bound


    well that is the end of Realm of Madness, I hope you enjoyed book one and plan to stick around for book two.


    For a preview, for those who haven''t already guess ; Book Two will feature the Divine of Air, Kale. He''s been banished to Earth to live among the mortals he claims he detests so much, and no knows why. While there, he lives with the people who are dealing with the aftermath of what happened. While the temples were restored, there was still the three months that Rick possessed the demons powers, and he had a hit list to complete before he went up against the Divines. To get an idea of what he was capable of before he fought against his greatest enemy.


    Several people were killed, many more injured, and no one knew who it was. Rick, was thought to be the culprit, when he vanished, everyone thought the killings would stop. But shortly after Kale''s arrival, the killings start again, and is leaving messages for Kale. Who is this killer, and how do they know him? Is it some unknown enemy or is it the girl next door who won''t leave him alone? Either way, Kale is without his full power, he can fight, but now there is chance if it''s something similar to the demon his family faced, then he could be in some real trouble.


    Kale is faced with many questions, a punishment to fulfill, and a growing sensation he never thought he''d ever feel. A desire to protect. And it''s to protect the very thing, he claims he hates.


    was he lying about his hatred? Or is there some hidden reason for it?


    Find out in Book Two of the Divine Works!


    WD

 Book Two : Earth Bound // Prologue

    A/N


    I finally finished a detailed outline, so I''m not sitting there working on a whim when I write book two.


    So now that book two''s outline is finished, I can start writing book two. I plan on doing a chapter to week to start with, just like I did with book one.


    There will be a break as of May 28th-June 11th as I''m going on vacation to visit family and friends on the East Coast.


    So without further ado, here''s Book Two : Earth Bound


    Prologue


    Kale laid back on the park bench staring up at the sky. He missed his realm, he missed being one with the air. As it was, he could float up into the air, and he''d done that often since he''d been dropped on Earth. He could live in the sky, as he could still give the clouds some form, but they migrated, and he needed to stay where he was.  Hadn''t even been twelve hours and he was already regretting everything.


    He felt the air ripple and something stand beside him where a second ago there had been nothing.  Alekzandor stood looking down at him with a grin. "How''s it hanging?"


    "A limb and to the left at the moment. How''s the brat? She''s what a month old by now?"


    Alekzandor laughed. "Two weeks thank you very much. We wouldn''t have made you wait that long."


    Kale shrugged. "Only been about twelve hours here. My math as to how time differs in the Divine realm is off. Two weeks huh?"


    Alekzandor grinned and sat down on the bench, which had been Kale''s legs till he sat up. "Yup, and both mother and baby are doing great. She rolled over all by herself last week. I was really impressed."


    "I didn''t know Alyson couldn''t roll over." Kale said looking shocked. "Wow, all of those years and she''d never mastered such a basic skill?"


    Alekzandor punched Kale''s shoulder. "I would like to get back to them as soon as possible, so let''s get on with this shall we?"


    Kale nodded. "Yeah, the sooner I get home the better."


    Alekzandor materializes a packet and hands it to Kale. "Inside is everything you need to know, where you''ll be staying the account that will have your funds for you live off of while you''re here, and what your occupation will be.


    "While you''re main objective will be the occupation in the packet, Hektor also wants you to try and locate the other forces the demon said he saw during his time in this realm. From what we gather, there are mermaids, fairies, elves, vampires, witches, and werewolves. Creatures like that. There''s more, but you get the gist of it. You''re merely to locate them, not approach them unless you have no other choice. The witches we know will be easy as they can hide in plain sight, but do try to avoid causing a war with them will you. Hektor wants to hold off the introductions for someone more diplomatic."


    "So not you then." Kale said opening the packet and looked over the list of the people. He froze, but Alekzandor had missed the changed in the air as he was still laughing. When Alekzandor finally sobered and looked back at him, Kale glared at his cousin. "No. I won''t do it. If I find them, I''m liable to kill them. Again."


    Alekzandor sighed. "I heard about what happened in the past. I''m sorry that you had to go through that, but yes they are on the list of clans we need to find. It''s your choice if you don''t want to complete the task, but if you don''t, you''ll never be able to return home. To your realm. Which I''m taking good care of, and Alyson''s seeing to it that all of his creations are being looked after."


    Kale smiled a bit at that. He had never things that he''d brought to life in his realm that was nothing by sky. He had worried about whether or not his children in a sense were being well taken care of. "She''s a good woman."


    "Why did you insult our family the way you did? Clearly you don''t feel that way about them?" Alekzandor asked.


    Kale looked off into the distance and sighed. "Hektor told you that I was here on a mission, not a punishment, but didn''t tell you that he asked me to fake it. That''s just like him. He wanted me to act like I hated all mortals, and mortals who turned into Divines so I could be banished and put here for an extended period of time to do a job. I don''t think he knew about the demon, but he had sensed that something was wrong, or that one of us will be needed in this realm for awhile. I understand that our grandfather has a greater plan, and whatever changes I need for my future, I''ll find them here."


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    They stared up at the sky for awhile, both lamenting on the fact that their grandfather did have secret plans, and they weren''t aware of them until they were literally smack dab in the middle of it. Eventually Kale stood and waved at his cousin.


    "Thanks man. I better be heading home."


    As Kale walked away he thought about what Alekzandor said. He''d horribly insulted his family, hurt his mother, and his father lost all respect for him the moment he did. But it needed done. He was needed here, and all of it was in the packet. No, in truth he didn''t hate mortals. At least not all of them. Just a clan of witches who called themselves the Noir. Many centuries ago, when he was still a child, he''d come to the mortal realm to play in the sky,  and he became fascinated with a little girl he saw playing int he moon light. But because she came into contact with a Divine, the clan "purified" her. He hated the Noir after that, and anyone who supported them. Now he was going to have to face them again.


    He had no doubt that the other creatures and people he was supposed to locate would welcome an alliance with the Divines and the chance to live out in the open, but the Noir, they would be a problem.


    Thankfully, he didn''t have to worry about all of that right now. There was a bigger objective. After being possessed by the demon, Rick went on a rampage and killed several people. Only the murders hadn''t stopped with his death. Another had popped up, after Rick had been pulled through to the Divine realm, and this one, hadn''t been killed by Rick. From what Hektor couldn''t tell, only three had been killed by Rick, the rest had not. It wouldn''t have been a matter for the Divines had they been able to immediately see who the killer was. But they couldn''t. The killer was one of the creatures that cloaked themselves from Hektor, and Kale was supposed to start his mission with this one. Find out who he was, and why he was doing this.


    What better way to do that than to be a part of the search for the killer?


    Kale walked into the station looking like he knew what he was doing, when a cop stood to stop him from going any further, Kale held up his own badge. "Detective Kale Divins, I''m here to help with the Heartless case. The Chief is expecting me."


    ~~~***~~~~


    Back in the Divine realm, Alekzandor sat in one of his chairs that over looked the beach while his grandfather sat in the other, playing with Alyss.


    "What a cutie you are!" Hektor said he tickled the babies cheek. He looked at Alekzandor. "She''s going to favor her mother, but she''ll have you''re coloring."


    Alekzandor smiled. "I know."


    "By the way, I''m glad you got rid of the blue." Hektor said looking back Alyss. "You''re black hair suits you better."


    "Alyson agree''s with you, she also seems to think that it will be better if Alyss grows up seeing she has her fathers hair than wonder where the blue came from." Alekzandor said with a grin. "We decided once all of the children are born and old enough we''ll start changing our hair to different colors again."


    "So not for a couple of centuries huh?" Hektor chuckled.


    Alekzandor nodded. "Pretty much yeah."


    "Ask what''s on your mind my boy."


    Alekzandor shook his head at his ever knowing grandfather. "Why didn''t you look for these creatures before?"


    Hektor sighed. "I didn''t know they were here. I only suspected. I thought they had fled to other realms when I closed the borders. They also have the ability to cloak themselves from me. I think it''s because they aren''t human and they didn''t pledge their souls to my order like the humans did. Had I known they were forcing themselves to live beneath their means, I would have stopped them. I would found a way to make sure they could be with my people and all would be well. I fear they fled thinking I would kill them, but I have no such desire. In any case, if this works out, and they start living in the open, and the world knows them for what they are, then humanities days are numbered. For once the mix breeding begins, we''ll have a whole new manner of people on our hands."


    Alekzandor shook his head. "Ever the ulterior motives."

 Authors Note

    Sorry everyone, but this one will be put on hiatus for awhile. I''ve been having pain my wrists radiating up into my knuckles.


    There are speculations of arthritis or carpal tunnel. I''m hoping for muscle strain, but we''ll see. I have a doctors appointment on Monday will tell me what is wrong. So until the doctors have made a verdict, for my own health, I''ve been banned from writing, and for a writer, that''s difficult. lol


    But I have lots and lots of reading to catch up on, so we''ll see. I''ll probably end up checking out some other writers on here and see how well their stories are.


    Thanks everyone! Bare with me here! I heal fast!


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    WD


    4-4-2016


    A/N


    Well, the verdict is in, and it''s carpal tunnel. I''ve been banned from writing by both my doctor and my husband until this has had the chance to heal up a bit and see where things are before going any further.


    Sorry everyone! Doctors orders!


    Man this sucks. -_-


    WD


    4-13-16


    Second Update!!


    Well as of Monday i will be released from the ban on writing and I will start writing again. I''ll post a chapter (hopefully) and work on some other things as well.


    My wrists are doing better! So I hope this keeps up!


    WD

 BACK

    Well this writer is back, and I want to ask my readers something.


    I''m considering a rewrite for Realm of Madness before I start writing on Book Two. Or should I alternate, write a chapter for book two, then book one.


    But during my writing ban I finally sat and read Realm of Madness. -_- So many mistakes!!!!!! So many plot holes!!!! I need to tweak it up a bit.


    Thoughts?


    W/D


    5-9-16


    Okay, I''m sorry everyone, I meant to start writing again i did, but I got into writing a new novel that I''m wanting to get published through an actual publishing company, and shortly after I finish that, I have my trip to the east coast to visit family. I''ll be there for two weeks, with *gasp* no internet lol.


    I''m hoping to be finished with the first draft of my novel Siren''s Cove but this weekend. If I am, then I post chapter one of Earth Bound sometime next week, and from there I will be away for a few weeks because I have to prep for my vacation and then I will be on said vacation.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    I really am sorry for making everyone wait for an update that hasn''t come, but things have been a little rocky here and working on Siren''s Cove, I just haven''t been in the mind frame to sit and work on it. I would rather frustrate you and give you the story you''re waiting for, than post some half ass piece of crap just it get it out.


    But that''s all the news that I have, and with any luck, chapter one for Earth Bound will be out next week. Take care and everyone be safe, be happy, be healthy!


    WD

 Book Two : Earth Bound // Chapter One

    She stood outside sipping on some juice as the sun rose over the trees. She normally wasn''t a morning person, but since moving into this house, she got up early every day. She''d been remodeling since the first day, and it was finally the way she''d wanted it. But she woke up each morning with a task list, and at the end of each day, having accomplished each task, she''d fall asleep and wake the next morning to do it all over again. But all of the modifications were finally complete, and her house was a beauty. Simple, but a beauty none the less. She loved it.


    Though when she first looked at the house, there had been some issues. Like the two separate kitchens in the house, the closed off spaces, and the dreary colors. A great deal of time had been spent doing renovations. She kept the two kitchens. She did a lot of cooking and baking she needed the extra oven space. Toaster ovens didn''t really work well when you wanted to make a souffle and a huge ham that could feed a family of eight and still have left overs for a few days. She opened up the spaces so her living room, dining room, and her kitchen were all open space. What separated her kitchen from the living room and dining room was the step up into the kitchen and the wrap around island. Her dining area now had a large table, for eating and for working. The only other part of the house that needed drastic reworking instead of simple reflooring and painting was the bathroom off the kitchen. It had been the largest one, but it was down six steps. So she had it converted to an indoor swimming pool. You get in from the doors leading out to the side yard, or from the kitchen. It was small, enough for many one, or two people to just relax, but that was all she needed it for. Herself.


    What drew her attention now was the backyard. It wasn''t much. Maybe three fourths of an acre? And since she shared it with her neighbor, she didn''t really have that full amount. She was never really good with fractions, so she couldn''t figure out what half of three fourths even was. She didn''t care in all honesty. It didn''t matter how much space she had. For the first time in her life, she had her own little plot of land, and she was able to do whatever she wanted with it. She''d never been able to garden in the past, but she had loved to play in the dirty. Though her father always told her to keep those times a secret from her mother. She''d always been fascinated by flowers, plants, and just really any kind of plant life that grew around them and no one really seemed to appreciate. At least not where she was from. She had always wondered if she was capable of creating a garden like she read about in books or saw in pictures. She wanted that. And for the first time in her entire life, she had it right before her, and there was no one there to smack her and drag her back inside telling her no.


    Armed with everything she needed for her gardening, she stepped out onto the grass barefoot. Breathed the spring air in deeply and sighed blissful. This was going to be a good day. She could just feel it.


    * * *


    Kale woke with the midmorning sun streaming down onto his face having forgotten to close his curtains. Having gone to bed right as the damn thing was cresting the horizon, this was not a good thing. He stretched and climbed out of bed thinking this was not going to be a good day. Out of habit, he looked out his bedroom, and sure enough, there she was. His new neighbor was walking around the back yard barefoot. She''s bought the house roughly a month before he moved next door, another month after that, and the house was finished. At least there wouldn''t be the sound of saws anymore, or loud smashing. He didn''t mind the music she tended to play while working, or when she sang along. It felt kind of peaceful when she did.


    This morning she was walking around, taking measurements, apparently plotting and planning about the best places to plant the flowers he could see lined up inside her kitchen, and around the side of the house. Her half of the yard was going to be rather cluttered if she stuck to the property lines. He''d have to find the right moment to tell her he didn''t mind if worked in his yard either. He was hardly ever home, and when he was, he was working. It also wasn''t as if he was going to be staying there forever. When she bent over to check something, his eyes immediately went toward her rear. He had to admit, she was a nice backside, and she was rather pleasant looking herself. The loose fitting pants she wore shook with the breeze, but when she bent like that, it still hugged enough to give him a nice view. At least his mind and another part of his anatomy thought so.


    He went downstairs thinking his morning might have gotten just a bit better. He poured himself a cup of coffee. He was surprised that he enjoyed the stuff so much. After two months, it became the sole reason he could even function. Sure he was a Divine, but with most of his powers sealed so he could blend in a humans, and even Divines couldn''t function 24-7, he needed the stuff more than most of his fellow detectives at the station. Since the weather was warming, he''d taken to drinking his coffee out on his back porch when he got out of bed and was prepping for the day of hard work. He usually glanced at her out of corner of his eye, when she was busy directing the contractors about what to do. Today, it was just them. Her long honey brown hair was braided and secured at the top of her head. Her peach colored skin looked a little more golden today. Her shirt was a cute pinkish color, salmon he thought it was, with beige colored pants. She looked rather impressive.


    Man if his brother ever found out what he knew about colors, Kale would never hear the end of it. He would also never live down the paintings he asked Alekzandor to hide for him.


    She stood and turned them, shrieking and jumping a bit in shock when she saw him. Her face flushed with color, as she fiddled with her hands behind her back embarrassed. "I''m sorry, you startled me. I didn''t stray into your yard did I?"


    Kale shook his head before he sipped his coffee. "You''re welcome to. Stray that is. From the looks of it, you''ll need the space, and I''m not going to use it for anything. You can make it look like something out of a fairy tale for all I care."


    She looked up at him shocked. He realized he said something he shouldn''t have. "I overheard you last night on the phone with your father. My bedroom window was open, and you were in the kitchen, and it just came up toward me. I didn''t mean to listen, but your excitement kind of put a smile on my face."


    Her face flushed again as she laughed nervously. "Well thank you! Thank you so much! I will not let this be taken for granted or an inch go to waste."


    She stepped toward him and offered her hand. "I''m Kali. Kali Nightmore."


    He shook her hand, thinking she felt awfully warm. "I''m Kale Divins."


    "It''s very nice to meet you Kale."


    He didn''t say anything, he was rather lost in the amber color of her eyes.


    "What prompted you to move out here? It''s kind of out of the way from everything."


    He shook his head a bit to drive out the fantasies that started to play through his head for a second, then shrugged. "Work mostly. I didn''t like the feel of everything in town. I lived there for a month, and couldn''t stand it. So I bought this place. I''m mostly in the city to do my actual work, but when I come home to do the rest of it, I like peace and quiet."


    "Oh I''m sorry." She immediately said stepping forward. "All of my renovating must have rendered the move pointless."


    "Hardly." He chuckled and smiled at her. "I can handle renovating, what I can''t handle is a screaming baby, a mother cursing in the next room, a drunken lard above me, and a prostitute next door."


    She cringed. "You must have lived in a horrible part of town."


    "I actually stayed at the Beston."


    Her eyes widened. "The Beston!? That''s one of the most expensive hotels there are!"


    "My grandfather and cousin fronted the money for me to stay there." He explained. "On my salary I never could have afforded it. Buying this house cleared out my savings. But it was worth it."


    "Wait, there was a mother abusing her child, a drunk, and a prostitute at the Beston?"


    He chuckled. "Well, there was a nanny with the baby, but the baby has colic. The mother was kicked out of her fathers, and was then searching for an equally rich husband. The drunk, was an old man drinking away. I think he lost his wife or something. As for the prostitute, I have no proof, but she had a different man, sometimes a woman each night. And what makes me think prostitute and not just a woman who can''t keep her legs closed, is she made the exact same noises, ever night."


    "Maybe she was making a documentary or conducting a survey to see if people notice when a woman makes the same sound and motions over and over." Kali suggested point blank. "That she''s horrible in bed and that''s why she only has a one night stand with people."


    Kale threw his head back laughing. "Well, that''s an interesting take on it. So what about you?"


    "What noises to I make in bed!?"


    Kale couldn''t help but laugh again, "No, though I can understand your confusion and I apologize, but why did you move out here?"


    Her face, one second there was light, and there was happiness, the next, it was stoic, and there was a depth of pain and suffering there he''d never have known was there if she hadn''t shown it.


    "I," she started to say, but stopped, apparently thinking better of it. "I had a taste of freedom, and when chance came, I took it again. I have no intention of ever going back to servitude."


    What in hell did that mean? He didn''t say anything, his phone was ringing, knowing who it probably was, he nodded his goodbye, gathered his mug and went inside. He did his damnedest to not look back. He could tell by the very air coming off of her that she really didn''t want to talk about her past. Kale was not the type of person to let something like that go if he could help it, but he had to. He had work, and she had her gardening to do. With any luck, he would be so immersed in it that he would forget this nagging desire to pull her close and never let to go again. So he would never have to see that kind of pain in her eyes again.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    * * *


    Kali went back to gardening. She let her mind drift as she worked. Eventually getting up and turning on the music, singing along with the lyrics that she knew as worked the ground to plant her flowers, the few trees that she''d bought, and whatever else she''d decided would be good for planting. If her back or muscles ached from over use, they didn''t give her any. She worked till everything was planted. With one job done, and there was still daylight left, she went inside to see what else she was going to do.


    She let her work and the music take over her. She didn''t let herself think about her strange neighbor who hadn''t spoken to her besides an amiable hello now and again. She didn''t let herself sit and remember everything from her past. That''s all it was. The past. And she certain wasn''t going to think about the desire to grab her neighbor and plant one on him the next time she saw him.


    * * *


    Kale pinched the bridge of his nose and sat back in his computer chair as he shut down the computer. Apparently finding possible locations for a werewolf pack, and other supernatural creatures was rather hard. He had a feeling he wasn''t going to be able to make much progress on that, at least not right now. So instead he looked over at his wall and stack of case files that were his mortal agenda here. It was his primary objective after all. Rick had murdered a few people when he''d let the demon possess him. While he apparently had a longer list, he''d only done a few. Since Rick''s first murder, there had been more. Two, since Kale had come to town. Six more before that. All of them similar to the way Rick had attempted to kill his first victim Addie.


    "Hey! Oldman! You here!"


    "Up here!" Kale shouted down, then added in a softer tone. "Come on up."


    A middle aged man walked into Kale''s bedroom carrying a paper back. Despite looking he was twenty, Kale knew his physical age was much older than the man before him, but the man did look older than Kale. Graying hair, lines across the mans face from years of frowning and laughing, and a beer gut that Kale would never get no matter how much he drank. On the mans belt was the same badge that Kale had, signifying they were both homicide detectives. Kale''s own badge sat on the dresser in a little wooden box with air currents carved into it that Alyson had sent him for a birthday gift. His heart was quickly melting toward that mother, and from what he''d heard from Alekzandor, when he finally got to meet her, Alyss was going to have him wrapped around her little fingers. He had their pictures and pictures of the rest of his family on the dresser with the little box. It was the only thing in the house that really had a personal touch to it.


    The new comer picked up the photo of Alyss, now six months old, playing on the sandy beach with a huge grin on her face. It was his favorite of the photos by far.


    "Yours?"


    "Does she even look anything like me?" Kale countered.


    "I don''t know, maybe around the eyes a bit."


    Kale chuckled. "I should be so lucky. No, she''s my cousin''s daughter, but I think of her as my niece."


    The man put the photo down and set the brown back in front of Kale. "Lunch. You don''t eat enough."


    When a man survived off of the air around him for centuries, food was a bit difficult to swallow. Though he wasn''t about to say that to the man. He took the bag and began to eat the food that was brought to him. When their pagers beeped, they quickly grabbed their things and left the house. By the time they reached the scene, Kale''s meal was gone. He just hoped that it stayed in his stomach after what he was about to see. Kale''s partner went first to confirm the body laying in the alley way was related to their case, when his partner beckoned his over, Kale allowed himself closer to the crime scene.


    "Another victim Marley?" Kale asked when he was close enough.


    Marley nodded. "Yup, looks like the same MO. I was hoping for a copy cat, but it''s all the same."


    Kale checked over the victim and cringed. Beside him, Marley sighed. "He certain did a number on this one, she''s been mauled a lot worst than the others."


    "Do we know who she is?" Kale asked turning to ME.


    The ME, sighed. While his name tag said Carson, everyone just called him ME. Why Kale never really knew. It was the man''s job title, but it seemed as if there was a story behind the nickname that he was ignorant to. ME held up a bag with several things inside. One of them a purse. "Contents were intact, so this wasn''t a robbery, not that they ever are. Once again the killer wanted us to know her identity. Beverly Grishom, twenty-seven years old, and a teacher at the University on Parsnip Avenue."


    The same one that Alyson went to when she was mortal. Kale thought. But as far as he could tell from the tendrils of currents surrounding the body, there was no connection to Alyson, or Rick. Oh there were connections, but without his more advance powers, he couldn''t track them to the others. Sure once he saw them, he would know that they knew the victim, the problem would be proving it. Mortals were sticklers for proof, his grandfather as well.


    "Bring the body back and do your thing." Kale told ME. "I''m going to look over everything. Marley, make sure the evidence is taken care of and looked over."


    Kale did his best work at home, and while everyone at the station didn''t appreciate that, they didn''t exactly fight him on it. It wasn''t just the latest victims on he had on the board as he added the photos of Beverly and the information Marley sent him as they discovered it, he had them all. The new, and the old. The old, amounted to seven people. Rick''s first victim was that Addie girl, she had been a rich daddy''s girl who turned call girl for the more higher class men in over to sink her claws into a rich husband. The second and third had been Rick''s parents. He had hunted them down and slaughtered them much the same way he had Addie. Leaving the raping part thought. The four doctors had been dispatched the same as his parents, there had been more, but due to the Divine protection on his friends, and the Alyson''s family, he couldn''t find them.


    Since Rick was dead, the some of the killings had taken place while Rick was still alive, his kills are the ones considered the copy cat, while they pursue the "real" killer. Though no one was going to get any luck catching Rick, and while station had hoped that with the copy cat going into hiding, the real killer would too, but that hadn''t been the case. Kale was stuck on something. Of all the killers to mimic, it had been Rick. Why?


    He could see the tendrils of air connecting people, and the only thing that Rick''s victims had in common with the newer ones, was Addie. Addie was connected to all of of the latest victims, but not the old ones. So, she was the real connection. But more than that, there was a strong bond between her and the others of the killer. More than that, there was a taint. Meaning they''d done terrible acts together, but since they were considered upstanding citizens, or came form money, no one knew of their true nature and crimes.


    That was wrong, someone did, and now that person was making them pay for their crimes. The killer never bothered with disguising their victims, which meant they wanted people to know who they were. Also, Kale didn''t need the knowledge of Rick to know who he was hunting. Each of the victims dealt with but the new killer, each had their hearts missing. For whatever reason, the killer took a souvenir.


    A couple of the hearts had turned up since the killer had started his rampage, but most were still unaccounted for. Kale stared at his wall, looking at the victims, looking at the way they were killed. Was he looking for someone specific? Where the identities left as a warning? Or to be meant as a clue to figure out how these people were connected? Kale didn''t know. After two months he wasn''t any closer to figuring out this killer or finding them. The only progress he made didn''t even involve work, or getting back to his realm. It involved that pretty little thing next door, and possibly seeing her naked. Kale groaned and smacked his head against his wall. This was a lot more complicated than he thought it was going to be.


    - - - - - - - - -


    A/N


    and that was the much awaited chapter one. I''m sorry that it took so long. As you know I was put on a writing pan for awhile because I have carpal tunnel. I actually have to go see special doctors now to see what''s going on and what all we can do about it.


    but when I got off the ban, and I was able to write again, I had a story idea stuck in my head during the whole ban, and I just had to get it out. ( https://wordpress.com/post/melgrinder89.wordpress.com/426</a> )there''s the link for those who want to go check it out. Not a very long explanation, but I plan to post more about it over the summer.


    I wanted to write it to completion, and I did. Now I just need to edit it up to get what I want to actually happen out of my head and into the story.


    But I wanted to let everyone know, this is my last post till sometime in June. I have a vacation coming up, and I want to take this time to rest, and get ready. Not to mention catch up on all of my housework before I have to leave the state. Yikes! lol


    but thanks for reading and thanks for bearing with me!


    WD

 Hiatus

    Hi everyone,


    I''m sorry.


    But I''ve lost the groove to work on this story anymore.


    There are many reasons behind this. And I will be more than happy to explain them.


    1) around the time that I started writing this into here, it was when I''d lost my sister. Like, just after. It was a way to distract myself and to keep myself strong because the pain of losing a sibling is great.


    2) I had shared this idea for this story when I got it with her, and we used to laugh about it and she couldn''t wait to read it when it was all done. Sadly, she never got the chance.


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    3) I actually finished the story that I intended to. The idea for more stories came after Realm of Madness, and as I wrote Realm of Madness, more and more stories came to mind.


    Now, will I pick this story up again? Most likely, but not before I edit up Realm of Madness a lot more.


    When will that be? I can''t say for sure. I hope soon, because I enjoyed writing on this. But it all depends on time.


    But thank you for all of your support and your enthusiasm for the story. You have truly been a blessing, and I hope to see you when I start up again.