by Chris Fox
Your survival depends on your escape, Ka-Dun. The Mother will have to fend for herself.
Blair refused to heed the beast, even if it was right. They had to give Isis as long as possible to reach them, right down to the very last second.
The door exploded inward, fragments of metal bouncing from the walls. Liz rolled out of the way, vanishing into shadows. Trevor took a large section of door to the face. It knocked him to the concrete, and he was still struggling to rise when enemies began pouring through.
The first was a brute, larger than the others they’d seen. It paused next to Trevor, driving a massive meaty fist into the small of his back. Bone cracked, and Trevor gave an agonized cry.
Then Liz was there, snapping and biting. She savaged the demon’s throat, rolling back into the shadows as its corpse tumbled to the ground. Trevor exploded into green mist, which flowed into the shadows and was gone. Blair felt a moment of elation that Trevor had escaped, but then realized he was the only visible target in the room.
The staff, Ka-Dun. Use the Primary Access Key.
Blair had completely forgotten about the staff Isis had entrusted to him. He extended his right hand, willing the weapon to manifest. The sapphire in the thorax of the scarab throbbed with power. Several more demons flooded the room, and Blair aimed the staff in their direction.
“Uh, kill them,” he said, willing the staff to incinerate his enemies. He knew shaping was all about visualization, so even though he didn’t know precisely how the staff worked he was hoping it would manifest some wonderful ass-saving ability.
A wave of blue light flowed from the gem, a wide beam that swept the room. It washed over the mass of demons, and Blair understood on some deeper level exactly what it was doing. It was breaking the molecular bonds holding each creature together. Effectively, a ray of disintegration. All eight demons collapsed, and within moments were nothing more than a pool of black sludge.
“Jesus,” Liz rumbled, appearing next to him. “That thing is crazy.”
“Let’s hope it can keep doing that,” Trevor’s disembodied voice said.
More demons rushed the room, but this time they weren’t alone. Two sets of familiar black power armor followed, spraying the room with bullets as they entered. Jordan and Wepwawet. Behind them, just past the doorway, Blair could sense Steve lurking. That probably meant Irakesh as well.
“I’ll take the armor on the right,” Liz growled, disappearing into the shadows.
“I’ve got the left,” Trevor replied.
That left Blair as the target. Rounds tore through his legs, severing the right below the knee. More rounds punched through his back and shoulder, and he spilled to the surface of the platform with a cry of agony.
Then Liz appeared, grabbing one of the suits by the right arm, and slamming it into the wall. It started to rise, but she stomped on the helmet, knocking it back to the concrete.
Trevor appeared behind the second suit of armor. He seized the arm holding the gigantic rifle, and twisted it to fire at the mass of demons rushing Blair. The weapon cut them down with ruthless efficiency, until the suit was able to stop firing. By that time only one demon remained, and Blair downed it with a quick blast from the staff.
He struggled into a sitting position, gritting his teeth in pain as his knee began to heal. Then a wave of familiar green energy burst from his right, washing over him like acid. He collapsed, dropping the staff. He had enough time to register Irakesh’s bald black head and mouthful of razored teeth before the deathless snatched up the staff.
Curiously, Irakesh’s face was a mask of grim determination. There was no gloating, no twisted smile. None of the behavior Blair had seen when Irakesh had fought back in Panama, or later in San Francisco. Then Blair saw the golden collar around Irakesh’s neck, and suddenly he understood.
“Give it to me,” came a familiar, cultured voice. Steve appeared next to Irakesh, blurring next to him from across the room. He extended his right hand, which bore a golden bracelet to match the collar. Irakesh passed the staff over to Steve, though the gesture was reluctant. Steve smiled, then looked down at Blair. “Beaten by your own pride once again. You should have fled when you had the chance, but once again you’ve made the wrong decision. Once again you—”
Blair blurred, launching three separate attacks. First, he buried the claws of his right hand in Steve’s groin. That made Steve reach down to defend himself, which exposed his throat. So Blair tore it out with his fangs. Lastly, he seized the staff in his left hand, then planted his newly regrown leg against Steve’s gut. He kicked as hard as he could, hurling Steve from the platform.
“I can’t believe I caught you monologuing. Didn’t you see The Incredibles?” Blair asked, aiming the staff at Steve’s broken body. He fired a wave of blue energy, but Steve blurred away and the energy washed harmlessly over the wall.
Irakesh started to laugh. “I owe you a boon for that, Ka-Dun. It’s a pity that—”
His words were choked off as he went pale. Blair turned to see Ra approaching the platform at a fast walk. She casually eviscerated a demon with her spear, then backhanded Irakesh so hard his jaw shattered. He was launched from the platform, landing in a heap on the far side of the room.
Blair glanced back to see Osiris and Isis each battling one of the suits of armor. It was like watching cats play with mice. He actually felt bad for Jordan and Wepwawet.
“Enough,” Ra called, her voice ringing through the din. “We must be away. Leave them.”
Trevor limped onto the platform, and Ra moved to assist him. Liz appeared a moment later, her fur slick with black blood. Isis approached next, dropping a mangled suit of black armor and leaping onto the platform. She glanced down at Irakesh, then back at Ra. “You’re not going to bring him?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “He’s made his choices, and now he has to deal with the consequences. I cannot know if Set has tainted him, and we dare not risk it.”
“Just as well,” Osiris said, finally stepping up on the platform. He paused as his jacket began to chime, then withdrew a smartphone. He set the phone to video, smiling at the screen. “Hello, brother. As stupid as always, I see. Rushing forward without any understanding of the cliff before you, just like the mammoths we used to kill.”
He paused for a moment, as if listening. When he spoke again, Osiris wore a huge, predatory grin. “Enjoy the explosion, brother. As you survey the shattered wreckage of your army, know that I’ve outwitted you once again. The First Ark is mine.”
Then Osiris hung up, turning to Blair. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Is there any chance he’ll die in the blast?” Blair asked, though he was fairly certain he knew the answer.
“None,” Ra said, shaking her head. “Though the blast will destroy his troops. That’s some benefit, at least. If we wish to kill him, your plan is the only way.”
Blair nodded, then focused on the platform. He willed Object 3 to teleport them, and they disappeared in a veil of brilliant white light.
69
Boom
Jordan was not having the best of days. A thick crack ran down the center of his HUD, and the left ankle of the suit screeched as servos groaned. Nor were those the only problems. The little paper-doll-style status icon in the bottom left of his vision showed a half dozen blinking lights, each indicating a problem of one kind or another.
That was to be expected, of course. It wasn’t every day a werewolf goddess slammed you repeatedly into the concrete, and all things considered he’d made out far better than the last time he’d gotten on her bad side. At least she hadn’t torn his arms off.
“Status report,” Steve said, sweeping back into the room with far more dignity than he should have been able to muster after having fled out of it just moments before. Jordan ignored him. So did Wepwawet, who was just climbing to his feet. Steve turned in a slow circle, his eyes narrowing. “I said, status report.”
Neither of them answered. Steve’s response w
as to aim the wrist with the golden bracelet at Irakesh. He adopted a look of concentration, and a moment later Irakesh shrieked. Then he came to his feet, eyes narrowing hatefully on Steve. Jordan decided right then that he actually liked Irakesh more than he liked Steve. That was saying a lot, because Irakesh was very near the top of his shit list.
“What happened, slave?” Steve barked, stalking closer to the still-groggy deathless.
“I don’t know, master,” Irakesh hissed, infusing the last word with a healthy dose of scorn. That made Jordan smile beneath his mask.
Metallic footsteps rang on stone from the hallway outside. Someone was approaching, and it wasn’t hard to figure out who it might be. Jordan was momentarily grateful he wasn’t in command. Hopefully if Set blamed someone it would be Steve. He’d love to see Captain Douchey taken down a peg.
“You allowed them to escape?” Set roared as he stalked into the room. His flat black gaze fixed on Steve.
“Yes, master,” Steve groveled, falling to his knees. Jordan expected Irakesh to do the same, and was genuinely shocked when Irakesh chose to remain standing. “I do not know where they have gone, but they used that object to light walk away.”
“No matter,” Set said, gesturing behind him. A pair of brutes entered, carrying a familiar figure between them. Jordan blinked in shock, realizing he was looking at the Director. Or a version of him anyway. He was no longer human, as evidenced by the glowing green eyes and elongated canines. “You, where did they go?”
“Oh, I’d be happy to sell out my companions,” the Director said, sarcasm thick. “Let’s see, where did they go? I’m pretty sure they went to the land of go fuck yourself.”
“Release him,” Set ordered the demonic guards. They dropped Mark, who landed in a heap. His suit was shredded, and several bones were still broken. The fact that he hadn’t yet healed was telling. He was close to the brink of collapse. Set stalked over to him. “I will give you one more chance. Tell me where they’ve gone and I will grant you a swift death. Defy me, and I will turn you into a tool of destruction, one I will use to hunt your own companions to extinction.”
“Hmm, let me think,” Mark said, seeming to genuinely consider the offer. “That does sound like a pretty good deal. I have a counteroffer though. How about I blow the fuck out of you?”
Mark withdrew a hand from his pocket, and Jordan realized Mark held a tiny black cylinder with a single red button on the top. Even as Jordan recognized the detonator, Mark pressed the button. There was a series of distant clicks that grew closer. They were coming from the walls. Then everything went white as the walls around them exploded.
70
Prep
Liz-wolf stumbled on the uneven ground, catching herself against a giant standing stone. A moment ago she’d been standing atop Object 3, the strange teleporter Mohn had apparently liberated from the progeny of the Builders. Looking around, she realized she’d arrived at Stonehenge. It wasn’t unexpected, but it still caught her off guard.
She’d traveled a lot of the world, but the sight of Stonehenge in the moonlight was unlike anything she’d ever witnessed. Of course, it would have been more impressive if not dwarfed by the massive, black Ark just a hundred yards away.
“To me,” Ra called, her voice heavy with long-accustomed authority. Liz did as asked, moving to stand next to Blair. He looked up at her with a toothy smile, his silver fur catching the moonlight. She smiled back, resting a hand on his shoulder.
Trevor emerged from the shadows next to them. A bit creepy with those hellish eyes and razored teeth, but there was still something of him in the boyish smile. Especially in his tone. “Get a room, you two.”
“If we survive this, we will,” Liz said, shooting Blair a wink.
“Silence,” Ra hissed. Liz turned to face her, resisting the urge to stick out her tongue. She knew Trevor liked the woman, but Liz was too loyal to Isis to feel the same. Ra moved to join them, beckoning at Osiris and Isis to do the same. The latter pair were off by themselves, sharing what looked to be a quiet moment between lovers. “Good, we’re all here. Osiris, are your forces ready?”
“They are,” he nodded, looking up guiltily from Isis. “I’ve held back over sixty percent of Mohn’s local forces, including all our heavy armor and air units. We’ve also got the Skyhammer standing by. We’re a little light on the ground though.”
“Leave that to me,” Ra said, folding her arms and leaning her back against one of the standing stones. “I’ve called every nascent deathless within five miles, and they’re shambling their way here now.”
“Too late, I think,” Isis said. She’d gone back to human form, but still leapt nimbly to the top of one of the stones. “There, demons are approaching. I can see Nephthys at their head. She’s moving to engage us.”
“Let’s not keep her waiting,” Osiris said, grinning. “I’ll order an initial artillery strike, then we can rush them. Sekhmet, your forces can pin them down after the initial attack.”
Ra looked less than pleased that Osiris had assumed command, but she merely nodded.
“What do you want us to do?” Liz asked, shivering even with her thick fur. She wished she’d brought a werewolf-sized jacket. It was funny the things your mind dwelled on right before you did something insane.
“Your task is clear,” Isis said, leaping from her perch to land before Liz. “You must safeguard Blair to the heart of the Ark. We will keep Nephthys busy, and deal with Set when he arrives.”
“All right,” Liz said. She had a feeling it wasn’t going to be nearly as easy as Isis made it sound.
“I’ll watch your backs,” Trevor said, though his gaze went to Ra. Something passed between them, and Liz found herself softening a bit toward the harsh goddess. Ra wasn’t kind, but she clearly cared for Trevor and that scored her some points.
Then the scarlet-haired goddess pressed her hand to Trevor’s forehead. She adopted a look of concentration, face tightening as her entire body began to shake. There was a flash of silver, then a series of sparks as something passed from her into Trevor.
“What the hell was that?” Trevor said, blinking. He staggered, but Ra caught him.
“A burden I must pass to you, Trevor Gregg,” Ra said, in a tone more tender than Liz had ever heard her use. “If I survive, you can return it. If not, then I can think of no one else I’d ask to sit my throne. Use the power well, should it come to that.”
“I’m not really sure what to say,” Trevor said, pulling Ra a little closer. He gave a start, backing a step away when he realized what he’d done.
“Would that we had more time,” Ra said, smiling at him. “You’d have made a worthy consort, I think.”
“Incoming,” Osiris said, leaping to the top of one of the stones. His golden sword appeared in his hand, and Liz felt a stab of jealousy.
“Liz,” Blair said, affecting a strange parody of a narrator. “It’s dangerous to go alone. Take this.”
He offered her the na-kopesh he’d taken from Irakesh, and she accepted the curved blade. She got the feeling she was missing some sort of inside joke from the way Trevor giggled at the comment. She gave the weapon a few experimental swings. It was different than the heavier broadsword, but she thought she could make use of it.
It looked like she was about to find out.
71
Bait
Isis watched the approaching mass of demons warily. She counted at least two hundred, and that didn’t include the winged ones circling above. It wasn’t anywhere near the size of the force that had devastated Sekhmet’s army back in the land now called France, but it was a substantial number.
Still, Isis trusted Osiris. The thought of him drew her eye to where he stood, a little ways off from the stone monuments comprising the place these moderns called Stonehenge. He looked resplendent in his dark blue suit, tie fluttering in the wind. She didn’t know when he’d found time to change into a new one, but it didn’t surprise her. Osiris raised his golden blade skyward, then br
ought it down in a chopping motion.
Chaos erupted. Several trails of fire streaked into the demon’s ranks, exploding as they impacted. Then something glittered above, falling like a comet. It landed in the central mass of demons, hurling black bodies into the night, each one melting like wax.
The surviving demons scattered, not that she could blame them. Grouping together was an invitation to fiery death, and they knew it. The sudden chaos infusing their ranks seemed to enrage Nephthys, who was leading from the rear. Isis could hear her shrill voice barking commands, which it seemed the demons were ignoring.
Then a wave of corpses emerged from the tree line, shambling their way toward the demons. They weren’t strong, and by themselves no single corpse was a threat. Yet they seemed endless, and at the very least the demons had to deal with them. That distraction was exactly what she’d been waiting for.
“Are you ready?” she asked, knowing Sekhmet lurked in the patch of darkness at the foot of the stone pillar she stood next to.
“I am. Let us end this,” Sekhmet said. Isis melted into the shadows, blurring across the field toward Nephthys. She couldn’t see Sekhmet, but knew her oldest friend was right beside her.
Isis shifted as the gap between herself and Nephthys lessened. She almost tried to summon her staff, before realizing she’d given it to Blair. Her claws would have to do. Isis whipped past a few confused demons, then leapt into the air. She came down on Nephthys with the avenging fury of all the poor souls the woman had corrupted.
Her claws bit deep, but Nephthys’s black armor was strong. Isis knocked the smaller woman on her back, but wasn’t able to deliver any serious blows. Nephthys planted a booted foot in Isis’s midsection and kicked with all her strength. Isis flew backwards, crushing a hapless demon with the impact. Several dull-eyed deathless stood around her, but wandered off to find easier prey.