Globe Tracers 6: Chaos Storm

Chapter 17: Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh:

I shot through the clouds, feeling the air rush through my feathers. I slightly changed the angle of the wings on my calves, causing my body to bank right as I flew just below the sound barrier, much faster and I might set off a sonic boom, alerting humans below to my presence and pissing off the hosts of heaven- killjoys.

I focused on the pull and the lift, sling-shotting myself as I approached my destination. I couldn't believe it- there had been a sighting. The mortal known as the Maelstrom had been seen with the north serpent. I had to reach him, his power was the key to everything.

Finally, after all these millenniums, a human had made a breakthrough, a power that could fight us- now if only it could destroy us.

I could feel the cold, but I cared little for it. Still, snow was more than a pretty sight- a sight of a world as it should be, one with seasons, one with life and death, with a beginning and an end. Finally, I was speeding over Denmark. It was too bad I didn't know directly the location of my target or I could have simply teleported. Oh well, it was enough to satisfy me with enjoying creation for a time- the perfect creation. The domain of man.

I might have missed him, save, as I looked down, I saw them.

I stopped in the sky, looking down at my prize gargoyle, now surrounded by bug-like creatures. Ishim circled around him, invisible to him, of course, but their light radiated out around him like a pyre to my eyes. Their size was pathetic, but those creatures could be deadly if left unchecked around a mortal. I wasn't sure of their intent- though, considering their company, their allegiance to heaven was certainly in doubt.

I drew my sword. I wanted to be alone with my legendary creature. These Ishim would either depart or be reborn- I cared not which. I shot down to the earth and slammed into the snow, it splashing out from me as I ran towards my quarry, moving light as a feather on the white ground, leaving nary a print after the impact site.

The gargoyle stopped walking, looking over at where I landed, but of course, he had not seen me. The small creatures drew four tiny swords each, their dragonfly-like wings propelling them around me as two of the nine assembled hissed loudly. My saber swung right, splitting one in half and sending the pieces scattering into the snow around, leaving only small marks visible to the human eye- marks that for some reason Maelstrom's eyes followed.

'What have you to do with us?' I heard the voices of the Ishim in my mind as they flew around me, two slinging their swords out and succeeding in nicking my right and left shoulders. I opened a teleport window, stepping out of the way, sending six of them to some moon in the Pegasus galaxy, figuring that would at least keep them occupied for a few hundred years of figuring out where they were so they could teleport back.

I looked over at the two remaining Ishims. "Your mind tricks won't work on me," I said. And yet, despite this, their unidentified voices started ringing in my head.

'You got the jump on us.' I heard in my mind as they stared at me.

'Yes, you did.'

'Don't think so highly of killing Shem, he had his amulet, for him that will be little more than a trip to Pergamum.'

'You accomplished nothing.'

I looked at the creature on the right. "Your brother there just an echo? That's how you operate? He never speaks first?"

'Like you would know who's speaking.'

"Oh no, it's pretty clear, you're a righty, and he's a lefty." They flew around and switched places. "Oh well, that's just unfair." I grinned at their reactions to my chiding.