The cohort, Amon, and the Amenti stand ready. The sun has set, and it is time to begin the attacks. All the Amenti who can go invisible do, and the archers are sent out first in small groups so that there doesn't appear to be anything out of the ordinary to anyone watching. When all the archers have gone, those whose specialty is melee start departing in the same manner. Then Cliodhna nods at the cohort, they circle around Amon, and everyone but Ray goes invisible and starts the long walk to the palace.
The army and the cohort reach the palace without being stopped or questioned, and the cohort quickly runs around to the back of the palace and crouches down, pressing themselves against the walls. Soon a messenger flies over, and Cliodhna re-appears. "We are in position and ready." he announces.
Cliodhna nods. "All right, have the archers begin their attack. When the palace guards are able ta make it past the arrows, send in the swordsmen and spearmen. May the gods be with ye." she says, and the Amenti bows his head again and flies back to the front. The cohort can hear the sounds of arrows falling and striking and the palace guards crying out in surprise. When Cliodhna can hear the sound of mental clanging against metal as the swordsmen rotate into the battle, she stands and signals for the cohort to rise and enter the palace quickly. They noticed earlier that there was no back entrance like Amon had thought there was, so the entire group goes invisible and creeps around to the front of the palace, and then Memnon grabs Amon and Flicker-Flies him in while everyone else follows silently.
They hurry down the corridors, running and turning, and notice that there is the sound of chanting coming from somewhere in the palace. At Amon's urging, they follow the chanting until finally they see before them giant golden doors...open. "Is this the throneroom, then?" Cliodhna whispers to Amon, and Amon nods. Suddenly each member of the cohort hears a voice in their heads-- it is Ahuru's. Ahuru tells them, "Do not remove THE mask." The cohort looks around at each other in confusion.
"Amon, did ye hear that? Do not remove the mask?" Cliodhna asks cautiously.
Amon turns around and narrows his eyes at Cliodhna. "What are you talking about?" Ahuru looks intently at Cliodhna, and she hears his voice again in her head, telling her that the cohort is not to touch Osiris' mask, but by all means to remove the other gods' masks. Cliodhna nods to Ahuru and faces Amon again.
"Nevermind Amon, do what ye have ta do." she says quickly.
Amon nods. "Right. Now let's get in there."
Amon strides purposefully into the throneroom, followed quickly by the cohort. As they look around the vaulted chambers, they take everything in. The room shines with gold! There are 6 choristers against each of the three walls in front of the throne, and 6 gods wearing various masks standing to the sides of the throne. Osiris rises from the throne. "Amon...so you have returned that I may destroy you once and for all." It is Mahemet's voice, as Brianna guessed.
Amon gives a wry laugh and starts to walk towards Mehemet. "It is YOU who will be destroyed, Mehemet." Suddenly one of the gods steps into Amon's path, blocking Mehemet. Amon doesn't even give him a second look as he moves his hand in a sharp gesture and the god is flung against one of the walls, crumpling down into an unconscious heap on the floor. At this cue, Ray moliates himself into a huge being of spikes, and-- altering time around himself with Pandemonium-- he hurtles into one line of choristers and begins slicing at their necks to silence them. He is so fast and so skilled that in one round he has decapitated 5 choristers!
The rest of the cohort springs into action. Memnon notices some guards run into the room, and grins eagerly as he leaps into their midst, hacking and slashing. Cliodhna closes her eyes and concentrates on putting a pharaoh-headed god to sleep, but he is merely stunned. Then she watches as Ahuru turns to the guards, holds out his hand, and commands in a low voice "sleep." Two of the guards instantly fall to the floor unconscious. Cliodhna raises her eyebrows. "Does that help?" she wonders. Brianna and Ahuru pull out their staffs and run at a line of gods. Cliodhna again concentrates, and this time raises her hand and chants, "sleep..." and her god falls to the floor in a deep sleep. She grins and bows her head to Ahuru, and then runs over to try to pry the mask from the sleeping god's face.
Brianna is now fighting a crocodile-headed god who keeps snapping at her, trying to bite her. She has quite the battle, but is able to get in many good, hard hits between the god trying to gnash at her with its jaws. Ray leaps over to the next pew and begins taking out the choristers there. Cliodhna runs over to her fallen god's side and grasps the mask-- gritting her teeth and struggling to pry it off. Finally it comes off with a pop, and the god disintigrates. Then Cliodhna feels strange...the mask's eyes are glowing and it seems to...want her to...put..it...on...NO! Cliodhna forces her will back at the mask, and the light in its eyes finally extinguishes. She quickly places the mask in her jacket so that it doesn't get into the wrong hands, and turns to face a god with the head of a hawk.
Mehemet turns to the doors. Holding out his hand, he smiles, and suddenly many guards start running down the corridors towards the throneroom. Memnon gets into the doorway, blocking it and swinging his double blades at any guard who tries to attack and get past him. Amon starts to climb the steps to the throne, and Mehemet quickly turns his attention back to Amon. Suddenly Amon stops and grits his teeth, glaring fiercely at Mehemet. The two seem to be having a battle of wills, and are at a dead stale-mate.
Cliodhna holds out her hand and chants "sleep," and the hawk-headed god falls to the ground in a deep sleep. Cliodhna wonders why this seems to work so well when she does it Ahuru's way! Ray finally finishes off the last of the choristers, and suddenly the room feels different. The cohort-- including Amon-- soon realizes that the choristers had been supplying Mehemet with power. Now that the power has been cut off, Amon is able to break Mehemet's will, and starts running towards him. Amon pulls his sword out of the sheath and swings at Mehemet. Mehemet blocks the blade with his bracers, but Amon is full of fury and vengeance, and starts driving Mehemet backwards-- Mehemet with a surprised look on his face. Memnon calls to Ray for assistance with the guards in the doorway, and Ray runs over like a flying porcupine and stabs into the guards in front with his moliated form. Memnon grins and nods-- very tempted to grab ray and wield him like a giant, spiked club...but he decides not to, using his better judgement.
Brianna swings her staff up and brings it down on the crocodile-headed god with tremendous force, and the god falls to the ground, his mask cracked and useless. As he disintegrates, Ahuru calls for assistance-- he has the remaining two gods on him. Brianna immediately runs to his side, and Cliodhna runs over to the fallen hawk-headed god to pry its mask off. Just then Mehemet-- between parrying Amon's furious blows-- raises his hand, and the walls and ceiling begin to shake. Little pieces of the ceiling start cracking off and falling to the ground far below, so Cliodhna grabs the hawk-headed god's feet and runs surprisingly swiftly backwards while dragging him over to the doors where Memnon and Ray are fighting. She looks from the god on the floor to Ahuru and Brianna, and makes the quick decision to leave the god and run over to help the couple fight.
Brianna and Ahuru are each engaging a god in battle when a part of the ceiling caves in, blocking the doorway completely so that Memnon is trapped in the throneroom and Ray is with the guards in the hallway. A large piece of ceiling falls between Cliodhna and Brianna, hitting Cliodhna's side pretty hard and crushing the god she was fighting. Memnon turns to face the throneroom. Seeing that everyone's OK, he scans and notices Amon forcing Mehemet back into a room behind the throne and runs after them. Ahuru sees Memnon running towards Amon and runs after him, leaving the last remaining god in the women's hands. Just then a large chunk of ceiling falls, crushing the last god and causing a cloud of debris to cover everything.
Brianna begins to panic, picking her way over the debris looking for Ahuru. Cliodhna follows her, and the two women start lifting heavy chunks of stone and throwing them to the side. When they finally reach the floor, they see a puddle of plasm! Brianna looks like she's going to faint until Cliodhna suggests that she use her Fatalism to search for Ahuru. Brianna concentrates, and in a few seconds she's smiling in relief. "It was one of the gods-- Ahuru is safe!" Cliodhna exhales and nods her head, very glad to hear that.
In the hallway, Ray is now facing all the remaining guards...and doing a rather good job at holding them off and taking them out! But there are so many! Suddenly he hears the approach of more guards and feels his spirits sink...until he sees Friday leading them! It's the crew of the Ulysses! The crew on one side and Ray on the other, they begin to reduce the Amenti guards as they get closer and closer together.
Now in the back room, Amon runs at Mehemet with his sword out, but Mehemet makes a quick gesture with his hand and Amon is thrown against the wall. Memnon arrives just in time to see this, and leaps at Mehemet. Mehemet grabs a staff that's decorating one of the walls, and he and Memnon face-off in a flurry of swings. Memnon leaves himself open for s split-second, but it's just long enough for Mehemet to swing his staff and knock Memnon's feet out from under him. After Memnon crashes to the ground, Mehemet brings the blunt end of his staff down hard into Memnon's stomach, and Memnon rolls up and grunts.
As Mehemet again raises his staff, Ahuru bursts into the room and runs at Mehemet-- the two sparring blow for blow as their staffs crash against one another. Finally Amon is able to get to his feet and raise his sword just as Memnon pushes himself up and gets to his feet with his sword drawn. The two rush forward and join Ahuru in fighting Mahemet. Three unknowing generations stand side-by-side, forcing back their opponent, working as one. Just as Mehemet is about to fall under their blows, the building shakes again and the floor beneath them collapses.
The throneroom where Brianna and Cliodhna stand is heaving and crumbling all around them. A large pillar falls over and knocks out the wall around the doorway. Brianna runs up the pillar to get out of the throneroom, and Cliodhna follows after her. Suddenly there is a violent tremor, and the entire remaining ceiling crashes down to the floor. The vibrations are so strong that Cliodhna slips on the pillar just as a huge chunk of ceiling falls on her-- crushing her-- and her world goes black. More chunks of ceiling fall until the moon and stars loom over the ruined throneroom. Brianna jumps into the hallway just in time.
The men in the back room all land hard, but no one is seriously injured and they all climb back to their feet, drawing their weapons. The fight resumes, when suddenly Friday jumps onto Mehemet's back and starts punching him yelling, "I've got him! I've got him!" Amon narows his eyes and lunges forward, stabbing Mehemet through the chest just as Memnon swings his sword hard, slashing into Mehemet's side, and then Ahuru bashes Mehemet in the stomach. As Mehemet bends over and groans, Amon rips off the Osiris-mask, but Mahemet's hand flashes out and grabs the mask from Amon's hand, and the entire building collapses in on itself.
When the smoke clears, Ahuru and Memnon are laying on the ground trying to clear their heads, Friday lays in a corner dazed, and Mehemet lays on his back with a huge boulder of stone crushing him, pinning his outstretched arm holding the mask to the ground. He grunts and struggles, but he can't move. Amon raises his head and smiles as he takes in Mehemet's predicament, and begins to crawl towards the mask. Mehemet fixes his pained eyes on Amon and laughs. "If you take the mask, you'll not get your reward. You'll never join your wife in the afterlife!"
Amon looks at Mehemet with a look of pure hatred. "If it destroys you..." he hisses, and rips the mask from Mehemet's hand. Mahemet lets out a scream of agony as his body begins to dissolve, and immediately the palace begins to rebuild itself!
Soon after, Brianna and Ray run into the room. Brianna sees Ahuru and runs to him, holding him tightly in her arms and breathing a sigh of relief. Memnon turns and looks around for Cliodhna, feeling a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach when he doesn't see her. "Where is she??" he asks Brianna in a tight voice.
"I...I thought she was right behind me..." Brianna says slowly, her face going white. Memnon is consumed by panic and runs into the throneroom with the rest of the cohort in tow, but he doesn't see Cliodhna.
"She is not here." Ahuru tells Memnon in that calm voice of his. Memnon turns to stare at Ahuru.
"Where is she!" he yells, and when Ahuru doesn't answer, he thinks for a moment...and a look of agony crosses his face. "She must be in the Labyrinth...this is all my fault! I should have been there! I'm going to find her!" Memnon starts to run for the door when Ahuru quickly grabs his arm. Memnon turns to look at Ahuru.
"Where she is, you cannot follow. She is speaking with her father now," Ahuru tells him.
Somewhere in the Labyrinth...
Cliodhna opens her eyes and all around is black. She turns quickly, straining her eyes. "Hello?" she calls in confusion. Suddenly a bright spotlight floods directly down onto her head, and as she squints and shades her eyes with her hand, a familiar figure steps into the circle of light. "It's time we talked," Markova says.
Cliodhna's eyes widen, and she feels butterflies in her stomach. Then she realizes that she must be calm-- it is time. She nods at Markova. "So it's that time, then?"
Markova nods back at her. "Yes it is." Then Markova starts pacing and watching her. "You've been brain-washed by those two for long enough--"
"I need to tell you something-- please, if ye'll just listen fer a second?" Cliodhna pleads. Markova stops speaking and watches her curiously. "I think ye've been tricked, an' I've come ta warn ye." Markova lowers his brows at her. "I've done some readin' on yer mortal life-- who was that woman who told ye ta feed yer enemies ta yer men?" Cliodhna asks, her voice getting stronger.
"That is neither here nor there. Time grows short, and-- " Markova begins.
"Please-- if ye'll just hear me out!" Cliodhna interrupts again. "Where do ye get yer powers from?" she asks, folding her arms and watching Markova-- hoping he can't sense her nervousness. Markova stares at her for a moment, and then starts in again about the need for haste-- how she should stop being so stubborn-- but Cliodhna presses on. "Ye get it from Oblivion. When Oblivion finds out what yer plans are, do ye think it will let you go through with them? Keepin' people from dying? Oblivion feeds on the dead-- if ye keep everyone from dyin', Oblivion will lose its power. When it realizes what yer up ta, it will pick another malfean ta support, and take yer power away. Oblivion is more powerful than you-- ye're just its puppet!"
"Oblivion is not sentient, and it does not feed on souls. It is the stuff of souls. It is the slate wiped clean." Markova explains in a tone that makes Cliodhna feel like he's mocking her, and then her Shadow chimes in in agreement with Markova-- Markova nodding and telling her that her Shadow is right.
"Oh bloody hell! Cliodhna thinks angrily. "I have to argue against both him AND my Shadow??" Cliodhna tries the trick to silence her Shadow, but it fails, and her Shadow ends up double-teaming her with Markova for the entire conversation. Cliodhna finally speaks. "But in yer vision o' the future, ye said ye wanted ta grant people their dreams...ta rule over people an' make them obey ye. That doesn't sound like the 'slate wiped clean.' That sounds like ye WANT people ta keep their memories." Cliodhna protests.
"SOME people deserve the slate wiped clean...Daughter." Markova says with a little smirk.
"So you know, then." Cliodhna states, lifting her chin. When Markova nods, she continues. "I know, too."
"Your mother kept it from both of us for many years. She was afraid of me finding out...afraid that you would join me." Markova says in frustration.
"No-- she was afraid Amon would kill me." Cliodhna explains. "Ahuru told her ta keep me-- it was Amon she was afraid of. An' afraid that yer enemies would use me against ye."
"I see her point," Markova says nodding. "But knowing I'm your father, you still fight against me! You've been brainwashed by the old man and that damnable bitch!"
"No-- I only recently learned that ye were my father! An' since that day, I have been defending ye! I don't want anythin' ta happen ta ye!" Cliodhna cries.
"Then join me!" Markova says impatiently.
"I will not join a side that is doomed! Oblivion will take yer powers away! Please-- use yer powers ta destroy the Leech, the other malfeans, and then all the spectres! Then Oblivion will be diminished enough that-- "
"When I awaken, I will become reality. I will define reality, and I won't have to worry about that." Markova answers in a low, powerful voice.
"But Oblivion will still be supplying yer powers! Please-- ye don't want ta rule over the world! After a thousand years o' peace ye will grow bored...and then insane like Osiris!" Cliodhna persists.
"No. There will always be things for me to do. I have waited for this for a millenia." Markova answers.
"No there won't! After ye make the people obey ye, all it will be day in an' day out is punishin' those who disobey ye, an' rewardin' those who please ye! Don't ye want yer rest?? A final rest where ye can live in peace with Mother..."
"I will make the world peaceful because no one punishes the wicked! There IS no god! He left a long time ago. Someone else needs to step in and take his place, and that someone is me!" Markova shouts.
Cliodhna closes her eyes and finds her calm again, and then opens her eyes. "When ye were young, did ye dream of a life in the army with constant fightin' an' wars, or did ye dream o' somethin' more?"
"No, I wanted a private life. But fate had different plans for me." Markova says bitterly.
"Then change fate now an' enjoy an afterlife o' rest an' peace!" Cliodhna pleads.
"I can't. The world would be destroyed. It's up to ME to stop it-- who else is going to do it??" Markova asks forcefully.
"Then perform yer role in fate an' afterwards go on ta rest! Don't concern yerself with what the world does-- it isn't yer burden ta carry anymore!" Cliodhna cries.
"Remember fate-- the MAN WHO SHOULD BE GOD?? Oh-- you don't think I don't know who I am in Her prophesy?" Markova says, leaning in and giving Cliodhna a look like she should know better.
Cliodhna looks at Markova in surprise, and all she can manage to do is utter something inane that Markova tears down in an instant, leaving Cliodhna to feel foolish. But as Markova strides back and forth, feeling that he's gained the edge, Cliodhna remembers something her mother told her.
"Ye don't understand-- if ye take over the world, everythin' will die! Ahuru has seen this...my mother saw it! Remember back in Russia when ye met up with Mother an' the pack, an' Mother tried ta show ye through her eyes that everythin' ye touched died or turned diseased, but ye couldn't see it? Oblivion is tryin' ta trick ye!" Cliodhna exclaims.
"I didn't see anything-- that was when she was blinded, too. It was just one of HIS tricks on the both of us!" Markova says, getting agitated.
"But ye were a Mind-Mage-- are ye sayin' that she coulda tricked a Mind-Mage as powerful as ye were so easily?" Cliodhna asks incredulously.
"No, but HE could!" Markova says pointing a finger at her.
"But she was only showin' ye what she saw-- the entire pack saw the same thing! How can ye account fer all the deaths...the crops witherin' an' dying??" Cliodhna specifies.
"I saw no deaths. HE tricked them into seeing that!" Markova repeats in frustration.
"Are ye afraid o' him then?" Cliodhna asks softly with worry in her voice.
"The old fool? You're getting to be just as blind as she was! But by the time you realize that, it will be too late!" Markova growls, and with an impatient wave of his hand, he sends Cliodhna back into the Shadowlands.
Back in Amenti...
The cohort stands around trying to absorb what Ahuru has just told them-- Cliodhna speaking with Markova?? Amon is looking down at the mask in his hands. Suddenly his arms start coming up, and the group looks at him just in time to see him place the mask on his face. Amon staggers back as if he's just received a hard blow, and clutches at his head. Brianna rushes to his side. "Amon-- are you OK?" she asks worriedly.
After a moment, Amon slowly straightens and looks at the cohort-members one at a time with new eyes. "I know everything." he says in a deep voice, and then looks straight at Memnon with widening eyes as he learns the truth about his...son. But Memnon doesn't notice this-- his thoughts are consumed with Cliodhna's safety, and he begins pacing in frustration.
"How are we going to find Cliodhna?" Brianna asks, turning to Ahuru. "Will she reappear back in New York?"
Ahuru gazes down at Brianna. "No. She is closer than that. She is waiting for you on the ship."
At these words, Memnon bolts from the room-- followed closely behind by the rest of the cohort-- leaving Amon to continue absorbing his new revelations and surroundings.
Cliodhna opens her eyes and looks around. She seems to be back on the Ulysses in her and Memnon's room. She looks down to checks her corpus, and is relieved to see that she's all in one piece. God, but she's exhausted! And so frustrated! Arguing with her father is like butting her head against a brick wall! She sits down on the edge of the bed and holds her head in one hand.
Suddenly the door bursts open and Brianna and Memnon rush in. She stands weakly and Brianna hugs her tight, followed by Memnon who picks her up and crushes her to him. He pulls back and looks her over. "Are you all right??" he asks in relief and concern.
"I'm fine, Mem-- I told ye I'd come back ta ye!" she says with a smile, and then her smile melts into a frown. "I can't get through ta him! It's like arguin' with a brick wall! Nothin' I say moves him-- he has an answer fer everythin'!" Cliodhna exclaims in frustration.
Ahuru enters the room and nods at Cliodhna's words. "He has been set in his way of thinking for many years. It would be hard to turn him from his beliefs."
"But I HAVE ta-- somehow I have to or I will lose him...and Mother! I cannot fail!" Cliodhna says, hitting her fist into the side of the bed. Suddenly Cliodhna's Shadow pipes up again, and again she fails to silence it.
"Ahuru doesn't want you to succeed! He's trying to brainwash you into giving up on Father!" the Shadow rasps.
Cliodhna tries to ignore her Shadow's words. "He spoke so angrily o' Mother...do ye think she's OK?" she asks Ahuru with fearful eyes.
"Yes. She is fine." he tells her.
Ray watches Cliodhna. "But if you fail...what will you do?" he asks.
Cliodhna whips her head around to look at him. "Then I alone will pay the consequences. I will lose my parents-- it will be my bitter pill ta swallow."
Ahuru looks at her sadly. "To save the lives of millions, it is not a too high a price to pay."
Cliodhna's Shadow clucks its tongue. "Look at Ahuru spoon-feeding you answers, just like Father said he does! Ahuru hides the truth from you and everyone else!"
Cliodhna glares at Ahuru. "And where is YOUR daughter, hmm?"
"She is in New York." Ahuru replies, watching Cliodhna.
"You would give anythin' ta change her...ta save her...wouldn't ye?" Cliodhna asks, folding her arms.
Ahuru blinks at her, his eyes betraying a hint of a tear. "Yes I would."
"An' if she refuses ta change, would ye detroy her? Kill her? Ta save the world? Fer the greater good o' mankind?" Cliodhna presses, her voice becoming deceptively calm.
"I will do as I must, but her death does not lie with me." Ahuru answers.
"Oh bloody convenient that is, isn't it?" Cliodhna cries. "There was some good in her once...why do ye refuse ta tell anyone here o' the good things my father has done! Ye want them ta hate him an' think him completely evil so they'll fight him without thought!"
"What good things do you speak of, Cliodhna?" Ahuru asks calmly.
Cliodhna's Shadow speaks again. "In comes the spoon! You see?? He doesn't see any good! He is a weaver of lies-- he even takes the form of the Weaver...as a spider!"
Cliodhna stares at Ahuru in horor as the realization of what her Shadow has a pointed out hits her. "The Weaver..." she thinks, but then the image of the Ladies of Fate weaving the threads of life pops into her mind, and she blinks her eyes. "Crafty, Shadow...very Crafty," she thinks, and then she focuses on Ahuru again. "You know as well as I what good he's done! Where...is Amon?" she asks, looking around as she's suddenly reminded of him.
"He will be staying behind. He has taken the mask of Osiris." Ahuru informs her.
"An' what o' his reward now? Will he still get it?" Cliodhna asks, stunned.
"He will perform his role in fate, and then will receive his reward, yes." Ahuru answers.
"His role in fate is to kill Father!" Cliodhna's Shadow shrieks.
"What role in fate is that?" Cliodhna asks Ahuru. "Ta fight my father? Don't ye think it wrong ta let Amon hate my father fer so many years based on somethin' he never did?" Cliodhna asks, her teeth clenched together.
"His anger gave him strength for many years, but it is more than his anger that drives him on now." Ahuru says.
"Then tell him the TRUTH!! Or I will!" Cliodhna hisses.
"Tell him what, Cliodhna?" Brianna asks, looking concerned with how Cliodhna is confronting Ahuru.
"Tutenamon!" Cliodhna says looking Ahuru in the eye. My father didn't kill Amon's wife-- Tutenamon did! An' ye've allowed my father ta take the blame fer that! WHY?" Cliodhna shouts.
"Cliodhna, are you so sure that Markova DIDN'T kill Issa? He put them in prison. It was his command that..." Ahuru begins.
"They would have received a fair trial! Tutenamon came in an' killed her before they could! My father would never have killed her! And where is Tutenamon now to speak for his crimes??" Cliodhna cries.
"He has passed on, Cliodhna. And you will not tell Amon, because he needs to believe in what he saw in order to fulfill his role in fate and receive his reward." Ahuru commands her.
"You SEE, Cliodhna? Ahuru knows the truth, but wants to hide it from everyone! He's asking you to turn your back on Father and lie! Spoon-feeding everyone lies!" Cliodhna's Shadow hisses.
Cliodhna stares at Ahuru dumbfounded, and then has to quickly look away as the tears start up in her eyes. This is NOT FAIR! Her father was an innocent in all that, and she's supposed to remain silent so Amon can fight him...for something he didn't do?? But Amon receiving his reward...she would NEVER stand in the way of that! Cliodhna shakes her head slowly, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders.
"We will continue on to Clay. Ray needs to speak with the Serpant." Ahuru says after a moment of silence.
"The Serpent's on our side, right?" Ray asks in concern.
"He remains neutral. You will need to convince him to take our side in the war." Ahuru says, fixing his eyes on Ray. Ray continues to look concerned, and then his face betrays that there's a battle going on in his mind about something. Finally he speaks.
"We need to get back to New York-- the spectres are destroying the city!" Ray says, his voice full of desperation.
"Yes," Ahuru says nodding. "Someone has betrayed Markova."
Cliodhna turns around quickly. "Who??"
"He who betrayed the city before." Ahuru responds.
"Daniel!" Cliodhna spits out, furious. Ahuru nods to let her know she has guessed correctly. "What about Paul...and the anecerons?" she asks quickly, her eyes widening.
"Paul is fine...some anecerons live, and others have been killed." Ahuru says.
"What about the Skinlands?" Ray asks, his eyes full of fear.
"The living go on about their lives, ignorant of the battle raging in the Shadowlands. Susan is fine." Ahuru tells Ray. Ray looks relieved, but not comforted. He stands in the corner battling his own demons.
"You see? My father is NOT evil! His own men turn against him...disobey and betray him!" Cliodhna quickly breaks in.
"That is because he deals with evil men, Cliodhna." Ahuru says softly.
Cliodhna turns her thoughts inward to her Shadow. "Shadow...you must tell Father what's goin' on in New York-- that Daniel is betrayin' him!"
"Oh I will...what ELSE would you like me to tell him?" her Shadow asks in a sly voice.
"Just tell him...that I DO care, an' no one makes my decisions fer me. I'm not bein' brainwashed."
Cliodhna's Shadow cackles. "I'll tell him about Daniel..." It says meanly.
"Good." Cliodhna thinks, trying not to let her Shadow get the better of her.
At last she looks up. "I'm sorry, Ahuru." She shakes her head sadly. "It's all so difficult, but I won't let ye down. I WILL do what I have ta-- fer the better o' the world-- but I will not give up on Father. I will continue ta fight ta try ta save him, Ahuru. If I fail, the consequences will be my punishment. I accept that." Cliodhna suddenly feels weak, and her brain is so exhausted that she can't think of anything to say to break up this meeting, except... "I think it's time fer dinner." She puts a hand to her head. Her recent Harrowing is finally starting to take its toll...but her Shadow can't help but take advantage of this.
"I think you've had enough spoon-feeding for one day!" it chuckles in glee.
"Quiet Shadow!" she thinks irritatedly.
Ahuru nods to the others. "I will give the order to set sail for Clay immediately."
Wraith Side-Story 14: "The Return of a Faded Memory"
