Page 100 of Sun Warrior

No! I have taken a warrior’s body and, my Consort, I have found a body fit for you, as well. Soon I will ask you to awaken, to join me in theflesh so that we may rule the world of mortals side by side and be worshipped as we were worshipped too, too long ago!

The sleeping Goddess’s full, beautiful lips lost their smiling curve and her brow furrowed in distress.

My love, that cannot be. Do you not remember what happened when last You awakened? The world burned and was almost destroyed by Death.

But that was only because you refused to wake as well. With Life by my side, it will be much different.

No, my love, no. Death and Life cannot exist together except in our dreams. You know this—we know this.The sleeping Goddess stirred and languidly opened her arms.Leave the warrior’s body. Sleep again where we can forever be entwined.

Death reacted instinctively to Life’s invitation. He craved her—He would eternally crave her. She was everything He wasn’t. He had to have her. He had to possess her!

He reached for her, but His movement broke His trance and He shouted in grief and frustration as the lush Goddess faded into mist and He was jolted to consciousness.

“My Lord! I found sign of hog—”

Death moved quicker than the human eye could follow. His massive hand closed around Iron Fist’s throat and He lifted the man from the ground.

“Never wake me!”

Iron Fist sputtered and tried to speak, but his eyes rolled to show white and his body went limp. Disgusted at human weakness, Death dropped him, growling, “You are my Blade. You do not have permission to die!”

Iron Fist’s heart began to beat again. He gulped air and coughed, rubbing his throat with a trembling hand. “F-forgive me, my Lord,” he rasped.

“You are forgiven. Rise and report.”

Iron Fist staggered to his feet, gasping. “I-I found hogs. As You said, n-near the stream where You killed the boar.”

“Excellent! Lizard, your time is here.”

The sick man rolled over and then sat, looking blankly around as if he wasn’t sure where he was. Then his eyes found the God and he struggled to his feet.

“I am ready, my Lord.”

“Iron Fist, take us to the hogs. Remember to stay downwind. They must not scent Lizard.”

It didn’t take the three of them long to find the hog wallow. It was indeed close to the crossing point in the stream where Dead Eye had killed the enormous boar just the day before. There was a run-off area near a dam of flotsam that had created a muddy pool surrounded by dense brush. As they crept close, they could hear grunting and a few muffled squeals. The God went to His hands and knees, crawling the last few feet with the two men beside Him doing the same.

The God gazed through the brush to see one large red sow wallowing happily in the mud with two piglets at her side. He turned to Lizard and spoke fast and low. “She is exactly what we need. Stay here, but when I call for you, you must come to me with no hesitation. Stand behind me wherever I am—whatever is happening. Can you do that?”

“Yes, my Lord.” Lizard’s eyes were shining brightly with equal parts fever and excitement. “I cannot wait to be healed by the flesh of the beast, just as You healed my brothers.”

The God said nothing to Lizard. Instead, He commanded Iron Fist, “You remain here. No matter what—do not come to the wallow.”

“I understand, my Lord.”

The God began to crawl, moving with speed and stealth that shouldn’t have been possible for such a large man. Soon He was within arm’s distance of the wallow. There He paused, waiting in absolute stillness until the piglets wandered close to Him.

Death erupted from the ground, surging forward so quickly that He had no trouble snatching up each piglet. They squealed their terror as He held them aloft by their hind legs.

“Come to me, Lizard!” the God bellowed as the sow turned her massive head toward Him, roaring in anger.

Lizard did not hesitate. The diseased man ran toward his God as if his life depended on it, coming to a halt behind Death as he had been ordered.

The God dangled the piglets, swinging them around in front of Him, causing them to squeal deafeningly.

The sow responded immediately. She bared her teeth, lowered her head, and charged the God, but just before she reached Him Death lunged to the side.

Lizard, too sick—toohuman—to move with the God’s speed, could do nothing but scream as the sow rammed him. He fell backward, exposing his belly to the ferocious beast, who began shredding his stomach. His entrails spilled like fat, pink serpents from his body as he screamed over and over and over until the God cried“Enough!”and the sow’s body was lifted from behind and tossed to the other side of the wallow, where she got slowly to her feet, shaking her massive head, preparing to charge again.