THREE
The Wrath of the Mama Jaguar
Argus’ first feeling was of pain. His body still felt like a bunch of scorpion shifters had a mass orgy on top of him.
Opening his eyes, he saw a lavish ceiling with a massive decadent chandelier right above his bed, which by the way was big enough for five people. Argus sat up and put his back against the headboard, at least he could move. He was in a room that was about three times larger than his dorm room. With priceless looking antiques and furnishings from what looked like ancient times, no doubt expensive or collectors’ items however the most prominent feature of the room was the huge ornate window with stained glass and a sit in front looking out to well cared for grounds, you could be many colourful plants and foliage, huge trees and buildings in the distance which seemed to be The Order’s headquarters, he recognised them from visiting Zoe at her housing.
He was still shirt less, someone had taken his shoes of and draped a blanket over him. He looked down towards his chest. It was still there. Was this a dream or a mind mage having a prank. He traced the, what was it called? The triskelion? Swirls of colourful lines constantly moved around the three spirals branching out from the centre. What could this mean, he didn’t have any powers, so we did Oram pick him? Wait. Was it for his devilishly handsome looks? Can gods be perverts? Before he got further down that path an abrupt knock on the door broke him out of his dark musings.
“Heralia?” a deep baritone voice drawled from the other side. It was that head enforcer Argus realised.
“Come in,” Argus swung his feet over the bed and winced when his bare feet met the cold marble floor. Malec came in looking concerned and apprehensive.
“My Heralia, are you well?” Malec said in his usual proper manner.
“Hi, um, call me Argus and yeah I’m okay, but where am I and what happened,” Argus questioned.
“Hello Master Argus, I’m Malec the head of The Order and the right hand of the Heralia, your right hand now. Heralia Watson has passed away and Oram has chosen you to pass on the legacy of the Heralia. In time you will come into your powers and there will be no question,” Malec explained.
Argus soaked this in. He never had any powers, he had begrudgingly come to terms with it. This was everything he ever wanted. But he didn’t dare get his hopes up. So, he remained sceptical of the whole thing, surely this was a mistake.
“What do you mean my powers? I don’t have any since birth, I’m a normie.”
Malec winced at the term. “Master Argus, from old times Heralia have never had any powers before their awakening, it’s in the scripture of the Heralia temple. You have all three bloodlines in you and that’s what makes you special As for your powers, you will have three separate ones which will directly correlate to the beings whose blood lows through your veins. You will be able to shift, to your ancestral creature, you will also be able to use the powers of your undead ancestor and finally you will also gain the magical abilities of your Mana ancestor.”
Argus sat there contemplating. He didn’t know his parents, so he didn’t know what they were or where they came from. The only time he felt like he belonged was when he was with his best friends Zoe and Arlo, or his ma and the nuns.
“YOU ARE NOT GOING TO KEEP ME FROM MY BABY, YOUNG MAN!” Suddenly there was a strong abrupt shout that had Argus jumping off the bed, wondering if he accidently summoned his ma, by thinking of her. Malec was also taken aback as they both hurried out of the door to see what the commotion was about.
Argus walked out to a hallway which lead to a grand staircase. It had a slight curve to it as it descended to the ground floor. There were enforcers running about, everywhere shouting orders, getting into a serious battle formation.
It was then, that Argus saw a group of nuns bulldozing their way through the entrance. They may look like timid old nuns in the temple. But each one of them where very dangerous shifters. There were a bunch of enforcers which were trying to stop their entry and where simultaneously sent flying. There where fire spells being fired and the enforcers who were wizards and mages were trying to cast shields and blockades to stop the onslaught, as one of the nuns shifted in to a grizzly bear the size of a bus, thank god the ceiling was so high, otherwise the whole mansion would have been destroyed.
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As much as this warmed Argus’ heart he knew he should prevent his ma from injuring his enforcers…wait, his enforcers!? Where did that thought come from?
“Ma! I’m okay, I’m here … I’m here,” Argus shouted, to get them to stop their rampage. As soon as the shout was heard the commotion died out as the enforcers all stopped their counterattack and bowed their heads in acknowledgement. Argus saw his ma’s head swivel to his direction, she was looking every bit as a high priestess with her long white gown flowing, her eyes were her jaguar’s so you could tell she was agitated. As soon as she looked at him her eyes immediately shot to the mark on his chest. Argus squirmed under his mas and the nuns’ scrutiny and remembered that he really needed to find a shirt. He came down the stairs with all eyes on him the enforcers on the side’s heads bobbed in greeting as he passed.
“Argus, honey, it’s true?” High Priestess Alora said as she put her hands-on Argus’ cheeks. It was a familiar gesture accompanied by her familiar scent that grounded Argus. He didn’t realise he was so tense this whole time, as he relaxed in the Priestesses embrace.
“Oram’s Blessings, High Priestess would you like to join Master Argus and I to the parlour for tea.” Malec’s address had attracted the High Priestesses attention, as she had an inscrutable expression on her face on at the mention of “Master” Argus.
“Yes, Head Enforcer, it seems that we have much to discuss,” and just like that the regal High Priestess was back.
***
They were all sitting in a cozy parlour, which consisted of four antique looking sofas with filigree patterns on them, they were arranged in a close square with a wooden mahogany centrepiece coffee table in the middle, where a maid was pouring some see in what looked like a fine china teapot set. This place really needed to be let into the current century Argus thought, as the awkward silence continued.
The Hight Priestess was sitting in her ever-regal posture, she was beautiful, she looked like she was in her late twenties because of the large shifter lifespan, when she was really quite possibly in her hundreds. She was surrounded by her nuns. There where ten of them and they were the powerheads and leaders of the shifter temple. The shifter temple like all the temples were a separate entity from the councils. They believed in their religions and also protected that were born with the power to protect themselves, as the councils couldn’t care less about people that weren’t from their counsel, like other paranormals, let alone the non-paranormal. The point is, the shifter temple is well respected by all the councils for their peaceful and righteous conduct. Of course, their firepower is also appreciated, no one dares to anger them, even the counsels have to be careful, all except the Heralia. The shifters believe in their god Fenrir, which is where all the shifter temple’s beliefs originate. Like this, other species’ temples believe in their gods and goddesses like the ghouls and vampires from Spectra believe in Mata Kali and the druids, a magical species under the Mana counsel have a temple dedicated to a group of gods like the Morrigan and Angus Og. However, no matter how many different beliefs exist in Geas, there is a supreme God that everyone worships, Oram.
“So, Head Enforcer, what happened to Heralia Watson? I wasn’t aware that it was the end of his time, and the next one was to awaken,” Alora said tacitly.
Argus, now wearing a shirt, looked at Malec to his left, he also didn’t know what exactly happened.
“Please call me Malec, and to answer your question it wasn’t his time, he was assassinated,” Malec said, with an expression mixed with grief and helplessness. This sentence gave the room an even more sober atmosphere.
Malec sighed and explained; “He knew of his death, he saw it coming. You see, Heralia Watson was a clairvoyant on his Mana side. He said his death would take them by surprise and it will also mark the beginning of a dark period for Geas, a time with danger lurking on the outside and in. Heralia Watson said that this was inevitable. But he also saw salvation, a ray of light, it would battle the danger. That light was his successor, the tenth Heralia of Geas and Geas’ hope.”
“But we don’t even know Argus’ ancestry, how can you put such a heavy burden on a boy,” Alora growled, having lost some of her composure. Putting the teacup back on the table with a thud.
“High Priestess, are you doubting Oram’s decision? He has chosen Master Argus and he has already become the tenth, all we can do is make sure he is ready for whatever danger he faces,” Malec argued, also agitated. Malec was also a very power wizard in his own right, he was the Heralia’s right hand and the head of The Order, those titles could attest to his strength.
While Malec and Alora were arguing, Malec’s words sank in, unsurprisingly Argus was scared, but he was also determined. HE WAS AWESOME, and he realised he wasn’t being it throughout this whole thing and it was time to put a stop timid Argus, timid Argus was a tool, making up his mind he spoke up.
“MA! Mal is right, Oram chose me and Heralia Watson also saw something in me, if he believes that I’m Geas’s hope, then I will try my very best to be it. I will do anything to protect Geas and protect all of you.” Argus surprised even himself with his unyielding tone.
Alora choked a sob but nodded and Malec was also moved, he didn’t expect such resolve from a college boy who was barely twenty, now more than ever he believed in the ninth’s visions.
But wait, hold a minute…Mal?