Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom, Stargate SG-1, Reign, or anything else I reference.
Chapter Fifteen: Problems and Promises
"Hello Qetsiyah." Danny said looking at her with surprise from his mirror's reflection. "How are you doing?"
"I have good news, and I have bad news." Qetsiyah said.
"Tell me the good news first." Danny said.
"I have found some witch families still practicing in the east." Qetsiyah said.
"That is good to know." Danny said turning towards her and connecting with his data pad.
Whether it was the west or the east he wanted to know the witch families and the types of magic they practiced. Hohenheim and Dante are studying alchemy, Qetsiyah's descendants called upon the spirits of the Other Side for traditional magic, but there was still much to learn about how his people's descendants used their abilities.
"The Asakuras, The Tsuchimikados, The Keikains, The Yukimuras, and The Summimuras are in Japan." Qetsiyah said. "The Tao family, the Tang family, and the Xiaolong family are in China."
"Are these Japanese families close to each other?" Danny asked.
It would mean less travel time if they were.
"No, they are spread out. The Yukimuras' and Summimuras are in Karasumori, The Asakuras are in Izumo Shimane, and the Tsuchimikados and Keikains are in Kyoto. There are other individuals, but they are spread through the country." Qetsiyah said.
It seems like places that he would want to send his B.I.R.D.S. to look into.
"Thank you for your effort. I will check them out." Danny said. "Now what is the bad news?"
"An ancient evil has awoken, and it threatens the world of the living." Qetsiyah said.
"How ancient are we talking?" Danny asked.
She had over a thousand years of knowledge available to her. She had to know something about this threat that she was asking him to fight because he had no doubt that was why she was bringing it up to him.
"I have no idea how old exactly. I am just going off the feeling I get when I stare at the creature." Qetsiyah said.
"What sort of creature is this?" Danny asked more himself than her.
Could it have been something left behind by the Goa'uld?
"I do not know but it gives off feelings of intense malice and hatred." Qetsiyah said.
Even though they were not on the same plane of existence she and the others could sense how dangerous it was must mean it was a massive threat.
"Where is the creature right now?" Danny asked.
"He is moving away from an ancient Egyptian city." Qetsiyah said.
"Of course, it is." Danny said as he fought the urge to punch a hole through the wall.
He was going to scour that country from one end to the other to see what was hidden below the sands.
"The moment the creature awoke it sent vibrations through the world. Those in the living world could not tell where the feeling was coming from but those on the other side could track it to its source without fear of being noticed." Qetsiyah said. "However, there is someone that might know more about this than me."
"Who?" Danny asked.
How could someone on the Other Side have knowledge that Qetsiyah could not gain access too?
"Arcadius." Qetsiyah said.
"And who is that?" Danny asked.
"He is the ruler of what the people of this world call Hell." Qetsiyah said. "During the stories my tribe told me as a child he started out as a psychic in Greece and in his death created a prison dimension to torment all those, he believed had committed crimes and brought pain to the world."
It seems that someone decided to follow Sobek's example and choose to take over the myth of the devil.
"Is there a way to contact him?" Danny asked.
Preferably without him having to travel into some hell dimension.
"He has emissaries in the world of the living." Qetsiyah answered.
"Are they demons?" Danny asked.
It would fit with the theme. Sokar disfigured his followers and created monsters to go with his choice so it would probably be something similar with Arcadius.
"Not in the manner that you mean. The people alive today have called them Sirens." Qetsiyah said. "Two women that he transformed with his power. They are the basis for the Greek myth. It is through them that he marks the souls for punishment."
Another species created by his people. He should start keeping track of this.
"Do you know where they are?" Danny asked.
"I can check. I will be back when I have an answer." Qetsiyah said disappearing.
That was going to be tomorrow's problem. Right now, he had a party to attend.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Nice place." Danny said as he arrived and handed his gift to Niklaus.
"This is a well-made sword." Niklaus said.
"It was forged for King Henry of France." Danny said
Vampires were known to be huge collectors as time went by so he knew that Niklaus would love having a gift like this.
"I only collect the best. I see you also brought barrels of ale and wine." Niklaus said.
"I saw how much you liked the ale we had a few days ago and so I ordered the barkeep to make more." Danny said.
Also like the drinks they had together the ones he had brought had been spiked with the original's blood.
"That is wonderful. Now enjoy the festivities. I have brought the best entertainers around." Niklaus said. "I have compelled them to not notice anything strange they saw or deny any request that they are given. There are jugglers, archers, dancers and more. There are also animal tamers with lions and tigers."
"I will." Danny said as he started walking around looking at the people around him.
How many of these guests are vampires?
He could not risk using telepathy to scan their minds as they would notice.
He started listening to conversations.
"Do you know who this sculpture is supposed to be of?" one voice asked.
"It is depicting Alexander the Great and is horse Bucephalus." another voice said.
"I have not heard of Alexander the Great wielding a trident.
"That is his mystical trident. Legend says that he got it from the gods." The first voice said.
Interested in hearing further Danny walked through the hall and found an art gallery.
As he walked through the hall he found many paintings.
One is a vertical painting of a golden dragon soaring over a plain.
"Really?" The second voice asked.
"It was lost after his death. Rumor is that his followers broke it to pieces afterwards." The first voice said. "The prongs each became a different dagger."
Danny turned to walk away to the next piece but before he could choose which one he was interrupted.
"Hello." The woman said as she walked up him. "I have never seen you around before. My name is Lorena."
Bold.
"I am Daniel Masters. I am a new associate of the Mikaelsons." Danny asked with a smile. "Can I help you?"
Danny could sense that she felt curiosity and a desire to figure out what his blood tasted like.
"I was just walking through the hall and wanted to find a companion to appreciate the art with." Lorena said. "Like this one here. The Golden Dragon protector of China."
"I know little of art, my focus is on history, but I am willing to expand my mind." Danny said.
"That is wonderful." Lorena said as she took his hand.
She took him to another painting. This one of a muscled women wearing armor tied by a red shroud standing on a boat.
"This is a painting of Kassandra of Kephallonia. The granddaughter of Leonidas of Sparta. In her hand is the spear he used to protect Greece from king Xerxes." Lorena said.
"Was she a brave warrior like her grandfather?" Danny asked.
"If the stories are to be believed she grew up in Sparta with her mother Myrinne and stepfather Nikolos. When the Pythia told Nikolos to throw her brother Alexios off a cliff, she pushed the priest and her brother off it. She was banished and thrown of the cliff. She survived and made it to Kephallonia. As an adult she travelled all over Greece. During the Peloponnesian war she fought for Athens. She traveled with Herodotus, spoke with Socrates, and battled cyclopes and the Hekatoncries. Some say she even used the forge of Hephaestus." Lorena said.
"Really?" Danny asked.
"It sounds amazing if it is true." Lorena acknowledged. "Probably why the story continues."
"True." Danny said.
It is an image of a woman with the face of a feline holding a blue orb.
"That is the image of Tefnut Egyptian goddess of rain, moisture." Lorena said. "Something the matter?"
"I have complicated feelings about Egypt." Danny admitted as he saw a crowd standing around a man in a toga that is standing next to two Greek vases.
"Come one, come all," The Greek said. "Ionnas has come to tell all that are interested. If you have an interest in the past here are two stories of ancient Greece."
"Let us see those vases." Danny offered as they walked from the painting.
As he walked to the vases, he could hear others talking about other paintings.
He blocked out the useless conversations to focus on the ones he wanted to hear.
"Sir, are you interested in a story?" Ioannis asked calling out to those walking around.
Danny joined the group. "Who is this a story of?"
"This is a tale of Xena the Warrior Princess." Ioannis answered as he spread is arms.
"Interesting title. Where was she princes of? What nation did she destroy?" Danny asked.
"The title was granted by a Chinese queen from the land of Chu." Ioannis answered. "Xena was born in the Thracian land of Amphipolis to the woman Cyrene and a spartan named Nelo."
"What happened to her?" Danny asked.
"One day the warlord Cortes came to her village. The villagers argued whether it would be better to run and hide or offer their services to the raiders. Xena was braver than most. She gathered men to fight. Her older brother Toris and younger brother Lyceus joined despite their mothers wises. Cortes was driven off but not before he killed her brother Lyceus and it set her upon the path of revenge.
Xena traveled to many far and distant lands like Siberia, China, and Brittania. Xena grew to be a famed warlord known throughout had many enemies and she defeated many famous warriors. One of her foes was Julius Ceaser himself. "
"Really?" Danny asked skeptically.
"Yes. Xena was so renown that the god Ares followed after her trail. The god offered treasures to Xena if she would be his." Ioannis answered.
Danny found that rather hard to believe given that Ares had left this planet millennia ago.
"Ares loved her so much that he ordered several families of Sparta to spread the stories of her life so that it would never be forgotten." Ioannis answered.
Someone tapped him on his back.
He turned to see Rebekah.
"Hello." Danny said.
"Would you like to come with me for a bit?" Rebekah asked.
"Hello, Rebekah." Lorena said. "That is a rather rude to not acknowledge a guest let alone steal their companion."
He could feel a surge of distaste rise up in her.
"I can be ruder. I have not compelled you to leave. Take the generous offer." Rebekah threatened. "Nik has brought a juggling act outside that is something that you might appreciate more. Either way you get my meaning. "
Lorena nodded and walked away.
"I did not take you for the Jealous type, Lady Rebekah." Danny said with a smile.
"You are rather presumptuous." Rebekah said. "Lorena works for her maker Istvan. She is bait that draws in men foolish enough to get close and serves them to him. It does not end well for them."
"Either way thank you." Danny said walking out of the room with her. "That is a lovely necklace you are wearing."
"It belonged to my mother." Rebekah replied. "It is one of the few things we have left of her."
"I am sure that she would be happy that you kept it." Danny said.
As they moved through the estate, he saw that the vampires were drinking the wine he brought.
He could hear guests upstairs being drained of their blood. Others sounded like they were satisfying other desires.
"Rebekah what times are the games starting?" Danny asked as he stared at the people preparing the archery targets.
"Nik is beginning with archery and spear tossing. Games the humans can win. Then we move to fencing, afterwards the merchants are having chariot races." Rebekah replied.
"Sounds fun." Danny said.
"Have fun but you should be more careful. You could encounter the wrong kind of vampire at tis party." Rebekah said. "You might wish you never asked to come."
"I enjoy life with a little risk." Danny said "Why don't we walk around and talk more? I love making new friends."
He walked over to a vampire that was watching the archery competition below. "Hello. My name is Daniel Masters."
He stuck out his hand in greeting as he heard Rebekah shake her head.
"Lady Rebekah." The vampire greeted
"Roman." Rebekah replied. "Roman allow me to introduce you to Daniel of Dinai."
"Hello." Danny tried again.
"Roman Zimojic." Roman said as he turned his head.
"I am going to be right back. It seems like my brother needs my help." Rebekah said.
"Who do you think is going to win?" Danny asked trying again as he looked down at the men waiting in line.
"I believe that it is the one on the left." Roman said with his resignation.
"I will bet you ten gold coins and a drink that it is the one on the right with red hair." Danny said.
"Are we betting on something?" another vampire asked as he appeared before them.
"Hello Godric." Roman said nervously as he looked upon the older vampire.
"We are betting on who is going to win this match." Danny said as he turned to the vampire. "How about this? The competition is going to go on until the end. Then we choose the looser by either least misses or if they hit a lesser target."
"Very well but lets us make it more interesting. Tell whichever archer loses that we are going to eat them and their families." Godric said
"That is kind of an overreaction." Danny said.
"Are you going to offer yourself in their place?" Godric asked. "I wonder how your blood is going to taste. If it was good, then I would share it with Godbrand and Eric."
"Try it and you will find yourself meeting the sun." Danny said as his fingers began to produce flames.
"You are arrogant." Godric growled. "I have slaughtered over a dozen witches that believed their magic would protect them."
"You have never met someone like me." Danny said.
"I doubt that." Godric said.
"How about we all calm down and have a drink?" Roman asked. "That sounds like a great idea to me."
"Very well." Danny said as he caused the cask of wine, he brought to be teleported in front of them and levitate in the air.
"Nice trick." Godric said taking a cup and drinking some wine.
Danny was under no delusion that their issues had been resolved.
"How do you feel about this party?" Danny asked Roman.
"I feel like it is a waste. We vampires have been granted immortality and we waste it on cruelty and savagery." Roman said.
"Cruelty and savagery are the main emotions of man. We love to see our enemies brought low before us and fools crushed beneath our feet. Vampirism just heightens what we feel." Godric argued.
0-0-0-0-0-0
Eventually he returned to walking through the party conversing with different vampires.
He had run into Elijah as well, but they did not get on along as well as the other two siblings. It may have been due to his stolen knowledge of how Elijah abandoned the Strix to be slaughtered by their father Mikael. He found it rather harsh how he left his followers to be the distraction while Mikael hunted them.
He could have ordered them to flee and met up with whoever was left at a special location, but he abandoned them only to run into them four hundred years later. The Strix had never forgiven him for that.
He ran into Roman again.
"You should be careful with Godric." Roman said.
"What do you know about Godric?" Danny asked
"What I have heard is mostly rumor from others. He is a vampire that had been turned when the Normans were invading England and the other European countries. A violent nihilist that found joy in the suffering of others." Roman said.
"How long have you been a vampire?" Danny asked.
"Not long. I am still learning to tell the difference between vampires and humans." Roman said. "Salome said it would take about three decades for me to gain that skill."
It explained the confusion that he is feeling.
"Tell me more." Danny said interested.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"What are you doing?" Esther asked as she appeared next to him.
"I am learning about the people in the estate." Danny said.
He had been looking at the stars on the roof and listening to the intoxicated vampires talk and scheme when she appeared.
"You are supposed to be capturing my children so that they can be turned human." Esther said.
"I am working on it." Danny said.
"You could take them all right now." Esther said.
She certainly was very impatient.
"Who are you talking to?" Rebekah asked as she climbed the roof through the attic window.
Vampire hearing. A reason he was very careful about the words he spoke.
"My people get nervous whenever I am away too long." Danny said holding up a contact orb.
"So, that allows you to talk to them despite being far away?" Rebekah asked.
"Yes." Danny answered. "What are you doing up here?"
"I could ask you the same." Rebekah said.
"I was watching the stars but now an even more beautiful one has taken my attention." Danny said as he smiled at Rebekah.
"Where you have been staying?" Rebekah asked.
"Weird. What has brought this question up?" Danny asked.
"I rarely see you around town. Niklaus has been wondering the same." Rebekah answered
"I am staying in vacation in Paris right now. I just managed to hear about the parties that your brother has been holding and wanted to see one." Danny said.
"You came all the way from Paris just for a party?" Rebekah asked.
"Not such a big deal when you have my skills." Danny said as he teleported a few feet back from her.
"I have never seen a witch do that before." Rebekah said.
"I have many tricks up my sleeve." Danny said, "Want to see another one?"
He started floating off of the ground.
"You can fly?" Rebekah asked.
"Grab my hand and find out." Danny said as he held out his hand for her.
He spent the next half hour flying with her in the night sky.
"How would you like to come see a play with me next Friday?" Danny asked.
"I would like that very much." Rebekah answered.
"Great." Danny said matching the smile on her face.
"I do not let go once I have found something I like." Rebekah said with a smile. "
"Neither do I." Danny said.
With each twirl he knew he was now one step closer to gaining control over the world's vampires.