Nezzar

Part Two: Rats

Insanity's throne was an exaggerated tall thing amid a space as wide as the Dura plains. The ground beneath Abaddon's feet was alive with pulsing veins that branched out to numerous burrows on the circular walls. He blinked at the high domed ceiling. How curious. This poor imitation of the pits had channels that held trapped spirits and demons.

Seated atop the throne was Insanity. He gazed down at Abaddon with haughty eyes and a satisfied smile. "It's an honour to have you with us, Destroyer."

Instead of giving an answer, Abaddon glanced around once more. Apart from Insanity seated on the throne, there was another demon watching him from a far corner. The force of his terror alone was enough to give away his location.

"Do you sense it? A part of the blue spirit is somewhere in our hive."

Apart from locating Legatus, the core demon who wielded absolute control over the hive, Abaddon planned to tear down the place and burn that corrupted part of Ziba. Spreading his senses, Abaddon created multiple pathways as he went about his search.

"Stop rummaging what's mine!"

Jaw unhinging and falling wide, clawed hands pushed through, grabbed the rim of Insanity's mouth and ripped the former shell away. A towering hunched form with five pairs of spindly arms hanging from his skeletal torso took its place. His weight flattened his veiny throne like a pulpy insect, and his joints creaked as he stepped forward and loomed over Abaddon.

Ignoring the display, Abaddon casually lifted a hand. His staff flashed into appearance, and with a thought, he multiplied them. Five. Six. A hundred. Five hundred.

Engulfed in blue fire, the staffs spread and formed a perfect circle around Abaddon. Since the rat chose to hide, the flames will draw him out. "Burn," Abaddon muttered.

The staffs did as commanded, shooting forward and following the path Abaddon had previously mapped out. They burned everything in their path.

"You..." Insanity pointed at Abaddon with a bony finger. "Quench the fire."

In answer, Abaddon willed the flames to burn hotter and spread even faster than they did before.

"QUENCH THE FIRE," Insanity screamed, red eyes bulging and wild.

Abaddon blinked up at him. How boring. "Would you only speak?"

In answer, a messy array of swords, spears and a bow appeared in Insanity's numerous hands. Large, batty wings tore through his back and threw great gusts of wind as he pulled himself off the ground and hovered midair.

Hands still held at his back, Abaddon hopped away, easily evading a torrent of spears. In response to Insanity's attack, he poured more power into the flames.

Insanity screeched as the fire spread faster within the channels, eating all in its wake and sending those trapped to the outer darkness.

"Stop," Insanity shouted as he summoned a flaming brazier and flung it in Abaddon's direction. It disintegrated to nothing before Abaddon's face. The one who possessed that power had since been burned away.

Abaddon sighed in relief when one of his staffs located the corrupted fragment of Ziba. But even after burning it, Legatus did not make an appearance.

Perhaps, the flames were not enough to drive the rat out.

"If this is the way you want it..." Shutting his eyes, Abaddon released his true form.

***

Trapped from the neck down in a tight cocoon of his mummification strips, Khonsu watched with helpless terror as Abaddon's appearance changed.