πAvatarsπ
"STEVEN NO!"
When she flew out from behind the column and out of the shadows, compromising her hiding, the members raised their guns, but Harrow simply held up a hand to stop them as she collapsed to her knees by Steven - and Marc's - side.
She stared down at his fallen body, two red bullet holes in his chest, in his heart A heart, she knew, that was so full. So, so full.
"Doesn't this go against everything you stand for?" she accused through gritted teeth, not looking at Harrow when he spoke.
"My scales are unbalanced, I already know this. And my time for judgement will come when Ammit is released, and I am ready," Harrow replied, in his always strange calmness - strange, unsettling calmness.
As they turned away - damn them for thinking this was it, this was the end - she dove to the side, swiping up Alexander's axe which Marc had dropped, brandishing it now herself. "MURDERER!"
The members didn't come at her with guns, not this time. They just grabbed her flailing form instead.
"In the sarcophagus." Harrow nodded.
She kicked and squirmed, but it proved useless, and pretty soon she was lying with - well, squishing - Alexander. In her head, she could clearly hear Steven: "Sorry Mr. Great! So sorry Mr. The Great!"
With a grinding of stone, the lid slid closed and darkness sharply enveloped her.
But she didn't stop - she still kept screaming and thrashing. Even when they were gone and she was still locked inside.
π π π
It was only a matter of a few minutes, but it felt like an eternity before the lid slid off again and a crack of dim light struck her from above. Layla's grave, tear-streaked face stared down at her. "Eva - oh my God, here-" The two maneuvered the lid off and Eva out of the coffin. Then the two new friends sank to the floor in each other's arms, sobbing together.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry-"
"Me too."
"I'll kill him."
"You and me both. Come on-" Layla reached up, drying Eva's tears with her thumb. Then she held up the scarab in her hand, which Harrow must have left behind now that he already had Ammit. "Let's follow - they may have found Ammit, but they haven't released her yet."
In other words, they still had a chance.
They would do it - for Marc, for Steven - they would finish the job they had started.
π π π
"Let's go, pick up the pace!" one of the cult members called to them as they jogged to join the crew.
"Sorry, just scouting out the place." Eva tried her best at an American accent, but she wasn't sure what it really sounded like.
They tied scarves around their faces and hair - Eva especially needed to cover her bright recognizable hair. Posing as members themselves, this way the cult would take them right with them to their destination.
The procession of vehicles didn't make it very far before they were stopped at a checkpoint by armed guards.
"Show me your papers."
"I don't need to show you my papers - you need to show me your soul-" Harrow slammed the staff into the ground and instantly the soldiers started gasping as though they were being choked. Their bodies began glowing purple, purple orbs of life leaving them: their souls.
With the cult distracted by moving the bodies of the unworthy souls, Layla moved in. She drew a knife from her belt.
"That's what we're going to do? We're just going to go in and knife him?" Eva demanded.
"Yeah-"
"Don't do it!" Suddenly, a dead body popped up, startling them both. A female voice spoke. "Layla! Eva! It is me, the Goddess Taweret!"
"Taweret?!" cried Eva in awe.
"Yes! And it's Marc who's telling you to stop!"
Layla looked pretty freaked out, understandably. "What the hell is this?"
"Please!"
"He's dead."
"And I'm talking to you through dead people right now, so what? Listen, Harrow is too powerful now for you to stop him alone. If Marc - if he can return to life-"
The ladies exchanged a glance. "What do you mean, 'return to life'?"
"He's going to need Khonshu. Break his ushabti, it's in the Chamber of the Gods. Oh, you could be my Avatar! Marc says wonderful things about you both!"
The cult was moving again, so they had to move too. Hopefully they could continue this conversation with Taweret later.
Upon arriving at the Great Pyramid where the Chamber was housed, Harrow once again used his staff, this time to open up the pyramid. Then, he and his cult strode right in as though they owned the place.
Layla and Eva broke away. "Come on," Eva whispered. "Let's go free Bird Brain."
The Great Pyramid - it was all she could do to stop herself from squealing in delight. No matter how many times she saw it, her excitement would never fade. This immediately led her thinking of Steven and how excited he would be too. Her heart squeezed and sank.
The whole pyramid shook - they needed to hurry!
It didn't help that there were several ushabtis, all the same white-grey stone. However, finally they came across that of the Moon God.
"Care to do the honours?" She handed the ushabti to Layla who set it on the floor, almost carefully, before stomping on it and crushing it with her foot.
Instantly, Khonshu was released and stood before them. "I do not sense Marc Spector in this world."
"Yeah, you're a little late to the party, old man-"
"He died fighting, no doubt,"
"Fighting your war," Layla spat.
"And it's far from over. If Marc is truly gone, I am in need of an Avatar. Would you, Layla El-Faouly, protect the travelers of the night-"
"Are you joking? You turned Marc's life into a waking nightmare! Why would I ever sign up for that?"
"Because you won't win against Ammit and Harrow alone."
"I'll take my chances."
"Marc was in crisis over you. His lack of focus got him killed. You need a plan, little bug, what I offer-"
"I don't care what you can offer! Marc didn't trust you - I don't trust you. We'll work together without anyone enslaving themselves."
"We need to rebind Ammit."
"How?"
"Only an Avatar can do it."
"I said n-"
"No, there's another way." Eva stepped forward. "Okay, Bones, fine, you need an Avatar, you've got one. Let's do this - let's finish this."
"Eva no," Layla cried.
"It's fine - I've done it before, can't be much worse than last time, right?"
"Do you, Evelyn Herbert, promise to protect the travelers of the-"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah get on with it."
She felt a surge through her whole body and knew her eyes were glowing and suddenly, the ceremonial armour engulfed her, mask and all.
"Whoa," Layla breathed.
And with Khonshu's help she was back in the Chamber, stopping before Harrow and the cult - and the newly released Ammit.
"Impossible," murmured Harrow, no doubt thinking she was Marc, same suit and everything.
"Oh, you'd be surprised. Now this is for Steven and Marc - and for everyone else!" She dove in, taken aback by her sudden newfound strength and agility. She was the Knight once again, after so many years, so many decades.
"Go right for Ammit!" Khonshu ordered.
"Giant crocodile lady, on it!" And she did just that, slamming right into the goddess. This did a great job of pissing her off, as well as Harrow and the cult members.
"Marc Spector-" Khonshu suddenly said.
"Marc, what about Marc?"
"I feel his presence-"
"What?"
"At the edge of the Afterlife - we must go, now!"
And just like that, they were gone.
Oh the finale was AMAZING! :D the whole show has been! What a six weeks it's been!
I'm not sure exactly how many chapters will be left, but at least two - see you soon!
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :)