Erida and she chipped away at the godling with sorcery. Direct assaults might feed it, so they were actually working to wall it off, to starve it. To redirect energy away from it, and slice away portions of its essence. And Kanmi . . . Minori could barely look at him. He glowed like the sun, and every tendril that reached towards him, he either absorbed, or redirected. It was like watching him at the height of his sorcerous power, but without effort or incantation. But he was also the most vulnerable of them. If he died here, now . . . she might not be able to get him back. Oh, there was a theory that no one ever really passed entirely out of existence, so long as their Name survived. The track record on returning from oblivion was poor, however. So as a half-dozen tendrils the size of tree-trunks slithered in at him from every direction, Minori swooped in, beside him, raising her sword, as the blade became flame, and extended out from the hilt like a whip, letting her lash the tendrils aside. Kanmi, be careful—
I’m fine, watch yourself! A bubble suddenly surrounded them both, one designed to redirect energies away from them, and the tendrils bounced off of it, like water from a droplet of oil.
Glorious to be fighting at his side again, with pure will dancing between them, flows of energy. Get in closer, he told her, as Lassair and Zhi once more dove in, tearing away portions of the godling’s essence. I have an idea.
Minori nodded and dove at that creature, Kusanagi dancing in plasma curls around her. Her shields came under assault as she left Kanmi’s protective sphere. One of the tendrils got through Kusanagi’s guard, and slid into her chest. Min convulsed in mid-air, feeling power bleed from her. Feeling everything she was, every thought she’d ever had, every hope, every dream, every iota of power in her, down to the electricity in her nerves, come under assault.
Amaterasu-within hissed and came forwards, lashing at every nearby tendril with pure radiance. This foul thing may be one that came to Nippon! I will end it today, I will end it—Minori wasn’t sure if it was her own thought, or the goddess’, so complete was the fusion between them at the moment. You will not have her/me/us! You will not! I am the sun, and I am still unconquered!
Minori couldn’t even look as light exploded out of her own flesh, the pure light of raw creation that Amaterasu was capable of, and the godling recoiled. She could feel its hunger. It wanted to devour Amaterasu. But even a primitive intellect like its own understood when overfeeding would mean its own death. It needed to divide Amaterasu. Shatter her, and consume the power in a less concentrated form. Which gave them a moment’s reprieve.
You’re the sun. Be the sun, Kanmi said, suddenly. Be gravity, Min. And I will, too. I’ll be on one side. You be on the other. And we’ll tear this fucker apart.
Yes! Amaterasu-within cried, her voice rippling out of Minori. Gravity, as Tsukuyomi used. They are vulnerable to it!
Kanmi had always considered gravity the most difficult natural force to use, and Min tended to agree. But the incantation unfurled in her mind like a banner, and she began to weave it at the same time as Kanmi began his own invocation. The ocean below rose towards them. Air surged inwards, held at bay only by the shields around Minori’s body. She pulled in, further and further, tightening gravity. Revising the lines of it around her into a well, with herself as the focal point, but bracing herself from within, so that she wouldn’t be crushed. And on the other side of the mad godling, Kanmi did the same. They bent space between them.
The godling was only manifesting about ten percent of itself in the physical realm, and it was made up almost entirely of energy . . . but the parts of it that were manifested, were subject to physical laws. It was already weakened as Zhi, Erida, and Lassair tore at it, as well, and between them all, they pulled it apart. As it shattered, a half-dozen smaller whorls of power coalesced, and fled.
Minori felt herself hurtling through the air, propelled backwards, and understood that Amaterasu had assumed control of her body only when her eyes opened, and she realized that she was flying without any conscious volition. Shock-wave, she thought, dimly.
I absorbed as much as I could. Redirected it out over the open sea. There was not much more that I could do, while keeping your body intact. We all absorbed some of it.
Her head spun. She could feel the creature’s essence inside of her, and she recoiled, shuddering, from the desire to . . . consume everything. The people on the island below, peering out of the bunker, looked like pale worms, ready to be stepped upon. Masako is there! Bodi is there! I can’t go back down there, I’ll kill them! Panic spun through her fragmented thoughts
Peace, daughter. I will help you assimilate it, the goddess-within said, quietly.
Kanmi floated closer, and his form roiled around the edges. Crisper and sharper one moment, and then blurring out, almost into non-existence, the next. Wasn’t expecting to eat that. Let me know if I develop any bad habits, such as laughing maniacally or plotting to destroy the world.
In spite of her terror, Minori found herself chuckling. You always know precisely what to say.
Dumb luck. His form sharpened as they all descended to the island once more, where Masako and Bodi both, clearly, could see Kanmi now, and Bodi, tears in his dark eyes, tried to embrace his father . . . only to have his arms pass through his form. Not quite all the way here yet, Kanmi told them both, apologetically. Gods know, I’m trying.
“It’s . . . just . . . really good to see you,” Bodi said, hoarsely. “Should have guessed that working on your last spell would . . . invoke you.”
Masako’s lips had curled down, and she was valiantly trying not to cry. “Papa . . .” She wavered. “I was so angry with you before I knew everything. I’m so sorry.”
Minori saw the expression on Kanmi’s face shift. Become agonized, just for a second, as he reached out to touch his children, and still couldn’t. I’m the one who’s sorry. I couldn’t tell you. Any of you. If nothing else ever comes out of this, at least I have another chance . . . to tell you how much I love you. You and Himi have done so well. And I am proud of you all.
He faded out, but Minori wasn’t distressed. She could still sense him, faintly. Lassair landed on a wall again, and preened, tiredly. No visible wounds; the phoenix had already healed, apparently. Emberstone is well. He must digest some of what he absorbed today. As must I.
Zhi deposited Erida beside them all, and coalesced into his smoke-man form, his eyes gleaming golden in his roiling black face. You are not taking your human form, Lassair.
No. I have worked hard to regain this form. I think I will not be human again for a time. Not until I know properly who I am in that form, too. She cocked her head at them. I am the hearth-fire, and the fire-that-protects, both. But for now . . . I will be the phoenix.
“Everyone, get to work,” Min said, trying to push the mad godling’s abhorrent hunger to the back of her mind, her mind still spinning. “Collect film and data from all the cameras and other measuring devices. We had a spotter plane in the air . . . someone see what happened to the pilot once the godling arrived.” She rubbed at her eyes. “What am I missing?”
Erida shook her head. “The fact that if every time we deploy one of these spells, if it attracts a godling, it’s fairly useless.”
Not entirely, Zhi said, a hiss of flame. I prefer to fight my enemies directly. But you can be certain that one of your generals will suggest trying to summon a godling into the territory of your enemies with precisely this sort of spell.
Everyone froze, and a kind of numb horror filled Minori. “That is absolutely unconscionable,” she said, her voice sick. “That is not at all what I intended to create! I wanted to destroy the ghul. Destroy the mad godlings. Not use the godlings as weapons . . . .”
Tehro looked on the verge of speaking, then bit his lip, and looked away.
It was not your intention, Zhi said. But unless you are extremely careful in how you present the information . . . that is the next logical step in the use of this weapon.
Kanmi’s voice whispered through Minori’s m
ind. He’s right, Min. It takes a bastard like me or him to see it . . . but there are plenty of other bastards like us out there.
They are, I think, less charming than we are, Emberstone. Zhi showed teeth made of flame.
Minori put her face in her hands. “All right. We’ll need to present our findings carefully. Just . . . gather the data. Data is neutral. There may be detriments to the spell that we don’t know yet.”
Traveling back to Judea was a simple process; Trennus came and collected those of them who could handle Veil travel, after Bodi, Masako, Tehro, and their other engineers took their refueled spotter plane back north.
And Kanmi allowed himself to manifest in the Veil, in his full human form. Truthsayer had the pleasure of watching Worldwalker’s eyes go wide, and then he shouted, Emberstone! before picking him up off the ground in a bear-hug before setting him down to grip his friend by the shoulders. You’re alive. You’re really alive.
Settle down before anyone starts rumors that we’re more than just good friends, Kanmi Emberstone replied, grinning wickedly. It’s almost as if you’ve missed me. Gods only know why—
Who else am I supposed to talk to about the origins of magic or debate string theory with? It’s not like being king of a country poised on the brink of war is leaving me with much time to do that, but for the gods’ sakes . . . Worldwalker paused. It’s good to see you as more than just a blob of light, you bastard. I had hope, but . . . seeing really is believing.
It’s killing me, but I’m going to let the whole king thing pass me by, except to note that you’re a fucking royal, Worldwalker. This guarantees you another lifetime of me trying to knock the nobility out of you. Another wicked grin.
And then they’d stepped through into the real Woods, and Kanmi’s form, so real and solid in the Veil, diminished to a translucent figure. Minori’s breath caught, and she turned, and walked right back through the gate. Emberstone appeared next to her, looking inquisitive, the light of the setting sun radiating out of him, as she leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed her husband—and, blessedly, felt his arms wrap around her. The rising sun and the setting sun, he told her, silently. What a pair we make, Truthsayer.
You’re real here. You’re more manifest here than in the mortal realm.
I’m working the problem. The thoughts were distant, however, as they continued to kiss. She gasped as his fingers found bare skin as he unwrapped her kimono-like jacket, and pushed her down to the ground. Leaf litter on the forest floor, jade-green shadows above . . . and then the leaves were illuminated from below by a radiance more powerful than the sun at its zenith as they moved together. Joined their bodies for the first time in close to a decade. Joined their minds, too, whispering each other’s Names. Minori felt Amaterasu move her perceptions slightly aside, but she reached out, and gave the goddess her joy. She was dimly aware that the barriers and limitations between them were . . . dissolving. That she was gradually becoming one with her goddess, her self fading.
Drowsing in Emberstone’s arms afterwards, Truthsayer admitted, I don’t want to go back.
We have to. At least, I do. I made them. His voice was a whisper. The godlings are humanity’s darkest urges, given the power of gods. They’re what will end us. I have to go back. I have to stop what I created.
You didn’t create them. You tried to stop them. She paused. Every one of you lictors carries a burden of guilt around with you so heavy, I don’t know how any of you can stand up. And it’s unwarranted.
He blinked. What do you mean?
Steelsoul. He thinks that if he hadn’t sent you undercover, that the world would not now be as it is. She closed her eyes. And thus, he must continue to work for Caesarion and everyone else, to try to put things right. Worldwalker? Is convinced that if he’d just made different alliances, different bargains, found the right person or spirit to talk to, that he could have changed the course of events. And Stormborn? I think she believes that having been born at all was her first mistake. She looked up at him, and touched his face. And then there’s you.
People have died, and it’s on my hands—
No. On Baal-Hamon’s, and the technomancers. She paused. They each died with a piece of Baal-Hamon wedged in them, at the same time, and in the same way, that you did, Kanmi Emberstone. She said his Name with love, and watched as he half-closed his eyes at the sensations that evoked. Why are you not what they are?
Self-sacrifice. He grimaced. It’s the most empowering act there is. They didn’t sacrifice themselves. And we kept their children safe. They didn’t know their Names. I held onto mine . . . and to you. He closed his eyes. And yet, in a way, we all got what we wanted. They wanted limitless destructive power, and to become gods. I wanted to save my friends, and stop them. So . . . I stopped the people that they were. They’re not really there anymore. Just hunger and destruction. And they became gods. Creatures without selves. He sighed, and looked back at her. We have to go. Time passes at Worldwalker’s whim here, but it does still pass.
She wrapped her arms around him. It’s been so hard to wait for you.
And I’ve had nothing to do but wait, and hope that your will was strong enough for both of us. I never had any real doubts, but I did think it would take decades that you didn’t have. He kissed her. Sometimes, I’m a fool.
Iulius 6, 1993 AC
Mercury hovered invisibly in the sky, his sword flicking out and slicing off tendrils of a mad godling each time they came near. This one’s central body was five times the size of the sun’s apparent disc in the sky, and the northern gods had their hands full as they fought it. And yet he marveled at how well they all worked together. Fenris was on the ground, holding a jagged appendage, and now hauled the godling down to him, ignoring the pain as the creature tried to absorb his essence. Tyr struck the godling with lightning, overloading it with energy. Loki sent the creature chasing energy ghosts, creations of raw sorcery that blazed with power . . . and then vanished as soon as a tendril lanced through them. Niðhoggr raced through the air with Stormborn on his back, catching the inky tendrils in his jaws and biting through them, absorbing little bursts of energy each time, while Stormborn began to rake the creature with lightning and raw magic.
They were playing the creature like a large fish on a fragile line. It was still dangerous—one of the tendrils sliced through Sigrun’s shoulder, and for a bad moment, Mercury thought she would be absorbed and killed, and he would have to return to Jupiter and report ‘partial success.’
Instead, the nascent goddess brought her spear down on the appendage, and the dragon spun them both out of the way of a half-dozen more limbs, letting Tyr and Loki wade in, in her stead. You are well, daughter? Tyr called to her.
“I will be,” she shouted back, her voice barely audible through the continuous roll of thunder shaking the air around them. Mercury had no idea why she still clung to her human mode of speech, but he rather liked that about her. Then she was right back in the fight
Mercury moved in, invisibly in their wake, hovering behind Loki. He wasn’t a war-god, but he was very fast. Speed and illusion still took energy, however—and this fight was worse than his attacks on Xipe Totec or Tohil had been. Then again, neither of them knew I was about to strike. I had the advantage.
Soon, the Valhallans had the creature destabilized enough that cracks appeared along the surface of its barely-manifested body. They tore it apart, the energy wave hit, and Mercury did his best to absorb as much of it as he could. His avatar destabilized for a moment as he strove to contain that roiling darkness. He was dimly aware of the others all receiving some of the energy as well, and that the dragon had just folded its wings and plunged towards the ground, as if knocked out of the sky. Ah, the deception begins, and I am barely able to think with this thing inside of me . . . . He created a double of himself, sword in hand, appearing to land on the dragon’s limp neck just behind Sigrun. Make me look good, he tossed at Loki. His double lashed out with his sword . . . .
. . . and Loki�
��s illusion field melded with his own, as Sigrun’s head appeared to separate from her neck. Tyr and Loki both shouted in anger, and swooped down after Mercury’s double, striking it with magic and lightning. What looked like a shockwave radiated out from Sigrun’s dead body, and the earth itself trembled, and the ocean churned. Mercury’s image laughed and vanished, and the limp dragon hit the ocean’s surface, taking his apparently dead rider deep into the sea. Loki and Tyr landed beside Fenris, and Fenris raced out onto the waves, howling, I will hunt you, Roman godling! I will eat your heart!
A nicely dramatic touch, that, Mercury thought.
Go, Niðhoggr told him. Zeus awaits.
Mercury had set up the meeting weeks ago, telling Zeus that while he was bound to Jupiter, he doubted Jupiter’s recent decisions. He has become Cronus, Mercury had told Zeus. Only he devours everything now, and not just his own children. Can you regulate him, Father? Only you have true influence on him, as he is your double.
Zeus had seemed to agree to that, but had noted, Will he not be aware of my treachery?
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