Horace, the god of war, is sitting in his favorite chair with a book in his lap when Fate’s soft voice touches his mind. Images of magical explosions rocking the earth while two figures dance in battle is something he did not think he would see again. There has not been magic in the world for millennia.

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Horace closes his book then teleports to his temple to speak with Fate. He is a shy god who lives in the veil between the mortal realm and the god’s realm. He dances along the labyrinth timeline, watching the infinite possibilities of earth’s future. Fate cautiously manipulates the gods and mortals when he finds an outcome that leads to earth’s destruction. At times, he is forced to seek the gods for help.

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Fate trusts only two gods out of the hundreds that work closely to maintain the world. Atumn-Ra is the creator god and has ultimate control over the fate of the world. The other is Horace, whose voice is silenced by his power.

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Horace sat in his throne chair and opened his mind to speak with Fate. “I am here. Tell me what you see.”

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“The war is upon us, Horace.”

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Centuries ago, Fate warned Horace of a catalytic war between demons and gods. He only spoke of one solution and forced Horace to weave his craft as the god of war.

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“We are prepared, my friend. Anubis’s daughter is strong and will defeat the army.”

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“No. You are not listening! The war is upon us,” Fate hisses.

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Horace raises his nose and inhales the scent of the world. His hawk eyes roam the land, searching for an ensuing battle. There is none to be found. Simple arguments and small conflicts between countries are all that transpire. The earth does not vibrate in anticipation of a bloody battle. The air is not filled with cursing or rising aggression.

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Then Horace remembered the magical battle. He closes his eyes and meditates on the images Fate showed him. He searches for any details that will tell him when it will occur.

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“You see?”

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Horace did not answer. The three figures are only a silhouette on a blank canvas. They move about as colorful explosions circle around them.

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“A demon comes, but not like the demons we have fought. No, this one is evil like the god of chaos, but its soul fights with love. It comes to collect a criminal god. If the demon dies, a world of chaos that which Set could not dream of will swallow us while we are at our weakest.”

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Horace cannot see Fate; however, he can feel the god pacing and wringing his hands. Fate’s voice is little more than a whisper; however, it is more powerful than past conversations. He rarely gets anxious or uses words when speaking with Horace. He generally projects images and timelines to him, leaving him the responsibility to maneuver the lives of the mortals into position.

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“I understand, my friend. I will be vigilant and stop the criminal god.”

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“No, no, no! You are not listening. The demon comes.”

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Horace takes a deep breath and quiets his mind. It will do him no good to become frustrated. Something has upset him terribly.

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He concentrates on Fate as the god paces around the room. The world lights up in a brilliant explosion as millions of demons feast on the souls of mortals. Four gods stand at the edge of chaos and laugh at the destruction of Ra’s world. Like a tape being rewound, the scene speeds backward in time. The demon army slowly fades, and the gods return to their routine until a shrill scream comes from a young goddess.

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The scene changes and surges forward with new images. The demon army invades earth once again, but this time the ranks are more chaotic. New creatures battle the gods of earth and overwhelm them. The world cries out in pain and succumbs to a true death.

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Once again, the scene rewinds, making the demon army fade away, then the magical explosion happens while two silhouettes dance-one demonic creature with wings and another large muscular individual. They are the beginning of the war. They will mark the battle of the demon invasion and the destruction of earth.

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“Can nothing be done? Is this our doom?” Horace whispered.

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Three possible events will happen; however, they each bring the destruction of earth.

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“Anubis will fail us. He will be our destruction.”

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Horace smirked, “That is only one possibility. I will control my brother.”

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“Make sure you do. He cannot kill the demon that comes. She will unleash her world and kill us all. An alliance must be made. The army that comes is only the tip of the spear. We will need her aide once the battle is won.”

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Horace remains quiet while Fate slows his pacing and grows still. “Horace? I am going to break a rule.”

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“I trust you, my friend. You see the world in a unique way. Do as you must.”

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“I fear it will jeopardize our victory; however, I do not see an outcome where we are victorious if I do not share my knowledge.”

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Horace remains quiet as is his nature. Fate must make the decision to speak about the future. He will not manipulate the god. It will be dangerous for the world if Fate makes the wrong choice.

 

“There is a doorway as old as the world. It leads to an ancient gateway terminal where a mortal could walk through to other worlds undetected. Ra protected the doorway throughout the ages and kept the portal to the terminal closed; however, it is this portal the criminal will come through. His arrival will mark the beginning of the demon war.

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“I will share my knowledge of the god of Avalon and the timeline with you. You must not interfere with their visit to earth. Allow them to work out their conflict on their own. Ensure earth’s gods do not kill the demon. It is the only way.”

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Horace grimaces with the news. Rogue gods are never easy to deal with. Allowing a demon to walk among the mortal realm is sickening. The most disturbing part about what Fate said is that their arrival will mark the beginning of the demon war earth may not survive.

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“You have my word,” Horace replies with sorrow etched in his voice.

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The weight of the world seems heavier than ever, and the one he would confide in is the most dangerous of the gods. He must wait until the rogue god of Avalon arrives before he warns earth’s gods of their presence. The event of time must unfold naturally, or chaos will reign.