Chapter forty (1)

"Demon?" Solomon mused. How could that be? Demons weren't exactly creatures that acted on their own. They took orders and most especially, they belonged to a certain god.
Oh, goddess, Solomon muttered. Could it be that Hades was responsible for this? His head turned to Sybil. She was still. All she could do was stare at the lifeless body of Persephone with only one thought in her head. Solomon knew what shook her to the core because it was the same question he was asking himself. If Persephone could not protect herself from a demon, What chance did they have?

"Sybil..."

"It is a sleep demon." Sybil suddenly said in a shaky voice. "If we don't get them out of their sleep. It will consume them inside out. They'll never see the light of day." As the words left her lip, her walls broke. Heavy tears danced by her lashes as she fought desperately to hold it in. It was a complete personality change for Sybil. That confidence that never seemed to have a breaking point had completely crumbled to dust.

Solomon knew he had to pacify her. Give her hope of some sort. "Gods are the strongest in the realms, Don't you think they can somehow fight it holds? If Persephone can fight this, there is a chance she can help us."

Sybil frowned a little but tried her best to reply in a soft tone. "We don't have that time! We have to do something ourselves. If we wait, there is a chance we fall under the hold of this demon soon enough."

She was right. The more they wasted time, there was a higher possibility they also became victims. Although Roman had questions. The benevolent spirit wouldn't stop asking why Hades would send one of his powerful demons on a huge manhunt when his prize was clearly Persephone. It would make sense to take hostages to blackmail Persephone but every living soul knew Persephone cared only for herself. There was a missing piece and even Roman couldn't fit it. So the only wise option was to use everything in their arsenal to battle the demon and possibly save their brothers and sisters.

Solomon ran a hand over his hair and let out a huge sigh. He was partly relieved that Talia wasn't responsible. She was merely a victim but there was a chance she was at a greater risk than most students considering the spell she performed. Solomon pondered on how he was going to bring Talia's sensitive topic up but at the moment, there were more pressing matters. He and Sybil needed to find a way to nullify the demon's craft. "What do we do?"

Sybil's expression softened. "I will go get my spellbook."

As Sybil turned to leave, the doors of Persephone's quarters were pushed open by an external force and someone trudged in. The duo's defenses widened and they immediately went into defense mode. With Roman tearing his way out and Sybil conjuring two balls of bright hot flames.

"Who is there?" They demanded in unison.

The figure enshrouded in the darkness lifted both hands in the air and said, "I come in peace."

The baritone voice indicated it was a male but Sybil couldn't still be sure they could trust the fellow. The second he took another step forward, She launched a fireball in his path, intentionally missing him by a foot. It was a warning and the fellow getting the message stood still.

"Who are you?" She demanded, effortlessly conjuring another bright ball of flames that danced conveniently around her fingers.

The figure dared to step into the light before saying a word. The first thing to strike Solomon was his bright orange orbs that indicated he was a god but he had not the slightest idea who the god was.

"The name is Oba, Yemoja's son."

The dancing flames on Sybil's fingertip died out and Solomon slowly forced Roman in. It looked like fate was on their side. A god was still awake. Convenient.

"I'm glad you are awake." Sybil was quick to divulge. "You must be wondering why everyone is-"

"In deep sleep?" The ebony god cut in.

"Yes..." Sybil admitted, getting a little suspicious. The 'out of the blue' god however did not mind revealing how he got to know.

"This isn't the first time it has happened. The night hag has attacked the second realm in the past before she was sealed off somewhere but it seems that seal has been broken and she is back for revenge. She already has hold of my mother, Prince Denys and from what I see, even Queen Persephone has been taken by Lilith. I'm glad to see some of you are still awake. We don't have much time. We..."

There was just something about him that strikes Roman as odd and Solomon's wolf did not hold back. "Why would a demon act without the guidance of a master? The last time the night hag attacked, She was sent by Hades. Who sent her now?"

Oba stared intently at Solomon. Almost like he wanted to uproot the blabbering creature from its the root and put it out of his misery. Then he spoke. "I don't know but if there is one thing I know, It's that demons can go rogue and if I am right then everyone we love and care for is at the madness of a deranged demon." He then swung his gaze back at Solomon. "Now tell me what sounds worse, A suspicious god or a demon with too much power in its hands?"

Sybil wasted no time in dashing out to get her spell book leaving Solomon with his new friend. Solomon felt Roman snarl and beg to be let out. His werewolf might be feral but there was some sort of perfection his wolf had been rendered and that was its hunch. This Oba gave a weird vibration. It worsened when the ebony god crossed the room to stand in front of him. Roman momentarily burst loose. Solomon felt his bloodlust heighten instantly but he managed to curb it.

"Your wolf seems to want me dead." He commented.

"Usually, he isn't wrong. You are probably bad news and he can smell it."

"Perhaps," Oba smirked, glancing across the door before speaking. "But this bad news will be of help to you at the time being."

"In what way?" Solomon questioned only out of curiosity.

"Your witch believes your friend has something to do with this and with her coven threatened, Talia is sure to get the end of the stick."

Solomon threw his odds. How did the god know who Talia was and why was he so quick to judge Sybil's intentions? This god was a trickster and this was his game.

"Why would she believe that?"

"Because this is a demon's handiwork and with your blabbering, she has probably hypothesized that the demon has a new master."

"What do you mean?"

"Sybil must believe Talia is somehow responsible for this because Lilith is her father's demon. Who is to say she can't make it her good little pet?"

Solomon was confused. He didn't have to be since Roman was already piecing the last puzzle piece but he didn't want to believe what he just heard but wouldn't it make sense? The clouding in his brain gave way to a numbing wave of shock as it finally fit-- Hades --Talia was Hades spawn.