by Laura Hawks
Clarissa wondered what the Gods would think of next to make this battle even more spectacular. The thought barely crossed her mind when Degan expanded and stretched his body to an impressive twenty feet in height. Degan posed an awe-inspiring, albeit frightening sight and even Dah took a moment to appreciate it. The God of Animals couldn’t allow Dah to get the upper hand. He raised his arms and called forth hundreds of ferrets which overran Degan. The God of Peace howled in pain and thrashed about in an attempt to shake their sharp teeth ripping at his flesh.
Degan desperately wanted to blast them into thousands of ferret pieces but it went against his nature. Instead, the sharp, pungent smell of rubbing alcohol permeated the air all around him. Ferrets detested the odor and the intensity of it soon made them scramble to get away from him. Degan also put the smell on each of his companions as well as Clarissa, so the ferrets wouldn’t attack the others. Degan couldn’t help but chuckle as the ferrets raced off his body and out of the clearing, since the scent was so overpowering.
Clarissa jumped out of the way of the fleeing ferrets. She turned back towards the battle as the God of the Sun sent a blinding flare towards them. Clarissa ducked while she covered her eyes to shield her from the bright light. By now, she wasn’t sure whether they wanted to rescue her or kill her. As she opened her eyes, she was elated her vision wasn’t affected by the flare. She realized Astaria managed to block the initial blast by sending a dark cloud to envelop the sunburst.
“Now, now, Hino. That wasn’t nice. I may not be as strong as the sun but I can block you every step of the way.”
“You always thought you were stronger than you actually are. It’s okay, Star, I have more tricks to stupefy you with. I’m sure I will be able to shadow your vision with one of them.”
“Are you sure you’re the Sun God? You really sound more like the Northern Wind with all that blustery air you keep spouting.”
“We’ll see who is laughing when the heavens are missing their Morning Star.” Hino growled.
Astaria barely registered the move before when an icy arctic blast sent her flying. The force sent her straight into Manitumis and momentarily unbalanced him. His lip curled in a fierce snarl as he righted himself and set her away from him.
“Do you mind?” he asked snidely.
“Not at all,” she snarled back. “Since you’ve done your good deed for the day, would you mind getting back to the fight or should I do all the work around here?”
Manitumis began to lunge her but found himself blocked by Jes.
“Reserve your little lover’s spat for another occasion and focus on who the real enemies are. We need to attain the gem and if they,” Jes gestured towards Nana, Mel and the other attackers, “get their hands on it first because you two couldn’t get along, we are all fucked.”
Jes turned back to the conflict and narrowed his eyes as he spotted Azamel in combat with Dah. Clarissa was on the opposite side engaged in hand to hand battle against Beloitah. After watching for a couple of minutes, Jes was amazed at the agility and strength Clarissa displayed, despite the wounds he himself inflicted on her as well as those she sustained since Azamel and his posse appeared. Even Ictinike, the God of War was impressed with her skill as she held her own against the powerful being.
Chip noticed his wife battling the gem’s attendant and realized the wolf was going to need help. He summoned a legion of dead soldiers and commanded them to assist his allies, especially Clarissa as she continued to struggle with Beloitah.
Tired of her successful punches, Beloitah surrounded Clarissa in a stasis field when she noticed the soldiers her husband sent towards them. She shook her head, amazed he would try something so ridiculous. After all these centuries, he should know better than to try something like that with her. She bent and touched the ground, sending a wave of evil through the earth to infect the undead army. Their features instantly altered evilly as they turned on those closest to them. Attacking immediately, Chip blinked in surprise as four of his army assaulted him, their blades slicing through his armor. He glanced down stunned. Before Chip could respond to the sudden change in the zombie army, Hino used his sun powers to vaporize the advancing horde turned by Beloitah.
Azamel knew he needed to reach Clarissa and free her from the field his mother wrapped around her. She was vulnerable as the sphere prevented her from any movement. She would feel, see and hear the one giving her the death blow without being able to defend herself.
He tried to get to her when he was blocked by Nana who realized Dah was sending another attack towards them. Nana squared himself against Dah as the latter called upon a large group of giant anacondas to keep Nana and the others busy. Dah hoped it would delay their advance so Jes could abscond with Clarissa and acquire the Gem of Avarice.
Ham perceived the large reptiles headed quickly towards their group. The large snakes quickly moved to encompass several of the Gods who stood closest to Azamel, including the Demon Judge himself. Ham sent a time shift in the direction of the slithering creatures, the shock wave hitting the massive serpents which all reverted to newly hatched babes, falling from the Gods bodies and wriggling harmlessly away.
As the snakes writhed away, the God of Time flashed closer to confront Dah.
“Snakes? Really? Couldn’t you think of anything more inventive? You really are pathetic!” He sneered as he sucker punched the God of Animals.
Clarissa fought against the stasis field. She needed to get free and fight. She discerned everything happening around her and it annoyed her she couldn’t fight for what she protected, trapped as she was. Knowing of her need to stand on her own and engage in the physical dispute, Gene sent a blast which disintegrated the field, thereby releasing her from its confines. Clarissa momentarily collapsed. She struggled to her feet only to have Manitumis slug her across the cheekbone causing her to stumble backwards. Her hand went to her cheek as fury emblazoned her emerald eyes. As Mel fought Nokomis, who appeared before him as he tried to make his way to Clarissa’s side, the Guardian surprised him as she stood and projected balls of fire towards the God of Sleep.
All the Gods appeared shocked at the sudden use of her powers, unaware she had become so strong in her abilities. Manitumis looked down upon his chest where black charred circles encompassed his otherwise pristine skin.
“Seems the Guardian has a few tricks up her sleeve. I wish someone had told us.” Manitumis growled.
Clarissa snorted. “Well, I wish you had two brain cells to rub together but we don’t always get what we want, do we. Oh, well. Sorry, Snow White, is char black not your color?”
“You won’t be so humorous when we tear you to shreds.”
“What is it with the bad guys? Do you always plan on boring the good guys to death? Is that what you really think works?”
Manitumis snarled as he tackled her. His arms went about her waist as he forced her to the ground under him. He couldn't care less if she was a woman or not as he punched her ribs and felt them crack under his strength.
Ictinike assessed the fray, especially the situation of Manitumis pummeling the Guardian. The God of War was fully aware the combatants were not going to defeat each other on abilities alone. Pulling his tomahawk from his back, Ictinike rushed forward giving a loud battle cry. The others were momentarily stunned but then quickly joined the melee with calls of their own.
Ictinike headed straight for Dah, barreling over anyone in his path as his weapon was raised above his head. Nana charged Jes only to be bested by Mel who arrived at his sibling’s side before Nana could. Mel materialized a sword, brandishing it as he got close to Jes. Jes mimicked Mel’s acquisition with a sword of his own, blocking the Demon Judge’s swing attack. The two rapiers clanked against each other as the battle waged around them. Situated in the center of the other assailants, Mel and Jes fought with utter abandon.
Nokomis and Beloitah prepared themselves to meet the onslaught of Nana, Hino, Micha and the others who rushed towards them, waving their newly conju
red arms for battle.
Astaria moved towards Clarissa while the others were being overrun by Ictinike and his ilk. Astaria needed to assist Jes in getting the woman out of the area for it was still vital for the custodian to pinpoint the exact whereabouts of the powerful artifact. Manitumis pounding on the woman wouldn’t yield productive results and he was needed in battle where it would benefit them more with Nokomis and Beloitah. Astaria had to get Clarissa away from the God of Sleep before he did irreparable damage in which the stone would be forever lost.
“Enough!” Astaria yelled as she tore Clarissa away from Manitumis’ powerful grip. When Manitumis started to turn on her, she sent an electrical charge to startle him so he realized what he was doing to jeopardize their objective.
The God of Sleep growled, his eyes blazing. He was about to continue his attack before he was shocked and instantly comprehended the need of Astaria to pull Clarissa from him. Turning from them, he dove into the havoc erupting around him.
Clarissa, although exhausted, afflicted with extreme injuries and intense pain, pushed it all to the side as best she could and focused on what she needed to accomplish. She was fighting for the very lives of the world. She couldn’t give up or surrender even if her body strongly disagreed with her. She turned her attack onto Astaria as she tried to gain the upper hand, ignoring her cracked ribs. She had no choice but to push past the agony of her body. Clarissa swung and brawled against the Goddess with everything she could muster.
The cacophony of battle became strong as weapons clashed against each other. The sound of metal rang through the otherwise still clearing, the ground torn asunder from constant barrage of the Gods. As bolts of lightning, balls of fire, wind tornados as well as water spouts ripped through the area, the combatants let everything they had loose against the others who stood on the opposite standpoint of what they believed and wanted.
Jes refused to be distracted by the pantheon fighting each other as he faced Mel. Azamel claimed at the out start Jes was to be left to him before they followed Dah to this rendezvous place. The two men moved in synchronous rhythm as their sharp blades clashed. They parried their footwork meticulous as they danced in equal measure. Mel was definitely the more experienced, however, he held back slightly. Jes was his sibling, even though there was hatred between them. For family, even though he knew he should and probably would regret the decision, Mel couldn’t expand his prowess to utterly defeat his brother. Somehow, Clarissa reminded him certain things were important, such as those in his life.
The Guardian wolf had elicited a response from Mel he had not given credence to in eons. For her, he looked at the world with slightly softer eyes. The total humiliation or death of his sibling just wasn’t something he could accomplish because of the feelings she evoked within him.
Mel grabbed Jes by the throat and growled as he pulled him close to his face, his warm breath against Jes’ skin. “You have gone too far this time, Jes. I was young when you pulled Nokomis away from me, when I was blamed for your misdeeds. Not this time.”
“Yes, this time, Azamel. This time and the past as well as the future. You will always lose to me. You were the favorite once, got every fucking thing you ever wanted. Everything came easily to you but as long as I am able, you will never win if I can stop it.”
Jes pushed Mel hard enough to make him stumble and release Jes’ throat. It was the split second Jes needed to get away and flash to Clarissa, who was still so embroiled in an epic hand to hand battle with Astaria she didn’t notice his appearance. Within the blink of an eye, Jes grabbed Clarissa from behind and with one neat stroke of his blade, sliced clean through her jugular. Jes knew Azamel desperately wanted her and he would do whatever it took to ensure Mel lost everything that mattered to him.
Jes’ warrior’s cry of triumph echoed across the terrain, alerting Azamel who looked up as the blade sliced through Clarissa’s soft skin. Time seem suspended as he watched the blade move as if in slow motion. Their eyes met and the shock, horror and pain in her eyes mirrored his.
“No! No! No!” Mel’s agonized cry spread over the landscape like a cold blanket. His head moved to Jes and the smug smile on his face spurred him into motion. Clarissa’s body hardly met the ground before Azamel grabbed Jes and slammed his head repeatedly against the hard earth.
“Why? You needed her to find the stone. Why?”
“So you would never have her. It’s worth losing the power the gem would provide just to make sure you would never be happy,” Jes snarled.
The others of the pantheon eventually stopped their fighting and watched as brother turned against brother with a fury which emblazoned a trail of past hatreds, betrayals and the newest loss.
With Herculean effort, he dropped Jes to the ground the moment he passed out. The bastard could thank the Gods Mel didn’t kill him. He ran to Clarissa, stumbled and slid next to her still jerking body. His hands circle her throat trying in vain to stop the bleeding. Why now?
How could this happen? She was the Guardian! She was strong, powerful. She had grown with her abilities and managed to keep Jes and the others back, fighting to stay alive while she took on her responsibility. He couldn’t lose her. He couldn’t let her die!
A single tear escaped from the corner of her left eye as she looked at him. With the descent of that single drop down her cheek, her life force finally left her body with one last breath. His movements stilled as he looked at her now limp form, his hands releasing her severed neck. Still on his knees, he closed her lids with his blood stained fingers as the words he never said were lodged in his throat. She would never hear them, she would never know. He raised his arms and released a cry of such pain that the ground shook from it. Only when his throat was hoarse did he stop and the silence which then descended portrayed the true horror of what transpired there.
Chapter Twenty-Four
With Clarissa’s death and no one to inherit the responsibility of protecting the stone, the Gem of Avarice appeared in both parts on either side of the her prone body. The stone which had been implanted in the blade’s handle suddenly arose free from its gilded cage, while the other floated waiting for the dagger piece to join it. As the two pieces moved, they fused together into one piece with a blinding flash, only to fall onto Clarissa’s chest.
Archanidou immediately appeared next to her body and several of her arachnid minions swarmed around the upper body of Clarissa, grabbing at the stone. Before any of the others could even move, the spiders spun a web and pulled on it.
The Gods and Goddess all stood there amazed, shocked, doing nothing more than observing the surprising turn of events. A creaking sound then as the stone was splintered a loud crack, which shattered and erupted through the stunned stillness accompanied by another blinding light and the deep, rich boom of what sounded like an intense thunder clap.
When everything settled milliseconds later, both Clarissa’s body and Archanidou were gone, the stone lay in a dusty pile, pulverized into a fine dust, all potential power disintegrated with it.
Jes pushed Mel off of him and rushed to the yellowish, red dust that remained- all that was left of the Gem of Avarice. He scooped up the dust only to let is sift falling through his fingers. He cried out, “How could you? All of it for nothing! Nothing!”
The others watched, saddened at the turn of events, the loss of a chance of ultimate power or absolute change. The deprivation of the ability to make a difference, even though it was the incorrect solution was debilitating for some. Slowly, the others returned to their homes. There was nothing left to fight for. Gene and Nana would later discuss the punishments which would be served to Jes and his accomplices.
Mel and Nana were the last to leave. There was nothing left of Clarissa, other than a small pool of her blood which seeped into the ground.
“Go home, son. You did all you could.”
“I didn’t do enough.” Mel looked up at him with a haunted look in his eyes. “I never told her how I truly felt. I never told her I loved
her.”
“Deep down, she knew.”
“What am I supposed to do now?”
“What you have always done. You will continue your duties. You will bury yourself in your work and you will remember a young wolf who died trying to do what was right and got farther in accomplishing her duty than any would have expected because of the training you gave her. Most of all, you will remember the time you had with her and remember there is good in this world worth saving. If nothing else, for her because that was the legacy she left behind.”
On the cliff of the nearby hills, Coyote watched the entire scene play out. The stone was lost forever. Clarissa gone from this plane of existence. Grumbling, Coyote mumbled to himself, “Looks like plan A failed, time to turn to plan B. I’m not done yet.” He dematerialized from the war ravaged land to return home.
Chapter Twenty-Five
It had been three days since Clarissa was killed and Archanidou had taken her body off the battlefield. Mel had not left his office. Shara had never seen him so despondent in all the centuries she had been with him. Coyote had appeared to relate to her the events shortly after Mel returned and stormed into his office telling her he was to be disturbed for no one or anything. No exceptions, especially if she knew what was good for her continued existence. She tried to bring him his sustenance and he refused to even allow her in his presence. She was aware he had neither slept nor eaten and she was becoming concerned.