Nezzar

Part Two: The Gathering

"Enough," Abaddon muttered as he palmed insanity's head and squeezed until it ruptured. Black sprayed against his face, sizzling and evaporating as he swung an arm to his left and swatted another Insanity out of his way, turning him to dust.

Abaddon sent four shadows after Ziba's falling body. Her fingers and toes were tinged with crawling darkness, and the corruption would keep progressing if he didn't act fast.

More Insanities popped into existence, their number multiplying and polluting the air with a rank sulphuric odour.

Ignoring their existence, Abaddon flashed down and struck the earth with his staff. Amber light shone through the cracks before gathering to a point and shooting to the sky in a single humming beam. It ripped through Insanity's dark clouds and formed a dome that spread over the entirety of the Babylon empire, even reaching the borders of Ethiopia.

The previous heaviness in the air fizzled to nothing and so did the smell of sulphur. With a single command from Abaddon, everything within the space grew still, a thick silence reigning for a moment before a peal of deranged laughter disrupted the calm.

Insanity's mocking voice reverberated within the space. "You think you can hold us?"

Abaddon ignored the frozen multitude of Insanities hanging in the air. Focus shifting to Ziba, he flashed over just before her body touched the earth. The shadows he sent had tightly bound her upper arms and thighs, doing its part to stop the spread of decay.

"It's too late for her. She is one with the hive now."

In the fringes of Abaddon's awareness, he perceived one among the frozen multitude twitch a finger. He wouldn't be able to hold them still for long, but that mattered little.

Opposing sides clashed within Abaddon. The rational part of him wished to calmly attempt to save Ziba before it was too late, but the other pulled at the fraying ropes that held his rage at bay, demanding he unleash a deserving punishment for those who dared to interfere with his assignment.

Four more Insanities twitched their fingers. Another gained the ability to move his entire wrist.

"We have her now." Insanity's laugh grew shrill. "And we will..."

Abaddon filtered out Insanity's words as he made a decision. Ziba would have to wait. Opening his palm, he summoned the butterfly Ziba loved to fiddle with and proceeded to pull her form into it. As he trapped others in the past, he trapped her as well along with his worry. Having her by his side had frustrated the efficiency with which he went about his assignments.

Later. He would worry about what would become of Ziba later. For now... Abaddon's gaze roved over the gathering. It was time to teach a lesson.

"Come." Abaddon released them from his hold and calmly waited for their attack.

***

Khonsu and a vast gathering stood within the hive. With eyes lifted and focus fixed on Insanity, awe ignited a barely-contained frenzy with him. The air buzzed with a twitching eagerness to face the enemy. Everyone was ready.

"You saw it," Insanity said, hands held at his back and eyes blazing. "You saw how the blue spirit was crushed beneath our great might. Now, she is becoming one with the hive."

Yes, Khonsu had witnessed the wondrous display through Insanity's eyes. The feared blue spirit was easily subdued.

"You may be terrified of the angel of destruction. Even now, he seems to be holding us. But feel it. Feel the power we wield."

Tuning his senses, Khonsu did as Insanity commanded and felt it— a force resisting Abaddon's freeze command.

"That dispensable dog of the heavens. He who has no will of his own, bound by the chains of duty." Insanity scowled. "He believes he had us trapped. He thinks he holds all the powers."