The hallway of the crumbling skyscraper echoed as the two women ran across what remained of the concrete floor. The leapt over holes, ducked under beams, and had to turn back several times as they reached dead ends, racing to make their way back down to their bikes. The skyscraper was a maze in their hurried state. What Jennix had done to the box's power would be done to them if they were caught. All they could do was run. 

Mechanical laughter followed the pair as they raced through the next hallway. They pushed themselves further. They had to get out before they were reached! Amneris grasped her pendant as she ran. She'd had the power of the Photon Core for over five thousand years. No way in all of Creation would she let it be taken. There was even less way she was going to be defeated by some magic book. The others would never let her hear the end of it. 

'You can't stop me,' Jennix called. 'Wherever you hide, I will find you.'

Amneris raised a hand, scanning the area ahead. There! An escape! Possibly their only one. 'Left!' she called, shooting around the corner. Her sister stumbled momentarily, almost going head first into a wall before regaining her footing and chasing.

They approached a fragile section of the building, the wall having crumbled ages ago to the elements. Below were spikes of broken glass and stone.

Xix gaped. 'Are you insane?'

'That's been established!' Amneris laughed.

They reached the ledge and—

'Jump!'

They leapt off the building, falling through the air. 

* * * * * * * * 

Jennix stopped at the edge of the path, looking down at the two figures plummeting below. Their face twisted into a smile. Oh, this was too easy. They could take out the bigger threat first, then the second, then watch them both fall to their deaths. It was perfect!

Jennix held the book toward Amneris, the pages wide open. She spoke, 'Let the story of the Photon Core end.' The book was closed.

* * * * * * * 

A blinding beam of light came from above, slamming into Amneris. Her pendant and form lost their glow. She screamed, her power being torn from her body until not even the smallest drop remained. Xix watched on in horror. She could do nothing as her sister's power was taken! 

The beam of light vanished. Amneris' eyes closed. Her body slumped against the push of air, unconscious. 

Xix felt her power jolt in response. That was not a good sign. Xix glanced up to where Jennix was standing, down to where the ground surged toward them, then to her bracelet. She may have been the Silent Guardian for five years now but she was still working out the kinks. This was the first situation in ages where she needed help. She had to call on Naka's power before it was too late. 

Naka's voice appeared in her mind. Looks like you got a situation, Chickie Babe.

A big one, Xix agreed. Help me out?

You are my chosen one, he said. Summon me and I'll help.

Xix pulled off her bracelet without hesitation, tossing it to the side. She yelled over the wind, 'I summon Naka!' 

A flash of crimson light. The God appeared, falling alongside her. 

Naka twisted in the air and pointed a finger at Jennix. An explosion of red-black light left his body, slamming into the skyscraper and the cyborg. The skyscraper shook. Jennix leapt from the hole, disappearing into some sort of green portal. 

Naka snapped his fingers. 'Almost had them.' 

He maneuvered himself between the two women, wrapping one arm around Xix and the other around the unconscious Amneris. Naka spread large smoking red wings. Their fall stopped, turning into a glide to safety, flying over the spikes. 

Naka fixed Amneris with a gaze. 'That was not supposed to happen.'

'It wasn't part of the plan,' Xix said, holding onto the God. 

He landed on the ground, lowering Amneris to the frost-covered dirt. Xix knelt beside her sister, placing a hand to her head. Gods, she was freezing! Unnaturally so.

'What's wrong with her?'

Naka crossed his arms. 'My wife's power was taken from her. Amneris no longer has Naiu sustaining her.'

'But . . . But what about her natural abilities? The Weapon?'

He shook his head. 'She's been dead for five thousand years, Chickie Babe. Her immortality was a reaction to the Photon Core's power.' He lowered his voice. 'It could've been reversed but, uh, then she absorbed the Weapon and, uh, yeah. That happened.'

'Are you telling me,' Xix started slowly, 'that this entire time, Amneris didn't have to be immortal?' She rounded on the God. 'And you knew?' 

Naka raised his hands. 'Not supposed to interfere.'

'You just did!'

'You're my chosen. You asked for my help. It's different.'

Xix ran her hands through her hair, beginning to pace. 'Okay. Okay, so, I have a dead Queen of Lyriumia, Naiu's power has been taken, you're being useless, and balance throughout the entirety of Creation has been thrown out of whack.'

Naka tilted his head as though listening to something. 'Yeah. Really out of whack. Wow.' He whistled. 'Well, it could be worse.'

'How? How could it possibly be worse?' 

'You could be dead.'

Xix stopped. 'Yeah, okay. Good point.' She sighed, glancing at her sister. 'What do I do now?' 

Naka rubbed his chin in thought. 'There is something that might work. She won't be happy about it . . .' 

'What? What?'

The God snapped his fingers. A golden ankh pendant hovered in the air between them. Xix recognised it immediately. 

'Technically speaking, Amneris is a Goddess. She reached that level after absorbing the Weapon. My wife's power kept her bound to that body. You could give her something different to bind to.' Naka shrugged. 'So long as she wears it, her soul will be bound to that body. She will have access to her natural abilities, just not to Naiu's. She won't be as powerful but still a force to be reckoned with. It can be your temporary solution until Jennix is stopped.' 

Xix plucked the pendant from the air. 'You think that'll work?' 

'Probably. What could really go wrong at this point?' He placed a hand on her back, leading her to Amneris. 'Just summon her spirit to you—she should come since she's your sister an' all—then put the necklace on her.' 

'Alright.'

Xix knelt beside her, placing her hands over the pendant. She closed her eyes, feeling through the ether for the spirit of her sister. She latched onto a familiar feeling, holding it tight in her mind. The feeling was transferred into the pendant. Opening her eyes, Xix saw the faintest of glows around the ankh charm. 

'Here goes something,' she said.

She placed the necklace around Amneris' neck. A minute passed. Then two.

'Nothing's happening!' 

Naka laughed from behind. 'You sure about that?'

Amneris gasped, coughing for air as she rolled herself onto her side. Xix let out the breath she didn't know she was holding, helping her sister sit upright. 

Amneris looked between her and Naka. 'The fuck did I miss?' 

Xix laughed, throwing her arms around her. 'We almost lost you! Naka was the one who saved you!' 

'Huh.' Amneris pulled back from her sister long enough to say, 'Thank you.'

Naka winked. 'Couldn't have my chosen moping around on the job.'

'So nice to know your intentions were pure.' 

He had enough sense to look offended, placing a hand over his heart. 'My intentions are always pure. It's not like I want to kill you anymore.' 

'Whatever.' Amneris turned her attention to Xix. 'Can we go home now? I have a feeling we need to re-strategise.'

'Of course.' She turned to Naka. 'She can still open portals?'

'She can still do most things, so long as they don't require Naiu's power.'

'Good.' Xix smiled. 'Thank you for the help.'

Naka bowed. 'Happy to assist, Chickie Babe.'

He vanished in a flash of crimson light, Xix's bracelet laying where he stood. She put it back on her wrist before helping Amneris to her bike. 

'Ready to go home?' Xix asked.

'Never been more ready,' Amneris said.

A scream filled the air. The two women turned towards it.

'Although,' Amneris said, 'we may have one more thing to to here.' 

'Agreed.' 

They summoned their helmets, revved their bikes, and shot into the night.