"He was the great keeper of stories."

"I had thought the tale had died through the centuries," Lukas said, ignoring Honey's response, a slight smirk upon his lips. "Where did you hear it?"

"Would you believe me if I told you it was an old friend?" he responded, a slight smirk appearing on his lips before he continued. "It was from my time serving Lord Convel, in Muurin," he said, his left ear giving a slight twitch, that didn't go unnoticed by Honey's keen eyes. She blinked in curiosity, trying to decide if it was just her mind playing tricks on her, or if she had really seen the ear of the Mutare twitch.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you about that," Lukas said, not looking back. "You're lying about being a Tenth Rank, aren't you? You speak too much, and your skill with a blade is equivalent to a soldier. You hold it like them. Like the soldiers. But, you're too young to have served in the army yourself, aren't you?" Lukas asked, shaking his head. "So was it your father who taught you to hold it like that?" he asked. 

Dai's fingers stopped weaving their way through his tail, and his hands clenched together as he turned to glare at Lukas. Honey could see that Dai was tense as if he was about to pounce but finally managed to calm his nerves as he let out a sigh. 

"My parents died many of years ago," he hissed, his small frame trembling. "And it was my brother who taught me how to wield both my magic and my blade," he snapped. "He loves to think that he can control me. Like I'm just another pawn," Dai snapped. "So, I'm going to keep saying I'm a Tenth Rank so long as he continues to think I'm his pet."

"That's really sad," Honey whispered, and Dai made the small tsking noise once more, turning away from Honey, keeping his eyes locked on the branches of the trees, instead. "Then again, what would I know about you Mutare?" she asked herself, shaking her head. "I'd do anything for my younger brother, even if it cost me my life."

"Why is that?" Dai hissed.

"Because I love him," she stated.

For the third time, Dai made the tsking sound but said nothing more.

"Have you been told before that you are very surprising, Honey?" 

It was Lukas who asked the question. 

"It is very rare for a god to be surprised, but you surprised me when you said you wanted to take your brother's place," he said. "I have been trying to decide if your love for him is foolish or not. What do you think, Dai?"

"Foolish," he answered, promptly.

"Love is not foolish," Honey snapped, shoot a dark glare at Dai. "Love is what makes us strong," she spat, anger lacing over her words. "Or what makes Lekki strong, that is," she murmured to herself.

"Such is the divide between the Lekki and the Mutare," Lukas said, shaking his head, but not at all surprised. "One who believes love is foolish and the other who believes that love is strong. To be a god is to be in the middle," he said with a sigh.

"So you think love is neither foolish nor strong?" Honey asked.

"No," Lukas answered, slowly. "I think love is both foolish as it is strong. It can unite a kingdom, or it can tear it apart. It makes a creature strong, but at the cost of foolishness and vulnerability," he said. "If you love someone, it hurts when they betray you."

"It's worth it, though," Honey said, looking at Dai's turned back. "The good always balances out the bad," she said.

"If you're attempting to admit that you are correct, then you are simply wasting your breath, Lekki girl Honey," Dai said. "But I do agree that everything balances out in the end. That is if you look close enough," he said with a sharp sigh. "The Balance Goddess made sure of that, wouldn't you agree, Lukas?"

"Mother is the simple keeper of balance, nothing more," he responded. "She does not choose sides or-"

"Does not choose sides?" Dai asked, shaking his head. "Then just why are you gods fighting in this war?" he snapped. "That seems an awfully lot like choosing sides to me. Then again, what would I know? I'm just a foolish Mutare in your eyes."

"You are not foolish, but you do not know all," Lukas said, his eyes cold. "We are fighting to keep history from repeating itself. We cannot let him rise to power once more," he said, his words filled with strength. Dai made the tsking sound again, as Honey got the feeling they were speaking of something she did not know.

"What do you mean, to keep history from repeating itself?" she asked, confusion lacing her eyes as she looked from god to Mutare.

Lukas sighed, not meeting Honey's gaze. A long moment of tense silence spread between the small band of travelers, as Honey stared at the back of Lukas's head. 

"A thousand years ago," the god began, "back before Amaryllis, and the world was still filled with chaos, there was a war in the heavens and a war in the world," he said. "It was the first war between the Mutare and the Lekki, but truly, it was the first war between the Lady of Light and the Dark Master," he said. "Thousands of souls, from all three races, lost their lives, and in the end, no side won."

"But the stories all say..." Honey trailed off, her eyes darkening. "Are you saying that the Dark Master didn't die?" she asked.

Lukas stiffened, words fleeing his mouth. "Yes and no," he responded. "Gods cannot die, but their physical bodies can be destroyed," he said. "And it takes a millennium for them to repair themselves, but after a thousand years..." Lukas trailed off, unable to find the right words to explain what had happened to Honey.

"What Fire God Lukas means is that both the Lady of Light and the Dark Master were destroyed a thousand years ago. However, seven years ago they both returned to life," Dai said, rather bluntly. He knew there was no point in hiding it. 

Every truth would eventually have to be told. 

"And if he finds out what we're up to, we're as good as dead and the Rose Book will be lost for another thousand years until Lukas returns to life," he stated. "War will continue to fester, and history will be doomed to repeat itself," he said. "So in short, all of your friends and family will die if we fail."

"That's..." Honey trailed off, her face ghost white, "a lot of pressure," she said, forcing her bravest smiles. "You have a plan for getting the Rose Book, right Lukas?" she asked.

Lukas said nothing for what seemed like an eternity before Dai burst out laughing. "I cannot believe this!" he said, his laughter echoing through the trees, as Lukas turned to glare at his familiar. "We are going to try to stop history from repeating itself without a plan!" he said, a wide grin spread across his lips.

"The greatest victories are never planned, but come from the cleverest of minds, the wildest of actions, and the best improvisation," Lukas huffed, feeling slightly sheepish for hoping his lack of a plan would go unnoticed by the others. Yet somehow he just knew that everything was going to work out. It had to.

"You're dreaming," Dai said, his amusement clear.

A small smirk wove its way onto Lukas's lips. "You wouldn't be the first to call me a dreamer," he said, the amusement in his own eyes glittering through.

"Alright," Dai said, slowly, a smirk lacing his lips as well. "Let's do this."

"Let's go find that Rose whatsit!" Honey called, her loud voice echoing through the trees and spreading hope through the world, carried by the rising rays of dawn's light, bringing light to every corner of the world.

A U T H O R ' S   N O T E

Sorry, this is a day late everyone, but um...my good friend the hurricane has messed up my life right now.

But everything's okay now.

I'm at my Aunt's and alive and well.

Sorry to disappoint.

(Please vote and comment)

(until next time kiddos)