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Back Into the Dying Light Save as PDF
Chapters (72)
  1. Copyright Notice
  2. Dedication
  3. I
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. BEFORE
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. BEFORE
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. BEFORE
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. BEFORE
  25. II
  26. 18
  27. 19
  28. 20
  29. 21
  30. 22
  31. 23
  32. 24
  33. 25
  34. 26
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. III
  42. 33
  43. 34
  44. 35
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. IV
  52. 42
  53. 43
  54. 44
  55. 45
  56. 46
  57. 47
  58. 48
  59. 49
  60. 50
  61. 51
  62. 52
  63. 53
  64. 54
  65. 55
  66. 56
  67. 57
  68. 58
  69. AFTER
  70. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  71. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  72. Newsletter Sign-up

A gasp hitched in Jude’s throat. He could feel the Sacred Word forming, a tangible power like lightning shooting through his veins.

Then a roar of thunder drowned out the call, and a flash of light burst over the barren rock. Jude dove to the side on instinct, and for a moment he was blinded.

When his vision slowly returned, he saw a smoldering crater. In its center was the god.

Beru stood unnaturally still, a strangely flat, alien expression on her face as she surveyed the seven of them sprawled on the rock.

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” the god demanded, swinging its gaze to Anton. “WHY HAVE YOU CREATED THESE ABOMINATIONS?”

Jude suppressed a shiver, unable to stop the visceral reaction his body had to that ancient, terrible voice. He struggled to his feet, slipping on the rock, and clambered toward Anton.

“Who are you calling an abomination?” Khepri hollered from the god’s other side.

It swiveled to her. Jude, grateful for her distraction, rushed to Anton’s side.

“I’m all right,” Anton said quietly as Jude helped him to his feet. “Jude, the Sacred Word—”

Jude cut him off with a nod. He could feel the combined power of their Graces, but the Sacred Word was still only half formed. They needed to buy time.

He stepped toward the god, putting himself between it and Anton. “Why are you doing this? Why not just let us live in peace?”

The god whirled toward him. “THERE IS NO PEACE WHILE HUMANITY EXISTS!”

The god’s power seized Jude, raising him into the air. Jude choked off a scream. He had to stay focused. As long as the god was distracted, they could still finish this.

“Maybe you’re right,” he replied. He pulled in a breath, then another. He felt the Graces of the others begin to coalesce again, strengthening the seed of power they’d created.

The god tightened its invisible grip on him.

“THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG,” it said. “THERE IS ONLY ME.”

The god’s grip grew painful, squeezing Jude so hard his lungs could no longer draw breath.

But it didn’t matter. Jude could suddenly feel the Sacred Word all around him, the threads of Grace pulling taut into a glowing knot inside each of them. A tiny star.

Triumph burst through Jude’s chest. They had done it. They’d made a new Sacred Word.

“WHAT IS THAT?” The god cocked its head, as if listening.

Jude’s elation shattered. No, he thought helplessly.

But of course, the god could feel the power reverberating all around them. After all, the Sacred Word was a piece of its own power.

“YOU THINK YOU CAN KILL ME AS THE FIRST PROPHETS DID?” the god asked. “YOU ARE WEAKER THAN THEY EVER WERE.”

Jude gasped desperately for breath. Darkness crept at the edges of his vision. The god was going to squeeze the life from him.