Ehyeh-asher-ehyeh (I am that I am)
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THE ENDGAME"And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God, for true and righteous are his judgments, for He hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand."
The Revelation of John Island of Nod Somewhere in the Pacific Ocean March 30, 2013
shrank back from both the realization and the figure before her—the image that was not a Goddess—was never her soul. But rather herself.
Already she feared it was too late. Millennia of rationalization and self-deceit unraveled. The new Goddess found herself grasping desperately at the retreat of what she'd considered her unlimited power.
She plunged deeper into the dark well of madness, seeking the comforting sands of oblivion in its depths. Lilitu knelt at the very bottom of that well, frantically sifting through fistfuls of the sands of forgetfulness, seeking to unearth some shard of memory that had escaped the ravages of time. Some proof. Some vindication. She tried to dredge up the day she became Immortal—a day that had changed her life irrevocably. The day that she had first awakened to her own magical nature. Nothing. She tried to conjure up the images of those last tense hours before her first death, before she herself died and was reborn into the sacred society of Immortals. Only more unraveling threads appeared. Nothing Lilitu could get a grip of.
birth that was no birth but her own. A death that was no death but her own. A child that was no true child, but the awakened flame of her own magical self, her alter ego, her avatar. That mystic part of herself that was so brutally snuffed out in her transformation. Ground out beneath the heel of the oblivion, the God-slayer.
hole between the worlds, Lilitu had the most peculiar impression. She thought, if only for an instant, that the entire world she knew—a world unambiguously bounded by somber crypts and chantry walls, by power and hierarchies, by ritual formulae and an unbroken line of victims, their eyes bright and round as saucers—that her carefully ordered world was only a sad, tattered sort of pasteboard backdrop. That only the thinnest and most hastily constructed veneer protected the inhabitants of this world from the ravenous scrutiny of the divine. The last thing she heard before the Dream closed forever for her was the Dreamer's voice, purring quietly, monstrously to her. "It is time for you to go, Lilitu. Leave the Dream, for all eternity."
with rage. The red gaze clouded her mind for an instant. She was Lilitu. She was the new Goddess. She was what she was!
the vessel of unlimited power. Even defeated in the spiritual realm, she was still a new Goddess, more powerful than any member of the Ancient Gathering.
approached the island like a meteor of vengeance. Without the Dream to escape into, she would have to fight. ==================================== Torquemada glided across the chamber, advancing precisely three-foot lengths into the room. He stopped, pivoted smoothly to the north. His body inclined forward at the waist, bowing in the direction of his church in Spain. His very gesture was an exact replica from an ancient and intricately choreographed ritual. Cartiphilus was seated on the floor at the far side of the room. He faced the open doorway. He had certainly noted Torquemada's approach, but he made no motion, to rise, or even to acknowledge the newcomer.
Torquemada aspired to take Lilitu's place. But he was not even one step closer to fulfilling that aspiration. With the Ancient Gathering coming, it was foolishness to think of anything else but survival. Vlad had failed. Rasputin had failed. Most likely, Livia and Caligula had failed too; otherwise, news of the Dreamer's death would have arrived by now. Cartiphilus' job was to make sure he survived long enough to get the chance to battle the Ancient Gathering. He was not accustomed to being in the company of failed men. Cartiphilus gaze grew hard. "Yes?" "Your pardon, Cartiphilus," Torquemada said advancing toward him. For a moment, he seemed to hesitate. "What is your plan?" he finished awkwardly. "To survive," Cartiphilus' patience was beginning to wear. "The troops are in formation." "I wonder if the troops would make any difference against the Ancient Gathering. The battle in New York lasted just a minute—" Torquemada said. "This is not New York, Inquisitor," Cartiphilus interrupted him. "New equipment has arrived to help our boys; helmets with a heads-up display, with the ability to display video and thermal imaging, maps and other tactical data. Squad-Automatic-Weapons up to 35% lighter than the Pulse-Rifles Vlad used in the ONU. Chameleon camouflage." The former Centurion shrugged, and then continued. "Medical monitors that show body temperature, hydration, sleep status, and more. The uniforms repel water, breathe and protect against NBC agents. An air-conditioning system that would be good from 0–120 degrees Fahrenheit. This time, the Ancient Gathering is about to meet their match." "Yes but—" Torquemada's voice faltered. "Do you want to escape?" Cartiphilus asked patiently. "Surely you realize…" Torquemada began, but broke off midsentence. "Oh, I see." The tone of this last pronouncement carried a far greater threat that the words themselves. "What is it that you see, Cartiphilus?" "This is not treachery after all, is it? It is your loyalty. Your loyalty to Mother. Yes, I had things quite backwards. Thank you for pointing out my error. This put things under a very different light." "But without the other Headless Children…" Torquemada let that thought hang too. A slight smile stole over Cartiphilus' features before he could suppress it. "Let the dead rest, Torquemada. You would do well to look to the safety of your soul." "Beyond this island," Torquemada said, "lies enemy territory. Surely you realize what is at stake here."
do it the right way. We will not embroil other powers—Lilitu's powers—in our struggle."
me how I know this, I just know. Mother is still powerful, but not as before. This time, it's up to us to make the last stand." Cartiphilus put a hand on Torquemada's shoulder and steered him toward the doorway. "You look weary. Go. Pray. Get some nourishment for your soul." As Cartiphilus closed the chamber door behind, he whispered. "Cocksucker." ==================================== Even though the night was almost gone, it was cold, star filled, and moonless. The lights of the complex on the faraway island shone like bright, twinkling stars that framed the blackness of the sea.
had conceived the plane for this particular mission. Heru-sa-aset frowned and surveyed the YF-25 Serpentarius-VI's instruments, making sure everything was in perfect working order. On the radar, straight ahead, was the Island of Nod. The line of surely huge bonfires stretching out to the main complex seemed like blinking eyes because of the wind. Or perhaps they were moving; it was so slow that the Egyptian Prince couldn't see it from their current altitude of seven-hundred feet, even with the monitors.
Myrddin waited. Shortly after they had taken off Mexico once they left the pilot, Methos had taken out his sword and slowly, meticulously, sharpened it. The flight had been tensely silent.
almost in a straight dive, dropping to just two hundred feet over the sea and skimming along in silent mode.
gripping the armrest tightly. "Not a good flyer, huh?" he asked. "I can't remember," Methos said, breathing softly. "Got me, too," Zarach admitted. "Sorry," Heru-sa-aset said, still smiling. "I'll warn you next time. Going to tactical," he announced. The cabin's windows seemed to darken slightly, then, as if it had turned to daylight, the view of the surrounded area shifted to starling clarity. "Amazing stuff," Methos said. "Highly advanced version of infrared night vision," Heru-sa-aset said. "Makes darkness a thing of the past." "I'll say," Methos commented. Heru-sa-aset monitored the controls. The situation seemed normal. Then all hell broke loose as an entire wall of instrumentation lit up. Warning bells. Flashing lights. Aylón frowned. "What is this?" he looked troubled—and confused. "Our welcoming committee," the Egyptian Prince announced after looking carefully. "I thought you'd said they couldn't detect your aircraft," Methos said frowning at Heru-sa-aset. "I've got a very bad feeling about this," he murmured. "If they shoot us down—" "They didn't detect us," the Prince responded, the haughtiness gone from his face. "Lilitu felt us and warned the Hunters." At least a half dozen combat jets raced toward the Ancient Gathering at breakneck speed. Through the cockpit window, Heru-sa-aset watched a bandit accelerating out of the darkness coming straight at them. The Hunter pulled the trigger. The Prince did the same thing. Both aircrafts flew against each other. At the last second the Hunter pulled up slightly, riding over the YF-25 Serpentarius-VI. Its sonic boom rocked the Prince's jet. Instants later, another Hunter intercepted the Ancient Gathering and a missile was detached, sliding toward them. The Prince commenced to deliver a steady flow of retaliatory fire. Without warning the bandit erupted in an incredible flash of multicolored light, throwing a billion bits of superheated metal to every direction. Heru-sa-aset acted one more time. The YF-25 Serpentarius-VI tucked into a tight little roll. The missile missed barely flying over their rolling wings. Then the Prince pulled his plane into a monster climb.
another Hunter stormed over them, firing. "Are you having fun?" Methos asked. "Yes," the Prince responded. "This is the real thing. Let's fly and fry." The Hunter targeted at the Ancient Gathering. Heru-sa-aset was forced to break off, as the bandit seemed to materialize out of nowhere. The Hunter cut his speed as he lined up his shot. Got a lock. In his cockpit, Heru-sa-aset had foreseen such move. The YF-25 Serpentarius-VI banked left into a dive.
puzzle minutely, his fingers tightening convulsively on the fire control. The bandit turned into a rapidly expanding cloud of phosphorescing dust. The energy bolt took the missile as well. They were clear... for the time being.
Gathering's plane before breaking in opposite directions. A red buzz flashed on the cockpit. "They fired at us," the Prince announced calmly. His gaze flew over the tactical countermeasures computer as it tracked the incomings missiles. The screen showed: 'heat seekers—launching flares'. Brightly burning flares launched from either side of the YF-25 Serpentarius-VI 's wings and descended toward the sea. The missiles followed the heat of the flares, plummeting harmlessly into the ocean. In front the aircraft, another bandit was coming. "You're mine," Heru-sa-aset whispered between clenched teeth. He fired. The shock wave from the Hunter's explosion shook his plane.
surface of the YF-25 Serpentarius-VI. The bandit swooped past the Ancient Gathering and jerked into a vertical.
later, the buzzer sounded in the Egyptian Prince's cockpit. He'd been locked on. Without wasting time, he put his plane into a triple canopy roll, and then slammed on his airbrakes. The Hunter shot but Heru-sa-aset let loose with his cannons. The bandit pulled up and disengaged. Nevertheless, the plane exploded ahead at one o'clock.
computer displayed: 'offensive counter measures activated—launching missiles'. "Good bye," Heru- sa-aset said.
didn't flinch. A second later, twin fireballs erupted in the sky as the bandits evaporated. But from the fireball, a missile emerged coming right at the Ancient Gathering. Closing fast. From the Island, five other surface-to-air missiles had been detached as well from the main building, their tails ignited in flame.
schematics, and assessments. The radar tracked the incoming objects, and identified them. Heru-sa-aset looked at the screen. "SAMS missiles. Hold on." The YF-25 Serpentarius-VI banked into a dive. The screen announced 'activating countermeasures'. The airplane went into a sharp sloping dive. The missiles followed a wide arc toward the Ancient Gathering.
them.
by'. The computer counted down from eight... seven...
the bottom of the YF-25 Serpentarius-VI. Methos watched as the missiles came right at them. But then the missiles veered downward. The tactical countermeasures computer announced 'missiles neutralized'. The missiles dove into the swarm of descending chaff and detonated, lighting up the sky. Red flames were reflected against the sea. The shock wave hit the aircraft. Lights flicked and the YF-25 Serpentarius-VI rocked side to side.
hover mode, moving slowly toward the shore. There was no point in trying to save a few seconds at this point. He knew the attention was on them. It would have been far better to haven gotten there without being seen at all, but that moment was over now. This was going to be a long night before it was over. A very long night. "Take your places," he suggested.
cockpit, Zarach stopped and said over his shoulder. "One in blood." "One in Quickening," the Prince responded. "Die well, or not at all. Good hunting, brother." Zarach nodded solemnly and then turned to join the others. The YF-25 Serpentarius-VI floated. A bluish glow. Then twice more, rapidly. Inside the advanced war-armored car M-7 Chimera, Aylón, Methos and Myrddin were field stripping light weapons with precise movements—Pulse rifles. Hand held Gatling guns with laser sightings. Oblong grenades. The latest in death delivery systems. Around them, in racks, was an arsenal of advanced personal artillery. Zarach joined them. Methos liked the feel of the Pulse rifles, the weight... the authority. For the moment, he felt as he had when he'd been a Horseman, powerful, unbeatable—but this time his motives were better, and he was acting on his own. He was no longer a puppet of an unrelenting mistress—instead, he was here to destroy her. His hands moved without hesitation. They would drop already strapped into their ground vehicle for rapid deployment. They took their places.
"Initiate release sequencer on my mark. Three. Two. One. Mark!" Zarach, stalking the aisle, snatched for a handhold. Myrddin and Methos groaned at the sudden g's. Zarach closed his two-colored eyes... this was the point of no return. The YF-25 Serpentarius-VI extended the loading ramp. The M-7 Chimera hit the ground a moment later, pulling away from the aircraft as it leaped up in a cloud of spray and peeled off, circling. The M-7 Chimera pulled into the beach. The armored car machine leaped forward. Aylón saw smoke pouring out of the complex ahead as Heru-sa-aset gave them some cover from his aircraft. From the YF-25 Serpentarius-VI the laser beams hit everything.
force attack of Heru-sa-aset's plane. The mortals hurried to carry out their commands, running with bazooka-like weapons on their shoulders, and lodging those death rays along the rims of the trenches. Many explosions sprayed sand and mud around the Hunters. Heru-sa-aset already had them within range. The Prince knew his job was to divert attention while the Ancient Gathering advanced through the island. Brilliant billows of orange and yellow flames exploded from Heru-sa-aset's armaments. Nervously, the Hunters aimed their weapons at the Prince, each mortal feeling icy, unseen fingers piercing their bodies. They knew it. All of them would die tonight.
the machine in a roaring pivot. The M-7 Chimera roared into the smoky island, tearing away the Hunters who shot at it.
machine, a remote control turret cannon, a 20mm chain-gun, swiveled toward it in a curt arc. The Hunters ahead were blasted away into a million pieces immediately. The M-7 Chimera advanced forward, smashing over the Hunters, whose bodies were crushed under the massive wheels. Explosions rocked the M-7 Chimera, tossing it about violently in the enveloping flak. "Trouble up ahead," warned Aylón unexpectedly. "Looks like there are barricades set up." Zarach peered over Aylón's shoulder. A line of smashed furniture, oil drums, and barbed wire stretched from one curb to another. Several heavily-armed figures prowled behind the barrier. Mentally, Zarach tried to scan the area ahead, but with no luck. Lilitu's presence in the island voided his telepathic powers. "Smash through it," Zarach said. "We can't waste the time backtracking." "It might be a trap," Aylón answered. "There could be metal spikes planted in the ground right beyond the barrier. It's a sucker trick from centuries back. We'll be moving too fast to stop." "Chance it," said Zarach impatiently. "We must reach Lilitu. Do you see the complex ahead? We must reach it. This carnage of mortals has to stop, has to be brought under control. After all, they are puppets, just actors in the drama orchestrated by her."
killers." Aylón pushed the accelerator to the floor. "Hold on." The armored car shuddered and leapt forward. Motor roaring, it hurtled like a meteor straight at the barricade. It struck the piles like a hammer. The M-7 Chimera seemed to hesitate for a moment, then with a growl of mechanical fury, was through the obstructions. Wheel screamed as they fought for traction. The muscles in Aylón's arms bulged as he fought to keep the steering wheel straight. Then, glancing ahead, he cursed in frustration. Caught in the glare of the headlights, less that twenty feet away, were a row of steel-tire shredders—that could not be avoided. His suspicions had been correct. They had been lured into a trap.
he exerted the full force of his will. The two-colored eyes Immortal focused on the metal spikes ahead. It required an incredible amount of mental energy. Right now, his mind could only maintain such energy for a few brief heartbeats before he collapsed. It offered a brief respite from impeding disaster. In front of the armored car, the shredders broke.
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