"Seal the door behind us," Ash ordered Deimos.
Kish scowled at them. "Um, not to be argumentative or anything, but didn't we have to fight to get that opened?"
A female Dolophonus gave him a duh stare. "Well, if you want to leave it open and let all the demons in-"
"Close it, please."
She smirked. "I somehow thought you'd agree."
Deimos and his twin brother Phobos leaned against the rock that sealed the door. They were bloody and panting, as were the rest of them.
"Well," M'Adoc said as he wiped blood from his bruised brow. "At least there are only seven of these."
"Who are about twenty times worse and stronger than the others," Sin added.
"Oh goody," Kat said excitedly, "how it evens out." Deciding she was through with the games, she flexed her arms out and manifested blades in her hands as Zakar came forward. Sin handed him the Rod they'd taken from Ishtar's tomb.
"Simi," Ash said sharply. "Take Artemis to Olympus."
Simi let out a noise of aggravation. "One day I wish you'd just let me eat her."
"Simi..."
"I'm going, I'm going," she grumbled before she complied.
Sin passed a repugnant look at Ash. "Did you have to do that?"
Ash shrugged. "Forget the Dimme. If she dies, you'd have to fight me in my true form. You ready for that?"
"Not today. I'm a little battle worn."
Ignoring them, Zakar put the Rod into the lock. When he tried to reseal it, the Rod shattered. "I think we waited too long. It won't close again."
Kat eyed the Dimme fingers that were pushing at the crack. "They're awake and steadily chipping the stone down."
"What the hell kills a Dimme?" Xypher asked.
They all looked at each other as a deep green glow burst out of the tomb. The gallu demons outside were now pounding at the door, trying to shatter it. The Dimme were screaming louder, breaking away more of the stone.
How did someone kill something that was invincible? The question chased itself around in Kat's head until she was dizzy from it. And as she looked back at the tomb, a new thought occurred to her.
Kat turned to Sin. "I think we're asking the wrong question. Forget killing them. How did you trap them last time?"
"Three Sumerian gods and a chant."
Kish sighed. "Too bad we only have one out of the three."
"No," Ash said. "We have three out of three. Zakar, Sin, and Katra."
Sin froze as he caught Ash's meaning. It was brilliant. By saving Kat's life, he might have saved the entire world. "The blood exchange."
Ash nodded. "Kat shares Sumerian blood with you now. She can function as the third god."
Sin smiled as he met Kat's hopeful gaze. He looked at Zakar and for the first time, he truly felt they might survive this. "Do you remember how we locked them down?"
"Yes, but the Rod's broken. We need something else to use as a key."
"Will the sfora work?" Kat asked Sin. "It can move forward and back through time."