A Gluttony Of Faith

by Steven Lindsay

Samael and Hecate have once again reappeared to continue Britain’s expansion north through Africa, it can be anticipated that they will come into ever greater conflict with Abaddon and his forces.

  Lilith has reappeared and been named Divine Governor of India-“

  “What?” Michael snapped. None of the Angels were surprised.

  “It was formalised yesterday, Lilith has replaced the old Divine Governor who it appears was sacrificed by the people for not requesting Brigid’s help. It would seem your easy days in India are at an end, my Lord, and that you will now have to battle Divine forces that are under Lilith’s command. It would also appear that Sariel has taken up residence with her in Varanasi.”

  Michael stood up “if you will excuse me I have pressing issues to deal with.” The other Arch Angels nodded to him. “Nuriel, I would like a full report of all you know of India by the end of the Indian Day.”

  “Of course, my Lord.”

  They watched him disappear in flames. He was not happy at all.

  “My Arch Angel, this is a pleasant surprise” Azad Ali looked up from his codex system which had all the logistics of the Pakistani army displayed. So far the war was going far greater than he could have ever believed, especially with Bangladesh throwing their weight behind them and numerous Afghani and Iranian warlords bowing before him. It seemed Pakistan was growing in all directions.

  God was smiling down on them.

  “Does Pakistan have nuclear weapons?” there was fury in the Arch Angel’s voice. A fury that Azad had long learned to answer to.

  “Yes my Lord, we do.”

  “Capable of striking India?”

  “Yes. But is that wise? Nuclear weapons while highly effective have a great deal of radioactive fallout and can poison lands, air, rivers, and seas. Look at what happened in America.”

  “Do you dare question me?”

  “Of course not my Lord, I was merely alerting you to mortal concerns. We are not protected as the Angels are.”

  “We can clean up the fallout easily enough once India is ours.”

  He was worried now. Nuclear weapons were a terrible invention, their use was highly discouraged and feared. “Did you have a target in mind?”

  A savage smile grew across his face slowly. “Varanasi, Azad, we will strike Varanasi. Take me to the command centre. We had better plan this right. We are likely to only get one chance at this.”

  Shrieks and roars filled the air, startling the people of Iceland. They had come to terms with the constant presence of Dragons on their island. They had become a curious sight to see the Primordial Dragons playing in the active volcanoes and rivers of lava. The two greater Dragons worried them but were rarely seen or heard.

  They had also seen an increasing number of other Dragons leaving Iceland. These were the ones that fitted the myths and legends the world knew. Winged Monsters capable of breathing fire, among many other things.

  But while the roars were common the shrieks were not.

  At first, they didn’t see anything wrong, a huge black Dragon chasing a rainbow coloured Dragon. It was only when they paid closer attention that they realised that it was not the other great Dragon of their island.

  While this creature had rainbow wings to match the other dragon, it was coppery-beige in colour, not ocean blue-grey. Nor did it have the long neck and tail of Dragons. This creature was entirely new to them, though it did remind them of Griffins, which they had heard were on the Angels’ side.

  Yet this chase did not seem aggressive if anything it seemed playful and flirtatious, if mortals were able to make such judgements on Divine creatures.

  Though the sudden visualisation of the Lifestream after the creatures had landed was a dead giveaway as were the grunts and roars. The great Dragon Bahamut was mating with something, but what progeny would be produced?

  Hera studied her latest creation. Why had she not turned her hand to creating earlier? She was far more talented at it that she had realised. Admittedly she was following frameworks, but she wasn’t one to split hairs over her greatness. She was creating new races to aid her war effort.

  Arachne had been most unwilling but she didn’t get a choice in the matter, she had been gifted with her new bodies. She was the first, the queen, she deserved special talents, and so she had been given the ability to shift into a much bigger form. It would likely prove useful.

  She had opted to create Arachne in the image of the Black Widow, a most fearful and yet delicate spider. Hera found them fascinating, the web-spinning spiders seemed to have the most delicate and almost dainty legs. Yet they were savage and powerful predators. She admired their talents.

  Arachne was Human sized but cast in the image of an arachnid. Eight black legs, thin and delicate yet very strong. She had a large abdomen to produce the silk that was so precious to spiders. The red hourglass of Widow Spiders she had outlined in violet, a warning to all that saw it. This creature was venomous and magical. The main changes were to her cephalothorax which had been elongated into a more humanoid torso and head. It was vaguely reminiscent of a Centaur, in a wholly creepy comparison.

  Her face had two large black eyes and a row of six other eyes underneath them. In place of a mouth, she had a spider’s palps and two fearfully wicked looking fangs that could put any Vampire to shame. She had a strange beauty to her, as with all the Divine but no other species was likely to find her sexually attractive. She was a terrifying reminder of the fearful world in the undergrowth.

  She also had the ability to shift into a huge spider, exact physically except for the size.

  But Arachne was not the only newly transformed creation in front of her.

  Following on the insect and arachnid vein Hera had taken a fierce Maenad warrior and transformed her into a humanoid Mantis. Rhiannon watched the world with very different eyes than she had before. Unlike Arachne, Rhiannon’s new form was very similar to the typical mantis apart from the size. They were deadly predators that Hera had made even more dangerous. She had replaced their chitin in many places with metal, now their raptorial forelegs were like lethal paired swords with serrated edges. Even her mandibles were metallic, designed for cutting and chewing through even bone.

  What was perhaps surprising was just how beautiful her wings were. On a whim, Hera had coloured them light blue with veins of pink. While many others to follow would be the typical green or brown Rhiannon was a pink-purple colour. The Mantis warriors were to be a powerful asset, and she had decided to make them beautiful in appearance, though like Arachne no other race was going to find them sexually attractive.

  Hera had used what skills she had to give them the gift of prophecy, natural to both species in mortal perception but whether it would only bear fruit generations from now was something she would have to see.

  For the meantime at least she was creating a terrifying army. As it was the Myrmidon had diversified, there were flying ones being born now with potent venom in their stings. Now she had the Arachnians and Mantids to add to her ever-growing army. Oh, how the Americans would tremble before the unholy army descending on them.

  Chapter 38

  The sun rose as a bloody orb above the city of Varanasi, an omen if ever she saw one. Turning away from the sun, Lilith looked at the rows of soldiers appearing out of the portal. Tried and tested Canadian and British soldiers as well as rank upon rank of Atlantean. It was a sea of army green, Atlantean blue, and Imperial red.

  Britain had come to the defence of India in fine form. She would have at her command both the Red Guard and the Blue Guard. At her disposal were hundreds, if not thousands of magic wielders from a variety of species and also the incredible technological might of the Atlanteans. Pakistan, its Prophet, and Michael did not stand a chance.

  She continued to drink from her crystal chalice, swirling the silvery blood within. Sariel was remarkably free with the gift of blood, blood that very soon would surpass even Tiamat’s in the amount of Chaos within it. Her daughter could be hunted for the power o
f her blood. But only a fool would try to hunt the Chaos Goddess. Young she might be but she was no longer naive, and while innocent she had shown a resolve and strength of character to rival any Divine.

  Lucifer was a fool. She had made the same offer to him but his pride was hurt, and he was determined to overcome his poisoning on his own. Oh, how it must gall him to see that she had suffered a far greater degree of Chaos poisoning, had almost been dead from it and yet was now on the Surface using her own powers. Admittedly not to full strength and many of her scars had not healed, but she was no longer missing digits.

  She had a purpose and place again. She had been assisting Ereshkigal, but it was here she could stamp her mark. And she loved India, always had back from her early days of serving Gods here. It was a land as ancient and magical as China or Mesopotamia.

  And she would get to rule, try her hand at military leadership and spend quality time with her daughter. It was just a pity that she was squaring off against her son and his forces. Oh well, she had a lifetime of regrets and mistakes, what was one more? Still at least her decision to give Sariel into Michael’s care had not been a mistake.

  Oh she had been stripped of her power, but she had grown to youth safely, and while breaking Hell’s Curse she had reached adulthood. Sariel was an incredible individual and a better daughter she couldn’t have asked for. What did surprise her was just how innocent she remained. Her mentorship with Brigid was good for her, both were very genuine Goddesses. It was strange to be in their company when she was used to the political intrigue of Heaven, had learned to play it well, to use all around her and climb its ranks.

  Well, that was a closed door. Heaven belonged to the Angels, and its onetime Divine power plays were forgotten fragments of an age long gone. Perhaps the seers had been right, Sariel would help usher in a new age. After all, returning to the old ways was folly. The Gods and Angels had made similar mistakes. In Heaven, the Divine quickly fell out of touch with the world and grew arrogant. And in such a dangerous world arrogance could cost you your life. A price many Gods had paid and many Angels would.

  She nodded to James as he appeared out of the portal on a floating platform. The variety of Atlantean vehicles surprised and impressed her. And their automatons were an invaluable asset. Already the things were pouring over the city, fixing up leaking sewers and pipes, tearing down unsafe buildings and clearing area for a whole plethora of new buildings.

  She had seen the plans which Sariel had already assured Xandelexis and Zenar that she would assist in the construction of the Academy. There were also barracks to be built, and the Atlanteans had a variety of other buildings that they needed in order to be stationed here for any length of time. The Humans and Daemons were also drawing up plans to adjust the city which was still recovering from the flood two years ago. What had shot back up was a hodgepodge and ill-planned city desperate to build temples and little else. All progress had been hampered by the Angels and their followers.

  Now it was time to sort Varanasi out and then, in turn, the rest of India.

  Her attention was caught by her shields. Something was approaching fast, very fast. It had to be technology driven or the strike squad of Heaven. She would bet that it was more missiles. Ever since she had been here, her shields had surrounded the city to protect it against the frequent missile attacks. But they had fallen off in the last few days. Not that she had shirked her shields, they were far too valuable.

  All around her Atlantean sensors went haywire and at first, she thought it was a simple mishap until she noticed the pure terror emanating from the Atlanteans and the screaming of their scientists. One of them had the foresight to grab a speaker and yell out the warning “Nuclear weapon approaching. Arrival in thirty seconds.”

  Atlantean technology whirred and moaned as they struggled to raise their technological shields, but there was not going to be enough time to raise them before the nuke struck and really how much could they defend against such an unholy force.

  Sariel materialised next to her, fear and determination written all over her face. Lilith knew that look, she had seen it in the mirror often enough.

  “So they want to play dirty, we shall show them that we shall not be beaten.” She grabbed her mother’s hands and poured her phenomenal power into the already strong shield. It was moments like these that made Lilith wonder just how powerful her daughter was. She was far more powerful than herself or Samael.

  “Arrival in fifteen seconds...ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.”

  The whole world turned white as the nuclear warhead exploded against the shield. All around them was cast into stark relief as bright light flooded through the city. Brown, red and violet magic could be seen exploding all across the dome as it struggled to cope under the onslaught of unimaginable explosive power. The Divine were just not prepared to deal with such non-magical destruction.

  She saw her daughter’s eyes flash from violet to Chaos starburst, she wondered what colour hers had gone, as Sariel unleashed Chaos into the shield.

  Fractures of brown and black raced along the shield even as the orange mushroom cloud started to rise outwards and they could see the world outside turn to fire.

  Somewhere they heard a woman scream, a scream unlike anything a mortal could produce. And they felt power, Primordial and earth based flood through the whole area and attack the explosion.

  Then the whole world turned green.

  “Wow, Brigid you have done wonders to the land.” Samael surveyed his territory which the last time he had seen it had been nothing but a wasteland south of the Congo River until it hit the northern border of South Africa. Now lush fields and thriving savannah spread south, and he could make out the shapes of elephants and lions moving through the grass. In spots, he could also see acacia saplings. The Province of South Africa was returning to health.

  Brigid had even been nurturing the recovery of the lost rainforests of the Congo. To Samael and Hecate, it was an incredible achievement that spoke volumes about the recent changes to her powers. Neither knew how or what had happened, but her powers had matured to a point that much of the power she used felt like they belonged to a Primordial Goddess.

  Much of the area was empty, Abaddon’s minions had cleared out much of central Africa. Not that the region had had much of a population anyway. Angola and the Congo nations had all collapsed decades ago. Abaddon had merely taken over an area that called to him. As the lands north of the Congo River still called to him. Which was why they were here.

  Hecate was going to swing up the eastern side of Africa, using Madagascar as her base. While he would cross the river directly into Abaddon’s territory. It was long overdue that they settled their score with each other. He was also getting fed up with all of his creatures and Demons. Abaddon had many, and they were grotesque. Thankfully the still very toxic River Congo kept them on their side. The swirling glimmers of green magic might also have something to do with that.

  The river was an unnerving sight. Highly polluted with small streams of clear, healthy water appearing and disappearing. There were noticeable ripples of green magic all along its length.

  “So this is where we part ways.”

  He smiled at his former Mentor “and your competitive side comes out.”

  She chuckled “I will conquer more land than you, just you wait.”

  “And I will destroy Abaddon.”

  “It is nice to see you have vast plans.”

  They turned to smile at Brigid “and yet you are the one who had the vast plan to conquer much of the world and thus deprive the Angels of their powers.”

  “I am still surprised that they have barely intervened in our annexation of southern Africa. It has a huge Christian population, why not defend them?”

  “Because their hope is that either Abaddon or I will kill each other and they will deal with the victor.”

  “They were ever a shrewd lot...” she trailed off as a frown creased her brow then she started t
o scream as flames tore up around her. She screamed so loud that the Divine and mortals were driven to their knees covering their ears.

  She kept screaming even as she disappeared in a ball of flames. Yet her screams did not stop once she was gone.

  Sorcha smiled at Victoria as she waddled into the dining room. Aisling jumped up to pull the chair back for her. It was nice to see her daughter getting along with Victoria, Aisling had initially been so cold to Victoria. Then again the Fae were often a cold people

  Though Aisling might have ulterior motives, the kinder she was to Victoria then the more likely Victoria was to defend her when she was questioning Aisling about mates. Not that anything would deter her, it was imperative that Aisling got pregnant and had an heir to strengthen the line. They were after all the last of the royal bloodlines.

  Sorcha studied Victoria with a critical eye while she was distracted. Her pregnancy was agreeing with her, then again she had been fed quite a bit of blood. What Victoria didn’t realise was that every drop of blood increased her own Divinity. The reduction in her morning sickness was more to do with her rising Divinity than anything else. The Divine had easy pregnancies. Many assumed her glow was due to her pregnancy, but Sorcha knew better. Her glow was from her increased Divinity. She could see the increased green in her lips and eyes, though not many would so easily see through lipstick as she could.

  Victoria sighed gratefully as Aisling pushed her in then returned to her seat. “Gods, I will be glad when she is out of me.”

  “There is nothing quite like holding your child for the first time” Sorcha smiled at her daughter. She remembered her children fondly as newborns and children. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Then again it had been quite some time ago. It made her realise just how much she missed their father. He had lit up her cold life with laughter and smiles. In many ways, Victoria reminded her of him, an outsider that had become such a part of the family through their un-Fae behaviour and insights. Laughter truly was one of the greatest wonders of living.