Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Dresden or ANY other character from The Dresden Files. They belong to Jim Butcher.
Chapter 2: The Merlin's Seed
The wizard stiffened at the sound of his own name. The blood from his cheeks all at once left his head making him rather pale. The wolf noticed and begins to growl alerting Desirea to it. She looked to the wolf in wonder given she didn't see the wizard move. As she turned her eyes on the man in her cage, he just stood there looking back. Her cold eyes dimmed as she took in what had caught Orohmatsu's attention.
"You know him don't you?"
He grinned a little trying to hide his fear behind his usual cool mask. He paused looking her over before answering the question. Izack's eyes widened with the realization of what he was going to say. He prepared himself to attack before she could move in and destroy his mission.
"Know him? I guess you could say that given I'm Harry Dresden"
Izack attacked before she could fully register what he had said. A wave of water hit Desirea in the side throwing her once more against a wall. She screamed in pain as the hit burned her flesh like fire. Izack knowing the hit would only hold her for a few minutes ran over to where she had trapped the wizard Dresden. With a swift sweep of his foot water shot at the burnt circle. It hissed and steamed as the circle broke dropping all hold. Izack looking back over his shoulder screamed the only thing he could at the wizard.
"Run!"
The wizard eyed the dog and asked, "what about Mouse?"
Desirea stood her skin raw and red. A few blisters start to show as she stepped farther into the moonlight. Eyes red with rage she moves to attack again only to be hit with another cold wall of water.
"She won't hurt him!" Izack screamed. "RUN!"
As harry turned to run, Desirea recovered from her burning hell. Furious, she'd had enough. With a motion of her hand she signaled to the wolf to stop Dresden. In a moment, he had a firm grip on the wizards coat and held on with all his weight holding the wizard back. The force of it pulled Harry to the side and nearly bringing a full turn around. The wizard turned just in time to hear the sound of the demon's battle cry and with a flash of light watched both demons go down. Ears back and teeth bared, Orohmatsu released the wizard and turned to the two demons. Puzzled he watched the white wolf run over to Izack and pull him closer to Desirea. Once he got them side by side, he threw his head back to a long low howl. The wolf's fur sparkled with his own veil disappearing. Little glitters danced around him showing the magnificent hue of his pure white fur which seemed to glow with the brilliance of the sun. As he moved for his second howl red streaks began to shine through. The markings were a shade of red Harry had never seen before and they twisted and swirled all over his body meeting and stopping at the end of his muzzle and flowing up to the bright amber gem on his forehead. Harry looked over to see that Mouse, his giant Fu dog was bowing to it. Oroh was then greeted by a deep emerald dragon. The beast hissed at Dresden and proceeded to pick up the two fallen beings. With the demons in hand, the dragon with a slight jump was airborne. He flew off leaving Harry and Mouse with the odd wolf. The wolf walked over to Mouse, who was still bowing, and with a puff of breath broke the circle holding him. Harry watching this noticed that the wolf was almost twice the size of his dog. The wolf, turning then to lock his bright milky eyes in the wizard's gaze, locked minds with him.
"Hello Harry Dresden."
The voice in his mind was soft and ridged. Harry jumped back in disbelief and shock. The voice a bit kinder almost purred to him in response.
"Don't fear wizard. I mean you no harm."
Harry then looked harder at the wolf.
"You're the one talking to me?"
Orohmatsu nodded and spoke again.
"I wanted to apologize for my partners actions. I'm also apologizing for my own actions given that I may only speak by invading the minds of those I'm speaking to."
Frowning Harry asked him, "Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course. Call it our equivalent exchange."
"What was the story behind those two?"
The wolf held a patient glace, but didn't try to pretend he had an idea of what the wizard was talking about.
"What do you mean wizard?"
"Well," Harry paused and scratched the back of his head, "the man was laughing like the two were friends than tried to kill each other. I don't understand."
"Oh!" the wolf's eyes grew dim. "They are good friends and it's a shame to see them fight like that."
A new questing formed behind Harry's eyes. The great wolf answered it before he could ask.
"It's their job. They stand as the generals for Fire and Water. If one gives in just because they are friends than they will be killed and replaced. They fight like they do to show no weakness so that they may live."
"Can I ask another?"
The wolf nodded.
"One last one, dear wizard. They will both need me soon."
"Why does she hate these 'Seed of Merlin' and what does this have to do with me?"
The wolf grins showing pearls for fangs.
"That question, Wizard, if time does not tell you, Desirea will."
Harry went to ask what he meant by that but before he could the wolf was gone. He rubbed the back of his head while he looked around wondering if he just didn't imagine it. With that, he and Mouse went home.
Desirea awoke in the Hall of Elements. The building shown through with all the shining radiance that it had in the past three centuries she had been there. The stunning, white gold hexagram, in the floor around her, gleamed as she regained her senses. She pulled herself to turn her head. There waiting on her consciousness was Orohmatsu. The gleam of the wolf's fur burned her eyes and she immediately pulled up her hand to shield them. He shifted to lock his milky white eyes on Desirea. He was the first to speak.
"That was reckless of you Desirea. You're lucky that the blast didn't kill you."
The fire demon shook her head as she brought herself back to her own mind. She sat up and the wolf spoke again.
"Farther more you're lucky it didn't kill Izack."
She scratched the back of her head like she was trying to kill a flea. She responded as cool as if she knew the outcome was going to happen.
"Well tell that to him. I was just trying to make it believable. You know as well as I do Lau was watching. That's why I didn't let you help me with Izack."
The wolf's back straitened as he looked over her shoulder and back to her. He had only time to warn her.
"Here he comes."
Desirea still not fully recovered from her fight jumped up to meet her boss. The weight didn't settle right on her sore legs and they buckled under her. Oroh jumped to catch her from smashing her face into the outer ring of the hexagram. The great dragon stood before her, laughing intently at her clumsiness. He shifted back to his human form before dragging her to her feet. Once she was standing he back handed her knocking her back onto the crystal floor nearly ten feet away. Desirea let out a shrill of pain. Her burned skin sizzled under the pressure of Lau's hand. The dragon's eyes turned black with rage.
"Mutt! How dare you soil my name with the council? You have proven yourself more useless that pathetic father of yours. Your orders were to stop the mission not fry the Shinryu."
She fought to stand back up realizing that the Pillar of the Water God was only a few inches away. She spit some blood on the floor near a gold pillar with blue sapphire gems coating it. She knew well enough the councils distress call. Thankfully for her, the Fire serpent, Lau, didn't. As he was walking forward to hit her again, the drake was hit by massive serge of water. Kazu, flanked by a healed Izack and Hatsude, stepped between the dragon and the badly injured Desirea. Desirea's legs buckled again. She hit the crystal floor hard. The pain of the hit knocked her unconscious. Hatsude watched the display, hate for the dragon rolling in her grey eyes. She was the first to speak.
"Lau you disgust me. First you interfere with the balance that must be restored. Then you try to blame it on the only offspring left of your rival so you could get permission to kill her. Do you think us unwise to your actions Dragon? Your interference could shift the whole world and its realms. You are lucky I don't have Kazu take your head for this."
The dragon looked at the Light God stunned at what he heard. She glared him down until he winced. She then spoke again her words harsher this time.
"Farther more, the Shinryu of Fire will be placed under my command until she meets you in combat. You have proven that you are no longer able to command her with respect. I am also relieving you of all troops under her control."
The dragon grew angry with that.
"She's the ONLY Shinryu! All of my troops are under her command."
Hatsude, who was beside the dragon before he could blink, seized him by the throat forcing him into the Earth Pillar. The great beast roared in surprise. Hatsude, still furious at the Fire God, screamed at him.
"YOU SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT BEFORE YOU RUINED WHAT I AND MY BROTHERS HAVE BUILT! YOU'RE LUCKY THAT I DON'T SPILL YOUR BLOOD NOW!"
Her eyes begin to turn a solid, milky white as she stared down the beast. The hue of her waist length hair lit up the whole run displaying the untarnished riches that lined it. The ruby for a ceiling shone as bright as all the stars together, the crossings of the pillars meeting with it the only shadows cast. As the heat built from her and her hand squeezed tighter, Kazu stepped up to the Great Leader of the Demons. His eyes level with the dragons. He places a hand on her shoulder and she dropped the serpent to the ground. She glared at him for a moment longer before ordering the Fire Shinryu to be brought to her office. Kazu and Izack moved over to the fallen demon and with the help of Orohmatsu were able to get her safely onto Izack's back. Without turning from the dragon, Hatsude shoots a hot white flame at the far pillar of the room. The fire engulfs it and reveals a single hard wooden door with no walls. The small group steps through leaving the Drake with the Demon God of Light.
Desirea found herself once more waking in an odd location. She was on Hatsude's couch. Feeling a warm liquid on the corner of her mouth she lifted her hand to wipe it away. It was blood. A headache throbbed at the back of her mind as everything came into view. The room was well lit with white walls forming a seven sided room. The five separate bookshelves that lined each of the outside walls where packed with books from top to bottom and were different colors resembling the different element they corresponded with. At the far wall was a crystalline desk. It's pearl like structure shone with its craftsmanship. Behind the desk a busy Hatsude sat. Her eyes never lifting from her pile of papers strewn on the desk. As Desirea sat up, the calmed Light God greeted her never looking up.
"Welcome back to the land of the living Shinryu. I trust you are well rested."
She nodded as she rubbed the spot on her face that had been smacked earlier. Hatsude still continued her work.
"Good. Than you are well enough to move out for your own mission. Given the little issue yesterday, the Fire court and you will report to me." she handed her a packet of papers before continuing. "Starting today your mission is the one you interrupted yesterday. You will work with the resources of light to accomplish this. With the subject aware of the objective you must take great caution in how you handle this mission. Keep in mind Desirea this is of the upmost importance. Which means as you would say DON'T FUCK IT UP!"
Her voice held a harsh tone as she finished what she had to say. She looked up at the demon as Desirea stood and looked over the papers. All Desirea could bring herself to do was a simple bow before speaking.
"As you will, just god of Light."
Hatsude nods to her and says with a smirking tone, "Thank you Shinryu. Also all research for this task you must take from my office alone and I'm sure you are aware of the paperwork needed to borrow my materials."
"Yes ma'am. Thank you greatly for this honor."
"Very well Shinryu. See yourself out."
Hatsude dismissed her and she left for the cold Chicago streets.