by Robert Ross
Ares grunted then commanded Meghan to stand. “Servant, I want you to spar. Do your best to attack me until I say otherwise. Begin!”
Kellan whistled softly at the display. Meghan was a blur of perfectly executed attacks, many of which managed to get though Ares’ equally impressive offense and defense. Finally the god ordered her to stop and she took a step back, then grinned at Kellan.
“I did pretty good.”
“Hell yeah, you did,” Kellan said, “I mean he won but he’s the bloody god of war after all.”
“Meghan,” said Ares and she immediately turned to him, her face losing much of its expression as she inclined her head.
“My lord?”
Ares’ countenance darkened and Kellan saw his jaw tighten with frustration and anger. The Sentinel stepped between them and gave Ares a gentle push backward. “Just hang back a minute and let me try a few things. But if I’m successful, you are going to need to act fast cause a nest full of hornets got nothing on a pissed off Daugherty.” The god swiped away Kellan’s hands with a grunt and stalked to the side as Kellan turned to face Meghan.
“Hey Woody, let me ask ya something,” began Kellan trying to put as much of a lighthearted tone as he could into his voice.
“She narrowed her eyes at him. “Kel, you know I hate that nickname. What are we waiting for? You and I need to get through that portal and kick some Cabal ass.”
Kellan raised an eyebrow. “You and I. What about him?” he motioned to Ares and Meghan looked directly into the corner, then turned back confused.
“Who?” she asked.
Ares slammed his arm sideways against the wall causing the entire area to quake and chips of stone to fall around them. “Her memories of me last mere moments unless she’s performing something at my behest. She cannot even perceive me unless I address her directly.”
“Well burying us beneath Rome isn’t going to help,” Kellan snapped, then turned back to Meghan. “Look, bear with me a minute. I need you to trust me, Woody.”
Meghan gave him a wary look. “You only say trust me, Woody, when you are about to do something I don’t like.”
Kellan nodded. “And this isn’t going to be any different.”
She sighed. “Great, go ahead.”
The Sentinel gave her his most encouraging smile. “Can you tell me where you were this past week?”
Meghan smirked at him. “I was in Rome, stupid. You know that.”
“Ok, and what were you doing there.”
“Sightseeing.”
“You hate sightseeing.”
“Yeah I do.” She paused, confused, and Ares perked up staring at her as she continued, “I hate sightseeing. Why would I do that, Kel?”
“I’m not sure,” he replied evenly. “Maybe you were with someone you liked being with more than you hated sightseeing. Were you alone in Rome?”
Meghan began to rub her temple absently as if she were developing a headache, “Uh, I, don’t think so.”
“Well, that’s interesting. You don’t think so? Surely you can remember a guy who schlepped you all across the eternal city or—“ Kellan gave her a wicked grin, “maybe it wasn’t a guy, eh.”
Meghan shot him a long suffering look, “Don’t project your fantasies, book-boy.” She crouched down and rubbed her head harder, then said, “He’s definitely a he. We were a team,” she paused searching for words, “He and I were a team, with you in Vatican city.” Meghan looked up at Kellan, “And we were together just now with the mummy.”
Lich, thought Kellan, and nearly bit his own tongue off. Instead, he smiled at her and said, “Yeah, now you got it. Well, mostly. I wouldn’t call it a team. He did all the heavy lifting. I’d say you were in more of a minor support role.”
“Huh?”
“Yeah, truth be told, if he wasn’t so smitten with you, he probably would have left you at home.”
“No he wouldn’t, Kellan. I am not a sidekick.”
“C’mon, Meghan, be real. He’s the very incarnation of war. Do you really think he actually needs some ex Marine debutante sashaying about him.
Meghan stopped rubbing her temples and glared up at Kellan, “Fuck you, Kellan. It’s former Marine and I do not sashay. Ares does need me.”
Kellan held up his hands. “Whoa. Of course he needs you. I mean don’t we all need a woman from time to time?” The Sentinel leaned casually against column and tried to ignore the look of disbelief and horror on Ares’ face as he continued, “But Meghan, there’s a big difference between a respected partner and a convenient bed warmer.”
Meghan let forth a primal scream and launched herself at Kellan even as his eyes flashed and he bent time. I’m screwed, he thought because she moved too quickly and was able to enter his time dilation bubble. Her first punch caught him square on the jaw and he tasted blood then a split second later her left hand gripped his head and slammed it against Trajan’s column. Kellan spun out of the way as his head swam and he drew deeper from his river of power channeling it to heal and invigorate. Megan retained an aggressive posture but didn’t move toward him. “Take that back, Kellan!” she growled but he just laughed at her and waved his hands.
“Take it back, but I can’t take it back. It’s already out there. I don’t see what you are so upset about. There are worse things. You’ve taken orders before. Why not take them now? I mean doesn’t War Whore have a nice alliterative ring to it.”
Kellan saw Ares stagger slightly in his peripheral vision as Meghan’s lips curled in a feral snarl. Her eyes began to glow and black wings appeared against the far wall as she leaped for Kellan with murderous intent. For his part, the Sentinel learned from his last mistake and kept his time dilation as close as possible. Even so, he was barely able to dodge a kick that landed against the wall where his head had been a fraction of a second before. Cracks radiated up to the ceiling and Meghan spun catching Kellan in a reverse wheelhouse kick that sent him tumbling.
“Now would be a good time to make her stop, Ares!” yelled Kellan.
The god stood frozen in disbelief as he stared at them both.
“Ares!” screamed Kellan again and the two locked eyes, sharing insight.
Meghan had bent to one knee her left hand beside Kellan’s head and her right pulled back in a fist.
“Stop!” yelled Ares as Meghan began her downward strike.
She froze, her arm trembling and glared over her shoulder at Ares, then pulled her fist back to strike again.
Ares yelled again. “I command you to stop!”
Meghan whipped her head around transferring all her feral energy in his direction. “I will not be commanded, Ares.” She stood, Kellan forgotten, and stalked toward the god as the air seemed to ripple between them. When only a hair’s breath separated the two, she stared into his golden eyes and said, “Do not ever command me again. Who the fuck do you think I am?”
Ares raised his hands and gently cupped her face as tears formed in his eyes, “You are my valkyrie. And you kept your promise.”
Meghan blinked, slowly returned his relieved smile and said, “You bet you war whoring ass I did.”
Kellan gave a contented sigh and flopped back against to cool stone floor as he watched Meghan pull Ares into a passionate embrace. After a few moments, the Sentinel leaned up on one arm and said, “Are you two almost done? “Can we please go through this portal, before something else bad happens?”
Chapter 20
The Second Garden
“Of course I knew who he was, Kellan. Do you think I invite just anyone into my bed? Besides, it was kind of obvious.”
The Sentinel sat sullenly in the crypt niche and idly spun an upended scull next to him. He peered into the darkness, then glanced at his watch and cursed himself for the third time at having been convinced to let Ares scout on ahead.
“Don’t you think?” asked Meghan again.
“Hmm?”
“Obvious?,” she asked again. “Don’t you think it was obvious? Seramai. It’s
the most simple anagram there is.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about, Meghan. You know I hate word games.” The Sentinel broke off and stared up. Meghan thought she saw a slight glint from his contacts. Kellan slumped and mumbled, “Screw you Jarvis. You are a freaking super computer. You are designed to be observant.”
Meghan smirked. “The robot saw it before you did, eh genius.” She held up two hands and counted off, “S-E-R-A-M-A-I,” than made a washing motion and started again as Kellan’s frown deepened, “I-AM-ARES”
“What’s your point, Meghan? That your new incarnate boyfriend has a juvenile and simplistic way to hid his oh so secret identity.”
She snickered. “Apparently it was mature and complex enough to befuddle you.”
Kellan lobbed the scull at her and slid out of the niche. “Where the hell is he anyway?”
Meghan held up the scull and stared into its empty socket, then intoned, “Alas poor Ares, I knew him Kellan.”
“I should have left you as his thrall,” mumbled Kellan as his eyes flared to life and three globes of light resolved into view.
Meghan set down the scull and hastened to Kellan, placing a restraining hand on his shoulder, “Hold on cowboy, Ares said to wait where we exited the portal.”
“He’s not the boss of me, Meghan,” said Kellan seriously.
She gripped his shoulders and turned the Sentinel toward her. “Now who is being juvenile and simplistic. You know these Cabalists posses your blood and with it you are the most likely among us to be detected. Ares, in his manifest form, can move faster and more stealthily than you could hope to in this particular place.”
Kellan shrugged her off, “Yeah, about that whole manifesting thing, you could have told me.”
She looked down and Kellan couldn’t determine whether it was with chagrin or contrition. “He asked me not to and It wasn’t my secret to tell.”
“Do not blame her, Sentinel of Order,” came Ares resonant voice. Both Kellan and Meghan turned at his approach and she smiled. The gloom seemed to retreat about him as his natural olive skin gleamed and sparkled slightly with an inner power. He remained as he had been when Seramai, but now was more as well. “The mantel of war weighs heavy and carries many responsibilities even as it grants many gifts. Is it so difficult to fathom my wanting to set it aside for a time and just be a man.”
“Dude, you were hardly a man when we met at the Council of Havilah. In fact, if I recall correctly, you introduced yourself to me as a god.”
Meghan cocked her head at this. “You did?”
Ares cast an embarrassed look to her and gestured in Kellan’s direction, “His arrogance and presumed superiority annoyed me.”
The former Marine nodded a caught Kellan’s eye, “That does sound like you.”
“Whatever, truth be told, I don’t even really care. Ares, your reasons are your own. I’m more interested in what you did to Meghan.”
They both stared at him without comprehension. “Oh come on now, do you think I, of all people, wouldn’t notice amber glowing eyes.”
“Oh, that,” Meghan said as she sidled up to Ares, crossed her arms behind his neck and gave him a quick kiss. “Like you said, he just awakens my inner bitch.”
“Like it ever sleeps,” grumbled Kellan.
“My valkyrie speaks truthfully, young Sentinel. What she experienced is not uncommon for soldiers when in close proximity to me. I have seen it many times before, but never has it been as dramatic as with she. The fog of war grants power at the cost of judgement and reason. You saw this with her, yes?”
Kellan muttered something that vaguely resembled acquiesce and sighed, “I suppose the shadow wings are all part of this fog as well then. Fine, just one more chapter of weirdness in the book of Kellan Caufield Thorne. I’ll let it go. Now, what did you find out oh, stealthy incarnation of war?” He noticed them both looking at him with similarly odd expressions. “What?” said Kellan, “I told you I would let it go.”
“Black shadow wings?” asked Meghan. “You keep bringing that up. What ever the hell are you talking about?”
She looked to Ares who shrugged and said, “I have never seen such a thing.”
Kellan pressed his lips together and pointed at them both, “Don’t screw with me. I let her go medieval on my ass for the sake of true love.”
The two raised their hands with such synchronicity that Kellan couldn’t help but chuckle. “Honest, Kellan,” began Meghan, “We have no idea what you are talking about.”
The young Sentinel just shook his head in bemusement and wondered if the many confusing aspects of his existence were beginning to outstretch his rather prodigious coping mechanisms. Ares cleared his throat and Kellan looked up and smiled. “Don’t mind me. I’ll be fine. What did you find Sera—damnit—Ares.”
The god reached over to a nearby niche, removed a scull and unceremoniously crushed it to ash. He then sprinkled it on the floor and crouched down. “I found the ritual site itself,” he said, then drew a crude map in the ash to indicate the how they would reach it.
Ares tapped a large open area on the map and said, “This is it here. There is a small altar of some kind and on it I could see several artifacts of substantial power.” He then made nine small hash marks that encircled the dot he had used to mark the altar. “Around the artifacts there are nine portals that seemed very similar to those we just passed though. Their edges glowed but the centers were dark as pitch. The artifacts seemed to be powering them. I could see ribbons of energy connecting the altar to each.”
Kellan nodded. “That makes sense. Lucifer said there were nine key events that were foundational to creation and if any were materially disrupted. Boosh!”
Meghan frowned, “Did Lucifer literally say, ‘Boosh?’”
Kellan waved her comment away, “Please don’t get me started on him. Anyway, the point being, his intel seems good. These Cabalist bastards are going to try and screw with a key event in Jesus’ timeline.” As he spoke the words, Kellan could see his friends tense and met their eyes. “Oh, did I forget to mention that part? Golly, I’m sorry. Seems inconsiderate of me. You know, kind of like my oldest gal pal shacking up with the very incarnation of war. Not that I’m keeping score or anything.”
Meghan glared at Kellan and her eyes took on the first hint of a glow when Ares touched her cheek with that back of a finger, drawing her attention. He simply shook his head and she sighed, then nodded.
“Do you know which event they seek to disrupt?”
“No clue, but they can’t do shit without the Spear.” Kellan felt a moment of panic. “You didn’t see that did you?” Ares shook his head and the Sentinel relaxed. “Well, it’s just a matter of time. What do you two think we should do?”
Meghan smiled but it didn’t touch her, once again, glowing eyes, “We should go and kill them all.” She turned to Ares who returned her smile and nodded.
Kellan stood and brushed ash from his pants, “Well, doesn’t sound like much of a plan, but I don’t have anything better. Not to mention, I’m really getting tired of this. It’s been over a week of non stop chaos.” He snickered at his own joke, “no pun intended.”
The three had traversed about half the distance Ares had estimated lay between their entry point and the ritual site when Kellan paused and looked around. His two companions shared a glance and then waited for him to explain. The Sentinel just shook his head to indicate he wasn’t sure either, but began examining the nearby wall. He drew a light globe against it and dragged a finger along the mortar line between stones. His fingernail dug deep within the unset mortar and he showed it to Meghan. Kellan formed his hands into a bowl and tensed, preparing to channel into the wall, when Areas placed his hand over Kellan’s. The god shook his head. Pointed to Kellan’s eyes and then in the direction of the ritual. He then gently, but insistently, pushed the Sentinel to the side and slammed an open hand between a crack in the mortar.
Moment’s later they had removed several
stones and Kellan’s stomach tried to crawl up this throat as the opening revealed the arm of someone who had been walled up to die. In a panic, he reached in and grabbed the arm. He pressed his fingers against the wrist, searching for a pulse, and nearly cried out in relief at the steady thrum. Kellan bent down and placed his lips softly on the symbol of a dove he saw there while lifting up a prayer of thanks that he knew none would ever hear. All this time Ares and Meghan had been frantically removing stones and finally revealed a disheveled, angry, but very much alive, Shannon.
Kellan reached up, pulled the rough cloth from her mouth, and smiled at her. “Hello, Sweetie,” she croaked.
Kellan laughed in relief but quipped back, “Had I known you were into this,” he dangled the gag by one finger, “I’d have certainly obliged.” Shannon looked past Kellan met Meghan’s eyes. The two women shared a knowing look of disdain and disgust, but Shannon greedily accepted Kellan’s offered hand and melted in his embrace. She took a quick swallow from the canteen Meghan offered and then turned back to Kellan.
“I knew you’d find me.”
He kissed both her cheeks and looked deeply into her wheat brown eyes, “I will always find you.” She smiled up at him and Kellan shook is head slightly, “How the hell did you end up in a wall?”
Shannon took another swig from the canteen and frowned, “No idea really. Last I remember, I was being crushed to death by a major demon’s corpse.”
Meghan leaned in. “Sorry to be the spoil sport, but, Shan, do you know where that spear is? Kellan’s new BFF Lucifer says bad things will happen if these Cabalist bastards place it here. Not for nothing, but if Satan thinks something bad will happen, well” She just let everyone fill in the rest of the thought with their own imaginations.
Shannon shook her head. “I don’t, but it’s not here yet, I can tell you that. I fell through the stone at Inverness and it wouldn’t open again, not for weeks or months. The Cabal would have had to retrieve the spear and find another fissure. The closest would be the Henge in England so we best make haste, they could be here with it at any moment.”
