"Of course, old friend..." Turkish began. "...I could not sit idly by while you bring the world to the brink of destruction..."
Naecken stared at the person before him, his eyes having grown a bit softer, now. The dagger in his palm slowly lowered, turning away as he did from Tayden. He took a few steps forward, the tall man pacing a bit before him.
"...you understand...don't you?" the dark lord said, his voice rasping with the faint hint of emotion. "You see what has to happen....you must!"
"All I see is a good man...a good friend...having traveled the shadowed path for far too long..."
Naecken stared at the man, almost mesmerized. For a very odd, very strange, and, quite unknown reason, Naecken felt a deep affection for this man. This Prophet. Whether it was something of a kindrid nature, or, just the similarities in their experiences, Naecken had always considered Turkish a close ally.
A friend.
And, it was this understanding that Phil Smith played upon. Even as Velo crept along the outer rim of the massive cathedral-like chamber, ducking from pylon to pylon, Naecken's complete attention continued to be enthralled by this encounter.
"...things can be different, Naecken..." Turkish said, as Phil sensed the hesitation beginning to boil within. "...you can be different..."
Naecken's eyes dropped, staring at the ground with a bewildered confusion.
A glimmer of hope. That's all Tayden could find. Just the barest sliver.
But, it was all he needed, as the ex-seraphim continued to pump Holy 'light' into the dark being's corrupted soul. Trying to soothe the demon. Trying to calm the beast.
Tayden and Phil's 'meta-mojo' sufficiently distracting Naecken, Velo's hands rose from behind the altar. The attendants, as with everyone in the room, continued to stare at Naecken's confrontation.
A single-lensed laser-scalpel slipped from Velo's cuffs, sliding into nimble fingers. Still crouched down behind the altar, Kristogar worked the ruby-red beam over thick cast-iron shackles; the nigh-enchanted metal taking marginally longer to cut through.
"...I...I tried to...tried to fight...." Naecken said, still staring at the ground.
"I know, Naecken, I know..." Turkish nodded. "...I can sense great confusion within you..."
And with those words, Naecken's eyes suddenly grew very, very cold...
"....you..." Naecken began, his voice a dark, deep bellow. "...what..."
His head slowly began to raise eye-level...
"...shit..." Phil whispered.
"...shit..." Tayden muttered.
"...shit..." Velo said, working hard on the second clamp.
"...shit..." Mick sighed.
Naecken suddenly roared, his voice howling up the audible range of sound. The ice altar began to spider-web with cracks. The fortress trembled. The air was alive with the raging fury of a demon lord.
And Turkish...given Phil's immediate seizure from the neural backlash....vanished, just as quietly as he had appeared.
"The TRUE Prophet could NEVER sense anything about me!!" Naecken roared. "LIES!! ALL LIES!!"
...and, with that, he turned, driving the dagger straight into Tayden's chest...
"NOOO!!!" Velo yelled, immediately launching himself over the altar. Tackling Naecken, the two figures hit the ground in a tumble.
Tayden's teeth gritted from the pain, as the blood of the seraphim flowed freely from the still embedded blade.
And, the gates of Hell.....began to rumble open....
****************
Two androids exploded from the fury of Arges, even as the cyclops turned to finish a third. But he, as with all members of the Pantheon, suddenly paused...
"...the door..." Aeolus breathed, the shattered remains of Nabu at his feet.
"...it opens..." Arges finished, the two gods looking away.
...it opens... Echo's power repeated, even as she held a small mirror towards her unmoving mouth.
A fierce wind suddenly came upon them, as the Pantheon gathered together...
...it opens...
There was a sudden flare of lightning, and, they were gone...
...it opens...
*************
Further across the battlefield, near the fortress itself, a hellish bike roared a path of carnage through anyone, or, anything in its path. A thick wrist quickly flexed, reving the engines louder, as a spark of light flickered in driven eyes...
"...innocent blood has been shed..."
*************
Naecken's grip on Velo's throat was impossible, and decisive. The massive roar of the gradually swinging doors shook the chamber with a cacophony of screams and laughter...
"No more games, Kristogar!" he yelled above the din. "No more battles!"
Velo's crimson-red face was beginning to turn purple, his feet dangling a good three feet off the ground. Tayden's face had become quite pale, the pool of blood surrounding the dagger setting with an uneasy calmness.
"NAECKEN STOP, DAMN YOU!! STOP!!" Mick yelled with all his might, his voice beginning to grow raspy from exhaustion.
"NO!!" he screamed. "I HAVE WON!!"
A dark laughter began to erupt from his massive chest...
"MY ARMY COMES!!"
Lighting suddenly ripped throughout the chamber, a fierce gale picking up immediately. A sudden photo-flash of light and thunder, and the Pantheon stood before him.
Immediately, every one of them jumped at the door, slamming mighty palms against the creaking armageddon.
"What....what is THIS?!!" Naecken screamed. He was almost baffled at the sudden intrusion of power.
He tossed Velo aside, his attention totally diverted...
"PUSH!" Aeolus barked, the gods using their nigh-infinite power, trying to hold the doors at bay. "WE CANNOT LET IT OPEN!!"
"Ha!" Naecken huffed, headed towards them with a determined stride, realizing that the Pantheon would not be able to defend themselves. "Tell me....do gods bleed?"
He reached out towards the group.... just as the main wall of the chamber suddenly exploded!
"VENGEANCE IS MINE!!" the grating roar echoed throughout the chamber.
Naecken turned just in time to see Vengeance leap from his bike, diving at the dark lord with a writhing blade of flame...
