Prologue
Chess

Brugh, Otherworld Realm – 100,000 Years Ago

“Murderer!” shouted Maddox. The ground was hard and rough on the Sidhe’s back as he pulled himself away from his attacker. One of his wings was torn and flimsy and the other was gone completely.

Elathan stalked forward, stepping around the mounds of rubble and debris from a cave wall he destroyed when he entered the Sidhe’s territory in Brugh, the Otherworld Realm of Caverns. He ignored the injured Sidhe as he looked around the area assessing his new property. Nuada had naively given the worthless Sidhes a prominent location in Brugh, thinking that there wouldn’t be any other suitors for a land this rich in resources. That was one of the many attributes that Elathan hated about Nuada. The silver god prized mercy and philanthropy—foolish notions in Elathan’s mind.

Elathan took in the points of light that peppered the cavern walls, ceiling, and floors. There were so many minerals and viable metals to choose from between what was in the rock and what lay at the bottom of the crystal blue lake in the center of the cave. The lake was fed by the River Boyne, a powerful river that ran from the Danti Mountains bringing massive amounts of minerals, crystals, and magic-enriched deposits. The little fools thought the lake was only good for recreation, missing the rich potential that surrounded them on a daily basis.

Maddox began to sob uncontrollably. “We’ve done nothing to you!” The Sidhe laid his head against the body of one of his fallen kinsmen.

Elathan glanced down at the critically injured Sidhe with contempt. “Nuada favors you, imp, so I hate you. You were given something so abundant and you took it for granted, so I hate you.” The Bringer of Death’s eyes flashed over with gold. “You exist, so I hate you.”

Maddox looked at his murderer with pity. “Your black heart will be the death of you,” he declared with his last breath.

Elathan walked towards the edge of the lake and looked at his own reflection in the mirror-like surface. His eyes began to glow, and instantly all of the dead bodies that littered the cavern floor burst into flames and left greasy, charred spots in their place.

The Sidhe’s Cavern of Brugh was dimmer and cooler than it was when Camulos last entered it over an Earth- millennia ago. The flecks of light that reflected from the minerals on the wall hadn’t changed, nor had the clarity of the lake, but there was a much different mood about the place. Camulos credited Elathan’s arrival for that change.

Elathan was sitting in a smooth, black throne on the opposite side of the cavern. Camulos eyed the golden god wearily as he crossed the distance from the entrance; he was well aware of Elathan’s reputation as a murderer and heartless god. Camulos, being the god of war, admired such qualities in a fellow god—especially one of the more powerful gods—but that was precisely why he had a good hold on his sword’s hilt.

“Lord Elathan,” Camulos said bowing slightly before the golden god. “You asked for me to come.”

“I did,” Elathan said after a brief pause to breathe in the singed smell of death on the air. “My enemy plots against me.”

Camulos nodded, but added nothing on the matter. “What does that have to do with me?” he said a little too impatiently.

Elathan raised an eyebrow and stared at the youthful god. “Your peevishness aside, we could have a mutually beneficial partnership, Camulos.”

Camulos folded his arms across his muscled chest, careful to keep his weapon at his fingertips. “Is that so?”

Elathan stood up and walked towards the god of war. Camulos took a few steps back and began to draw his sword in defense. The golden god held up his hand and telekinetically pushed the sword back into Camulos’s sheath. “That won’t be necessary, nor would it help you.”

Camulos was so stunned by Elathan’s power that he was speechless as Elathan strolled past him to the bank of the lake. The god of war followed him to the edge. The water was crystal clear and placid. Camulos couldn’t quite see down to the bottom since the lake was remarkably deep, but what he could see brought serene thoughts to a violent mind.

“Are you familiar with Goibniu the blacksmith?” Elathan asked the younger god. Camulos nodded. “He has crafted something that I desire.”

Camulos’s attention was pulled to the water when the surface was breached by the massive forms of two Niseags. The creatures rose into the air and filled the space above Camulos and Elathan, water rolling off their hides, raining down on everything below them. The beasts flew out of the cave through an expansive hole that was hundreds of feet off of the ground.

“What does Goibniu have?”

Elathan waved his hand over the water and an image of a black dagger shimmered into view on the lake’s surface. “He has made an obsidian dagger that I need to possess. Goibniu is a talented craftsman and has melded the dagger with very precise magical qualities.”

“There are many magical items crafted everyday in Otherworld. What makes this one special?” Camulos asked.

Elathan pointed to the depths of the waters. “The conduit metal was obtained at the bottom of this lake, which I have laid claim to when I killed all of those flying pests.”

“I don’t see how that helps you, Lord Elathan.”

“When Nuada hired Goibniu to craft the dagger, these lands belonged to him; but now the metal that spawns the dagger’s magic belongs to me, giving me control.” Elathan grinned. “Nuada doesn’t know. He is ignorant of the simple laws of gods and magic.”

“Why not take it yourself?” Camulos asked. “Goibniu would never be able to stop you.”

“True. I could kill Goibniu easily and take the dagger, but I don’t want the blacksmith to know it’s gone nor do I want to engage Nuada who would surely come to the blacksmith’s aid.” Elathan recognized Camulos’s lack of understanding. “I want you to bring it to me so that I can make some adjustments, and then I want you to take it back.”

Camulos raised his chin as he thought. Nuada was a very powerful god as well. Crossing him would not be wise. “What am I to gain in this? Nuada is not to be crossed by the likes of me.”

“A war is coming, Camulos,” Elathan began. “You will need to decide if you’re with me or Nuada. Every god will have to choose.” Elathan took on a golden glow as he stared at the younger god. “I suggest you decide quickly.”

Camulos considered the immensity of the statement and the perceived the power that Elathan was ready to display. Being the god of war didn’t guarantee victory, but siding with a powerful and vicious god gave him better odds. Camulos bowed low to Elathan. “I am at your service.”

“I would have expected nothing less,” Elathan said with a slight smirk of satisfaction. “Bring me the dagger, Camulos, and join the pantheon of the victors!”

A raven cautiously peered around a pile of rubble created in the cleansing of Brugh by Elathan. She carefully exposed one large eye from the cover of the rocks and peered out at the cavernous lands. The place was vacant, but the raven dared not fly out into the open air of the cave. Since the Sidhes had been eradicated from the lands, insidious creatures had migrated to Brugh. It wasn’t safe anymore—even for a goddess.

The megaliths near the opening of the cave glowed, and Elathan emerged from the golden light followed by a small group of primitive humans. The humans were hunched over and more ape-like in their actions than modern man. The golden god led them into the cavern and up to his obsidian throne.

“Humans,” Elathan scoffed, looking out at the fumbling group.

Elathan allowed the humans to explore the cavern. Some of the humans ventured near the water while others avoided it entirely. Some humans tried to climb up piles of rocks while others just walked around them. The raven was intrigued by the differences in the choices the humans made. So was Elathan.

“So weak, so stupid, so fragile—humans.” Elathan continued observing the brood for a short time in silence.

Finally, Elathan stood and the temperature in the cave dropped drastically as the golden god took on a light glow. “You are my chosen bloodlines,” the golden god claimed. “I have already blessed some humans with size and strength, but I will make you and your children in my image. You will have power. You will have wisdom. You and your descendents will serve me and be given the ability to dominate the ignorant beings of the Earth.”

Elathan chanted in low tones causing his body’s golden light to pulse. Streaks of golden energy shot off of his person like electric currents straight into the thirteen humans, making them cry out in pain. They fell to the ground convulsing as if they were being electrocuted. One man flopped around, while another man’s muscles turned rigid and a woman began to tear her hair out.

The raven retreated back to her cover and was at a loss. She hated to see living things suffer, but she hated even more that Elathan was exploiting the humans. Even though Bibe was known as The Wise, she didn’t know what to make of the scene. Was Elathan really granting powers to these primitive humans?

Bibe hopped into the air and flew as low to the ground as she could towards the cave entrance. She avoided mounds of rock and piles of bones all the way out of the cave. When she hit the open sky, Bibe increased to a speed that would rival any bird of prey. There was no time to waste; she needed to consult with Nuada.