The next day, Dadar grabbed his knife and sword strapping them both to his belt. Safana sat across from him watching the old warrior readying for a battle.

"Maybe he won't come." She sipped from a cup of tea.

Dadar snapped his finger and white sparks shot from the tips of his fingers. "He'll come. I won't make it back until sundown."

"You know that won't help. The gem in his spear absorbs sunlight just like him. The longer you wait the stronger it will get. At twilight, he could be unstoppable."

"What would you have me do? At least after the sun goes down his powers will be finite." Dadar sat down opposite his wife. He touched his fingers to hers. She wrapped her hands around his.

"Treat with him. Give him what he wanted before. At least Anah will be safe." She pulled his hands to her lips and kissed them.

Dadar clenched his jaw. A century ago, Adro general of the Omega Army and right hand to Khoda Havesp wanted Safana as his wife. She didn't want him. Adro challenged her father for her hand. The old storm god brought forth a hurricane, electrified the battlefield, and even brought down a tornado onto Adro's head. Adro flew into the winds moving at the speed of light. His Sun Spear struck true and calmed the storms.

The law allowed for one other challenge, another suitor. Safana offered her hand to any who would be willing. None raised their hands. Generals, lords, and peasants only bowed to Adro, all but one.

A younger Dadar stood and accepted the call. The naive spectators laughed, but Adro didn't. Adro remembered the number of times Dadar saved him during the Dragon Wars. Dadar pulled more fire from his blood that day than any other before, or since. Adro moved and must have cut into Dadar half a hundred times. The battle ended with Adro burned from head to toe still alive but beaten.

Dadar married Safana, and the two lived for many merry years. When banished, she remained with him. With Adro's son hurt, he could ask for anything, even fostering Anah for a blood price. As a commander of the Khoda's army, he might get it.

If Adro asked for Anah. Dadar would challenge. He wrapped his belt around his body. His blood pumped through him. Holy Fire is a powerful ability, but the older he got the less fire he held. The heat in his blood lessened, but it could be enough.

"We will see what he asks, but I will not lose my family."

He stood and went across his cottage. He kissed the top of Anah's head waking the boy up. Anah groaned and rolled to his side only for his father to shake his shoulder.

"Anah, it's time."

The boy's eyes cracked open. He rose from the bed and grabbed his clothing. He threw them on and joined his father outside. Safana waved to her boys from the doorway. "Be good."

Dadar waved back and walked down the dim path.

The day brightened as the two went down the road. Dadar thought of the coming fight. Adro's could outpower any other god in a short contest. Last time his Sun Spear was already drained of energy. He only moved fast and shot a couple of energy blasts. His fully powered form was limited at best. Dadar needed to buy time. The longer the fight, the better chance he held.

"Dad, why doesn't Chiron come to see us?" Anah asked.

The question woke the god up. He smiled down at his son. "He is the leader of a band of centaurs. One of the biggest in Nibmu. They love to roam from place to place. They are noble and wise but can be savage. He needs to remain close. Else his people may go on a rampage."

"Oh," Anah said.

The walk across the gravel road took hours. They passed other settlements where other lower gods assembled. It only took a few minutes to walk from the entrance to the exit. Every building looked the same to Anah. All square and made from white limestone blocks.

The third town was still under construction. Makers walked in lines their necks chained together with short thick silver chains all surrounded by armored gods armed with clubs. Another group held their hands out creating the limestone blocks. One collapsed down to a knee before completion. The guards walked over and slammed a silver rod onto them until they rose again tired, bruised, and bleeding. He finished the blocks and moved on to the next.

"Father, why don't we have a stone house?" Anah asked.

Dadar watched other Makers getting beaten for not working fast enough. Their unfocused stares never meeting his only remained on the ground in front of them. He remembered the war that caused all of their suffering, the war he won for Omega and regretted the most. Even now he still fought tears. He thought Anah too young to hear such stories.

"I built our home by hand. With wood given to me by other creatures." They exited the final town and neared the forest Chiron liked to meet.

"Why did they do that?"

"Because I help them. I speak for them when other gods move into the area." Dadar slowed as they reached a forest edge.

"I guess you didn't for those." Anah gestured back at the line of settlements.

Dadar stopped and knelt in front of Anah. He made his son look him in the eye. "I did. My words prevented much bigger cities from being built. I never break a promise, not to anyone. If you give your word to something, you must follow through. No matter how hard." Anah nodded and Dadar smiled. The two rose and walked into the forest edge and waited.

Within a few minutes, a twig snapped behind them. On top of a hill stood a brown-haired creature with the lower body of a horse with the top half resembling a god. It scowled down at them his long-pointed ears pinned back. He held in his hand a short recurve bow with an arrow nocked between its string. His face mess of lines and a smashed-in nose. He rode down and drew back the bowstring pointing the weapon at Anah and Dadar.

Dadar hid Anah behind him and pulled his knife from its sheath. Chiron slowed as he grew closer and stopped only a foot away. The two broke out into smiles and lowered their weapons before laughing at one another.

The centaur paused the laughter. "It has been too long my friend."

He put his bow behind him. He reached out to Anah. The boy came forward. Chiron tousled his hair and ran a finger down the marks Vasna left.

"What happened here? Are you playing too rough?"

Anah glanced at his feet. "Got in a fight. Another boy tried to crush a couple of pixies."

"Hmm. You are your father's son. There is a flower with red and violet peddles. Find it and bring it back. I will make something that might help get rid of the marks."

The little god smiled and ran deeper into the forest.

Dadar shouted after him. "Don't wander too far." Anah waved in response. He turned back to Chiron and shook his head. "I've been walking around the forest for a while and I don't think there is a flower with red and purple peddles."

"I'm giving your son something to do while we talk." The centaur reached behind him and removed a bundle from his back. The dark brown cloth unrolled across the ground. Longsword, axes, and arrows lay with symbols carved into the metal.

Dadar ran his fingers across one of the carvings. "What are these?"

"Thanks to you, the gods have yet to try and push too far into this side of the forest. Other regions are not so lucky. The elves came to us with those." Chiron pointed to a symbol. "Those are dragon runes. They told us the runes can make spirit energy within these weapons stronger. With the right combination, the weapons could hurt even a god."

"They must know that is impossible. These weapons will never work." Dadar picked a sword up and swung. Dwarven forged silver, lighter than expected.

"Your people have grown bold in their power. The elves are done being pushed around, as are many. The orcs voiced as much distaste for you as do the dwarfs. Several centaur tribes even feel the binding of your people's ambition."

Dadar's eyes grew, they darted around looking for movement within the trees. "Please tell me you advised against such any action." He glanced around looking for Anah and his heart beat faster when he didn't find him. He drew his sword and pointed the tip at Chiron. "Tell me you have not fallen prey to foolishness."

The centaur's eyebrows grew narrow. "Do you think I orchestrate a trap for you? My friend I would never. I have felt the bind of your kind kicking mine out of areas, yes. Have these years meant so little? To think I would risk you or your son?"

After a deep breath, Dadar lowered his arm and withdrew his sword. "My apologies," he said. He continued to search for Anah. He pressed his hand to a tree. It moaned and the branches shifted. The tree vibrated sending an image of Anah searching for Chiron's flower into his head. "I know you risked much in coming here all these years."

"No more than you risk for us. Your speaking against your Khoda..."

Dadar raised his hand and silenced the centaur. "Cost me nothing except reputation. Havesp already banished me and my wife. What more could he have done? Who has joined this cause?"

"Only the elves said anything about fighting. The orcs made rumbles of making the biggest war band in history, but distrust will keep him from joining. The dwarfs are forging weapons but are still asking for payment for such crafts. Some dragons may reside in the elven capital of Haiabad, but those are only rumors."

Dadar nodded. "I guess that brings me to why I'm here."

Chiron smiled. "I do have news. My people headed north to trade with the giants. One told me about god. He came to one of their trading posts, performed miracles, but his skin turned to green and black scales. I can't be sure it is him, but the giant called him Nidhogg. Are you certain you want to find him?"

Dadar nodded. Anah came running towards the two. His hands bare. "I searched far, but I couldn't find the flower."

The centaur lord reached into a pouch near his waist and pulled a bottle with a pink liquid inside. He bent down before pulling the cork and smearing some of the contents across the cuts on Anah's face. Chiron's hand smoked where it touched, but didn't burn, and the marks healed. Chiron bowed to Anah. "A shame, next time I will go with you."

Anah nodded and bowed back. The centaur rose and galloped away.

Anah and Dadar began the track back home. The midday passed hours ago. Adro must be in front of his house. When the sun stood highest Adro held more power than any other time of day. He maintained that power level throughout the remaining day. If he came for Anah it would be then. His blood pumped faster, the fire within him burned, but not enough. He stopped on a stretch of road. "Did a white flame ignite that stick?" he asked. A simple enough question, but one that made all the difference.

Anah only nodded. "I don't know how I did it."

Dadar knelt and reached for his son's hand. "Your powers formed. Holy Fire like me. It's rare and dangerous. Your blood carries your spirit within it, and when called upon a fire will ignite. It can burn anything, even a dragon scale. Your emotions will trigger the flow more than anything. Of all the abilities we gods have this is the hardest to control, and as deadly to us as our opponents. No other god can kill themself using their powers, but we can."

Anah watched at his hand with a small tremble in his eye. Dadar moved his hand to his son's face and forced his son to look him in the eyes. "It can be controlled. Sit down and put your hands together."

The two gods sat on the gravel road and each clasped their hands. Dadar took a deep breath in and out, in and out. Anah followed his example. Dadar moved his hands apart. A small white ball flame appeared in his hand. Anah did the same, but no flame appeared. He frowned.

"It took me years before I could control my fire through breathing. You just began, give yourself time. Close your eyes."

Anah closed his eyes and took a breath as he did before.

His father's voice filled his ears. "Remember back to yesterday. What happened? Do not say, just think."

Pictures of the fight flashed across his mind. Falling to the ground and seeing the pixie in the clearing. He pictured Nasha's head in the brush. His brain flashed forward after Vasna appeared with his friends. Anger boiled up as Vasna jumped up and down trying to smack the glowing creature with the branch. He turned on his sister and smacked her with the stick. Heat rose in Anah's hands. Anah yelled. Vasna came over and struck him.

"Enough," a voice shouted but it faded away in an instant.

Anah grabbed Vasna's weapon and the wood sparked to life in white flames. The flame came to life-consuming everything around him including Vasna and his friends. The Holy Fire continued rushed through the clearing turning everything black and struck Nasha who screamed. Pain ripped through Anah and his eyes shot open. His hand coated in a roaring white fire. The flame turned his arm black as it ripped into his skin.

He rolled on the ground spreading it to the grass. Dadar stood. "Anah, calm down."

Anah continued rolling back and forth. The white fire spread across the field. Dadar took a deep breath. He lifted his hands. All of Anah's flame flew into Dadar's hand and entered into his bloodstream.

Most of the skin on Anah's left arm turned red and black. With the fire gone his skin regrew. The pain in his arm lessened. The burns healed in seconds. His father grabbed him and pressed him against Anah.

"It's OK," he said. Tears flowed down both gods' faces. "You're alright." The pain in Anah's arms was gone, but the ground remained black.

"One perk of our ability. We heal from burns quickly." Dadar let go of Anah. He ruffled his hair. "Hard to believe, but when my power emerged, I burned down my house. When my father tried to teach me control, I set fire to it again."

"The... the grass," Anah stammered eyes only focused on the black areas.

"It will come back. I promise." Dadar stood and offered his hand to Anah. "Come, your mother is waiting." He looked at the sun who now hovered over the tree line. "As it stands, we won't reach home until dark."