The TWILIGHT OF THE GODS -- Chap. 13

A Story of Mantra and Black September

By Aladdin and Christopher Leeson

Posted 11-19-24

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THE FLAMING WOMAN

Chapter 14

Difficulties increase the nearer we get to the goal.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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Jamie was holding me by the waist. I sank to one knee and pinched her chin.

"Evie says you have to go away, Aunt Jenny, and we can go with you!"

“Yes, I'd like that," I said. "You'll be coming, too, won't you?"

“I don't want to be with Daddy. Do you have to go away from here?"

"Yes, I really, really have to. But I’d be so happy if you three kids accompany me."

“Why can’t Daddy come?!”

"He's welcome to come if he wants to. Anyway, we need his permission to take you, Evie, and Gus away. I need to talk to King Daddy about that right away."

I wasn't looking forward to confronting Warstrike. I had just rid the world of his wife Necromantra, and I wouldn't be surprised if he got angry about that. Whether he had personal feelings for the witch, he definitely wanted her power backing him!

Suddenly, the door burst open, and two rough-hewn guards burst in.

I threw a shield around Jamie and myself. "What is this this about?" I demanded.

"The chamberlain sent us to protect the princess!" said the uglier of the two. "Why are you here, lady?"

"I'm just visiting. Maybe you’ve heard that I'm the girl's aunt." I glanced down at Jamie. "Aren't I, sweetheart?"

The child nodded emphatically.

"An assassin has injured the king, and he may be dying," yammered the other guard. "He wants to see his daughter!"

“Daddy! No!” Princess shouted.

The clod! How could he blurt out anything so brutal in front of a child? "All right," I said, picking up the little girl. "Let's all go!"

The gunmen led me to a dressing station. Nicolas was already inside with his leader but was wearing his Solitaire outfit. His hood was down, though, exposing a stern and urgent face. Warstrike occupied a cot with a blanket thrown over him. His skin was marked by burns. Jamie let out a dismayed dismay; I squeezed her close and kissed her.

"What happened?!" I demanded.

"It was attempted murder by Jimmy Ruiz," Solitaire said. "His Majesty was in his cell offering him a pardon in exchange for information against his co-conspirators."

"Prototype tried to kill him?"

"Ruiz wasn't wearing his ultra armor," Nicolas Lone replied. "Somebody smuggled in a suicide explosion device. That means we have an enemy infiltrator among us!"

Jamie was crying, shuddering with shock and grief. I've heard that sound so many times over the centuries. Usually, it happened after I killed some kid's father. When I took my hands from Jamie, she dashed to her father’s bedside.

"Daddy! Don't die!"

I put my hands on her shoulders, afraid that she'd climb on her dad and hurt him even more.

"Jamie…" Brandon whispered. Then he glanced my way. "I…I'm glad you're here for her, Eden."

"You've got to hold on, Brandon," I said. "You have accelerated healing and it can pull you through it if you give it enough time."

He gave a weak, bitter laugh. "That cheap Chung Brothers' wetware isn’t working so well today. I regret I didn't have my operation done at NuTech."

I touched the blanket that covered his seared and blasted body. "I can give you some of my energy," I told him. "Maybe it will kick-start your Chung Brothers enhancements."

"I'd like that," he said "Getting an energy boost from you is almost as good as sex."

He remembered someone else, but I didn't want to take away his happy thoughts.

"Eden…" Brandon whispered hoarsely, "The kids are in danger. I want you to take them away if...I don’t make it!"

"No, Daddy, don't die!" the child shouted.

"I promise to take care of her,” I said. "I know of a better world she and the others can live in."

"Thank..." he whispered as the strength went out of him. I lightly touched his face and felt that he still held a flicker of life, but it was fading fast.

I put my hands on him, willing my bio-energy to flow into him. Something was wrong, he wasn't receiving it properly. I kept trying to get him to respond until someone burst into the room wearing old doctor's togs. “Give me room!” he said. I backed away and took Jamie with me. She was shaking with sobs.

The man on the bed was not the same Warstrike I knew in my world. He had gone where I hoped my friend Warstrike would never go. If I had been a native of this dying city, I might have joined the rebels against him. But yet, somehow, the other Mantra had loved and stood by this dictatorial version of Warstrike. What did she find so lovable in him?

"We haven’t been able to find Queen Marinna," said Solitaire. "Do you know where she went, Mantra?"

I didn't feel like lying. "The two of us fought and I had to send her away."

"What do you mean?"

"It’s a complex business,” I said. "Do you want me to bring her back?"

"No way!" he exclaimed.

"Who's going to take over now?" I asked, not really caring. This world had only hours to live.

"I'm not sure," Nicolas answered. "If the king and queen are gone, it gives us a window of time to work with the rebels to choose new leadership."

“Why don't you make yourself king?" I suggested, wondering how ambitious he was.

“Why don't you take the throne, Mantra? You’ve made fewer enemies here than I have," he said.

"No can do! I came here to corral the Flaming Woman and take her where she’s needed. It's absolutely vital.”

The medic suddenly said, "The king...is dead. " We stared at Brandon's body for a moment, before the medic drew the blanket over his face. The girl beside me gave out an ear-hurting wail.

"Jamie, come away with me,” I said “This is too awful for you."

"No! I want to be with Daddy!"

Then we heard new voices; Gus and Evie were trying to enter the crowded room. I hadn't seen this twenty-something version of Gus before. How tall he'd gotten! He looked more than ever like his father.

"Dad!" Gus moaned as he beheld his stepdad's blanket-covered shape. I knew that his parents' divorce had hurt my grade-schooler terribly. Maybe Brandon had filled some of the emptiness that the family breakup had left in his heart. Then he shifted his blue eyes my way.

"You!"

I nodded. "Yeah, it's me. Whoever me is."

"Evie told me…." He ended his sentence in midair. I wondered whether he had ever been told that Mantra hadn't been his real mother, Eden Blake. Maybe it would be best if he found that out. I wasn't sure.

Evie said, “Mother – I mean…"

I opened my arms to her, and she stepped between them. The teen clung to me like I were a lifeline, leaving me hoping that I could be that lifeline for her.

"Is he really gone?" Evie whispered.

"I'm sorry, yes. Can you do anything for your sister?"

Evie turned to Jamie and dropped to her knees to hug her.

"What's going to happen?" Evie asked me without looking my way.

"Brandon wanted me to take you three away. I want to do that."

A woman guard scrambled in. "Lord Chamberlain!" she yelled.

"What now?!" Nick barked, sounding like a man pushed to his limit.

"War Eagle's group has brought in a prisoner! The guards have locked her locked up in the dungeon."

"Is…is she flaming?" the chamberlain asked.

"She was, but she flamed out when she struck the earth."

#

The “dungeon” was a basement with cells installed. I saw a young blonde woman in lockup. She was raggedly dressed, which fact made me wonder why her flame-ons hadn't incinerated her clothes.

"Is that the flaming woman you've come looking for, Mantra?" Solitaire asked.

I hadn’t seen high school and college pictures of Amber Hunt in Aladdin's records for a while. Most other photos showed her ablaze with energy. "If she was on fire, this has to be her."

I considered it a blessing that Warstrike's men had captured Hunt. If we had to deal with the rebels, it would have complicated matters. Nicolas Lone was in charge now and seemed to be semi-sane. I wasn't so sure about the rebels' leadership. The sad and angry version of Choice I’d met hadn't left me with a good impression.

“Nick,” I said. “It’s vital that I take her Miss Hunt away with me. Do you have any objections?”

“Not really,” he said. “Just don't even think about bringing her back. We have enough problems without her!”

I looked back at the cell. The captive was lying on her left haunch, looking like an exhausted, battered college girl – which was what she was, down deep. My mystical senses detected a stream of power emanating from her, an unfamiliar sort of power. Probably, the Reality Gem was nestled inside her body. I wasn't sure whether that was a problem or not. The Time Gem had told me that the Reality Gem had an important role to play an important role in this crazy situation.

I wondered how badly hurt Amber was. She had to be kept alive. Her energy-absorbing power was the only thing powerful enough to save the Multiverse. But given my experiences, it was hard for me to see the girl as a savior instead of a world-endangering menace.

Hunt's eyes slowly opened and saw the bars of her cell. She flamed on again and looked like she was covered in blazing gasoline.

I sent out a mental appall: Have you got any ideas, Gabriel?

The next thing I knew, the little man was next to me. I didn’t know if it was the physical man or a hologram.

"We have to persuade her to cooperate."

"Yeah? And how do we do that?” I asked.

"I suggest you ask the Time Gem to negotiate with the Reality Gem. The gem Miss Hunt carries can probably control her actions!"

"Time Gem!" I said to the lump in the bag I was carrying. "Speak to the Reality Gem and ask it to make the girl understand she has to come with us to oppose Nemesis."

Then I looked at Gabriel. “What’s next, Gabe? You have a plan, don’t you?"

I didn't care for the abashed look on his plump face.