“I still don’t think this is a good idea” Jaden chided as he walked behind me. “And yet you’re not stopping me” I reminded him in a light tone, heading for the large oak doors of his library. Jaden lived in a pent house style place, on an island since he didn’t like people. He actually had two libraries, a normal one and then a secret one. Not sure why he bothered, only visitors he had were in the realm of magic like me.

And we were headed to the secret library, filled with books of “forbidden knowledge” as Jaden liked to say. “Hey, I just don’t need your wife and sister bitching at me because you got a limb cut off for messing with these guys. Came pretty damn close last two times” Jaden was referring to my shoulder when it had been clawed up to hell and back. Gorgons sure were temperamental, impatient creatures was all I could say. Then of course the third degree burns I’d received on my hands; Furies weren't much nicer either.

“Oh, and let’s not forget Shadow will give me the death glare for a week. And that has a lot more meaning coming from a ghost” Jaden continued to gripe, and I rolled my eyes. Shadow was indeed a ghost and his wife –very long story− and was the only woman I knew that could bring a very old demon to his knees with the emotion he felt for her. I said none of this out loud, because Jaden would kill me.

When we got to the doors; a silver hand shaped lock was placed between the doors instead of handles. Jaden placed his hand against the lock and turned it to the right until there was a click. The doors swung open without a sound inward towards the library. Jaden and I stepped through until the doors could close behind us. This library was circular, shelves casing the walls with books stacked without a single bit of space. The shelves went from floor to ceiling, but there were no ladders, not like it was needed.

A round table with a floor length white cloth sat in the middle of the room with two red velvet chairs on each end. Jaden liked clichés, don’t ask me why. “Well, which one we lookin’ at this time, Michael?” Jaden asked with a sigh, the sigh he often gave when he was sure I would be nothing but trouble for him. “Hm….let’s try an oracle” the look Jaden gave me got that annoying grin to slide onto my face.

“Just bring her up” I rolled my eyes, giving him a light shove before heading over to the table and taking a seat. A few moments later Jaden was sitting across from me and opened the book to a random page. He chanted in ancient Sumerian; his blind eye glowing an eerie blue with power. A light shot out of the book like a projection screen before a woman in a long, hooded robe was displayed in the bluish light. The scowl over the woman’s face left nothing to be revealed but full lips and diamond jaw. Her hands were folded together and her body was facing me, the only indication she would be speaking to me.

“Michelangelo Zagurian…Interesting past you’ve had. But you do not seek me for anything of your own future” the Oracle stated, her voice calm and matter-of-fact; she didn’t need to ask many questions. “That’s correct; I want to find the land my father was born in” I spoke calmly, looking up at the Oracle. “But you already know the answer to that” she stated firmly, a small smile curving her lips. I blinked; she couldn’t be saying what I thought she was… “You’re wife; −Nikkita Xivaous− shouldn’t it be obvious considering the similarities in your…gifts?” she could only mean my Medium and Zaria. Zaria was Nikki’s more powerful form, we had always questioned the similarities, but there had never been any proof to go on.

Now this Oracle was telling me frankly that I did come from the same place as Nikki. But Nikki didn’t know much about her home land either; her late parents never did talk about it much. What we did know is it was a different realm and supposed to be a Utopian society run by a council headed by Nikki’s grandmother on her mother’s side. Considering Nikki’s past…she didn’t go there much.

As I was absorbing this truth, I realized the Oracle was waiting for my next question. “Will you show me this land?” I asked in the most respectful tone possible before just waiting. Across the table, Jaden seemed apprehensive to let me go anywhere. As he said, he would've taken the blow if anything too bad happened to me. It took a few minutes before the Oracle finally spoke. “As you wish, I can show you these lands. But you may not explore them just yet” she held up her index finger in objection as if a mother giving her son a curfew.

“And why is that?” there was the calm note I could hold in almost any situation, features showing nothing but quiet understanding. “A few reasons: Your brothers have tried to venture into the Zagurian land only to be corrupted by the presence of chaos your father left behind. Part of the reason they were corrupted is because they could not and did not try to become one with their beasts” why did I know she was going to say that? I held back my curse and kept a poker face.

“I understand…I still want to see” I said after a short pause. The Oracle nodded and waved her hand before billions of colors flashed in my eyes. I felt like I was being shot through a cannon and bounced around in a pin ball machine. Since I hadn’t had any clue of when I was going to land, my feet didn’t hit the ground like normal. I landed on my stomach, dust flying up in retaliation and making me cough and hack for a few seconds. I quickly pushed myself up before feeling a searing pain hit left shoulder and part of my chest.

Pulling my shirt collar forward a bit, I saw the ragged claw marks that were only about a month old. The scar was still sensitive and highly painful and it overlapped any of the smaller scars I used to have there. Upon seeing that scar, my eyes caught hold of my older scars slashing this way and that over my body. I felt my face and found the few scars I had resting there. The one on my right cheek was a bit newer; I had only had it for about four months or so. My hands were stinging from the burn scars resting there, almost completely covering all the small scars I had had on my palms.

My glamour was gone in this place that was the only explanation. After remembering this small fact, I looked around to realize I was on a small terrain like path, large rock formations within arm’s reach on either side of me. And if I wasn’t mistaken…clouds were hovering around my firm space. The thing was; the air didn’t feel thinner at all. I had flown high before with my wings and could take the thinner air pressure with my powers…but there was absolutely no difference.

While all this was fascinating, I couldn’t see a thing and yet this was supposed to be where my father’s kingdom lay. “Come on you damn clouds, move…” I grumbled absently, and then had to do a double take when I saw the clouds were actually parting. Apparently Zagurians had some tricks in their own land….

Hell Yeah.

It was massive, clinging to proud mountains in astounding glory. It was larger than any palace I had ever known, and scattered about along the slightly smaller mountains that sat beside and below the palace was a city. Impeccable white houses that were big enough to fit families of ten comfortably. Trees sprouted from the mountains, but the leavers were gone. Caves were strewn about as well, and I could picture the dragons making homes comfortably while guarding this place. The castle was white as well, and from a distance looked perfect. It was so much more than I had ever imagined, I was sure that this place would only hold ruins and be nothing but a waste land. But I could see a sky, bright blue with even higher clouds sparse and friendly. There was a light shining, but the sun wasn't noticeable.

I had found…I had found my home.