Present day
Pluto paced the cavern of Hades, trying to calm himself. This was his kingdom, where he controlled death and darkness. His spiked tail slapped the rocky floor as he moved.
The prophets stood with their hands folded and heads bowed, waiting for their master to speak. They were used to his rage. The Book of Prophecy still floated above them, humming with magic. The Book of Truth had refused to speak. It had kept its secrets, the secrets Pluto and his prophets wanted. It would not say who the Child of Destiny was, only that a divine creature would shape Petra's future.
Anger boiled in Pluto. Someone had trespassed in his kingdom. He had felt a power, the blinding light that had pulsed from the book, and it had been terrifying. What happened? Who had come? The power felt strangely familiar, but the prophets could not see what it was. The floating book had glowed and shook, its pages slapping wildly. Ancient words floated across the sky, words none of the prophets could read. The whole thing felt unreal, like nothing they'd ever seen.
Pluto's patience snapped. Anger was one of his vices. He turned to the prophets, his eyes burning. They wore dark cloaks from head to toe, waiting for direction after what they'd witnessed. Pluto's voice crashed through the cavern, like thunder.
"What happened?! Why won't any of you explain it to me? Why did the book glow like that? What caused it? Who dared disturb my kingdom? I need answers!" He slammed his claws down on the stone. The impact scattered dust and made the prophets flinch. Pluto kept moving, restless. "Why are you all so silent? Speak!"
For a long moment, no one answered. Pluto looked like he might tear them apart on the spot.
Finally, one prophet raised his head. His voice was low. "Lord Pluto… I fear the Child of Destiny was here. We were unlucky to miss him."
Pluto stopped. Twelve prophets stood before him. He ordered, "Who speaks? Step forward." The prophet did. The name echoed in Hades, a name the book had called when it glowed. "Erlys."
Pluto's face went still. He remembered. Five thousand years ago, Erlys, the god of light , had bound them. The name brought a cold fear that he tried to hide. He swallowed and forced his voice out. "What? Are you certain? How could he come here as a mere being? It's impossible."
Fear gnawed at Pluto. The divine creature the book had seen, the one meant to shape the future, had come into his realm and slipped away. He had not stopped him. He had not destroyed him. The thought made his blood run cold. His plans had to stay intact. He had held them for so long. They could not be ruined. Not now. Not ever.
The prophet spoke again, head still bowed. "The prophecy called his name. We all heard it."
Together the prophets, their souls linked, whispered the name like a vow. "Erlys."
Pluto's breath grew rapid. Erlys. The enemy who had once conquered darkness. The one who could stand against him. The one who had trespassed. Had he really been here?
Pluto stared at the floating book, hung in the air. He wished he could tear it open and pull out its secrets. He wanted to be ten steps ahead of light. He wanted to find this divine creature and crush him. Darkness would not yield, not while Pluto drew breath. He swore it.
"We have to do something. Anything. I need to know everything. Find this prophesied creature. Tell me where he is so I can lay my hands on him. I will destroy him." Pluto's voice was hard.
The prophets bowed and moved to form a circle around the floating book. Their hands linked. They began to chant, trying to break through the book's silence. Their voices rose in one, old and hollow.
"Show us his face. Let us see him. Tell us where he hides."
The book answered, but not kindly. The pages whipped open. A flare of energy burst out, throwing the prophets to the ground. The wind howled with light, ripping their hands apart and scattering them. Once more, they failed. The book's wild power fell silent as quickly as it had risen.
Pluto's chest pounded. He might have been knocked down if he'd been closer. The blast had shielded his face, but the taste of light, the thing he feared most, lingered.
He glanced at his other spells and wards, at the darkness he had sewn across Petra. His magic was thinning. The monsters made from human blood, the beasts of night that fed on cries and fear and human flesh, all of it needed energy. Time was running out.
Malik. Pluto thought of Malik, a painful sight for the fallen king. Pluto moved toward the Gates of Lost Souls where Malik writhed. Malik's soul twisted in pain; Pluto loved the sight. He called out, voice smooth and oily.
"Malik! I bring a better deal. Simple this time. Your soul will feel less pain. After all, you were a king. Tell me what I must know, and I will free you from Hades. Your soul will not burn."
Malik turned. His eyes locked with Pluto's, crimson, burning with hatred and disgust. The bargain hung in the air.
——-
Morgan watched as Langford rifled through his sack, but she couldn't tell what he was looking for, he hadn't said a word yet.
She observed him pulling out bottles, charms, faded scrolls, and books, all from the same sack, searching frantically. Her hands rested on her waist as she studied his hurried, paranoid movements. His last words haunted her memory: "Erlys, you still have a long way to go."
Curiosity mingled with fear. She didn't fully understand what was happening, but she knew Landon was in danger. She wanted to know everything, if it concerned him, she had to know. A bottle had rolled to the side, and she carefully set it on the table.
"What is it? What may I know about what you seek? What aren't you telling me?" she asked, her eyes searching the old man's bearded face. Langford looked at her for a long moment. Morgan felt the weight of what he was about to say. Her hands trembled as she clutched her dress, bracing herself.
Finally, Langford spoke.
"Erlys has to go back to the Underworld and get the Flower. That's the only way his spirit will grow, the first step to connecting to his reincarnation. He must do this to retrieve the Book of Prophecy, now in Hades. Not now, but later, after he has crossed the Five Paths. Only then can he reclaim the book stolen by Pluto and finally confront the darkness in Petra. Then… he can face the Dark Knight who may rise."
Morgan's face drained of color. She could sense the danger looming over Landon.
"The Flower," Langford continued, "holds a power he must have. If he wants any chance against the dark powers and the Netherworld in the coming war, he must survive where even gods fear to tread. With the Herb, he will be able—"
Morgan's body shook. Her throat ran dry. The dangers were coming for Landon. She wished she had the power to stop it. Gwen's warning from her dreams echoed in her mind: Don't stop Landon from his destiny.
Langford turned his focus, still searching his sack. "I can't find what I need to confirm the evil I sense here. I must return to the Haven… get what I need… the evil lurks so close, but I don't know where."
Morgan's heart pounded. Petra was full of darkness, but what evil did he mean? She pressed, "Evil? Do you mean the monsters outside? Or the darkness itself?"
Langford shook his head. "No. It's not the darkness or Petra. It's… something from the Dark World."
Then he called out sharply, "Erlys! Come here!"
Landon stepped out, clutching the enchanted book. The dark frog followed him.
"Stay back, friend," Landon warned.
"Friend?" Langford asked, narrowing his eyes.
"My friend," Landon said calmly, before the frog leapt onto his left shoulder. Langford froze, terror gripping him as he stared at the creature.
"Erlys," the old seer whispered, eyes wide.
Morgan's heart skipped. "Is everything… alright?" she asked, eyes flitting between Langford and the creature.
"I'm afraid," Langford said, voice low and urgent, "the evil here… rests on your shoulder, boy."
"Evil?" Landon blinked, staring at his friend. "No… friend was rescued by me. I healed him. He means no harm."
Langford's gaze stayed locked on the creature's black, molten eyes. "It must be destroyed. Now. It is evil. From the Dark Side. Danger surrounds it. It's now or never."
He reached for it, but in an instant, the creature vanished. Morgan, Langford, and Landon stared at the empty air, eyes wide with disbelief.