Balance (Book 9 )

Millions screamed at their deaths. The earth felt relief and satisfied for the moment. I could feel its burden had lifted considerably. I continued north to the polar ice. The living is few here. Humans do not like cold temperatures. Naturally, vampires were few, if any, existed here at all. They would be where their food source is plentiful.

There were only two large cities, and they sat over lakes of melted ice. The humans found a way to harness the ice and the earth’s energy to heat the cities, protecting them from the cold. Large concrete walls surrounded the cities to protect the buildings from the artic storms and the sub zero temperatures. One gate allowed travelers in and out of the twin cities.

I walked through one of the gates and saw tall skyscrapers that went several stories up into the sky and below the surface. Lights and television screens lined the buildings showing advertisements and news. Bridges connected buildings crossing over the water while tunnels connected buildings underwater.

“Oh my God! Are you okay?” I heard a female voice come to me. She saw me caked in blood. It dulled my skin’s glow. I will have her blood and feed on her soul.

I grabbed her neck, and she started to scream. I allowed her fear to fill me. “You will be the first to feed me.”

“Oh God! Please no! Help!”

I began to laugh and continued walking. Humans came out to see what was happening. The anger and fear radiated off them. I stopped and took a deep breath.

“Somebody help me!” The woman screamed. Several people ran toward me then stopped when they noticed my glowing eyes.

“Horace’s judgment is upon you. Bow to Ra or feed me.” I magnified my voice so that all could hear me.

A death knight took the woman from my grasp. Disappointed, I continued and began killing those that did not submit. Once I got to the center of the city, I entered a building and made my way up to the rooftop. Fire would not work here. The water will drown everyone.

“My friend. I cannot help you. You are strong enough to call the water here. Flood the city and let the bodies feed you for decades.”

I could hear a groan as water began to rise, and waves crashed back and forth against buildings. As the tide grew, I casually walked the city and found a building to sit upon. The humans ignored me as they ran to higher ground.

I sat and enjoyed the fear and cries of death. The earth worked quickly. In a matter of hours, the entire city was underwater. I dug deep within me and pulsed all my pain and anger, sadness, fear, and insanity into the building I stood on.

A shock wave of power quickly went through the building and out into the water. The ring sliced through the water and continued through each building. Tidal waves formed as the water receded and came racing toward me. I shielded myself just as the building collapsed, and the waves came to me. The water hit like a ton of bricks.

I allowed the currents to claim me and calm before I resurfaced. The entire city was gone. The concrete walls stood holding the water in. A leak through the city gate allowed the water to recede and go back to where it came from. I swam to a wall and climbed on top. The dried blood has washed away from me, leaving me to look human. No matter. I will show my godly powers. They will cower before me.

‘Master help!’

Anubis could feel the little soul’s distress.

“Calm yourself, dear one. Tell me what you see.” No answer. “Tell me.” He commanded.

‘I am hiding,’ She whispered so low he could barely hear her.

“Look at what comes, what is it?”

‘He looks like Ra with a white robe and a staff. A woman that glows pure light is with him.’

Father time and possible the goddess of love. They generally work together.

“Do not fear them. They will not harm you. Talk to them.”

‘They frighten me.’

“Trust me, dear one.”

The little soul was silent for a few moments. The throne room seemed to echo the soul’s silence causing Anubis’s hairs to rise.

‘They want to know why I am here. They are angry with me.’ She began to cry. ‘Forgive me. I hide…there are monsters…no!...Master! They want to hurt me.’

The fear in Lara’s little voice pulled at Anubis’s heart. He desired nothing more than to enter the vail and strangle the gods who dared touch her. “Father time. I will call on you when it is time to send the soul out. This is only temporary.” His voice was deep and commanding.

‘He commands time, not you.’ Lara’s voice whimpered.

“You command time, not the occurrences during time. I will call you when it is safe. Look to the future and meet me there.”

’He is gone…do not be sad…I remember…Master, am I married to you?”

“Yes.”

“You are my husband?’

“Yes.”

There was a long silence. Anubis could feel the little soul struggle to remember

‘Gabriel?’ Her voice deepened. It almost sounded like Lara. She grows in strength.

“I was once called by that name.”

‘My husband, I am so sorry.’ The voice was music to Anubis’s ears. This was the voice of Lara. The little soul finally found its way.

“Lara?”

‘Yes. I am here. Do you forgive me?’

“Forgiveness will come later. We must wait to see if a tenth of the world will bow to Ra.”

’It has, my mate. Numbers still grow. It is almost time for me to return. I found a way to break free of the death knight.”

“You cannot break free. It is a blood oath. You can only delay it.”

’You are wrong, husband. Life and death, good and evil, mortal and immortal, they all have a balance. I am neither dead nor alive. My body rages and will kill the death knight that claims me. I belong to no one. I answer to you because I allow it. My love for you is beyond my control. You do not own me, husband. You never have.”

She was true to her character. Anubis smiled inwardly. If he could have danced with merriment, he would have. His heart grew with the hope that he would hold his wife in his arms once again.

“What of Ra? He created you, twice.”

’He created my soul only once. His creations have free will. Life and death continue to balance. Everything is connected in such a way. Ra can command me. I have free will to do or not to do as he says. He has powers, just as you have powers to see his commandments are executed. He does not own me. I will not be enslaved by any creature.”

“Explain to me how you will break a blood oath.”

’The oath states if I harm the death knight, he can torture my soul for as long as he wishes or until I cease to exist. I did not harm the one who has claimed me. The oath does not state I cannot kill the one who claims me. I can free myself, if I kill the one who would torture me. The oath is faulty. Kyle does not seek me.”

Anubis smiled even more. There is hope. This soul is truly one to be feared. She has always been one to unravel a puzzle and make the impossible possible. He loved her dearly.

There is only one continent left to burn and then the earth will be freed, and I will be able to take my vengeance on the gods who tried to stop me. I began to travel to the western world, taking my fill on any living souls I came across. The region was still and cold and iced over. The sun stayed hidden under the horizon. It would make it easier to kill people. I commanded the earth to begin burning the area. I no longer needed to warn people of their destruction. Enough had been saved for Ra, although Ra will not live long enough to enjoy what I have given him. His betrayal is unforgivable.

I powered my rage into my power and willed the ground to liquefy. Glorious screams of death and fear filled me. While the earth burned, I ran to the fleeing people and used my bare hands to pull hearts out of their chests. Their spines made wonderful clicking noises as I yanked them out as well. The blood on my hands felt soft and silky to me. I licked some of the blood off my hands and continued playing with the living. Everything seemed to be in slow motion. The living seemed to stand still waiting for me to take them. One female looked divine. She was mid-aged with an hourglass frame. I took her in my arms and fed upon her soul. The screams from the souls and the body excited me like none other. It encouraged me to continue aggressively until the body relaxed, and the soul withered away. The earth groaned with my pleasure as it fed on the buildings and the remaining living.

’Husband it is almost time. My body is approaching Lara’s land. My task will end soon. You must get the death knight to go to my body and claim my soul. The goddess of love will send me from the vale to confront my body. The Death Knight must die before I can return.’

“As you wish.”

Anubis stood up from his throne and teleported to the place the death knights commune. They made a small village of sorts. One large common building sits in the middle of a ring of one roomed huts. The ring of huts was three rings deep, with thousands of death knights living in the huts.

Anubis went inside the common building. Several knights were standing in the main hall quietly, talking among themselves. One near the doorway made eye contact with Anubis.

“I wish to speak to the one who claims the Goddess Anput’s soul.”

The death knight wordlessly turned in the direction where the other stood. Anubis followed his gaze and met the red eyes of another death knight. He walked toward it and spoke quietly once he was near him.

“I have heard the cries of the soul of the Goddess Anput. She is ready to be claimed. You must go to her and claim her before she comes to me.”

The death knight slowly nodded and turned away from Anubis and disappeared. Anubis felt the presence of Anput’s soul leave him and enter the living world. She will not last long. She will appear as a ghost and be brought to the underworld within minutes if she is unsuccessful. His heart pounded in his chest with concern.

Anubis teleported to the earth to watch from a distance. He knew this was Anput’s battle, and it was time sensitive. There was nothing that could be done. Once her task is over, she must become whole or be destroyed. He knew Geb would be watching closely as well.

It took a day for the lava and fires to cool. The heat melted the snow, making large amounts of steam, which turned into a rain cloud. The rain washed any blood I had on my body and helped cool the land. Just as I began traveling further south to the next city, a death knight appeared in front of me. Rage boiled in my veins. How dare he come to me and cause me to see him. I quickly lunged at him with Life. The knight blocked my attack and pulsed. I felt something grasp my insides and began pulling. My breath caught in my lungs, and my heart fluttered.

’You will not have me!’

I summoned the earth’s life force into Life. It began to glow, turning a brilliant polish silver as I swung to decapitate the knight. His sword blocked me. He was quick, but I was faster and stronger. I swung Death then in a fraction of a second swung Life. He blocked Death and Life sliced his skull off the body. A pulse rang out, and the internal grasp left. I took a deep breath filling my lungs and chocking on the rush of new air. I let a howl out at my victory. The bones and armor turned into black dust and washed into the earth from the rain. One less knight. They will all die. Life dulled into the matt steel.

‘Husband. It is time for me to go. You must blind me and deafen me. I will not remember all that has taken place. I do not wish to know of the evil that has taken place. There is another evil in which you and I must face when I wake.’

“I will do as you ask. What is the evil you see?” Anubis responded.

’It is the death that came to you in your throne room. It is the death that sits isolated in the underworld. The one who would claim me.”

“You speak of our son?”

‘Our son?’

“Yes, do you remember?”

Anput went silent for a moment. ‘Our son is Kebachet?’

”Yes”

‘Where is he?’

“He is locked in isolation.” Anput’s soul went distant and quiet as she searched for her son. Anubis watched Lara’s body continue her destruction for a day. He remained silent and patient, allowing Anput to find her way. This was her battle, he reminded himself. He hated the helplessness he felt. He was supposed to protect her. He was the warrior of the family. His failure dangled on a very fine line of Anput’s success. Try as he might, he could not protect her from herself.

‘I do not see Kebachet. I cannot find him. I see only death. It growls and hungers for you and me.’

She spoke of his son. Anubis knew Kebachet’s soul was tainted. He wondered why Anput could only see death. Kebachet will not go unpunished.