Enemy of the Gods by C Hofsetz

Author:C Hofsetz [Hofsetz, C]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781951832001
Publisher: Chracatoa Press
Published: 2020-03-21T16:00:00+00:00

22

Nightmare

Location: Somewhere in Pangea

The way the bug communicates is much better than speaking. Thoughts form in our minds that tell us its precise intent. However, when I put the message into words, it sounds like broken English.

“Am Haides. Necromantes Brotherhood. Underworld general.” The word “underworld” appears in my mind with a hint of death, despair, and destruction.

I’ve got to hand it to them—they have incredibly cool titles.

Jane hasn’t let go of me in the meantime, so we remain embraced, looking up at the bug general. “Where are we?” she asks.

Haides’ several tiny eyes blink simultaneously when he turns to look back at Jane. He can hear us. “Dreamsphere. Brotherhood banished. Dreamspheres allowed.”

I see. They were banished from Pangea many years ago by the messengers. Dreamspheres are the only places they can show up here.

“What about the people that died?” Jane asks. “Is this just a dream?”

Haides bends his knees to crouch in front of us, the way people do when talking with little kids. We’re at eye level with him now, his head slightly above ours.

Even sitting, he’s still taller than we are.

“Gods. Created mantes. To Fight enemies, kill humans. Long ago.” I swear Haides just sent a scorn emotion, just like we do on Jora when our augmented sensors are enabled. “Three planets. Gone.”

It takes me a couple of seconds to parse that one. So, the battle we saw happened a long time ago, and they killed all humans from three Earths. I gulp. It was a triple genocide.

Haides continues. “Humans. Mantes. Pawns.” According to him, they were under orders by the messengers. He’s arguing we’re being used by them, just like they were.

“But why are we here?” I ask.

Knowing why is more important than how. I have a pretty good idea of what happened—in vino veritas.

“Ms. Engel. Mr. Zeon. Brought you. Have request.” Haides’ arms touch the ground and move aimlessly. I don’t think they’re used to staying in this position for long. “Join Khof. Brotherhood returns. Godsland Entropia destroyed.”

My eyes fixate on Haides as I think about what he just said. Haides has just confirmed that Entropia is the place the gods live. Primavera said it’s also where our minds go when we die. I’m not a fan of the messengers but allying with Khof doesn’t seem the best solution. If we do that, Haides and the necromantes will invade Pangea. But—according to the protectors—if this happens, a lot of people are going to die. Why does everything in Pangea always involve mass murder?

I step in front of Jane and clear my throat. “This is nice and all—kind of the classic hero journey, if you ask me.” I draw a circle in the air with my hands. “But there’s a small problem vis-à-vis destroying Pangea.” I laugh and glance at Jane, who frowns. “Uh… if you do that, I think, the dreamspheres are going to be destroyed, and we’re all going to die. Including you.”

Like a fly, Haides’ giant hands rub his face so fast that for a moment, I doubt it even happened.

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