Sixteen days, three hours, seven minutes, and fifteen seconds.
A dream.
I was standing on the peak of the Empire State Building, looking down at a ruined New york. Skyscrapers stood broken, the entire city's skyline in ruins,buildings slanting and laying one upon another. In the far distance of Manhattan a heavy snowstorm was blowing, covering the city's valleys in a foreboding sea of white.
In my hand was a weapon. One I had not wielded in centuries. Frostfang. Its blue, jagged blade dripped red with blood, each dropping forming a pool around my feet. I could turned and saw Joshua standing next to me, dressed in sleek, black combat silk, heavy khaki trousers and black combat boots. Typical modern mercenary Merc but his face was adorned with that damned bloodied clown mask.
"You're running out of time, brother," he said, but his words echoes with the voice of a million souls. I opened my mouth to reply, to ask what he meant, where we were... but words would not come forth.
Joshua raised his hand and pointed to the horizon.
I followed his lead. A heavy mist covered most of the far distance, but I could see it. The sight of it made my heart stop. Out of that sea of white fog, a pair of deadly red eyes stared back, each one as big as a double-decker bus. Heavy and monstrous, a million tentacles swirling from its back.
"Your opponent awaits you," Joshua whispered, the voices sounding full of despair.
That was my opponent? There had to be a mistake somewhere. The difference in size wasn't even what scared me.
The creature's tentacles wrapped around a building and pulled, breaking it apart like a child would break a twig. It raised the wreckage high above its head and hauled it towards us. The wind whistled madly as the wreckage advanced towards us with the speed of a falling star.
Like a cursed joke my voice finally returned. I could ask no questions now."Joshua!!!!" I yelled, rushing towards my brother to do the only thing I could think of. Protect.
That was when I awoke.
I was drawn back with amazing speed, the world thinning into threads before my eyes, pulling me farther away from Joshua and the monster that lay waiting, as colors blended together into a Picasso of despair.
****
This was beginning to become a running joke. Waking up from nightmare to nightmare.
I guess someone decided I was just having it too easy. After all a vision as intense as that wouldn't hit the same without a brain-splitting headache for dessert. I opened my eyes to the beautiful interior of a private plane: white leather seats and first-grade maple wood tables. To my side i could hear the soft droning of the plane's engine outside. All the blinds were shut though, and I could hardly see what was before me. But those stupid blonde eyes, yeah I could see them well enough.
"Ah, you're awake," Catherine said enthusiastically. She turned to the man by her side,the same Joshua I had almost killed. "See? I told you it wasn't enough to kill them," she added. The man just stared on, his eyes bored but conveying a subtle message: you should be dead.
I made to move my hand, but my muscles remained unmoving, my neurons clogged and my very mind shattering into ribbons.
"You drugged me again..." I managed to say, my words slowed and labored.
"Indeed I did," Catherine admitted. "Your metabolism is highly unpredictable.I couldn't risk you going all divine in my private plane."
"Joshua..." I whispered weakly.
"Oh, don't worry about him. He's right over there," she said, pointing just behind me. I tried for a neural link, but his thoughts were completely blank. I began to fear the worst. He had looked so weak in the metal room.
"You worry too bloody much," Catherine chided jovially. "Your brother is fine. I wouldn't dare hurt either of you." She received a glass of champagne from a blonde waiter. "At least not until Eda is finished with you," she whispered, just loud enough for me to hear.
Oh that was splendid information. We would be safe with the woman until her boss had his fun with us.
"Ma'am?" a lady called from the back of the plane.
"What is it?" Catherine snapped. Her eyes were still fixed on me, but her jovial act was gone. Her jaws clenched, her fingers drummed on the side of armrests. Clear tell tale signs of nervous anxiety.
"It's Eda," was the immediate reply. Catherine looked suddenly tired. She sighed, cupping her face in her hands. "Forgive me, Magnus. I'll be right back."
She rose and disappeared toward the rear of the cabin, leaving me alone with my thoughts, a "Joshua" who wanted me dead, and my brother lying unconscious somewhere behind me.
The dream I just had still echoed in my head. When my family had achieved godhood, one of our first tasks was the extermination of beasts and monsters. I had slain hundreds of fell beasts, but nothing could compare to the fear I felt staring into those whirlpools of horror that abomination had for eyes.
Then there was this Eda, and Catherine's betrayal. How had I not seen it coming? Looking back now, she had not been subtle in her deception, inviting two random men, even if we were Sterlings, to something as important as her supposed best friend's debut.
Marticc had photos of us as well in his office. Father wouldn't ask us to be discreet if Marticc was knowledgeable of his desires. It didn't add up though. Deep in my soul I knew it. Marticc was not involved in this.
That left the newest addition to the list: the mysterious Eda. A name I did not know, or why the hell he would want me dead. I get that my family had helped push civilization in our own way. A few assassinations, a little storm there. A war here and there. But who would be alive long enough to want revenge?
Only a gods had immortality and we were...ohh yeah, that's right.
Magnus, you awake? Joshua's voice echoed in my head. I would have bolted out of my seat but I was still very much paralyzed. But still I could not help but release a sigh of relief.
It is good to hear your voice, brother.
I believe you'll change your mind about that soon, was his ominous reply. What was the idiot on about?
What do you mean?
My powers... they're back. I welcomed the news with glee. What then did he mean by me changing my mind?
That's good news, idiot.
And I have a plan. He added. I tried turning my neck but my paralysis was still in effect.
What kind of plan?
At that moment Catherine made her way back, a sly smile on her face. She stopped just before us and sighed tiredly. "Well, there's been an unforeseen change of plans," she announced.
Her smile disappeared as she produced a jagged golden knife from her belt. "Eda's decided you're not worth the risk." She noticed the petrified look on my face and nodded sympathetically. "I know, I know. I thought we were going to have fun together." She sighed liked one who was really disappointed. Fuck you Catherine.
She turned to the other Joshua and continued. "Oh well, at least Joshua gets payback for your barbaric handling of his person. Ta-ta."
She handed the knife to the man and proceeded to make her way towards the cockpit, but not before giving a final command.
"Kill them."
A wide grin appeared on the man's face as he rose to his feet, brandishing the knife.
"I'm going to enjoy this," he happily said.
"As will I!" Joshua suddenly roared from behind me.
And now please forgive my description of the next few things that happened. Actions followed one another so fast I could hardly keep track. But I will try to put them in appropriate order.
The man lunged at me with his blade, and at that exact moment, Joshua sent forth a gush of wind so powerful it tore the plane's hull in two.
The cabin pressurized with a violent roar, heavy winds blasting through the jagged and exposed openings. With a terrified yell, my would-be killer was yanked off his feet, sucked out of the cabin, and dragged straight into the spinning blades of the plane's engine. A fine red mist sprayed into the sky, vanishing instantly.
I saw nothing of Catherine, but as expected, she hadn't done us the courtesy of even buckling us in. I was ripped from my seat, my partially paralyzed body plummeting through the thin open air toward a vast, endless sea of green.