Part 16 (1/2)

”We've already won.” won.” He laughed. ”This world will dissolve, and things will continue on as if it had never existed.” He laughed. ”This world will dissolve, and things will continue on as if it had never existed.”

”What's in it for you?”

”You wouldn't understand if I told you.”

”Try me.”

He sighed. ”I will be a true G.o.d. will be a true G.o.d. I I will sit at the right hand of the ancient one.” will sit at the right hand of the ancient one.”

”You're mad.” mad.”

He laughed. ”Your limited intellect cannot comprehend the magnitude of what is going on here! We will use Vrin to change the outcome.”

”What? By destroying it?”

”Not by destroying it, by transforming transforming it! You do not understand now, but...” it! You do not understand now, but...”

”ENOUGH!” hissed the figure in the shadow. Then it stepped forward.

My heart constricted with terror. My eyes darted back and forth looking for a weakness in the trap. But found none. Through the transparent barrier, I saw the woman and child begin to tremble. The young girl huddled in closer to her mother as they both cowered over with expressions of horror painted on their faces. I had let them down. I had let everyone down.

Dusky light fell across the grotesque disfigurement of the dark, slightly bent body of Kric' tu. More specter than man, its form was tall and thin, with dark eyes sinking into a fleshless face. Patches of dark flesh, which looked sewn on, hung from its sickly gray skin. My stomach wretched to look at it.

He moved closer, expelling an airy laugh. ”Look at you, Thomas. You are so angry, yet, you don't even know what you are fighting against.”

The voice was familiar, but I couldn't place it. And-- why did he call me Thomas? Thomas?

”I am truly horrible to look at, am I not? How clever of G.o.d to represent me as such. Do you know that in Ethral I am the most beautiful of all angels?” He turned away slightly. ”But things are not always as they appear.”

”If you are so, wonderful...” I tried to keep my voice steady, ”then why are you bent on destroying Vrin?”

”I cannot say.” He took a step toward the woman and child. ”He is watching. He is always watching.”

”--Who is watching?” I said, hoping to stall him.

”You are strong like him, Thomas. And your power must be added to my own.” He took another step. ”But first you must endure the darkness. On the other side, things will be clearer. After you have made the decision.”

”What decision?” decision?”

He hissed a laugh. ”You must decide to follow your own heart, and cease being a puppet of G.o.d. Man will grow beyond the box G.o.d has put him in.”

I was trying desperately to follow his riddles. If I could not properly respond, he might lose interest in the conversation, and I was not done formulating my plan. ”And this world represents a threat to that process?”

”Yes,” he hissed.

”So-- you would like to keep the scales balanced toward evil.”

He sighed in annoyance. ”We are not evil. evil. We are chaos. You do not understand, but you will.” He turned sharply, and with a withered hand, effortlessly pulled the child from her mother's arms. The girl let out a desperate scream and I flinched as he struck her across the face. We are chaos. You do not understand, but you will.” He turned sharply, and with a withered hand, effortlessly pulled the child from her mother's arms. The girl let out a desperate scream and I flinched as he struck her across the face.

I felt so helpless! helpless! What could I What could I do? do?

Kric' tu's gnarled fingers twisted into the girl's hair as she began sobbing uncontrollably. ”These two pose a threat to us.”

”A threat! They're harmless. harmless. They've done They've done nothing nothing to you!” to you!”

Kric' tu produced a knife from his long dark sleeve.

”Take me me instead!” instead!”

Rath laughed. ”We already have you!” he said, stepping forward and putting his hands on the woman's shoulders to keep her from rising.

”If they live,” hissed Kric' tu, ”Gaza will find the hope he searches for.” He adjusted his grip on the struggling girl. ”That is simply unacceptable.”

”Gaza's been warned of your plot!” I said sharply.

”Armadon?” He smirked. ”He has been taken care of.”

”That's a lie!”

”Your army has been crushed. And now it is time to extinguish the last flame of hope for you and your so called cause.” cause.” The knife moved quickly to the young girl's throat. The knife moved quickly to the young girl's throat.

”MOMMY!”

Pulling my pistol from the holster on the small of my back, I gripped it tightly, and began moving toward the veil. Both Rath and Kric' tu leaped back in surprise as I began firing rounds directly at Kric' tu's head. Only one bullet needed to get through. Just one! Just one! My anger increased. Kric' tu flinched as bullet after bullet smashed into the barrier. Round after round chewed into the s.h.i.+eld. And my fury continued to elevate. --But then the weapon began to click. My anger increased. Kric' tu flinched as bullet after bullet smashed into the barrier. Round after round chewed into the s.h.i.+eld. And my fury continued to elevate. --But then the weapon began to click.

And the power left me.

The gun was empty. Not one bullet had pierced through. I hurled the pistol at the gla.s.s. It cracked, but instantly the tiny fragments began fusing back together. Rath was fortifying it!

I slammed full force into it with the metal of my shoulder. But it was no use. Rath laughed, and as I glared at him with a growing hatred, a new resolve began to build within me...

But what happened next will haunt my dreams forever. Kric' tu's blade slid smoothly across the young girl's throat, and I watched in horror horror as her life's blood drained from her. The expression on her tiny face was more surprise than fear, as though she did not understand what was happening to her. He opened his gnarled fingers and her lifeless body slumped to the floor. as her life's blood drained from her. The expression on her tiny face was more surprise than fear, as though she did not understand what was happening to her. He opened his gnarled fingers and her lifeless body slumped to the floor.

I beat my fists against the barrier with fevered aggression. ”Noooo! I'll kill you! I'll KILL you!” ”Noooo! I'll kill you! I'll KILL you!”

”Not likely,” he said, with a twisted smile.

Rath dragged the woman to the girl's b.l.o.o.d.y form. She wailed and clawed at him, but he held her tight with ease. His eyes held no remorse. No guilt. How could such a monster have been chosen for this experiment! How could such a monster have been chosen for this experiment!

Kric' tu grabbed the woman's hair and pulled her close. No! Things were moving too fast! I needed more time! There had had to be a way to stop him! The woman's face was wet, and her pleading eyes dug deep into my soul as she mouthed the words, ” to be a way to stop him! The woman's face was wet, and her pleading eyes dug deep into my soul as she mouthed the words, ”Help- me.”

I was completely powerless. No. WAIT! No. WAIT! I could not manipulate the threads around me, but I still had I could not manipulate the threads around me, but I still had my my threads! I got up and turned my back to the scene. ”I do not care to watch any more,” I said, desperately hoping to allow myself the few short seconds I needed. threads! I got up and turned my back to the scene. ”I do not care to watch any more,” I said, desperately hoping to allow myself the few short seconds I needed.

Kric' tu's voice floated in from behind me. ”No stomach for reality, Thomas?” he taunted. ”Perhaps you are not the man we thought you were. You're allowing your spirit to get in the way.” He paused. ”You know, you were not always a puppet of G.o.d. This place has done something to you. --No matter.” There was finality in his voice.

I was ready. ”There is one last thing I would like to say,” I stated loudly.