The Price to Pay

Chapter Seventeen

"No matter how you try, you cannot get rid of darkness because it does not exist. It is nothing but the absence of light. In order to effect darkness, you must do something with light, because the light is the only thing that actually exists."

-Teal Scott
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Death

Her screams echo through my head once more, forcing me to wake from my sleep. I have been requiring more sleep than usual, it is taking not only time away from me but I am starting to become weak in the eyes of the others. People who would threaten my station here, taking not only my reapers from me but my life as well.

I jump to far conclusions but it has happened before, there is always someone standing idly by to take one's place in the world. I happen to not want that to happen, I enjoy my place and power. Who doesn't. I know exactly who to blame for all of this nonsense and instability.

The succubus has been a distraction no more, I need time to fix what has become broken. She robs not only my dreams but every minute in my waking day, it needs to end. These relics will not simply find themselves and my reapers are having just as hard the time finding the last piece.

We have reason to believe that the remaining piece is in Turkey, Harbinger found documents that a relic was found in Antioch but the only thing is, is that this city is an ancient Greek city that no longer exist. The old ruins lie somewhere near Antakya, Turkey but that is all we know for now. That is until I get down there to search for myself.

I dress quickly, summoning myself to Harbinger, he is still here. Why has he not left yet?

"Harbinger, is there a problem?" He is bent over a large document, his head buried in ancient script. If he could live in this library, he would.

He lifts his tired gaze, "Yes Master, I am afraid so."

"Don't waste time on sugar coating it Harbinger just tell me." This whole search has gotten us all worked over, it is becoming a nuisance.

He sighs deeply, unraveling what appears to be a map, on the very top is Antioch, the letters are faded but that is the ancient Greek city. "A map Master, of Antioch, I came across it long ago, I had the feeling we would be of use of it, I am glad I was right." He points to a river on the map. "This is Orontes River, the city lies East though much of it is gone. The remaining settlements barely still stand, the church we are searching for is said to be buried deep, under deep settlement, the many years of debris that have settled above as become somewhat the problem, we will have to search it I'm afraid."

I clap him on the shoulder, making him groan, "That was the bad news Harbinger, I'm rather disappointed."

He chuckles deeply, "I thought you'd say that however that was not near the troubling news, you see someone still resides there, they worshiped her and kept her power inside these great walls, she now uses this buried city as a beacon of her power. Though it is not inhabited she still has power in the region."

"Who is it?" I grumble.

"Tyche."

"Bloody Hell!" Out of every goddess I get her, the fates could not have been kinder in their tortures.

"Are you sure it's her?" I grimaced.

"Has your relationship strained so far as that you two do not speak, I am sure she will regard your need to use her as a friend in need "

He obviously does not remember our last encounter with Tyche, "You do remember our last encounter with the goddess do you not."

"I am afraid not."