[b][u]Occus, Boreas Olympus Month Two[/u][/b] Boreas took a step forward, startled by the goddess' collapse. He went to help, but her feline guardian obviously did not trust him and warned him off. Knowing that she was a goddess, and regardless of her ill nature she wouldn't die, Boreas would just have to trust that the black lion would see she was cared for. Deciding that was enough for today, especially for Occus, Boreas left to collect the young immortal and return to make preparations for the defense of Wickedeisos. [color=004b80]"Come,"[/color] he whispered, a serious tone to his voice, [color=004b80]"we've been gone long enough, we should check the prison."[/color] That wasn't all Boreas wanted to do, but it was what would get Occus moving fastest. [color=ec008c]"Alright,"[/color] he muttered, turning and leaving the council room. They quickly bee-lined for the garden where the portal to Wickedeisos floated. [color=ec008c]"Has Khione left already?"[/color] [color=004b80]"I don't know, she'll probably head to Russia soon."[/color] Boreas answered with a shrug. His daughter loved the far northern regions of the world, not so much the far south as it was less populated where it became colder. [color=ec008c]"Let her,"[/color] Occus decided, frowning, [color=ec008c]"It won't be easy finding her, she'll be safer there than Hexstirn."[/color] That was worrying, Boreas thought that almost sounded like resignation in Ox's voice. Surely he wouldn't give up? They walked in silence through the halls of [url=http://www.walldevil.com/wallpapers/a63/fantasy-desktop-beautiful-wallpaper-places-beutiful-termine-amazing.jpg]Hexstirn[/url]. Navigating the pathways to the center-most building where the [url=http://img11.deviantart.net/f09f/i/2010/261/f/d/throne_room_1_by_seriousx9-d2z0t0b.jpg]throne room[/url] sat heavily protected by wards and spells. The room was filled with some twenty Fae, including Khulekani. His Generals, new and old, the oldest and most skilled of them. They would be sent to collect their brothers and sisters from the mortal realms to prepare for battle. Soon they'd appeal to old enemies for alliance; the Jotuns and Elves, maybe the Dwarves too, but most definitely the faltering populations of the sorely neglected Asian, African, and Native American creatures. [color=ec008c]"Find your sons,"[/color] Ox commanded, giving Boreas a knowing look. [color=ec008c]"Send them to the Cage."[/color] He knew Boreas had had more on his mind than the much needed work, and while Ox would love to indulge him, more pressing matters needed their attention. [b][u]Khulekani Hexstirn Month Two[/u][/b] [color=f6989d]"My lord,"[/color] Kani purred happily once Boreas had left. [color=f6989d]"We have discovered the source of this strife."[/color] She said, a hint of teasing entering her voice. Occus leaned forward from where he'd sat back in the throne. He didn't pick up immediately on the difference in her tone from her usual self, more focused on the information he was so desperate to get. [color=ec008c]"What is it then? Who?"[/color] [color=f6989d]"His name is dangerous to say aloud, it is cursed."[/color] She confided, Occus didn't notice the lie. He stood, coming closer to where she stood before the other Fae Generals. [color=ec008c]"Speak it then,"[/color] he said, once he was in arms reach of his trusted friend. [color=ec008c]"I can shield us here."[/color] He promised. Kani leaned forward. [color=92278f][i]"DECEIVER! TRAITOR! RUN! BETRAYAL!"[/i][/color] The Heart was suddenly screaming, demanding he flee for his life this very moment. Occus jerked back in surprise, eyes turning to the Generals who were grinning maliciously. [color=ec008c]"What is-?"[/color] He started to demand, but then a blade, Harpe, was digging into his chest and his magic would not answer his call. The wards had failed, for the first time in his life magic was no where to be found. He screamed as his friend's blade cleaved his flesh. The golden blood of gods splashed over them, pooling onto the floor of the throne room. Kani had betrayed him? Impossible! He'd known her for centuries, for most of his life, it simply wasn't possible. She'd sold her soul to him! She physically could not hurt him! And yet, as he crumpled to the floor, splayed out on his back, the blade somehow more effective than it had any right to be, Kani twisted it with a pleased smirk. She jerked Harpe from his flesh, stepping on his torso to better leverage it from his chest. This wasn't enough to kill him, it couldn't be, he was a god! But Kani's thrust had been true, and more than his life was at stake here. [color=f6989d]"There you are, my pretty, mad little thing."[/color] She cooed. Occus was confused, but his thoughts were too unfocused to make sense of what was happening. she was reaching down, towards his wound... why? And then whatever was canceling the magic in the area failed and Occus heaved a gasp, choking on his golden blood, ut feeling power in his veins once more. [color=ec008c]"Traitor!"[/color] He screamed, fury and grief warring within him and a blast of his most deadly dark curses on his finger tips. But before he could let loose his arcane rage, Kani's hand wrapped around [url=https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/bb/6c/29/bb6c292432ad2bebb98d63e38802ce5f.jpg]The Heart[/url] and pulled it free from his chest, ending everything for Occus. [color=92278f]"NO!"[/color] It wailed in terror, for once it's voice echoing beyond Ox's mind. [color=f6989d]"You serve Zeltrax now."[/color] Kani giggled in delight. She began chanting, preparing to send the artifact to her master, but The Heart was a powerful creation in it's own right and vanished of it's own accord straight from her grasp. [color=f6989d]"No!"[/color] She screamed, furious, but then the effects of her possession began to fade and the anger turned to shock and grief. Her beloved Occus, her master and friend... she killed him? Then the wards finally finished reconstructing themselves after the arcane blackout, and they recognized every single one of the Generals as traitors and accomplices in murder. Without direction from it's creator, the sentient side of Wickedeisos had no direction, so it simply shut. The traitors were scorched into nonexistence, the doors sealed shut everywhere, and then the lone portal to Olympus exploded with a sound not unlike The Heart's shriek of terror and grief. It happened so fast, no one could have defended against it. In a single move the Fae were plunged into chaos. Those close to the Heart, or to Occus himself, or those with gifts of seeing and knowing, immediately alerted everyone they could. Wickedeisos had gone silent. Within the hour rumors were rampant and panic was spreading sharply. There was nothing heard from Boreas, nor from Zethes, Calais, or Khione. The Fae were not associated with other immortals, they had no one to turn to, no one to answer their questions, no one to ask for help. They were not even sure if the others would know if anything had happened at all, they knew that Occus was a solitary deity, keeping only a handful of close friends nearby, but they had no way of alerting the others. Within three hours of the beginning of Wickedeisos' silence the Fae were well and truly locked up. Castles hidden by magic, large mansions stuffed with sleeping mats, even caves and sewers were playing host to a few. Some even returned to their mortal homes and settled in to wait it out, or just fled the Earth entirely, jumping into separate realms to hide from whatever was coming. Their was no doubt in the minds of the seers that this was only the beginning, and without Occus, or even Boreas, to guide them, they were as helpless as the clueless Humans. One memorable event shared through mortal technology stuck out. A picture of a crying Californian girl with a spray can in her hand screaming incoherently at the police trying to arrest her with the words 'THE SECOND WAR COMES!' sprayed in graffiti on the face of the building beside her. The picture was spread around quickly by the Fae, but also by mortals who thought the girl's elfin ears and bright green eyes, combined with her modern clothes and hipster glasses made her look like something out of a modern fantasy novel. Which she was.