Fury's Death

by Brey Willows

  “Remember what the Fates said.”

  Meg thought back. It felt like a billion years ago they’d been spouting their usual ominous warnings. Wait for the eruption after the collision. Don’t let her down. Find yourself. Well, hopefully, she’d managed at least two of those things. And it looked like the third was about to take place. She held Dani’s hand tighter. Dani’s power surged up her arm and merged with her own, making her wonder how her body could contain it. She liked it. She liked it a lot.

  “You’re done, you interfering asshat of a murderous monkey shit. We were told to let you do your thing, and we have. But you’ve gone too far. No one murders humans on this planet and skips off into the bloody sunset.” Meg’s voice bounced around the small rectangular room.

  Dis sighed, sounding genuinely disappointed. “I thought we had a chance, you know. Obviously, I didn’t care one way or another, really, but I thought it would be a far grander experience. Drawn out like the battles in the old days. But bring down one little building and the little gods scatter like roaches. It’s no wonder they’re lower on the deified food chain. Even my beautiful Horus flew away. The ancient gods fear losing more than they desire to be gods. Incredibly disappointing.”

  “You’re a fucking monster,” Alec roared. She moved forward, only to be stopped when Dani put a hand on her shoulder.

  “Call me what you wish. I’m bored now. Your gods are as weak as your humans, and if even a big war isn’t interesting, there’s really no reason to stay.” She raised her hands and dust rose from at her feet, coalescing into ribbons of reds, blues, and yellows filled with clusters of bright stars. As they grew and spread around her, Dis sighed and closed her eyes as though she was alone and at peace.

  Meg raised the hand she’d entwined with Dani’s and quickly grabbed Tis’s as well. Alec slipped her hand into Dani’s. “You can fuck right off if you think you’re leaving this place.”

  Old power, the kind they hadn’t used in centuries, rose. Meg let it spread through her body like a wildfire and felt Dani’s power, the power of death, destruction, but also of healing and life, mingle with theirs. Nothing overpowered Death, and it was the first time Meg really understood that. “Focus on her, keep her in place.”

  They did, and Meg knew they could all feel Dis fighting it. She was the strongest entity in the universe, and they wouldn’t be able to hold her for long. The cosmic energy flowing around her began to pop and sizzle under the pressure, and Dis screeched like an angry animal. Meg saw a heavy chain dangling from beyond the door and mentally pulled at it. Levitation had never been her strong suit, but she’d damn well figure it out now. She felt Dani’s connection, and the chain moved swiftly into the room. They wrapped it around Dis, who struggled and screamed as it bound her from ankle to neck. The red and blue ribbons fell to gray ash around her, the sparkling stars blinking to nothingness.

  When she fell to the ground, writhing and berating them, they were able to lower their power.

  “Sanctified metal. How did you know?” Dani asked softly, never taking her eyes from Dis.

  “The usual. I just did. Blessed as it was by someone with absolute faith, she won’t be able to break out of it, though I don’t want to depend on it for long.” Meg’s power hummed through her, the exhilarating mix of capture and defeat making her feel like a god. Then she looked at Dani, who was a god, and was brought back to earth. She looked far away and incredibly sad. The goddess of Death was taking the terrible amount of dead around them to heart. Meg knew there wasn’t anything she could do to ease that particular burden except be at her side when Dani needed her.

  Alec jerked forward, her eyes wild. “I say we make her into the star dust she reminds everyone else they are.”

  Tis shook her head and blocked Alec’s path. “We can’t kill Chaos, Alec. She’d simply be reborn at some point because of human nature. But we can damn sure send her back to where she came from. I don’t care what the Fates say.”

  Dani left the room and came back quickly with a huge tapestry she’d clearly taken from a wall. “Let’s wrap her in this, gangster style, and take her back to Afterlife.”

  Meg nearly clapped like a kid she loved the idea so much. “She’ll hate it. Let’s do it.”

  Carefully, they moved around Dis, who continued to threaten, plead, shout, and generally abuse them until she was muffled by the heavy ornate tapestry depicting the massacre of the innocents. Dani shrugged when Tis looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

  “It seemed fitting.”

  Dani opened a road to Afterlife, and her Mustang was at the opening, waiting. They hefted the bundled Dis into the trunk, where she hit with a satisfying thump.

  Dani looked thoughtful and turned to Tis. “My road is faster than a plane. Why don’t you get Kera and Ama, and the three of you can drive back to Afterlife as fast as you can possibly go? I need to be here right now.”

  Tis nodded, looking exhausted. “Sure. Is there a faster way than the jet to get the rest home?”

  Meg gave Dani a small smile. “How about the water?”

  Dani closed her eyes, and when she reopened them, she turned to Tis. “Poseidon can get everyone home once they’ve finished searching the ruins. They should arrive shortly after you, with the bound gods in tow.” Dani turned to Alec, who sat slumped against the wall, her wings closed around her, her shoulders shaking. “I need you to come with me, Alec.”

  Meg watched as Dani held out her hand, and Alec looked at it for a moment before taking it. They didn’t know what would happen when Selene died, and they sure as hell hadn’t intended to find out so soon. Based on the way she’d looked in Alec’s arms, it wasn’t promising.

  They left the decimated Vatican City behind them and went back to the rooftop where the others waited. They’d found a few of the gods who’d fought against them buried in the rubble, and they were bound on the ground, kept there at the ends of the other gods’ various weapons. Others had fled, though they’d soon be found as well. They were all strangely quiet, as though no one knew what to say in a situation like this one.

  Now, though, there was another god among them. Selene’s mom, Chandra, goddess of the moon, knelt beside her daughter’s body. Meg had always found her remote and dull, but now she stared at Selene’s body and tears like crystal fell onto Selene’s chest. Alec knelt beside her and gently pulled Selene’s body into her lap. Tears cascaded down her cheeks, mixing with Chandra’s. Meg’s heart broke for her sister, who had finally found the love of her existence, only to lose her.

  Dani whispered in Meg’s ear, “I need to do this. I might need you to hold Alec so I can do what I need to do, okay?”

  Meg nodded, hating the idea and part of her wanting to stop Dani herself. Still, she moved behind Alec, ready to take her shoulders if necessary.

  Dani knelt beside Selene, and her hands hovered over Selene’s head. The last sliver of moon slid away from the sun and bathed the scene in surreal sunlight. Alec’s sobs grew louder, her body jerking as she howled. Chandra watched silently, but her pain was clear in her pale eyes. And then Meg watched as Selene’s soul slowly left her body. But instead of the usual electric blue, Selene’s was the glowing silver of moonlight, and when Dani moved away with it cradled in her hands, she opened them as though to let it go.

  Alec cried out, but Meg held her in place. She watched as Selene’s silver soul cascaded from Dani’s hands and slowly, increasingly, took shape.

  Alec nearly collapsed under Meg’s hands as Selene looked around, clearly puzzled. She’d been a beautiful human, but as a demigod, she was…exquisite.

  “Alec? Baby, why are you crying—”

  Meg flinched at the moment Selene saw her own limp body lying in the rubble. If Selene had been able to go pale, she probably would have. The drama of the moment was electrifying, and Meg watched with fascination. She let Alec go when she stopped straining and leaned against Meg.

  “Oh.” Selene stared down at her body, and then looked at Alec, who gently p
laced Selene’s body on the ground before stepping over it and moving to stand in front of her glowing spirit. Chandra sighed softly and closed her eyes before moving away from Selene’s body to stand beside Zed, who put his arm around her.

  Alec looked at Dani. “Can I touch her?”

  Dani smiled. “Why don’t you try?”

  Alec held out her arms and Selene moved into them. They wrapped their arms around each other, and Selene certainly looked solid to Meg.

  “Thank the gods,” Alec said into Selene’s hair. “I thought I’d lost you.”

  Selene pulled away slightly. “Do I feel any different?” She looked down at her body on the ground. “That’s extremely disconcerting.”

  Meg moved to stand in front of Selene’s body so she couldn’t see it. “Does she feel different?” she asked Alec, insanely curious and wanting to touch Selene herself, but aware she might be overstepping if she did.

  “She’s…” Alec slid her hands over Selene’s arms. “Warmer. Like sunshine on sand in the summer.” Tears continued to slide down her face. “I’m glad you can’t do that to me ever again.”

  A choked sound caught Meg’s attention, and she turned around. “Oh gods. I completely forgot you were here.”

  Madison Ford stood with her cameraman. Both were covered in dust and soot, and Madison’s hair looked like she’d stuck her finger in a socket. Her eyes were wide as she stared at Alec and Selene. Her cameraman was clearly still filming, though he too looked stunned.

  Meg grabbed Dani and pulled her in front of the camera. At Dani’s confused look, she smiled sweetly and said, “It’s time.” She turned to the camera. “I’d like to reintroduce you to Dani Morana. Most of you know her as Death, the one in the big cloak who carries that beautiful scythe.” Dani smiled nervously at the camera, and Meg continued. “But what you’ve just seen is how your souls are handled when it’s your time to go.”

  “But not everyone comes back the way Selene did.” Dani squeezed Meg’s hand. “Souls go to different places depending on your belief system. The one thing you can be sure of is that every soul is handled with the same care. It’s an honor for us to help you take the next step of your journey, and as you can see, there’s nothing in that first step to be afraid of.”

  Madison moved to stand beside Meg and Dani. “Can you explain what happened here today?”

  Dani moved aside and motioned for Meg to take the stage. Meg spread her wings out behind her, liking the way they looked in the reflection of the camera lens. “Today, the gods fought for you. There were some who wanted to take away your rights, who felt they had the right to dictate who you were able to believe in, and how much freedom you were allowed to have. Other gods, those standing behind me, believe in the human capability to make choices based on their own needs and beliefs.” She lowered her left wing to show Selene. “As Selene has been saying for some time now, you have the right to your faith. And now that you know the gods exist, you know you have choices to make about who to believe in.” She lowered both wings completely, to show the gathering of gods standing behind her. The drama of it was thrilling. “These gods fought for every human to have the right to choose their faith. The ones on the ground trussed up like turkeys are the ones who would have made you into mindless servants. The building might have come down, but a building is just a place. The beings are the ones you can count on. Don’t lose sight of that.”

  The cameraman panned over the gods, clearly going in for a close-up on each of them. As the camera got to each god, they stood straighter, raised their chins, brightened their glow. Those on the ground looked away, trying to hide. And Meg saw that when the camera had passed, several of the victorious gods slumped, looking tired and crestfallen. They wouldn’t let it show, but they’d just gone to war with other gods, some who had been friends. They’d done the right thing, but the cost had been high.

  The camera returned to Madison and Meg, and Madison said, “What else do you want people to know, Megara?”

  Meg looked around at the people she loved. Her family, her friends. She lingered on Dani, who was radiant. Her followers had seen her and had a face to put to their prayers. Her power was growing even as they stood there. She looked truly divine, and Meg’s knees were weak with the emotion flooding through her. She looked back at the camera. “Choose who you want to believe in, but do it because you want what they offer, and what they have to offer makes you a better human. Beyond all of that, love. Every one of these gods has that as one of their primary rules. Love each other, and do no harm. Pretty simple, right? If you have questions, ask. Every god has an email address, and they really do hear your prayers. If you can’t get hold of them with your questions, get hold of me.” With those words, she realized she knew her place. Selene had been the bridge to save the worlds, and Tis had made the choice to stay part of the world she knew and bring in Kera, who’d helped with the transition. It was Meg’s job to keep it going, to be a kind of liaison between the gods and humans and help them understand one another. It would get crazy. It would be complicated. And she’d love it.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Dani, the furies, and Zed stood behind Dis on level five, and the seriousness of the moment was so thick in the air Dani felt like she could barely breathe. The three Fate sisters stood in front of Dis, who remained bound in chains. With the news constantly replaying footage of the War of the Gods, as it was unimaginatively being called, people’s fears and confusion had already diminished exponentially. Without Dis there to fan the flames of distress and anger, humans were settling. They’d seen the gods fight for them, and they’d seen the destructive gods vanquished. The followers of those gods who had been beaten were confused and angry, but the sub gods and nearby gods were already in those locations, helping defuse the situations. The humans had listened to Meg explain what had happened and why. Life was right side up again, and even the fear of death had already begun to change into something else. Dani wasn’t sure what that something was yet, but it was definitely different from what she’d felt for the last three thousand years.

  As a result of the changes, Dis’s power had faded, and it showed in her being. She stared at the wall behind them, mute, her face a mask devoid of emotion. Her eyes were dull, her skin sallow.

  “Goddess of Chaos, keeper of the cosmos. You have served your purpose here, and you are no longer needed.” Clotho, Atropos, and Lachesis spoke as one. Clotho stepped forward and waved her hand over the chain binding Dis, and it fell to pieces at her feet. “It is time for you to take your place among the stars once more.”

  The door to the cosmos opened behind Dis, but she didn’t turn around. Swirling balls of multicolored gasses passed by the opening, backlighting her. “They’ll call me back, one day.” She glanced over her shoulder and straightened slightly before turning back to them. “The last time you furies took charge, when you began putting things in order, you forced me away. But now you see, you can’t keep me away. Even you aren’t that powerful.” She stepped backward toward the open doorway. “One day, they’ll forget you. They’ll have no help, no gods left. And then…” She laughed, a deep, dark, echoing sound. “Then they’ll have no one but me.”

  She turned and stood in the doorway, her arms raised and her head thrown back. “Oh. One more thing.” She spun, her hands outstretched, and trails of red and blue streaks shot toward Meg.

  Meg swore and jerked back, but the ropes of color wrapped around her arms and jerked her toward Dis and the doorway. Dis stepped out into space and floated there, pulling Meg toward her.

  Dani grabbed Meg around the waist and pulled her back as the others shouted and moved forward. Dani thought of her scythe, and it was instantly in her hand. She flung it forward, and it sliced through Dis’s arm before returning to Dani, the cosmic ropes shredded, Dis’s outraged shrieks filling the air as Meg fell backward into Dani.

  Atropos slammed the door shut, and they heard Dis’s scream of defiance, but that too faded.

  Meg sat cros
s-legged on the floor, her back against Dani’s legs. “Well, that was unexpected.”

  Lachesis huffed. “Silly old bat. As though we’d let anything like that happen.” She yawned. “I’m going home to bed.”

  “Just like that?” Alec pointed at the door. “She just tried to kill our sister, and you’re going home to cuddle your cat?”

  Clotho shrugged. “She can’t open the door from her side. There was a time she could drop in whenever she wanted, but we rerouted things to make sure we knew when she was here or being called back. She’s gone, and our machines are working again. You go do your thing now. We’ll let you know if anything comes up that concerns you.” She left, elegant and composed as always.

  “Wait. You rerouted…space? Time?” Selene shook her head. “You’re beings created by humans, on this planet. How can you have that kind of power?”

  Atropos laughed and touched Selene’s cheek in a surprisingly gentle gesture. “There are still many things you don’t know, child of the moon.” She walked away, whistling.

  Lachesis followed but looked over her shoulder. “And we don’t like cats.”

  Dani helped Meg to her feet.

  “And off they go, like they didn’t just send old demented ass-face into space.” Kera ran her hands through her hair and looked at Tis. “Sometimes, I’m not convinced you aren’t keeping me drugged somewhere.”

  Tis gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and linked her arm. “Who says I’m not?”

  As a group, they made their way back to Zed’s office. Dani held Meg’s hand. After the battle, and after seeing the devastating pain Tis and Alec had suffered when the loves of their lives were dead and injured, she needed to be with Meg as much as possible. And after what Dis had just tried to do, she wanted physical contact more than ever. The thought that Meg could have been dragged into the cosmos and lost to her forever…the thought was beyond sickening.

  When they were finally back in Zed’s office, Meg pushed everyone aside to get to the pizza on the table. With her mouth full, she looked at Ama, who was smiling at her. “You’re the best goddess ever.”