Marc spent the last 27 hours travelling along the west coast ---- from Arizona to California ---- All the way to Oregon from Nevada ---- increasing number of successfully acquired lottery tickets from 178 different locations to 219 locations in the route.
The lottery additions to Max's wealth included 3 mega million wins from California, 2 from Arizona and 1 from Nevada with various values. The one from Nevada was $135 million; the two from Arizona were $141 million and $144 million. The 3 from California were $206 million, $258 million and $266 million respectively.
The total value of the money Marc uploaded to the private account was just over a billion dollars ---- specifically $1.181752 billion.
And the best part? The stakes that were taken as tax were jinxed pieces of paper ---- A little trick only achievable with adaptive magic; it was a spell Maximus taught Marc before he set out on this mission: A Glamour Incantation that required one to cut their palm as a price and to draw a symbol on a piece of paper ---- It was apparently sourced by some order of practitioners supposedly called the "Hermetic Order of The Blue Rose." But after digging into it, Marc couldn't find out anything about this order, so Marc assumed them to be some kind of secret coven or organization.
He wasn't sure how Maximus had knowledge of this mysterious coven's spell but he was glad that he shared it with him.
'The amount of free meals I've gotten while on the road is almost insane,' Marc thought as he passed the blue "Welcome to Idaho" sign.
He had been driving nonstop (except for when he had to rest, pick up a lottery or eat something), because he's been feeling the creeping sensation that he was being watched ---- Has been since Phoenix, Arizona. The hair at the back of his neck had been in a near constant rise and Marc has had to actively coat his presence to defend against whichever witch was using a locator spell on him at least twice.
It was exhausting, but based on ongoing feeling of being watched, quite necessary.
'It's a good thing this car doesn't need me to service or fill its gas,' Marc thought privately, before his stomach growled. He frowned. 'I haven't eaten since Nevada… There's a gas station up ahead. Maybe I should grab a bite to eat? Shouldn't hurt too much, right?'
A few minutes later, Marc pulled up to a gas station, parked and got out. He did his best to ignore the sense that someone ---- or something ---- was still watching him in the evening air. He even brought along with him his pendant ---- the Martin Stone, a totem of incredible power that he created.
'Worst case scenario: Whoever is watching me strikes. I'll cloak myself and make a great escape,' Marcus thought cleverly as he entered the gas station. 'It will be perfectly fine.'
In his haste and thoughts, Marcus Martin failed to notice the almost horde-like sea of glowing yellow eyes in the deep wooded area beside the gas station. He failed to notice a few of these eyes closing in.
Had he noticed the yellow eyes, he would've realized how useless a cloaking spell was when the beings hunting him were werewolves…
[Maximus Westphall-Bennett POV]:
When Maximus came to, he felt like he was in Heaven ---- Or his own twisted version of it. At the very least, he was on Cloud 9.
Laying naked on his back, lower half covered in sheets, Max slowly opened his eyes. He felt drained of energy but in a contradictorily good way. To his right was Kai, shirtlessly showcasing his physique even in his sleep. To his left was Kol, dressed only in his drawls with Sebastian spooning him at the end.
The sight alone filled Max with contentedness ---- The collective smell probably shouldn't have been arousing, but Max did his very best to not focus on it.
He would've loved to stay like this ---- Maybe even for forever.
Unfortunately, he had plans that needed actions to be taken ---- That, and he needed a bath.
Taking in the sight, scents and feeling of contentment these men gave him for just a few more moments, Max allowed himself just a few more extra minutes of this before teleporting off the bed and into his walk-in closet in a puff of violet-black smoke.
It was dark inside and he dared not turn on the light for fear of pre-maturely waking up the vampires and siphonner still asleep in his bed. Not only did he figure they deserved the rest, but he also needed the next few hours alone, without anyone to interrupt his focus.
Besides, his werewolf sight allowed him to see almost perfectly ---- Even in darkness.
Picking an outfit that fit his mood: dark blue jeans, leather brown boots, a white longsleeve t-shirt, brown leather jacket and an assortment of brown and black coloured jewelry ---- ie: brown metallic watch, two silver rings with brown etchings, a singular brown and gold expensive-looking hanging earring and black/brown leather belt with gold linings.
[Outfit Visualizer Reference Image(Available on WebNovel)]:
After teleporting to the other end of the manor, erecting a Silencio incantation around the bathroom to make sure sound doesn't escape to wake his sensitive-eared mates up ---- Max enjoyed a long, warm shower; even managing to dye his hair a nice shade of brown.
When he finished, he changed into his outfit, sent a text out to Enzo warning him of his arrival later today, and then rolled the sleeves of both his shirt and jacket as he used a thick black rubber band to hold his ponytail in place.
'Today, I intend to free and assimilate the psychic siren, Sybil ---- And use that psychic power boost to find Selene and do the same thing there,' Max thought as he dressed. 'But, first, I need to pick up my sword that I had placed a special order in half a month ago ---- And, before that, I've got to experiment with my biokinesis ability. I sense I'm not using it to its full potential. That needs to change. And, quite frankly, my phoenix abilities need some practice on too, honestly.'
When Maximus finished dressing, he teleported to the deep forest outside the property of the Estate, and walked to a clearing; a giant tree at the center of said ---- A Great Oak tree twice the size of the one in the Rowan Oak Sacred Grove, only this one was mixed with Pine based on the bark and had no encircling Rowans surrounding it. It did, however, have a thick, dense stretch of mist hiding its presence even from the most skilled of hikers and rangers.
"This Nementon is at least 3,000 years old," Max muttered almost to himself, as he took in the sight in awe. "It hasn't ever once been touched or channelled, given the purity of its aura and the mystical strength of the mist it's using to hide its presence from everyone with even an inkling of consciousness. The power of it alone is on-par with the Travelers before their curse by my estimates."
"I only knew of its existence because water holds memories and that cloud I called down yesterday covered much more ground than just my property. And, because it touched the tree I was able to subconsciously retrace its cycle and feel its connection to this… Masterpiece."
[Nementon Reference Image]:
Quietly, Maximus walked up to the tree, placing a palm to its surface. It pricked his hand, likely requiring blood as exchange for magic aid, but Max didn't mind ---- He had a feeling it would be a fair exchange, in both their favors.
As the tree absorbed that little bit of blood, something occurred: It got much bigger and much more robust in branches and leaves. Its magic hummed tremendously as its own magic reserves multiplied by at least 4 times its base.
But Maximus didn't pay attention to it as he merely siphoned life energy from the tree ---- life energy that the tree gave willingly, as it could replenish it with its own magic; not that it even needed to as its life force was already so vast that Maximus taking the collective life force equivalent of 10 fully grown elephants was just a drop in a pool of its own lifeforce energy.
'I could always use my own lifeforce when using this ability. After all, it is even greater than this tree's reserve,' Max thought privately. 'Unfortunately, not all uses of this ability share the same costs. Resurrection of others costs more to heal than injuries of self and resurrection of self costs more than resurrection of others. And the stronger I am, the greater it costs to heal myself when I am out of energy to heal naturally with my own healing factor.'
'All in all, basically channelling life force from others instead of relying on personal life force is less expensive and easier to do,' Maximus thought.
"Oi, you Old Tree —- I got a deal to offer you," Maximus looked at the tree while pulling away his hand, siphoning finished. His finger had already healed itself from the prick.
A gentle series of winds rustled its branches, as if to ask: "What?"
"I'm in need of a private source of life force. And I need an edge over other covens that having a personal Nemeton to channel would solve — In both instances," Maximus explained, feeling the tree's wind of a breath descend upon Maximus, as if it were considering what Max was suggesting.
"I'm aware that, as a Nementon, you feed off the world's magic sources and, in return, make deals with nature to act as a source of Earth and Traditional magic for others to be able to channel.
"I want private access to 75% of that power that you have right now, for it to be blessed into this stone right here ----" Max pulled out a white crystal [A/N: Not the Verbatim Stone], holding up to the tree. "You will also dual-annually add 25% of your magic to it ---- And, in exchange, I will monthly give you half a pint of my blood and, at the end of every year, I will sacrifice 2 pints of my blood.
"If the little amount of blood from a prick of my fingers gave you this much of a power up, imagine how much more stronger would monthly half-pints make you? ---- Or even 2 pints at the end of the year?
"So what say you? Do we have a deal?"
Silence spread into seconds before a great wind blew forth, ruffling Maximus' hair and face before a great searing pain burned into the vein of Max's wrist.
Looking down, Max saw a tattoo ---- One shaped to look like a Great Pine-Oak in black ink.
Instinctively, he knew its purpose: 'It will naturally take the blood offered while giving me the life force to channel as described in the deal,' Max realized. 'It will also bestow the power bartered in the deal into the stone, so that only me and my coven would have the exclusive rights to channel. This is ----'
Max grinned a Cheshire smile. 'So broken.'
Max spent the next 30 minutes practicing his biokinesis —- And he learned a lot.
One of the things he learned was to grow a literal clone from a single drop of blood in literal seconds — Bones, organs and all — And he grew 3. They would have a slightly weaker version of all his abilities or abilities he choose for them to have that he would naturally possess.
Furthermore, they had the ability to either be independent with their own consciousness or be extensions of Max's own consciousness depending on Max's own desires. Either way, they would be metaphysically connected to Maximus, whether he designed them with independence or not.
He even had the ability to re-absorb them back into himself quite easily, almost seamlessly ---- And, if he needed them again, he could separate them from his atomic structure just to summon them, without cutting himself even once.
'What a broken ability,' Max thought looking at the 3 clones he's created: Maxton, Maxon and Maxfield. 'I can create an endless amount of clones with a closed-circuited energy source, so even if main me dies, they'll still exist as part of their own consciousness.'
They were all genetically similar to himself, almost like sets of twins, but they also had slightly different characteristics than one another.
For instance, Maxton was slightly shorter than Maximus, with a stockier build than base Max and his natural auburn hair was a darker shade of brown than Max. He had strong access to magic; he was also a werewolf who, like Max, could shift into regular wolf form and wolf shifter form ---- Only his wolf shifter form was black and brown, more stockier than Maximus and had golden amber eyes. He had shorter hair on his head than Max.
[Maxton Reference Images(Available on WebNovel)]:
Maxon was leaner than Maximus, with a more toned build with much shorter hair designed with a fade. His wolf was grey-white; only he couldn't transform into a shifter form ---- Only TVD werewolf form. He was a powerful witch ---- Stronger than Marcus in magic but still weaker than Maximus. He could perform all TVDU magic that Max could and he's a Master at CAOS spells as well as a dabbler in basic Logomancy.
[Maxon Reference Images]:
Maxfield was an enhanced human, with near-supernatural physicality, including strength, speed, instincts, reflexes and flexibility. He was also a master at hand-to-hand combat thanks to Max downloading the martial arts memories of every martial artist on the planet not of mystical origins onto Maxfield's psyche when creating him. He also downloaded every sharpshooter skill and capabilities onto Maxfield's psyche.
He wasn't technically supernatural, but Max gave him a resistance to mind control as well as a resistance to compulsion and possession.
Max also downloaded the business wisdom of every successful business man ---- and woman ---- on the planet into Maxfield's psyche alongside the businessman's mindset and the drive to get things done. He even downloaded the knowledge and IQ of the world's geniuses into Maxfield's consciousness.
[Maxfield Reference Image]:
"I'll send Maxton ahead to New Orleans to gather the werewolves and reverse their curse. Jackson and Oliver will make perfect members of Maxton's harem ---- And, by extension, mine. Maybe he could even turn them and have Jeremy, Mason and Tyler join him…," Max thought aloud, d, causing the clones to all smirk. "I would like Aiden but only if Joshua is Aiden's primary mate, so maybe don't rush this mission too much.
"Your mission will be to get the New Orleans werewolves their moon rings ahead of schedule. You are of royal blood, like me, so the Crescent mark should help you convince them of who you are. But whatever you do, keep them in the bayou ---- Even if you have to build new places to live in it, I don't want them messing with the timeline."
"So, then, the solution, brother, is to select a small number of wolves to give moonlight rings to, innit?" Maxton asked, brow furrowing.
Max nodded. "Yes."
"Very well," Maxton said confidently. "I understand the mission."
"Good," grinned Max before turning to Maxon. "Maxon, your mission will be to find young witches and warlocks across the country ---- Those who are covenless or abandoned. You will take them in, inspire loyalty and togetherness into them through deeds and maybe a little bit of telepathy. The truly loyal, more powerful ones will be given the Mark of the Verbatim, with a 1.5x amplifier to their base magic power. The coven will use this stone —," Max held up the white crystal that had been imbued with the Nemeton's power. "as the source of Traditional and Earth magic…At least, until we have strong enough a well of Ancestral magic to draw from. You will act as the leader of the coven in my stead."
"I understand, my master," Maxon inclined his head. "It will be done. Just a question, is Marcus off-limits, or can I get have him as my own?"
Max considered this.
He knew his 9/10 Charm factor was powerful. But was it strong enough to pull someone straight? Mason Lockwood he was certain was straight before the imprint, but wasn't too sure about it. For one, in the show, he always came across as bi-curiious to Max and, for two, Max was certain that, though one can't choose who they imprint on, Max was pretty sure one would only imprint on consideration to their own sexual preferences.
'Still, it would be interesting to see if Maxon could do it. Plus, Maxon has an 8/10 Charm factor, only slightly weaker than my own. If he is successful in pulling a heterosexual than that means that I am most definitely capable of it,' Maximus thought, smirking internally, verbally giving his consent. "You can try, but I also want you to get Kaleb to join you. He already wants us, so it shouldn't be too hard, I've no doubt."
"I understand," Maxon nodded.
Max then turned to Maxfield, his purpose clear.
"I want you to start a business ---- The most influential business on Earth," Max ordered. "You can choose whoever you want as your mate so long as the business is successful. You will have a start off amount of $18M to start this business, yes?"
"You will have the greatest business on the planet, Boss," Maxfield shook Max's hands. "$18 million is almost overboard an amount just to start off with, so it'll make for perfect base equity."
"Actually, I have a mission for you as well," Max said, remembering his list. "I want you to get Lucien Castle and Shen Min as your mates ---- You have permission to do whatever it takes to get the job done. This will be your secondary task, as if you get the first task done, this one will naturally be made easy."
Maxfield grinned at that, and Max gave them all a nod of approval before dismissing them.
It was 20 minutes after his clones left to go on their separate missions that Maximus felt it.
He had been learning more about his phoenix side — Even going so far as to actually hovering even without the wings as he hadn't yet learned how to summon them — when he felt Marcus's lifeforce dwindling quickly — Too quickly.
He suddenly had a vision of Marcus been torn apart by wolves — Wolves with glowing amber eyes.
Werewolves.
Narrowing his eyes, Max realized what was going on: Marcus was being hunted.]
In his rage, Max turned into a violent violet black vortex, disappearing from his location, hoping he wasn't too late to save a subordinate…