There was one person who wasn't fearful of the apparent Armageddon.
Kyle Mason lived in the upper storey apartment of a grubby townhouse not far from where the river widened after its amble through the park.
Much like the exterior the inside was cold and damp, mildew a common occurrence and always appearing grimy no matter how hard one cleaned. There was always a yellow tint to the once white walls and a grey pattern smearing the carpets.
Kyle had never complained like other tenants, knowing the response of one got what they paid for and compared to his student digs it was a palace.
He rarely seemed clean himself. The clothing that hung on the lanky body held an odour of pond water or ingrained age. The black hair, impeccably gelled and styled, appeared greasy rather than treated and his skin held a perpetual shine.
It might well have been circumstance, down to the water that screamed in protest down the rusty pipes from goodness knew where or down to the fact the freshest food he bought was in a can. If he did eat fresh meals they were delivered in and made by others and only when he had a coupon.
Despite the diet his body remained unhealthily lean. When he wasn't working his missing meals substituted with substances of a less wholesome nature.
Jobs were sporadic and short termed. His customer service and social skills were lacking despite his resume saying otherwise, such papers could be doctored quite easily if you knew the right people.
Within the space of a years, he had already had seven different positions and lost all of them. His last job had been the shortest, lasting only two weeks before a clash with a customer had him fired.
Standing at the window he gazed out on the devastation with a strange smile, the expression growing brighter when lightening lit the sky with a deafening roar. Slowly he turned and looked towards a small cupboard hidden in the corner.
It was the only piece of furniture that seemed in decent condition. The black top polished and covered with a red cloth, hiding the lock fastening the door at the front. Atop it sat alone candle in a plain holder, glinting in the gloom.
"Seems you have competition, I was kinda hopin' to be the first to bring such a delight to people but hey, this might mean there's more to gain."
Inside he felt something was listening. Something he felt held the golden key to his escape from this pit he found himself in. True, it was a pit he had created for himself, aided by the continual criticisms and apathy from a lacklustre father, but he didn't have the drive to foist himself from it.
The seller had told him that the piece, if used correctly, if summoned and respected in the right manner, would offer greatness and satisfaction beyond anyone's wildest dreams.
Looking at the odd figurine that had been placed in his hands Kyle would admit he felt a strong sense of trepidation.
Carved in ebony it formed the shape of a grotesque baboon. Black as pitch except for one central part.
Its genitals were erect and sacs bulbous as they hung aside the exaggerated organ. Painted bright red it was impossible to notice anything else.
'Except if you have the gift,' the man had insisted adamantly. "Those who can harness it can feel it ejaculate power, the power that it will bestow upon you should you treat it how it desires!"
Kyle had not been sure at the time whether he only imagined the shudder that flowed through him when his thumb touched the prominent crimson, whether it was just the passion in the others words that caused him to think the figure warmed, twitched against him.
Regardless of his doubts he decided to take it, paying more than he would ever have done for the others tools he had tried.
Satan be damned, he had a new deity now, one he hoped would respond more eagerly.
So far it seemed his luck had remained positively inert.
To his credit, regardless of his impatience, Kyle knew he had done little research into how to appease whatever was in the vessel. His dabbling with other beings had led to little, except for the odd sensation that he was no longer alone, something that meant he had moved from the flat above the takeaway.
Forcing his gleeful gaze from the scenes below he ambled slowly over to the cupboard. Keeping it sealed away for now seemed the wisest idea, surrounded by a circle of rock salt. How that offered protection he didn't know but if it did then he would go with it.
"I know who you are," he said aloud, looking at the closed door as if expected a cold laugh to sound in response. "I just need to figure out what you want in return for help. Or to get you to start to help. Small animals haven't done a goddamn thing except stink the place out even more and I can't get hold of anything bigger."
He looked over his shoulder as a violent gust of wind blasted the bloody water up against the window like grisly rose petals.
"Glorious," he muttered with a sigh, grinning wider as it stained the glass. "A crimson mosaic better than any pompous artist." He chuckled, turning back to the cupboard. "Least I ain't got work. Gives me chance to look into you and thank shit I got those books, huh? I doubt the internet is gonna be up for long."
As soon as the words left him, he could swear the cupboard shivered as if in anticipation of what might be coming.
--
Whilst he would not admit to it, Am Heh felt a sense of unease as he studiously took in a world he had never known.
Time was passed and moved on and things had changed vastly. No longer did he see the artistic architecture or tumbledown hovels he was so used to.
No carts and livestock walked sand covered paths or gritty farmland and no markets had stood where destruction now was.
Instead, drab stone and cold metals met him. Ugly, shapeless carriages rusted in the waters and generic buildings stood austere and dull.
"Why any seek to protect such squalor is unfathomable," he muttered, pulling his cloak closer about himself, hiding the distinct red hair. "Any who admire this are a disgrace."
His fingers flexed slowly as he moved without hindrance through the boiling river that had taken charge of the streets. The ground rumbled beneath him and low groans of stone echoed as buildings and pavement shook.
Something else also joined their moans. A soft scuffling as though thousands of tiny feet frantically beat the earth to climb upwards.
Shadows rose up over the walls that escaped the floods and poured like oil from the crevices. As the lightening pulsated the black glimmered and illuminated the sight of a glut of claws clutching at the air and hungry for whatever they could find.
Screams from inside some of the buildings were people cowered joined the cacophony of wind and thunder. Am Heh grinned at the sound, reminding him of those he had thrown into his fiery lakes and tormented on the surface world when he had fallen into a rage.
Blood trickled from a window nearby where a young man wept as scarabs’ bit painfully into his flesh, eating inch by in agonising slowness. It felt like acid burning away as skin and flesh were removed from bone, eating through muscle until the nerve ending finally ceased functioning. Then horrified eyes could only watch until death finally came as peaceful relief.
The sands of the Nile could well have been the same as the crocodiles flocked to devour those near the breaking banks.
His eyes dulled and fell. He had never accomplished that. Those pleading eyes and whispered words to another lowly slave had foist upon him a feeling he long ignored.
"Damn them all," he hissed violently, his gaze lighting again as though fire burned behind it. "They shall slight me no more and stop me not. My name will be remembered amongst them until their world is no more!"
He clapped his hands and thunder shook the buildings. Shattering windows and showering the air with a rain of sparkling glass. It fell in diamonds about him, the lethal edges doing no harm except clinging to his hair like a crown.
A crown he would richly deserve.
"My will shall be done."
“Interesting.”Thoth sat back in the wicker chair overlooking the lake beyond the terrace. The crystal waters shimmered like a mirror from amongst the reeds. Along the banks several long beaked birds waded without a care, their beady eyes looking for the tiny fish that inhabited the still waters.The ibis was still the favoured bird in the former God’s heart and he could not have settled anywhere that lacked them. Nor could he have left the glory of equatorial Africa, the sights and sounds of that sun kissed land were his reason for living.In human form he still held some resemblance himself; his features slim and angular, his nose sharp and eyes wise yet placid.Shu twiddled his fingers impatiently as Thoth rocked complacently, eyes gazing into the distance and at events long erased from memory.“Do you think you can help?” He broke the silence wit
Mr Montford winced as the sting from the antiseptic burned the deep wounds. Tears sprung to his eyes but he swiftly blinked them back, offering a shrug to Ash."A bit like garlic, the smell makes the eyes water."The room Marie had taken them back to had been the office of the security officer. The glass front gave an overview of the entrance and the additional monitors, now a haze of silver static, had meant he could observe the rest of the building. The small space reeked of coffee, spilled over the equipment in his haste to flee, and the undertones of sweat and antiperspirant.Ash smiled slightly, shifting uncomfortably. The smell did indeed bring tears to the eyes but the pain in those watery orbs showed it was much more.He didn't comment on it, focusing on the patterns on the monitors that made his head feel strange."Suck it up," Marie elbowed Mr Montford gently as she tossed the soiled
Despite having people think otherwise, life for Cherie Reynolds had been a scenic walk in the park with seldom a pit to catch her costly heels.To hear her speak one would think life had nothing to offer but rancid lemons and it was an excuse she used when airing the frequent torrents of complaints whether in person or over the phone.That morning had gone from bad to worse. From waking to find she had been sent the wrong artisan loaf, to her coffee being too bitter and now this. Black insects gnawing at the door, blood staining the carpets from their many feet.For once her mind was not on her décor although at the back of her mind she was concerned still about her new shoes.It was strange, how inching out of the second storey window and seeing the congealing slurry below, how priorities changed.Wisps of blonde hair clung to her frantic face, damp from tears she hadn't realised she'd shed as her h
Mr Montford's face fell when he saw the disarray of his room. The storm that had shook the core of the building had detached the shelves from the walls, sending them and their contents crashing to the floor. Papers, or what was left of them, floated in pulped lumps on the surface of the bloody waters.His bookcase had fared no better and, while it remained intact, the various books and objects were past repair."Years of work," he whispered as he slumped limply against the wall "lost and ruined."Marie and Ash gripped hold of him as his legs buckled, his eyes growing distant as they stared at the loss of his life's passion. To him, it was worse than losing his home, it had been everything.Marie led him over to a chair that had miraculously remained standing, its balance aided by the shelf falling from behind. His arms hung limply at his sides as she pushed him down, his fingertips trailing the water
Cherie slowed as Kyle approached the run-down building, he called home, her eyes looking over the peeling sills and grubby frontage. It reminded her of a seedy half-way house, a haven for thieves and other ill-bred occupants.The carpet on the stairs was tacky underfoot and it was impossible to tell what colour it had been, clearly the fibres had not been cleaned since it was laid down, maybe even before, she assumed the sickly shaded matting had been second hand to begin with.She dared not even touch the breaking handrail, Lord knew what germs and filth bred on it."How can you live like this?" She asked with genuine intrigue as she stumbled in the gloom. "No offence but I'm not surprised the scarabs didn't touch here."The smell of cannabis reached her nose as she turned the bend for the final steps, leaking from the room opposite and home to a former student. Kyle never believed he had ever been at college; th
Thoth was sat in the wicker chair outside, watching his beloved Ibises with a glass of ruby wine at his side. A small smile was cemented on his face, the adoration for the creatures clear.He barely looked away as Shu arrived, creating a flurry of sand as he did so."Wine?" Thoth gestured to a covered pitcher on the window sill. "It's homemade, rather more potent than most." He gave a sheepish chuckle. "Truthfully I really ought to keep to tea or water but I thought in such circumstances I've earned it.""I'd best not, flying and alcohol rarely mix," Shu smiled. "I've done it once before and I ended up marooned on some island in the pacific. Nice area, but not when you've somewhere to be or when you've a shocking headache."Thoth laughed softly. "Indeed, but anyway, enough of the idle chitter chatter. What is it you've come for? I take it Atum is in need of my help?" He pressed his hands together with subdued exci
Pain throbbed through Cherie's skull, reverberating down her neck and into her upper spine. The blow had been hard and blood coagulated on the back of her head.Her vision was skewed. The world around her was hazy and rocking as if she was a baby in its arms but it was not comforting, instead it was terrifying.Trying to move her arms and legs she found them bound, the wire tight and wickedly sharp. Struggling too much meant it would pierce her flesh with the ease of cutting through butter. Already it was digging in menacingly and creating scarlet ditches.The room was dark, the blinds concealing the outside world, and a smell of burning wax highlighted the air. The only light was coming from behind her, a warm glow from three candles stood on the cabinet.In the centre sat the strange statue, seeming more sinister as the glow highlighted the vacant eyes and illuminated the malign grin on its apish face.&n
The moon was high outside and casting its cold glow on the exotic gardens and fountains of marble and stone.Peacocks had finished their nightly preening and had settled for the night near the high walls built to prevent intruders from breaching the rich interiors. Marble and sandstone and without flaw.Behind the grandeur, guarded by two large hounds, was an entirely different view.A small path from a less kempt area led to landscape of fire when the blooms were tongues of flame and the waters were molten lava.Even the grass seemed to hiss with infernal fury as heat rose through the charred earth into a rufescent sky. Only if one walked with the Gods or their guardians was is possible to bear such a vista.
Several Months LaterIt's strange how people react after disaster. You see the best of people and the worst. Thankfully, it's mostly been the former. Things are being repaired, getting back to normal with the help of big companies and small. Not to mention the dedicated do-it-yourself people.Scientists have been wracking their brains to find the cause of such a global phenomenon. The best they have come up with so far is an imbalance in the eco-system and perhaps in the space around. And, of course, religious nut-jobs have been having a field day preaching about how sin and immorality is the cause. They haven't pinpointed a particular sin this time, they can't, it's too wide. So, the whole world has been tarnished. Except for themselves of course.Funny. They're actually closer than the scientists when it comes down to it. Except that it isn't the doing of the God who watches now.Mysteries come out daily. Strange creatures spotted in the sea, too rapid for anyone to get hold of, a
The dogs ran rampant through the living dead. Limbs flew, congealed blood oozed and the smell of rotting flesh permeated the air even more.Those who tried to fight back, biting and clawing were soon defeated, their blackened teeth unable to even scratch the thick skin.Blood and foam frothed at the mouths, neither willing to allow the rancid meat to drop down their gullets. They still remembered the luscious fresh meat that had been given in their best. Tender and prepared with care. What they caught now, on those rare occasions they needed to feed, was not a patch on it.And these beings were not fit for rats.They ignored the humans, save for knocking some over. None seemed injured, even if they hit the concrete hard enough to break a bone. They simply sat up, or lay there. Dazed and in a world of their own. With no voices ringing in their heads, their addled minds forged on to return to normal.They had long since given up on trying to understand anything.When they finished here,
You have changed me by your love.Thus say I in my heart,In my soul, at my prayers:"I lack my commander tonight,I am as one dwelling in a tomb."Be you but in health and strength,Then the nearness of your countenanceSheds delight, by reason of your well-being,Over a heart, which seeks you with longing.Time felt as if it were slowing down as Isaac made his way over the debris and towards where the horrors had occurred. Everything frozen in eerie stillness under the decrepit skyline.Dust puffed up with each step he took, his heart beating harder as the shell of the main room opened up to greet him.Immediately he saw Atum, shifting from one foot to another as if he had a cramp he couldn't release. The look in the older God's eyes immediately heightened his anxiety and he hastened forward, only to be stopped when Atum lifted his hand.What is written on the brow would inevitably be seen by the eye and his silence said more than his words."Do not allow yourself to weaken. Your st
The door shook with the force of the crowd outside, throwing themselves against it blindly. Three had moved to the window and already, their palms were bleeding as the glass cracked and pierced their skin, staining the shards red. Mr Montford and Ash hauled a small book case across the room. The carpet and their haste making it all the more difficult. If there was something for it to snag on or get caught on, then it did. Penalty, perhaps, for dumping its contents into an unsightly pile as if they were logs for the fire. "Is there an attic?" Marie called as she leaned against the sideboard they'd positioned at the door. The drawers already flung from their cubby with the force from outside. "A basement is no good, we'd be completely trapped. But an attic...that seems safer." "I didn't see," Mr Montford answered, sweat pouring from his brow and impeding his grip. "I doubt it. I remember these houses being built. People exchanged attics for garages, easier to access." "And they didn
Shu beckoned the mortals down one of the alleyways that cut through the buildings to the once bustling streets. People had emerged, loitering hopelessly about the abandoned cars, their eyes glazed and their ears deaf to anything but the words of an unseen being."I cannot guide you to safety," Shu said, his voice full of remorse. "I must find Atum. This battle will ricochet about the world, and you humans do enough damage without the added help. Please," he looked at the four imploring. "These humans are bedevilled. If you can avoid harming them, I would be grateful.""We won't," Isaac spoke up, still struggling with the tight ropes about him. Try and they might, the bonds refused to give. "But you must tell Atum that Am-Heh is not behind all of this. There has to be mercy in him." Tears stung his eyes. Glistening droplets he swiftly blinked back. His voice becoming soft. "I don't want to lose him."Shu gazed at him. Lost for words. No reassurance could be uttered, he couldn't read At
A shrill shriek shattered the atmosphere as Babi tore towards Am-Heh, the sword raised high. It swung down, shattering through the arm of the reaching demon.One bite from the blade meant agony. And the wail that left the putrid mouth told of it.The eyes glazed with bubbling anger, and it swung, showering the area in burning blood. All the while trying to rise further, stopped only by the undigested meal in its stomach.Mr Montford grimaced as the warm blood descended, trickling in thick droplets like the vilest of rain. It wouldn't stop him. One dig he was on, many moons ago, never stopped even when they hit a sewage pipe.Although it delayed them when trying to clean. And when the local authorities got involved to remedy it.He slipped on the gore, trying his best to avoid it as he made his way over to where Ash indicated. As he neared, the air seemed to become thicker, as if he was walking through tar or against a high wind.His breath became harsh as the pressure became stronger.
Am-Heh didn't baulk at the chaotic sight that met him. Instead, he looked with disdain at the gangly beast that was struggling to free itself and the summoned spirits that hissed at it.It seemed humans were not the only beings that refused to work in tandem.He offered a curt nod as the injured Templar. His use, and that of the others, were over. The last thing was to strengthen the rising forces, and his blood would suffice.It would give the might to break the chains but keep him tethered until, and if, he was required.He didn't watch as the broken body struggled to its feet, stumbling over the remains of his shattered horse, wielding his sword. He heard the clang of steel, the swing striking tough, leathery skin that refused to break under the blade. In the corner of his vision, he saw sparks as the steel chipped, flakes of flesh flying amongst them. He could picture the defeat from the violent, wet noises that sounded beh
In Egypt; Anubis watched as the city smouldered. The cyclone sliding back down from the bubbling skies like a reverse volcano, sweeping away the crumbled remains of homes and business.He hung his head, feeling powerless for once in his long existence. The help he could give was like sharing a grain of rice among a starving village.Worthless.In London; the Thames bubbled. Strange beasts rose and fell in the boiling water that threatened to burst the banks and roast alive anyone who fell in its path.People sheltered in basements, in attics and had even pried the covers off manholes, only to find the threat beneath just as great.In Africa; the rich were crushed by the opulence they had hoarded, money unable to save them from the rage of nature. And the poor cowered, finding dents in the ground or concealed hidey-holes in desperate attempts to shield the most needy of them all.All over the world, s
Kyle had no idea on how to approach the gathered dead. It seemed, rather stereotypically, a blow to their skulls finished them, but there were more than ten of them. Not to mention the mounted templar who, eyeless as he was, looked thirsty for more blood to stain his hands."Why are you listening to him?" Marie whispered, lifting her voice enough to be heard over the grunts and groans. She wasn't sure why she was showing him any pity, not after what he'd done. She assumed it was just her social conscious, and the strict teaching of her mother, never to turn ones' back. "You could do so much better.""Shut your mouth," Kyle snapped, feeling Babi's icy gaze on him. "You don't know anything! This is my only chance in life to get anywhere, to get anything. Life doesn't care about people like me.""I thought that. Once."Kyle wrinkled with nose and picked up a fallen plank. It would do. With enou