Page 66 of Dark Reckoning
Kakashi nodded. “His mark, yes, not his favor or his burden. The mark remains because vampires are still vampires.”
“Griezels and shifters still live too, but that might only be because their Dark God and Goddess wasn't killed,” I said. “You don't know what will happen if we kill this asshole.”
Kakashi sighed and nodded. “That is true. However, I do know what will happen if we simply use the same spell the other Councils did.” He held out one hand, palm up. “Every member on the Council dies, vampires live on.” He held up his other hand in the same way as if mimicking a scale. “We take a chance, kill him, we may live. Vampires may keep being vampires, or they may turn human.”
“Or die, too?” I stated.
Kakashi shook his head. “They won't die. That link was severed.”
“But it was also severed with the griezel's Dark God, too,” Adrian pointed out.
Kakashi inhaled deeply, his chest puffing out, and the muscles in his jaw tensed. I could tell that he didn't like being challenged. He released a long sigh. “Think of it this way. One wayguaranteesyour death and all of ours. Understand, you're not the only ones taking a risk. The other way—if possible—may save us all. What does it matter if vampires live or not if you're no longer around to care?”
Well, I couldn't argue with that logic. Talk about a damned if you do and maybe damned if you don't scenario. I nodded.
“I guess,” Adrian relented.
“Are we all on the same page now?” Kakashi asked, one eyebrow cocked as his scanned all of our faces.
There were some nods and verbal responses, but we were in agreement.
“Good. Let us get back to studying,” Kakashi ordered, and we all went back to reading.
I couldn't help but feel like I wasn't doing anything, just sitting in a room reading. I was more proactive than this, but this was doing something. I had to keep that in mind. I did wonder how Shi was. I texted her.
How are you holding up?
Losing in Spades and you know that is impossible. I think this motherfucker is cheating,she texted back.
Zendel?I asked to make sure that was her opponent.
Yeah, you can't tell me he's not using magic even though he swears he's not. By the way, where is this place? I don't hear anything outside.
It's on a plane that doesn't exist in the physical world.
Creepy and it explains a lot.
Listen, hang in there. We're still working on shit in here.
Don't mind me, get back to work.
I smiled down at my phone, then slipped it back into my pocket.
Four more hours passed before Kakashi spoke up. “This is it...” he sighed and slouched back in his seat as if he was exhausted. I knew the feeling, looking through the grimoire was draining. And I finally knew why. The book channeled our magic to even look through it and that was why the spells were always changing.
“Are you giving up?” I asked.
He released another deep breath, but shook his head. “I... I found out how to kill the Dark God.”
“Finally! Okay, tell us about the spell,” I said, because the sooner we could get this shit over with, the better.
“We'll need the essence of three supernals. All different species, and they can't be one of us. No mages.” Kakashi took a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed his forehead. It would seem that his grimoire had really taken a lot out of him in order to find that spell. He took a sip of water, then continued. “We'll need a vampire, shifter, and griezel to draw their power and create a weapon that will destroy the Dark God. It can kill him without killing us, as we'll be channeling our magic into it as well during the creation process. It will take every last mage here.”
“Well, I'm game.” Adrian looked around the room to see if everyone was on board.
“As a light mage, you'd choose death?” Xirsi asked him.
“I would choose his death, yes. Because his death means the life of everyone else. It means the sure end to this nightmare. Yes. I choose his death,” Adrian said with absolution.
