Chapter 51 - Apati-zer

Apati

Danae

The walk through Apati did nothing to ease my fears.

Because nothing happened. No accidents. No deaths. Even Eris and Horus were acting relatively normal – no weird staring or awkward handholding or inadvertent property damage. Just hundreds of savran watching us pass in complete, bone-chilling silence, their huge, glowing snake eyes following our every moment with unwavering focus.

And yet they did nothing. Made no move to attack. They even waved reluctantly – at least, if I waved first. It was calm – almost peaceful.

Even snacking on my tempura wasn’t helping ease the tension.

I just knew something horrible was bound to happen soon—

“You seem on edge,” DJ ‘lil P commented suddenly, his cane tapping at the ground, and his body wrapped in that plush robe, a heavy golden chain around his neck.

I started. I’d been so distracted, I hadn’t noticed him walking beside me.

I may have also been hitting the snack wagon hard.

“I am. A little,” I answered, side-eyeing the vulpin.

“Ahh, would it help if there were fewer people watching us?”

“A bit,” I muttered. From experience, it would also reduce the collateral damage when everything inevitably went to hell. “But it’s not like—

The other vulpin just waved his hand. That’s it. That’s all. And hundreds of savran stepped back into their homes and shops without a single word. Everyone except for a few dozen people minding their business and the guards surrounding us protectively.

“What did you just do? Why are they listening to you?” I muttered in shock.

This was inconceivable. Every vulpin I’d met in the last several hundred cycles had either been a docile servant… or they were dead. Mostly the latter. They certainly didn’t lead others – much less a dangerous race like the savran.

DJ ‘lil P nodded in understanding, a strange sympathy shining in his eyes. “I used to be like you – taught that I was weak. A tiny body and claws and a spirit only built to defend and heal. I thought moving out here to the Outer Reaches would make that better – easier. But I was just lying to myself. I was just scared. All the time really.

“At least, until I met Nyx.”

Wait. Did he just say he stopped being afraid after he met Nyx?

“What do you mean—” I began, shaking my head.

I was interrupted as a crackle filled the air, followed by a voice – one that emerged from the bamboo tube system attached to the nearby buildings. One I’d never heard before … and yet somehow already knew exactly who it belonged to. Nyx. His raspy, manic voice echoed all down the street, repeated a hundred – a thousand times. Like he’d somehow figured out how to duplicate himself. To create an insane army of one.

“Hello fellow shareholders. Commissar Nyx here with your daily safety message. Remember, consent to mate does not mean consent to get ate. Thank you for helping keep Apati a death free zone and may the Flow go Fuck Itself. Amen.”

“May the Flow go Fuck itself. Amen,” DJ’ lil P echoed.

Along with everyone else on the street.

Horus and Eris were watching in shock, the latter muttering under her breath – something about “blasphemy” and “the mantras” and “how could this have spread so fast?” For his part, Horus looked ecstatic. Like a young bull seeing the world for the first time. He even repeated the phrase along with the rest of the residents of Apati.

And, for my part, I was just confused.

DJ ‘lil P seemed to sense that.

“See? Nyx changed the rules,” the vulpin elaborated. “Before him, I lived in fear. That I’d be kidnapped. Raped. Possibly even eaten. And what could I do about it? I couldn’t protect myself – my vessel was too weak. So, I was forced to simper and fawn. Make myself too cute or useful to kill. But not now. Not since Nyx made it illegal to kill or eat other vessels inside Apati – at least, the intelligent species. We still need to eat.”

For my part, I could only stare back in stunned silence. A death-free zone? Killing was illegal? Could… could Nyx really just do that? Just kill death with a command?

I knew he was strong – stronger than most, but still…

DJ ‘lil P seemed to anticipate my questions.

A small, sly smile graced his lips. “And once the fear of death is removed – once someone else is protecting us, I realized something. We hold all the power. Just watch.”

He turned to the savran guards marching behind us. “Ahh, I hurt my foot… could one of you please carry me?” he asked, limping slightly.

At the same time, DJ ‘lil P transformed. His eyes got super round and seemed to sparkle, and he hunched in on himself, making his body as small as possible. With his small stature, all the savran saw were his huge, round eyes framed by soft, velvety fur – the hair stained black to help further accentuate his eyes. And then, in a final, masterful stroke… tears beaded at the corners, gleaming in the light cast by the buildings.

It was insane. Impossible. Degrading. Demeaning.

And it fucking worked.

In fact, they fought over who got to carry him.

And proceeded to give him a massage.

“See what I mean?” DJ ‘lil P asked moments later, lounging in the arms of the winner of that impromptu contest, the champion scratching the fur around his neck and ears. He shifted her claws up a little to hit the right spot. “All it takes is some eye liner.”

“That’s… that’s incredible,” I murmured.

“It even improved my sex life with the missus,” the vulpin offered, pointing at the savran carrying him – the one that had blooded a few of the others to win the right. “The competition really helps keep her on her claws, you know?”

“It is true. The sssex has been incredible,” she confirmed, nodding.

I had follow-up questions – many of them – but unfortunately, I never got the chance to ask them. Because, our group abruptly came to a halt.

Some sort of wagon had tipped over and was blocking the road. However, on second glance, it was unlike anything I’d seen before. Made out of that poo-crete material and several tons of metal. A strange track system instead of traditional wheels. And even more odd? There were no beasts or spirits pulling the vehicle – instead, steam poured from the hood in great, thick plumes.

“Steam truck accident,” one of the savran guards called out. “We should go around.”

Easier said than done. Eris had already seen the contraption—

“Wait, what is that machine?” she snapped, flaming calculations already appearing in the air around her. And suddenly, that uneasy feeling in my stomach returned with a vengeance, ruining my appetite. I knew what that look meant.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“Are there more? I wish to study—" Eris began, before disappearing in a flash of flame – only to reappear beside the wagon, inspecting it closely.

DJ’ ‘lil P sighed. “Damn it. We were supposed to keep the trucks out of sight,” he muttered under his breath. “I guess it’s time to get back to work,” he told his wife.

“It isss no problem, sssugar pawsss,” she hissed back, setting him down.

“Just a moment. Sorry for the inconvenience,” he said for my benefit.

Then the vulpin was waddling off to deal with Eris – who was already trying to take apart the “truck” – DJ ‘lil P’s foot magically healed somehow. A point none of the other savran seemed to notice. It was also surprising that Horus wasn’t assisting Eris – maybe lifting the wagon to provide a better view or helping to disassemble it with his tools—

“Danae,” Horus suddenly growled, lifting me off my feet and my protective shields immediately enveloping my vessel as he pulled me close. His eyes were wide, white, and utterly frantic. I’d never seen him like this. “I need your help. Now.”

Without asking for permission, he rushed to the side of the road, everyone else preoccupied with the commotion in the street. Probably because the steam tank had exploded under Eris “tests,” screams ripping through the air. Horus ignored it all, just running really fast down the street. Really, really fast. I barely got a chance to bring my plate along!

Then Horus just dropped me, a last-minute shield cushioning my fall.

“What are you doing? What’s wrong now?” I snapped up at him. After making sure my food was undamaged, of course. Horus had gotten lucky.

“This,” he growled, pointing to the side.

At a store. I’ll admit, I didn’t see it at first. Almost like my mind didn’t want to see it. The huge cutout of Horus in the window. The one wearing glasses. And a sweater. The one standing beside an empty table that must have once held books, a bloodstained sign saying they were “sold out.” But a fake cutout of one remained. The one showcasing a novel entitled, Love and World Domination. The one with a picture of Horus holding a scantily-clad Eris in his large, toned arms, his eyes on hers and their lips so tantalizingly close.

Even more concerning were the customers inside the bookstore that had noticed the two of us standing in the huge bay windows. The ones pointing and whispering to each other. Like they ‘recognized’ Horus. Like he might actually be the same person as the cardboard cutout. Which was surprising because the Horus I knew looked very different.

Especially right now. He was breathing hard, his eyes were a strange pink color, and he was squeezing his axe really hard – the one he was holding in his hands menacingly, the blade a blinding white. Yet he also looked conflicted – perched on the precipice of destruction and just waiting for something to tip him careening over the edge.

“How is this possible?” I murmured.

“Nyx. My Future Best Friend,” Horus answered hoarsely, as though each word was painful. “He stole my diary weeks ago. I assumed he read it – I knew he had. But he must have… he must have published it. Somehow.”

“In just a few weeks?” I muttered, shaking my head. Wasn’t he building a highway through a screaming bamboo forest? How had he managed this?

Even for Nyx, this seemed impossible.

“Emporos. Time manipulation,” Horus growled back. “Very expensive.”

It was troubling that Horus seemed to be losing the ability to speak.

“Ahh, right,” I murmured. “And the problem is what exactly—”

He grabbed me again, his face looming close. “She. Can. Not. See. This.”

I didn’t need to ask who. I could see Eris disassembling the truck behind Horus, the parts now strewn across the ground, neatly organized and labeled. A crowd of angry lizard people hovering and hissing, but no one stupid enough to stop her.

I could also see the cluster of savran making up our security detail – their eyes not on the scene in the road, but on Horus. The cold, calculated gleam in their eyes. The way they clutched their weapons, like they were… waiting for something.

Almost like that “accident” might not have been so accidental—

“Fix this or I will end you,” Horus growled, my attention whipping back to him.

More empty promises. I just stared back skeptically.

“Haven’t we done this already?” I asked.

He let out a frustrated growl, inspecting my face. “Fine. Then I will give you food. I will cook for you as much as you want. Endless food.”

My ears perked up – giving me away. I mean, it was an intriguing offer. Except… “How am I even supposed to fix this?”

I was surprised he even thought I could.

Maybe proof of just how upset he was.

Besides, if he’d bothered to ask my opinion, maybe it was a good thing. Maybe Eris finding his romantic fanfiction would finally open up a productive dialogue between them. Clear the air. Honestly, the cover looked pretty good. I might even give it a read after—

“Distract, My Lady,” he growled, shaking me. Which I didn’t appreciate, the contents of my stomach sloshing around violently. “Use the Bullshit. I know you know how,” he growled. “You are almost as good as me.”

And now he was accusing me of being full of crap? Him? Really?

“What am I supposed to say when she’s like this?” I muttered, waving at Eris dismantling the machine in the road, the occasional explosion rippling through the air. “And even if I distract her, the shop will still be here.”

My gaze skimmed to the shop, chewing my lip between my pointy teeth. “I guess we could destroy it or something, but even that wouldn’t be enough. She could still pick through the rubble. Ask what happened. Recreate the building and merchandise with her spirit. Although, if there was some way to make it look like an accident—"

In that moment, I realized my mistake.

Horus was fragile, flustered, scrambling for a solution.

Obviously. Why else would he ask death for help?

And I just gave him one. His favorite solution actually. Destroying things.

Just then, another one of those strange steam vehicles turned a corner on a side street. The driver, a savran woman, saw the commotion on the main thoroughfare, the two of us standing there, and started to turn around. She never made it.

Horus’ axe was already there. It lifted the vehicle, the entire thing floating toward us. The savran woman tried to pour more steam into the engine, the tracks spinning rapidly and letting out a metallic grind, but it didn’t work. Not with the entire vehicle floating above the ground. And when it neared, Horus didn’t even hesitate. He just punched the truck, sending it hurtling into the bookstore at the speed of public humiliation.

The destruction happened too fast for me to do anything.

The stone columns lining the wall of the bookstore – the load bearing ones – simply exploded. The impact sent huge stone blocks hurtling inside the store, followed closely by the vehicle itself – several tons of poo-crete and metal. And since the savran driver had been frantically pouring steam into the boiler, the pressure had been building. Which is likely why it exploded on contact, spewing superheated steam through the entire store. The bay window promptly exploded under the intense pressure, sending a shower of jagged glass rocketing through the street as the entire building began to collapse.

The customers inside – those who lived through the initial attack – barely had time to react. Although, they still had plenty of time to scream – their shouts echoing down the street. A street where Eris stood, her arched ears twitching as she began to turn—

Toward us – toward me and Horus. Who were standing before a scene of true devastation. Waves of steam billowing, glass flying, rock crumbling, our victims screaming. Apparently, even their steam spirit had limits as they were boiled alive…

I’m not sure if my hearth spirit meant to save me or help Horus or prevent more collateral damage… but it didn’t really matter. It sprung into action on its own. Golden light enveloped the entire building, blocking the shrapnel from peppering the street. My shields also replaced the supporting columns for a brief moment, long enough for Horus and I to back away. Which gave the handful of survivors a chance to scramble toward the exit, their bodies broken and bleeding and scales melting under the heat and pressure.

If I just held the shield for a few moments longer, they might survive…

Then Horus’ hand landed on my shoulder.

“No witnesses. Remember, endless food,” he whispered.

I’m not proud of what I did next. I mean, I debated for a moment…

But then the shield holding up the roof collapsed, the building caved in and everyone died gruesomely, their bodies exploding apart under the tremendous weight and pressure, the remains cooked in the steam and any survivors drowning in blood and water. But I kept the outside barrier up the whole time – to, uh, to block the shrapnel.

Definitely, not to hide Horus’ shame. Or my own.

“What happened?” Eris demanded, suddenly standing between Horus and I, peering at the structure curiously as the remains of the survivors were simultaneously boiled and crushed beyond recognition. Occasionally, scaled hands would claw at my shield, soggy and illegible books smashing up against the barrier in a repetitive thud, thud, thud.

“Yeah, what—what happened?” DJ ‘lil P gasped, waddling up behind her.

Horus eyed me warily before turning to My Lady. “These machines might be defective. Like that other one, this one broke and ran into the store. Very strange.”

The vulpin just shook his head. “Really? This has never happened before – much less twice in one afternoon. Did anyone see what happened?” Horus swallowed hard as DJ ‘lil P eyed the other members of our security detail questioningly.

Yet not a single savran stepped forward.

“Danae saw the whole thing,” Horus added quickly. “Isn’t that right?”

And suddenly, everyone was looking at me. At the carnage around me.

But—but wasn’t this supposed to be a death-free zone?

Or perhaps that rule didn’t apply to me?

To death herself.

Ahh, and they were all still staring.

“He is right. The machine… broke,” I squeaked finally.

I stopped listening after that. Just slumped back against the snack wagon as they discussed the accident and droned on about the property damage and death count and the engineering behind the strange trucks. Something about steering columns and momentum?

I knew I should feel bad. Guilty. Angry even. That Horus had created that situation – that he’d forced my hand. Had undermined my mission. Had made me harm when I could have helped. Or that the group of savran – our security detail – were still standing in the road and watching us; that they hadn’t said a word. They must have seen what happened.

And yet I just felt hungry. Really, really hungry.

Hadn’t DJ said something about a bath and a meal?

That sounded nice. Really, really nice.

And at least there was no way to fuck that up.