The Storm Runner: Chapter 33–Post Postscript

"You need rest and sustenance, kid," Jazz said. "Besides, no one finds Old Sparky."

The figure wore a long red robe, and its matching mask was smooth and flat with only slits for eyes and a mouth. And at its side was a stone ax. Replace the red with black, and the ax with a scythe, and you'd have the Grim Reaper.

I tried to ignore her annoying voice as I slowly rappelled down, and a couple minutes later, I made it to the pool's edge.

Gingerly I picked my way toward the mouth of the cave.

When I went to take it off, the woman said, "I wouldn't do that if I were you. Could be calamitous."

"A typical human would assume that a serpent leg is useless. But in a god, the power of the serpent is unparalleled."

Nobody laid the Sparkstriker on the slab, then took the hammer and pounded the bolt into the Sparkstriker's chest like some kind of defibrillator. The old woman snapped straight up and took a gasping breath.

Nobody rolled her eyes. There was something annoyingly familiar about the way she did it with a toss of her head and a subtle tilt of her chin.

"Enough inconsequential drivel,” the Sparkstriker said. "I'm not about to lose my warriors to the gods' worthless war. So both of you work together and get this thing done!"

"I'm a warrior huntress of the White Sparkstriker tribe." She said the words like they were rehearsed. But behind her cold glare, I could see I'd touched a nerve.
"Enough inconsequential drivel,” the Sparkstriker said.

I stepped out of the way. I mean, no need to get in the middle of a family squabble.

Then the smoke took the shape of giant hands and muzzled their mouths.

Ah-Puch scoffed at Ixtab. "You think your hellhounds can stop me?" He looked around at the few demons still standing. "Or your pitiful horde?"

Ah-Puch scoffed at Ixtab. "You think your hellhounds can stop me?" He looked around at the few demons still standing. "Or your pitiful horde?"

I wanted to harness the fire, to draw it in and use it against Ah-Puch. But what good would it do me? First, I didn't know how to control it.

The ground shook. It was all chaos and hair and fangs and screaming.
Brooks, now masked, took off running into the melee.

I guessed she could do it because Ixtab was out of commission, at least temporarily.

So the burly motorcycle dude was the god of war? Kind of a cliché, if you ask me.

He had dark disheveled hair, looked like he hadn't shaved in three days, and was so stiff he could've been made of stone.

"Is that what you think?" he sneered. "That it's me and me alone? Do you really believe I'm the only one who wants to destroy your pathetic world?" He let out a cruel laugh that echoed across the stone buildings. "You're so naive, just like your father..."

He thought I didn't know he was trying to undermine me at every turn.

But here's a little secret, godborn: You are the catalyst! You are the reason the world will end.

He continued, "Those on my side appreciated knowing there was a godborn among us, but I kept your identity to myself. I claimed I had no idea who your parent was, because that would sow mistrust, fighting, and paranoia among the gods. And once I'd created that little breeding ground, they did all the heavy lifting. I simply had to sit back and watch. So you see, Zane Obispo, you were the most glorious surprise of all."

We spiraled through a muddle of thick jungle and black skies.

The last thing I saw was a fire-eaten monster serpent spiraling into the vortex, hissing, "I'll come for you."

"You're my pet now. This is your cell, and once you've paid your penance to the gods, you'll join the others in pounding stone day and night until your bones turn to dust."
"Penance? But...I—I killed the Stinking One!" I cleared my dry throat. "Shouldn't that count for, like, early release or something?"

"Do you like it? It's one of my private chambers in Xib'alb'a. It used to be so drab and depressing, but I've really livened it up, don't you think? The gold wallpaper is all the way from India. And see that skull painting? O'Keeffe, from your neck of the woods."

"Well, you managed to rid the world of You-Know-Who, and the war god, Nakon, rounded up Ah-Puch's little pawns, including the Yant'o Triad. And when the gods found out about the hero twins' manipulation and lies? Well, let's just say those boys are getting their just deserts."

"His sole purpose is to keep balance and peace. He doesn't want to see the gods go to war."

"The hounds only go to the deceased—they never acknowledge the living—so when Rosie sniffed your motionless cold body, the gods believed you were no longer their problem. It was very kismet, if you ask me."

She played with the gold bangles dangling from her wrists.

She had aided and abetted a wanted criminal.

Ms. Cab reached into her dress pocket and pulled out a handful of...birdseed? She tossed some into her mouth. I figured my own mouth must've been hanging wide open, because she shrugged and said, "An acquired taste."

Mom stifled a laugh and Hondo made a disgusted face.

Brooks listened intently, tracing her fingers through the sand, nodding every few minutes like she could see the images my words painted.