Love
Marc Spector used to think that Zahra Okasha was only with him because she felt bad for him. She had always told him how much she hated the fact he was stuck as Khonshu's avatar and how he thought God would eventually go after his wife to replace him. Zahra was always bothered by it, she didn't like killing people, but she also assured Marc that she would never accept.
Marc believed her because Zahra was a good person.
Seeing her in the sand broke his heart more than her first death did. This was worse. This couldn't be mistaken for mutual blaming because it was Marc's fault. Marc shouldn't have let her go on the adventure with them and he should have tried harder to stop him from falling.
He had freed Steven after escaping the field of reeds, taking to his other personality with the truth. The one thing Steven should have always had.
"Zahra, you are the best thing that happened to me," said Marc Spector as he placed his hands on his wife's face, "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about your dad, you didn't deserve that and I'm sorry for being a terrible husband to you."
"Marc?" Zahra whispered as her body returned from her sandy form," Marc! Steven!"
Zahra didn't have much to say before Steven and Marc both grabbed one of her arms and began pulling her forward. At first, she was confused until she heard the low rumble and realised a wave of sand was coming towards them.
Marc's feet were dragged slightly and Zahra was still disorientated. Steven and Zahra had to partly drag Marc with them towards the golden light pouring out of the large gate in front of them.
They were there. They had made it.
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
Marc was the first to launch out of the water as his body returned to life. He held his chest where he had been shot and pulled himself from the water. His suit formed around his body as the bullets fell from his chest.
"Zahra," He said as he pulled her out of the water.
She gasped lightly as she woke, her hand going straight to where the bullets had hit her. Marc quickly demanded that she needed to summon her suit despite her getting over the shock. The bullets fell as the familiar black and gold enveloped her.
"That was weird," Zahra breathed. "That was so fucking weird."
"The swearing doesn't suit you," said Marc, "Let's go."
Marc went running but Zahra quickly grabbed his arm and whisked them away to where she could feel Nephthys was residing. Within a blink, she was standing in front of her avatar.
"Nephthys!" Zahra called.
"Zahra! " Nephthys sounded happy,"I cannot tell you how awful I felt when I no longer felt your soul here!"
"I'm glad you missed me!" Zahra grinned.
Marc would never get over the fact that Zahra Okasha managed to find the nicest god. Not that it was surprising, given Zahra's nature.
"Khonshu!" Marc yelled out.
"I knew you missed me," Khonshu returned, turning his back to Marc.
"Layla turned you down, didn't she?" Marc asked knowingly.
It was at that moment that Zahra actually realised that she remembered every single thing from her life...everyone. Her memories of Layla were the most joyful of all she remembered her father, the one who had started all of this for her.
"Ammit has been freed. Nephthys and I were not strong enough to stop her. Marc Spector, I need your help and the help of Nephthys avatar." Khonshu answered.
"I have a name," Zahra said at the same time Nephthys also sounded, "She has a name!"
Steven took over the body for a moment, surprising Zahra, "Just curious about something. how's this whole new arrangement going to work?"
"Steven Grant, I was not speaking to you," Khonshu told him irritatedly.
"Yeah, alright, but we do come as a package deal now and we did just save your life, so you're welcome for that," Steven scold ed as he moved to a rock,"But I do think you should answer my question. How is this deal going to work?"
"You would negotiate now, with so much at state?" Khonshu yelled.
"Well, we did learn from the best, you silly old bird."
"Your husband is hilarious, I like him," Nephthys told Zahra.
Zahra didn't even correct the part about Marc being her husband and not Steven. Steven was right, they came as a package deal and the idea was settling okay with Zahra.
"I will release you both. You have my word."
"Mmm. I like the sound of that. Good. Glad we got that all sorted out. Now, how the heck are we gonna get to Cairo?" Steven continued. "Zahra?"
"You forget, little worm, I am still the God of the Night Sky!"
"All right, you know what? I think yo, can t,ake this one, Marc." said Steven.
"Hurry up, idiots!"
Marc gave Zahra a look but she a ve him a quick nod with ,"Go." echoing from her m. Marc jumped and he had soon disappeared into the night sky.
"That was dramatic," Nephthys commentaken "We could have just took him with us."
"Yeah but you know Marc ," Zahra replied lightly,"Nephthys, listen, I can still be your avatar right? It's just...I like our little duo."
Khonshu seemed slightly angry that Nephthys was able to have an easy avatar who respected her while all he wanted to do was escape.
"Of course, Zahra," Nephthys replied softly. "You are with me until you no longer wish to be. But Zahra, you are going to have to understand this fight is not about everyone getting out alive. You are going to need to kill for the greater good. You will know who, you will feel it."
"Yeah, yeah, okay. I got this," Zahra replied as she allowed herself to whirl into a mist of transportation.
Chaos had broken out across Cairo, that much was clear. People were screaming as purple balls of light flew towards the pyramid on the outskirts of the city. Those lights were coming from people, which Zahra was deeply disturbed by.
When Zahra saw the white hooded figure lang below Harrow on the pyramid, she was quick to run before them at intense speeds, jumping over rubble and ducking under the dangerous weapons of Harrow's followers.
As she ran towards Marc, she watched as a gold and white dressed figure got there first, curly hair moving in the the wind as Zahra caught side of Layla El Fouley
"Look at you!" Zahra grinned, "You are killing it!"
Zahra released her two golden-handled swords, gripping them and creating an 'x' shape to hit back at the purple light. It deflected, pushing Zahra back, who quickly dug her feet into the ground as they scraped the dirt. In return, Harrow flew back down the street. Zahra made the task look easier than it was.
"Layla, I remember everything," Zahra spoke suddenly as Layla lept to hug her.
Then, as Marc went to hug Layla, Zahra heard a familiar voice calling out her name in an excited voice.
"Z! Thank god you aren't dead! Look at how great I look!" Omari bound into view with shining white and gold armour, resembling what Layla was now wearing.
Zahra grinned at him, "You look great! Did you survive without m e?"
"Barely," He mumbled,"I think I may have developed feelings for your friend."
Zahra didn't have much time to respond before she watched Sun-hero-lookingncredibly un-hero looking suit, running forward. It was slightly strange for Zahra to watch the suit switch as they fought with two completely different styles.
"That wasn't very nice," said Zahra with a sign, allowing her to pay attention to his 'soul feel'.
When her eyes snapped their bright gold, she slashed her sword to gash the three men surrounding her, all falling to the ground in pain. It slightly alarmed Omari, who had also just killed a man attempting to shoot him.
"When did you stop asking people to surrender?"
"They aren't dead," Zahra simply replied. "We need to help Marc and Layla."
Omari and Layla focused on keeping the followers away from Marc and Zahra fighting Harrow, both being even more strong than they had been previously. They weren't getting many hits on him. He slammed his cane down and a purple explosion ripples from the ground below it, throwing Marc, Zahra, Omari and Layla back.
Zahra got up quickly with a small side roll and jump from her spot. She ran back at Harrow, jumping through the air with her cape blowing in the wind, tackling him into the side of the building. Harrow grabbed Zahra's neck, throwing her through a wall and into a building across the street. Zahra quickly jumped up, kicking Harrow back as Marc went to attack as well.
Harrow was about to swing his staff at Marc but Zahra quickly grabbed it, preventing him from during so. She used the staff to push him against the wall as Marc punched him across the face. He continued to fight back and Marc pulled out his crescent-shaped blade, swinging it at Harry. He managed to duck in time and turn his staff sidewards. Zahra and Marc both grabbed each end and pushed him back into the square.
Harrow swung the head, knocking Alex in the head where she was unprotected by her armour, making her let go of the staff. She stumbled backwards as Omari quickly stopped her from falling, all while throwing a dagger into the leg of his attacker.
Marc was brought down to his knees but he picked up a blade from the ground and held it out. Harrow's blast went through the blade and into Marc, causing him to scream out in agony. Harrow knocked the blade out of Marc's hand with the blast and sent it into Layla's wing, pinning her against the wall.
Omari had run to help Layla, which had ended with him shielding from being shot at by using his shield. Layla had her golden wings up, shielding herself.
Zahra stared at Marc as he was held down by Harrow without his mask, before running with her swords at her side, raising one to strike at Harrow. The purple glow came from the staff and before Zahra could strike Harrow, the blast had sent her back into the wall, the woman slumping slightly with her eyes open and the breath knocked out of her.
Marc snapped and suddenly, Marc wasn't Marc but he wasn't Steven either.
Zahra looked up at it, feeling an entirely different energy coming from the personality that had taken over. She didn't know what the feeling was but it was much darker.
He was so much more violent than both the others and had no remorse. He was unhinged and it scared Zahra beyond anything, despite the fact she still willed herself to stand up and help.
"Marc, Steven?"
"No, Mi Amor."
The Spanish accent took her aback but she didn't have much time to question it before she was strangled from behind. Then, with a flash, the crescent moon landed on the head of the man behind her.
Zahra breathed heavily while fending off others but whoever had taken over Marc was simply murdering them rather than knocking them unconscious. She thought she was about to witness the murder of Arthur Harrow before, who she assumed was Marc, took control.
There was destruction all around them and Zahra didn't realise how much blood he had spilt. Marc began to whisper to himself as Steven took over the body and looked around.
"Marc?" Layla questioned, "What the hell was that."
Omari looked at Marc in curiosity rather than horror. He was used to the bloodshed, something he'd seen a lot of while in his first line of work.
"I don't know. I blacked out," He answered.
"Same guy from the cliff," Zahra whispered as she met eyes with her husband.
A loud rumbling came from behind him; Ammit was dragging away Khonshu with Nephthys limp on the pyramid they'd been fighting at.
"Get Harrow. We know how to stop Ammit," said Omari as he stood at Layla's side.
Marc threw Harrow over his shoulder and began to follow after Omari and Layla, with Zahra behind him. They made their way to the temple of the Ennead and Marc threw Harrow down on a table in the centre of God's statue.
"The power of this room will bind Ammit to Harrow's body. Quick, grab my hands so we can start the spell," Layla urgently explained.
A pink light extended from their arms when they held hands. Marc stood holding Zahra's hand and Layla on his left. Layla and Zahra both held Omari's hand. They chanted, despite only having a vague idea of what they were saying as the pink light connected with the statues of the Ennead.
The light connected, making a circle with Harrow in the centre of it all. He began to writhe and they continued to chant before a deep purple smoke came through the roof and into his body. It was inhaled into his lungs and began to fade slowly.
"You can never contain me, I'll never stop," Amit's raspy voice yelled as the last of the smoke depleted.
Khonshu and Nephthys appeared from behind their mentors.
"Finish it and leave neither of them alive," Khonshu ordered.
Marc stepped forward, ripping a blade out of his chest while he stood over Harrow. He held the blade above Harrow's face while listening to him up...before hesitating.
"While he lives, so too does she," Khonshu warned.
Zahra looked towards Nephthys, who was in two minds. Zahra knew that God had very strong morals on who deserved to die but they couldn't let Ammit free again...and that was good enough grounds.
But Marc didn't need to bare that.
"I have to finish this. If not, I'll never be free," Marc whispered.
"Marc!" Zahra stepped toward him, "You have a choice. You are free."
"The choice is vengeance. We cannot take a chance that Ammit gets out. She will kill again." Khonshu disagreed.
"Now you sound just like her," said Marc, looking at Khonshu, "You want them dead, do it yourself."
"Zahra Okasha, you must finish it if he will not," Khonshu ordered.
Marc almost yelled in frustration but he also knew his wife.
"Sorry, I don't really, what does Steven say, I don't really fancy that mate," She shrugged while imitating a terrible British accent.
Marc found that utterly hilarious as he smiled at her. Omari didn't even try to hide his grin as Layla rolled her eyes at his snickering.
"My avatar shall do no such thing, Khonshu," Nephthys agreed. "She knows who she is."
"Now release us," Marc demanded of Khonshu.
"As you wish."