"Moros! Moros! Did you feel that? Like a part of the Great Darkness was ripped away!" Moros did not answer Apate. He flew over to the scrying windows, frantically studying several of them. For some strange reason the windows focusing on the Ronins in Egypt were clouded. Somehow they had blocked Moros from seeing them.

Age’s harsh laughter filled the chamber. "She’s gone. Can’t you tell? Hecate’s dead. I didn’t think the humans had it in them."

"SILENCE!" Moros turned on her with fury. "Do you find this amusing? We had no love for Hecate, but she was one of us. If they have access to power that can destroy a primordial being…"

"But…but she can’t be dead!" Apate flowed back and forth, her voice quavering. "That’s impossible! Regular immortals can be killed by a superior force, but we can’t die…can we?"

Age looked at her sister with contempt. "Your whimpering sickens me. The universe has changed greatly since we last freely roamed the Earth. We’ve become weak in the age of man. Who knows what is now possible? Perhaps you should ask brother Thanatos how many primordial gods he has welcomed to the land of the dead."

Apate seemed tense at the mere mention of the God of Death’s name--clearly not inclined to approach him.

Moros was only half listening. "Do not worry about Thanatos. He never interferes with the other gods. That has always been his way—his and his twin’s. He and Hypnos have not even been seen for hundreds of years. Fortunately for us."

"Yes," Age hissed. "Otherwise, we would not be able to use the realm of sleep to further our plans, nor would we have been able to ‘borrow’ our champion from the land of death. We must proceed now as quickly as possible."

"But what about Nemesis?"

"She will be ready. We will make certain of it."

"Very well then, my sisters. Proceed."

Age disappeared in a swirl of black smoke, reappearing in a grey chamber that had no windows or doors, no walls or floors, no up or down. There was nothing in this void save a lone woman, cowering as she floated in the nothingness. She shuddered as Age approached her. Age’s voice was soothing, reassuring. "It’s okay. It’s me, your friend. I’m here to help you, my dear. But you know what you have to do to help yourself, don’t you?"

Her glassy eyes focused on Age. "I must destroy him and his friends. I must scathe the world with my vengeance."

Age was pleased that she had internalized the lessons that had been drummed into her over and over, but the fire wasn’t there. The woman had recited the goals Age had branded into her mind in an almost hypnotic fashion. Perhaps her captive needed another visual aid to motivate her—one of many they had used.

Apate appeared behind her, disguised as someone else, someone the woman knew long ago. Using the dark power the Children of Nyx wielded in their own realm, Apate waved a hand at the woman, black energy bursting forth. She screamed in pain as every nerve in her body felt like it was on fire.

Age held up her hand and the pain stopped. "I’m trying to help you all I can, but I’m not strong enough alone. You need to fight back. My siblings and I can give you power. All you have to do is take it. Become Nemesis, the avenger, the punisher. You’ll be able to destroy the monster that killed your father and brothers, your clan, your world. Help their spirits rest in peace at last—then yours too can rest."

Apate laughed, still in character for the charade. "She doesn’t have the strength. She is stupid and weak like the rest of the Kataran clan. It was so easy to crush them for my master. You should have seen the look of surprise on her father’s face when I ran him through--he actually believed he had a chance against me! My only regret is that I could kill them all only once."

Apate’s maniacal laughter rang throughout the chamber as "he" disappeared, echoing in the woman’s very soul. His image was burned into her mind forever. His cold, narrow eyes. His long red hair. His hard, cruel voice. He was evil, evil, evil. He had to be destroyed. Her people would be avenged. She turned to Age, hand outstretched. "Give me the power! Give me the strength! I will be the Nemesis."

Age scrutinized her carefully, coaxing the woman, almost purring. "And what, exactly, would you do with this gift?"

Oshay of Clan Kataran’s voice was like steel, but her eyes were aflame with bloodlust. "I will kill the monster Anubis and all those who would shelter him! I will be the hand of retribution that strikes them down. Then the world itself will feel my vengeful sting!"