A. P. Mobley - Son of Time: A War on the Gods Companion Story

C yrus sprinted along the shuddering pavement, chills charging through him. He clasped his mothers hand, dragging her behind, trying to ensure they escaped certain death.

Lightning flashed, illuminating the scene ahead. In all fifteen years of his life, he didnt think the Sixteenth Street Mall of Downtown Denver had ever been so terrifying, and not even half an hour ago it had been a normal day. Hed just been released from class at his high school, ridden the bus to the metaphysical shop his mom had opened about a year ago, started getting ready for work at the restaurant tonight, and then...

Rain poured in sheets from the raging sky. Shattered glass and fallen trees littered the tremoring ground, crashed vehicles lying every which way. There was a loud crack of thunder, and the roar of buildings crumbling into the street sounded from behind. Hundreds of people rushed away from the danger, darting around the obstacles blocking them from safety.

More thunder rumbled, and the earth jolted violently. Cyrus hurtled forward, the force ripping his hand from his mothers. He slammed into the sidewalk. His head ricocheted off the wet concrete.

Sharp pain seared his skull and neck, all other sounds suddenly replaced with a shrill ring, but he couldnt let that hold him back. Hed lost grip of his mother. She was all he had, all hed ever had. Ever since the accident, itd been difficult for him to make friends because of his abilitiesbecause of his lack of control. He was different from everyone else, but she understood. She always had. He needed to get back to her, needed to protect her.

He bolted upright and blinked hard, but his surroundings were a blur of raindrops and stampeding feet. Mom! he yelled. Mom!

Lightning flashed again. Cyruss surroundings cleared. For a few moments, he could see everything that was happening.

Many of the towering buildings lining the strip mall collapsed like Lego towers being kicked in by a child. Debris fell from the structures, crushing dozens of adults and children as though they were no more than ants. Skinny, shining objectsgold and silver onessoared down from the sky. As the objects grew closer, Cyrus realized they were arrows. His gut clenched as the arrows pierced more people. They toppled lifelessly to the ground.

What the hell is going on? Whator whois causing this? It couldnt be Dad and the rest of the gods... could it? Hot tears filled his eyes not only at the sight of all this death, but also at the thought of his father, at the memory of the things his father had told him nearly ten years ago, but he clenched his jaw and took a few deep breaths, holding back his emotions as much as he could. He had to lock them away as Dad had always told him to; his emotions had never gotten him anywhere in the past except into trouble, and now definitely wasnt the time to create more chaos. After all, what if he were to let go and get even more people hurt today? Everythings okay, he thought. Its okay.

Someone grabbed his shoulder. He swung around, the ringing in his ears subsiding slightly. Immediately he recognized who stood before him. Relief flooded his senses. His mother remained unmistakable, even within this storm. Her regal facial features were drawn in concern, her braids sopping with rainwater and plastered to the brown skin of her cheeks and neck, her long skirt blowing furiously in the wind.

She tackled him in a hug. Cyrus, are you okay? He knew she must be yelling over the commotion, but he could barely make out her words.

Yeah, Mom, he replied. Im fine.

His mother hoisted him to his feet, grasping his wrists fiercely. Cmon, we gotta run. But before they could make a move, the unthinkable occurred.

Lightning ripped across the sky, followed by a roar of thunder. The earth beneath them lurched and sent them flying. Cyrus tumbled through the air, limbs flailing. He landed hard on his spine, and the breath escaped his lips, pain shooting through his back. His mother rammed into the ground a few feet away from him.

Gods dammit, she said. Her voice was strained, as if her vocal cords had been ripped raw.

Before Cyrus could check to see if she was okay, there was a series of loud cracks and creaks above, and he looked up, his stomach twisting into knots. Orange flames flickered atop the roof of one of the buildings before them, and a jagged fissure split down the establishments middle as though someone had cleaved the front half from the back half with a crooked blade. The lightning, Cyrus thought, gasping for air. A burning smell scorched his nostrils. The lightning must have done this.

At the sight, the clusters of people near Cyrus and his mom let out a volley of screams. Some of them trembled as they limped away, while many quickened their pace as they continued running. The rest lay in the street, squirming in place but unable to escape. Cyrus wished he could help them, but there was nothing he could do without making things worse.

Several more creaks reverberated from the broken building, and both halves began to descend in opposite directions, the front half plummeting straight for Cyrus and his mother.

Cyrus leapt to his feet, lunged toward his mom, and seized her arm. He tried pulling her up, but she couldnt stand. Her skirt was lifted just enough to reveal the bloody bone jutting from her shin. Cyrus, get back! she shrieked.

I wont leave you!

Im right behind you. Go!

There wasnt time to argue, to think. Cyrus ran.

The front half of the building crashed into the street behind him, shaking the ground.

Several moments passed, and Cyrus paused. He needed to turn around and make sure his mother was okay. Moms fine, he thought, focusing on keeping his emotions at bay. She crawled away, or the building didnt actually hit her. Thats iteverythings okay. Its okay.

He looked back. Once more a blast of lightning lit the sky, rain and the gold and silver arrows still cascading down, but he couldnt see his mother anywhere. Where the building had fallen, only a heaping pile of ruin lay.