Allan was somewhat of a neat freak, so his home was typically kept in pristine condition. This afternoon though, the place was a disaster. Timur toppled another set of books from the bookshelf in the front room, roaring in frustration.
Where is it?!
He had spent the first twenty minutes hoping for something unique to jump out at him, because he didn’t exactly know what he was looking for. The only clues Abner had given him were that Allan’s Amulet would be ancient and that Timur would recognize it immediately.
“Hello?” a familiar female voice called from the doorway.
Timur froze as several more books toppled from the bookshelf.
What is SHE doing here?
“Umm…” Timur stammered in consternation. “Good evening, Lily.”
“How did you get in here?” She leaned on the banister and panted as if she had been running.
“I, uhh…”
Her eyes went wide. “And why are you destroying my house?!”
“That’s a bit complicated…” He struggled to produce a valid excuse. “When does Allan get home?”
“I don’t know.” Her eyes betrayed utter contempt. “Why are you here?”
“I might ask you the same thing. Shouldn’t you be at the office?”
“I quit today,” she seethed. “Now get out of here!”
“Excuse me?! You can’t quit! I made you! And you haven’t given me proper notice.”
“On the contrary, Illinois follows the rule of Employment-at-will,” she cited, “which means an employer or employee can terminate the relationship at any time, without any reason or cause, with or without notice.”
He rolled his eyes. “Oh, come off it. This is about what I said this morning, isn’t it?”
Her eyes lit up suddenly as if the thought hadn’t previously occurred to her. “Yes. Exactly.”
“You can’t be serious,” he huffed. “We’ve had this mutual playfulness for years. Why are you throwing a hissy fit now?”
She crossed her arms defiantly. “There’s been nothing mutual about your constant harassment!”
Timur forcefully grabbed her chin and shook her face. “I demand respect from my employees!”
She shook free of him. “In that case, I guess it’s a good thing that I’m no longer one of your groveling employees!”
“You stupid worthless wench!” he screamed.
He shoved her hard, and she toppled over the backside of the couch. Her face collided with the hardwood floor with a resounding crack. She moaned, barely conscious.
I’m through with listening to your whining.
A small puddle of blood formed by Lily’s face. He kicked her limp body, and she let out another moan.
Good. You’re not dead. I’m not done with you yet.
The amulet had to be somewhere in this house; he could feel it. He half expected Allan to own a safe hidden behind a photograph or within the numerous bookshelves that overcrowded the home. Despite his efforts, his search had turned up fruitless.
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As he glanced back at Lily’s limp body, a sudden realization hit him. Allan must have the Amulet with him.
Brilliant. I can hold her hostage in exchange…
He saw movement outside the main window. He peeked through the shades, and was surprised to see the home surrounded by black vehicles and Kevlar-clad men carrying semi-automatic rifles. The sound of a crash came from the kitchen, followed by another that sent shards of glass toward him. A small ball-shaped object rolled to a stop near the coffee table.
In an instant, a blinding flash of light erupted from the kitchen followed by another that shattered the glass coffee table. Timur clenched his eyes shut and grasped his ears. The ringing sound was unbearable.
He blinked rapidly as a mini battering ram smashed through the front door. Four Kevlar-clad agents rushed inside from both directions with their semi-automatics drawn. The ringing lingered, disorienting him.
His adrenaline pumping, he reached through a shadow and the curved hilt of his unsheathed shashka blade found its home in his left palm.
Barrels flashed. Bullets penetrated, but they had little effect.
Slash. Blood spatter. Chop. Hack. Agent down.
Bullets riddled his immortal body, but Timur continued his attack.
Chop. Hack. Severed head. Another agent down.
It had been many years since the blade had tasted fresh blood.
Stab. Twist. Release. Another agent down.
Seeing his fallen comrades, the fourth agent turned to flee. Timur stepped through a shadow, reappearing on the opposite side of the room. The horror on the man’s face as he impaled himself on the extended blade was satisfying.
Timur smiled and twisted the blade, his temporary hearing loss finally abating. The scream was soothing as he withdrew the stained blade and watched the man slump to the floor.
He breathed in the smell of fresh death with pure satisfaction.
The fools had no chance against me.
Timur shook the blade and wiped the remaining blood on his sleeve. It was almost a shame to re-sheath it, for this was no ordinary sword. The Holy War Sword of the Scythians, more commonly referred to as the Sword of Mars, was famed for its mystical properties that assured him supremacy in every conflict.
An aura of green light surrounded him, healing the hundreds of holes that riddled his body. Stepping over the fallen agents, he reached down and lifted Lily over his shoulder. He then stepped through a shadow in the corner and disappeared.
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Passing through the shadow, he reappeared in the underground pump room of Buckingham Fountain with Lily in tow.
“Your Holiness!” one of the Creed members greeted him.
He dropped Lily’s body roughly onto the floor.
“I assume you want me to send her down the drainpipe like all of the others?”
“No!” Timur insisted. “No, she’s not dead. I need her alive.”
As he turned toward the dungeon chamber, another creed member stopped him.
“Your Holiness,” he said, nervous. “You’re back so soon!”
“Yes…” Timur scanned the mostly empty chamber. “Where is everyone?”
“Well…” the man cringed. “Most of us are out looking for Allan.”
Timur stared at him blankly, “I don’t follow.”
“It seems John helped him escape…”
“WHAT?!” Timur shrieked, outraged.
The creed member recognized the green light seeping from Timur’s eyes and took off in terror, but it was already too late. An explosion of light erupted from Timur’s core as he bellowed. The creed member was caught within the blast radius and incinerated on contact. Only a small pile of ash remained.
He kicked the smoking pile of ash aside as he entered the dungeon room where he was greeted by five hooded men from his Creed of Nephilim who bowed as he entered.
“Your Holiness,” they chanted in unison.
He stared at the charred edged of the barbed wire cages and roared in contempt.
He’s gaining more powers! I have to stop him!
“Follow me.” He instructed the few remaining Creed members.
Returning to the main chamber, he reached forth his right fist and focused his energy with blast of searing heat against the concrete wall. The Creed members waited hesitantly behind him as he scorched a unique message for Allan to find.
He pointed to Lily’s unconscious body in the center of the room, “Lay her on the altar, and gather around.”
The Creed members surrounded Timur in a circle with their right hands on his shoulders and their left hands on the shoulder of the Creed member next to them and began chanting in a foreign tongue. Timur stood in the middle with Lily on the altar and summoned the powers from his core. With his left hand placed on her forehead, he pulled out his reliquary of ashes and poured them onto her abdomen. The incandescent green light burst out of his eyes, and with a flash, they were gone.
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