Iron Rain Pt. 19

"We are gathered to answer the Akhkharu threat," Anu began the council. "They spread from city to city on the European continent. They have not touched Asia, India or any further than France in the north and Italy in the south. What say you?"

"We must join with the Shaw and fight," Nanna Sin spoke his voice serene and strong.

"It is because of the Shaw that we face this threat defenseless," Tiamat hissed.

"He did what he had to do. We had become a threat that could be denied no longer," Ishtar said against her sister.

"Our greed and the path we had chosen doomed not only the humans but ourselves," agreed Marduk.

"I can't believe what I am hearing," Tiamat raged.

"Calm yourself sister," Anu said with a grim smile. "I have had dreams and I cannot contest what our brothers and sisters have said. Yet still there is one we should hear from."

"Who," Tiamat asked looking around the table. "Has anyone else something to say on this matter that has not been uttered?"

"I do," said the sensual voice from the entrance of the council chamber.

"YOU," hissed Tiamat as she rose to her feet. "What is she doing here Anu, she is an abomination!"

"I invited her and her guest," Anu said waving Khora Dhaine and Nick Shaw into the Holy of Holies.

"Brother have you lost your mind," Tiamat spat as she moved to leave.

"SIT DOWN," Anu's voice carried not just with volume but power in it as well.

Tiamat's knees nearly folded from the force of his will and she managed to regain her seat with some difficulty.

"Does anyone else have something to say," the eldest of the Twelve asked and when no one spoke he motioned for Khora to take the thirteenth seat. "I am sorry Shaw there is no seat for you."

"I am honored by the mere honor of addressing so august persons as the Twelve," Nick said.

"Well said," Ishtar purred. "For an enemy he is at least well spoken and easy on the eyes."

"Curb your appetite goddess of lust," Anu warned. "At least until after we speak with him."

"Yes brother," she replied with a sly smile.

"Speak Khora and tell us why we should hear this outsider in our most sacred space?" Anu went through the rituals that were dictated.

"The Shaw is our only hope for defeating the Dark Mother," Khora said and pausing before she continued choosing her words carefully. "If we don't join forces she will awaken the three and it will be too late."

"The legend of the three is just that a myth to scare young Nephilim," dismissed Erishkigal the dark haired beauty with the haunting green eyes.

"Then, if I may speak, why is that very 'legend' carved upon your walls?" Nick asked.

"I assure you Shaw that it is not," Anu said quite confident.

"If I may," Nick asked and Anu nodded.

Nick walked over to the far wall and every eye was on him as he pointed to a complex geometric shape etched deep. It was a large triangle composed of four smaller triangles three that were pointing downwards and the center facing up. Within each smaller shape a particular design making it unique and different from the others.

"You see here. These three with their points facing down represent the Three. You can see that each has a character depicting an element, fire, water and earth. The center one here," he said pointing, "well that represents the force of darkness and chaos."

"Who is this agent of chaos Shaw," asked Ishtar with an angry gleam in her eye.

"Why your uninvited guest," Nick said flinging a dagger at an empty corner of the chamber and to everyone's shock it hung in the air a moment before a tall handsome man appeared and tugged the weapon free. "Hello Loki, or do you prefer Raven or maybe Tezcatlipoca?"

"All or none," he said in his melodious voice.

"How dare you enter here without our permission," Anu roared.

"I am a guest everywhere Eldest of the Nephilim," Loki replied serenely.

"Who is this creature Shaw," Anu said turning to face Nick.

"He is or was once a deity worshipped by humans," Nick said. "He is the trickster and manipulator of vast destinies even my own."

"Oh Nikolas you give me too much credit," Loki said with a sly grin. "Or maybe too little... why are you here?"

"I came to warn the remaining Nephilim about the Three and maybe make a bargain," he said with a smile of his own.

"He is not to be trusted," Loki said addressing the Twelve. "Look what he has done to the world and to you and your children."

"True but what the Shaw had done was for a reason. What is your reason for being here agent of chaos?" Anu asked with a raised eyebrow.

"To watch, observe and act if necessary," Loki replied.

"Act," Ishtar mused. "What actions were you considering Loki?"

"The destruction of Nikolas here if I saw a continuing threat," he replied without hesitation.

"Ah," Erishkigal smiled a feral grin. "Will you slay him here Loki before our very eyes?"

"Alas no death goddess. I will not for like you his damnable virus affects mortal and immortal alike."

"Then how were you going to destroy the Shaw," Marduk asked.

"There are ways of getting at a man indirectly," Loki said.

"You mean like planting two shifters on my ship," Nick replied. "To wreak havoc when it best suited you?"

"Clever boy," the chaos god smiled.

"That's the same thing your father said to me," Nick shot back.

"How dare you mention my father," Loki snarled.

"I dare much for the sake of what has to be done," Nick replied softly.

"What does that even mean Nikolas," Loki grilled him.

"There is one last event on the horizon and much is necessary in preparation," Nick explained.

"Shaw what is going to happen," Anu asked.

"I wish I could share that burden with you but I can't," he said.

"Why are you really here Shaw," Nanna Sin asked.

"To make an offer," Nick said approaching the table again. "I will give you a cure for Aries and something more."

"In exchange for what," Anu asked.

Serfopoula Island: (Magus)

09:13 A.M.

After crossing seven time zones and dodging military ships of various size and capability the Black Razor reached its intended destination. After a brief tour of the ship and a more in depth visit to the Captain's quarter's, I feel refreshed and delightfully stress free. Who says you need a man?

I was just dressing when the call came over the comm...

"Captain we have arrived and no one seems the wiser for now," said the first officer.

"I'll be up in five get everyone ready," Captain Moen said from her bed.

"I guess I should get dressed," I told the Captain as I bent over to pick up my clothing on the floor.

"How long is this little venture of yours going to last Magus," she asked me.

"Not long, we are mainly here to make sure nothing has gotten loose and make sure it stays that way," I explained.

"What sort of 'nothing'," she asked concern for her crew and even me perhaps.

"Do you believe in things that go bump in the night," I asked her.

"You mean besides you," she said with a smile. "I have seen some amazing things while aboard the Razor so yeah I guess I do."

"Then we are babysitting one of them and making sure no one wakes it," I told her.

"How long do you expect this to last," the Captain asked.

"Oh no more than a day or two at the most," I told her not knowing exactly.

"And the high explosives," she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Just insurance in case things go poorly," I told her.

"Let's hope it never gets to that point," Moen said with a gentle hand upon mine.

"Yes let's..." I agreed.

We gathered by the minisub and armed ourselves for battle because we knew the Dark Mother was on her way. Thanks to Nick and his research and development team we had the best weapons money could buy or steal. Thanks to Oz were able to acquire immunization for us and the crew. Apparently dear Old Nick had lied about their being a cure, naughty boy. I could see why he kept it to himself and his inner elite but Oz was always there lurking and listening when he shouldn't be. It was he that managed to steal the cure and get us our injections. I still didn't trust him completely for he has his own agenda and it's just up to me to figure it out and make sure it doesn't conflict with mine.

The Razor scanned the Island as we sought the cave entrance described on Oz's map. We circled the island seeking, searching and after long precious hours we found what we sought. So a small party led by Oz and myself headed out in the minisub for the cave entrance. Shaped like a great stone eye we carefully slid the sub through the iris and into the cave's interior. Spherical in shape the outer cave was massive and so we rose up until we reached a pocket of clean air. We disembarked and began to follow the map once we got our bearings. It was a veritable maze and even with the map we would not reach the cell until well after dark, it was buried so deep. I looked at Ingrid and she only smiled as she examined the map for structural weaknesses. My plan was to blow the place and drop as many tons of rock on top of the cell so that no one could ever reach whatever was inside of it. Well that was the plan.

So as we made our way deeper every so often we stopped and left a little surprise in the form of a brick of C4. I can't imagine the time or inclination it took to construct this place. The ancients were a very determined people to have put so much into this single complex. In scope and size it dwarfed the great pyramid and the Valley of the Kings combined. It was an amazing feat of engineering and beauty. The bas reliefs etched upon the walls told the terrible and sad story of the birth of the Akhkharu and the corruption of the three. It also revealed that it was not the Promethean as the stories had always said but the tampering of someone the hieroglyphs and cuneiform named the one who brings darkness or Mordruin. It was the Lucifer myth all over again but instead of rebelling against the creator something drove him to madness. The history was followed by a warning or prophecy of sorts. If the three were ever released a terrible synergy would take place and the very life force of every living thing was in jeopardy. I was sure the warning was exaggerated to frighten would be intruders and who knew by the time we reached the cell we might find it long empty and its occupant dead all these long years. That was my secret hope.

We reached the first cathedral, well that's what I named it, an open area with a vast ceiling and set into the central column carved and inset into the living rock a single piece of polished obsidian. This one took the form of the god Osiris in all his divine glory. Other cathedrals followed and each had that single carved likeness of god or goddess from a region of the upper earth. The purpose of the statues was anyone's guess but I suspected it was to keep the forces of evil at bay. Always we went deeper and the air grew hotter until...

After myriad crisscrossing tunnels we arrived at a massive stone chamber I dubbed the inner eye. It was a hundred feet diameter sphere with an ancient walkway that bisected the room and led to what we believed was the cell. We crossed the span and arrived at an antechamber little smaller that the inner eye. It was a near perfect cube with five smooth sides except for the far wall with its six curved lines that led to a central design. We called this the iris and at its center was a stone disk of non native material and graven upon it a pentacle with a flame at its heart.

"An Elder Sign," I muttered my voice echoing over the empty room.

"What the hell is an Elder Sign," Captain Moen asked.

"It was used by the ancients to seal away great evils from the world and this one appears quite intact," I explained.

"Good, so we can leave and blow this place to hell and breathe a sigh of relief?" she said.

"That's the plan," I said with a smile.

"Excellent, Ingrid if you would do the honors of setting the last of the explosives.

My girls and I will guard the, what did you call it, ah yes the inner eye. Let's go and don't dawdle this place gives me the creeps."

So while Ingrid went about swiftly yet carefully setting the charges I primed the remote control and was ready to leave. I walked about the chamber waiting for the petite blonde to finish her work when Garnet tugged on my sleeve and pointed to the stone floor. There marring the otherwise pristine finish of the polished stone were small droplets of blood. I followed the trail and it led out to where Moen and her troops waited and it also led inward towards the iris and the figure of Oswald Sebastian Kane. I shined the light upon his face and saw the glint in his eyes and him licking the self inflicted wound on the palm of his right hand.

"Incoming," I screamed even as the Akhkharu attacked.

By the time I turned back to Oz he had vanished, damn him! I brought my weapon up and waited for any sign of movement within the chamber but the sounds of combat and gunfire from without were very distracting. Then I noticed the Elder Sign begin to shift on its own and took aim and fired. The ultraviolet ammo left streaks of light as they travelled towards their target and even invisible some of them struck home. I didn't know if it would kill him but I bet it hurt like hell. With a herculean effort Oz yanked the Elder Sign free and the iris began to open. My next volley of projectiles was aimed a bit higher and when he appeared I saw that one had struck the back of his skull and he was bleeding profusely. Despite being thrown to the ground the seal remained undamaged and intact.

"Look out," Ingrid tried to warn me but it was too late.

I was lifted up from behind and tossed into the right wall like a rag doll and struck with enough force to stun me. Even as I brought up my weapon I stopped recognizing the figure standing above me.

"Impossible... you're dead," I croaked.

"I was dead," Sebastian Shaw snarled. "...but that's a long and boring story. Why did you open the seal?"

"I didn't Oz did," I muttered still disorientated.

"Inside and stop him," the elder Shaw commanded.

No less than ten Akhkharu raced into the breach and followed the wounded Nephilim. I looked up and my puzzlement must have been abundantly clear.

"The Dark Mother is dead, her agenda and my own do not coincide. For the moment we are allies in this thing. Worse case we blow the tunnels with us inside. Better that than whatever horror lies within get up and out of here."

"We need to talk when this is over with," I said getting to my feet and shouldering my weapon. "Help me with the seal."

"I can't just being in the room with that thing is making me ill," he replied.

"Okay, Ingrid get your ass over here and help me with this thing," I shouted.

The two of us managed to get it on its side and roll it towards the open iris and the closer it got to the breach we saw the arms of the iris began to slide back into place.

"We should wait until..." I began but Sebastian shook his head.

"No they knew the chance they took when they volunteered. Seal it."

Without another word we shoved the stone disk the last few feet and stopped. Ingrid and I shared that glance that said 'how the hell are we going to lift it up and into place'. Then came the cries from within the cell and we knew we were running out of time. I moved the seal so that the pentacle was facing outward and took a deep breath.

"Whatever powers that be I could really use your help right about now," I said and then with a scream of exertion lifted the dead weight and slammed it into place.

Everyone in the chamber was thrown back as the star blazed to life for a moment and then the flame burned and crackled before becoming dull and lifeless once more.

"What the hell," I cursed even as Ingrid giggled.

"Well that was fun," she said with a smile as she stood and dusted herself off.

"Okay now we talk Sebastian... Shaw... FUCK! He's gone and all the Akhkharu with him even our wounded." I cursed as I took in the scene around me. "Moen where are you?"

"I'm here and I appear uninjured," she said as she staggered in from the outer chamber.

"Garnet," I called out but received no immediate response. "Garnet! Where the hell are you?"

"I'm here Magus but alas I'm injured, a bite to the throat," she whimpered.

"We'll get you out of here," I told her even as I tried to pick her up.

"No Magus I am infected," she said.

"Then why did they leave you," Moen asked.

"When I turn I will be able to find him," Garnet moaned in pain.

"Find him... find who Garnet," I asked.

"Father, the one you called Sebastian," she managed as she tried to catch her breath.

"What do you want me to do Garnet," I asked her feeling responsible for her being here in the first place.

"I knew the risks Magus," she said through gritted teeth as her death neared. "If you need me I will endure what comes next. If not then end this now."

"This falls under Nick's responsibility now," I told her as I brought my weapon to bear and squeezed off three shots at point blank range. "I'm sorry Garnet you were an honorable companion. Ingrid, are we ready?"

"Whenever you are," she replied.

"Okay we are out of here, let's move and collapse the tunnels behind us. No one is getting in here ever again." I said as he headed back up to the surface.

It was nearly noon of the next day by the time we reached the minisub and triggered the explosives. I never realized the amount of damage we would cause as the island itself sunk into the sea as the honeycomb structure below it collapsed and like a house of cards it disappeared from the surface forever. As the Black Razor received the sub we mourned our dead and headed back to England for our refitting and the consumption of much alcohol to deaden our nerves and emotions.