Amon’s light was barely visible in the darkness, and even if I weren’t suffering its aftereffects, it would have been very obvious that raising Asten had used up most of Amon’s reserved strength. I wasn’t sure how he was going to survive raising another brother and finishing the ceremony, let alone fight a giant monster, when he had so little power remaining.
I was about to offer more of my energy, especially if he intended to go after the worm from hell, when Asten grasped Amon’s shoulder and said, “If you cannot wage war as a god, then fight as a man, Brother. Just leave the rest up to me.”
Amon looked my way, blowing out a shaky breath, and then clasped his brother’s arm. He nodded and said in a hushed tone, “It is good to have you back, Asten.”
Asten grinned as he placed the quiver across his back. “It is good to be back, and to have a back, now that I think about it. Of course, I am also grateful for my fully re-formed front, since I am partial to it,” he said with a cheeky glance in my direction. “Shall we, Amon?”
In response, Amon twitched his fingers at the sand, millions and millions of little particles rose and became a pair of curved swords. There was an audible gasp from Dr. Hassan, who exclaimed excitedly, “The golden scimitars of Amun-Ra!” I tried to shush him before the worm heard us, but he continued, “To see them with my own mortal eyes is a blessing beyond anything I’ve ever dreamed of!”
Sure enough, the mountain rumbled as Dr. Hassan neared the end of his sentence. He clapped his hands to his mouth. “I am sorry,” he whispered.
Farther down the corridor, great stones fell, releasing grit and debris. The four of us hunched, preparing for an attack. Amon raised his swords and Asten nocked a diamond-headed arrow. No one said anything as the creature quieted, unable to find a point of entry bigger than an apple.
With a flourish, Asten whipped his hands in circles. A sparkling black mist rose at his feet and soon enveloped us. Tiny lights winked on and off like fireflies. It looked like we were floating in space surrounded by thousands of miniature stars. I reached out to touch one and caught it between my fingers. As I rubbed my thumb over it, the star sparked, bursting on my fingertip with a tiny tingle of energy. “Ow!” I whispered.
“Did your mother not warn you to avoid reaching into the fire pit?” Asten remarked as he drove the mist around us in a circle.
“Something like that,” I murmured. “Will it find us?”
“Not at the moment, but even I, as powerful and attractive as I may be, cannot keep this up forever.”
“It is good to see you have not lost your magic touch, Asten,” said Amon as he handed his swords to Dr. Hassan to hold. You would have thought he’d handed off a child, with all the care Oscar held them with.
The god of the stars merely gave Amon a how-could-you-even-doubt-it look in response, but the arrogant attitude disappeared as he watched his brother.
Amon clasped his brother’s shoulder and continued, “I have an idea of how we can escape, but it will be dangerous.”
“Danger will be invigorating after a thousand years of tedium,” Asten replied as he carefully controlled the firefly smoke.
“It will require precise coordination.”
“Tell me what you require,” Asten said.
“First, we must separate. Draw the creature away from Lily and Dr. Hassan.”
“I’m not sure that’s such a—”
Asten interrupted me. “Very well. What next?”
“We will return to the original entry point where you were raised and lure the monster after us. There is a waterfall not too far from that area of the cavern, so the rock will be more porous.”
“Ah, then it is your wish for the creature to break through.”
“Guys, now I know that definitely isn’t a good—”
Amon continued on as if I weren’t speaking. “If we can cause it to break a big enough section of the rock, then we can make our escape through the opening.”
Asten gripped his brother’s shoulder. “Are you strong enough?”
“For that much, yes.”
“Then let us proceed.”
Amon finally turned to me. “When you hear the ceiling collapse, make your way to me as quickly as possible.”