REPOST: MYTHOS, Chapter 16A
morga...@my-deja.com
intended.
MYTHOS
by Beck McLaughlin
Chapter 16A
Duncan and Inanna heard the gunfire. Lying on their bellies along the
curve of the hill, they exchanged glances.
"I'd say they found Methos and Amanda," he said.
"I'd say you're right." She leaned over, kissed him on the tip of his
nose. "Shall we go give them a hand?"
***
The hills were not as formidable as they had first appeared. Even
hampered by the weight of the crystal Amanda managed them easily. The
sun was nearly set, the mountains' long shadows sweeping down over the
slopes and the villa below. She reached the top of a low bluff and
collapsed a moment, dropping the crystal and catching her breath.
How the hell was she going to destroy this thing? Amanda stared
morosely at the crystal. And what the hell was it? The meh she'd held
in Seacouver, presumably taken from this greater crystal, had given her
nothing but the slightest feeling of warmth. This thing, on the other
hand, set her teeth on edge and made her skin crawl.
In the dying light, its inner glow became more brilliant still.
Experimentally, she touched it again. Again came a shock and with it a
sensation of a door opening in her mind, admitting a bewildering flood
of sensations. The Immortal jerked her hand away.
She could pitch it off a cliff, but it probably wouldn't do much more
than split into pieces. Still, if she worked fast, perhaps she could
pick them up and scatter them before Nergal found her.
Something pale gleamed briefly among the trees on the slope above her.
Amanda seized the crystal and her sword, and got warily to her feet.
There! She saw it again, the figure of man. Slowly, she advanced. The
thrill along her nerves made her stumble in shock. Immortal!
Closer, she made out more details. The stranger looking back at her from
the gathering shadows was tall and broad-shouldered. His was an
extraordinary face with chiseled features and a Roman nose. Curly hair,
dark as the shadows fell across his shoulders. He leaned against a
nearby tree, muscular arms folded over his chest. Amanda stopped in her
tracks.
"An, I presume?" Her voice was reasonably steady. She drew her sword,
tucking the crystal precariously under her arm. She saw his lips
twitch.
"You must be Amanda."
Against her better judgement she a took another tentative step toward
him. The Immortal sense was strangely mixed with Eternal Presence. She
cast a suspicious look at his neck, but no sign of the meh.
"You can put your sword away," he said calmly. "I am not here to
challenge you."
Lifting her chin, she tightened her grip on the crystal. For the first
time, he smiled.
"Nor to take the Star," he added.
"Why should I trust you?" she retorted, "After what you did to Methos?"
"Methos is alive," he reminded her. The amusement in his deep tones was
incredibly irritating.
"Than what do you want?" she asked tartly. "Just stopped by to watch
the carnage?"
The darkening forest rang with his shout of laughter. Sobering
abruptly, he caught her gaze and held it. Suddenly, she could not move.
It seemed that his eyes grew enormous, filling her vision, pulling her
in.
"Listen well, Amanda. Kae'n is mine. I alone will choose when his life
ends."
The Immortal woman struggled wildly to free herself, but there was no
defying him. She could only watch helplessly as he approached. A part
of her marveled at his beauty, the sheer, sexual magnetism that flowed
through her, the strength that wrapped around her and held her fast. He
laid large hands on her shoulders. If she could have moved, Amanda
would have collapsed to her knees.
"The time of the Eternals has ended," he said softly. "The time of the
Immortals -- your time -- is still to come."
"Our time? You're an Immortal, too."
He shook his head. "No, not anymore." For a moment, his eyes rested on
the crystal in her arms and she saw deep regret. "Put down the
crystal, Amanda. You will find it here when you come back. It is my
will that it be destroyed."
The tiny part of her mind still free screamed in protest, but her
traitorous body set the crystal on the ground. It blazed like the star
for which it was named.
"Take this," An continued, not even glancing down. "Give it to Kae'n.
He must live and grow stronger, to fight another day. Go now. You
haven't much time.
Something heavy was laid into her arms. The late afternoon light
suddenly broke apart into a shower of gold. Gasping, she felt her knees
buckle. Her vision cleared, and when it did, she was alone in the
trees, the crystal glowing softly beside her.
Amanda took a deep breath. Then, struggling to her feet, An's gift held
close, she turned and started running.
***
continued
At the sight of Methos stepping, triumphant, into the courtyard, Nergal
fired wildly at him and retreated into the temple. Warily, the Immortal
approached the building. He placed himself in the doorway long enough
to draw Nergal's fire again, to see what weapon the Eternal was using.
Dodging to safety, Methos counted to ten, then stepped back into the
doorway. Cursing, again Nergal fired. It took a couple more passes
before the Eternal ran out of bullets.
The Immortal warily entered the building. Nergal stood by the empty
pedestal, disheveled, eyes snapping with rage. He had a sword, the
empty gun thrown to the ground. Seeing the direction of Methos' glance,
he grinned balefully.
"I always carry one these days. You never know when you'll get to take
an Immortal's head."
"Why bother?" Methos drew his own sword and watched Nergal's eyes widen
at the sight of it. "You didn't get what you came for. The Star of An
isn't here. We could just walk away from this. . ."
"Do you think I'm a fool, Enkidu? Once, I might have taken you at your
word, but no longer. You're almost as great a killer as I. Whatever An
taught you of honor was lost long ago."
Methos watched Nergal take a step back, then another. "It was worth a
try, eh?"
He circled closer. Nergal followed him warily.
Striking first, Methos leapt across the floor. The sudden attack sent
Nergal reeling back. He recovered, but only just, desperately parrying
to come in on Methos' left.
Dodging aside, Methos avoided the blow, but for just an instant, he felt
fingers grasp at his arm. Laughing, he twisted away. Off balance,
Nergal wasn't quick enough to avoid a slice across his thigh. Hissing,
the Sumerian retreated, leaving a spatter of blood across the dusty
stones.
"Too bad, Nergal." Methos brandished An's sword, then lifted it in a
brief salute. "Remember this? Eternal repellant. Your power doesn't
work on me."
"Damn you!" shouted the lord of hell, and lunged. Methos slipped aside
easily, forgotten tricks now springing to the surface of his thoughts.
Alas. Nergal had embraced his eighth millennium with too much
enthusiasm. Clearly, swordplay had fallen to the bottom of his must-do
list of martial arts. Sweating, cursing, healing far more slowly than a
true Immortal, the Eternal retreated across the floor and into the
deepening shadows at the edge of the room. Methos got past his guard
again, driving his blade through Nergal's shoulder. The Eternal
screamed hoarsely, pulling away, sword clattering from suddenly useless
fingers.
Nergal lurched desperately for the door, but Methos did not follow. He
already knew what the Eternal would find there -- six feet, umpteen
inches of Immortal Scot.
***
"Going somewhere?" Duncan walked into the round room, looking coldly
at Nergal. The Eternal edged back until he was up against the empty
pedestal. Duncan looked past him to Methos.
"Where's Amanda?"
"I have no idea . . ." Methos suddenly stiffened, looking at the
doorway.
Duncan, however, didn't bother to turn around.
"All clear?" he asked Inanna.
"All clear, Duncan."
The Highlander heard Methos shout. Then he heard the loud report. The
bullet slammed into his back and he didn't hear anything else.
****
continued
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