Chapter 4

𝙳𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝙷𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚐𝚎

Max walked into the kitchen with a bit of nervousness on his face. His parents were seated at the table that they almost never used. They were seated across from each other, at the far end of the black polished table.

Between them was the 'Magic for Dummies' book. He sat in the chair furthest from them. Proctor had assured him that he would be fine, but he wasn't sure. People died everyday of disappointed or pissed off parents. Right?

Nobody spoke, leaving them in an awkward silence before James decided it was too quiet, "What is this, Max? Have you joined a cult? What language even is this? It's not Latin; I'm worried you got into something heavy."

Max mentally checked his dad from the list of people able to read the book. Leaving his mother as the GodSpawn. Max glanced at her, her eyes following his to the book.

"Don't look at me, Maximilian. I don't know it's language either." What? Either one of them was lying, or his current problem wouldn't be the only serious conversation he had with them today.

"You're serious? Neither of you can read it?" They exchanged a glance, both of them denying at the same time.

"Before that, then. Were you ever planning on telling me I was adopted?" Their eyes widened, shocked looks on their faces.

"How do you even know about that? Who told you?" Helen asked, her voice getting a bit higher in pitch at the end.

"You did. Just now." They exchanged slightly scared looks.

"Listen, Max. Just because you're adopted, doesn't mean we love you any less." James assured Max.

"No, I know. What I want to know is how you have my birth certificate with your names on it."

"Well," Helen started, "I was 9 months pregnant. When your sister was dilevered, she was stillborn."

"What Sister? And, what does that have to do with adopting me?" Max questioned, confused.

"I'm getting to it. We were devastated. Then a blonde, British doctor came in. He said that if we took a baby he had in his hands we would be financially compensated. It was a beautiful little boy with blonde hair. It was you."

"This… doctor, did he have a name?" They both shook their heads.

"I'm sure he did. I think it started with a 'B' or a 'P' or something like that." James answered, "Why?"

Max suddenly stood from his chair, the feet making a loud, high-pitched sound as it dragged quickly across the floor.

He took out his phone and walked outside, both of his parents looking at him with worry. James stood to go after him, he paused at the door and placed his ear to it.

When the call finally went through, Proctor's voice echoed, "How can I help, Red?"

"Was it you?"

"What? Was what me?" Proctor asked, sounding slightly tired.

"Did you give my parents a baby 17 years ago?" Max demanded an answer, his voice echoing across the neighborhood. It was late afternoon in the middle of winter, so no one was outside, thankfully.

"Why would I do that? What would I gain? Where is this baby now? As far as I- oh. Oh, shit."

"What? Proctor, What?" Max asked loudly.

"There was a brief period in the early 2000's when I was possessed by a low-ranked Angel. I needed something from him and that was the price. I never asked what he did, and I never really cared. Nobody came after me for it, so I figured he did some blessing and that was that." Proctor's words almost broke Max. Possessed by an Angel? An actual honest-to-fucking-god Angel? How does one get possessed by an Angel and not think about what they did in your body?

"Why would an Angel hand my parents a baby? Why would I be delivered by a fucking Angel?" He got no response. He looked at the screen. The call was still active, "Proctor?"

"I don't know, Red. Maybe your blood isn't as diluted as I thought, just masked by… something." Max could basically hear Proctor rub the bridge of his nose.

"What about my parents? You said it wouldn't be an issue, but they got a baby hand delivered to them by a goddamn Angel." Max was mad, confused, and a bit scared of the reason his birth-parents wanted to get rid of him so much that he was delivered to humans by an Angel. Was he defective? And, that - him being a defective product - was the reason he was ditched by his birth-parents.

"I've never heard of it, Red. And that's saying something. I'm old, really old. For me not to have heard of anything like this before; bad news."

Max breathed in a sharp breath, "How bad?"

"Couldn't tell you. Not because I don't want to, because I don't know." Proctor seemed displeased about that last part.

"So, how the hell do we find out who - or what - my parents are?" He heard the door open behind him, "I'll have to call you back."

He hung up, hearing a beep as the phone screen shut off, "I don't love you any less knowing I'm adopted."

His parents smiled, bringing him into a hug. His mom kept him at an arm's length, "We still need to talk about the book."

Max groaned and walked inside, "What do you both know about Preternaturals?"

Turns out; a lot. They knew a lot. In fact, they were both Preternaturals as well. They used to be humans, up until about 50 years ago when they became Druids. Druids aren't immortal, but they age very slowly due to drawing on the energy of the Earth itself.

His parents were almost 70 years old, which was impressive as they looked to be in their late twenties, early thirties.

He informed them of his status as a Watcher, and noticed their expressions soften. His mother still asked, "But who gave you the book?"

"Proctor. My new boss. An OW, whatever that means." They exchanged glances, James cocking an eyebrow.

"Proctor? THE Proctor?" He then seemed to connect two-and-two into five, "Is he your birth-father? Is that why he's here? To take you home with him?"

"No. At least, we aren't sure who my birth-father is. Or my birth-mother. We think they had some sort of incredibly strong Magic, but we aren't sure." Max did his best to cover his status as a - presumed - Demigod.

"Do you want to know?" Helen asked, clenching James' hand.

"Honestly, no." Max shook his head, "They decided to rid themselves of me. You two took me in. They may have been my mother and father, but you - you two - are my mom and dad."

It was a bit corny - cringy, even - but he didn't care. He loved his parents, James and Helen Drake. Screw whatever god or goddess he was descended from, if they came for him he wouldn't go quietly - if at all.

Tears visibly formed in Helen's eyes, and she hugged Max once more. They handed the book to Max and let him go to his room. He could feel their gazes on his back, he smiled softly at them from the top of the stairs and entered his room.

"You done now?" Proctor asked, standing across from the downed form that was Max. He was referring to Max's attempts at experimenting with magic.

Max was once again laying in the snow in the morning forest. He groaned as he got up, "At least explain something: how does magic work?"

"You say the phrase, and it makes Mana course through your body and conjures the desired effect. Basically, Magic is intent." Proctor explained, "But, it has a price. It always has a price, most times it's only Mana."

"Most times?" Max quickly put out the magic he was forming with his bare hands. It had been a week since Max started using Magic, he could mostly control his Magic. Sometimes, like when he got really frustrated, something nearby would blow up. Usually, it was a vase or a tree.

Sometimes, a squirrel was unlucky enough to be on a branch when Max got mad. He really needed to control his temper.

More importantly, his control over Magic was good enough that he could form a small marble without an incantation. It wasn't nearly as effective as an Impetu, but it was silent so he liked it a bit.

Proctor laughed again, "Sometimes Magnus or Poiahia blesses us with not having to pay the cost for one or two Spells."

"Who?" Mac questioned, kind of relieved he wouldn't have to give a body part or something.

"Oh, right. Let me explain." Proctor explained it simply.

Magnus is God of the Moon, The Night Sky, Time, Changes, Cycles, Transformation, Wisdom, Knowledge, and Magic.

Adaamaa is Goddess of the Sun, The Day Sky, Life, Sex, Fertility, Marriage, Motherhood, Eggs, Power, and Rebirth

Roshna is Goddess of Light, Peace, Stars, Love, Mercy

Heere is God of Crystals, Wealth, Royalty, Reflections, Judgment

Seramah is Goddess of Fire, Heat, Volcanoes, Discipline, Warriors, Justice

Akaashee is God of Lightning, Storms, Energy, Trickery, War

Maanasik is Goddess of Psionics, Prophecy, Mudra, Mandala, Oracles

Mataku is God of Fear, Protection, Monsters, Blood, Punishment

Djameen is Goddess of Earth, Architecture, Agriculture

Koura is God of Metal, Technology, Smithing, Procedure

Atarangi is God of Shadows, Secrets, Stealth, Silence

Wairua is Goddess of Phantoms, Ancestors, Death, Autumn

Aysu is Goddess of Water, Cleansing, Emotions, Memories, Summer

Whakatio is God of Ice, Coldness, Mathematics, Astronomy, Winter

Waiatta is God of Sound, Music, Roars, Mantra

Nakahi is Goddess of Poison, Medicine, Alchemy, Chemistry

Tukauati is God of Air, Weather, Travel, Messengers, Fortune

Poiahia is Goddess of Wood, Nature, Mana, Arts, Craft, Spring

Max was a bit confused. There's so many gods. And he hasn't even heard of whatever religion they were a part of, "What about Yahweh? Zeus? Odin?"

"Cheap imitations. Really powerful Mages, that's it. Nothing more." Proctor seemed to remember something fond. He smiled, it looked weird. It was a crooked smile, as if he was remembering a past lover or good friend.

Max decided to leave him and turned away. Not far from them a man was standing. He had blonde hair, blue eyes, and looked shockingly like Max. As soon as Max went to speak, he vanished into thin air.

"Proctor." He turned, Proctor was still in his thoughts, "PROCTOR!"

That snapped the man out of his thoughts, "What, Red?"

"I think… I just saw my father." Proctor looked around.

"Where? I don't see James anywhere."

"Not… 'that' father, Proctor." He emphasized the word, putting a bit of pressure into his tongue to speak it.

"Oh…" Proctor looked around again. His face was knitted with worry. He didn't see anything, so he looked back at Max, "Red. Come here. Slowly."

Max refused to turn away from Proctor to look at whatever - or whoever - was behind him. He stepped forward, but Proctor held up his hand, "Is it my father?"

"No. It's…" His long pause scared Max, "A moose."

Max almost fell. A moose? Proctor was worried about a fucking moose when his father could swoop in, steal him, and nobody would know?

Come to think of it. Why didn't he? Why did he watch from a distance? He could have probably stolen Max with his neat vanishing thing.

Max turned to face the giant furry creature, it walked right up to him and he felt compelled to pet it. It accepted his touch with closed eyes, nuzzling his hand with its nose.

The moose then laid its head on Max's shoulder as Proctor came over, "This is the creature you were so worried about?"

"Despite its current cuddly appearance, moose are still very dangerous. Even to Mages - myself included." Proctor grumbled, "Unlike a human or Preter - who have egos saying they should wait for their opponents to cast to prove they're better - Moose don't have egos. They don't care if you're casting, they'll run your - and pardon my language - bitch ass over without a thought."

Max chuckled, causing the Moose to lift its head. It looked at Proctor for a few seconds before - suddenly, and rashly - deciding it didn't like him. The Moose licked Max's hand and left. Sending a nasty look in Proctor's direction - a promise to kill him should he be caught alone clear in its glare.

Proctor looked at the departing Moose and flipped it off, "Damned creature. I could kill you without a thought."

He said, clearly not wanting it to come back. He might be a Master Wizard and an OW, but he still needed time to cast a spell that would be effective against such a large creature.