Call of Kerberos: Twilight of Kerberos, The - Jonathan Oliver Page 0,111

the void and the oblivion it would bring to their world.

Ahead of him, Dunsany could see the grove where the temple stood and from within he could just make out the sound of Bestion's chanting.

"Get inside," he shouted to his companions. "We may be able to barricade the entrance."

"That's a terrible idea and you know it," Jacquinto said. "Face it, we're done for."

"This is not a time for arguments," Kelos said, gesturing with his hands. Behind him the stone spires began to explode, showering the Chadassa with fragments of burning rock. However, it did little to slow their advance. "Silus will come through for us, you'll see."

"Well I have yet to see any evidence of his - "

Jacquinto fell silent. For a moment Dunsany thought it was because he had been struck down, but then he turned and noticed what had made the smuggler gaze in awe-struck silence.

The Chadassa had come to a halt, but clearly not at the Great Ocean's command. The god paced up and down the ranks, berating its soldiers. Though it killed several as a lesson to the others, none of the Chadassa even moved to acknowledge the deaths.

"Is this it?" Kelos said.

The Chadassa sank slowly to their knees, settling so gently on the sand that they didn't make a sound. Then, from every eye socket and from every mouth streamed the light of Kerberos as the Chadassa began to sing.

The sound was deafening but glorious.

"My God," Emuel said, "it's the song." Then he turned to the temple and shouted: "Bestion, it's the song."

The strong, high note washed over them all for a second more before falling in pitch and then ceasing altogether.

The Chadassa remained where they were, but now smoke rose from their empty eye-sockets and their open mouths. Gulls descended on the corpses, drawn by the smell of cooking flesh.

The Great Ocean howled at the death of its children, before turning its fury on the humans in its midst.

Far from the Isle of the Allfather, on the coast of Turnitia, the Land Walkers burst from the sea only to be faced with a vast army wearing the crossed circle of the Final Faith.

Though the army before them was formidable, the Land Walkers raised their voices and charged. They had advanced no more than halfway up the beach, however, when a pure, holy light blazed from their eyes and mouths and they dropped dead.

"Well done Anointed Lord," said one of the knights, turning to Katherine Makennon. "Truly such abominations are as like wheat to the scythe before your divine presence."

"Thank you Alonkin," Katherine Makennon said, "but, really, it was nothing."

The Great Ocean's howl was that of a parent bereaved, but Jacquinto didn't give the creature time for its sorrow as he swung his sword. The blade was caught before it could connect and the steel shattered in the creature's grip.

Ignacio, seeing the danger his comrade was in, followed with his own attack. This time the weapon connected, but when the smuggler drew back to strike again, the creature grabbed his skull.

Jacquinto was showered with his brother's blood as the Great Ocean brought its hands together, but he still managed to scramble out of the way when the creature turned its attention on him.

Kelos stepped into the monster's path and raised the stone from the Llothriall, speaking words from a long dead tongue as he channelled the power of the gem.

The Great Ocean stood its ground against the sudden gale that howled around it, before taking the stone from the mage's hands and turning it into dust.

Kelos stared in numb horror as hope blew away on the wind. Emuel was shouting something at him, but, though he could see the eunuch's lips moving, he couldn't hear his words.

The pitch black eyes of Zac looked up at him from where was he was fused to the monster's breast. "Give Silus to me now and your deaths will be painless," said the Great Ocean through the infant's mouth. "Otherwise, your agony will be ten times worse than this."

The Great Ocean strode towards Father Maylan, brushing aside a Moratian as he attempted to defend him. The creature reached towards the priest and the half-born foetuses scrabbled out of the ruins of its body, to swarm over him. Father Maylan screamed as the tiny creatures burrowed into his flesh. He tried to pull them away but they were too slippery and soon they were moving under his skin.

Kelos looked away as the aborted Chadassa fed. Emuel was tugging on his