Chapter Six

Atum had been inactive for so many years he had almost forgotten the power he once wielded. But he still held his authority, his knowledge.

Sat in the modern penthouse he had been reading the paper, realising after a while it was the previous weeks.

But something felt wrong. Something he couldn't place.

As soon as he switched the radio on and the static finally cleared, he shuddered. Red rain. Surely the prison had not been broken, not yet? But if it had...

"I must find others," he muttered "one way or another this must end for good."

He did not wish ill on any of his creations, his children, each of whom he held dear to his heart. All the same he felt an obligation to the children of the other Gods, the humans and those species that the former thought only as myths. 

They had little contact with one another, save for the odd interaction over important issues, but a mutual respect bound them together. That included respecting each other’s artistry and the results, however unpleasing some might be.

He moved musingly across to a minibar situated in the corner, removing a half bottle of amber liquor. He rarely drank but there were times when one needed to.

Times like this were worthy of getting hammered but he was old enough to know better. Most of the time anyway.

Then he knew...

"This poses a problem, a great one. I cannot bind him like before," he looked serious as he spoke aloud "is there any way of getting word to someone? There is but one way to stop him and he must know."

"I can take a message to whomever you wish" There was a swift breeze and a man seemed to appear out of the air. It was

Shu the first creation of Atum; lord of the air and creator of the wind. There was nothing he could do against someone like Am-Heh but he could get messages around faster than any other deity.

His feathered head dress shimmered, crafted finely from offerings from the grandest of birds and giving additional power to ride the winds and travel with a swiftness far greater than any other.

Atum nodded towards Shu. His eyes soft when he regarded one of his finest creations. All of his life was perfection in its own way, well, most of it. But some more appealing than others.

Comparing the butterfly to a moth.

"I think we need human help," he said thoughtfully "bringing in any of the others would pique his temper more, a God senses another Gods involvement all too well. And I have no wish to see how much damage he is capable of. His aura spread even from his vessel." He sighed, tapping his foot as he considered things "there is but one way other than using my own weapon to destroy him completely. Yet I cannot see how any could accomplish it. Blinding eyes such as his to anything precious is nigh on impossible."

Shu looked awkward. All knew Atum possessed, as all creator Gods did, a weapon that would kill another God but it was not what any wanted.

"I fear this disturbance might trigger others also, great one." He said softly. "I also fear he'll eventually come after you. He remembers all too well what happened to him and he holds a grudge better than Set."

Atum shrugged. "Go and find where the vessel broke. We will take things from there. I cannot stop the chain of events that have been put into motion but I can at least end them eventually." He sighed and looked down mournfully. "I do not wish to put him to death yet I have little choice."

Shu hung his head. "Is that necessary, great one? I often felt he had reasons he would not reveal for breaking the way he did. I know you created him as a destroyer of those who warranted that treatment but he seldom showed signs of being so ruthless to destroy the innocent. Or if he did, he controlled it well enough."

"I know not what caused it," Atum answered, slowly pouring the whiskey "if he had reasons then I would listen, he knows that. I will listen now."

"You are both wise and generous," Shu bowed low before the elder. "I shall do my best to gain the information you need."

"Thank you." Atum returned to his seat, keeping the bottle of liquor with him. "I do at least have the benefit of being the only one who he will obey, albeit grudgingly,"

"I'll not fail," Shu told him. He didn't wait for a reply before vanishing with the wind. It was easy to find the museum where it all began. There was a concentration of Godly power there at the centre of the chaos. He stepped on the wind instead of the ground keeping just above the blood and grime.

Frogs and toads swam idly, climbing onto any surface they could find and out of range of the serpentine beasts that lurked within the red waters. The smaller prey was not their first choice, rising to feast on the gore that floated upon the surface and, for the most part, ignoring the tiny reptiles.

The streets were empty of living humans but the remains of the perished were littered in the water or washed up onto exposed steps or other debris. 

Shu's eye gave a tic as he gazed over the destruction, he knew was a small show of power from the renegade deity. 

"What brought you to this?" He whispered to himself, the rush of water overshadowing his voice. "For something did, I saw it in your eyes that fateful day."

Shu had been near enough to the fallen God when Atum had questioned him to see the brief shift in the angry eyes, misting over with a deep pain that those further from him could mistake as sheer fury.

At the time Shu himself had dismissed it as irritation but when he looked back some years later his thoughts had changed. However, there was nothing he could do about it, there were bigger issues between the Gods then and many more between mortals.

"I must not surmise, I have work to do," Shu muttered, gazing about to where the strongest auras came from. "We can hear and debate later."

---

Meanwhile, in the museum, Ash had made his way up to the second floor, away from the waters spewing inside and rising.

He had fought to urge to go back for Mr Montford, knowing it would be foolhardy and even if he should succeed the man would be less than grateful. 

The upper level was home to the prehistoric exhibits and all around him were the yellowed bones of great beasts and preserved remains of goodness knows what. In the current situation it was hardly what he wanted to see but it was safer for the time being.

Down below in the museum people had been panicking and everything was in disarray. It was hard to believe that earlier that morning he had been working as normal; taking phone calls looking over museum imports and now the world had turned to hell. It didn't seem possible. He'd heard of blood rain before in Kerala but it had been a simple chemical reaction between the rain and airborne spores from a locally prolific terrestrial green alga that had tinted the water red. But this was literal blood it was heavy and thick and the water levels were rising too fast to be anything natural.

The window above swung violently open as though a hurricane had hit and Ash felt his heart leap into his throat, choking him. His eyes widened as the figure floated down, its arms folded and face both stern and sympathetic.

"You needn't fear me, human," Shu said flatly "I sense you are not the one who released Am Heh but you might hold answers."

"I-I didn't, it was an ac-accident, I don't even know who he-it is." Ash stuttered in awe "the statue was in a shipment and it was dropped. My colleagues...one is seriously hurt and dead for all I know and that thing...he took Isaac, I don't know why."

Shu's face darkened at the revelation and he nodded slowly, rubbing his temples in frustration. Taken. Of course, Am Heh was smart he would know that Atum would make a move and now he had the one person they needed. He was not looking forward to any confrontation with the other god. Shu himself was not a god who appreciated battle. he was more of a messenger he kept away from these affairs.

Unfortunately, the plague Am Heh had brought down on the humans would only make things worse. 

"I shall try and fetch him." He ignored the man's attempt to explain themselves. What was done was done. They should have taken greater care of his prison. "I shall come back for you; you may be useful in stopping Am Heh and Lord Atum has asked for humans." 

"T-thank you," Ash didn't know quite what else to say as the God turned once more to leave as swiftly as he entered. "I just hope you do."

Shu looked over his shoulder, pausing in his rise to the window, he took a breath and gave a dry smile.

"So do I."

Ash watched as a zephyr of light wind wrapped itself about the form, whisking him away as if he were nothing but a feather.

"Am Heh," he mumbled softly, scrolling through the knowledge of Egypt he possessed "I haven't heard of him. Perhaps it was supposed to remain that way."