"Have you ever heard of a human, boy?" the woman asked him.
"No."
"They are the barbarians I told you about. We will conquer them and return here, once we have created an army."
"To kill my father."
"Yes."
The rage stirred and with it, Xander's fangs. The image of his mother lying serenely in the grave he made her was engraved in his mind. There was nothing that would stop him from punishing the man who left his mother to die alone.
"Are you ready?" the stranger asked. "I will teach you to kill without mercy and turn the humans into obedient beasts. Together, we will teach your father that betrayal is rewarded with vengeance."
Xander nodded. No one will ever betray me again.
"Come with me."
She led him into the tavern and up a narrow stone stairwell that went to the roof. They emerged into the morning sun, and Xander shielded his delicate eyes from the brightness.
They went to the edge of the stone roof. From this point, Xander was able to see most of the city, including the white dome of the palace at its center that marked the home of one of the three Gods that ruled the immortal realm. He'd never been to the middle of the city, mainly because it was walled off and guarded. He didn't know what lay inside the dome, but he saw how large of an area it incorporated. It was where he was birthed and spent only a few weeks before his mother was cast out.
Pain registered once more.
"There are two realms, boy, the human realm and ours. Right now, we are not strong enough for our vengeance," the woman spoke softly. A fire was in her eyes, the cold smile on her face again. "In the human realm, you will grow powerful. Do you know what happens then?"
"I kill my father."
"Yes, boy, you will. You will become the man who slaughters the Grey God."
Xander gazed up at the stranger. "How do you know all this?"
"I'm an Oracle, a creature from the human realm who has the ability to see the future. My name is Eden."
"I will grow strong enough to face a God?" Xander asked.
"Why else do you think your father threw you out? You will become more powerful than him."
Xander focused on the dome. He would make his father pay for tossing them out.
"The next time we stand here, you will have marched through his streets with my army at your back and claimed his life. The streets will be awash with blood. You will become so strong, no one will ever be able to hurt you again. Would you like that?"