Page 163 of An Unexpected Ascension
I don’t have long to consider how he came to be here in this war before a deafening snarl rips its way through all of Primordialis. It’s enough to still the clashing of metal against metal. Enough to pull the Gods from their thrones in a startled fear. Enough to have everyone shaking in their own skin.
A shadow falls over us. Dark and insidious. It smothers any light creating a faux sense of nightfall and as the shadow grows, the ground begins to quake beneath our feet.
Lynx shoots me a quick look before swerving between the petrified bodies of our army. I don’t dare lose him, but the beast roaring to our left seems to demand the world’s attention. Flitting between the two, I watch Greygore creep closer to the temple with Lucifer by his side and then search for my demon again. He’s barely even visible beyond the hundreds of heads in front of me.
A battle cry sings out, riding on the tail of another snarl from the beast. Lynx’s sword spears the air, and the frenzy picks up again. Only now, I’ve completely lost him.
Bodies swarm and push against one another, all itching to be a part of the action. I stand there shocked for a moment and am mesmerized by the way these people move like a wave in an ocean. Rising up and crashing down, leaving devastation and a flood in its wake.
With the Gods distracted by Greygore and their army busy with ours, Lynx takes this opportunity to sneak across the field towards the Temple. I don’t miss the way he signals with his fingers to move.
My mind reels and my chest aches with sheer panic, but I don’t let it stop me from sprinting toward the temple. Every little noise sends a sting beneath my skin and lights my brain on fire. All it would take to be caught is a slight turn of Achaz’s head and it would all be over.
As Lynx approaches the temple, he slows and makes a wholeshow of his presence. It’s the last thing I see before I reach the blue, velvet curtain draped from the column. Following it like the wall of the palace, I sneak around the corner. Only, this side is wide open and occupied by a gnarly animal that’s currently foaming at the mouth.
I need to get to the other side if I want to end up behind Achaz. With a deep breath, I brace myself to steal a glance at the Gods in their thrones. Now, all sitting again, they engage with Lynx, scowling at something I’m sure he’s said.
This is it. Now or never.
I bolt. I push my feet with every bit of determination I have, not daring to stop even when Greygore notices movement behind him. His growl thunders across the lands once again, putting a blip in time where everything suspends only to resume a millisecond later.
But I’ve made it.
Digging myself deeper into the bushes that fence the temple, I position myself in place. I can’t see over the throne or beyond the vines that hang from above, creating their own type of curtain. So, I listen.
It takes great effort to tune out the clashing metal of swords, the heavy breathing of the enormous beast, and the terrible voice of the God of Life.
“You’re a fucking fool to have come here, demon. And Lucifer, after the eternity we’ve gifted you, a whole world to call your own, you dare to come into my home and disturb the peace?”
“Achaz, you arrogant piece of shit.” Lucifer tuts. I can hear footsteps growing closer along the stone floor. “Why exactly do you think we’re here?”
A deep snicker sounds from another God. “Well, I think we know the answer to that. When I damned him to Hell, you stole his wife!”
Achaz scoffs. “Oh please, Garroway. As if he wouldn’t have grown bored with the same hole for as long as time continues.”
“Fuck you.”
After all the practiced patience and the relentless vowing to control our emotions, Lucifer loses it after one little jibe.
Get yourself together!
“Now, now. Where are your manners? In fact—” A pained grunt sounds out, and I feel that all too familiar tug in my chest. “-you kneel in the presence of a God.”
Lynx growls between choppy breaths and I desperately want to see what is happening, but I’m still waiting for the signal.
“Touch him and you’ll know what it’s like to be torn up from the inside out,” Lucifer threatens.
The ground shakes with Greygore’s steps and the Gods grow silent. They must be nervous because they don’t react to Lucifer’s warning. The only noise heard now are the hisses from Lynx as if he’s still shackled by agony.
“My dark little friend. Did you forget that I created that very beast?” Garroway taunts. “You think you’re the only one he’ll obey?”
My heart plummets to the floor.
As if to prove himself right, Garroway snaps his fingers and a flame roars to life, flickering above the height of the throne before me. Heat waves wash over us, slickening my skin with more sweat and Greygore’s high pitch wail nearly melts my brain.
There’s a ringing in my ears once the cries and the fire die out. It muffles everything that comes after. The words spoken next are indecipherable and my vision doubles as my head pulses with the aftershock of the noise.
In my disoriented state, I don’t notice the footsteps behind me or the bristling of branches.
