The Imagination Latibule: Moon Knight - The Rise of the Moon

Chapter 26

You shouldn't have been standing up, but there was no way in hell you were gonna be left behind as Matt and Layla went searching for Khonshu. Both had told you to stay but, but the second they left the room you were on your feet, clinging onto the wall for support. You weren't in as much pain as expected, but your walking was slow, and you just about managed to get out the bedroom door as they were ready to leave.

"y/n," Layla cried, guiding you to a sofa. You fought against her with a swipe of your hand that nearly sent you to the ground. She poorly held in a laugh as you groaned. "Where d'you think you're going?" 

"To find Khonshu," you answered defiantly. She shook her head, looking back at Matt who shrugged. 

"Alright."

"That's it?" you asked. "No reprimanding? No telling me to stay in bed? Nothing?" 

"I know what I'd want if I was in your shoes," she answered. "Hey Matt, d'you have a walking stick or something?" 

"As a matter of fact, I do," Matt answered, walking around the counter in the kitchen. It was then you noticed the outfit he was wearing. A devilish suit of red and gold, made, you assumed, from Kevlar, and a matching helmet he held under his arm.  

"Are you, like, a superhero?" you asked. "Like the... devil?" 

"I'm Daredevil," he answered, almost like he expected you to know.

"...It is very daring to use ketchup and mustard as your colour scheme."

"Har har," he said, grabbing a cane from a box by the front door. "Use this. Walk slow. You feel any pain, I'll know."

"You'll know?" 

"He can hear heartbeats," Layla told you, and your jaw dropped. 

"Almost cool enough to make up for the suit," you answered, and he rolled his eyes humouredly. 

"Let's go." 

Matt Murdock had never seen a God before, and it was plainly apparent when the three of you left his apartment building, and merely had to walk around the block to see Khonshu barring the way. Wearing a pinstripe suit and fancy hat, he looked like a wannabe New York mobster. All he needed was a pipe and the look would be complete.

Despite the surprise of his unexpected visit, you and Layla were pretty indifferent towards him at this point, but Matt pulled out a baton from his back, wielding it ferociously. 

"Well that was easier than expected," Layla commented, crossing her arms. "How you been Pidgeon? Still making people's lives miserable?" 

Khonshu scowled.

"Holy shit, the freaky dead bird... that's Khonshu?" Matt asked.

Khonshu scowled some more.

"The freaky dead bird with the world's worst fashion sense, you mean? Yup." 

"Enough," Khonshu boomed. You flinched. Ow. There was that pain Matt had mentioned. He looked your way and you took a deep breath, trying to disguise whatever it was he could hear from you. "Worm. Other worm. You're alive." He was as indifferent as you'd been to seeing him. 

"I am," you said. "And you're still spying on us." 

"Not at all," he replied. "I happened to be in the neighbourhood."

"Bullshit. What's going on?" 

You must have looked crazy to the one passer by as he crossed the road at a jogging pace, not wanting to confront the people talking to thin air. Khonshu still had the ability to choose who he showed himself too, and a stranger wasn't party to it. He'd given himself away by the same token, choosing to let Matt see him. He knew the three of you were together, something he shouldn't know unless he'd been watching. Although, he didn't know exactly who Matt was. He leaned forward, looking him up and down curiously. He didn't have eyes but the sockets in his skull somehow became expressively mischievous.

"Who's the condiment?" 

Matt, who clearly wasn't used to being so insulted about his suit, yanked off his helmet. "Is it really that bad?" he asked. 

"Ignore him," was your answer. "Please Khonsu, you wouldn't be here if it wasn't something important." 

Khonshu sighed wisely and leant against a scaffolding pole, the moon shining at just the right angle as to light up his staff. "Bet he does that on purpose," Layla whispered. You nodded eagerly. She'd noticed too. 

Khonshu cleared his throat. "A rogue avatar has enslaved their God." 

You grimaced. "Which God?"

"Anubis."

"Fuck," Layla said. 

You took a sharp intake of breath. "This avatar... they have his powers?"

"Correct." Khonshu bowed his head. "Nephthys and Taweret are guiding the dead for now, but they are merely just that, a guide. Without Anubis or the feather--" 

"--The feather?" Matt repeated, and Khonshu growled.

"You never clarified. Who is this--"

"--You call me a condiment again and I'll end you." 

"I'd like to see you try." 

"Alright, enough! you cried. "Matt Murdock, meet Khonshu," you introduced. "Khonshu, Matt Murdock. He's a friend." 

"Not to me." 

"What about the feather?" Layla asked as tensions rose. 

Khonshu slammed his staff against the pavement angrily. "The feather of Ma'at has been stolen."

"The one that all hearts are weighed against to see if they pass judgement to the field of reeds?" Matt asked, and when you glanced at him, he scoffed proudly. "I may not be a God carrying hero, but I know my Ancient Egyptian lore." 

"Without it, the scales will not balance," Khonshu said. "All hearts will be too heavy. All hearts will fail the test. Every person who dies will be condemned to the Duat for eternity."

"This is worse than Ammit," Layla said.

"But it's not the worst of it," you replied. "This avatar will have Anubis' powers, right Khonshu? The same way Marc had yours?"

"Correct." 

"So this avatar will be able to change peoples scales. Worse than Ammit and Harrow judging them before their time, he'll be able to falsely judge them, condemning innocents to hell."

"Correct again, little worm." 

"So, someone's trying to stop people from entering the field of reeds?" Layla asked. As she spoke, a shadow flew over your heads, and Khonshu's lips turned up. 

"There's someone watching us," Matt said immediately. Him and Layla closed the gap between the three of you, and you were acutely aware of how many dark inlets and alleyways New York had as you scanned them all. 

"You wanna know something?" Khonshu asked as the shadow whipped over your heads again. Layla pulled out a knife at the unknown threat, and Matt was wielding a baton better than anyone who could see. You stared at Khonshu, knuckles whitening as you gripped the cane as tightly as you could. 

"What Khonshu?"

"Marc Spector truly believed that after he and I parted ways, I wanted you to be my Avatar. But why would I ever need anybody else when he has no idea how troubled he truly is?" 

You turned around at the speed of light as there was a bang, and someone jumped from the darkened rooftop and onto the pavement. Matt went to fight but Layla grabbed his arm and yanked him backwards. The mystery person walked into the light. 

He was wearing the suit. Moon Knight's suit. 

But it wasn't quite as you remembered. 

And then the mask receded, and it was Mark. You immediately started to shake. "Mark," you cried. "Baby, I..." 

Something was wrong...

It wasn't Mark.

Not Steven either.

"Who..." you trailed off. Under normal circumstances you would've ran to them, but there was something about the way they stood and stared that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.

Khonshu smiled, walking over to the figure and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Meet my friend, Jake Lockley."