The Creation: Chaos Rising

by Art Gulley Jr.

  "Let's hope it remains so. At the moment she's my primary source of information."

  "For Darius' group as well," Silas amended.

  Iblis nodded in agreement. "And how does my dutiful Desomor plan to counter Lillian's initiative?"

  "He and Shift have already recruited a cadre of Nina's familiars to undertake a foray into Egypt where they will attempt to make contact with Khaleed, the Talisman's Guardian."

  "Good. Though considering who they're up against, they may require additional support. Send Mayhem to join them. Her history with Khaleed, and penchant for violence," Iblis added with a smile, "may come in handy."

  "As you wish." Silas accorded his master a respectful bow then withdrew from the office. The Morphling was less than pleased with involving that platinum-haired witch, but he knew better than to argue with his Lord on the matter. Hopefully the volatile nymph had learned her lesson from the Azreal debacle. If not…Another smile curved Silas' lips. He always enjoyed hearing that upstart Desomor scream!

  Chapter 40

  "Where in the hell are we?" Malakai exclaimed when the glow of Lie's carrier nimbus faded.

  "Offhand I'd say the desert," Joey remarked dryly letting his gaze sweep across the sandy landscape. The outline of numerous structures was just visible on the horizon.

  Lie grinned at his pun. "We are at the city of Memphis' southern border. The Guardian lives in an isolated villa just over those dunes."

  A sour look crossed Malakai's face as his eyes scoured the barren landscape. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's grab this holy stick so we can get out of here. This place reminds me to much of Kuwait."

  "Yeah it does," Joey agreed. "But at least this time we don't have to worry about sweating our butts off, now that our bodies are all powered up."

  Malakai's frown deepened. "Powered up or not I'll still be glad to leave."

  "Patience, Malakai," Lie soothed. "The Celemor to whom the Staff's location has been entrusted has been guarding it for centuries. Rending that secret from him may prove...challenging."

  Joey flashed the Halfling a cocky grin. "I thought that's why you brought us along."

  Lie gave his head an affectionate pat. "It is indeed, my pets. Come," she gestured with her hand in the direction they needed to go. "Let us be about our business before The Watch takes notice!"

  *

  The vibrant mosaic produced by the setting Egyptian sun brought a smile to the face of the tall broad-shouldered man kneeling in the courtyard of a modest clay dwelling. A small fire blazed in the metal brazier resting in the sand before him, the light from the flickering flame becoming more prevalent in the rapidly darkening sky.

  To the people of Memphis, the old hermit known as Khaleed was a curious enigma; always quick to lend a helping hand to those in need yet fiercely protective of his privacy. On those rare occasions that he did socialize, those in his company were often struck by the air of profound loneliness surrounding him, and even more so by the weariness reflected in his dark brown eyes.

  As he watched the stars make their evening appearance, Khaleed's mind drifted back, as it often did, to his life as a simple farmer; one of thousands freed from Egypt's crushing grip following the Exodus.

  One night, after imbibing to freely of the wine celebrating the Israelite's final victory over the Canaanites, Khaleed found himself the recipient of a Celestial visit. At first he thought the glowing, winged man appearing before him was a product of his drunkenness. That notion was quickly dispelled by the apparition's introduction of itself as the Archangel Michael.

  Michael then revealed to the awestruck Khaleed the Truth of the Creation, and the farmer's place within the Celestial fraternity known as the Divine Watch due to the Blood of his ancestor Abraham; a bonding that made him part of an elite strain of Humanity labeled Celestial Mortals by the Members of The Watch.

  Michael awakened the dormant energy within Khaleed then subjected him to a brief but thorough tutorial in its use. When he was satisfied with his pupil's proficiency, the Archangel charged the fledgling Celemor with the Task of guarding the secret location of the Staff of Moses. Michael had procured the Talisman from the Israelites after Moses' death and hidden it away so that it's power could not be abused by the unrighteous.

  A sudden flutter impinging upon his awareness interrupted Khaleed's musings. He focused on the sensory input, and a knot of apprehension formed in his stomach.

  For three and a half Millennia, he had successfully kept the location of the Staff hidden from those who sought its power. Something told him that keeping it from the Celestial whose aura now resonated within his mind would prove to be his greatest challenge to date.

  The air and sand around him began to stir, and Khaleed sighed. He suspected that this sunset, one of the most beautiful Egypt had ever produced, could be the last one he would view through Mortal eyes.

  "I see you're still staring at the sky hoping for enlightenment, Khaleed," a sultry voice rang out from the nimbus of white light materializing above the desert floor.

  Khaleed focused narrowed eyes on the muscular woman and two burly men that stepped from the light's core. "I found enlightenment centuries ago, Lillian. A pity the same can not be said of you."

  A cocky smile creased Lie's face. "Oh but I have. And to show you how…enlightened I've become, I'm going to ask you politely for the Staff's location as opposed to having my companions here beat it out of you."

  Khaleed released a contemptuous snort. "Not in this existence, Halfling."

  "Suit your self." Lie gave her henchmen a sharp nod and they started to advance toward the still seated Guardian.

  Khaleed studied the approaching duo through glowing eyes. Both walked with the calm swagger of trained warriors, but the subtle shifts in the shorter man's weight as he glided across the uneven sand marked him as the more adept fighter. The bigger man, clumping forward with the finesse of a rhino, appeared to be more of a brawler.

  Not that it mattered. During his centuries of life, Khaleed had mastered several forms of Martial Arts, with a particular fondness for the ancient Egyptian fighting system, Sebak-Kah.

  While the menacing duo's physical prowess posed no threat, the residual swirls of Celestial energy he detected did give the Celemor pause.

  Khaleed probed deeper into their auras, his concern lessoning after the completion of his analysis. "I would hazard a guess that these ruffians were Touched by your hand, Lillian." His voice was laced with disgust. "You're obviously not as skilled at this sort of thing as your father."

  "You just signed your death warrant," the shorter man growled, shifting his weight to his rear leg while cocking his front foot high to deliver a stomping kick.

  Khaleed maintained his position until the charging man was fully committed then rolled swiftly to his left. He fired a sharp kick into the knee of the man's balancing leg, and was rewarded by the snap of breaking bones.

  The man howled in pain, his body crashing to the ground in a shower of sand just as Khaleed hit him with a bolt of Celestial fire, the heat from the blast fusing the surrounding ground into glass.

  "NO!" the man's partner roared, springing forward to engage the still grounded Celemor.

  Again Khaleed waited until his opponent was fully extended then leaned back causing his charging adversary to stumble, grasping hands falling short of his target's throat.

  In a blur of motion, Khaleed deftly grabbed the man's wrists while tucking his own knees against his chest. He slammed both feet into his attacker's sternum, and pulled his arms upward, flipping him onto his back.

  The air whooshed from the assailant's body as he hit the sand, and Khaleed quickly reversed positions, snaking an arm around his neck. With grip firmly in place, the Guardian twisted his torso, stretching until the muted crunch of snapping vertebrae sounded in the air. The man's body gave a massive spasm then went limp.

  Khaleed, breathing easily after his exertions released his hold, his eyes focused on Lie as he rose smoothly to his fee
t. "I told you these two were of inferior quality."

  "Their names are Joey and Malakai," Lie remarked, her eyes glowing softly. "And I thought their performance was exemplary."

  It was then that Khaleed noticed the peculiar tingling at the base of his skull. Realization of what the Halfling was doing trampled over him like a herd of stampeding camels. He took a menacing step toward Lie then screamed in agony from the numerous bolts of Celestial lightening that slammed into his body, searing his flesh and forcing him to his knees.

  "Turnabouts fair play, old man," a raspy taunt sounded in the beleaguered Guardian's ears.

  "But...who...?" Khaleed gasped. The answer quickly became apparent as the man he had incinerated casually stepped into view, his charred skin regenerating before the Celemor's pain-ridden eyes.

  "I guess we're not has cheaply made as you thought," Khaleed's second opponent chimed in, his voice accompanied by a chorus of popping joints as he twisted his head and neck back into their proper position. "Ta-dah," he said with a smirk then slammed a booted foot into the Guardian's chest. The kick connected with a sickening thud, fracturing Khaleed's breastbone as it knocked him onto his back."

  "Fool," Lie spat, squatting beside the fallen Guardian. "I am the progeny of an Archangel; one of the most powerful beings in the Creation! Did you truly believe Mortals Touched by my hand wouldn't be up to the challenge of taking down a lone Celemor?" Her mocking laugh echoed through the courtyard. "I knew that you would never willingly reveal the Staff's location, and your mental defenses were to strong for me to pry the information from your mind." The Halfling leaned closer until her lips were barely an inch away from his. "But if something were to distract you, cause a break in your concentration..."

  A look of horror consumed Khaleed's face. "No," he whispered and Lie's full lips curled into a malevolent smile.

  "Yes you devout simpleton. Your valiant efforts were for naught. The Staff and all its glory will soon be mine!"

  "But you can't...can't...wield it," Khaleed wheezed, his injuries making speech increasingly difficult.

  "Nor do I intend to," she assured him sweetly. "But you need not concern yourself with such trivia." She brushed her lips gently against his, her smile deepening at his revulsion.

  Several muted explosions drew their attention and Khaleed, wincing in pain, managed to shift his head just in time to see the roof of his once stately home collapse upon itself.

  "There," the man who had kicked him chortled, his eyes and hands glowing softly in the darkening sky. "Place was a little to prim and proper for my taste."

  The other man chuckled, and Lie flashed them both an approving grin before refocusing her attention on a despondent Khaleed. "Farewell Celemor," she said, rising nimbly to her feet. A nimbus of light formed around her and her henchmen. "May the skies continue to bring you enlightenment!"

  The nimbus flared brighter then disappeared, leaving a battered Khaleed alone to contemplate the dire consequences of his failure.

  Chapter 41

  "That definitely takes getting used to," Cara cried, her body trembling as she tried to calm her rebelling stomach.

  Sanders, a bead of sweat dotting his pale forehead nodded in grim agreement while Quinlan, making no attempt to preserve his dignity, vomited violently onto the sand.

  Dichotomy accorded them a sympathetic smile. "Fear not my friends. Traversing the Crossroads can be unsettling for Mortals, but your feelings of disorientation will quickly pass."

  "Define quickly," Quinlan muttered after taking a swig from his canteen to rinse the taste of bile from his mouth.

  "Depends on how tough you are, Q," Mayhem snickered, shooting the Seeker a teasing wink which brought a slight flush to the man's pallid face.

  Since her glowing arrival on the Scavelli's deck, Mayhem had flirted shamelessly with all the males to the point were Maria had threatened to rearrange the trollop's face with a butcher knife if she didn't behave; particularly where her husband was concerned.

  An amused Mayhem had respected the aggravated woman's request which left Tyree, Quinlan and Sanders as fair game for her ploys.

  Neither Tyree nor Sanders paid her any mind, but the same could not be said of Quinlan. He was clearly uncomfortable in the face of such pronounced sensuality, and thus became the focus of Mayhem's efforts.

  "Physical fortitude has little bearing on the effects of a Celestial transition," Dichotomy intoned. "Simply put: the Mortal form is not conditioned for such trauma."

  Mayhem's eyes gave an exasperated roll. "I was kidding, Caleb," she grumbled as she positioned her hand over the three shaken Mortals. The Desomor closed her eyes for a moment and a field of light encompassed Cara, Quinlan, and Sanders. "There," she said when the glow had faded. "That should help."

  "Wow!" Cara exclaimed, flexing her arms and shoulders. "I feel great and...taller." A look of trepidation crossed her face when she noticed that her cargo pants seemed looser and shorter.

  "What did you do to us?" asked an equally shaken Sanders as he studied his hands and arms. "I feel...stronger!"

  Mayhem shrugged. "I simply gave your body a Celestial boost and corrected a few...defects in your DNA."

  Quinlan's jaw dropped open. "You did what?"

  "She enhanced your physical forms to the peak of human perfection," Dichotomy explained to the amazed Mortals, turning disapproving eyes on Mayhem. "You know such alterations are forbidden by the Tenets without the consent of The Watch!"

  "Spare me the lecture, Caleb. Considering whom we're up against, and the stakes of this little sojourn, we're going to need every advantage."

  "We still say you overstep your bounds," Dichotomy grumbled but made no further protest.

  "So what's our agenda?" Cara asked reveling in the incredible feeling of strength surging through her limbs as well as her body's new lean musculature.

  "First we find the Guardian amongst the rabble in that town, and warn him of the impending danger," Mayhem answered casting her gaze over the sprawling village that lay at the base of the sandy ridge they had arrived on. "I just hope we're not too late."

  *

  "So much for that dream," Mayhem uttered as she and the others stood before the demolished remains of what had once been a modest home situated in a clearing at the village's isolated northern edge.

  "You think Khaleed survived?" Dichotomy's terse question reached the Desomor's ears as she surveyed the wreckage.

  "Only one way to find out," Cara spoke up before Mayhem could answer, muscling her way through the collapsed timbers of the doorway and entering the sagging home.

  Mayhem smiled. "I like her spirit. Stabilize the structure as best you can Caleb while the rest of us search the rubble."

  Dichotomy stretched out his arms toward the ruined house, and a haze of light engulfed the structure. "Go; we will hold it in place."

  "Come," Mayhem called to Quinlan and Sanders as she started toward the house. The Seekers exchanged apprehensive looks with one another then followed the Desomor inside.

  "I found him!" Cara's voice rang out from the rear of the home and the others quickly pushed their way through the debris of clothes and broken furnishings.

  They found Cara outside in the rear courtyard kneeling beside a prone Egyptian male.

  With everyone safely outside, Dichotomy released his hold on the sagging structure and joined them in the courtyard.

  Mayhem took one look at the fallen man's charred body and swore softly. "I wish our reunion could've been under better circumstances Khaleed," she spoke as she knelt beside him.

  Khaleed managed a slight grin. "Ever the compassionate one eh, Margaret?"

  A spark of humor briefly lit Mayhem's eyes. "It's been centuries since anyone's called me that." She placed a gentle hand against his cheek. "What happened here?"

  Khaleed's brown eyes filled with hatred. "Raphael's miscreant daughter showed up with a couple of her goons demanding to know where the Staff was hidden," he ground out, his voice wispy, his breat
hing labored. "I told her no. You can guess the rest."

  Mayhem released a disgusted snort. "Indeed I can. Did that green-eyed bitch get what she was after?"

  A defeated sigh escaped Khaleed's ragged lips. "The foul wench pulled what she needed from my mind while I was busy fighting her henchmen." His voice was growing fainter. "I'm sure she's already at the Sphinx searching for the entrance to the Staff's chamber."

  Quinlan and Sanders jerked in surprise, and a startled gasp escaped Cara's mouth.

  "It's hidden in the Sphinx?"

  Khaleed managed another half smile. "It seemed like the perfect place seeing as how Raphael's the one that crafted both it and the effigy."

  Quinlan's eyes grew wider. "What?!?"

  "These Mortal's are woefully ignorant of Egypt's true history," Mayhem said smiling at the look of irritation that flashed across Quinlan's face. "Worry not, Seeker. When this is over I'll personally give you a full accounting of this land's history, along with anything else you want." She gave him a seductive wink at which Quinlan blushed.

  "In the meantime we have work too do," the Desomor continued briskly, focusing once again on the battered Guardian. "I noticed you're body isn't healing Khaleed. Are your injuries that severe?"

  A faint smile played on Khaleed's lips. "Nothing I couldn't handle...if I wanted to."

  Mayhem gave him a puzzled look. "Then why...?"

  "I'm tired Margaret," the Guardian said and the Desomor winced at the overwhelming fatigue she sensed in him. "I've carried this burden for over three thousand years. I'm more than ready to make the Final Transition to Celestia; particularly in light of the turmoil I foresee on Mortalia's horizon due to my failure."

  Mayhem studied his burned face, and the memory of their first meeting flashed through her mind.

  It was Khaleed that had initially befriended the bitter woman after her initiation into Celestiality; taking the time to teach the former member of a Salem Coven, rescued from a burning stake by Iblis, the finer points of her new life. The two formed a curious bond and despite Margaret's, who adopted the name Mayhem to reflect the state of Earth's fractured spiritual infrastructure, continued devotion to Iblis and his Doctrines, the two remained close.