“We need to get to the Control Room and send the city back beneath the sea,” Krishna said as he maneuvered between flying demons and gods.
“What good will that do?” Trevor asked. “Everyone knows Dvārakā is there now; some other god—or maybe even a human—will raise it again.”
“Not if I destroy it completely,” Krishna said with grim calm.
“You can do that?” Sarasvati asked.
“I built the city”—Krishna took a deep breath and let it out in a sad sigh—“I know its weaknesses. And I know what it's capable of. I should never have trusted the humans with our technology; they weren't ready for it then, and they aren't ready for it now. I need to make sure Dvārakā never rises again.”
“You left my weapon inside it, didn't you?” Brahma asked solemnly.
Krishna glanced at Brahma; barely a look, but it was heavy with meaning.
“What weapon?” Mrs. E asked.
“No,” Karni-Mata said. “You can't set off the Brahma Weapon; the blast will take out half of India.”
“Not if we put a ward around the city,” Brahma said. “It will take a lot of gods working together to manage it, but it shouldn't be that difficult to arrange.”
“Hold on; what kind of blast are we talking about?” I asked warily.
“It's basically a nuclear bomb,” Karni growled as she stared angrily at Krishna. “And it's a long-range weapon. To set it off within the city would require...” Her face fell and her eyes went horrified. “You're not planning on coming back.”
“I've lived a long, amazing life, Karni,” Krishna said with a gentle smile her way. “I'm tired; I'm tired of living in hiding, and I'm tired of existence itself. I want to start over. I think I've earned that right.”
I shivered; it was the exact sentiments Ull had expressed to me before he died. Eternal life isn't for everyone. Sometimes, you need to reboot.
“You don't have to hide,” Karni said with frustration. “I've said so for years. You can live in the God Realm.”
“There isn't time to argue about this, Karni!” Krishna snapped. “The weapon is the only way to destroy the city for good.”
Krishna flew us around the towers; zipping in and out of blasts of energy sent up by gods within the city. The sky above us was streaked with shimmering cobalt, vivid peony, flashing emerald, and bleeding crimson; the rainbow of a god war. It was a deadly beauty, but not as stunning as the sight of Arach flying through it all; his crimson scales gleaming from the light of the Sun and the magic his armor-like scales deflected. My faerie husband batted gods out of the sky, tore bodies to pieces, decapitated men in vicious bites, and breathed fire down upon the city. It was both wondrous and humbling to watch, and I had to shake myself free of his spell.
The only adversaries that gave Arach any trouble were the demons—who were immune to fire. Arach had to get up close and personal with them. But that only added to his fun; my dragon husband was in his element—pun intended.
“I'll need your help getting to the Control Room safely,” Krishna said. “And once I'm inside, I'll need all of you—and every god you can get to help you—to put up a ward around the city as quickly as possible. Once Dvārakā starts to tremble, it means the weapon has been activated. You'll have only minutes to ward the city and contain the blast.”
“Got it,” Toby said as he casually called forth a wave from the sea to knock an enemy out of our way.
Karni just stared at Krishna sadly and sullenly.
“Am I the only one wondering why we aren't tracing?” Torrent asked.
“The Control Room is warded against tracing,” Krishna said. “They found a way around the truth traps, but not that particular ward. I made it to keep everyone out; myself included. Also; we'll need a distraction. Brahma, can you fly this vimana with a few of the others and make our enemies believe I am still with you; in the midst of battle?”
“Not a problem,” Brahma said as he fired a bolt of violet energy out of the chariot—aka the vimana. “Just tell me when you need me to take over. While I'm out there, I'll let our allies know the plan to ward the city.”
“Thank you,” Krishna said. “Now, if we can only get through this barricade.”
You wouldn't think that there could be a barricade in the sky, but what with the flying gods and the endless magic missiles, it was quite difficult to find a way down to the city, much less an open spot to land.
“I can shift into a dragon and clear a path,” I suggested.
“Allow me,” Odin said with a soft smile my way. “That dragon form is addictive.”
Odin jumped over the railing and shifted mid-air. Ebony wings shot out from his widening form and caught the air while a massive, ferocious head lifted and roared defiantly. Scraps of Odin's clothing fluttered down around him as sunlight caught the greens, purples, and blues within his peacock scales. Dragons are innately magical creatures, but Odin's dragon looked like something out of a fairy tale. Ironic, since my fey husband had caught the transformation and rushed over to join his new brother.
“Who's that?” Arach asked as he flew up beside us.
“Odin,” I said. “He can shift into any form, but this one is a new development.”
“I approve.” Arach grinned; showing off his vicious teeth.
“We need to land,” I said and then pointed. “Can you help Odin clear a path down to that courtyard?”
“Of course,” Arach huffed and tumbled into a spiral that brought him up on Odin's flank.
The dragons
