“What are your demands, human?”
Xanatos wagged his finger at Oberon. “Sorry, not how this
works. You agree THEN find out the legalities. It’s a little thing we humans
like to call ‘I have your balls in a vice and you don’t have a choice’. A
vulgar expression, I admit…” Xanatos held up the blade, examining it carefully.
“Unless you’d like to try your luck with this or Goliath’s little clan?”
Oberon growled. “So be it.”
Xanatos, however, wasn’t quite done yet. “I want you to
swear by the Phoenix Gate.” Oberon actually paled at that and Owen couldn’t
help but marvel at Xanatos’ cunning once more. By making Oberon swear on the
gate it ensured that his promise would flow both forward and backward in time;
there would be no weaseling out of the deal when Xanatos aborted this dark
timeline. Oberon might not realize WHY he was bond to honor Xanatos’ requests
but he would have to none the less.
“Very well. I, Oberon, king of the fairies and lord of
Avalon, here by swear and pledge upon the Phoenix Gate to honor the requests of
the human David Xanatos in exchange for him undoing the chaos behind me and
ensuring it never occurs again.”
“Thank you,” Xanatos said with a smile. “First things first…”
Xanatos’ smile become lethal. “You, Oberon, will never, directly or indirectly,
threaten my family in any way ever again. My wife is free and my son is free
and any family that may come are free of you. No calling them to Avalon, no
trying to abduct them, no games or tricks to bring harm to me and mine. You
scared my wife on the happiest day of her life and I will NEVER forgive you for
that.”
“…understood,” Oberon growled, Titannia nodding in approval.
“Second,” he turned to Titannia, his smile less dangerous but
still nerve-wracking. “You will be allowed to see my wife and son but ONLY if
Fox allows it. You will call first. This has nothing to do with you being a
fairy and more of me not wanting my mother-in-law popping in for surprise
visits.”
Titannia quirked an eyebrow at that but finally shrugged. “If
it will save Fox I agree.”
“Third. I have a feeling Fox being half fairy might extend
her life just a touch… I want our lives linked. We age the same and when one of
us goes so does the other.”
Oberon stared in surprise at that. “You do not wish for
immortality?”
“I’ve come to realize that immortality is overrated. And I
don’t want to live a second after Fox is gone and I doubt she would either.”
Xanatos smirked. “Besides… I get the feeling she will be around for a LONG time…
long enough for me to change my mind and figure out another way to live
forever.”
“You do love her, don’t you?” Titannia held out her hands
and light bathed Xanatos where he stood. “I would have done so anyway, for Fox’s
sake.”
“Thank you.” Xanatos turned and looked at Owen. “Fourth…
your punishment on Puck is lifted.”
“Sir?” Owen said in shock.
“Think of it as a gift for your loyalty. You are still bond
to teach my son and serve me as long as I live… but you don’t deserve to be
punished because your father is a raging jackass.” Xanatos turned in glared at
Oberon. “Have I made it clear I don’t like you messing with people I care for?”
“Crystal.” Oberon, trying to salvage his dignity, sighed. “I
would have forgiven him eventually… it is a little matter to do so now.”
“Great,” Xanatos said, rubbing his hands together. “If I
think of anything else I’ll holler.”
Oberon stared at him in shock. “You mean not to list all
your demands now?”
“Who is stupid enough to make all their wishes in one go?”
Xanatos taunted before activating the Phoenix Gate. “As I said… you scared Fox
and tried to take my son… I’m going to make this LAST. Come along, Owen, we
have a job to do.”
Before Oberon could complain Xanatos called out "Deslegrate
muri tempi et intervalia!" and he and Owen disappeared in a ball of fire.
~Days Earlier…~
Mad laughter echoed out into the night air, a storm circling over the
rooftops overviewing New York City where Demona triumphed in her latest scheme
against human kind. Somehow she had gotten hold of the eye of Odin, the missing
eye of the Norse god. In the hands of a nobody it would make them more than
just dangerous, they could be a living bomb! But in the clutches of the
immortal Demona she had more power than she ever imagined. “These humans have
no idea what doom awaits them, with THIS I can see my plans finally reach
fruition!”
While Demona went on her rant Xanatos and Owen appeared just behind
her, Owen using his magic to make the two invisible both visibly and audibly. “Sir,
how do you plan to change the course of things? The Phoenix Gate has been
shown, time and again, to not allow you to change the past.”
“Already ahead of you, Owen. Remember when you taught Alexander how to
take over someone’s form? I need you to do that with us.” Owen, blinking in
surprise at this novel idea, transformed into Puck and did just that, their
ghostly forms swirling up and into the tower, flowing into their past selves.
The two of them blinked as they integrated with their past forms before Puck
teleported them once more behind Demona.
“Regret?! I’ll show you what I
regret Goliath!” Sneering at the dark blue leader of the gargoyle clan Demona
raised the golden jewel above her head and her eyes briefly glowed white just
when she called down a bolt of lightning that stunned the gargoyles and
detective instantly. “With this my destiny is once again in my hands.” Swirling
her claws over the Eye of Odin Demona began muttering an incantation, green
swirling mist formed around her hands that enveloped her body, when she was
finished a humanoid form pulled away from her body before evaporating into
mist. “Ah… Free of that retched human form, thank you Puck for letting me exist
in the day, but I grew tired of looking like THEM, now I will NEVER turn to
stone!”
“See Puck, the gate does not allow one to go to the past and alter it
because it already happened. But by merging with ourselves we have broken free
of the Gates’ laws and can do just that… like taking the Eye away before
Broadway decides to eat it.”
Puck rubbed his hands together. “Oh, I have something in mind,
Xanatos.” He paused, looking at his employer and, to his amusement, dearest
friend. “Should I do it now or allow Demona to transform the detective into a
gargoyle? Give Goliath and her a happy ending?”
Xanatos strokes his beard. “Well…”