“I still don't see what we're doing up on this rooftop,” said Sam.
“It's a long story,” Rita told him. “A bad spoiler is coming. We have to stop him.”
“We're setting a trap,” Darla told him. “When the enemy gets here, we're going to freeze him, blast him, and push him off the building. The fall should finish him off, unless he has Fly.”
“He doesn't.” said Rita, peering over the edge of the help landing pad. “He's chasing Aes up the stairs on foot.”
“He must have taken Teleport as his travel power,” Darla commented. “Deific vanity.” She shrugged. “Fly's better.”
“Are we going to wait until after your Time Stretch wears off before we shove him over?” asked Sam.
“Not going to use it.” she answered tersely. “He's too dangerous in melee. Everyone has to keep their distance.”
Aes came whooshing over the edge of the roof. “Here he comes!”
A hand with inch-long claws gripped the edge of the roof. Am-heh vaulted up to land on his feet. He was all himself now, as he had been in Egypt; the frockcoat had been exchanged for his own fur.
He looked about the roof and grinned. “Buffet style?”
“Now!” shouted Darla. Rita hurled a frostblast that froze Am-heh in ice up to his waist.
He glared at her. “For that, you're first,” he said.
Sam tossed a fireball that slammed into the immobilized avatar. Strangely, it didn't seem to do Am-heh any damage. His health was completely unaffected.
Am-heh turned a calm face toward Sam. “You're after her. He turned to look at Darla. “You're after Mister Fireball. Then your green hero.”
Rita lost it and sprang at the dog-headed apparition. She drew her hand back and slapped him hard, surprising him. “That's for Sherman,” she said.
“Rita, No! Get back,” warned Darla.
Am-heh grinned at Rita. “This is for me,” he laughed. Before anyone could move, he flexed his muscles. KRAK! The ice exploded off his lower self. As the shards bounced and skidded, he opened his jaws toward Rita.
Perceiving her danger, Rita turned and launched herself into Flight. For a moment, it seemed that she would make it.
But Am-heh inhaled. A roaring hurricane of air streamed into his open jaws as if sucked into a spaceship hull breach. Rita inched forward in the stream, then slid backwards, losing ground. Am-heh widened his jaws enough to let her inside before he snapped them shut and swallowed. “Delicious,” he said.
Sam drew back his hand for a bolt. Am-heh laughed in his face. “Go ahead,” he urged. “I'll swallow the flame and cook her on her way down!”
“No!” yelled Darla. “We've got no holds, Sam. Everyone scatter NOW!”
FLASH. FLASH. FLASH.
Chapter 62: Kemushi: tree looks for roots
Gamers and Gods: AES Page 69
