“STATE YOUR business, old woman,” said the guard to the shrouded stranger. The stranger paused for a moment before removing the shroud. The old woman exposed her wrinkly face and then transformed her appearance.
“My apologies, my Lord. I did not recognize the disguise. It is a pleasure to see you. To what do we owe the honor of your presence?” The young man bowed low at the waist as Deimos approached the entrance to the witch Helena’s fortress.
“I am here to see Helena,” Deimos nodded his greeting to the young guard. “She is expecting me I’d suspect,” he grinned.
“Yes, of course, my Lord. Please, right this way,” the guard bowed again and moved aside so Deimos could enter the long corridor.
Deimos passed the young man without any further acknowledgement and continued into the witch’s fortress.
He entered into a vast room made of stone. It was dark and dungeon-like, there were a few candles lit along the walls but most of the glow came from the grand fireplace at the far end of the room. In front of the huge fireplace was a large, high-backed red velvet chair facing on an angle toward the fire.
“Deimos, I’ve been wondering when this day would come,” Helena said in a cracked voice.
“It’s been a long time, Helena.” Deimos stood in the middle of the room, staring toward the chair.
“Indeed it has. So tell me, what is it I can do for you?” Helena asked.
“I need to know my future,” Deimos answered in a low, serious voice.
“I have told you your future,” Helena answered, annoyance building in her raspy tone.
“Yes, but that future you foretold is now the present. I need to know more.” Deimos took a few more steps toward the chair.
“There is no future to tell you. You are treading very closely at Fate’s front door.” Helena coughed and rose from her chair but still did not face Deimos.
“I’m not sure how that can be,” Deimos laughed. “I am the most powerful being on this earth. Nothing can touch me. Not even Fate,” he scoffed and puffed out his chest.
Helena looked toward the ceiling and when she lowered her head, she vanished. In that same second, she reappeared directly in front of Deimos, wearing an all-knowing smile.
“Then of course the prophecy must be wrong,” Helena said sarcastically. “Do you hear that, Fate? Deimos has spoken. You cannot touch him,” she let out a crazy laugh and shook her head at Deimos as she walked eerily toward him, waving a finger.
Deimos slowly backed away from the encroaching witch. The smile had disappeared from his face.
“Fate has a way of finding you. No matter where you are or who you are. In fact, Fate has his eyes so set on you, Lord Deimos, that there has come a prophecy depicting the very fate that you will face. It seems that your greedy need for power will do you no good in the hands of Fate.” Helena stopped walking toward Deimos and tilted her head as she smiled.
“What is the prophecy?” Deimos’s face had grown gravely serious and pale.
“Ah, so you admit that there are certain entities that may be able to touch the great Lord Deimos.” She was openly mocking him, and he didn’t like it.
But he knew that if he lost his temper, he wouldn’t get to hear the prophecy and wouldn’t be able to change his fate. He gave a quick nod.
“Of a wolf and human, a child will be born. The birth of this child will be your demise,” Helena spoke in a stern voice. “This child will replace you as the Lord of the Wolves.”
“An infant?” Deimos scoffed. “How will an infant possibly have the power to defeat me?”
“The birth of the child itself will kill you. For there can only be one Lord of the Wolves. To restore balance when another is born, one must cease to exist. The combined powers of Mother Earth, Fate and Destiny will be the ones to destroy you to keep the balance.” Helena smiled and turned to walk back to her chair.
In a fit of rage, Deimos lunged at the witch. Helena quickly turned back to him and extended her arm, sending a spiraling force of energy hurtling toward him, throwing him against the wall.
“I told you, Deimos. You cannot escape fate.” She returned to her chair and stared at the fire once again.
Deimos pulled himself from the cold stone floor and stared at her. He knew it would be useless to argue with the witch, so he turned and exited through the door he had come. He was furious. He stormed angrily down the long corridor to the front entrance where the guard stood. He shoved the guard out of the way.
I will find this child. I may not be able to escape fate, but I can most certainly make sure that the prophecy is not fulfilled. I will find the child and I will kill it.
Deimos set out at the speed of light. He was determined to find the child and change his fate.