EXPERIMENTS FOR SALE?
"Congratulations," Basileus said, circling what seemed to be the entire body of guards as they stood chatting in the training grounds. "You all turned up on time, you just forgot to start training!"
"We not here for training," Lev grunted in his usual clipped tone. "Waiting for humans."
That had Basileus' interest. "Humans?" he questioned. "For what purpose?"
"Experiments," Lev offered with a shrug. That was quite literally all they had been told.
Naturally Basileus knew immediately what that meant, and his thoughts were confirmed when Magnus and Caius strolled towards him. How have you gotten him to work already?! I only spoke to you yesterday!
Magnus couldn't hear Basileus' thoughts, but he could read the shocked expression on his face clear as day. When Caius went to address the guards to explain their duties for the day, Magnus bounded over to Basileus.
"Eleazar and Carlisle found gainful employment yet?" he asked, chuckling to himself and knowing they wouldn't have.
Basileus shook his head and laughed. "I thought I'd have more time, to be honest with you," he admitted. Watching Caius dividing the guards for those he deemed useful, doling out the orders, all with an air of confidence he hadn't been able to muster in years, Basileus had to wonder what Magnus had done. "How the hell have you managed this?"
Magnus laughed. "I told him I'd help," he said, making it all sound 'oh-so-simple' just to wind up Basileus a little.
"Oh, right," Basileus replied, raising an eyebrow to the man. "That easy, was it?"
Magnus kept laughing and gestured to Caius across the training grounds. "Well, he's here ... isn't he?"
Basileus searched Magnus' memories to see exactly what had happened between the two coven masters. He was amazed to see Magnus convince Caius back into action by just taking the time to talk to him. He doubted he had the patience try the same with his sons, but he planned to give it a go. I need to get Eleazar and Carlisle into work, soon, he thought.
Although …
"He stabbed you three times and you did nothing?"
"I wouldn't say I did nothing, I'm just not so violent as you are," Magnus replied.
"You're a pussy …" Basileus said, immediately cursing his word choice. He knew full well that he had gotten such an insult from Aro talking to his brothers, who no doubt picked it up from Felix talking to his.
Magnus appeared to recognise it, too, and laughed again at the creator, of all people, using such casual language.
"Alright, shut up," Basileus huffed. "I will admit temporary defeat …"
"Temporary?!" Magnus repeated. "Caius is working, your sons aren't," he pointed out. "I've won."
"Not so fast, my friend." Basileus threw an arm around the juggernaut's shoulders and turned him so they both faced Caius. "He may be willing to start, but he hasn't done anything yet."
"He will," Magnus said confidently.
"Well, you still need to get my letter," Basileus reminded him. "I can see that you have some seriously impressive 'Dad skills', but you won't get Caius to write that letter before Eleazar and Carlisle start work."
Basileus was absolutely sure he had time to burn on that score. Sure, Magnus had convinced Caius to write to Amun after the last ball, but Caius was particularly regretful and subdued at the time. Without the threat of another belting on the horizon, which Basileus knew Magnus wouldn't deliver for something as simple as a letter - you let him stab you for fuck's sake, I'd have taken my lads' heads off their shoulders for that - he believed he was in the clear.
"We'll see, Basileus," Magnus replied with a broad smile taking over his features, also absolutely sure of himself.
With that, Basileus left the training grounds for the day and Magnus joined Caius. The guards were dispersing. Those with useful gifts remained and congregated on the grass, playing with their gifts and relaxing. They couldn't start until Heidi brought the humans, anyway.
Magnus could already feel Caius' emotions were fraying at the very edges. It wasn't enough for Caius to notice, he was still doing a good impression of a completely normal vampiric lord, a vampiric lord who was about to torture ten humans to death.
"Are you ready?" Magnus asked, smiling encouragingly.
"I've been thinking," Caius turned a hopeful eye on his co-master. "Maybe we should reconsider the idea of limited dungeon blood …"
"No." Magnus didn't even consider it.
Caius tutted into the air. "But it was your suggestion yesterday."
"Less a suggestion, more thinking out loud," Magnus conceded. "But still, no." He was going to leave it there, but Magnus felt Caius' spike in annoyance and decided to explain himself. "You gave me a damn good reason to keep you off that drug. You want to be a better mate."
"Yes," Caius agreed, huffing a little. "But this is work, it has nothing to do with Dora."
Magnus shook his head with stern eyes on the younger man. "Everything you do has something to do with Dora, that's how you need to see things. That's what being a better mate entails."
Caius folded his arms and looked away. He knew Magnus was right about Dora, but as it wouldn't help his current desire for dungeon blood, he completely ignored the man. "I don't need your permission to take dungeon blood if I want to."
"Not my permission, no," Magnus agreed. "You're an adult. But I know you want my approval and I am telling you that you don't have it."
When Caius didn't respond, Magnus pushed him into answering. "So what are you going to do now, Caius?"
Caius glowered at the juggernaut for a moment. I hate how well you know me. It sometimes felt to Caius as though Magnus had access to his soul … assuming he had one, of course. Caius might not have been willing to admit it out loud, but he couldn't help the words forming in his head. I do want your approval, he thought, kicking himself. "I hope your gift is up to the job, Magnus."
Aye, Magnus agreed, you and me both.
It wasn't long before Heidi arrived, leading a forty-odd besotted, but bewildered group of humans. All was good until Caius spotted a couple of 'unsuitables' in the group. "Heidi, what the hell are they doing here?"
"I thought we would need food for the newborns, master," Heidi explained. "We always use older people for that."
"Not the old folks," Caius shot back. "Them!" he roared.
Faced with Caius' fury, Heidi started to sweat. "Oh," she said, looking down the line to where the coven master pointed at a pair of children. "They followed their mother and I didn't realise they were there until it was too late to take them back."
With Heidi's focus on Caius, the hold on her gift started to slip. The humans, with their dream state slipping, were becoming aware of their surroundings. It didn't take long for the panic to set in when they were rounded on by the guards. Magnus was hit by the force of their combined emotions. Add Heidi's worry and Caius' stress and Magnus was ready throw up!
"Calm down, Caius," he demanded, pushing the master back.
Caius ignored him, directing all his attention to Heidi. "You need to be more aware of your surroundings, Heidi! You have broken the law, you realise?!"
Magnus took hold of Caius with a hand clamped around his arm, so he wasn't going anywhere, but his mouth was free.
"You revealed your nature to a human we won't be turning …"
Magnus understood Caius' reaction to the children, even if none of the guards did. "We will use them for feeding," Magnus hissed. "Get a grip, Caius. Walk it off. I will deal with the young ones later if needs be." He shoved Caius away from the scene so he could walk off his agitation. "Corin, would you work your magic on ten of the suitable ones, my dear." Magnus started separating the humans and directing them towards Corin. "Heidi, take the rest down to the dungeons, my dear."
Once the humans were divided and Heidi had taken the children away, Magnus caught up with Caius. He was half way around the castle by then and his agitation had only grown during his travels.
"I can't do this," Caius whispered. No one was near, but Caius still felt degraded admitting such a thing.
Magnus scrubbed a hand down his face. This was not the start he had hoped for. Shaking his head, he directed Caius over to the castle wall where a wooden arbour stood. "Sit down," he said to Caius, though he stayed standing. "I know you're going to struggle today. That's why I'm here to help you," he explained. "But I'm not doing it for you."
Caius huffed. "I wasn't asking you to do it for me," he muttered.
"No," Magnus agreed. "You're spitting your dummy out over a couple of kids with whom you won't even be dealing."
"But …"
"I know, I understand, you know I do," Magnus said, cutting Caius off before he could complain.
Magnus knew Caius' issue with those human kids was related to torturing Lucius and Caius' following breakdown, and he felt guilty for minimising what Caius was battling with. But Basileus had been right, Caius was languishing without anything to keep him occupied. He was drinking more and more every day. As yet, such drinking had only caused a few heated arguments between Caius and Dora. Magnus didn't want to wait until something catastrophic happened - he wanted Caius occupied, properly. These experiments and managing the results would serve that purpose if he could get the guy to go through with the work.
"You have been given time to come to terms with what happened, Caius," Magnus reminded him. "Now it's time to face your fears and start working again."
Caius didn't look any happier. His head whirled with ways out of the coming work. He wanted to go to the guard hall and have a drink, he wanted to go home and fuck his mate, he wanted to go on a mission and kill werewolves. He didn't want to deal with humans, he didn't want to hear their screams as he tortured them. He didn't even want to taste their blood ... and he loved human blood!
Magnus watched as Caius fell into his now all too common pit of despair. What's it going to take to snap you out of this? "You can have results or excuses, Caius, not both," Magnus offered. "Make your choice."
Still nothing. Caius didn't even look up.
Magnus heaved a heavy breath. Right then, he thought, enough of playing nice. "Do we need to go somewhere private to reorganise your thoughts before we start this?"
Caius' head snapped up, eyes immediately on the older master. "Why did that sound like a threat?!" he asked, eyes darting up and down the empty castle grounds to check for witnesses.
Magnus pulled him to his feet. "Because it was one," he told him sternly. It was a threat he had little intention of carrying out, but Caius didn't need to know that.
Caius tutted and shrugged off Magnus' hold. "I'm fine," he huffed. "Let's get on with it."
Fine, he says? Magnus thought, watching Caius stalk away as though nothing had happened. Muppet!
Magnus walked at a human pace back to the training grounds. By the time he arrived, Caius was ready and waiting, doing his best to act like nothing had happened. Magnus could feel his emotional turmoil started settling him. He didn't want Caius to feel anything, to start with at least.
"Whenever you're ready, Magnus?" Caius called over.
Cheeky brat, Magnus thought back. He plucked a human from Corin's contented group. No sooner had the poor wretch left Corin's gaze, he started to freak out. He struggled for all he was worth, not that Magnus really noticed as he pulled the thing along, like a cave man with his kill.
"Who's going first?" he asked, looking to his guards.
Caius clicked his fingers at Phillipe before turning to Magnus. "I've planned it all out already," he said confidently. "All you need to do is focus on me."
A little too confident, perhaps, Magnus mused, handing over the human to his guard.
The process would be simple - gifted coven members were to inflict their special powers on a human, then Caius would bite them before they died. Simple.
As Phillipe zoomed up into the skies with a petrified human, Magnus foresaw an issue.
"Shouldn't you be up there with them?" he asked Caius.
Caius shook his head. "I'm going to catch it."
"That's too high," Magnus said looking up. He could only just make out Phillipe and the human.
"Its fine, stop worrying," Caius called back, bracing himself for the catch. With Magnus taking care of his emotions, Caius didn't have a worry in the world.
Up in the clouds, the human who had been fighting Phillipe for his freedom had changed tactics, now clinging on for dear life. Phillipe snapped the odd finger of the poor thing in his efforts to release the man. "I hope to meet you in your next life, my friend," he said, and then dropped the man.
"Here he comes," Magnus whistled into the air. Too fast, he thought, as the human plummeted to earth.
Caius was ready. He didn't so much catch the man, more so he was pounded into the ground beneath the very dead, very mushy human.
Magnus strolled over and lifted the human off Caius. The impact had made a mess of the poor thing and Caius was drenched in blood.
"Too … high …" Caius spluttered. All the wind had been knocked out of him.
Pulling Caius to his feet and trying to ignore the human blood in the area, Magnus suggested again that Caius go up with Phillipe and bite the human on the way down. "You can protect them when you land that way," he explained.
Being dropped from a great height wasn't appealing to Caius, funnily enough! But under Magnus' instruction, Phillipe fetched a new human and zoomed into the skies, taking Caius with him, against his wishes.
Phillipe went just as high, touching the clouds before he dropped the pair of them. No one was quite sure who screamed the loudest on the way down, (though Caius would forever claim it was the human, naturally).
Having somehow managed to save the human from being crushed by the fall, a few broken bones aside, Caius considered that one a win. Though, he thought, as he lay on the ground, back aching and covered in blood, this is going to be a very long day.
The guards were a buzz of delight seeing Caius dropped to the floor from the dizzying heights Phillipe had climbed. When Phillipe landed, they crowded around him, congratulating him on doing what none of them had every dared - trying their gift on a coven master.
Magnus was quick to pick up on the general sentiment. "Who wants to go next?" he asked his guards.
Caius hauled himself up just in time to see the bastards fighting for first place in the line. A very long day ...
"I don't suppose you fancy biting any of them, do you?"
Magnus grimaced. Biting humans was supposed to be something all masters did. The newborn would be easier to manage by that master because venom created a deferential impulse in them. Magnus and Freyr had made it clear from early on in their promotion that neither of them would be biting anyone. Freyr had gone further to say that she wouldn't be conducting any executions off the battle field, either. As they were both so fantastic at managing the guard, no one had objected to their terms.
"You suppose correctly. I don't turn them, I just manage the results," Magnus reminded Caius. "I'm fine around human blood but if I taste it I kill them. Always have."
"And you say I have no willpower?" Caius returned, dripping sarcasm.
Magnus wasn't having that, even in jest. With his hands on his hips and looking down his nose at Caius, he said, "Are you seriously going there with me?" After all the help Magnus had given Caius with his willpower, it was a foolish thing of him to pick up on.
"I'll just get on with the next one, shall I?" Caius suggested, sheepishly moving away from Magnus to find his next victim. When Kat stepped forward to be the next guard to try her gift, Caius felt he was in a worse position than the human.
…
Basileus strolled into Aro's chambers, greeting Sulpicia and the children as he met them. To the untrained eye, one would believe the creator to be relaxed, just popping around for a chat with his family, but Aro knew the man better than that - he'd been expecting his father to visit soon.
"It's locked up and Sully has the only key," Aro announced from his corner desk.
"I want to see that for myself, son," Basileus breezed, searching the room with his eyes.
To stop Caius falling off the wagon with dungeon blood, Magnus had bottled the last of the coven's supplies and delivered them around the castle for safekeeping. It made better sense that dungeon blood, as the only pain-relieving agent vampires had, should be accessible at various points around the castle for times of need. Marcus took two, as did Eleazar. Magnus hadn't offered any to Carlisle on Atia's orders, (who had also taken a set of bottles from the juggernaut), but she had instructed him to take one to Sulpicia. Magnus had been wary of doing so, but the vampiric witch was quite insistent that not only would Aro be able to resist, but that it would also been good for him to have to fight the temptation.
If Aro was having a bottle in his chambers, Magnus thought it was only right that Caius be trusted in the same way. Still, Caius was surprised when Magnus handed him the bottle.
"I know you can handle it," Magnus told him supportively.
Caius rolled his eyes. "Oh, thank you so much. Your confidence in me will be the wind beneath my fucking wings."
His tone may have dripped with sarcasm in an effort to hide his real feelings, but Magnus could read Caius' emotions as clearly as words on a page.
"I know it will," Magnus said with a smile, knowing just how much it pissed Caius off that he couldn't hope to deceive the man. "And I'll catch you if you fall, Caius."
Caius nodded appreciatively, until Magnus spoke his add-on. "And then I'll belt you again." With that he closed the door, laughing to himself as Caius caught fish behind him.
The remaining five bottles were stored in Magnus' chambers, with one sent to the guard hall to be stored in a locked cabinet under the bar. Other than Magnus, only Turk had a key to the cabinet and he felt a new sense of pride at being trusted in such a way.
"Sulpicia, would you mind, my dear?" Basileus asked his daughter-in-law.
Sully smiled and removed the key from around her neck. Going to the middle cupboard of the oak sideboard by Aro's desk, she unlocked the door and showed Basileus the full bottle.
That wasn't good enough for Basileus. He took the bottle in hand and fixated on the level of the black, sticky blood. Once he was sure he had the quantity memorised he handed it back and Sulpicia locked it up again, safe and sound.
"I know exactly …"
"How much is in there and you will crucify me if I touch it?" Aro completed his father's sentence without even looking up from his paper work.
"Exactly!"
Whether Basileus saying 'exactly' to the quantity of dungeon blood, or 'exactly' in response to crucifying his son, Aro wasn't sure. Not that it mattered. He was never going to touch that shit again. He'd been lucky not to go on a bender after the night on dungeon blood in the guard hall when Carlisle and Felix had spiked the drinks. Being locked in a cell in recovery from a major head trauma is a good way to avoid going on a drug rampage. More than that, seeing Caius' last bout on the coven drug had sealed the deal in Aro's mind. Caius had looked an absolute twat!
"I can handle it being here, Dad," Aro promised. "Don't worry."
Basileus wasn't so sure, but Atia had insisted it would be good for Aro to try, at least. Besides, dungeon blood wasn't the sole reason for his visit.
"I assume you are up to date on Caius' activities?" he asked, taking the seat across the desk from Aro.
It was smaller than the throne Aro sat in and Basileus didn't like it. It upset the internal hierarchy he had in his mind to sit 'down' from anyone. Aro knew that, of course, and it was one of the reasons the chairs were arranged as they were. It always made him smile to see how uncomfortable Basileus looked in that chair. Still, the creator's mammoth size meant he was still taller than his son even in the lower chair. Aro had briefly considered chopping the legs off at half height but Sulpicia had talked him out of it.
"I have heard he is dropping humans off the castle walls," Aro replied, setting down his quill. "I suppose you are happy he is working, at least?"
"I am happy," Basileus confirmed. "Caius and Magnus make a good team."
"Hmmm," Aro winced. "Magnus is lording it above him, a little. That will create issues, Dad."
"Good!" Basileus boomed happily. "I want Magnus to take a leading role, and Caius needs someone to watch over him - I have enough with you and your brothers."
Aro turned his nose up to that little gem. Cheeky bastard, he thought. But thinking back to his co-masters, "Caius won't like being watched over by anyone, Dad."
"Neither do you, yet it still needs to be done." Basileus sounded so dismissive that Aro felt his temper flare just a little before he got himself under control. "Besides," Basileus continued, "we need to discuss how Caius' lab projects are going to work, not his sensibilities. Lord knows we have spent long enough treading on eggshells around Caius!"
Aro grunted something non-committal about 'Caius' sensibilities'. He may have been more forceful were he not fully aware that his father still felt horrendously guilty about the destruction Lucius had caused to the coven and wanting Caius back to work was mostly to enable the creator to forgive himself.
"Selling guards Caius creates …" Aro started, getting on topic but wondering how to phrase his issue, "the idea of selling vampires is unpalatable to me."
Basileus agreed, in principle. "But," he said, "if covens want the best of the best, then we can commoditize our newborns without too much issue, surely?"
Aro leaned back in his chair to think for a moment. It would be up to him to make the sale of vampires palatable to the rest of the vampiric world. Being aligned to a coven was usually a long-term affair for any vampire, but any vampire who wished could leave. They retained their free will, at least in theory. Whilst Caius' creations could help build a new revenue stream, Aro knew they had to be careful.
"I don't want other covens getting the idea that they own their members, Dad."
"Neither do I." Basileus was firm on that. "But all this spending has to be covered somehow, Aro. We need income."
Aro nodded, he knew that well enough. Since Sulpicia had taken over coven finances and was now running proper accounts, they could see, for the first time in their operation, that the Volturi was haemorrhaging cash.
"It's all about how we sell it," Aro mused out loud. "We are turning new vampires with the intent they will end up with an outside coven, and we will charge for the training they receive whilst with us," he offered as a way forward. "So the vampires who leave our covens for other covens aren't being bought - we are being paid for their education and skill cultivation." Even as he spoke, Aro knew he was talking bullshit. But it's bullshit I can work with, he thought.
"Education and skill cultivation?" Basileus repeated, smirking to himself. Oh I love how your mind works, he thought to his son. "Yes, that's much more palatable."
"I'm going to take the kids out to try on the humans," Aro said, looking to the twins proudly.
"I'm not coming," Demetri declared. "I think it's wrong."
Aro rolled his eyes to his father. Demetri had been quite vocal that morning on the matter of torturing humans and it was becoming tiresome already.
"You can stay here, then," Aro returned. He was mainly interested in cultivating the twins' gifts. "If we could get a couple of adults with Jane's power, or Alec's, our coven could take on the east!" he told Basileus excitedly.
"Then we wouldn't need you two anymore," Felix added to his younger siblings.
"We're here because we're wanted, Felix," Jane reminded her brother coolly.
Felix had been on best behaviour for a full year after the tribune ball. The shock of having not a single member of the coven on his side after Caius had thumped him - not even his parents! - had shocked the teen into curbing his acidic tongue towards Demetri. The last year or two, however, had seen Felix creeping back up to form. Not with Demetri and his venom, thankfully. Felix had taken on board that particular path to sibling destruction was off limits, now his efforts were concentrated on the twins. Jane in particular.
Unlike his efforts with Demetri, which largely saw Demetri upset and crying to their Dad, Felix picking on Jane was having a different effect. Jane didn't get upset, and her tongue was far sharper than Felix could ever hope to match. Jane also had the benefit of her father's undying support, being his princess.
"Perhaps you could try your gift on the humans?" Jane suggested to Felix. "But then again, Magnus is SO much stronger than you, isn't he?"
It was a sore point for Felix, and Jane knew it.
"Is he fuck," Felix hissed back.
"Felix!" Aro boomed across the room. "Watch your mouth, boy!"
"But she …"
"Jane spoke the truth," Aro reminded his boy, trying to ignore the other three hiding their laughter at Felix's expense.
When she was sure her father's attention was taken up with Basileus, Jane carried on winding up her brother. "Jane spoke the truth," she repeated Aro's words. "All this time I thought you might be stronger than Magnus," she whispered, "but you're not, are you?"
"Shut up, Jane," Felix huffed, his annoyance rising as she continued to quietly bait him.
"You might want to reign Magnus in a little before it blows up in your face, Dad," Aro suggested. "He actually slapped Caius in front of me yesterday."
"Why?" Basileus asked. He already knew what had happened as he'd seen in in Magnus' memories that morning, but he was interested to see Aro's take on it.
Why?! Like it matters why! Aro thought. "Caius went a little deep with his blade. They were trying tattoos."
Basileus laughed, imagining just how tempting it would have been for Caius to take a little revenge on the juggernaut. "Serves him right, I would say."
"FELIX!" Aro roared, leaving his conversation and flying across the room.
Jane had wound Felix up so tight, so quick, that he had pushed her off the chair. A mild retaliation, really, and one Jane could have saved herself from had she chosen to by simply utilising her vampiric abilities. But, naturally, Jane had wanted Felix to retaliate, she wanted him to push her, or throw something at her, just about anything physical, because then Aro would intervene and Felix would have lost yet another round against his little sister.
"How many times have I told you to keep your hands off her?!" Aro hauled Felix to his feet. "Get to your room, right now."
Felix looked to his brothers for help, both of whom were too busy trying to hide their sniggers. "But I want to come and play with the humans!"
"You must be dreaming?!" Aro looked back incredulously to his boy. "Room, now!" he ordered.
Felix briefly considered arguing his case but he knew it was pointless. He stomped up the stairs stating loudly that he wanted to watch the experiments out of his bedroom window anyway so he didn't care... bless him.
Basileus waited for Aro to retake his seat. "You know that was Jane's fault, don't you?"
Aro tutted. "It wasn't Jane's fault." Aro never blamed his princess. "If Felix can't take it he shouldn't start it."
That was Jane's magic trick, as Felix thought it. She never started anything, she only replied. She never used her hands, she never lied, she never did anything other than remind Felix of the truth - always keeping the moral high ground. So long as Jane didn't set Felix on fire in their battle of wits (not much of a battle, Jane would have said) she knew she was in the clear with her father. Sulpicia wasn't so easily duped, but Aro was wrapped around his daughter's little finger.
Basileus looked over his shoulder just in time to see Jane grinning wildly at another win in the Volturi sibling wars. She soon spun around when she noticed Basileus' eye on her.
"Don't you think it's inappropriate, Dad?" Aro asked, getting back to the Magnus and Caius situation. There was clearly something he was missing, and it was becoming clear that Basileus knew whatever it was.
"Well," Basileus mused, "what did Caius do about Magnus giving him a slap?"
Aro's face screwed up as he realised that Caius hadn't done a thing. "Nothing actually."
Aro, Caius and Magnus were all pretty tactile with each other in the sense that they would often dole out a friendly punch to the arm or something along those lines. Magnus more than us, Aro thought. But if Magnus had slapped him like he'd slapped Caius ... he couldn't honestly say he wouldn't have reacted. It would have offended his status, if nothing else. Caius just winced and got on with the next tattoo.
Basileus smirked to himself. He knew Magnus and Caius' relationship had changed a long time ago, and it was clear from Aro's reaction that his son still wasn't aware that Magnus had given Caius far more than a slap after his behaviour at the last coven ball.
"What's that look for? What do you know that I don't?"
"Oh son," Basileus chuckled to himself, "so many things."
Seeing Aro looking pensive, Basileus decided to leave him with a titbit of information about his co-masters. "If you'd have stabbed me, I would have slapped you, too."
"Yes, but …" Aro called after his father, but Basileus had already left the door swinging on its hinges as he disappeared. "You're my father."
For the briefest of moments Aro wondered if Basileus was trying to make some sort of point about Magnus and Caius, but the more obvious answer - that Magnus was just a little over familiar towards Caius - made much more sense to him.
…
Aro led the twins to the training grounds, accompanied by Carlisle who was keen to see how the experiments were going.
"I've brought the baby vampires to play," he announced, presenting the twins for Caius' use. "You look a mess!" he added, taking in the state of Caius' clothes - various rips and tears, not to mention absolutely drenched in blood.
"That's what work looks like, Aro," Carlisle told the brother.
Aro scoffed looking up and down at Carlisle in his usual immaculate state. "That's rich coming from you!"
Magnus released a shaky breath as he shook his head at the pair of them. "Don't start your arguments out here, we've got enough going on." The strain of Caius' emotions was really taking hold of Magnus, making him terser than he'd have liked.
"Neither of you would know what hard work looks like!" Caius butted in.
They had only been working on the humans for the morning, but he was wrecked already. He couldn't remember the last time his bones ached so badly.
Okay, so your both a little stressed today, Aro thought hearing how snippy his co masters were. "What have we managed so far, then?" Aro asked.
He could see a line of humans in mid-transformation, writhing around the floor in the pain such a thing brings. Another set of humans, huddled together for safety, sat nearby in fear. Corin's gift had been useful for a few hours but she couldn't keep it up long term. Heidi could have, but after the round of fucks she'd had from Caius at first light she hadn't been seen again.
"Those bastards are loving this," Caius said, gesturing to the guards. "The only one who hasn't purposely used their gift on me is Mikhail."
Aro winked to the twins. "Good luck facing those two," he said, laughing.
Caius sighed, already dreading Jane having her turn.
"My son is making complaints about your activities."
"Demetri, at a guess?" Caius asked. The boy had become his shadow since the last tribune ball and though he would never EVER say it, he had become used to have the little sod around. "Do you want us to stop?" For once, Caius really wanted Aro to call rank and put an end to the experiments, at least for the rest of the day.
"Not at all," Aro said, scoffing at the very idea. The boy needed to get a grip, in Aro's opinion. "I've come with my own request. Have you heard about vipers?"
"Never met one," Magnus admitted. "But yes, heard of them existing."
Caius had met one in battle many years ago. She had melted rocks with her venomous spit which she shot from her mouth like a jet stream. Caius had killed her, being an enemy, but Aro had wanted one for the coven ever since.
"I want another shield, too," Aro added.
Caius let his head fall back and looked to the skies. This is getting worse, he thought. "I really think shields just come from the internal human," he explained, "not the external circumstances."
Aro wasn't listening. He was filtering through the humans in the 'scared shitless group' to see if any of them could hold the keys to becoming a shield.
"You don't fancy helping out with turning any of these, do you?" Caius called over. He had bitten twenty humans that morning and his desire to go further and drain the fuckers was growing with each bite.
"Too busy, my friend," Aro returned. None of the humans seemed remarkable in any way, unfortunately. "Can't Magnus do some?"
"No use," Caius said, thinking of his earlier conversation with the juggernaut.
"No use!" Magnus repeated, having heard the dig. "Would you like to suffer your own emotions?!"
"I meant he's too busy," Caius said quickly. No, he definitely did not want to suffer his own emotions, the little he was feeling was enough!
"Could I have a go?" Carlisle asked, offering his services. Or lack of, as he had never bitten a human before.
"You?!" Caius asked, the sentiment repeated by everyone else in attendance.
Carlisle shrugged. "First time for everything."
"Yes," Magnus agreed quickly before Caius or Aro could say something spiteful. "But with what we are trying to do here I would rather not lose one in the turning."
Carlisle looked up and down the line of humans. "How hard can it be?" he thought out loud.
"If you want to try, get Aro to take you down to the dungeons and you can have a go."
Magnus, you bastard, Aro thought. Aro was trying to be kinder to his baby brother. Mainly because he'd been told to be, but still.
"Fine," he said, in a tone suggesting it was anything but fine.
Caius wasn't having that. "What happened to being too busy to help here?!"
Aro smirked. "He's my little brother, Caius,"
If you aren't winding up one, it's the other, Magnus thought watching Aro at work, taking the piss out of Caius.
Aro gradually noticed that Magnus was watching his play with an eyebrow raised in annoyance. Caius may be willing to take you lording it over him, but don't go getting any ideas about trying that with me! Aro thought, though he had stopped winding Caius up with his mind on Magnus instead. When Aro realised that, he could have happily booted himself in the shins!
"Where's Marcus? Or Eleazar? They can both bite," he offered, distracting himself.
"Marcus is putting together a plan for raising these newborns," Magnus explained.
"Good luck getting El to help do anything." Caius held out no hope for help from that source. Eleazar had never worked a day in his life.
"I think Eleazar will have to get used to helping out more," Magnus said, chuckling to himself.
Aro looked to the coven master curiously. "What do you know?" Oh how Aro hated to be out of the loop!
Magnus smiled at Aro. "I don't have time to tell you everything I know that you don't," he said, as though he were talking to a small child.
Aro didn't find that funny at all. You're spending too much time with my Dad, that's the same thing he said to me earlier... Aro wasn't pleased by that one little bit.
Caius caught Aro's annoyed expression and laughed. "He's a cocky bastard at times, isn't he?"
Magnus clamped a hand on Caius' shoulder from behind, startling the younger master. "He's a big bastard too," Magnus whispered into his ear. "Try to remember that."
"I'll let you get on with it, brother," Aro told Caius, though his eye was on Magnus. He had many more questions for his father, that was for damn sure. Especially as Basileus and Magnus were now speaking the same bloody language! "Come on Carlisle, time to see if we can make a vampire out of you."
"Jerk," Carlisle called back, though he followed dutifully.
"Shall we give the kids a chance?" Magnus asked, beckoning Jane over.
"Not Jane!" Caius threw up his hands. "I'm not suffering her gift."
Magnus lifted the girl up onto his shoulder. "I'm sure Jane can control her gift so it doesn't affect you, Caius."
"Sure I can," Jane said promisingly. "I won't, but I can."
After putting on a damn good show for everyone suffering Jane's gift, Caius only had a moment to collect his reserves before he was thrust in front of Alec. The boy's gift came as a blessed relief. For one, it didn't hurt when Alec's cloud covered Caius, for another, the boy seemed to have a better hold on his talents and Caius got the job done with ease. The guards were disappointed though. They had much preferred the girl's gift going to work on the coven master.
With another three done, Magnus called halftime. "It's been a long morning, I'm sending the guards for a break. They are doing well around all these humans and I'd rather prevent mistakes."
"Yeah, sure." Caius collapsed into the grass and took a well-earned breather for himself.
Once Magnus had seen to his guards, he joined Caius on the ground, soaking up the mid-afternoon sun. Caius was doing well, much better than Magnus had expected him to do, all things considered, but Caius had yet to suffer any of his own emotions. To the casual observer, Caius looked fine and dandy, but his eyes spoke the truth.
"Your eyes are black," Magnus pointed out quietly.
"I'm alright," Caius shrugged. He needed to feed, but he was already using Magnus' gift to get through the day, he wasn't taking extra blood on top of that. He wasn't weak! He had his pride!
"Just take a break with everyone else," Magnus urged.
"No need," Caius said flatly. "I'm fine."
When the guards re-joined them, Caius wished he'd taken that break. He could smell the bloodwine they'd all enjoyed and even with Magnus' best efforts, Caius was becoming more and more distracted by his need for blood. Still, he pushed on. And plucked another human for the suffering.
"We need to stretch one," he called over to the guards. "I want one on each end."
Odi and Turk took the legs, Lev and Mik the arms, Richard held the man's head steady.
"Nice and easy," Caius told them, getting ready to bite. "Give me the nod when you feel the joints pop."
With his mouth ready on the human's neck, Caius' fangs brushed the man's delicate skin and the first droplets of blood dripped to his tongue... it tasted so good...
"Caius!" Magnus balled out.
It was enough of a shock to bring Caius back to the task at hand. He managed to bite the human before the guards pulled him to pieces, but he was done, he needed a break. Magnus jutted his head towards the castle doorway with a serous expression before heading there himself. Caius quickly followed.
"I didn't do anything!" Caius shot out, his annoyance mainly for himself. Losing control in front of the guards was the very last thing he would have wanted, and he was glad Magnus called him before he drank that human dry, but still, he wasn't going to admit that.
"I can feel what's coming," Magnus said, shaking his head. He offered Caius his wrist. "Just feed a little and you will calm down."
"I feel fine!"
"That's because I'm drawing it all away," Magnus explained. "How's this feel?" He let down his gift just a little for Caius to see exactly what Magnus was drawing away. Though it was only a little, it hit Caius like a punch in the guts!
"Fuck!" Caius doubled over at the waist, baling his fists into his stomach. "Stop!"
Magnus forced Caius to stand and pushed him under the arch of the doorway and covered him from view. Again he offered his wrist. "Feed from me, no one can see," Magnus assured him. "You should have taken a break earlier."
"You should have insisted." Caius said that to Magnus with such regularity that one would think he might start to take heed of the juggernaut's advice.
Caius gulped down Magnus' blood with gusto, the burn in his throat dispersing with each fresh mouthful.
"What are you doing?!"
Caius tried to pull away hearing he'd been caught but Magnus held him fast so he could finish taking what he needed. "It's only Atia," he explained.
"It's been a rough morning, my lady," Magnus explained, smiling easily to the woman.
When Caius finished, he looked sheepishly between the two of them. On one hand, he felt ashamed to have needed such an immediate feed - it was weak, in Caius' mind. He had excellent control around humans, usually, and he, like many of the coven, prided himself on that fact. For Caius it wasn't about being safe around humans, it was a show of absolute control.
On the other hand, seeing Atia and Magnus chat reminded him of things he wasn't privy to in the coven. He wasn't privy to the conversations Magnus and Freyr had with Basileus and Atia, and that pissed him off. Mostly because Caius knew many of those conversations were about him! It had been bad enough in Caius' mind that Basileus sought Marcus' counsel so often, but at least it was only Marcus. Now Magnus and Freyr were also part of the creator's innermost circle, Caius and Aro were very much outside of it. Neither Aro nor Caius were happy, not that either of them knew of a way to change matters.
With his head under control after having some blood, Caius was feeling himself again. "We have worked to do," he muttered, storming back to the training ground.
"Isn't he a sensitive little thing," Atia quipped as he walked away, sending Caius into an internal rage. It took all of Magnus' best efforts to prevent Caius from saying something regretful.
When Atia followed Magnus over to the humans, Caius' shoulders slunk.
"I'm here to help, Caius," Atia explained, before Caius could complain. "Aro has asked for me to cloak one of your humans."
"Invisibility?" Caius asked. That could be useful, actually.
"We'll make that the last gift for today," Magnus said, catching Caius' eye. "I need a break, too."
One moment, Atia stood with a sobbing human woman, the next, both had disappeared. Atia's gifts really were quite remarkable.
Caius went to where he thought the human was, eliciting a shriek from the woman when he stood on her foot. Stepping back, he used his hands to find the human instead.
"Caius, darling, that isn't the human." Atia and the human reappeared. "And, it isn't appropriate."
The guards guffawed behind Caius as they saw Caius' hand cupping Atia's breast.
"Oh God!" Caius exclaimed, jumping back when he realised. "I'm so sorry."
Though he first felt mortified at having copped a feel of Atia, a second thought soon took over. I can't wait to tell Aro I felt up his mom! He took hold of the human woman by her shoulder and gave Atia the nod to make them both disappear again. Then he tried to bite her.
"Ow!"
Atia reappeared, looking less than impressed. "How about I bite the ones that you cannot see, my dear?"
To the sound of more laughter, Caius replied. "That would be for the best, my lady."
Atia repeated the process with another two humans. thirty or so all writhing in the pains of the transformation laid scattered in the training grounds by then, and the vampires ended their day's work.
"Get them into cells and yourselves to the guard hall," Magnus called to his guards. "First drink is on Caius, so be sure to make it a large expensive one."
Caius barged his shoulder into Magnus. "You bastard."
"They earned it." Magnus waited until they were all clear before he spoke plainly to Caius. "You've done really well today."
Caius felt pretty good. It had all the makings for a dreadful day, and though he'd been a little up and down, he'd felt okay about it all. He was even looking forward to another day at it, a little.
"I know there was that spike earlier, but how have I felt, other than that?"
Magnus could see how pleased with himself Caius was, and he didn't want to ruin the moment by telling him the truth. "Much better than I expected, Caius," he lied, leading them both into the castle.
"Caius!" Basileus called, patting the seat next to him. "I have heard you spent the afternoon engaged in foreplay with my mate." Just about everyone in that hall stood still and looked at Caius. "Let's talk."
"Erm … I … no …." Caius made his way very slowly over to the creator.
Basileus glowered at the young master. "I think you dropped some verbs there, Caius."
Aro all but bounced in his seat. "Oh, this is gold!" he gloated, as Caius floundered.
Magnus could tell Basileus was only playing with Caius, but he was doing a good job of scaring him all the same. He brought a couple of tankards over to the table. Caius drank a full one down in one go, such was his panic.
"Atia claims you were fondling her breasts and biting the nape of her neck, are you calling my mate a liar?" Basileus pushed.
Caius stuttered for a moment, trying to find a reply. "No, of course not …"
"Therefore, I refer you back to the beginning of this conversation. You. My mate. Foreplay." Basileus' smile was creeping in behind his words, not that Caius noticed. "Let's talk."
"Leave him alone, Basileus," Magnus said, pushing Caius down into chair. "You are a cruel old bastard at times."
Aro watched how his father just laughed off Magnus' words. They weren't aggressive or threatening, of course. Merely talking between friends. But it was very casual, very relaxed. Caius had been commenting about Magnus and Basileus and their private conversations, the relationship that was developing between the two of them. Aro hadn't paid it much attention, but the last few days he was starting to see differences that were making the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. It was too soon to do anything about it, he knew that - he'd need to work out what he was doing something about, first!
"So," Basileus called across the table. "How has he coped without the dungeon blood today?"
The 'he' Basileus was talking about was, of course, Caius, who would have blushed if he could at being discussed in such a way. It's bad enough that I know you talk about me in private, but the guard hall?!
Magnus smiled broadly. "He didn't really need me at all," he lied.
Basileus nodded knowingly to his friend before congratulating Caius on day well done. "A full schedule tomorrow?"
Caius stretched out his aching back. He was still covered in blood, having gone straight to the guard hall after work. "Another ten planned for turning," he said. He was looking forward to the morning, in as much as anyone looked forward to work, he supposed.
"Very good," Basileus replied. "I can see this being a lucrative deal."
"It won't be lucrative unless it works," Aro reminded his father. "We won't know that for a week or so."
"Either way we will be replenishing the guard stock," Magnus added. "It's a win-win." He didn't want anyone knocking Caius back down in any way after all the effort they had both put in to getting him back to work.
Before Aro could lose himself in thought over Magnus' repeated protection of Caius, Caius, feeling safe now Magnus had called Basileus off, started to wind him up about his activities with Atia. However brief and unintentional they had been, Caius knew just the right words to exaggerate the situation and piss Aro off.
Both Basileus and Magnus rolled their eyes over the younger masters' faux arguments. Neither Aro or Caius realised that it was their immature play that was at least partly responsible for pushing Magnus and Basileus together.
Basileus leaned across the table with his back to the pair of them. "How has he really coped?" he asked Magnus quietly.
Magnus quickly checked to see that Caius and Aro were deep into their back and forth before he replied. "I'm knackard," he admitted, shaking his weary head. Magnus was planning on a night in bed once he'd finished his drink, and Freyr was not invited.
Basileus caught onto Magnus' thoughts and chuckled. "You're doing him a great service, my friend," he said, grateful for all the effort Magnus was putting in with Caius. "You're doing us all a great service," he added, thinking that he wouldn't have wanted to bother himself in the same way. If Caius' inactivity had been left to Basileus to sort out, he had to admit, he would have used threats and force - nothing more or less than that. The creator was starting to wonder if the softly, softly approach might have its uses after all.
Still, Basileus felt obliged, with it being his coven and all, to offer Magnus a way out, should he want it. "If this is too much for you, I'm sure there are other ways around this …"
"There aren't any other suitable ways." Magnus was certain of that. "Caius needs to gain some confidence working again, and he needs to do it without dungeon blood. This is the only way. I'm going to let him feel it a little tomorrow, see how he copes."
Basileus chinked his tankard against Magnus'. "Good plan."
Carmen stormed into the guard hall, looking frantic and taking everyone's attention as she flew to the creator's side, closely followed by a worried Carlisle.
"There are children in the dungeons!" she exclaimed.
Basileus wasn't entirely sure where Carmen was going with such a statement. But his first though was 'why?' which he directed to Caius, the dungeons being his domain.
Caius glared at Heidi across the room for a second before turning back to Basileus. "A couple followed Heidi back when she went fishing this morning."
"Can I have them?" Carmen asked, shocking everybody.
Basileus attempted to direct Carmen into the seat beside him, but she was to overwrought to sit. "I want them," she said forcefully. "Can I have them?"
Aro looked Carlisle up and down. It was blatantly clear from his awkward stance that he had told Carmen about the children in the dungeons. "Well done, dickhead," Aro hissed. "I thought you kept to animals?" he added, looking to Carmen.
"Not to eat!" Carmen spat. Even the words tasted foul to her mouth. "To keep!"
Basileus tried again to calm his daughter-in-law. "Carmen, I think you need to speak to Eleazar about this, my dear."
"It's not up to him, is it?" Carmen shot back. "Am I not capable of making my own decisions?"
Great, Aro huffed to himself. More bull from women who think they can get by without their men.
"Of course, my dear," Basileus agreed, telling Aro with his eyes to keep his thoughts to himself. "But these things require agreement …"
Carmen cut Basileus with dark eyes and hands on her hips. "Eleazar has already agreed."
Basileus wasn't having that. "In theory, maybe," he started to reply.
"I want them. I'm taking them." No sooner had Camren realised that reply wasn't to be agreement, she turned her back on the creator and looked to Caius instead. "Caius, can I have your keys, please?"
Magnus stopped Caius from handing over the keys just in time. "You can't have them, Carmen, they are too young," he explained softly.
Carmen turned to Carlisle, landing him further in the shit with everyone. "You said they are the same age as the twins."
With his father and brother giving him the dead eye, Carlisle wanted the ground to open up and swallow him. "I said they looked about the same age, ish."
Magnus nodded appreciatively. "The twins look very young for their age," he reminded everyone. "The couple down there are only eight and nine." He was lying, of course, which Magnus hated to do under any circumstances, but a kind lie can be right in certain circumstances and this was definitely one of those situations, he felt.
"That's far too young," Basileus said. He sounded dismissive to Carmen's ear but really it was relief at a disaster averted. "It's against the law."
"They are too young, my dear," Magnus stressed, smiling sadly to the forlorn woman.
"You are sure, Magnus?" Carmen pushed. She looked so very desperate that Magnus almost broke.
"I am." Magnus left the table and wrapped his arms around Carmen as the tears rolled down her cheeks. To have been so close and then so far in as many minutes caused an emotional whirlwind in her stomach that knocked her sick. "I have spoken with them already, and their mother. I am very sorry."
"It's alright," Carmen said softly, leaning into the juggernaut. "It's fine," she said, sniffing back the tears. "Excuse me."
With that, Carmen fled the guard hall in the same manner she had arrived, though this time full of a different kind of emotion - pain.
Once everyone had breathed a sigh of relief, Basileus was quick to rip the glass from Caius' hand and tell him, "Get down there and kill those kids, now."
Caius wasn't willing to do that. That would be far too much for his first day back, he thought. "She hasn't got the keys," he offered weakly, showing Basileus his set, like that would be enough.
"She could bite them through the bars," Basileus reminded him. "Go!"
"Carmen's never turned anyone before, they'd probably end up as zombies," Aro said shrugging with one eye on Carlisle. Carlisle had managed to bite a human under Aro's direction. Aro had made his brother bite his arm a few times first, so he could judge the amount of venom to inject into the human, but Aro wasn't hopeful for Carlisle's effort making it through the transformation.
That wasn't enough for Basileus. He wasn't against Eleazar and Carmen having their own young vampires, not in the slightest. He thought it would be good for the two of them. But it was a decision they needed to make together, not just Carmen deciding for them both.
"I want them dead, now," he stressed.
Eleazar meandered into the guard hall and caught his father's demand. "Who are you in a mood with?" he asked.
Basileus turned on his laid-back boy. This will put some life into you, he thought. "There are two children in the dungeons, your mate has been here to ask for them. To turn."
"What?!" Eleazar damn near chocked on his own venom. "No, no, no!"
"We've told her they are too young," Magnus explained. He had to call out a little louder than he would have liked to be heard over Aro and Caius getting the digs in.
"Are they too young?" Eleazar asked, praying they would be.
"I suppose not." Magnus hadn't had any conversations with the children, or their mother as he had said to Carmen, so he was judging based on their appearance, but he was relatively sure they were past twelve. "Not if you want them, but I thought …"
"I don't bloody want them!" Eleazar shot out. "Why are they even here?!"
"They followed Heidi," Caius explained. All of a sudden, he wasn't so annoyed with Heidi, not now he could use her slip up to tease the elder Volturi brother. "We've kept them for feeding the newborns when they wake."
"That could be a couple of days!" Eleazar wasn't willing to take that risk. "We need to kill them now, I'll do it myself!"
Aro burst out laughing to hear brother's stress. "Jesus Christ, he's going to do something!"
"Do you want to have a sit down, El, and catch your breath?" Caius asked, kicking out the spare chair for him. "The shock could kill him."
Eleazar ignored it all and held out a hand expectantly to Caius. "Give me your keys."
Caius huffed. It was no fun taking the piss out of people if they weren't going to join in and grow annoyed. "Your mate is much politer than you," he muttered handing over his set to the dungeons.
Carlisle couldn't quite believe what Eleazar was suggesting. "You can't kill a couple of kids, Eleazar," he said. There was a touch of disappointment to his tone, along with disbelief. Eleazar was his big brother, a pacifist, someone he admired and looked up to - and he was about to execute a couple of human children in the murky dungeons of Volterra.
"I can if the other option is being stuck raising them for an eternity!" Eleazar told him. In no uncertain terms was that horror going to befall him, no way! "But, erm …" Eleazar stalled as he turned to leave. "Don't tell Carmen it was me?" With that pitiful add-on, he was gone.
Caius looked over to Magnus. "He's as whipped as you are," he said, laughing into his ale.
"What was that?" Freyr asked, coming up behind Caius having heard what he'd said and placing a hand on each of his shoulders. Her grip was just a little too tight to be comfortable. "You don't think you're whipped, do you, love?" she asked her mate.
Magnus smiled lovingly to the shield maiden. "Of course not, love," he lied … again. It's a bad day for the truth, he told himself.
"He's merely brow beaten and hen pecked." Caius ducked, expecting a swipe from the woman for continuing his jibe, but Freyr would never have been so crass as to slap him in the guard hall, though his assumption pleased her greatly.
It didn't please Aro, however, who went back to wondering what was going on with his co-masters. Fortunately, his attention was soon taken up with Heidi who had wondered over now Caius looked less pissed off with her.
"Magnus," Basileus called over, getting the juggernauts attention away from he rest of their gathering. "Where's my letter?"
Magnus raised one eyebrow to Basileus and turned to the man's youngest son. "Carlisle, do you have a job?"
"Me?" Carlisle asked, sounding surprised. "Erm … no. Do you need me to do something?"
Magnus turned back to Basileus, smiling. "Nothing at all, mate."
Basileus crossed his arms in annoyance. "I'm working on it," he huffed.
Magnus chucked to himself. "Let me know when you have achieved it and I'll have your letter written."
"You're getting cocky, my friend," Basileus said, running a hand through his hair. It was the best he could come up with when he was losing so badly.
"I'm not cocky, I'm winning." Magnus wasn't usually one for gloating, but he felt he'd earned it that time. "Caius is working, you can't deny it. Your sons are not. You can't deny that either."
"You're the one who upped the ante with a letter by the end of the week," Basileus reminded him.
"Aye," Magnus agreed. "End of the week - It's only the first day and we have a dungeon full of recruits with another set ready for first light." He leaned back in his seat and continued, "You have one son off killing a couple of kids and another sat in here flirting with my guards. And Carlisle, of course."
Basileus looked over just in time to see Aro leeching over the coven siren. "Aro!" he called, clicking his fingers at his troublesome son. You're a bloody liability when you've had a drink! he thought. Basileus wondered if, in fact, he had bitten off more than he could chew getting Carlisle and Eleazar to work. Neither of them had ever had a proper job to call their own in the coven, not really. But with all his doubts over his own sons, one thing he was certain of, Magnus would never get that letter from Caius. Not without force.
"They will be working before you have my letter, Magnus," Basileus said confidently. "I'd bet my last florin on it."
"We'll see," Magnus replied with just as much surety as the creator.