Set
The truck speeds up, breaking through the eye wall of my storm. The feeling is electrifying. Winds cruise through my veins. My mind is clearer. My goals are clearer. My power is pulsating, begging to be freed. My hands are itchy. I'm not sure if it's because of the storm or because Amos's body is officially giving out. Haven't heard much from him through the trip. I've been using his energy here and there – locking and unlocking doors, burning holes through papers, summoning everything through the Duat instead of getting up to get stuff. Every spell leaves his soul screaming in pain. The chaos is eating him from within, a small flame burning up his very essence. It's okay. Soon, I won't need my toy anymore. What a pity, he was more fun than any of my host from the past thousands or so years.
Carter's eyes scan the horizon as we drive, studying the perfect calm we've entered.
"Eye of the storm," he guesses.
A cylinder of black clouds swirl all around the mountain. Traces of smoke drift back and forth from Camelback's peak to the edges of the maelstrom like the spokes of a wheel. Directly above us, the sky is clear and starry, just beginning to turn gray. The sunrise won't be long now.
The streets are empty. Mansions and hotels cluster round the mountain's base, ruining the view. They'll be gone soon. It'll all be gone soon, leveled with the ground, consumed by my storm. It's completely dark, all street lights powerless. Still, the mountain itself glows. The red light is beautiful, it almost looks as if something very bright and hot is trying to burn through the rock.
"Nothing's moving on the streets," Zia says. "If we try to drive up to the mountain—"
"We'll be seen," Sadie asks.
"What about that spell?" Carter looks at Zia. "You know...the one you used in the First Nome."
"What spell?" Sadie asks.
Zia shakes her head. "Carter is referring to an invisibility spell. But I have no magic. And unless you have the proper components, it can't be done on a whim."
Sadie turns to me. "Amos?"
Chaos…
The whisper is so faint I almost miss it.
"They clearly don't won't to see what right in front of them, Amos. I'm afraid the game is over."
Please.
I have to resist the urge to roll my eyes. He really wants this? Maybe if I drain him completely he'll finally shut the fuck up.
"No invisibility, I'm afraid." I say. "But I have another idea."
The truck stops by an old building with a broken window. As we get out, I explain briefly what I'm about to do.
Sadie eyes me nervously. "Are you sure about this?"
"No one will notice a few wisps of black cloud in the midst of a storm," I reason.
"But this is impossible," Zia says. "This is storm magic, chaos magic. We should not—"
Her voice is annoying. Maybe because it's currently also Nephthys's. Same difference. I raise my wand and Zia disintegrates before she's even finished the sentence.
"No!" Carter yells, but then he too is gone, replaced by a swirl of black dust.
I turn to Sadie.
"Oh, no," she says. "Thanks, but—"
Another storm cloud rises in the air. A flash of lightning crackles inside Sadie.
Was it not for my plan, I would finish them right now. A flick of my wrist would send their molecules flying aimlessly in every direction. It would be hilarious for a moment, but where's the fun in destroying a continent if no one's there to stop you?
"Don't be that way," I chide the little stormy cloud. "It's only for a few minutes. Follow me."
I melt into a heavier, darker bit of storm and race towards the mountain. The vision of a storm cloud is fuzzy, almost nonexistent, but I don't need my sight as I let the storm to guide me. It would be foolish to try and control it forcefully, anyways. One thing about the nature of gods, is that we are not simply rulers of our domains. We are a part of them. I am the storm raging around us. In my truest form I am dust devil, eager to be unleashed. The freedom I feel in this moment, the pure energy cruising through my body… it's euphoric. So I let go, trusting the winds to take me where I need to be.
The mountain shines before me, an irresistible beacon to my storm self. It glows with heat, pressure and turbulence. I shift back to human form on top of a small ridge on the side of the mountain. Zia reaches us first, Sadie and Carter close behind her. Amos's energy won't be enough to turn them one by one. Instead, I break the spell with a burst of energy. There is a scream somewhere inside my head. It's faint. Quiet. Gone as soon as it starts.
Zia lends gracefully on the ridge next to me. Carter almost follows her example, but then Sadie crashes into him and they both tumble to the ground.
"Ouch," Carter groans.
"Sorry," Sadie offers as her brother helps her get up. She looks like she's about to puke.
Zia peers into a crevice between two large sandstone boulders. I do the same. I would probably be a little suspicious otherwise, ay? Red light shines towards us, illuminating everything we see in a devilish glow.
From up here my monument is even more impressive. The entire mountain is hollowed out. The cavern floor is about six hundred meters below us. Fires blaze everywhere, bathing the rock walls in blood-colored light. A giant crimson pyramid dominates the cave. At its base, masses of demons mill about, waiting for the promised show to begin. High above them, eye-level to us, two magic barges manned by crews of demons, float ceremoniously towards the pyramid. Suspended in a mesh of ropes between the boats is the only piece of the pyramid not yet installed—a golden capstone to top off the structure.
Zia turns to Carter and Sadie. "Only the pyramidion left."
The younglings join us.
"The what?" Sadie asks, but the question dies out when she looks downwards.
"They know they've won," Carter guesses. "They're making a show of it."
"Yes," I agree, hiding the smile that dares to appear on my face.
"Well, let's blow up the boats or something!" Sadie says.
I look at her. You know, with a twelve years old host or nor, I expected more from my Isis. "Is that your strategy, honestly?"
Sadie looks away, eyes lingering on the pyramid. Is that fear I smell in the air?
"We have to try," Carter says. "Dad's in there."
That seems to snap Sadie out of her thoughts. "Right. We fly to those boats. We stop them from placing the capstone—"
"Pyramidion," Zia corrects.
"Whatever. Then we fly into the pyramid and find Dad."
"And when Set tries to stop you?" I ask.
Sadie glances at Zia, but I pretend not to notice.
"First things first," Sadie says. "How do we fly to the boats?"
So they are weary of me. Amos was right, smart kids. Not smart enough unfortunately.
"As a storm," I suggest.
"No!" the three of them yell in unison.
"I will not be part of more chaos magic," Zia insists. "It is not natural."
How is a storm not a part of nature?
I wave at the spectacle below us. "Tell me this is natural. You have another plan?"
"Birds," Sadie says. "I'll become a kite. Carter can do a falcon."
"Sadie," Carter warns, "what if—"
"I have to try. Zia, it's been almost ten hours since your pillar of fire, hasn't it? Still no magic?"
Zia holds out her hand and concentrates. At first, nothing happens. Then red light flickers along her fingers, and her staff appears in her grip, still smoking.
"Good timing," Carter says.
"Also bad timing," I say. Well, bad for them. "It means Desjardins is no longer pursued by the pillar of fire. He'll be here soon, and I'm sure he'll bring backup. More enemies for us."
"My magic will still be weak," Zia warns. "I won't be much help in a fight, but I can perhaps manage to summon a ride." She brings out an amulet. A vulture. Oh, Nephthys, you can't make yourself even more obvious, can you?
"Which leaves me," I say. "No worries there. Let's meet on the left boat. We'll take that one out, then deal with the right. And let's hope for surprise."
And a surprise it will be, indeed.
"Right." Sadie says. "We'll have to finish the boats off quickly, then head into the pyramid itself. Perhaps we can seal off the entrance or something."
Perfect. They are just making this easier and easier for me. Once sealed inside the pyramid, they'll officially be in my grasp.
Carter nods. "Ready."