Kyle remained silent as his legs moved without thought, impelled on by the whim and will of the God, hidden from sight amongst the shadow.
'The blind following the blind.'
His mother would have said. Refusing to use the comparison to lemmings, saying it was an insult to a creature who she thought were rather intelligent,
Doubts and irritations circled his mind like dust in a coalmine and the fight to keep them away was intense. The beast could most likely decipher any slander against him or sense those qualms that could lead to betrayal. He already dreaded what they would return to.
Babi had given his ordered in shrill dictation, leaving no room to argue or suggest any alternative. Kyle was to follow in the footsteps of the dead ones and Aiden was to find some way of sending word to the thugs who fed his habit.
He had grinned at the pair as they unconsciously shared an uneasy look.
Isaac, although half expecting the arrival of the God, jolted at the flash and sudden appearance. Immediately and instinctively, he bowed his head, cursing himself after he did.Am-Heh raised an eyebrow but didn't comment on it, unaware of the potion and the memories it had opened. That door had closed and had been sealed long ago as far as he was concerned, the key rusted and defunct. It was hardly fool proof, they still leaked and those spectres still haunted him. No door, no wall could keep them at bay."Achieve what you wanted?" Isaac dared as the God moved back to his books."For now.""This city wasn't the one that slighted you," Isaac said bitterly as he looked away. "It's just where you woke. I don't see your reason for messing up a place that had nothing against you." He gave a snort and shrugged. "No one even knew your name here until less than a hundred years ago. Most still don't."
Babi gave a wide grin as he dodged the mingling embers and ice, twirling amongst them almost gracefully, a rare feat for such a cumbersome creature."I sense human misery!" He crowed, clapping his hands to catch and crush the embers "oh, such joy to sense that again! I remember the fear and woe of those damned souls, how they wept and pleaded! The trembling of the slaves was almost as blissful as they cowered in my shadow!""Yeah, but what's the plan?" Kyle interjected, the sight making him feel sick "I mean, I cansmellthose things, even with all this and I still can't understand why we're heading to them. From all the movies I've seen, zombies aren't very useful unless you want to get your innards ripped out.""Quite so," Babi replied "but they would not dare touch me!Youthey might be interested in but you'll be safe enough if you don't stray. And they are of no interest, the hu
Aiden gratefully stepped into the room. Immune to the unholy smell of weed and unwashed bodies. To him, it was as homely as the scent of flowers and laundry, it meant he was amongst his own people again, even with the knowledge that none of the men saw him as anything more than an insect to be crushed."It's a long story, but the guy, if you can call it that, who sent me was the one who did this," he gestured to his leg. "I'd say he sent me as he wants your help but I don't think he needs any. Regardless of that, he wants to strong ones in this city." His voice began to slur, his body weakened from exertion and blood loss. "Not one to tamper with."Harrison gave a nod, and the two men grabbed hold of Aiden in their beefy hands, hauling him onto hard wooden chair, the legs screaming with the sudden weight."I-I honestly don't know how the describe things in a way that doesn't make me sound as if I'm on sort of loony acid
In Aaru the rushes grow tall and wide, along the banks of the Ka and into the veil of eternity. Where grand Osiris resides, protecting the souls who passed those many perils along the way, thwarting the armed fiends that guarded the doors. The boundless reeds signal rest and cradle the weary, concealing lush hunting and offering nothing but paradise. Where the sun rises, the soul sets, forever and for a day.When Isaac touched the book, left open by Am-Heh, the words flowed back, a droll intone of a dispassionate holy man. Ishaq had heard them spoken in his days of education, preferring the voice of his parents who breathed life into them. The valley to paradise was hard but if that was what lay beyond then every step was worth it. And they would live together again, until...?No one knew. That mystery had both thrilled and terrified him.The immense palace of Am-Heh had not been quite what had been written about. And scourin
Atum sat back, slowly sipping the potent cocktail of hard liquors. The fluid burned boldly in his throat, taking the air before settling in his stomach."From what you describe, I doubt the humans did such damage. I have seen them make some mess when it comes to murder but to tear another to pieces, even a cadaver, would take more strength and brutality than they possess. Unless they are mad and frenzied.""They were certainly not either of those," Shu stood rigidly near the window "and there was an aura in that room, of something unhuman. I fear that Am-Heh has awoken or encouraged something else also, much like when a mortal dabbles with the unknown and opens the gate to those who lurk near it. The damage was not his, it was too crude. Even before, he had a certain finesse in how he did things."Shu fell silent, a lump rising to choke his throat as he recalled the descriptions from those who had seen the carnage that h
"Have you lost your flesh?"Ishaq looked up to see the leering face of Zuberi close by. He jolted and hurriedly turned back to scrubbing the floor with more zeal than before."I'm not sure I understand." Ishaq dashed the brushed down, spraying cloudy water across the tiles. "I've had no reason to, surely. My nerve has not been tested enough to be lost."Zuberi circled him with the same self-satisfied and condescending manner. "You seemed highly disconcerted yesterday, when I saw you fleeing back to your quarters. What's wrong? Have the hounds gotten to you? They are rather a challenge from what I understand.""No," Ishaq gathered up the bucket, his face reddening at the memory of the day prior, still able to feel the powerful closeness, the warmth and intimacy. The mere thought ignited a need that boiled painfully deep inside. "I was flustered as I'd had a lot to do. It was my own folly; I'd left thi
The basement in the museum was full of unused or broken exhibits awaiting repair or rotation. Mr Montford was strongly against throwing anything away, not just due to financial constraints. It was easier to mend things or store them for later use, not to mention he adjusted themes to suit school studies.Dust hung in the air like spiritual mist and cobwebs balled in every corner they could find, the spiders long gone and only the dehydrated remains of past meals remaining.Am-Heh's rage was all too clear, cracks lining the walls and damp patches soaking through from outside, causing a rusted red stain, trailing like blood vessels over the stone.Ash hated it. Sensing ghosts everything, attached to the carefully relics of the past, still guarding the belongings that had been taken from their tombs.Once upon a time he had laughed at himself, snorting at the immaturity of believing in such nonsense. Now, he was more nervous than
While the humans worked their fingers to the bone in what seemed, to them at least, to be a fruitless endeavour, broken only by sparks of hope that were soon extinguished on closer view, the Gods were also working. Atum pored over his writings and observations, untouched and unread for centuries, jotting down the old formulas and calculations he needed to bring his powers back to the forefront and instil in his possessions. The ingredients made him cringe. The herbs and insects were not known in this country and some were thought to be extinct. "They will not be," he muttered, reaching for his pipe and pressing down the piquant mix of tobacco. "Only hidden and cultivating in the hands of one who appreciates their glory." He moved across to the bookcase where a domed crystal sat beside old and new books, the soft blue hue constantly glowing and crafting a strange light from its polished surface. Even the dus