"Come in," Ekkor said, sipping at his glass. The bitter liquid stung his throat, but a pleasing warmth spread through his stomach. He stood as a familiar face entered his sitting room.
"Janie, you're home." Ekkor extended his hand and grasped his son's. "You told me you wouldn't return until next month." He frowned as he caught his son's expression.
"I planned to, but the Brequin deal fell apart." The young man grabbed a random decanter from the shelf and poured himself a generous portion. His handsome face scowled at the flavor, but he took a swig, anyway. Unlike his thin, gangly brother, Janie was muscular, tanned from time outdoors. He enjoyed scuba diving as a hobby and worked hard to stay fit.
"What happened?" Millions had been riding on that deal. That it had fallen apart surprised Ekkor; his son was a skilled negotiator.
"They said something about our books not adding up. Said it wasn't a sound investment." Janie poured himself another drink.
"Your books?" Ekkor supposed it wasn't a surprise Brequin Industries had uncovered that information behind Janie's back.
The tech giant had tendrils everywhere. There were even rumors of a hostile takeover of Tiertex, especially after ex-Mayor Sunbearer's AI Bot workforce plan. Still, while small, his son's company had made an impressive start-up. The advanced AI software they produced should have been attractive.
Ekkor frowned. "Should there be a reason they found your books unattractive?"
"We're clean." But Ekkor found a shift in his son's posture. While his other son, Rocke, was painfully honest, Janie never had such scruples. All fine and dandy, if you didn't get caught.
"You messed up." Ekkor didn't keep the disappointment from his voice. Janie should have known better. Just what his family needed—another scandal.
"The prototype cost more than we initially projected. I just exaggerated its cost. It wasn't even by much!" Janie said in protest.
"And you've only lied about costs this once?"
Janie shifted uneasily under his father's intense gaze. "Only a few times. But my company's still doing well!"
Ekkor sighed, plopping into a cushioned seat. Couldn't one of his sons be successful? But it was hardly a surprise. Janie had always cut corners, despite his father's lessons. The folly of youth, he supposed. Janie had always been impatient and impulsive. And it'd cost their family again.
"I'll just go to another company. They won't be as suspicious," Janie said quickly. "You'll see. This will work." Ekkor only gave a noncommittal grunt. He wasn't so optimistic. Sloppiness was destructive in his view.
"Besides Rocke, none of your line will prosper. They will all die young, with none to carry your blood." Those words echoed through Ekkor's head, making him give an involuntary shudder.
"No, it's all nonsense." Ekkor shook his head. "Claptrap. There is no judgment."
"You will die in three days. You will be ripped to shreds, and the dogs will feast on your flesh."
"Father?" Janie stood straighter after he noticed his father had gone pale.
"Nothing." Ekkor calmed himself, pushing aside his son's nonsensical words. He glanced at the clock. Forty-five minutes until midnight. The time of Matthias Daliven's pronounced doomsday. Despite himself, a wave of unease washed over him. Ekkor made the most logical decision.
"How about a weekend trip to Genevia?" Ekkor suddenly announced. "We can visit your sister. She's expecting, from what I understand. She'd enjoy the visit."
While they'd never been on the best of terms, Celly won't reject a surprise visit from her family. She'd needle him as usual. He knew she took delight in annoying her father. The obstinate girl had never listened to him, more interested in acting upon whichever whim caught her attention.
"Huh?" The sudden change in subject made Janie blink. "Now? It's late, almost midnight."
"True, but Genevia is six hours away. And my airship has nice accommodations." The airship was parked in the garage outside the house. It'd only take a handful of minutes to start up.
"But… don't you have business ventures? You aren't retired yet, Father."
Ekkor waved away the concern. "It's nothing that requires me in person." Much to his surprise, his son became even more pensive.
"Didn't Celly tell you?"
"What?"
"Just like her," Janie took in a deep breath before speaking. "I doubt even Mom knows. Father, Celly had a miscarriage."
"What?" Ekkor recoiled like he'd been punched.
"She found out yesterday that she's infertile. She can't carry a baby to term. The doctors are talking about treatments, but they aren't optimistic."
"Yesterday?"
"Besides Rocke, none of your line will prosper. They will all die young, with none to carry your blood." The words returned, taunting him. No, impossible. He wouldn't allow it. He'd make sure his daughter got the proper treatment. No prophecy would ruin his family's chances for the perfect future.
"Father?" his son said, worried. "Is everything all right? You're not yourself."
"Stress," Ekkor lied. "I could use a little vacation. I've been working too hard. Come. Let's go to the airship. We can talk to Celly tomorrow. We can work this out. I know some of the world's best doctors."
"Okay, Father," Janie said, nodding. "It's a plan."
"Higman, can you prep the airship?" Ekkor told his attendant on the viewscreen. "We leave immediately for Genevia." Twenty minutes remained until midnight.
It was a relief when Ekkor stepped onto the deck of his richly appointed airship. The wood beneath him was the finest mahogany, imported from Vanderfall. The furnishings were simple, yet elegant. While not as grand as Sunbearer's fallen ship, it was radiant.
"Is it necessary for us to leave this quickly?" his son asked as they entered a furnished sitting room. "This really can't wait until morning?" He walked over to the open bar and poured himself a drink.
But Ekkor didn't answer, shooting the grandfather clock he'd inherited from his late uncle a pensive look. Every instinct screamed at him to leave Vladus now. Something in the air raised his hackles. While a ridiculous overreaction to Rocke's babbling, Ekkor found no harm in being careful. He hadn't reached his high position by taking stupid risks.
After a few minutes of pensive silence, Janie finally spoke. "Is this about Rocke somehow? Is that why you're leaving the city? To avoid embarrassment? I heard what happened, though the details are somewhat sketchy."
"Rocke? Let's not talk about him."
"Don't change the subject, Father. Is it true he started some terrorist group? That's what I've heard on the news."
"Terrorist group?" Ekkor snorted. "Hardly. Just troublemakers, really." An unexpected pang of sadness struck his heart. If only his son had listened to reason. Rocke might have become something. But no, the stubborn fool had to fight for a doomed moral cause.
"No, no terrorism. More anti-government protesters. He found a cause he wanted to fight for," Ekkor said.
"That boy. Must he always cause trouble?" Janie slammed his empty glass on the countertop. "Doesn't he realize how much our family reputation matters? He's probably the reason Brequin turned me down!"
"Don't be churlish," Ekkor snapped, somewhat annoyed. "Your mistake made the deal fall through." Typical. Janie was always blaming someone else for his troubles. While the circumstances with Rocke didn't help, he'd cheated and gotten caught.
Janie snorted and didn't reply. Inwardly, Ekkor knew his son was still furious. The two brothers had never gotten along, not helped by their almost twelve-year age difference. A baby brother was the least of Janie's concerns when he entered high school. Sports had taken more of his attention, only begrudgingly watching over his brother when asked. They'd grown even more distant as the years rolled on.
"Five minutes," Ekkor said as he returned his attention to the clock.
"Why do you keep glancing at the clock? Are you expecting some disaster to happen at midnight? Is that why you dragged us away from Vladus?" Janie said with some humor. He frowned as he caught his father's serious expression. "Is something going to happen?" He knew his father did nothing without a reason.
"Hopefully, nothing," Ekkor replied. And if it fell? Well, he had political ambitions elsewhere. He didn't need to be the mayor of Vladus specifically. The minutes passed in silence.
"See? You were being silly, Father." Janie took great pleasure in saying this. For once, his father had looked foolish. "The world didn't fall apart because midnight hit."
As Ekkor opened his mouth to reply, the ground tipped underneath them, and he tumbled from his chair. His back howled as his skull collided with the mahogany floor. Antiques he'd collected over decades toppled over, some rolling across the tilting floor. The stench of booze filled the room as bottles smashed to pieces. His grandfather clock's face shattered, forever stopping it at midnight.
"We're descending?" Janie held on for dear life to the secured bar counter.
Ekkor said nothing, pushing his battered body toward the cockpit. Had something happened to the pilot? Why hadn't the autopilot kicked in? And what about the co-pilot? Regulations required them both on airships. Thankfully, even with the tilted floor, the cockpit wasn't far. Janie followed close behind.
"My…" Words failed his son as they reached the two pilots. They were dead, faces forever frozen in abject terror. They had both died instantly. "What could have caused this?"
"Forget them." Ekkor pushed forward, shoving aside the pilot's corpse. He needed to stabilize the ship before they crashed.
Thankfully, he'd taken flying lessons. In his opinion, the wise never stopped learning. The skill might prove handy later, even if just an amusing conversation piece. He pulled at the yoke, and the ship stabilized, preventing their rapid descent. Good thing too. They'd almost struck a skyscraper.
"That was close," Ekkor said, activating the autopilot. He frowned as it refused to respond. Was there some computer error? "We'll need to have this craft serviced after we land."
When his son didn't respond, Ekkor frowned. "Janie." He turned, and his heart seized in his throat. Janie stood frozen, wearing the exact expression of fear as the dead pilots. He only pointed, eyes wide.
In his rush to stabilize the ship, Ekkor had been blind to everything else. When he got a good look through the viewscreen, he nearly fell apart.
Vladus was on fire. Molten magma seeped through holes in the ground, consuming everything in its path. Skyscrapers that'd stood for decades tilted as they melted from the intense heat. There didn't seem to be anywhere in the city that wasn't burning.
That, however, wasn't the reason for his son's fear. No, the figure in the sky was. Ekkor was a knowledgeable man with multiple degrees. He'd majored in literature, of all things. Yet words failed him as he tried to describe the winged figure before him. Even looking at it made him feel dirty, unworthy. Its beauty defied explanation.
The creature had six wings. Each possessed countless eyes that looked out. Even though none were paying Ekkor much attention, they seemed to stare into his soul. They saw everything. He could hide nothing. They found him wicked and sinful, and Ekkor couldn't deny it. Fire spat from the creature's flaming sword, so radiant it almost blinded him. Nothing would escape Vladus. Judgment had come to the city.
"Must escape." Ekkor focused his attention on the controls and nothing else. He already knew he was the only person left alive on the ship. Janie was dead.
"Besides Rocke, none of your line will prosper. They will all die young, with none to carry your blood."
But Ekkor refused to die. He would survive; he must. Despite not looking at him, Ekkor sensed the creature watching his escape attempt. Thankfully, it didn't stop him.
"Almost." They were near Vladus's border. Just a little farther and he'd be safe. Then he'd put this nightmare behind him. A manic laugh escaped his lips as the ship reached the border. Ekkor didn't even recognize himself. The ship rattled as something struck it.
"No!" From the ship's damage reports, Ekkor guessed a flaming ball from the creature's sword had struck the ship's tailfin. It was going down. It would crash in Vladus's outer wilderness. He tried controlling the crash, anything to make it less lethal. But they were descending too fast. Alarms blared as fire spread quickly across the ship's hull.
Ekkor unleashed a guttural scream of fear as the ship crashed into a rocky hill, and everything went black.
"You will die in three days. You will be ripped to shreds, and the dogs will feast on your flesh."