In which even very skilled fighters can be taken off guard- never a good thing.
Replies:
Thickneck: Yep.
Guest: You'll have to wait and see for a lot of those questions- but I will say that I think Ra is one of the Wisest of the Egyptian gods and I like the scenes with him and Percy.
Guest: That would be funny I must admit. And thank you.
"Heal her." Carter twisted to glare at Setne- and Percy felt her heart sinking when the ghost winced.
"Oh, um... see, healing magic isn't really my thing. But at least you've got the Book of Thoth! If she dies, it wasn't for nothing—"
"Wasn't for nothing?" Percy snarled the words before, "TAS!" the bindings around Setne tightened and he yelped in pain, squirming uselessly against the pink ribbons.
"Hey!" his voice was startled, and he glared at Percy. "What was that for?"
"That was for you being a rude, narcissistic-" she'd picked up that word from her mother, she'd described Gabe as a narcissist before. From what Percy had understood it meant that he only cared about himself, "greasy haired useless lump with no- ugh! You're horrible!"
"If she dies-" Carter's voice cracked and his expression was heart-breaking, and he couldn't even seem to find the words to finish his sentence.
"I see you need some time," Setne said. "No problem. How about I go tell your captain where we're heading? We should get back to the Duat, back onto the River of Night as soon as possible. Do I have your permission to give him orders?"
"Fine." Carter snapped the words, "Just get out of my sight."
Percy winced, "Carter..." her voice was soft and she shook her head, "Carter I'm sorry."
"I can't lose her-" Carter's voice cracked. "Percy- I don't-" And Percy moved quickly, pressing into her big brothers side, hugging him tightly.
"Carter she's strong." She whispered, "She's strong if anyone can survive this it's her." and he turned his head to look at Percy, his eyes were red rimmed, slightly swollen and she leaned up, pressing her lips to his cheek.
"Don't-" Carter's voice cracked, "Do you really, really believe that she's going to be okay?" and the look on his face when Percy nodded was one of relief- which made guilt churn in Percy's belly because- she didn't know for sure. How could she? But she was saying what Carter needed right now. And she'd be damned if she wasn't going to comfort her big brother as best as she could.
"Of course I do." She pulled back slightly, and she stayed silent as she rested her head on his shoulder- and after what felt like a lifetime Zia's fever subsided, and she started to breath easier, slipping into a gentler sleep.
Percy could feel the tension draining from her big brother when that happened and he hesitated, "Percy... you knew-"
"Yes." Percy's voice was quiet, "It- Partly from Apophis. He knows about her- has done for a long time."
"He tried to kill her." it wasn't a question as such- Carter already knew the answer, "Her village- he wiped it out trying to get to her."
"He did." Percy nodded, "She- she's Ra's only chance of being renewed. Of becoming whole again. She's going to have to be his eye."
"She's terrified." Carter's voice was soft, and he was holding Zia's hand so very gently. "And I can't blame her. It was bad enough for me with Horus- Ra- he's so much more powerful- that much power.."
"Zia can pull it off." Percy gave a small smile, "Or do you doubt your girlfriends awesomeness?"
"Never." Carter's lips twitched, "How could I?"
They were silent for some time, until they both felt the ship start moving again- and the dropped into a momentary free-fall, then hit water with a shudder and a loud splash. Percy felt a river rolling under the hull once again, and from the tingling in her gut, She knew that they were back in the Duat.
Then Carter exhaled, "I-I want to stay here until she wakes up if I can."
"Of course." Percy nodded, "I'll go check on Setne. Maybe I'll find an excuse to get that blender-"
"You're ridiculous." despite everything Carter couldn't stop himself from laughing at Percy's words, and then he grinned weakly, "If you do make sure to wait until Zia and I can watch okay?"
"Of course, you don't think I'd let you miss it." Percy stood up, stretching before she made her way out of the room, closing the door behind her.
At least Zia was doing better now- it was easier to relax, oh things weren't exactly good but- but Zia wasn't on deaths door and Percy was grateful for that.
Percy headed down the hall, making her way up the stairs- and when she emerged onto the deck she felt something- something was wrong- she turned, eyes scanning for Setne- and as she stepped further onto the deck the only warning was a faint creak behind her, and then Percy felt searing pain as something sliced across her back and she staggered forward, forcing down a scream as she turned- raising her hands in self defence- and why oh why didn't she carry her khopesh at all times- and- it was Bloodstained Blade.
No no no. Noooo she could remember, she remembered Carter's words when Setne had asked if he should give the demon orders- damn it how could they have both been so stupid?!
Bloodstained blades axe head was sharp- very sharp- that was what she'd felt slicing across her back, and that was what hit her right shoulder hard- she hit the ground with a thud, thrown off balance by the blow, flinging her arm to the side, desperately trying to reach into the Duat- but Bloodstained Blade was expecting it, his foot came down hard on her left wrist- and Percy screamed at that- she couldn't help it. She could feel and hear the bones snapping beneath his foot, but she was swinging her other arm around, gripping his ankle and yanking it out from under him.
She felt a thrill of satisfaction as he toppled, and she was already moving, scrambling to her feet, clutching her left hand to her chest as she thrust her right hand into the Duat again.
And usually she had no problem with retrieving her khopesh but- the pain made it hard to focus- and it was also hard to focus amongst the chaos.
The crew lights were going crazy, buzzing around frantically, bonking into walls, looping around the smokestacks, lowering and raising the gangplank for no apparent reason. Since Bloodstained Blade was otherwise occupied they weren't getting orders- they didn't know what they were supposed to be doing- and that meant that there was no one steering- and they were on the River of the Night.
Percy cursed violently.
She needed to take control of the boat again- it was already careening down the River of Night, weaving drunkenly in the current.
They slipped between two jagged rocks that would have pulverized the hull, then dropped over a cataract with a jaw-rattling thunk.
Usually she could control boats with just a thought, but somewhere like this? Whilst under attack by a demon with multiple wounds?
Yeah, that would not be half as easy.
Percy tried to shake of her distraction, dropping- and only narrowly missing getting her head chopped off when the demon managed to get to his feet and charge her.
And okay, okay she could feel slightly amused for just a second when his head got lodged in the wood of one of the masts.
It wasn't so funny when he managed to rip himself free and he charged her again- and honestly, Percy had two bad arms, and she was bleeding heavily from her back, and she couldn't focus enough to get her khopesh.
Bloodstained Blade was charging her again- Percy turned and sprinted towards the rails, jumping, planting her foot on the railing and using it to boost herself up into the air, flipping over the demons head and landing in a crouch behind the demon- and she surged forward, not bothering to rise as she tackled him, sending them both sprawling onto the deck- and she grunted in pain when the Demon managed to grab her hair, yanking it hard, smacking her face against the wood of the deck- which, ouch!
She could sort of hear the demon saying something but her head was kind of fuzzy, which meant she was thinking slower- and she could feel the demon yanking her hair harder- and then the pressure was gone, and Percy turned her head and her eyes widened because Carter was there, his face pale and his eyes shining with fury.
"Get the fuck away from my sister!" he'd knocked the demon away, and Percy managed to scramble to her feet.
"Oh thank the gods. Carter you just saved my butt-"
"I heard you screaming gods-" Carter's expression was horrified- and Percy wondered how bad she looked- her face was really
throbbing now. "Where's Setne?"
"I dunno." Percy scowled. "He must have told Bloodstained Blade to kill us." and the demon was rising to his feet, that was not good at all, though he was quickly knocked off balance by the lurching of the ship against some rocks.
"Wheelhouse!" Carter had to shot the word over the roaring of the rapids, "Get the boat under control. I'll deal with Bloodstained Blade."
And Percy hesitated for a second- because the idea of leaving Carter to fight Bloodstained Blade- it didn't sit right with her at all, but she was aware that A, she was injured and it would be harder for her to fight than for Carter to, and B, if any of them stood a chance of getting the boat under control and stopping them from crashing and burning it would be her.
She sprinted towards the wheelhouse, taking the steps two at a time as she rushed into the little cabin.
All around the boat, the river churned into white water rapids. A pillar of stone loomed out of the fog and scraped against their
starboard side, ripping off part of the railing. We twisted sideways and picked up speed. Somewhere ahead of them Percy heard the roar of millions of tons of water cascading into oblivion. They were rushing toward a waterfall.
Crap crap crap- even her skill with water wouldn't save them from that.
She looked around frantically- and- were those fires burning in the distance- the thick fog and gloomy gray light made it very hard to tell but she was pretty sure she was right- and a dark line that she had to home was the shore.
Percy grabbed at the pilots wheel, trying to turn it- but that was easier said and done one handed- she focused her powers and she forced herself to move her left hand, gripping the wheel, forcing back a scream as she turned the wheel.
The problem was that even with her powers she wouldn't be able to keep the wheel there if she wasn't actually holding it-which meant she was stuck.
She could see Carter, fighting off Bloodstained Blade, looking like he was struggling and- she heard a cranking noise- and she turned her head again and she felt a rush of rage as she that the gangplank was lowering- that little rat. He was walking across the gangplank, the Book of Thoth tucked under his arm.
Oh no. No no no. Percy was not going to let him get away with that- it took some focus- which wasn't easy with the intense molten pain from Percy's injuries, but a geyser of water shot out from the river before Setne could jump to safety-and he staggered backwards, flailing and almost falling in- and Percy felt somewhat smug about that- especially when she heard Carter's voice yelling
"TAS!" and she felt the urge to cheer as the Ribbons of Hathor encased him, scroll and all, and Setne pitched overboard into the water.
That was one problem dealt with, Percy could get him out with her powers easy enough- but Carter needed help- she could see that when she turned her gaze to him- and then- she let out a whoop because she could see Zia stood behind the demon, and a moment later he erupted in a column of fire. His body vaporized. His metal ax head dropped, impaling itself in the deck between Carter's feet.