Kiya and the God of Chaos

by Philippa Bower

  Chapter One hundred and twenty nine: A Cyclops

  Overhead the clouds blackened and lightning flashed between their rolling banks. Seth was angry and Kiya knew she had been right to guess that the first phalanx of creatures had been sent ahead to distract the soldiers. A huge blaze of lightning lit the sky and Kiya could see winged serpents coiling in and out of the thunderclouds. She hoped that the soldiers were still fresh enough to tackle what was to come.

  “To the front!” came the order. The soldiers formed into a line and marched south to where Nakht was organising the defence of the city. Kiya stayed behind.

  A crash of thunder heralded a downpour. The first few drops fell upon Kiya and she shrank back against the side of the road, trying to find shelter from the rain. Soon her shift was soaked and her hair clung, dripping, to the side of her head. Water ran down the walls of the houses. Kiya knew that it would be gathering on the flat roofs and cascading down the inner staircases into people’s living rooms. How would mud bricks stand up to such a deluge? she wondered.

  A sense of foreboding filled her, something terrible was on the way. Even through the driving rain she could smell a rank scent that was growing stronger. A movement in the sky caught her attention and her guts knotted as she saw an enormous giant loom through the sheets of rain. He was the shape of a man, but so massive that he stood higher than the cliffs that surrounded the city. He must have stepped easily over Nakht’s defences, thought Kiya. What fools they had been to think that mere mortals could defend themselves against such a creature.

  The colossal humanoid peered downwards and Kiya saw that his face was as rough hewn as if he had been made from rock. His craggy features looked ill-tempered and he glared with a single eye that was situated in the middle of his forehead.

  The giant stamped and his huge feet flattened houses as though they had been no more than children’s toys. Kiya ran towards the destruction, the screams and cries of victims becoming louder as she approached. The giant paused and looked towards the cliffs. Kiya realised that Sabu and his nomad tribes were hurling stones at him with their slingshots.

  The giant lumbered towards his attackers, raised a mighty fist and thumped downwards. Kiya’s heart went out to the nomads. She should never have put them on the cliff top, their stones were no match for the giant. She hoped they would have the sense to flee before he killed them all.

  The giant struck again and his hand must have hit an obelisk for he gave a shriek of pain and peered more closely at the cliff top. A shower of arrows rose up. The Nubians had arrived. Startled by the stinging arrows the giant stepped backwards. He slipped upon the muddy remains of destroyed houses and lost his footing. For a few moments his arms flailed the air as he tried to regain his balance and then he fell heavily on his back. Kiya felt the ground shake beneath her feet at the impact of his landing.

  The giant must have struck his head against the cliff, for he lay still as if stunned. A flash of lightning lit the sky and Kiya could see men rush to a large, sharply-pointed obelisk, which stood outlined on the cliff top above the giant’s head. The men pushed with all their strength. At first the mighty granite column held fast and then it toppled over the cliff. It hurtled downwards, accelerating as it went, until it hit the giant’s head with the speed of a javelin.

  A blood curdling screech echoed through the pouring rain. The giant sat up and Kiya could see that the obelisk was poking from his eye. He clawed at his face and managed to dislodge the improvised weapon, but it had done its damage. With a moan the giant staggered to his feet and held out his hands, trying to feel for the cliff. More arrows were fired at him, but he ignored them and felt his way blindly along the rock face until he reached the end of the escarpment and escaped.

  Kiya watched the giant stagger away from the city, following the other monsters north towards the delta. What fate awaited him? she wondered. Would he drown in the sea or die in the desert? Without sight even the most powerful creature was doomed.

  A crowd of people rushed down the road towards her.

  “My house has been crushed!”

  “There was a terrible giant!”

  “My daughter is missing.”

  “Take cover!” shouted Kiya, for above them she could see a winged serpent dive to the attack. A bolt of lightning struck the building beside her and its wall crumbled. Kiya leapt though the hole created by the strike and found herself confronted by a woman clutching a baby.

  “Quick! We must find a place to hide,” Kiya cried.

  All three of them crouched behind the kitchen counter and listened to the noises coming from outside. They heard shouting and screaming and the booming roar of thunder. Then, at last, there was silence, broken only by the constant patter of the rain.

  “What is happening?” said the woman. “Where is all this water coming from?” The kitchen floor was wet with muddy rainwater. It was pouring down the staircase, making each step a miniature waterfall. Kiya could see that the brick treads were already starting to crumble.

  “It is raining,” Kiya told the woman. “The water falls in droplets from clouds in the sky.”

  “I have never seen such a thing!” said the woman and she frowned at Kiya as if blaming her for the phenomenon.

  “It will not hurt you, but do not go into the street, for the city is being invaded. You and the baby should be safe if you hide in the yard.”

  The woman clutched the baby to her breast and stared out into the rain-soaked yard at the back of the house. “We will get wet,” she cried.

  “If you stay in the house the roof might fall,” said Kiya. The woman stared at her uncomprehendingly and made no move to leave her unstable refuge. “I beg of you, for the baby’s sake,” said Kiya, but the woman glared at her and held the baby more tightly.

  “I think it’s time you went,” she said.

  “Yes,” agreed Kiya. “I thank you for providing sanctuary. May the gods protect you.” She stepped through the shattered hole in the wall of the building and hoped the woman would think again about her warning.

  Kiya walked down the street, nervous of what she might find. There were charred bodies lying on the road. She checked them to see if any were still alive, but all were dead – their features distorted and their eyes blank. She rolled over one corpse and recognised the man who had lost his daughter. Rain pattered down onto his blackened skin and the smell of burnt flesh filled her nostrils.

  Kiya shuddered and looked around for survivors. The deserted street stretched in both directions with no sign of life. Surely, some people must have escaped the lightning strikes and the flaming breath of the storm serpent, thought Kiya. She hoped they had found safe shelter.