Ascendants of Ancients Sovereign - By Phillip Jones Page 0,94

reasoning.

“I did give the command, and I watched the saber perish. I wanted to see if you were strong enough before pledging my allegiance to someone who couldn’t defend himself. The things I’ve said about coming here to travel with you are true. Together, we could dominate kingdoms.”

After he listened to the demon’s response, George thought a moment. He knew he had a huge advantage over the jaguar. He was unsure what the beast’s perception was of the event, so he asked Kepler to explain what he saw.

The demon felt this to be an odd request, wondering why the human would want to relive the slaughter, but he did not argue. Kepler finished his account by saying, “...I’m not sure what else to say, other than I decided to offer my services to you after bearing witness. It was, after all, what the goddess thought I would enjoy doing.”

The deceiver had no clue what Kepler meant by “the goddess,” but he did not want to lose the upper hand. “What other skills do you offer, Kep, other than being the Lord of all Cats?”

“I can capture the souls of men with dark natures. I trap them inside their bones, and they must do my bidding until I decide to release them.”

George smirked. “That’s sick, man. Tell me more.”

Kepler’s brow furrowed. “I can hide in the smallest of shadows. This allows me to stalk in situations where stealth is required. Simple things … things that affect normal creatures, don’t harm me. I walk the world as undead.”

George nodded. “That’s wicked disgusting. Holy cow, what else?”

Although Kepler was unsure of George’s odd references, he could tell the human was intrigued. “Poison and extreme cold are harmless annoyances. Make no mistake, I am the Master of the Hunt for many reasons.”

George smirked. “Master of the Hunt, eh? Take it easy, stud. You’re head’s going to explode.”

The demon pondered the word “stud” and then dismissed his confusion. “I’m skilled at gathering information, and these claws are unmatched when the moments show no solution other than to pounce. If these traits are not what you consider esteemed, we have nothing further to discuss. I shall hunt on my own.”

George liked a lot of what the jaguar had said. What could it hurt to have the beast travel with him, as long as he could maintain his illusion of power. A cat with this size would definitely offer protection, and all he needed to do was stay in one piece until he could retrieve the Staff of Petrifaction. Once he was able to turn things to stone, he could re-evaluate his need for the demon.

Turning to Kepler, George thought of two questions. He hoped the answers would make the next couple of steps of his journey much easier. “How do you feel about pushing aside heavy boulders, and are you immune to the effects of the beast inside the Cave of Sorrow?”

Kepler’s responses were everything George wanted to hear. They decided to call it a partnership—for now—and since the night was late, George turned to sleep. It was only a few hours until sunrise, and there was a big boulder to find. As George went to sleep, he dreamt of Abbie and Athena. They took his little daughter to an amusement park and ate cotton candy. It was a pleasant dream.

Kepler, on the other hand, was relieved that he was able to accomplish the task Celestria recommended. The loss of the saber lord was regrettable, but as it turned out, it was necessary. At least he knew what he was up against. He yawned as he jumped up on a nearby boulder to lie down and reflect on the Peak’s events. As the fog moved in across the lake, a soothing breeze swept over him.

High above, on a branch in a nearby tree, Lasidious had watched the travel companions’ paths merge. The god lowered his eyes to the rock at the base of the tree. It was this large stone the map rested beneath, and it would soon be discovered. He realized he was right about George’s ability to seize power, and he hoped the Earthling could distract the gods. He needed this diversion to hide Celestria, allowing her to give birth without fear of discovery. He enjoyed the luck involved this evening, but he knew this kind of luck only followed those who were clever enough to find it. Smiling, the God of Mischief’s eyes flashed red, and then he vanished.

Kepler sitting near the Pool