Legends of Amacia The Awakening

Meeting on Mt. Olympus

Far to the north in Cimmeria at Mt. Olympus, the yeti clan leaders gathered at their most sacred temple atop the peak. Numbering over thirty, the yeti leaders waited outside the massive Stonehenge-like circle of giant crystals that marked the center of the most holy place of the temple. The clear crystals monoliths stood seventy feet in height, fifteen feet wide and seven feet thick, glowing softly. They murmured amongst themselves as they waited for their Elder, who knelt at a massive crystal altar in the center of the cyclopean crystal circle. The altar spanned twenty feet by ten feet and stood six feet in height. Ancient arcane symbols covered the altar. The altar glowed softly like the cyclopean monoliths surrounding it. The Elder knelt before the Altar, murmuring an ancient prayer.

“What’s happening, Marut?” one of the yetis outside the circle asked a friend standing next to him.

“I don’t know, Mamoru,” Marut the yeti replied. “But it must be important. I see leaders from all the clans assembled here. There hasn’t been a gathering of this magnitude since before my grandfather’s time. Something big must be happening with the humans.”

“But what?” Mamoru asked. “We haven’t had any problems with the humans in centuries.”

“I don’t know,” Marut replied. “But I think we’re fixing to find out. The Elder is coming.”

The Elder rose from the altar and walked toward the gathered group of yeti leaders outside the crystal circle. He stood a solid twelve feet in height, well taller than the other yeti leaders who stood nine to ten feet tall. The Elder showed his age with a wrinkled aged face with sunken eyes, though his shaggy white coat remained smooth and well kept. Stepping outside the crystal circle, the Elder raised his hand and the crowd quieted.

“Why have you called this meeting at this most holy place, most wise Elder?” one of the yetis called out in a respectful tone. “You haven’t called together all the clans since you became our Elder.”

A sober smile crossed the Elder’s shaggy, wrinkled face. “It has indeed been many cycles since I have had to call all of you together like this,” he answered. “And I am pleased that so many have come in answer to my call.”

“What has happened?” Marut asked. “Has something happened with the humans?”

“Be still, Marut, and I will explain why I have called you,” the Elder ordered.

“Of course,” Marut replied respectfully.

“All of you saw the cursed city of Acheron vanish in a vast explosion several weeks ago,” the Elder stated. “There is only one way that cursed edifice could have been destroyed.”

“You don’t mean the humans did it, do you?” a yeti leader called out.

“I do, Garion,” the Elder stated. “It has come to my attention that the prophecies concerning the return of the Beowulf are now in motion. Beowulf destroyed the cursed city by overloading its ancient machines.”

“How do you know this?” Mamoru asked, voicing the very question filling the minds of every yeti present.

“The Roc told me,” the Elder replied. “The Beowulf is on the move as I speak.”

“How is that possible?” a voice rang out. “The Roc has not been seen since the Calamity. I thought he was just a myth.”

“Be calm, my friends, and I will explain,” the Elder insisted. “You are quite correct in saying the Roc hasn’t been seen since the Calamity. But the great totem of the Caverias did survive as we did. He came to me three days ago when I came to this temple to pray and meditate as I always do. The Roc declared the time of the prophecy has arrived. Beowulf dared to penetrate the citadel and rescued the prisoners of Acheron, including the ancient Muriel, and retrieved the sword and seal of Thoth Caverias himself from the cursed gateway deep beneath the mountain. He also apparently rescued the people of Arionath, Cush, and the Cimmerian people at the same time from the newest onslaught of the Emperor. The Emperor has finally come forth from his cursed realm on his last rampage. He’s chasing the Beowulf, trying to destroy him. But the descendants of the Caverias have shown themselves on the isle of Antilla to help and assist the Beowulf.”

“The Roc told you this?” another voice called out.

“Yes,” the Elder answered. “And it gets worse. The Emperor has taken control over the cursed Murians. All of you have seen the heightened activity of the Murians as they massed and attacked the Cimmerian clans in numbers not seen before. This is why the Cimmerian clans retreated to the cursed city of Acheron. Beowulf has taken control over the ancient machines of the gods in Antilla, using those machines to rescue both the Cimmerian clans and the other human clans of Arionath and Cush. The Roc informed me they retreated to Antilla.”

“Is this man truly the Beowulf of prophecy?” an old yeti leader asked bluntly. “We have not forgotten the great betrayal. Does he meet the conditions of the prophecy?”

“He does,” a deep reptilian voice rang out from inside the crystal circle beyond the Altar. All eyes turned to see a fourteen-foot reptilian creature resembling a cross between a draken and a veloci-raptor walking boldly towards the group from the far side of the circle. The armored creature held a large scepter with a twelve-inch crystal spear point as it walking towards them.

“Who dares violate our most sacred place?” Marut cried out in rage. “None but the Yeti Elder may tread that holy ground! Kill the heretic!” The other yeti leaders roared in agreement.

“Calm down, my friends!” the Elder roared, trying to stop the rising riot. “This creature is not our enemy and he has not desecrated our holy place. He has permission to be here.” The yeti leaders ignored his words as they screamed in rage, convinced the outsider had desecrated their temple.

“Silence!” the creature roared, stopping just inside the circle perimeter looking out. He smacked the pummel end of his scepter on the floor of the temple, releasing a pulse of electrical energy that activated the crystal monoliths. The entire temple rumbled ominously as electrical discharges arched over and between the giant crystal monoliths. All the yeti leaders except the Elder backed off in fright as the temple itself seemed to answer the reptilian creature. “You should not offer such a riot in the presence of this most holy temple of the Ancient of Days,” the creature rebuked. “I, in no way, have desecrated this holy place. I cleansed myself according to your ways and even bowed at the altar to show my respect and veneration of this most holy place. Fact is I was told to come here to give you an important message by Lord Cerrelius of Drakonia himself. You shame yourself and this place by jumping to conclusions without knowing the facts of my being here. Now, please calm down.”

The unruly yeti leaders quieted down as the Elder glanced at the reptilian creature with a wry smile. “Thank you, my friend,” he said to the creature. “I apologize for my people. They have forgotten your people, and their manners.”

The creature smiled soberly. “It’s quite all right,” it replied. “I actually expected this reaction from your people. They tend to be very savage and xenophobic towards outsiders for good reason. But I am pleased they managed to calm down so we can discuss this as rational beings.”

“I can understand their anger, though,” the Elder replied. “Only the Yeti elders have ever been allowed into this temple since the Calamity. We consider it our most holy place.”

“I was told as much,” the creature replied stoically. “And I apologize to you all for being here. But the message the mighty Lord Cerrelius of Drakonia sent came from the mouth of the Ancient of Days Himself. I was given permission to be here from on High.”

“Is this true?” Mamoru asked, feeling a bit shamed by the creature’s rebuke.

“It is,” the Elder stated. “The Ancient of Days told me this emissary would be here today at this time and the Roc confirmed it when he bore this stranger in on his back just this morning before you gathered here.” Just then, the screech of a large bird of prey echoed over the top of Mt. Olympus. The giant albino Roc appeared and circled before landing atop one of the crystal monoliths. “Behold, the Roc: totem spirit of the Caverias line,” the Elder announced, pointing to the Roc. “Now do you believe?” The Roc gazed down at the yeti leaders with a cold authoritative look, its eyes narrow and focused on them.

“Forgive us,” the older yeti leader cried out, kneeling. “We didn’t believe.” The rest of the yeti leaders followed his example, kneeling to the Roc.

“It’s quite all right,” the reptilian creature said pleasantly. “Please, rise. Your people haven’t seen the Roc since the Calamity. But you must now realize that things are in motion that cannot be undone.”

“Who and what are you?” Marut asked politely as the yeti leaders stood up. “We haven’t seen your kind before.”

“That’s because they have remained hidden since before the Calamity,” the Elder stated. He looked at the creature, who nodded. “But now they have come out of hiding because the prophecies are at hand. Tell them who you are, my friend,” he urged.

“I am Draco,” the reptilian creature declared, “...leader of the Drakenites of Drakonia and servant of the most noble and mighty Lord Cerrelius of Drakonia. The drakenites and drakens of Drakonia survived the Calamity by remaining hidden since the Dark Day when the Emperor, the Dark Gods, and FATE attacked our country. Only because of the One who came in our darkest hour did we survive. However, we lost much and the One vanished with the Beowulf and the Elder Gods at the end of that battle. But now, the prophecies of the Beowulf’s return are in motion. You asked about this man who saved the humans of Cimmeria, Arionath and Cushar. Lord Cerrelius showed him to me. When he came into this savage cursed underworld from the surface, he was a man. But he was betrayed and captured with his Lynxian mate and taken to the Emperor. Now, he is no longer a man, but a mutated woman of great power and tenacity. The Emperor had the man mutated into his gendered opposite. She escaped the Emperor, enlisted the assistance of the last descendants of the Caverias line on the isle of Antilla, rescued the prisoners of Acheron including the most ancient Muriel, and then destroyed the cursed city by overloading its ancient machines. At the same time, she used the ancient machines of Antilla to transport the people of Cimmeria and Arionath to Antilla. She then went back to the Black Fortress and rescued her Lynxian mate and a host of righteous souls, dealing a powerful punch to the Emperor that has enraged him. The mutated Beowulf is here in this cursed underworld and is at war with the Darkness and the Emperor. She’s also on the verge of lifting her curse too. When she lifts the curse and becomes the Beowulf, he will come here. Lord Cerrelius has foreseen it. I came here to make you aware that the time of prophecy is now. You need to prepare and be ready.”

“What is the name of the mutated Beowulf,” the Elder asked.

“Presently, the mutated Beowulf calls herself Hanna,” Draco stated. “But his real name is Hannibal Smith. He also uses the name Beowulf on occasion too. Why he does this I’m not sure. But he seems to have a deep connection to the Beowulf. When he comes, you must bring him here to this shrine before you do or ask him anything. He is searching for this destiny and this place is integral to it. Do not forbid him entry here. Once here, he will answer all your questions and prove that he is truly the Beowulf reborn. He will make right the great betrayal committed on you by his ancestor Thoth Caverias. This is the message that Lord Cerrelius bade me to bring to you. The Beowulf is here. He will come to you with important news as he searches for his destiny. Help him to find his destiny and heal the breech between the humans and yetis. In time, he will come to us in Drakonia, but he will come here first. Be ready to greet him.”

“Are we allowed to test him?” Garion asked.

“Yes,” Draco replied. “But only in the confines of this holy place. Part of his destiny is to come here and be tested by the Yetis to prove his worthiness and trust. You, as a people, have the right to examine and test him to your satisfaction because of what his ancestor Thoth did. Lord Cerrelius has declared the Beowulf will set right the Great Betrayal and earn the right to be called friend of the Yetis.”

“This is true,” the Elder agreed. “This soul may be the Beowulf, but he will have to answer for the sins of his forefathers. Our claim will be avenged and will be made right. The Ancient of Days declared it.”

“That’s so true,” Draco agreed. “But know this about this Beowulf. I’ve seen him through Lord Cerrelius’ eyes. I believe him to be the Beowulf reborn, and he will finish what the original Beowulf started. This Beowulf is the One, the Last Caverias, destined to bring the Darkness and Light back into balance. However, do not let my words sway you. You, the leaders of the Yeti clans, have the right and responsibility to prove him according to your ways. All I ask is that you be fair and impartial in your judgment of him. He is not like his ancestor Thoth. If anything, he reminds me more of the legendary Ragnar Omicron Caverias, who gave his life to destroy Grimm and hold the most Ancient Darkness at bay.”

“We shall give this Beowulf a fair hearing,” the Elder announced. “I swear it by this holy place and the Ancient of Days Himself. The time of reckoning has come. It’s time we decide which side we’re on. Do you happen to know when he will come, Lord Draco?”

“Soon, very soon,” Draco replied. “Possibly within the next week, but I can’t be sure. Lord Cerrelius didn’t share that information with me. What his word is for the Yetis is to prepare for Beowulf’s coming. He will come to Olympus to be judged. It’s his destiny. Furthermore, Lord Cerrelius bids you and your people to prepare for war. The Emperor is coming for every soul on this planet, including yours. He will no longer tolerate any resistance to his rule. No soul of the Light will survive his onslaught alone. We of the Light must band together and drive back this Darkness.”

“Very well put, Lord Draco,” the Elder commended. “This is what the Ancient of Days has dropped into my spirit in the last few weeks, especially since the destruction of Acheron. The End of Days is here. We must be ready.”

A deep rumbling feline growl echoed through the temple. The yeti elders looked around with some concern as the rumble seemed to come from all directions. Both the Elder and Draco looked left, seeing a giant saber cat twice the size of a rhino with eighteen-inch canines appearing from behind one of the crystal monoliths outside the circle. The Elder’s right eyebrow rose as the saber cat approached cautiously, eyeing everyone suspiciously. Moments later, a large pack of giant wolves and smaller saber cats numbering forty appeared behind the giant cat.

The Yeti leaders closed ranks, moving back from the giant saber cat and its pack. The Elder held out his hand saying, “Hold your ground, my friends. You’re in no danger.” Turning to the giant cat, the Elder asked, “What brings you to our most holy place with your pack, Lord Serge?”

The giant saber cat lifted its head and stopped. It looked back at the pack and growled deeply. The pack stopped and sat down, eying everyone closely. The cat then turned its head to the Elder and Draco as Draco stepped outside the circle. It looked up at the Roc and grimaced slightly with a rumbling growl. The Roc chirped authoritatively, ruffling its feathers briefly.

“Well, Lord Serge?” the Elder asked, walking towards the giant saber cat cautiously. “It’s been decades since you’ve come to Olympus. What brings you here?”

The giant saber cat looked at the Elder and slowly stalked towards him, staring him in the eye. Then to the astonishment of the yeti leaders, the cat spoke audibly. “I am here for the same reason you are, most wise Elder of the Yetis,” Serge, the saber cat answered. “The Ancient of Days ordered me here with my pack. Things are in motion that cannot be undone.”

“We are aware of that,” the Elder agreed. “Lord Draco and the Roc have confirmed to us that the Beowulf is here and at war with the Emperor.”

“I know,” Serge stated. “I have seen him up close and shadowed him until his capture in Cush. This man, this Beowulf is not like the others. He’s different. He has a different smell and spirit on him. His light is as strong as the Emperor’s darkness, maybe more so. But let me get to the point for we have little time. I know Beowulf is a mutated woman right now who calls herself Hanna. She’s a lost, fractured soul because of the Darkness. But that’s about to change. She’s on the verge of solving the riddle of the completed soul and healing her fractured soul.”

“How do you know this, Lord Serge?” the Elder asked respectfully.

“I knew Beowulf was a fractured soul the moment I caught him at Xavier’s Watchtower,” Serge stated. “But I also sensed that he was trying to find himself. This Beowulf has not only the fractured soul, but he also has missing time that plagues him. He’s not sure who or what he is.”

“I see,” Draco rumbled. “You sensed this telepathically?”

“Yes,” Serge replied. “I am the direct descendant of Moro Hazaki, Lord Beowulf’s companion and protector in the 1st Age. My line has managed to keep our telepathic abilities intact, though they have weakened significantly over the ages. When I caught Beowulf at Xavier’s Watchtower, I felt something stir that I’ve never felt before. We connected briefly and I saw his line back to Beowulf through Mistress Cleo Caverias. This Beowulf is the One true heir to the Caverias line...the Last Caverias. Then, when I learned that he’d escaped after being mutated into a woman, I sought her through psychic contact since I could not physically locate her. After the destruction of Acheron, I succeeded and learned she’s solved the riddle of the completed soul. Hanna has freed her male side and is presently merging with him. She’s now yearning for the completion, but that won’t happen until Mistress Josephine Keleb reverses the mutation using the machinery of the Red Tower on Antilla. That will happen in a very short order.”

Silence fell over the crowd of yeti leaders as they gaped in astonishment. “Did you use the connection you discovered to make the psychic contact?” Draco asked, intrigued by the development.

“I did, Lord Draco,” Serge replied. “The connection surprised me when it happened at the Watchtower. I’ve never felt such an intimate connection to a human before. It felt like we’d been close friends in another life. I know he felt it too.”

“That is news of great value,” the Elder chimed. “What did you tell him in your psychic contact?”

“I told him that the creatures of this realm would not back him until he solved the riddle of the completed soul,” Serge stated. “None of us can follow a fractured soul. It’s too risky. I also made it abundantly clear that the Yetis wouldn’t follow him as a Caverias unless he could prove that he was not like the Great Betrayer, Thoth. Unfortunately, something very dark intruded on us and we had to flee an army of Zarukars, Xenians, and droids unleashed by the Emperor. This contact we had was in dream form, and somehow the Emperor tapped into our minds. It puzzles me that when I found Hanna in the dream contact, she had the Draken Gauntlets of Ryu-Fudo on her wrists. She had to use them to fight off a missile attack and fleet of bombers. Hanna has great, untapped power. She used the Gauntlets in conjunction with an impressive elemental assault to fight off the Darkness.”

“Now, that is interesting,” Draco rumbled thoughtfully. “Did she use both by sheer instinct?”

“She did,” Serge reported. “I’ve never seen any human exhibit such power before. Somehow, she linked her elemental power to that of the Gauntlets and wiped out the entire squadron. But the explosion from the hit was powerful enough to sever my contact with her. I’ve not been able to make such contact since.”

“Hmmm,” the Elder murmured. “Maybe this woman is the One. Was there anything else in your contact with her?”

“Well, before we were so rudely interrupted by the Emperor, she told me how she came to the caverns,” Serge reported. “On the way here, she said the Zinzera tribe took her to the Circle of Hammunaptra where she endured the Trials. In the first trial, she spoke of fighting alongside a yeti to kill a Jagara. They apparently killed the Jagara, but the yeti took mortal wounds, dying in the arena.” A murmur raced through the crowd.

“Quiet,” the Elder barked at the yeti leaders. “Let Lord Serge finish. What else did this Beowulf share?”

“She was grieved that she couldn’t save the yeti,” Serge stated. “Apparently, before the yeti died, she promised him that she’d bring word to you about his death. This Hanna, this Beowulf is an honorable soul and will honor the promise she made to the yeti. That’s why she will come here after reversing the mutation. I have no doubt that she will come, even if it’s just to share the news. It seems that this Beowulf not only survived the Trials at Hammunaptra, but freed the guardian tribe of the dark influence the Emperor had over them.”

“What was the yeti’s name?” the Elder asked softly.

“She called him Sukar,” Serge answered. “She spoke of him as one would speak about a lost friend. I think she really cared for him.”

“It’s possible,” the Elder murmured. “I will ask this Beowulf about it when he gets here. Sukar disappeared over thirty cycles ago and no one ever found his remains.”

“Was he your friend, most wise Elder?” Serge asked.

“He was my younger brother,” the Elder replied softly. “I never knew what happened to him. That’s one reason I pray here at the altar regularly. I hoped to find out what happened.”

Draco edged up beside the Elder, touching him on the shoulder. “I’m so sorry for your loss,” he told the Elder. “But this news does concern me. You say Beowulf slew a Jagara on the surface?”

“That’s what she said,” Serge replied. “And it apparently worried her too because she also told me about another dream. It seems she dreamed of Hammunaptra again, only this time she was in her present form. She said Sukar told her about Thoth’s betrayal and not to betray you as Thoth had done. Then a Jagara burst out of Sukar’s chest, trying to kill her. It definitely worried her. She thinks the Jagara might be part of the Old Ones. I told her no one knows the origins of the Jagara, but her theory might have some merit. I asked her if she saw any more, and she said no. It seems Sukar and the Jagara were the last creatures enslaved by the Zinzera chief, who was in thrall to the Emperor.”

“I don’t like the sound of that,” Draco rumbled. “It’s good that you have brought this information to us, Lord Serge. I should consult with Lord Cerrelius about this. If these humans managed to take a Jagara to the surface, then the Emperor must still have access to them somehow. They’re just as dangerous as the Xenos, neither of which have been seen since the Calamity. We must find out exactly what the Emperor does have access to. We cannot let him unleash the Jagara or the Xenos on the world again.”

The Roc uttered several chirps in an authoritative way to the group. Draco looked up at the giant bird and nodded. “You are so right, my great avian friend,” he agreed. “We need to be patient.”

“What did he say?” a voice called out from the yeti leaders.

Turning to the yeti leaders, Draco declared, “The Roc merely pointed out that the Beowulf will find out what we need to know. It’s his destiny. All we have to do is let the Beowulf do his job. He’s already done so much, even in his mutated form. Imagine what he’s going to do once he solves the riddle of the completed soul and reverses the mutation. I dare to say he will become the most powerful Caverias ever, surpassing even Ragnar, who slew the alpha Chaos Lord Grimm in his own lair. We must let him lead this charge against the Darkness. This is why the Beowulf has come. Only he can stand up to the Emperor and the Darkness that spawned him. All we need to do is be ready to assist when the time comes.”

“And we will,” Serge rumbled. “If he finishes the healing process and becomes a truly completed soul, all the creatures of this savage land will answer his call, even the god-worms of the wastes. That’s what the Ancient of Days has told me.”

“Indeed,” Draco agreed, “Lord Cerrelius agrees completely with you. But the choice to finish the integration and walk the path will not be forced upon Beowulf. He must make the choice alone. Only he can decide to walk his destined path, though I think it’s just a little matter. His destiny has been foretold since the rise of the Caverias line. He will make the right choice and walk the path the Ancient of Days has for him, just as Ragnar Caverias decided to do. I truly wish to meet him, but I mustn’t yet. The time isn’t right for that meeting.”

“Why not?” the Elder asked.

“Because seeing him prematurely may alter his destiny,” Draco stated. “He has to discover his destiny for himself. Only when he sees the path and willingly walks it will I come into the equation. I just need to be patient. Our meeting will come in due time.”

“As will our reunion,” Serge agreed. “I feel that at some point, he will seek me out too. At that point, he will know what must be done and we will support him.”

“As will we,” the Elder stated, “...but only after we test him in this holy place. If he’s a truly righteous soul and the Beowulf reborn, he will have no trouble convincing us. If he’s not what he seems, then the Almighty will strike him down. He must be able to heal the breech between us and the humans.”

“Then we’re all in agreement,” Draco declared. “And my mission here is successful. I thank you all for allowing me to speak in this holy place. Furthermore, I’m pleased that Lord Serge chose to show himself and bring us critical intelligence on this Beowulf. Only he has seen this Beowulf up close and sensed his intentions. Thank you, my friend.”

“This is why I was ordered here,” Serge stated. “But as we end our fellowship here, I bring a grim report from the Murian city of Gehenna. Several of my scouts saw the wicked sorcerer Ahriaman along with several of his minions in the city casting spells over the Murians just before the Beowulf destroyed Acheron. The Emperor and Ahriaman have taken complete control over the Murian hordes. We and the other animals have had to keep well away from them because they’re now attacking every breathing thing they encounter.”

“That explains it,” the Elder growled. “We noticed their heightened activity and aggressiveness recently. When they stopped attacking our clans and started massing towards Acheron, we knew something wasn’t right.”

“Well, that’s why you saw them massing,” Serge replied. “Apparently, the yeti clans weren’t targeted, only the humans. But once the humans are gone, they will turn on the rest of us. I sense the Emperor wishes to turn Cimmeria and the rest of the caverns into a charred wasteland like the Blister Fields. We can’t allow him to do this. He cannot be allowed to escape this grave, even if we must sacrifice everything.”

“I agree,” the Elder replied soberly. “But we alone can’t face him. Only the Beowulf can stop this insanity and preserve life on this planet.”

“So true,” Draco agreed. “As much as I hate to admit it, we can do nothing at this point to stop the Emperor and his dark backers. We must put our faith in the Ancient of Days and the prophecy about the Beowulf. Be ready to greet him when he comes. Test him fairly because he will see through any deception and deceit much the same way Ragnar Caverias could.”

“We will be ready,” the Elder declared. “I swear it. And we will prepare for war. The Darkness emanating from this Emperor is growing deeper and darker by the minute. Even I can sense it here on Olympus. We can no longer hide ourselves from his gaze. He will see and come for our souls. We will be ready.”

“So will the creatures of Amacia,” Serge agreed. “But we can’t do anything without Beowulf. We must wait for him to make the first move. Then we can act.”

“We in Drakonia are ready,” Draco announced. “But like you, Lord Serge, we will not move until Lord Beowulf has finished what he started and heals the breech with the Yetis. Only then will we act. However, it is a little thing. Lord Cerrelius is sure this Beowulf will fulfill his destiny and save us from extinction. This is the will of the Almighty Ancient of Days. Now, with your permission, most wise Elder, I shall leave you to your preparations.”

“Go with the blessings of the Almighty, Lord Draco,” the Elder replied, “...and with the blessing of our people. Your message is very timely. Now we can prepare.”

“I and my pack shall leave as well,” Serge stated. “We shall keep a wary eye on everything and keep you informed.”

“Very well,” the Elder stated. “Go with the blessing of the Almighty, and be safe from the Darkness, both of you.”

“The same goes for you,” Draco replied as the Roc jumped down from its perch. He bowed and immediately climbed on the Roc’s back, flying away.

Serge nodded and left with his pack the same way he came.

“Come, my friends, we have much to do,” the Elder announced. “We must ready ourselves for the Beowulf and his war with the Darkness.” The yeti leaders agreed and they left the temple, descending from Mt. Olympus to prepare as Draco urged them.