Babel Found (22 page)

The Citadel

I close my fist and will the stone around me to obey. It’s the first time I’ve tried to summon something besides my inner fire. I don’t think I would have been able to if it wasn’t for the revelation that I am more than I wanted to admit. Plus, I’m pretty sure I’m getting a little boost from the Source Stone.

The ground around Enki opens and engulfs his feet, closing, and locking him in place. I charge and command the winds to carry me back to him, igniting my clawed hands as I go. Everything feels natural. I feel absolutely no tug or drain either.

Have I become a Judge?

No, I refuse to believe that I’ve lost my humanity. I’m fighting for mankind, not trying to annihilate it like Enki is. I’m approaching fast and open my arms wide, intent on digging into Enki’s flesh and burning his soul out like I’ve done before.

Bastard deserves it too.

He reacts as quickly as I did, which shouldn’t have surprised me. But it did… He
attacked
in a way I didn’t think possible.

The stone around his ankles rises into the air, carrying him with it. The sudden elevation change and my complete lack of knowledge on how to control my bull rush slams me straight through the column of rock. It detonates when I make contact, knocking me silly for a second, but like what happened when I fought Nannot, it quickly fades midflight.

Enki drops from the sky, free of his bonds, landing right on top of me, driving me into the ground. I will my go-to power to burn hot and again surround myself with my crackling electric-green fire. I expect to hear Enki shriek in pain, but what I hear is laughter.

“It’s going to take more than just that to defeat me, little one.”

I’m lifted and slammed to the ground, landing hard on my back. I look up at Enki and see his hands wrapped in the same ghostly flames as Nannot. Only…his look alive. They look menacing. They’re also negating my attack.

Okay… Now what.

Enki answers me.

The air around me goes from still to gale-force in a millisecond and I’m tossed again. I know I’ll survive the fall, but I’m flipping so fast that I can’t spot my landing spot. It’s only until I do hit the hard stone that I realize where I am.

I’m lying on my back, which is broken, staring straight up into the tip of the Source Stone. I’m on what’s being used as an altar stone and I feel something…weird.

The swirling effect within the stone stops, freezing in place. It instantly starts to glow. At first, it’s soft, but like a dimmer switch, it begins to brighten in intensity. And with that intensity comes an even stranger sensation.

I try to roll off the slab, but can’t.

What the hell?

I try to look at what has me pinned, but can’t, my neck won’t work. As far as I know, Enki was too far away to hold me down like this. It’s something else doing it. Something I don’t know how to fight.

Another round of maniacal laughs echoes around the room, sending me into a panic. This has to have been what Enki ultimately wanted. It’s what Terra had warned me about. I broke the connection. I’m paralyzed where I lay.

“Rise,” Enki says.

My body obeys and lifts off the altar, flipping me over as I do. I’m now facing down and watch as a brilliant light blooms beneath me. The large square stone begins to shine like the Source Stone as does the room around me.

“Your body—your power—is now a piece of the Citadel. You will stay aloft, held within its grasp until your abilities—your life—is completely stripped away. After that, I can finally have what’s left. You will be mine, Hank Boyd. I have foreseen it.”

“Sssscrew Yyyou,” I grunt out, trying not to scream. I can feel my body being torn apart on an almost spiritual level.

I fight another wave of energy as it courses through my body and pull free enough to tilt my chin down to him. He’s thirty feet below me now, glaring at my partial resistance to the Source’s grip on me.

“You may take my body…” I narrow my eyes, “but you’ll never take my will. I’ll keep fighting. No matter what.”

Enki’s eyes also narrow, turning to slits as my vision blurs and darkens. “We will see…” The voice echoes in my head. “We will see…”

*

“No!” Nicole yelled, getting up and racing towards the center of the room. She moved for the altar, but was grabbed from behind and pulled back. She struggled against the aggressor as she watched Hank and now the master—Enki—locked in mental combat, floating three stories off the ground.

She expected to see Kane’s thick, muscular arms around her but didn’t. Instead, they are those of another female. They’re strong but smooth and the skin is flawless.

Nicole swung an elbow around and connected with her captor, but the only other woman in the room didn’t react. She didn’t even flinch.

Terra just stared her down, the welt on her face quickly shrinking and fading. In less than five seconds, the lump was gone—perfectly healed.

“Do not touch him,” Terra warned, holding up a hand. “You mustn’t try to break the connection between him and Enki. You may hurt him worse.”

Balling her fists, Nicole stepped right up into Terra’s face. “Why should I believe anything you say?” The shout echoed through the room, silencing the men gathering around them—Kane included.

“Because,” Terra calmly said, “I don’t want this to happen any more than you do. If Enki succeeds, he will either take this planet as his own…or destroy it.”

“We’ve heard that before,” Kane said, stepping up next to the two women. “We dealt with Nannot and Coaxoch too.”

“And your siblings,” Nicole added.

Terra just shook her head. “My family is nothing compared to what Enki can do if he gains full control of the Source. Once it obtains Hank’s power, he will replace Hank’s soul with his own and reverse the flow of energy. When that energy reenters Hank’s body, it will be Enki’s to wield.”

Nicole and Kane were both unsure.

“You saved Todd, right?” Kane asked. “Why?”

Terra blushed. “I…like…him.”

“You like him?” Nicole asked. It wasn’t exactly what she was expecting to hear.

“He was very kind and genuine. It’s not a common trait in most anymore. When we spoke, there was something different about him that I believed was worth saving.” She looked up to Hank. “Him too.” She met Nicole’s hardened stare. “I believe there is still some good left in this world. I’ve seen as much from you all.”

“You’re not like the other Judges at all, are you?” Kane asked.

They all watched as tears dripped from her eyes. She shook her head. “I’ve been alive for over 5,000 years. I’ve literally seen it all. When I was young and the world around me new, it was easy to be influenced by evil—by hate. I followed my family’s ways, believing in those lessons for a long time.”

“What changed your tune?” Kane asked.

Terra shrugged. “Time. It truly can heal all wounds.” She looked deep into Nicole’s eyes. “Some worse than others.”

Nicole’s deadly gaze flinched. Terra was right after all. Time does heal even the worst of tragedies in life. Whether it’s a parent passing like Hank or a spouse like herself. She had proven as much when she told Hank she loved him.

How much healing could you do in 5,000 years?
Nicole asked herself as her balled fists relaxed some. She stood taller and breathed, looking over to Kane. She simply nodded and Kane went back to work, telling the rest of their team to fan out and check everything.

“Thank you for understanding,” Terra said, dipping her head in shame. “I have done some horrible things in my time.” She looked back up to Nicole. “I only wish to make them right.”

Nicole nodded and looked up to Hank, seeing him within the light of the stone. It was like a tractor beam, locking him in place. Only
Spaceballs-One
wasn’t reeling him in. He was fighting for his life—
all
their lives. “You can start by helping us save him.”

As Terra nodded her allegiance, a shout broke out from within the men. They were all speaking at once, making it hard for Nicole to discern anything.

“Quiet!”

Nicole looked at Terra, the owner of the command. She knelt and placed her hand on the floor, closing her eyes. After a couple of seconds, she hopped to her feet, a look of dismay spreading across her face. Even her darker Mediterranean complexion paled some.

What could she be afraid of? She’s immortal…ish.
Nicole was still in the dark about that. They were perceived to be unkillable, but they’d singlehandedly taken out two of them. They’d been out of contact with Todd and Olivia and were unaware if they’d heard anything about Phoenix.

“What is it?” Kane asked, readying his weapon.

One by one they each faced the floor level entrance as a low murmur begin to rise in volume.

Nicole heard Terra curse in what sounded like Latin, but paid it no attention. But as the first of their next wave of attackers stepped into view, Terra answered.

“It is them.” She looked back to Nicole and Kane. “It’s the
mitutu
.”

“
Mitutu
?” Kane asked, aiming down his sights.

“Yes,” Terra replied. “There are those that didn’t flee in time when the tower was destroyed. They became trapped inside the Kur—the tunnels. They died but were kept alive by Enki. They’re now his pets, but he will also use them as his army.”

Nicole groaned her displeasure. “They attacked us in the tunnels before we made it here. We killed a couple dozen maybe. How many more are there?”

Terra turned to them as Davey sent a single bullet into the lone
mitutu’s
skull
.
Once it made contact with the stone floor, a swarm of them, like living locusts, burst from the lone entry point.

Terra’s eyes began to glow and her skin darkened and crack. Her physique bulked and grew, growing thicker and much taller. Her raven-colored hair fell out and was replaced by skin made of stone. Overall, she kept her femininity but now looked like a female version of Marvel’s
The Thing
.

She clenched her enormous fists and breathed in deep. Releasing the inhalation, the god of the Earth turned back around and began to march towards the incoming force.

“There are
thousands
of them.” She spoke the words even though she had no mouth. It also sealed over with her transformation.

Nicole watched as the massive being took off in a sprint, hands out to each side. She couldn’t imagine anything being able to stop such a force.

“Fire!” Kane yelled, laying into the ones that got past Terra.

Before Nicole joined in, she looked back up to Hank’s pain-stricken face.

Hurry, Hank… We need you.

Somewhere

I awake to darkness. At least…I think I’m awake. I could still have my eyes closed for all I know, or I could be dreaming this. Either way, I can’t see and I feel an icy chill encompassing my body. Especially my head.

“Damnit,” I say, or maybe think—I’m really not sure, “that hurts.”

It’s like the world’s biggest brain freeze has a firm hold on my skull, its chilled fingers digging into my forehead and temples. But in my experiences—especially lately—I know of another force that can make you feel this way.

Evil.

“Enki.”

No answer.

“Enki!” I shout. “Show yourself!”

The world around me comes into view and it confuses the hell out of me. I’m back in the Atlantean necropolis, reliving the fight Kane, Nicole, and I had with Rhonar, the rhino-man hybrid monster. It goes as I remember, but once Kane is batted aside, I see a spray of blood that wasn’t there before. He careens into the same stone pedestal too but slams headfirst into it.

“What’s going on?” I ask. “Kane flipped over it and eventually destroyed Rhonar. This isn’t how it happened.”

I continue to watch as Nicole screams Kane’s name…but the big guy doesn’t get up cursing like before. He doesn’t get up at all. Nicole wails again, yelling that Kane is dead and I feel my heart ache. Joining my past self’s voice, we shout in anger at the scene. Instead of Kane defeating the beast, it’s me. I leap on its back and empty my Glock into the base of its stone skull.

The sorrow I feel is real and Nicole and I weep together, I can feel both my current self and past one cry in unison too. It’s like it really happened. It feels like Kane just died now.

“He isn’t dead,” I say aloud, looking down at my hands. I’m still holding the empty gun, standing over the inert form of the Nightmare. I specifically remember feeling the agony Rhonar felt as Nannot forced his will upon the creature. I even recall kneeling and praying for Rhonar’s forgiveness.

“Kane’s not dead.”

“But is he?” a voice quickly answers.

I watch as something else comes to be that I
know
didn’t. The golden statue of Thoth comes to life and steps down off his own platform. It’s still holding the oversized ankh like before except its eyes are bleeding. It’s a telltale sign of Nannot’s corruption.

Enki’s corruption,
I decide as I watch.

I’m still in past-Hank’s body as the monstrous Thoth raises his mighty ankh over his head, swinging it like a sledgehammer. But the downward arc isn’t coming for me… It’s coming for Nicole.

It connects as I scream—just as my eyes blackout again.

I’m consumed by utter darkness again, tears streaking down my face. Snot drips from my nose as I openly wail in agony over the loss of my friends. My chest constricts and I feel the cold envelop me again, sapping whatever energy I have left.

A sinister laughing breaks me of my pain-induced vegetative state. It also reminds me that what I just saw didn’t happen.

“Why are you showing me this?” I ask, my voice shaking.

“To break you…”

The room again comes into view and we are now down in the smaller cave. Omar is standing in front of Nannot’s prison, just about to put his hand on it. Everyone is shouting for him to stop, but like before, he doesn’t listen. He places his hand on the frozen black fire and releases Nannot. Up until that moment I believed him to be man’s greatest foe, but not now. His master was, and is, so much worse.

The possessed form of Omar Jafari quickly points his gun at my father, like before, and squeezes the trigger. I reflexively direct my will at the bullet, trying desperately to turn it to dust as I did in real life.

It doesn’t work.

The round hits home and exits through Dad’s back. I again feel the horrifying loss like I did when Nicole and Kane were killed, but this is ten times harder to fight through. My heart rate increases and I feel my body quake. My very soul screams.

The reverberating sound of my voice bounces around the cave and brings its roof down on top of Kane and Nicole, killing them again.

“This didn’t happen!” I shout.

Mercifully, my vision goes black again.

“No more!” I yell again, sobbing. “P-please.”

“Ha, ha, ha,” the voice booms again. “I can feel you weakening. I can feel your insides begging for mercy.” Enki laughs again. “Will you give yourself to me now?”

Give myself to him? He’s in my head, tormenting me, but can he not take me over yet?
I start to recall other things about this process. You have to willingly let them in. It’s only the weakest-willed that can be forced to obey without bowing to them first.

Omar gave himself over to Nannot. I gave myself to Thoth. Even the Judges gave themselves willingly. Rhonar had been defeated and broken. He was one of the ones
taken
.

But can I continue to fight back? Can I keep resisting this hell?

“No,” I hear myself say. “You can’t have me.”

I visualize myself standing in defiance as the scenery changes yet again. This time, we are in the last place I want to be… The basement of the Smithsonian Castle—the place my father actually died.

Knowing what to expect makes this easier to handle than the other scenes. As much as I want to change things, I know, without a doubt, that William Boyd dies. I’ve tried countless times to reverse course, sacrificing myself over and over and over again. Dad was dying of cancer anyway, but this isn’t the way it should have happened. Even though Dad gladly gave his life to save me—us all, really—it’s not how things should have ended for him.

But then I remember mom… She passed years before, also of cancer. We watched as it ate away at her, destroying what was a normally jovial woman. Dad went out in a literal hail of gunfire, like a hero. So did mom, though. It was just in a different way.

“There’s nothing you can do here that I haven’t already suffered through,” I say, willing Enki to appear. He does and takes Frost’s place behind my dad. I don’t have to watch the rest. Instead, I focus my attention on Enki’s lifeless black eyes and scarred face, my glare never wavering.

I don’t give in and become my past self again. The other Hank rushes forward like I’ve done a hundred times already. But dad is beyond saving. I even look back and see Sofia, my dad’s aide, dead, lying in a pool of her own blood.

“This is all because of you, isn’t it?”

Enki’s cheekbones lift, smiling. His form of it anyway.

“Not directly, no, but without my influence over the world upon my arrival, yes, none of this would have come to be.”

I take a step forward as the scene blurs slightly, but doesn’t completely fade. Nicole rushes to the other Hank and cries alongside Ben and him. And just like before, Kane pounds up the stairs, Desert Eagle in hand, ready to obliterate anyone that gets in his way.

“But…” Enki says, hanging his words in the air, “None of you would have come to pass either.”

I stop dead. “What do you mean?”

He laughs again. “Do you really think the primitive savages would have developed the technology they did without my help? Do you think discoveries would have been made that would have inspired your precious movies? Would Dr. Boyd have taken to archaeology?” My hands shake. “Would he have met your mother?”

“Would I have been born?” I add, understanding what he’s saying. It’s not that none of this—in front of me—would have come to pass without Enki. It’s that nothing at all would have. Love him of hate him, he’s also indirectly responsible for the good that the world has to offer too.

The good…

“You’re to blame for everything wretched in the world. Centuries of war and death, disease and famine.” He almost bows, happy that I’m confirming his existence. “But…” I say, letting
it
hang in the air, “you’re also to thank for the good in the world.”

His eyes narrow.

“Because without evil…there is no good to fight it.”

Enki lunges at me.

The world around me goes bonkers as Enki and I fight through some of the world’s bloodiest battles and most inspiring victories. It’s like the who’s who of gladiatorial conflicts—the
History Channel
live and in person. We each take up the persona of someone in the battle, slicing, punching, or shooting each other countless times.

The Battle of Marathon between the Greeks and the Persians.

The war between Spanish Conquistadors and the Inca.

The Hundred Years War with Joan of Arc at its reins.

The American Revolution and Civil War.

World War Two, specifically Normandy Beach.

The death toll is nauseating and impossible to fully grasp, but I fight on and hope. I hope I can survive the bad, in order to use the good as my own personal weapon against him. I believe it is his only weakness and I intend on exploiting it. If he screws up somehow and gives me an opening…