Nightside 09 - Just Another Judgement Day

of his dead child. I felt like slapping him. It’s always a mistake to get too attached to things. Chandra carefully slid both halves of the broken sword back into the scabbard at his side.
    “It cannot be repaired or remade,” he said, his voice surprisingly steady. “Or at least, not by any human hand. It was a most ancient weapon, entrusted to me to protect the innocent and punish the guilty, and I have brought about its destruction through my own stubborn pride.”
    “You had the right idea,” I said, touched despite myself. “But the wrong weapon.” I turned to Razor Eddie. “To stop a man of God you need a weapon of God. One particular and very nasty weapon.”
    Eddie looked at me thoughtfully. “You want a weapon, John? I thought you were above such things.”
    “You know what weapon I’m talking about,” I said.
    He nodded slowly, reluctantly. “No good will come of this, John.”
    “I need the Speaking Gun,” I said, and the Punk God of the Straight Razor shuddered briefly.
    “Nasty thing,” he said. “I thought you destroyed it.”
    “I did,” I said. “But as with so many other awful things in the Nightside, it’s only ever one step away from a comeback. Any idea where I might find it?”
    “You know I know where it is,” said Razor Eddie. “How is it you always know things like that?”
    “Because it’s my job,” I said. “Now stop stalling.”
    “You’ll find it at the Gun Shop,” said Razor Eddie. “At the place where all weapons are worshipped.”
    “Is that where you got your straight razor?” said Chandra.
    Razor Eddie looked down at the steel blade shining so brightly in his hand and smiled briefly. “Oh no,” he said. “I went to a far worse place for this.”
    “Then the Gun Shop it is,” I said, trying hard to sound like I knew what I was doing.
    “Wait,” said Chandra, moving forward to stare me in the eye. “You think you can stop the Walking Man, John Taylor? After I failed so miserably? After seeing him throw down all these false temples and churches? After he beat down the Punk God of the Straight Razor and shot the Unspeakable Abomination in the head? After he broke my blessed sword, a thing not achieved in centuries of trials against evil? What makes a man like you believe he can defeat the Walking Man?”
    “You have to have faith,” I said. “And I believe I’m a bigger bastard than the Walking Man will ever be. I’ll find a way to stop him. Because I have to.”
    Chandra nodded slowly. “Are you ready to die to protect your friends, John?”
    “Not if I can help it,” I said. “I was rather more planning on making him die. That’s why I’m going to the Gun Shop.”
    “Want me to come with you?” said Razor Eddie. The straight razor flashed briefly, eagerly, in his hand.
    “No,” I said. “They see you coming, they’ll probably lock the doors, slam home the bolts, and hide under the bed until you’ve gone away again. I would.”
    “They couldn’t keep me out,” said Razor Eddie.
    “True,” I said. “But I think I’m going to need them on my side, for this.”
    “Fair enough,” said Razor Eddie. He looked about him. “I think I need to spend a little quality time here, walking up and down the Street of the Gods, carving up the minor Beings and doing terrible things to their gullible followers, just to prove I’ve still got it. Reputations have to be carefully maintained and nurtured, or people will start thinking they can take advantage. Besides, I’m in the mood for a little carnage and mayhem.”
    “Never knew you when you weren’t,” I said generously.
    “I will go with you to the Gun Shop,” said Chandra Singh. He was standing straight and tall again, his eyes dry and his voice firm. “The game isn’t over yet, and I am not beaten till I say I’m beaten.”
    Heroes and holy warriors. They always bounce back faster than you’d think.
    So we nodded our good-byes to Razor Eddie and watched him stride off down the Street. People and Beings took one look at what was coming their way and suddenly remembered they were urgently needed somewhere else. I looked at Chandra.
    “Are you all right? The Walking Man really did a number on you.”
    “I am fine,” he said. “Or at least, I will be. I failed to understand what was really going on here, you see. I thought this was a conflict between the god I serve and that of the Walking Man, to see which was the greater. To determine which was the one true God, and