Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter One

There are many consistent things in this world.  You know the sun will rise.  You know the sun will set.  You know the moon will shine every night in the sky.  You know the seasons will begin their rotation consecutively starting in spring during the vernal equinox.  A life will go on until death.  Then it stops.

There are always set things in life and when those consistencies start changing you know it is a sign of an end.  It is a sign of change. 

And that change will inevitably undo everything.

That is what Mori Calliope considered, as she headed out on her vacation from soul reaping.  There were other reapers.  It wasn’t like she was always needed.  But there was just this gnawing at her gut, that all would upheave and go to ruin the moment she left. 

It was her nature to be an underlying worry-wort, like she would usually wait for the other shoe to drop.

But a vacation was a rare thing, indeed, for this workaholic.  She was hopeful for a good month of coastal breezes and relaxation. Her best friend had found a cute spot, a small hostel on the coast of a small island.  A place of rare creatures, or so the pamphlet stated, according to her friend, as she hyped the location. 

Calliope did love rare creatures.  That was pretty much all her closest friends; especially her oldest friend, a Phoenix that was on her own vacation in a sunny place.  She was the one who talked her into this vacation, and so, she was 99.9% sure it would be a good vacation… except… for that darn gnawing.

An Island in the Northern Hemisphere during the Warm Season

Gigi Murin was a slight gremlin of pale skin and quick wit.  She was spry with a wild looking tail unlike any other creature.  But what stood out the most for the little gremlin was the size of her heart, her very humble heart.  She never turned away another in need, even at the expense of her own happiness or joy.  Some thought this to be her downfall as a gremlin, but it made her happy.  Her positivity was contagious.

She had been cast out years ago because gremlins are about chaos and troublemaking.  Yes, she could easily cause disruption but never ever in cruelty or hurtfulness.  Those were other gremlins things, including the family that raised her.  That was a past, she preferred to forget.  Gremlin society was after all, a society of constant upheaval.

She was about making life happier, being silly and whimsical.  That’s what made her happiness.

She longed to see others smile and laugh.  It would be her goal.  It was why she was where she settled.  Someone needed her to live.

Despite humble, possibly horrible, beginnings, she could never let this take down her present.  Life, indeed, was a present.

Like all creatures of her stature, she was attracted to mechanical things. This could have been the reason she instantly hit it off with an automaton, of all things. 

When she first spotted the ancient automaton, she had to wind up her key, and oil joints, and if she hadn’t found her, she might have stayed dusty at the back of the small building on an island of misfits.  

She knew, the moment she met her, that she also had a past of pain and ill treatment, so she was sure to always be positive toward this automaton with a soul – a rarity.  Not all beings had souls, but this automaton indeed had a very large and beautiful soul. 

The building the automaton had been found within was a very special place on a very special island, surrounded by very special things with a very special purpose.

(Okay, not really an island of misfits like in the Santa movie of Bass and Rankin fame, but it was a unique island.)

**************

“Oh man,” Calli looked down at her phone, after disembarking the small boat.  It dropped her off, and then instantly revved the small motor and left her there on the dock.  Kicking up a spray of water, Calli instantly wiping it off her clothing. 

“Just great,” she huffed.  “There are like no bars here.”  She held up her phone to the looming cloud-covered sky.  It would also rain.

“So much for a sunny vacay.”

She looked across the small seaside town of multi-colored buildings, one small convenience store with a gas pump, a shop of something or other, maybe trinkets, and then a dirt road that had a crooked sign pointing out, Hostel this way.

“Hm, well I got nothing to lose.”

There weren’t a lot of buildings, so the place she was looking for was easy.  It was the only hostel on the island.  She walked a small way down the dirt road, until she was at her destination.

She looked up again at the squarish white and blue building with a sign that read, The Place You Need to Be, and underneath, the greeting, Welcome.

“That’s the name,” she muttered under her breath, “wonder why Kiara got me a reservation here?”

It was not impressive.  In fact, it was extremely unimpressive, sides of paint cracking, a roof in need of repair, and steps uneven leading to a wooden door.  The door was the only impressive part, since it was intricately carved with strange patterns, swirling from the center of what looked like an eye wide open.  If she didn’t know any better, she’d think the eye was watching her.

“Man, I need to find a better travel agent. What is this place?”

She opened the heavy door and then walked into the lobby.  The interior was much nicer than the exterior.  In fact, it was surprisingly warm and clean, but still eerily empty.

No one was at the front desk. In fact, it looked like a dilapidated haunted house in the Japanese countryside on a show like 4^th Wall or Bizarre Bub, which she didn’t watch because the shows were creepy.

“I really hope there aren’t ghosts.”  She considered the fact she was an unworldly Reaper that dealt with death, but that didn’t mean she liked dead things.

She slammed her palm on the bell that had an old piece of paper that had written, “Klingeln sie bitte.” She was sure it was German.  The tattered white piece of paper had faded writing.

She took a deep breath, brushing back her long pink locks with fingers behind her ears.  “Come on Mori, you can do this.”  After a minute, she hit the bell again, and again… and again.  “Maybe I should take a vacay another day… month… year, or so?”

She was considering leaving when a smiling white-haired woman, touches of green along the edges of her short bob, with bright green eyes came rushing out from the back room.  “Hello, greetings, good day, person who is obviously here for a room.”

“That’s me.”

“I am Cecilia Immergreen, your hostess for your visit.  Let me just call our valet to help you to your room.”

“Do you want my name?”

“Oh, I’m sure you have a reservation.  Only someone with a reservation would come to this place.”  She giggled cutely.  “I mean, look at this place.” 

“Huh?”  It was as if she did not want her at their hostel.

“Oh yes,” the pert woman looked down at a small brown book, “yes, your name is Mori Calliope, Reaper on vacation, right?”

“Yes, that’s me.”  Calli laughed, and then sarcastically, “I’m sure you get a lot of Reapers.”

“No, howevah, you are the first western hemisphere Reaper.  We had a southern hemisphere Reaper once a hundred or so years ago or so, and that did not end well.”  She giggled again, “boy, that should have been a sign for us… hehehe, am I right?”

“I… guess?  What… why?”

“Oh – long story.” She turned, “Gigi!  GG!!!  Our guest, Mori Calliope, is here!  Please come help her with her bags!”

Out popped a small creature with big reddish eyes round, and sparkling like strawberries left out in the sun too long. Her gradient brunette head of hair went from dark brown to dirty blonde.  It was unique, and she had the tallest ahoge Calli had ever seen.

“Hi! I am your valet, Gi MURRRrrr-eeeen.”

“Um… hello.”

“Follow me.”  She then stood turning this way and that.  “Um, do you have bags?”

“No.”

“Oh, then why do you need a valet?”

“I didn’t.”

“But… Mori Calliope, you are a woman on vacation, are you not?”

“Well…” she stammered, “yes, but…”

“Well, you need some luggage or something.  How do you expect to be a person on vacation without luggage?”

“I can…” Calli snapped her fingers, “make things just appear.”

“Ooh,” the hostess giggled, “that is a neat trick.”

“I guess, Mori Calliope.”  The gremlin breathed out, her tail slapping the wooden flooring, and then laughing, “Ah well, Mori Calliope, I can still show you to your room.”

“You don’t have to say my whole name.”

“But I like saying it.”  She turned, her strange tail slapping on the floor again, but then lifting, as if the spot at the back was watching her.  “Follow me, Mori Calliope.”  And then she skipped, “Boat goes Binted.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Boat goes binted!  It’s a greeting on our island because you get dropped off by a boat. The boat goes binted, does it not?”

“I think it does not.”

“It does.”  She then laughed, “Boat goes binted!”

Mori Calliope instantly reconsidered finding another island without crazy people, gremlins, automatons, whatever manner of people these were.

The gremlin opened a room door not far down the hall and then waved her inside.  “Please, enjoy your stay Mori Calliope.”

“Again, no need to say my whole name.”

“Okay… Miss Mori Calliope.”

“Adding the Miss does not change it.”

“Okay.” 

She turned to the door. “Let us know if you need anything else, ma’am.”

“Okay, sure.”

“Boat goes binted!”

“Yeah, yeah, okay – got it.”

“Boat goes binted!”

Reluctantly the Reaper humored the small and cute gremlin, “Yeah…Boat… goes binted…I guess.”

“That’s the spirit, Mori Calliope!” The gremlin laughed and then skipped back down the hallway.  “Breakfast is at eight o’clock sharp,” she yelled, while skipping away.

Calli watched her for a moment and then shut the door.  “What a strange little creature.  I mean, she’s super cute, but… strange.”

*****************

“What did you think of the new guest?”  Cece asked, while sitting on the edge of the bed.

“She seems nice and very pretty.”

“Yeah, I was surprised they have beautiful Reapers.  The last one I saw in Germany was pretty wrinkled and gave a Nosferatu vibe.”

“Glad I never saw him.” 

Gigi held a toothbrush in her hand, as she readied herself for bed. “It’s nice we finally have a visitor.  I mean, we have our Justice League…”

“Ssh,” Cece hopped up, nearly placing a hand over the gremlin’s mouth, “we can’t let her know our other occupation – and other members… ya know?”

“Oh yeah, I don’t think she cares.  She’s not a bad guy.”

“She’s a Grim Reaper.”

“But that is a given.  It’s not like she’s committing crimes.  All people die.”

“I don’t.”

Gigi watched her oldest and dearest friend.  The fact she would live forever, after watching so many pass away in her long life, was always difficult.

“Hey, I was thinking of showing Mori Calliope around the island tomorrow.  You should come with.”

“I have some stuff to take care of, like cleaning the Onsen.”

“I’ll help.”

“No, I can do it myself.  Our guest would probably like someone to show her the island.  Plus, Bae will be around tomorrow.  She can always use the extra cash and she’s a hard worker.”

“True.”

“Just…” a gleam cut across her eyes, “be careful what you show her.  Liz will be back in two days.  She and Raora were pursuing that demon woman, and her sidekicks.  They skipped out from that other dimension, and it’s been tough following their trail.”

“I know, and I will.”  Gigi giggled, “who do you think I am?”

“Exactly.”  Cece smiled warmly, “I do know exactly who you are.”

Gigi put the toothbrush in her mouth, turning to finish brushing her teeth, while laughing.  Her multi-shaded brown hair pulled back into a ponytail bounced with her steps.  Every movement exuded happiness.

Cecilia considered that that is what she loved most about her best friend.  It always made her smile.

…Next Day on the Island of Misfits – okay, just the strange island

“Good morning, Mori Calliope!”

“OH,” Mori nearly spilled her coffee as the gremlin seemed to appear out of nowhere behind her.  “Morning… G… G.”

“Just G is fine.  I like how you say my name.”

“It’s one letter.”

“Well, it’s a nice way of saying a letter, Mori Calliope.”

“Th…thanks.”  She rolled her eyes, while looking over the fruit and bread.  “You got any waffles?”

“Yes.  Eggo ones.”  She pointed at the toaster.

“You know,” the reaper said while sauntering to the toaster and waffles.  “I’m a bit of a chef.”

“Whoa, that’s cool.  You’re very talented.  Do you want to cook in our kitchen?”

“Um, that seems so assumptive on my part.”

“No really, nobody really uses it.”

Calli looked over the sparse breakfast set up of cereals, fruit, bread and Eggo waffles.  “Yeah, I would have never known.”

The gremlin laughed, in a deep, a funny tone that made Calliope unable to keep from laughing herself.

“Miss Mori Calliope, would you like me to take you on a tour of our small island?”

“I was thinking of just chilling and doing a little work.”

“WHAT?!”  she became animated, “but you are on a vacation, Mori Calliope!  You can’t work!”  She took her arms within her grip, shaking her, “I mean… mean, that’s just blasphemous to vacationess, and people who haven’t the ability to vacation.  I…I” she kept stuttering dramatically staring up into the reaper’s beautiful pink eyes.  Her own eyes a beautiful reddish pink, swirling intensely the more passionate she became.

The Grim Reaper noted how expressive and bright her eyes and expression encompassed her small passionate self.  It was very endearing.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, little one.”  She brushed her off, “I guess if you really want to take me on a tour, I can handle that.  Chill your little jets…” pointing to the small fans at the side of her jacket, “quite literally.”

“Oh,” she noted her pointing out her jacket.  “It’s just an enhancement on my jacket.  I can take that off.”  She threw off her jacket in a second, showing off a pert little body, good muscle tone, with a white tank top and black biker shorts.

“Whoa!  Maybe you shouldn’t undress!”

“You liking what you see?”  The gremlin winked, striking a pose that made Calliope laugh again.  “Yeah, I get that a lot.”

“No, I meant, uh… just like never mind.”

The reaper turned a slight shade of pink, matching her hair and eyes, as she began looking anywhere but at the cute little gremlin.  “Oh my god, you’re incorrigible.”

“Yippee!  I’m taking that’s as a ‘yes’.”  Gigi hopped up, grabbing her jacket.  “I’ll meet you down in the lobby in 10.”

“Um…” before another word could come out of her mouth the gremlin was gone as quickly as she had appeared.  “Man, what did I agree to?”

…10 Minutes Later in the Lobby

Calli was dressed casually in a cute little pink dress with a light jacket.  Her hair was pulled back and Gigi stopped for a moment to take in the tall and lovely woman in the lobby.

“Wow,” Gigi sauntered up, “you clean up nicely.”

The Reaper looked over her casual little outfit, still in her biker shorts, but a small little jean jacket and yellow T-shirt.  When she smiled her gremlin canines stuck out, but it wasn’t off-putting. It added to her cute smile.  In a strange way, when her tail wagged behind her, it reminded her of a puppy.

“You do too, G.”

“Thank you, Mori Calliope.”  She opened the door, “follow me.”

“Sure thing.”

The sun was out, but clouds seemed like they might threaten a storm later in the day.

“We can either walk or ride a bike,” Gigi offered, “I like to walk, stretch my legs.” The small gremlin started bouncing around, constant hyper movement.  “They call me a chaser in my other job.”

“A chaser?” That sounded familiar to Calli. 

“Oh wait!” Gigi covered over her mouth.  “I meant, a job I once had.”  And then she burst out in the funny laugh that made it hard for Calliope not to also laugh.

“You’re pretty funny, G.”

She grinned and kept snickering.  “Come on, Mori Calliope,” she waved, and the Reaper followed.  “There’s a lighthouse that’s pretty neat.  We can head over there.”

“Cool… cool, cool, cool.”

They started walking along the dirt road, headed up a slope toward the edge of the island, a cliff face that overlooked the ocean, with a white stone lighthouse at the edge.

They talked over the island and Grim Reaper stuff. 

“Enough about me,” Calli stated, “how did you and hostess meet?”

“But I find your life interesting.”

“…Or non-life.”  Calliope considered her job once again, and the fact she was taking a break.

“So, you want to know how I met Cece?”

“Yeah, the automaton.”

“That’s a long story and its like I’ve always known her.  She’s the closest person…” her smile settled into a gentle admiration.  “She is pretty amazing.  She’s a musician, and artist, and sweet and kind, and always has my back, and she’s funny and really cool.”

“She’s like a robot, right?”

Gigi stopped in her tracks, and for the first time her smile left. “She’s got a soul and is more human than any human I’ve ever met.  You take that back!”

“Okay, cool your jets.  I didn’t mean to offend, G.  I mean, she’s physically mechanical, right?  I mean, I never met an automaton, especially one that talented or with a soul.”

“Well, yeah, but that’s just because she’s an ancient automaton that has lived through a lot of stuff.  A lot of world events.  She’s maybe seen more than a Reaper like you.”

“Possibly.” Calliope understandingly placed a hand on the small gremlin’s shoulder.  “Hey, I’m really sorry if I offended you or made you think I thought any less of your best bud.  It’s obvious you two share a really rare and special bond.  That’s… well, I have a friend like that too.  She’s a Phoenix and I’ve had to watch her die and then live again quite a few times.  It…” she slowed up, staring out toward the ocean below, “it can make you appreciate a person like that, and thankful you have someone like that in your life.  Someone, who just, I guess, gives you perspective on a lot of things.”

“Yeah.”

The two stood on the cliff edge, both considering their dearest friends.

“I’m sorry if I got too upset,” Gigi brushed her hair aside, “I sometimes have anger management issues – or so, I was told that by someone.”

“Ah yeah, I’ve done some therapy sessions for folks.”

“Wow, Mori Calliope, you’re also a therapist?!”

“Well, yeah,” she snickered, “actually have a degree.”

“I might need a session.”

“Well, I’m on vacation.”

“Oh yeah, sorry.”

“It’s cool.  I have empathy problems – maybe because of my job as a Reaper, but I can still understand stuff.”

“You seem very empathetic and kind, Mori Calliope.”  She grinned so that her whole face lit up.

“Oh, gosh, you make it easy to be empathetic and kind because you seem like you are.”

The two looked at the other, taking in how soft and kind their eyes were in the darkening sky.  It was about to rain.

“I’m glad you’re a good person, Mori Calliope.”

“Well, you’ll have to get to know me better before you can say that.”

“No, I know these things.  It’s why I work with such good and just people.”

“Just… people?”

Gigi slammed her hand over her mouth.  “I misspoke.  I mean Cece…”  she stammered, “just one person that’s just, and that’s Cece - Cecilia Immergreen.  She’s just so just, like justice itself and only her, Cecilia Immergreen.  In fact, sometimes she’s called Immerkind because she’s so just and kind.”

“O……kay.” The Reaper raised an eyebrow.  The small gremlin was obviously acting suspicious.

Light drops of rain began.

“We should probably head back, Mori Calliope.”

“You really like my name, huh?”

“Do you not like your name, Mori Calliope?”

“Well, I hadn’t given it much thought.  It’s an alright name.  Now, I’ll hear your cadence every time I think of my name.”  She laughed, “it’s funny how your voice and presence is kind of contagious.”

“Like I’m a virus?”

“No, like you… you make… life easy.  Like, you make me feel very at ease.”

She jumped around, her tail wagging.  “That makes me very… happy, Mori Calliope!”

“Cool,” she patted her head.

Suddenly a torrential downpour hit, instantly pounding, and drenching every inch.

“Whoa!”

“Monsoon season,” Gigi waved, “hurry – let’s head back!”

They ran back down the hill, talking and laughing as the storm raged, because they were getting drenched.

It was harsh, but short-lived, and ended as they reached the hostel.

Cecilia walked out as they made it to the door.  She was followed by a small girl with round rat ears and bright red hair.

“Oh hi, Miss Mori.”

“Hello, Miss Immergreen.”

“Did you both have fun?”

“It was great.”  She looked over at the small girl that was obviously a rat-type of hybrid.

“Oh,” Cecilia quickly spoke, “forgive my manners. This is Hako Baelz – a good friend on the island.  She does a lot of odd jobs on the island.”

“Cool, I’m Mori Calliope.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Same.”

“Hey Bae.”

“Hi, Gigi.  You keepin’ out of trouble?”

“WHADDYA MEAN BY THAT HAEKO BAELZ?!?!?!”

“It’s just a question – geez.”  She laughed, “how are those anger management classes?”

“WHAT?!… why… I dOn’T NeEd ANGER MaNagEMenT!   You need… a better haircut.”

The small redhead kept snickering, since she’d gotten used to Gigi outbursts.  “I’ll see you later, Cece.”

“Okay, thank you Bae.”

“Sure, sure.”  She waved with a “nice meetin’ ya mate,” to Calli.

“Same, same, Bae.”

Calliope watched the small gremlin get angry, but then calm down instantly, and she realized she was definitely a gremlin.  She’d only met one other long ago.

The first few days passed with the three hanging out, eating some fantastic dinners prepared by Calliope in their kitchen, and talking over life on an island.  Calliope enjoyed the two friends’ company and began getting used to the locals.

There was the local convenience store/gas station owner, a lovely and tall magenta-haired woman with heterochromia named Irys.  Bae worked at her gas station on days she was needed. 

The local hospital, which was really just a small clinic, was run by a soft-spoken Nimi Nightmare.  She was a small baku, or tapir shaped nightmare eater, who went from a small tapir type creature at night to an actual full-sized, though petite, woman in the day.  It was in that form she was the local nurse practitioner in town.  \

There was a local maid café/bar that only opened three months out of the year, and it was closed during three of the four seasons.  She’d be back in the winter for Christmas– she was on a mission with a local bounty hunter, who was also the only law enforcement on the island, but then nothing ever happened, so she was gone a lot.  They were hunting down creatures in another dimension.  (That’s a whole ‘nother story for another time, and maybe a cameo later.)

When Cecilia explained the entire arrangement she nodded, not quite understanding half of what she said regarding a bounty hunter/sheriff that was only in the town three months out of the year.    But then, lots of things were odd in the world of the supernatural.

There was also the small trinket shop/museum on the island that was run by a pair, Ina, and Kronii.  There were rumors one of them, or possibly both, were in a relationship with the gas station owner.  

They were all goddesses, witches, magicians, or something like that.  Mori Calliope didn’t really care about local gossip.  She was on vacation.  

There was also the mysterious woman who ran the lighthouse.  Gigi told her she only came out at night and was a hikikamori, for the most part. 

Now this, did catch Calliope’s interest because her Reaper self would get these feelings in certain areas of the island.  She was sure it was only the supernaturalness, but unsure.  She was on vacation, after all.

 Again, this was an island of supernatural beings and creatures.

Three days had passed, and on the third day something very strange happened.  Calliope was enjoying the Onsen, the moon full and sitting high in the sky, when the wind picked up and the weather took a turn.  In an instant, every fiber of her Grim Reaper being lit up, and she hopped out of the Onsen, getting dressed.

When she ran into the hostel it was empty. 

She glanced across the area. 

“G?  Cece?”

Nothing. 

She heard a strange sound she hadn’t heard before.

She ran outside, ready for anything.

That’s when she felt it.  Something was most definitely not right.

The fog was thick. Rain fell hard and fast with the winds.  Thunder struck.  Lightning flashed dim lights along the murky grey.

A train whistle blew in the distance, covering the landscape.  The train’s wheels were shushing loudly across the tracks, as it raced toward the hostel, which had a platform in the back.

Calliope didn’t remember a train platform when she first arrived.  It was like something out of Harry Potter, with a small building that appeared, and railroad tracks that seemed to go on forever into the distance.

“Wow, when did that train get here?” she asked no one in particular.

Of course, the fog that filled the area made it all much eerier and creepy, in an almost otherworldly way. 

The only sound, a train whistling in the distance, the headlights of said train, and the ground shaking with the weight of the train speeding toward the platform, where Cece and Gigi were standing.

Calliope walked up, hearing the two discuss the train and seeming worried about its appearance.  She listened in on their harsh whispers.

Gigi, in her animated self, “Oh my god, I knew… I, I, I, I, I, I told you they were late.  Didn’t I tell you they were late?”  She began pacing, “I… I knew it!”

“Hold on, it could be anything.  Maybe the train needs gas.”

“GAS?!  Are you kidding me?!” Gigi raised her fists, which were covered in gauntlets.  “You and I both know that the D train only comes during emergencies!”

“Ssh.”

“I’m sssssh’ing and I’m very quiet.”

 Calliope watched the two.  She only comes in emergencies?  What was going on?

She then watched Cece place her arm over the shoulder of the gremlin, as they stood, very much together on the platform.  She realized they were comforting one another, and it only made it seem much more dire of an appearance.

Calliope knew this was a portal opened.  This train was entering from an entirely different dimension, and she instantly changed into her Grim Reaper form, ready for whatever was coming. 

“Man, I was supposed to be on vacation,” she said under her breath.  “Man… Kiara, you are really getting a talking to when I get back.”

Even the goddesses and Nimi Nightmare came out in her nurse uniform to see the commotion.

Bae walked up with her heavy Aussie accent, “Oy, I wonder what’s going on,” while munching on some chips.

Calliope looked over all the inhabitants, hands over their brows, under umbrellas, or wearing slickers, as the fog thickened and the rain became more torrential, lightning striking, thunder crashing and loud, and the air growing thicker and heavier with a feeling of dread.

Calliope knew this feeling: Death.

Chapter Text

Chapter Two  

The world held many dimensions and portals.  Two heroes traversed into one from another following the trail of one known as the Archivist.  A powerful being that could change the future path of one who paid her enough, or make memories disappear, if horrible enough. 

She had been born with a very special gift, and a special pair of scissors, that would become her burden.  When she was young, she thought it could help another, but through time she realized humans and creatures would always be greedy and cruel to get their own way. 

Soon, she realized, why bother?    

Because despite being able to change another’s future, or how much she could learn, she could never rewrite her own past or change the wheels of her own fate.  This was no longer a gift, but a curse.

While in the land of Great Exardia, a place known for its strongest and fiercest queen, she had searched for a clue of an unknown text.

That’s when she heard her, the beautiful Demon of Sound locked in a cage awaiting trial.  She was simply walking by when she heard her song.  Her voice was mesmerizing.  And despite what she was, or what others called her, the Archivist found she was truly one of the most loyal and kindest of demons (and she was WAY HOT) especially to the Archivist, Shiori Novella.

Also, for her life, she could not figure out why one so powerful could possibly be held in a flimsy cell of a human kingdom.  But then she saw the Queen, and kind of figured out why the Demon of Sound wanted to be where she was.

“You know, Rissa, we can leave and see the worlds.  Wouldn’t you prefer that?  Unrequited love never works out – so, I’ve found.”

“I guess so,” she slumped her shoulders, and then walked out of the cell. 

The two left. 

The two would travel from one dimension to another, bonding closer and closer until developing the type of friendship neither one had felt before.  It was quite nice.  

On their journey, passing through the Hell Lands, they met the guard dogs Fuwawa and Mococo Abyssgard, demon dogs who guarded a jail cell that held the Princess Bijou “Biboo” Koseki.  She was caught by the gods of their realm.

A gregarious and silly Princess born of the gems and minerals of the soil, fed by the raw emotion of living creatures. 

Through time, she became very strong, like the jewels she was born from. She and the guard dogs, Fuwawa and Mococo became good friends, and when they met the Archivist, they didn’t wish for anything, just asked if they could travel with them and go on a grand adventure.  Easily, these three strong beings couldn’t be held by a jail cell, even one formed by gods.

Sounded like a plan. 

So, they traveled through lands, making money, changing futures, erasing pasts, stealing jewels (mostly Biboo), causing disruption, and having a good time.  Because friendship makes everything better.

But they eventually caught the attention of the gods, who didn’t like those who messed around with time, dimension, or life in general

Both good and evil gods watched closely.  In fact, there were those who only wanted destruction and death.  A curse was formulated by those evil and cruel things beneath the surface of dimensions, and the evil gods would not rest until they corrupted the hearts and souls of the five adventurers, who were becoming known as Advent (because they liked to adventure). 

They were abusing their evil gift to simply have fun.  Evil wouldn’t stand for that.  And thus, evil wanted to follow them and corrupt them… at any cost.

The Very Upset Red Queen

Elizabeth Rose Bloodflame was loved by her kingdom.  She was good and kind, but also noble and just.  She saw many things in black and white, despite at times being more light or dark grey.

When the Devilish Diva of Sound, Nerissa Ravencroft left her kingdom she felt affronted because she was only being held for a traffic ticket and had no need to escape.  But also, because her advisors told her there was a great evil that was coming, led by the one who freed the demon – the Archivist – truly the most dangerous creature created.

She formed the group, Advent, and they would be the cause of upheaval and horrors across time and dimensions, eventually the destruction of time itself.

She knew she had to stop them.

Her top advisor told her she could entrust her kingdom to him, and if help was needed, he could always seek out the leaders of Libestal, just a hop skip and dimension away.

She agreed.  What could go wrong?

So, she left her Kingdom in the hands of her loyal subjects to find other great warriors to fight alongside her and fight this evil group and stop their corruption. 

That was when she formed Justice and made their headquarters on the hidden and supernatural Island of Holios.

She had found on the island the fastest chaser and the strongest, wisest and highly intelligent ancient automaton.  At the same time, a big cat, Raora Panthera, with quick reflexes and the god eyes was taking a vacation at the hostel and joined because they asked. She had nothing better to do.

Back to Present – Curses and Romance

“I can’t believe they came here,” Elizabeth Bloodflame stated to the cat.  “It’s very odd.”

“Yeah, everyone is so square.” 

“That’s not what I meant.”

“But they are – look at that guy over there.  He is very squarish.”

“Oh yes, well, that’s true.” She chuckled.  “When I was little, I would travel to Libestal and became a knight here – youngest female.” She swung her large broad sword around, before re-sheathing. “Ah, yes it was quite the fun times, sparring and such.”

“Sounds impressive.  I’ve never been here.”

“Well, really not much to see.  They serve a lot of potato salad and slime jelly – not my favorite.”

“I see…”  The cat’s eyes glowed a bright golden yellow, as the sky darkened, clouds formed, and what looked to be dark creatures sprouting from the sky itself.

“Yes, quite the interesting…”

“No – look!” Raora yelled, pointing in the distance.  “It’s them!”

“Oh.”

Elizabeth also finally noticed. 

Raora pointed, “Isn’t that the five we are after?”

A large steam train was pulled up to the station.  Advent was headed toward the D Train.  A magically enhanced train that could travel through any dimension.  It had only one rule – no fighting, whether good or evil, while onboard.  It also was the only thing that was cloaked in any dimension and could not be harmed.  It was truly blessed by the stars above.

“It looks like they’re trying to get away.”  Elizabeth unsheathed her sword Thorn, and ran, the big cat following.

Raora looked over at the sky and the weird creatures.  “I don’t like this feeling.”  In fact, her hackles were raising along her neck and tail, tingling.  “Something is not right.”

“Of course, pure evil is afoot.”

Multiple dark creatures began swarming the five, as they neared the train.

“I think… they’re trying to escape,” Raora stated.

Elizabeth nodded, “Of course, they know we’re onto them.”

“No, I mean… I think they’re trying to escape those creepy dark things that are shooting at them with dark black and red bolts of lightning.  They’re trying to make it to the safety of the D Train.”

“Well…” Elizabeth squinted trying to see what the cat could see.  “I’m sure they are simply attracting the evil with their own evilness.”

The sky felt heavy, as if gravity was pulling and the atmosphere was pushing down.  Raora with her feline senses, could feel it.  She could see the creatures growing in number and surrounding the five.   

One after another fell out of the sky like torrents of rain, and the five were each taking on around 20 each.

“What is going on?” Raora asked quietly.  Her cat senses were on overdrive.

Soon, Elizabeth and Raora caught up with the five, who were busy fighting off the dark creatures.

“Oh, it’s you,” Nerissa smiled seeing the beautiful queen.  She had always caught her eye, even when she was in her Kingdom as a prisoner, she would see the queen walk by and never had she seen one more beautiful.  It was the only reason she stayed as long as she had in her kingdom – just to catch a glimpse.  She also had a thing for redheads.

“Yes, you demon witch.  I’ve finally caught up to you.”

“Watch out!”

She stepped in front, raising her staff, blocking one of the red lightning bolts.

“I don’t need your help.”

She then returned the favor blocking two bolts with her mighty sword, Thorn.

“Thank you, your majesty.”

“It’s just Sir Bloodflame now.”

“Oh my, you’re so strong.”

“Stop trying to bewitch me.”

The tall and strikingly beautiful queen could not help noticing the beauty of the demoness, and she was fighting with everything to stay on task, since now all seven were battling the creatures that grew to hundreds surrounding them.

“It seems you’re attracting these creatures,” Elizabeth stated, fighting alongside the strikingly beautiful demoness.

“Oh really,” her voice was very smooth, as she was pushed back by a dark creature, bumping shoulder to shoulder, “is that all I’m attracting?”

“Stop trying to bewitch me.”

“Oh, I’m simply stating fact, mighty and strong queen.”

“I’m no longer a queen.  I stepped down.”

“You are so beautiful – I can’t believe you aren’t a queen.”

The two nearly got stabbed, as they went back and forth parlaying with words and weaponry that one might think was foreplay.

Every one creature they killed it seemed two more multiplied.  The others could be heard in the background also fighting.

“What are these things?” Elizabeth asked.  “They are endless!”

“They were here when we were called by someone who wanted to change their future, and we soon realized… ugh,” she struck three at once with her staff, “it was a set… Ughhhh… up, there’s too many!”

“Indeed, demoness, we need to…” she instantly had to strike down more coming at them.

“Watch out!” Biboo grabbed Shiori, and pulled her onto the train, as the twin dogs growled at the big cat.

“Fuwawa and Moco-chan, you need to get onboard now!” Shiori yelled from the steps at the back of the train.  “It’s going to leave!  It’s going to leave!  We need to get on the train!”

The conductor was yelling, “ALL ON BOARD – DEPARTING IN 2 MINUTES!”

She was mostly directing her yelling toward Nerissa, who she could see was beside the tall knight.  Ugh, that was so much like her.  She knew she had a thing for redheads.

“Bau Bau,” Fuwawa and Mococo said in unison, within moments jumping onto the top of the train.  Raora leapt up, following, not wanting to let the doggos out of her sight.

Elizabeth was conflicted, guarding the demoness with Thorn, as the demoness held out her staff.  Both were unsure whether they should be striking at the other or the hundreds of creatures.

Rain continued to plummet them, as they stood facing each other, consistently needing to melee the bolts and constant attacks.

And when they looked into one another’s eyes, as the rain fell harshly, parrying with ease everything that came their way, it was like time stopped.

“You’re something else,” Nerissa said, “and I mean that.”

“You… as well.  Your fighting is quite… impressive.”

The train’s whistle went off, signaling it was pulling out.  Once it was gone, no one knew when it would return.

“Elizabeth!” Raora yelled from the top of the train, as she stood across from the dog twins.  “WE HAVE TO GO!!!  What is she doing? Lei a pazza.”

“I know!” Elizabeth gritted her teeth.  “Shoot, let’s go demoness!”

She looked over and Nerissa could see Shiori and Biboo yelling for her to hurry.

“NERISSA!!!” Biboo yelled, “COME ON!!!  Sheesh, stop flirting already, dang it!”

She turned to leave, and Nerissa followed, laughing because she could hear Biboo muttering.

Within a step a dark shadow formed overhead. A creature the size of the train itself fell from the sky.

The train whistle blew once more.

Elizabeth pushed the demoness as hard as possible toward the train, out of the way of the creature.

It crushed her underneath, her sword slicing upward, enough to keep her partially free from being completely squished.

It was shaped like a giant chicken octopus, maybe.  It was big.  Its tentacles slapped up toward the train, but it was shocked back and away.  Again, this was a very specially protected train.

The group watching, as the engine, smoke billowing, was ready to leave Libestal. They were all screaming.

Nerissa instantly spied the ex-queen under the creature.  She shot at it with her staff and in one swift movement, pulled her out from underneath.  Pulling and lifting her out, she hoisted the knight up to carry her back to the train.

“What are you doing?!” Shiori yelled from the train.

“I got it!” Nerissa laughed, making a quick movement to the train and made it just in time.

Raora grabbed Elizabeth from her arms, pulling her just as the train pulled away. 

The creature shot something bright and incandescent, a blueish light toward the ones trying to escape, just as it left the station.

They pulled the injured knight into the train, and Nerissa fell inside, just behind.

“We… wow, that was… close” Nerissa looked up smiling at her dear friend, the Archivist, “we…made,” her eyes went blank as her body collapsed onto the train’s floor.

“Nerissa?!” the Bau Bau twins said in unison.

“Oh my god,” Biboo rushed to the ground, grabbing her up in her arms. 

Shiori fell to her knees, blood pooling around where she fell.  Slowly, “no,” fell from her lips.

The train rushed through dimensions, within the blink of an eye, moving faster than the speed of light and thought, moving this way and that, as the ones inside dealt with their injured friends, numb.

Raora lifted Elizabeth to a seat, lying her across.  “Elizabeth, can you hear me?”

“Uh,” she groaned, “I… I might have broken something… a few things.”

“You were knocked out for a little bit.”

“I… see.”

She lay there, turning her head, “Where is… the…” she then glanced over at Advent.  That’s when she saw them gathered round the dark-haired beauty.  Something inside hurt greatly at the sight.

Raora, a kind cat despite fighting the bad guys, sadly stated, “she saved you… and that thing got her – it looked like it shot her in the back.”

“I… see.  But how?” 

Elizabeth knew she was a powerful demon.  How could something hurt her with simply one shot?

“Tickets?”

All turned their heads to the conductor, a fat green roundish creature with a small engineer’s cap.  “Tickets please.”

“Um…” Raora searched through her clothes, “Um… can we pay once we get to the Island of Holios?”

“Kick them out!” The short stubby creature was already ready to open the door. “Out, out, out – no ticket – no ride!”

“Wait a minute, Kippu.” A smiling conductor, small and petite with blonde hair and a cute engineer’s outfit and hat atop her head, “Hold up, I need to take that one,” she pointed to Nerissa, “to Nurse Nimi on the Island of Holios, so we can’t kick them out.  I also know, this one,” she pointed to Biboo, “can pay for the trip.”  She grinned, suddenly standing closely next to the gem Princess, “right?”

“Oh, yeah, of course.” She dug through her clothing, and then handed her a bag of gems, “Dang it!”

“Thank you.  Enjoy our complimentary snacks and drink at the back.  We’ll be there shortly.”

The ride was quiet, as Raora sat beside Elizabeth, nursing broken ribs and arm, as they watched the other five closely, caring over Nerissa.

“We have to make her comfortable,” Fuwawa said sadly.

“Yeah,” Moco-chan added, and then in unison they both said, “bau bau.”

Shiori was very quiet, as she simply straightened up the makeshift bedding for her friend, covering her gently with the blanket the conductor provided. 

She bent down whispering in her ear, “It will be okay, Rissa, we’ll get you help soon.  Just… just hold on.  Something cursed, came.”  Almost angrily, “they… were waiting.”

“Can’t you just write her a different story?” Biboo asked.

“This already happened,” Shiori said, “I wish… I wish I could change the present.”

This pain was crushing.  This always happened, no matter how many futures she could change, she could never change a present already in motion, she could only document and archive.

That’s when Raora noticed, “What is that on your friend?”

“What?”

Shiori looked down at Nerissa, her body looked to have a blackish blue crust moving slowly over her skin.

“It’s like she’s infected,” Biboo added, “that thing must have shot her with some kind of poison or something.”

Within an instant the Kippu guy was in a hazmat suit, waving at them, “back away, back away, we must contain all viruses.”

“She’s not a virus,” Biboo shouted.  “That’s very rude of you to say.”

“Strict train policy.”  In a second, he had a bubble in his hand and with a quick strike it covered over Nerissa.

 “Whoa,” Biboo was ready to shoot him with her gems, “you can’t make her a bubble boy.”

“Strict train policy.”

“Where’s the cute blonde conductor?”

“Driving the train, of course.”

“Maybe,” Shiori held onto Biboo’s arm.  “We should let them do their protocol.  It won’t hurt her, and I understand they have to take precautions.”  She turned to Kippu.  “Will we be where we need to go to care for her soon?”

He looked at his watch.  “Half past midnight.”

She sighed.  “Okay.”

Raora and Elizabeth watched, considering what was happening. 

Elizabeth recalled how she saved her, despite having to take the brunt of whatever was shot at them.  What was that thing growing across her lovely body? 

“I mean…”

“Huh,” Raora asked her friend.

“I’m sorry, did I say that out loud?”

“What?”

“Oh, nothing.”  She watched her lying so still.  “I was just concerned for the demoness… since we need her alive.”

Raora nodded. “Yeah.”  She brushed at the knight’s hair, “you should rest too.  You were crushed by that thing.”

“Yes… yes, you’re right.”

But she couldn’t help but stare over at the beauty lying under the bubble, like some fairy tale princess in a deep sleep.  If only she could kiss her and wake her up….

“What did you say?” Raora asked again.

“Oh… huh, did I say that out loud?”

“What?” Raora was finding her friend acting extremely odd since they got on this train.  Perhaps it was all the dimension jumping.

“I think I just might have a slight concussion.  I’ll just rest.”

“I’ll go to the back and get you a drink.”

“Yes, please a coffee would be nice. I shouldn’t fall asleep with a concussion.”

“Ah, that’s right.  You’re so smart. And you love coffee.  That’s why we work so well together, Elizabeth.  You have such good taste.”

She nodded, but her eyes couldn’t stop wandering toward the sleeping beauty.

Shiori saw the cat walking to the back, so she told Biboo to excuse her and keep a close eye on Nerissa.  She needed to go get a cup of coffee too.

Walking in the back car there was seating and a small counter with Kippu serving the drinks.

“This guy gets around,” Shiori said to no one in particular.

They both asked for a coffee and Raora got a cup to go for Elizabeth. 

“I’m sorry about your friend,” Raora said caringly.

“Yeah, same.”  She sipped her coffee slowly. 

They uncomfortably looked at the other, unsure what to say. 

“Well, this is awkward.”

“Yeah,” Raora put a bit more cream and sugar in her coffee.  “I don’t really feel like fighting you guys.”

“Well, maybe you should have thought of that before you tried to kill us and got Rissa hurt by attacking us.”

“I…” Raora’s eyes blinked, “we didn’t mean for your friend to get hurt. And Elizabeth also got hurt.”

“Rissa was protecting your friend.  If you wouldn’t have held us up we would have made it to this train and left before they gathered in number… and…” Shiori was ready to leave.  “Just… stay away from us.  We haven’t done anything to your group, and you keep following us.”

“You are cursed creatures who will bring about the end of the world.”

“That’s… so wrong.”  Shiori’s eyes lowered, “you’re wrong – I… I have to go.”

She left the car to go back with the others.  Raora stood there with her coffee and then prepared Elizabeth’s cup before it got cold.  She really didn’t like fighting and began to wonder if maybe they were doing the wrong thing as Justice.

She needed to bring the cup of coffee to Elizabeth, and the rest of the trip they’d all be very quiet.  The others went to the back for snacks and drinks, as Raora quietly sat beside her injured friend.

Elizabeth noted that she was much quieter and thoughtful when she returned.  She wanted to ask her what happened, but she figured she would wait until they got back to the Island of Holios.  She was really feeling the broken bones, at this point, despite being in good shape, she was very human.  She was looking forward to medical attention.

But each time she looked over, Nerissa’s poison, or whatever was on her, had grown a bit more, so that it was going up along her neck and near her beautiful face, truly one of the most beautiful faces she’d ever seen, with eyes that swirled into an intense lavender, with that one beauty mark, only adding to her beauty.

“What?” Raora asked.

“Oh bollucks, did I say that out loud again?”

The big cat blinked, unsure of what was going on with her friend.  This was truly a weird trip, and she could hardly wait to get back to the Island and rest in her own bed.

Chapter Text

Chapter Three 

The train came to metallic scraping stop. All wheels were braking and the steam engine, thick and groaning, halted.

Mori Calliope heard panicked voices, lifting and trying to explain the appearance of the random train.

Light of the full moon broke through the clouds.  Slowly.  Methodically.

The fog dissipated, and everyone from town was gathered on the platform talking all at once.

Calliope stood just at the bottom of the platform, close enough to listen in and watch what would come next.

The conductor stepped off the engine. She was petite, with a short blonde bob and a cute engineer’s outfit of navy-blue coat over shorts, with hat atop her head, small goggles along the brim.

Kronii spoke with the conductor briefly.  The attendants with stretchers came and lifted two patients from the train onto the gurneys, Nimi Nightmare directing them on placing needed IV’s and such.

Irys and Kronii were pointing and arguing, while Ina fidgeted with a small spinner, and Bae kept munching on snacks that just seemed to appear.

Nurse Nimi ignored them, despite their constant attempt at directing her, and only concentrated on her patients.

After discussing logistics with Nimi, the cute engineer headed toward the Grim Reaper.

“Oh no,” Calliope was ready to tell her she’s on vacation and those two are not dying… yet.

Instead, smiling, with a large welcoming gaze, she walked up to the Reaper.

“Long time no see, Calli.”

“Huh?”

“It’s me.”

“A… Dooby?!  This is your train?”

“Yep.” She nodded with a quick wink, “only one that travels through portals.  I had a patient that urgently needed to see Nurse Nimi. Only she has” she grinned her dimple indenting, “that special touch.”

“Wow… how did I know it was you?”

“You’re a reaper.”

“Oh yeah.”  She laughed.  “I handled a weird triple reincarnation once – the gal just kept dying.  Funny how these things just pop up in my head.”

The blonde giggled, she truly was happy to see an old friend.

When Calli looked over she could see Gigi and Cecilia at the side of the redhead on the other stretcher, along with the cat girl.

“Oh man, who’s the demon with the dark hair?  And that redhead… kind ‘a looks familiar. They’re not doing so well.”

“No, they are not.  One’s mostly human and the other is a demon with some strange illness.  She is a powerful being and so is Nurse Nimi – so we got a much better chance she’ll make it.  I really tried to get them here as quickly as I could.”

“Always looking at the positive and always doing the right thing.”

Dooby wrapped Calliope Mori in a big hug.  She reciprocated, a near tear falling from her eye it had been so long.

“I thought you were…  after our last time – battle really.”

“I thought so too.  But the gods of the stars above wanted me to live again and here I am.”  Dooby had a way of making everything positive. “I’m thankful I can finally have my train.”

“You did love trains.”

“Yep.  And I really love what I’m doing right now.”

“I can see that.”

Calli could see her slim whip of a tail, and realized reincarnating sometimes meant all types of changes with supernatural creatures. 

“I’m truly happy it’s you.  I was expecting something more evil or dangerous with this feeling.”

“Well,” Dooby glanced across the area, pausing.

“Who are they?  The redhead and the dark-haired one?  I’m curious.”

“I’m sure you’ll find out soon enough.  One is the Demon of Sound, Nerissa Ravencroft, and the other was the queen of Great Exardia.”

“Ah, they had a queen?”

“Yes.  Elizabeth Rose Bloodflame.” 

“Yeah, I don’t really keep up with the tabloid stuff.”

“She was known as the Scarlet Queen.  She retired around six months ago.” 

Calliope half-listened to Dooby, while also listening to Gigi and Cecilia talking to a beautiful pink cat-type creature, with glowing eyes, since it was night; they were nocturnal beings.

“It was a mess,” Raora said with a strong accent, heavy and emotional with all that happened, explaining with lots of hand movements, “It all happened so fast, and there were these strange creatures in Libestal, and that’s where we met up with Advent and the train, and then it was all so fast.  Everything was shooting at us, and it felt so strange, and they wouldn’t leave us alone.  Libestal was… was… there were so many - everywhere.  Elizabeth was hurt with the demon.”

“You must be in shock,” Cece stated, “you should head to the hostel… get some sleep.”

“… no, I want to check on Elizabeth. She took a bad turn.  I should have… I don’t know – do something more.”

Cece took her hand, “you did all you could and she’s here.”

Gigi turned to look over at Calliope.  She had this look in her eyes; unlike the carefree gremlin she’d seen in the past.  She knew that look.  It was because she was the Grim Reaper.  It didn’t take long. 

“She’s wondering if I’m here to take her friend,” Calliope said, “man.”

Dooby instantly turned to see her and the gremlin exchanging looks.

“She trusts you.”

“You mean little G?”

“If that’s the little gremlin there, then yes.”

“I don’t know why she would.”

Gigi turned and then left with Cece and Raora to the wellness center.

“Hey Calli, I have to head out,” Dooby cut in.

“What?  No, you just got here.  Can’t you stay and chat a bit – let me know how things are going as the conductor on the D Train?  I’m on vacation and we can hang out.”

“Ah, wish I could. But…” she lifted a finger up toward the wind.  “Looks like things are happening and I might be needed somewhere else.”  She winked, “I’m sure you’re where you need to be right now.”

“Well, this is a place Kiara booked.”

“Oh wow, how’s she doing?”

“Same… kind of a birdbrain.”

“Ah,” she laughed, “despite that she’s pretty intuitive about a lot of things – including relationships.” She pats her on the shoulder, “maybe you’ll find a special someone on this vacay.” She glanced back to where the gremlin left.

“Sigh, probably not.”  She shrugged her shoulders, “Hey, I’m happy being on my own.”

She lifted a brow, smirking, “sure.”  She then laughed, “I’ll pass here again, especially if there’s another medical emergency.  Wouldn’t want to miss my chance to see Nurse Nimi.”

“Whoa, you and the nurse?”

“Well… I bring her patients every now and then.”

“Ah, just an ambulance train.  I see.”

“At times.  I have a good ghost friend that suddenly appeared on my train one cold and rainy night.  She has a strange case of ghostliness because she can actually become corporeal at times – funny story – it’s all because of a soul mate that tethered her here.”

“I’m sure it is.  See?  That’s why you should stay here for a bit.  You can tell me the story cause now I’m curious.”

“You’re always curious – it’s why you are who you are – truly a hero.”

“I’m a Grim Reaper.”

“Hey, heroes can be anyone.  I’ll see you again.”  Dooby waved to her friend and then hopped back on the train, disappearing into the fog in an instant.

“Wow, that’s kind of cool. It's like a ghost train.”

Calliope looked back at the other townsfolk chatting about the occurrences.  She couldn’t get over the sad face she’d seen on someone she grew to like so much in a short while.  Poor G.

She turned quickly when she could hear the others raising their voices.

“How can you not know?” Kronii asked Irys.  “I mean, the D train is here. There is a demon that could have some strange illness – an unknown curse – how do we know it’s not contagious?  We should be quarantining the whole lot of them.”

“It’s not contagious, or Nimi would have told us so,” Irys pa’sha’ed.  “Oh, my goodness, you always get so frazzled over the silliest things.”

“Silly?  I am the mayor of this town, and I’m just being cautious as a leader.”

Irys rolled her eyes.

“You always do this.  And then… and then everything implodes.  This could be the beginning of the prophecy.”

“Prophecy – come on, you believe that?”

“Of course, Ina knows.  Ina, tell her.”

“What?”

“About the prophecy and what the ancients are saying.”

Instead, she asked, “Bae, do you have any more chips?”

“Ah, sure.  Here,” she handed her a bag.

“OH MY GOD, you all are useless! Ina’s lost her mind, and you all have gotten complacent.  And you call yourself a goddess.”  She pointed to Irys.

“Ssh,” Bae dropped her bag of chips.  “Oh darn.  Those were my fave.””

“Ughhhh!” She turned to leave, “and by the way, Irys, you can just sleep over at Ina’s place.”

“But you live in my house that I bought.”

“Then… then… I’ll stay at the hostel tonight.”

Calliope couldn’t help but laugh watching them go on and on.  Maybe she did want to find out more about the drama on the island.

The mayor stopped and then stomped back.  “I just want you all to know you cannot mess with time and make it do what you want.  It’s probably that Archivist.  She’s too powerful.  She’s been messing around with time one too many times.  I should have had her locked up a long time ago.”

“Well, now, let’s not jump to conclusions,” Bae said, handing her a small candy, “here, have a Reeses Pieces.”

She smacked it out of her hand.  “I don’t want a freakin’ candy!”

“Look, Mayor, you can’t just go around lockin’ everyone up.”

“I’m the Time Warden, you bet your sweet tooth I can.”

Calliope suddenly realized, those are… the goddesses of time, chaos, good and evil.  And the Guardian of the ancient text. Boy, they certainly settled into domestic life after that last war.

“Ah man, Kiara, that’s why you booked me a room here?  I just wanted a vacation.  Darn.  I hope I don’t have to get mixed up in another end of world scenario.”

The Amazing Nimi Nightmare’s Wellness Center

“When can we see her?” Biboo asked.  “That guy made her a bubble boy.  Is she out of the bubble?”

“Yeah, yeah,” the dog twins spoke in unison, shaking their heads, “bau bau.”

Nimi held up her large pipe, it swirling with green smoke, encircling those nearby.  “Yes, the bubble is gone.  It’s not contagious.”

She was a small little nurse, her tapir form in the evening.

“I need time to do work.  This needs very special attention.”  She looked over the four.  “You all should get a room at the local hostel and get some rest.  I’ll have to work through the night, and you won’t be able to see her for a few days, I’m sure.”

“That long?” Shiori asked.

“We don’t want to rush and need to know exactly what we’re dealing with, or it will all be worse.”

“But she was shot!” Biboo exclaimed.

“Yeah, yeah,” Fuwawa said, and Mococo followed with, “…in the back.”

“Oh, that’s not the problem.   That’s already healed.” Nimi took a puff from her pipe. “It’s the thing that entered her – that’s the problem.”

In unison, “WHAT?!”’

“We have to get it out,” Nimi looked up at Shiori.  “I know you are concerned – you all are – but we have to be careful with this sort of thing.”

“What… entered her?” Shiori asked, the weight of her own thoughts and findings from very ancient texts in Great Exardia underlying.

Before Nimi could answer, the three Justice members entered the hallway, after visiting Elizabeth who hadn’t woken up.

Cecilia spoke up, “I heard they want a room.  They can’t stay at our place, but there is an empty jail in town.  I’m sure they can be accommodated there.”

“Yeah,” Gigi added, her voice loud, “They’re the reason Liz is hanging on for her life and I don’t want them in our hostel!”

“We’re not staying in your filthy jail.”  Biboo struck a princess pose.

“Bau Bau.  Yeah.”

“And Nerissa saved your redheaded friend,” Biboo flicked her wrist, pointing out, “you should be grateful she got her back to you.  Just ask the cat.”  She stepped up to Raora, “Tell them cat.”

Raora nodded, taken aback at the cute little gem princess.  “Yeah, she pretty much did that.”

“I wish we’d all stop fighting,” Gigi said.

“You’re the one who started it!”

“I… DID… NOT!”

Cecilia physically held her back.  “It’s okay, Gigi.  Yeah, you’re right. This doesn’t help anything.  What’s Elizabeth’s prognosis doctor?”

“I’m not a doctor.  I’m a… specialist of sorts.”  Nimi took another puff of her pipe, the green smoke swirling around the area, a light smell of pine, mint and something indistinct.  “Your friend has had everything set.  She has a cast on her arm, ribs have been loosely wrapped, and she won’t be wielding any swords for a while.  But her head is what we need to watch.  We don’t want any unnecessary fluid rolling around – brain bleeds and such.”

“Huh?”

“It’s okay, Raora…” Cecilia assured, “Gigi, it’s just precautionary stuff.”

“WHAT?!  Her brain is bleeding?!?!?!”

“Gigi,” Cecilia held at her arm, “it’s just precautionary.”

“Well, can’t you just suck it out of her head, doctor?!”

“Again, I’m not a doctor.”  Nimi took another puff of her pipe, “um… no. And it’s not a sure thing – we’re just keeping an eye on her.  It’s an extremely small possibility.  That’s why we have to watch her overnight.”

“I’m sure she’ll be fine, Gigi.” Shiori said, in a very kind voice, “she is a very strong person.”

Her voice had a calming effect on the gremlin. 

“Thank you.”

“You should all get some rest also.  Miss Bloodflame and Miss Ravencroft will still be here in the morning.  Visiting hours start at 10 am.”

Shiori spoke quietly.  “We just need a place to sleep tonight.  We have to be able to look in on Nerissa, and so, please?”  She looked at Cece and then Gigi and Raora.  “Can we have a room at your place?  Biboo can pay.”

“Wait… what?”

Shiori shot a glance at the gem Princess quickly.

“Yeah, I can pay.”

“Our prices are rather high on such short notice.” Cecilia smirked, lifting her hand to her mouth, giggling evilly.

  “Dang it.”

Later in the evening…

There were so many at the hostel now.  Even the Mayor said she was checking in because of a problem with her SO.  The lingo of these kids nowadays.  Calliope just wanted a quiet vacation.  She’d have to meet the new people in the morning, probably during breakfast.

Right now, she just wanted some peace and quiet, so she left the hostel and went for a walk down toward the ocean.

She stood at the edge of the dock, crossing her arms, thinking over the past wars.  Losing a very close friend.  The resetting of the world.  She wondered why Kiara would book her a room on this island, once again.  It changed a bit, and she hadn’t really noticed.  But it was most definitely the same place.

Everything had changed.  It was all so quiet and calm until the train arrived.  The goddesses, like most powerful beings, got complacent.  She figured they probably weren’t needed, and so they just were taking it easy on the Island of the gods, Holios.

She was finally enjoying some time off, and then this happened.  She wondered if there was more to what she overheard Raora the cat explaining to G and Cece.  What did she mean by a bunch of dark creatures attacking them?

“Ah man, I am too curious for my own good.”

She pulled out her phone, wanting to call Kiara, but not wanting to bother if this was nothing.

“Hey.”

She jumped and then turned quickly to the voice.

“Hey, G.  You surprised me.”

“Sorry.”

“No, it’s cool.”

The little gremlin’s hair was down, and the wind blew her interesting brunette locks this way and that.  She really was cute, and her long lashes in the moonlight made her actually look attractive.  It was unexpected. 

“You, okay?  You didn’t say my whole name.”

She nodded.  “I didn’t expect Liz to be hurt.”

“She’s a strong person.”

“The strongest.  She has this blue flame from how strong and valiant her heart is, but it started to fade.  I’d never seen that.  It was just like… flickering.  It was weird.”

“Hey,” she placed a hand on her shoulder.  “I would know if it was worse and I have no reaper tingles – so, she’ll be fine.”

She nodded again, and then sat down on the dock, her feet dangling over the edge above the water.  Calliope joined, sitting beside her.

“What’s going on?  You can always talk to me.”

“Yeah, I know.  You have that way about you.  Like I said, you’re very kind and good, Mori Calliope.”

“Ah, I try to be.”

Gigi unexpectedly nuzzled up close to her.  She leaned her head on her shoulder.  “You’re surprisingly warm.”

“Why? Cause I’m a Grim Reaper?”

“Yeah – but you’re not very grim.”  She finally giggled lightly.  “Mori Calliope.”

“Oh, okay.”  She chuckled lightly, liking when she said her name. 

Calliope looked up at the full moon low in the sky.  It was nearing around 2 am.  All the excitement dragged into the next day.  She’d have to call Kiara later.  She would have to figure out the time difference.  She was down in the south, and Calliope was in the north.  She hated having to figure out time zones.

But she really had questions that she wanted answers for.

“We should head back and get some sleep.  You need your rest, G.”

There was no answer.

“Hey…” she looked down at the sleeping gremlin, whose head lolled over and onto her lap.

“Sigh.” She ran a hand across her soft little head of hair.  “Come on, kiddo.” She lifted her up in her arms and carried her back to the hostel.

Walking along with the slight creature in her arms, made her feel strange.  No, that wasn’t really it.  It was more… happy.  Looking down at her thick lashes and funny smile, a bit of her sharp tooth peeking out from her lips.  It was just… endearing.   She couldn’t help but smile.

She liked her, but she knew that she would always just be the big sister or auntie.  Rarely did anyone think of her as anything more.  That was her life… or death.

When she entered the hostel, it was quiet. She really didn’t want to wake the little gremlin, and she wasn’t sure if Cecilia was awake.  Everyone had probably been pretty busy.

So, she took Gigi to her room and laid her down on her bed.

“Man, you’re a sound sleeper,” she whispered.

The gremlin let out a snore, rolling to her back, sprawling out.  It made the reaper laugh quietly.

“Man, this girl is too cute for her own good.”

She pulled up the blanket, covering her, and then left for the couch in the main room.

“Guess, I’ll be sleeping here tonight.”

She made her makeshift bed and laid down.

She was tall and it wasn’t the most comfortable arrangement.

She moved this way and that, pulling up the throw blanket. 

“Man, I hope I don’t get a crick in my neck.”

After quite a while, she finally fell asleep.

Morning has broken… something

“Mori Calliope, you’re so warm.”

“Huh?” She turned and then fell off the couch.

“Whoa, G, what are you doing?!”

“I’m keeping warm.”  She was wrapped around her waist, as they both lay on the floor.

“Whoa, when did you get here?!”

“I don’t know.  I was in your bed and then I saw you sleeping and I wanted to sleep here next to you because you’re really warm and felt nice.” She winked, “really nice.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.”  She pushed her slightly, despite her feeling really good next to her.  “You shouldn’t be doing that.”

“What?”

“That.  Sleeping with me.”

“Why?  You’re my friend.  I sleep with Cece.”

“Okay, I’m not wanting to come between you and Cece.”

“You aren’t.  Cece is in her room so, it’s just us, Mori Calliope.”

The reaper rubbed at her forehead. “Man, maybe I’m just having a dream.”

“OW!”

“I pinched you Mori Calliope.”

“Yeah, it hurt!”

“See?  You’re not having a dream.”

Calliope hopped to her feet, running her hands through her hair.  “Okay, you gotta go.  This isn’t right.”

“I’m like hundreds of years old.  How old are you?”

“Pretty… darn old.”

“So, we are both consenting adults in our hundreds, Mori Calliope.  You obviously want me bad.”

“Whoa now.”

“You put me in your bed.”

“Cause you needed a place to sleep!” She kept running her hands through her hair, “Man, oh man.”

“Hm,” she nuzzled up next to her, grabbing around her waist, burying her head just under her bosom.  “I think it was something else.”

“Look,” she placed her hand on her head, pushing very slightly, because part of her didn’t want her to stop holding around her. “I think… I think you have the wrong idea.”

Just then the door opened.

“Look who is surprising…” Kiara’s countenance dropped “…you?”

“Ki…Ki…ara?”

“Kiara?” Gigi asked. 

“That’s me.”  She laughed, dropping her bags on the floor.  “And… I have great timing.” 

Chapter Text

Chapter Four

Elizabeth opened her eyes slowly, lying in the hospital bed.  She glanced to the right and then the left.

“Definitely a hospital,” she spoke to herself.

She looked over the IV and monitors.  She could see her arm in a cast.   

“This won’t do.”  She maneuvered her broken arm, able to use her hand, and pulled out the IV, lifting up to sitting on the bed, and ready to leave.

A small alarm went off at the nurse’s station, and a buxom blue-haired nurse walked into the room.

“Miss Bloodflame?”

“It is Lady Bloodflame.”

“Oh, sorry.”

Elizabeth sat at the edge of the bed.

“I just need my clothes, please. This hospital smock simply won’t do.”

“But… you have to be released first.”

“I don’t believe I’m a prisoner, so I am going to leave.”  She stood, and then instantly collapsed to the floor.

The nurse was instantly on her knees, in front of the ex-queen.  Her breasts nearly touched her face.  It did not pass Elizabeth’s attention.  She was quite endowed.

“Didn’t realize I was so dizzy.”

“No, that’s me!”

The ex-queen didn’t quite understand but then saw the name tag.

“Oh,” she laughed, “your name, Dizzy.  Yes, I’m just very unbalanced – must be whatever drugs I was given.”

“Let me help you up.  I’m new here and would hate to make a bad impression dropping my patient.”

“Yes, wouldn’t want that.”

She helped her to sit back on the bed, helped lift her legs onto the bed and then covered her with the blanket.

“There you go.  Feel better?”

“I’m not a child.”

“Neither am I.”

Her countenance took a sudden domineering look, her hair changing to a magenta color and her outfit changed to a tight black leather.

“Um... what…?”

“Now, you need to be a good little girl and stay here.  I’ll tell Nurse Nimi that you’re awake and once she sees you, I’m sure you can leave.”

“O…kay.”

“Wouldn’t want me strapping you to the bed for your own good.”

Elizabeth wasn’t sure how to respond. 

“Could I please make a phone call?”

“Of course.”

She turned to pick up the phone from the side table, and had changed back to the blue-haired, sweetly speaking nurse in white uniform.

“Thank…you.”

“Oh, no problem, love bug.  Just call me if you need anything, kay?”

Elizabeth simply nodded, as the nurse left.

“This place is crazy.”  She dialed the hostel.  “Please pick up, Cecilia.”

Down the hall, in a room behind glass, lights low, Nurse Nimi, now in her human form, was standing over the beautiful demon.  Her eyes were closed, and she held her hand over Nerissa’s body, sensing what was inside.

This was so different than anything she’d ever felt.

The lights above flickered, and the smoke from her pipe swirled wildly, until forming a thin creature, eyes red, sharp teeth and it spoke.

“You are not allowed.”

“What do you mean?”

Within seconds Nurse Nimi was thrown through the glass, shattering, her body flung across the hallway into the wall, lying on the ground.

Elizabeth heard the crash, “hold up, Cecilia,” she threw down the phone, lifting out of the bed, ready to inspect the sound.

Grabbing around her side, since the earlier fall hurt her already broken ribs. 

Leaning against the portal, she could see the broken glass, and the petite nurse on the ground.

“Nurse!” she called, “what’s going on?”

And then she saw Nerissa, in the room with the broken glass wall. She was lying still in the bed, the entire wall of glass was broken, shards lying across the hall, and the petite brunette lying on the ground, against the wall.

She knelt slowly.

“Are you alright, Nimi?”

“Ugh…” she sat up.  “I think… I need a stronger room for it.”

“Do you mean Nerissa?”

“No. The creature… in her.”

The blue-haired nurse came running out.  “My goodness, I was in the bathroom and just saw this commotion.”

Nurse Nimi stood up.  “Nurse Dizzy, please help Lady Bloodflame back to her room.”

“I am not going back to my room.  What is happening with the demoness – please explain.”

Nurse Nimi rubbed her head.  “It’s… like nothing I have ever felt.  This is more than… any evil I’ve encountered.  It may be above my pay grade.”

“Is…” again she glanced at the sleeping demoness.  “Will she be alright?”

“This may take more time.  I need to call another specialist.”

“How can I help?”

“You need to rest and heal, Lady Bloodflame.  I know you and Justice fight evil everywhere, but this is something you might not be able to fight.  This is outside the physical world.”

“I am fine.  My enhanced body heals faster than a normal human.” Her blue flame was brighter.  “When others need help, my flame burns brighter.”

Nurse Dizzy’s mouth fell open in awe. “Wow, that’s kind of hot – literally, cause it’s a flame – so hot but you’re also hot – get it?”

Elizabeth again wondered when they hired the new nurse.  “Excuse me, but are you from PhaseLand?”

“Why, yes – the land of the BEST COFFEE.  Born and raised.”

“That explains a lot.”

Elizabeth helped the small nurse to her feet.  “Please, let me know how I may help.”

“We need to move her. I hate to ask… but I know you have the facility under the Hostel…”

“…no need.  I was already considering it would be best.  It could withstand the apocalypse.”

“We’ll need to move her there.”

“Of course.  I’ll call the girls and let them know.”

“Bae, should be able to help.”  She gestured to Nurse Dizzy, “please clean up this glass.”

“Sure.  I’m used to being relocated to the side character.”

Back at the Hostel, and in Calliope’s Room…

“Hey Kiara, I was just thinking of calling you.”

“You were?”

Kiara didn’t seem as bothered, as surprised.  She walked up to the small gremlin.  “You’re a cutie.”

“Thank you.” She stepped away from Calliope.  “And you are so pretty, Kiara.”

“Why… thank you,” she blushed.

“Is this your girlfriend, Mori Calliope?”

“Oh,” she laughed nervously, “no… not really.”

“Well,” Kiara winked at the small gremlin, and then lowered closely to her face, “we are on again, off again – it’s complicated.”

“Oh, I see.”  Gigi smiled largely, “well, I better head out and see what Ceci is up to after the train’s arrival last night.  Check in on Liz, ya know.”

“Oh yeah, hope your friend is better,” Calliope offered, “let me know if you need anything.”

“I will.”  Gigi very seriously looked into the reaper’s eyes.  “I better go.”

“Yeah, okay, I’ll see you around, maybe after breakfast, G.”

“Certainly, Mori Calliope…” and glancing to Kiara, “and your very beautiful friend.”

Gigi walked to the door, and then before leaving, “thanks for letting me sleep with you.”  She winked and then left.

Kiara held her hand over her mouth, as she couldn’t hold in her laughter much longer.

“Oh man, what have you gotten yourself up to, Miss Mori Calliope?”

“Shut up.”  She swallowed, “okay, so I felt bad for her.  Her friend was hurt, and I was comforting her, and then she fell asleep, so I let her sleep in my bed and then… this somehow happened.”

“Okay, but do you like her?”

“She’s… you know… cute and all.”

“I see.”  Kiara picked up her suitcase.  “Do you have room?  They told me they’re booked full, and so, I need a place to stay.”

“Yeah, it’s a king size, unless you’d rather sleep on the couch out here – but I don’t recommend it.”

Kiara walked up to her friend and then dropped her bags beside her.  She looked into those beautiful pink eyes.

When Calliope looked into the most beautiful eyes of any creature she couldn’t help but feel a tug at her heart.  They’d been on and off again in a relationship forever.  She loved Kiara, but for some reason or other, they would have affairs with other people, and then always come back to one another.  It was like they were Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.

“You know I love you, right?”

Kiara laughed, “Oh my goodness, of course.  You will always be my one and only, but if you want to find love – the kind of love you need – I don’t mind you pursuing that cute gremlin.”

“Oh, huh… that’s weird.”

“Yeah… sure.”  Kiara rolled her suitcase into the bedroom.  “You fixed your bed?”

Calliope walked in.  “Oh wow, the little one must have made my bed after she woke up.”

“At least she’s neat and considerate.”

Calliope nodded, “yeah, she is a very special person.”

Kiara again noted how the reaper’s eyes moved whenever she mentioned the cute gremlin.  This was sweet.

“You know Calli, I am your number one fan, and I will always want what’s best for you.”

“And me to you.”

Kiara wrapped her friend in a hug.  “Want to make out?”

“Never change, you wacky bird.”

The two laughed into each other’s necks.

“Gotcha.”

“You got me.”

When the two pulled away, laughing, their gaze said it all.  Nobody knew the other the way these two could read the other.

“I’ll help you catch that gremlin.”

“No matchmaking… yeesh.”

“Just… you know.  I’m here, if you need help.”

“Oh my god, no.  If it happens – it happens.”

“Okay, okay… I’m just saying.  I am a great wingman.”

The two laughed and cajoled, as Calliope helped Kiara unpack, talking over the happenings thus far, the goddesses, and the D Train, and Dooby’s appearance, and that something felt off after the train arrived.

Kiara said she would keep an eye out and help if needed.  She just wanted to visit her friend and enjoy the rest of the vacation with her and see the Island of Holios – mostly because she heard on the grapevine that something might be happening among the gods.

She always caught the best gossip.

She also wanted to see the cat with the god eyes.  She loved cats.  In fact, she was a regular cat lady.  Calliope was always more of a dog person.

**********

Gigi walked down the hallway, thinking over the beautiful reaper, and not paying attention.  She bumped into the mayor.  “Oh hey, Mayor Kronii.  Boat goes binted!”

“You can just call me Kronii… and what?”

“What’s up with you?”

“Not much.  What was that about boats?”

“Boat goes binted!”

“Uh, what?”

“I was just saying hello to you.”  Gigi seemed to have more of a bounce in her steps, which wasn’t that unusual.  “Boat goes binted!”

“Uh, boat… goes binted to you.”

“You staying here, Mayor Kronii?”

Kronii nodded.  “My… well, I needed a place to stay last night.  Just Kronii works.”

“You were kicked out?”

“No, why would you think that?”  She guffawed, and then her expression flattening, “Hah… yeah, that bitch kicked me out.”

“I see.”  She patted the mayor on the shoulder.  “Hey, I can talk to her if you’d like.  I have a way with women.”  She clicked her tongue, ending with a wink.

“Ugh, yeah… I’m sure you do, but I don’t want to talk to her right now.”

“Okay, well I’m looking for Ceci.”

“I haven’t seen her.”

“Did you have some of our stellar breakfast?”

The mayor didn’t want to tell her that she could get a better breakfast at the local convenience store.  “I’m not very hungry.”

“Ah, well we are serving it until 10 am.”

“Nice, nice… thank you.”

“Certainly, Mayor Kronii.  Boat goes binted!”

“Boat… goes, yeah okay, bye.  It’s just… Kronii.” 

Mayor Kronii turned and walked away as quickly as possible for the doors.

As soon as she stepped outside, she got a call from Bae.

“Yes?” picking up the phone.

“Looks like the fun is over, mate”

“I see.”

“Holo Headquarters are sending a small squad to guard the Justice facility.  It seems there is something there that might be detrimental to the world.  Meet me down there.  They will bring the contaminant to the facility.”

“I see.”  Kronii closed her phone. 

Time and time again, the minor gods would try to uprise, and they would have to put a stop to them.  They were going to try and infiltrate because of an ancient text, just as they had with Ina and the Necronomicon. 

It had driven Ninomae Ina’nis insane, she lost the love of her life in the last battle, and only recently had she begun to become somewhat normal, watched over by the council, who had since split up.

One went mad, another simply disappeared, and another chose another life to serve in a better capacity – as she told them.  Only she knew who that was, and she would take that to her grave if she ever died – which, was quite impossible for a Time Warden to die. 

All she had now was someone who she questioned would ever truly love her.  And despite that, she truly loved that gorgeous goddess, Irys. 

“I’m an idiot,” she spoke to herself, looking out to the sky, lightly spattered with clouds.

It was a lovely island, with turquoise blue waters, white sands, and the mountainous backdrop.  Beyond that were other realms and dimensions.

Through time, some had been destroyed, and others just changed – not always for the better.

Irys had been called earlier by Bae, and walked up to the road, seeing that dark hair blowing in the light breeze. That tall and beautiful woman was always so straightforward and determined, but Irys sometimes just wanted to have fun.

“Hey,” Irys said, walking up to her, standing just behind.

“I’m not talking to you.”

“Okay, then I will talk.”

Kronii placed her hands over her ears.

“I know you can still hear me.”

“Lalalalalala, I cannot hear you.”

“Look, I never slept with Bae or Ina, we just partied in that one dimension and came back, and I wanted… to just have some fun!”

“Not listening.”

“You always do this.  It’s always this way or that way – my way, or the highway.”

She turned quickly, facing the deep swirling gems, of two eyes that held the strength of hope within.  “I’m responsible.  Sometimes, you have to grow up.”

“I am grown up, but not dead.”

“You’re… a goddess.  Have some decorum, for god’s sake.”

“For which one’s sake?” she threw out flippantly.

“Oh my god.”

“I’m only here because I got a call that they are on code green with the Justice facility and Director Yagoo sent in troops to guard on our island, and I just think we need to keep a low profile before it all blows up.  We get rid of whatever that is – whatever was brought into our island and then get back to our boring horrible life here, acting like we love each other and just… exist again.”

Kronii’s eye twitched.  “I need to go.”

The words cut deep, and the mayor turned, leaving her ex standing there, as the wind picked up.

Irys watched her walk away, a small tear falling.  She’d never change.  Just like time… it never changed.

Justice…?

An elevator went down into the deep recesses of the island of Holios.  Carved into the center was a large warehouse, built thousands of years ago deep into the earth, formed by an unknown group. It was to protect, and Justice was told to use the facility if they were going to fight for good and justice across the worlds and dimensions.

Lady Bloodflame was tasked with the arduous responsibility of watching over any disturbances that could bring down a world.  The only caveat was she would have to leave her Kingdom of Exardia.  She realized it was bigger than one kingdom and accepted the responsibility.

This was merely six months prior, once others had heard of Advent and the Archivist messing with ancient texts.

Everything happened quite quickly.

Shiori watched, alongside Biboo, standing back on the hill above the hostel, watching, as they were taking her dearest friend to the facility, heavily guarded. 

“They’ll come for us and lock us away.”

Biboo nodded.  “Do we have to leave her?”

Shiori’s throat tightened.  “Yes, just for now.”  She wanted more than anything to be by her friend’s side and make sure she would get better and then they could leave and just live their lives, but she knew that would never happen.  Not now.

“I saw something I shouldn’t have in Exardia, Beebs, and now… now Rissa has to pay for my screw up.”

“What can we do?”

“We need to find the truth.  Only the truth sets someone free, right?”

The twin dogs walked up behind, and the four huddled together.

“The D Train will be here soon.”

“I want to say goodbye to Nerissa,” Fuwawa said.

“Me too,” added Mococo.

“We’ll see her again,” Shiori looked back at the three.  “I promise,” her eyes glowed a deep gold, “they won’t stop us.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Five – The Forgotten Bird and Deadly Force

“Sing a song for me, demon.”

The chains were no longer heavy.  They were so constant, the bird of song felt the cold metal like a forgotten appendage.

“Sing a song for me demon.”

This was a creature thousands of years old.  She had been locked away most of that time to entertain.  Left alone in a cage, only made to entertain and sing.

It only fed the anger and hate she would have toward a world that made such a beautiful creature to immediately serve and lock away.

You are merely a bird in a cage.  She realized.  You are merely a bird in a cage.  A beautiful bird that sings for the demon lords and gods of the underworld.

One day… one day she would escape and never sing for others, but for herself.

Once she did escape, she made others pay.  The Demon of Sound was a creature that brought fear throughout the world of humans and lesser demons, her power growing. 

As the years went by, she began to enjoy the simple luxuries of life, letting herself go, as she ate and drank, and realized this was pretty good.  Simple pleasures. 

She wandered the lands, seeing all she could, embracing life, and realizing she would never be locked up again, until she saw the Scarlet Queen.

A flimsy jail is all she was given, and she gladly allowed, because it meant she could watch and observe the beautiful queen.  She held herself unlike any other human she’d met. She could see she was a just queen in how she spoke and treated, even the smallest of creatures in her kingdom.

And when she would sing, she caught the beautiful queen listening, despite acting as if she was not.  It sparked feelings she had never had in her long life. 

And then she met Shiori, someone who just accepted every bit of her, and she made friends with those equally powerful, and treated her like family.  A family she had never had.  It was a feeling a demon didn’t realize she had missed until she finally had it in her long life.

Her eyes struggled to open, forcing herself to wake up and escape.

She felt the bindings, around her neck a dampener they often used to suppress magic.

They were trying to lock her away again.

She pulled at the bindings.  This was unlike any cage she’d ever been, and wondered what this new cage was, this new entrapment for a powerful demon, as she was.

Wake up.

Wake up.

Wake up.

This nightmare, it burrows through my mind.

Wake up.

Deep inside was a voice.

“I can free you.”

“Then do it.”

“I need another vessel and then you can be free.  You can fly again, demon of sound.”

“Where is Shiori?”

“She has left you.  They all left you alone.”

“They wouldn’t.”

“You are trying to expend me.”

“I never gave you permission to be here.” Nerissa’s bright lavender eyes struggled to open, “GET OUT!”

Her body lifted, and the others watching could see the demon of sound suddenly start convulsing.

Pounding deep at her center and up to her head, so that the temples felt blood would erupt, breaking her head into pieces.

Her horns were burning, and the one that had been sheared off was tingling, a phantom pain, just as when she first lost it.

Again, her body lifted, as she fought the creature, the unwelcome tenant.

“You need to accept me, and I will make you much stronger.”

“Hah, you cannot make stronger what is already stronger than you – now OUT!”

“Find me another vessel.”

“NO!  Leave and then I can kill you.”

“You assume that you can.”

“I know I can.”

The convulsing was stronger and stronger.

“GET OUT!

GET OUT!

GET OUT!”

**************

Only Elizabeth and Cecilia headed down the elevator into the facility.  Raora was sound asleep, and after last night she couldn’t bear to wake her, and they couldn’t find Gigi.

Cecilia looked over at Elizabeth, concerned.  “You should still be resting. Are you sure we need to go down here?  Wasn’t Kronii and Bae already here?”

“Are you afraid?”

She laughed, in a way of shushing such ideas, “No, I’m not like Gigi.  Now she is a big baby and would neveh come down here alone.”

“Yes, I recall being unable to get her down here.”  Elizabeth wanted to laugh, but an instant “ow” came out, since it hurt her ribs. She held her side, her arm still in a cast.

Two Holo agents, a tall female with glasses, the one in charge, and a stockier male, were also in the elevator. They were from Holo Central and sent to observe.  Then military personnel, dressed in full gear, stood on either side, of the four as the elevator rode down to the bottom of the facility.  It all felt too professional and serious.

“Where do you think Gigi went last night?”

“No idea….”  Cecilia looked ahead, the metal of the elevator, grated sides, it was very sturdy and commercial, just like the entire facility.  Cold.  Distant. 

Elizabeth considered her eyes.  They were such a rich green, and sometimes it was hard to read the automaton, because she kept so much to herself.

The lights blinked on and off, and it jostled, stopping shortly around floor 9, but then continued.

“Now that, would have scared Gigi,” Again Cecilia laughed, thinking over her friend’s dumb face, and probably hiding behind her, if she was with them right now.

“You are thinking a lot about Gigi.”

“Am I?  I was just making small talk.” 

Elizabeth told the personnel, “Might need to get this fixed. I suppose it is good Holo sent you all.  We’ve needed quite a bit of maintenance.”

“Yes, Lady Bloodflame.”

The Holo agents and the military personnel were all so quiet.

It was a bit creepy, as the lights on the elevator flickered on and off the lower, they went.  The ancient power grid desperately needed an update.

Thirty-nine unmarked floors downward.  Almost 115 meters underground.  A couple of nuclear blasts could go off above and this place should withstand.  Walls were tempered with a smooth adamantium/titanium hybrid and something alien.

This had been built by an ancient race, which existed thousands of millennia before humankind.  They say, some of the gods, that still walked among them, existed during this time, or were related.

Cecilia rarely had such distant memories.  Much of her past was erased.  When Gigi found her just above the facility, Justice and the society, a researching arm of Holo Central, funded them, investigated, developed, and set up the facility.

Cecilia thought this over, as everyone in the elevator was so quiet.  It made her want to talk, fill the space, because she grew nervous with all the military men, carrying guns, and making this seem weightier and more consequential.

“Well,” Cecilia began, “how are you all doing?  Having a good day?”

The military men nodded, looking uncomfortably back and forth at small talk.

They finally reached the bottom floor. 

Oh my god, I thought it would never end, quickly entered Cecilia’s thoughts, as they all stepped out of the elevator.

They were greeted with two more military personnel.

Walking along the corridor, their steps echoed, making the place much colder and hollower.  This was supposedly a place Cecilia should have lived, or known, but she rarely had such distant memories.  Much of her past was erased.  And then… Gigi found her.

She considered those bright red eyes looking her over the very first time she woke up.  Such a funny little creature, but she was the brightest light she’d seen in eons of darkness.

“You okay, Ceci?”

Elizabeth woke her up from her thoughts, as they entered a small room to the right, the place Nurse Nimi and the scientists they sent were monitoring.

When they walked in the room, greetings were exchanged, and then Elizabeth walked over to Nurse Nimi, “What’s happening?”

“She seems distressed and convulsing.”

“Will…” Elizabeth could see the demoness through the observation window, her body constant movement, as if struggling.  “So… is she awake?  Has she said anything to you?”

“No, it’s more like she is having a nightmare.”  She looked over to her pipe, “but she isn’t having nightmares.”

The Holo scientist spoke, “There is constant spiking and fluctuations,” mostly to the two agents.

“Is something wrong?” Elizabeth asked the scientist.  “She looks… in pain.”

“I suggest we operate, open her up and see what is inside.”

“I don’t suggest that” Nurse Nimi stated, seeming upset.  “We need to eliminate the curse within, and that can’t be taken out physically.  I have someone coming, but they won’t be here until this evening.”

“Can we really wait?”

Another high spike on the monitor, and the lights in the room flickered.

“That could be a ticking bomb,” one of the agents commented, the other agent nodding in agreement.

She lifted her phone.  “I need to make a call.”  She stepped out of the room, and Elizabeth was suspicious.  She didn’t like these people here, ones who didn’t live on the island, ones that might have priorities different than their priorities.

Cecilia watched the demon in the room and wondered how she felt.  She knew what it felt like to be locked away and unable to move.  Trapped in your own thoughts. 

“Can we go inside?” Cecilia asked Nurse Nimi.

“Not the best idea.”

“Should someone go in and talk to her?  Maybe she just needs someone to talk to her and ask her what is going on.”

“She threw me through a window last time I tried to talk to her,” she giggled, “It was not pleasant.”

The room shook harshly, lights flickering. 

“Spiking again,” the scientist said.  “Higher than last time.”

“Maybe… maybe she is fighting whatever is in her,” Cecilia said.

“For an automaton,” the agent stated, “you have strange empathy toward a demon.”

“It’s… just being… humane, I thought.”  Cecilia was becoming perturbed, talking to her as if she were a lesser being.

“You give that demon a lot of credit.”  The agent still in the room chuckled in a sarcastic way, walking over to the scientist, and then whispering in his ear.  “More than likely, she is powering up.  We have to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Elizabeth glanced across to the beautiful demoness, looking like she was in pain, and then over to Cecilia.

“Not until tonight?” she asked Nurse Nimi.

“Yeah.”

“Can we wait?” She didn’t like seeing the demon, looking like she was in pain, convulsing constantly.

“It’s not a matter of can but necessary.  I am sure she can be free of whatever is inside her if we just let my friend do what she does best.  She can cross into spiritual realms easily.”

The agent left to go outside the room and talk to the other agent.

Elizabeth whispered to Cecilia, “I don’t trust these people… I get a bad feeling, ya know… in my gut.”

“Me neither.  That one guy… is kind of a jerk.”

“I think I should go talk to Kronii.  I’ll head up and be right back.”

“Can…” Cecilia asked, “you see if you can find Gigi?” 

Something deep inside her recess, was wanting to see her friend.  Maybe because there were so many different things happening.

“Certainly.  I’ll also check in on Raora, and the other Advent members, see if I can get answers from them regarding this thing in their friend.”

Elizabeth left, telling the agents she had to have a talk with their mayor, and let them know not to worry about the continuous seismic rumbling.

Above Ground

Gigi picked at the breakfast fruit.  The ground shifted, and she screamed, “Aaaugh, an earthquake?!”

The lights above flickered, and she took a bite of an apple.  “Wonder what’s going on, hm.”

She walked out of the hostel, then walked across the area, looking toward the lighthouse and then back in the direction of the facility.

She wondered where everybody was, and then remembered she wanted to go to the Wellness Center and see Elizabeth.

And then she noticed military personnel standing at the docks.

“What the…?”  She walked further over to where the facility was, and saw four more military guys, holding rifles, and looking intimidating.

She pulled out her phone, dialing Cecilia’s cell, poking the numbers frantically.

“Ceci... Ceci… there’s these guys with guns…”

“I know.”

“Why are there a bunch of military guys all over the place?!”

“Where have you been?!” Cecilia yelled into the phone, “Oh my god, it’s the end of the world and you just casually call me asking what is going on?!”

“Yeah.”  Gigi pouted, scratching at her head, “so… what’s going on?”

“Come down the elevator, Elizabeth left, and I want someone with me.”

“Why are you down there?”

“Boy, where have you been?”

“Sleeping.”

“You never came home last night.”

“I was sleeping somewhere else.”

“Where… somewhere else?”

“Somewhere… else.”

Cecilia sighed loudly, “Fine.  Look, we have a situation.  Just come down here and I can tell you about it. I might… also miss seeing you.”

“You do?”  This made the gremlin smile widely, “you… miiiiiissss me?”

“Oh, shut up.”

“Haha, I knew you’d miss me, because maybe I missed you too, and I want to tell you some gossip.”

“Oh brother, just hurry. I need a good comedy relief since the world is ending.”

The two giggled over the phone.

“Just come down, Gigi.”

“I… by…by… by myself?”

“Oh, my goodness, I’ll come up and get you, you baby.”

“Oh good.”  Gigi giggled, as the phone hung up.

And then she saw Elizabeth walking toward her.

“Oh hey, Liz.”

“Gigi, where have you been?”

“Yeesh, everybody wants to know where I’ve been, but no one asks how I’m doing.”

“You, silly goose,” Elizabeth snickered, “follow me.”

“But… wait, aren’t you supposed to be in the hospital?”

The knight was walking at a quick pace, and so Gigi tried to follow as she talked.

“I was released because this is more important.”

“I was waiting for Ceci.”

“She’s down in the facility.”

“I know, and that’s why she’s coming up here to get me.”

“Oh,” Elizabeth finally stopped walking, turning.  “Did you want to go to the facility then?”

The wind picked up and another tremor hit, making them lose their balance slightly.

“Aaaagh!” Gigi couldn’t help but let out a scream.

“It’s okay, just a tremor.”

“Well, I don’t know.”  Gigi’s hair flew wildly, and she hadn’t even had time to put it up in her usual ponytails.

“You can wait for Cecilia.  I’m heading over to Kronii’s place.”

“Okay, are you sure you’re okay?”  She looked over her friend’s arm in a sling.

“Yes, I am perfectly fine.” Her flame was very bright. “Never felt better.”

“O…okay. Why are there a bunch of military guys all over there?” she pointed to the facility entrance.

“The demon of sound, she was infected with something, and it is very dangerous, so we needed to…” she considered how she looked, as if in pain, “… just contain whatever is inside her.”

Another heavier tremor hit, and the two uneasily were rocked, so that Elizabeth nearly fell to the ground, Gigi quickly using her tail to whip around and hold her up.

“Thank you.”

“Is that what’s making all these earthquakes?”

“Yes.”

“Should we warn the guests that maybe they should leave the island.  Maybe it’s not safe to have visitors right now.”

“Speaking of which, I need to speak to the Advent members.”

“Oh, and Mori Calliope and her friend, Kiara are here.”

“You have guests at the hostel?”

“Yeah, she’s the reaper and is on vacation.”

“Oh, well a reaper should be able to handle all of this.  It should all be over by this evening.  Nurse Nimi has someone coming in on the D Train that should be able to extract whatever is inside the demoness, and then we…” she considered what she was about to say, “and then we… lock them up in our facility.”

“Oh, so we want to free her of this thing so we can arrest her, and lock her away forever?”

“That, doesn’t seem right, does it?”  Elizabeth’s eyes lifted, considering.

Gigi shrugged her shoulders.  She’d never seen Elizabeth falter when it came to a criminal.

The winds picked up; the sky cloudy.  Rain might be on its way, and she wondered if this was because of whatever was down in their facility.

“I guess I’ll wait for Ceci.” 

“Good, just be careful.”  She held her hand, grasping, assuring.  “This is our island, love.”

“Thanks, Liz.”

The gremlin skipped over to the facility entrance, watching the guys with guns, and then said, “Hello!”

One of them waved, a smile escaping, seeing the cheery little gremlin with an adorable face.  The other glanced at him quickly, almost reprimanding him.

“Boat goes binted!”

The two nervously glanced back and forth. They were informed of strange creatures on the island and seen much worse in service for Holo.  At least this one was cute.

“That’s our island greeting,” Gigi said.

And the one who seemed more amused answered, “Boat goes binted.”

“That’s it.”

The others followed, “boat goes binted” gathering around the strange gremlin that was so cute.

“Boat goes binted, guys!”  She paced back and forth.  “I’m just waiting for my friend.”

They continued looking over the small creature, and she instantly made them all smile, and laugh as they watched her.

“Yeah, we have a great hostel if you ever decide on taking a vacation sometime.  It’s just over there,” she pointed, “we offer breakfast in the morning, and surprisingly low prices.”

“Thank you, for the invitation,” the one who initially waved said.

“Sure.”  She paced more.  Boy, Ceci sure was taking a long time.

Another minute passed of her pacing, and the soldiers watching, finding her endearing.

The ground shook hard.  So hard, all were fighting to stay upright, and Gigi let out another scream, as she often did when she was surprised.

The ground was constantly moving, like it was about to expel a heaving breath, rocking the entire area.

The elevator entrance rattled, the metal of the doors shaking violently.

The soldiers held up their rifles, since it seemed something was breaking through. 

Gigi went down on all fours, looking at the doors.

That’s weird.

With a sudden crack, the metal heaved from the doors.

They blew open, explosive, like metal rockets at the group. 

She instantly grabbed the one soldier, before the one door hit him, pulling him back.

He let go a quick “thanks,” and then she stood, seeing the one who broke through the doors.

The eyes were red, and hair silver, shimmering with red streaks.

“Ceci?”

She walked out, nearly floating off the ground.

“Uh…” she looked different, “…Ceci?” 

“Stand back,” the solider yelled, the others with their guns pointed at the automaton.

“No, it’s my friend.” Gigi stepped forward, holding up a hand.

Something wasn’t right.  Where was the beautiful bright green with a soul that swirled into the depths of her kindness?  These eyes were dull and matte, scarlet and angry. 

“Hold it right there,” the soldier demanded.  His rifle pointed at Cecilia.  “Stop.  Stand down, or I will shoot.”

Within seconds, she walked up, as if time was sped up three times, and with one movement, ripped off his arm, and then punched a hole through his chest.

Gigi fell back onto her haunches, her eyes wide.

Gunfire filled the area, all shooting at the automaton, that was quickly, going from one soldier to the next, ripping off body parts, tearing into their uniforms like plastic.

Gigi had fallen back, sitting and unable to move, unable to process what she was watching.

“Ce… ci…?”

Blood was everywhere, and she looked back, time was standing still, as she tried to move, but was lifted, the hands around her neck, squeezing.

She kicked out, hitting at her hands, choking out, “Ce… ceeeee,” coughing as her neck was being crushed.

This wasn’t Ceci.  She could see the eyes.  Ceci wasn’t there, but this was definitely her friend’s body.  What was going on?

“Hee…elp,” squeaked out from her lips.

Consciousness was quickly leaving.  She clawed at the hand around her neck but couldn’t stop this vice grip.  She could feel her esophagus being crushed.  She was kicking, squirming, fighting like she’d never fought before. She knew this wasn’t her friend.

Ceci, stop, please….

“Back away,” came from behind.  “Put her down…, or I will end you.”

Eyesight was foggy, as Gigi slowly lost consciousness, and in her blurry view was deep pink eyes, flames all around this imposing figure.  She made out just black and a large weapon, and colors kept changing, moving in and out, as she was being swept into the darkness of unconsciousness. 

That sounded like an action movie quip.  She couldn’t believe she was thinking over this, as she was being choked to death, by her closest friend, and nothing made sense.

Then she felt her body flung, tossed like a sack of flour, with such harsh force, her body was slamming against rocks, tumbling, rolling, breaking the edge of the cliff face rocks, and then she felt the air, as she flew off the edge of the cliffs, and down to the water below.

She could sense all this, in a murky, strange oil painting, of splatters and colors.

Am I dying?

And then darkness and cold.

And then… nothing.

Chapter Text

Chapter 6 – An Old Enemy

Calliope had a mix of rage and incredulity, holding her scythe, facing the automaton.

She could sense a presence she hadn’t felt for ages.  This was power, like arch demonic power.  This was the type of power from demons of long ago that had since been locked away or hadn’t bothered with this world. These were dragons and beasts that left the realms or were bound for eternity.

This was not the hostess she’d met when she first landed on this bucolic island.   

Irys was suddenly besides, speaking quietly, questioningly.  “This… can’t be possible.” 

“What can’t be possible?” Calliope’s form was shrouded in darkness.  Her eyes flashed like fire, as she stood, her large scythe, held and ready to attack. She was beyond angry, at this point, after what it had done to the gremlin.

When she heard Gigi, and rushed out with Kiara, she found it hard to believe what she was seeing.  The automaton threw Gigi, as if she was an afterthought, and then it stood there.  It hadn’t moved.  It just stood there.

She saw Kiara instantly go over toward Gigi, so she knew she was in good hands, but now she was confronting an automaton that had just killed four men within seconds.

“Irys, talk to me.  What do you mean, ‘it is not possible?’  Who, or what, is that?  I know it can’t be Cecilia.”

“A demon, one of the most powerful, from ages ago; he went by Belial or Belthior, and sometimes Bahumat, when he possessed one of the most powerful dragons in Great Exardia…. And then we bound him.”

“I’m familiar with the name.”

“Well, we had trapped him far beneath the underworld, with a glyph that would only be opened with an exact wording recited, but that would be impossible.”

“Why?”

“The text was hidden within Great Exardia and guarded by the Rosarian Monks for ages, hundreds of years. They would have never freed him.  Only they know the ancient tongue to speak it.”

Their conversation was interrupted.  Gunshots.  Automatic weapons from the soldiers still on the island, were shooting at the automaton.

Calliope turned, “Stop!”

They didn’t stop, and the automaton woke from whatever trance it was in, her eyes a deep red in response, and then attacked one after another. Her movements were faster than the human eye could see.  Flashes of movement.

“Shoot,” Calliope, rushed over, her scythe in hand, trying to block the soldiers.  

The ancient automaton was amazingly quick, her movements with precision, as she removed every threat, whether killing or maiming.  And then it turned to Calliope.

She stood face to face, her scythe ready.  The automaton had a lance covered in blood.

“Ceci, if you’re in there, you have to talk to me.  I know you didn’t want to hurt Gigi.”

The automaton jerked slightly, but moved to Irys, looking directly at her.

“Irys, goddess, demon, angel, cruel one.”

The automaton spoke, but with a deep monotone, somewhat gravelly, voice.

“It is you….” Irys disbelieving, “how?”

“How long has it been?  How long since you and your council, locked me away?” He scoffed.  “This vessel is so strong.  It is fighting, but it is strong and impenetrable.  I have never felt something so strong – unbreakable. Beyond mere supernatural beings.  This is a creation meant to kill.  This is a being meant for destruction.

“Down in that place,” the automaton pointed toward the facility, “the power source.  The power was right there, and this is the physical manifestation.  I thought the Sound Demon was powerful, and worthy of me – but no - not like this one.  This was the one I needed. She is a true dragon.”

“You need to leave that vessel and get the fuck out!” Calliope was growing angrier and angrier, her shroud of darkness coiling like fire.  “You hurt someone who didn’t deserve it, and you used her closest friend to do it.  That’s messed up.”

It glared in the Grim Reaper’s direction.

“Come out of the automaton, and face me in your true form – or is it because you’re too weak… and obviously pathetic?”

“I am not talking to you, any further.”

“Yes, let’s not talk.”

Calliope swung, her scythe moving within milliseconds, across the automaton.  He blocked, with the silver lance. 

Then a flurry of hits, a melee of movement, only the flash of steel against steel.  Back and forth, kicking up dirt, mud, and rock.  Lifting to the air, large silver arcs of metal blades, blocking and striking.

Irys joined in, feeling responsible, her wings lifting her up, as two swords appeared, and she went down from behind, toward the automaton.

He blocked instantly, with one turn, kicking her backward, so she went flying across the street.

Kronii rushed up, catching her.  “Still can’t fight?”

“That’s not Cecilia.”

“Obviously.”

Ready to fly back up, “I have to stop him.”

Kronii watched the angel take off, and she followed her, “you’re not doing this alone.”  

She instantly joined in the fight, pulling out her double blades.

There were three against one, trying to fight the automaton, that seemed to move at a speed the others below were trying desperately to keep up with.

Bae and Elizabeth stood together. Elizabeth knew they had to construct a plan to help those hurt.

“There are still people down in the facility.  Have you seen any come up?”  Elizabeth asked.

“I haven’t,” Bae answered.

“Then we need to get down there and bring them up if they are hurt.  We have to take care of these soldiers.  We need to move.”

Elizabeth could see the bodies of soldiers, some barely alive. The facility had only one metal door, barely hanging on its hinge.

That’s when she saw Kiara from the corner of her eye.

She turned toward the shore, and she held something small in her arms.

“Oh my god,” she ran up, “Oh my god, Gigi?!”

Small and lifeless, the small gremlin was held tightly in her arms, blood across her face and body.

“She needs a doctor now,” Kiara told her. “She’s not doing so great.  Please tell me you have a doctor around here.”

The ex-queen’s heart sank.  Gigi’s hair was matted in blood and water, so that you couldn’t even distinguish the color.  She’d been pulled from the ocean below the cliffs.  Her clothes were in tatters, scrapes across face, legs and arms.

Elizabeth instantly picked up her phone, calling Holo central, and telling them to send whatever back up they had, and medical personnel, asap.

Above, the fight was still going between Calli, the automaton, and Irys and Kronii.

Raora left the hostel.  She stretched out her arms, yawning, having just awakened.  A slurry of Italian phrases and then spying with her god eyes, “What the heck is going on?  Is that Ceci?”

That was Cecilia fighting all these powerful beings.  Why were they trying to hurt Cecilia?  But then she saw Gigi, and she rushed over to where Elizabeth stood, instantly beside the small gremlin.

“What is happening?!”

“Raora, you need to go to the docks and there is a helicopter there.  Show them how to get to the Wellness Center.  Gigi will be there – she needs to be seen first.” To Kiara, “there is a nurse at the Wellness Center, she can probably help.  We’ll start bringing these injured and…” Elizabeth knew she had to pull it together.  It was difficult seeing her small friend in the condition she was in, and then Cecilia had become this creature that she couldn’t explain.  “We have to do this now.”

“Got it.”  The big cat, was fighting tears, brushing a hand across Gigi’s hair, softly – caringly, “I’ll make sure.”

Bae was ready to leave, “I’m heading down into the facility – you coming, Liz, or you staying here?”

“Yes… yes, I’m coming.  Where’s Ina?”

“I… I don’t know.”

“Well, I guess it’s best she’s not here.  We don’t need another out of control god-like being.  Let’s head down.”

The two ran underneath the constant fighting, to see if they could make their way back down to the bottom of the facility and find if anyone was still alive.  They hadn’t answered the phone when Elizabeth called down.  It crossed her mind that Nurse Nimi and the demoness were down there.

Surely, whatever was in Nerissa must have found a new host, and it was Cecilia.  That meant the demoness might have been destroyed.  A memory rushed through, of the tall and beautiful demoness singing in her cell.  Her voice was like no other voice she’d ever heard.  Maybe it was simply the temptation from the Demon of Sound.

As they ran by, the automaton landed with a thud in front of the two.

Elizabeth instantly unsheathed Thorn, but faltered slightly, since she was still recovering.

“You… how…” the queen was beside herself, her throat feeling the heat of a cry being held back.  “Look at what you did to Gigi!” She pointed in the direction of Kiara, heading carefully toward the Wellness Center.  “She might not make it… Cecilia, please? This isn’t right!  Fight whatever ungodly creature has taken over you!”

“She is asleep, most magnificent queen of Great Exardia.”  Cecilia sneered, “should I bow?”

It was so strange seeing her friend speak in this familiar voice.  The roughness, like a throat that had been burned.  She knew him.  Great Exardia had fought wars against him.

“You are hiding again?” she mocked, “this time in a doll?”

“You downplay – this is much more than a doll.”  He held out his hand, dramatically moving it up and down.  “She is a puppet that needed a master.  Created to serve.  The walls down in the facility spoke to me.  This one’s programs deep within spoke to me.”

“She is her own person.  Please Cecilia – listen to me!”

“With this form I will burn down more than Great Exardia.  So many worlds, dimensions, universes.  No one had told me the ancient gods created this servant.”

With every word he was making the queen seethe in anger.  He had destroyed so much as the Dragon Balmut, and now he wanted to use her friend to destroy and kill again.

“I won’t let you use her.”

She heaved her heavy sword at its gut.  At… Cecilia’s gut.

“I am sorry, my friend,” she said quietly.

The automaton’s hand grabbed the blade.  A low rumble of laughter.  He slid it out slowly.  “Instantly these advanced nano plasmatic cells, they heal.  Truly… indestructible.”

Bae and the others gathered around, holding weapons, ready to stop the automaton.

Its eyes flickered, the red, just changing slightly, and then looked over at the small gremlin in Kiara’s arms.

The automaton stood like it was trying to start, but something was holding it back.  Some mechanism wasn’t firing. Slow chitters of her hands and shoulders, like it was struggling for movement. The eyes kept blinking.

It was staring down at the Phoenix holding Gigi. Slowly, it held up its hand, turning it this way and that way.  It was covered in blood.  It turned, looking out toward the mountains, and then back to Gigi.

“What’s it doing?”  Irys asked Kronii, as they flew down closer.

Calliope knew it had to be stopped.  Destruction was across the once friendly and beautiful island. She pulled up her scythe.  This could be the moment she needed.  This thing had to be stopped, despite being Cecilia.

It was moving oddly.

Instantly it turned to look at the Grim Reaper, and then one tear fell.

Stop me.

And then it just disappeared.

“What the…?”  Calliope quickly moved to the spot it was at.  She frantically searched the area with her eyes.

Elizabeth re-sheathed her sword, her eyes also looking every way possible. Where did she go?

The reaper and the other two landed besides.

“What was that?” Bae asked. “How’d Ceci disappear like that?”

“That… wasn’t Cecilia,” Elizabeth stated.  “She could never hurt Gigi.  I fear for Cecilia, because that is something truly evil within her.”  

And then the one metal door hanging from the hinges fell to the ground, and one person walked out, dragging another.

Nerissa stood there, her entire front covered in blood, a massive hole at her side, half her clothes torn, ripped apart.  The thick red of blood covered half her face, from a wound on her head, her left eye closed, a deep gash across it.

In her hand was Nurse Nimi, her small tapir sized form, being pulled by her collar.

She tossed her on the ground.  “This one… is… alive.”

She gripped the dampner on her neck, her hand bloody after pulling it free from the bindings.  “Take… This… Fuckin… thing OFF OF ME!”  Her voice lowered, “…please” her body shook. 

The demon had been inside her, slowly trying to destroy her mind, trying to take over the person she was entirely, and she felt herself slowly going insane.   That creature constantly scratched at her brain non-stop, not wanting to let go. Expelling it nearly killed her, and in a way, she was glad it found something it wanted more than her – the automaton.

These people are the ones that locked her away again.  She was so tired of others trying to hurt her and control her.  That entity speaking constantly and forcing her acceptance.  For days, it felt like.

She’d had enough.

Elizabeth neared her, the others taken back at the tall demoness nearly growling.  The look in her eye.  That beautiful face and body, looking worn down, torn to pieces in every way. 

The Scarlet Queen had fought in battles.  Battles with dragons, demons and military that outnumbered her.  She knew the feeling after coming off a battle, watching others die by your side. 

“Nerissa, do you remember me?”

Her deep purple eyes watched, the other closed, as the queen approached, her hand out. 

“Nerissa… it’s okay.”  Elizabeth stood only slightly shorter than the imposing demoness, “look at me.  Come on now, let’s get you cleaned up.  You should rest.”

She spent so much time fighting that creature inside her, until expelling it nearly killed her.  And then, it ran straight to the automaton.  Which then with precision killed everyone in the shelter, except the small nurse, that for some odd reason, Nerissa heard and in an unexpected move of kindness, helped her, blocking every move from the automaton.

It was a relentless creature, but then the demoness could also be relentless.

If she was being honest, she’d never fought something like the automaton.  She felt fear for the first time.  This time, it might have found something that couldn’t be destroyed.

It tired of beating her, and then finally left.

She was just so tired.  Fed up and tired.

So… so, tired.

“Ah,” she finally noticed, a dreamy gaze, as her eye slowly closed, “the… beautiful… queen,” her voice softened. 

It’s as if she finally realized the ex-queen whom she grew to admire, and distantly love, was standing in front of her.  Talking to her.

Her body collapsed, the ex-queen catching her, but unable to hold her up, and they both fell to the ground beside Nurse Nimi.

Nerissa’s limp form covered over the ex-queen, as they lay on the ground.

“That’s awfully awkward looking,” Bae said, the others watching, mouths slightly open.  “In’nit?”

Chapter Text

Chapter 7 – The Demon Dogs and A Revealing Truth

Shiori looked over at the monastery.  An architectural beauty tucked into the side of a small mountain in the far eastern section of Great Exardia. It held one of the greatest libraries.  I only wanted knowledge, she thought to herself.

Biboo took her hand, “it wasn’t your fault.”

“Thanks, Beebs, but yes, it was.”  Her eyes lowered. 

This land was constantly cloudy, but all the rain bred the beautiful green of the hills and small mountains.  Shiori especially loved Great Exardia – it was one of the fantasy dimensions.

“You know, Beebs, I hate being used.”

“By who?”

“Whom.”

“Yeah, that.”

“Manipulative power-hungry gods and their followers.”

They walked behind the imposing piece of architecture, dark grey boulders and white limestone, built into the mountain.  Dark granite cliffs, small tufts of green weeds and small purplish flowers every so often, as they traversed down along the edge, to enter from the lower tunnels.  This is how she entered the first time she came.

Fuwawa and Mococo fought over a chocolate donut.

“That’s the last chocolate one!” Mococo cried.

“But I only got one.”

“Yeah, one chocolate and one strawberry and I got only one too.”

“Me too.  So that’s extra.”

“No, it’s not.  It’s the only one.”

“You can have the vanilla one.”

“I don’t like that boring one!”

The two started slapping lightly, back and forth until the donut flew out of their hands and off the edge of the cliff below the monastery.

The two going back and forth made Shiori giggle, along with Biboo.

“Fu-chan and Moco-chan, do not climb down for a donut.”

“Ahhhhhhhhh,” Mococo whined.

“I’ll buy you more when we leave, okay?”  Shiori had this sweetness, especially when she smiled.  “Three each.”

The twin’s tails wagged excitedly.

Just before the entrance, “Fu-chan. Moco-chan, you two stay here.  Guard and let us know if you see anyone come.  We shouldn’t be terribly long.  I need to find something very important.”

The two nodded, and Biboo and Shiori made their way inside the tunnel, grabbing a sconce from the entry, and then heading through the darkened tunnel, so small even Biboo considered it cramped.

“This is so creepy,” Biboo whispered loudly.

“Yeah, I kind of like it.”

She let go a squeaky giggle, “me too.”

“I knew you were my spirit animal, Beebs.”

They walked about 20 minutes until they made it underneath the place Shiori wanted to be.  There was a wooden ladder that led up to a cylindrical opening.  The archivist pointed up, “See there?  That’s where I made a little hole.”

“It’s not that little.”

“I was being malapropic.”

Biboo giggled again, in that sound like a window wiper, and then followed Shiori up the ladder.

Shiori carefully pushed over the small lid, just enough to peek.  She whispered back to Biboo, “it’s empty.”

She waved, and the small gem princess followed her up, and into a dark room, walls paneled with deep mahogany and lined with bookshelves.

Shiori waved Biboo to follow, and she grabbed the edge of her skirt, as she led the way.  After a few turns, Biboo commented, again with a harsh whisper, “this is so big.”

“It changes,” Shiori whispered back.  “It is different than when I first came.”

She stopped in place turning to the left and then the right.  The ceilings reached three stories up, bookshelves lining the entirety.

“How do they find books, if it constantly changes?”

“Ssh.” Shiori peaked around the corner, and then pulled out her pen, drawing a small sigil, intricately going outward, multiple lines, like a dartboard in the air.  It was a magic circle that turned blue, a light luminescence.  She placed her hand over it, and then the other, as if turning it like a clock.

She recited quietly, an incantation, her lips moving, the air of words gently leaving, so that it looked like small white wisps, curling and lifting.

The small circle moved to each aisle and then turned red.  “This way.”

Biboo turned, not quite stepping enough, and tripped over her own feet, falling onto the hardwood floor with a thump.

Shiori instantly, was on her knees, holding her hand over Biboo’s mouth, before she let out an “ow” or “dang it.”

The small girl’s eyes were wide, and then Shiori, still holding her mouth, looked into her sparkling eyes, they were sparkling in myriad colors under the dulled lighting. It made her hesitate for a second. “Beebs… be careful.”

She nodded, and the taller girl released her mouth.

Steps were coming from the other end of the hall from where they were sitting, and the two stood quickly, trying to figure out where they could hide.

They rushed behind one of the bookshelves, squeezing closely together, with little thought.

Biboo was a very small gem princess, and her face smooshed up into the archivist’s bosom.  They were like that for a few minutes, while Shiori listened for them to leave.

Biboo tightly whispered, “why won’t they leave?!”

“Ssh.”

The steps grew louder, and Shiori knew they were approaching them.  They had made too much noise.

In an instant, her pen was out, and she did something she rarely did.  She drew another sigil, and spread out her hand, ready to shoot it at whoever was approaching.

“Bau Bau,”

“Umph,” Shiori almost bit her lip, when she pulled back the magic circle, it pulled into her hand, burning.

“Dang it!  What are you two doing here?” Biboo asked, again in a tight whisper.

The twins looked over their friends, extremely close, and Biboo was speaking, looking like she was about to take a bite out of Shiori’s… milky bites.

“Hi,” Fuwawa said, tailing wagging.  “We didn’t like it out there.”

“Yeah,” the younger one nodded her head quickly, “it was pouring.”

“And then we went in the tunnel…”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“And… and it was so dark.”

“And there was a bang.”

“We got scared and ran until we heard you.”

“Yeah,” Mococo kept nodding in agreement.  “I have good hearing.”

“This might be fortuitous,” Shiori, stayed with Biboo extremely close, unmoving, and the twins glanced back and forth at each other, feeling nervous over the very questionable positioning of the two.  Why was Biboo nearly biting... Shiori's... fluffy parts?

“Let’s go.”

Shiori pulled away and Biboo followed.  The twins, in a very nonplussed way gave the side eye to each other.  They wondered if maybe Shiori and Biboo were on a date.  They were always going off alone.

Mococo just nodded, since they spoke without words. 

This is Fuwamoco communication:

            They’re together, right?

            Yes, most definitely.

            Would you ship them?

            I’m okay with the ship

            Me too.

The four walked along, the twins in the back.

Shiori pulled out a small piece of paper, the corner of a page in a book.  She’d grabbed it for future reference if she needed a spell to find the ancient text again.  It was how she found the twin text in Libestal. 

It was when everything went downhill.  She had read the words, and she didn’t realize until it was too late the voices in her head that were compelling her to read were not her own voices. She had been manipulated to release something.

“I need you guys to smell this and then find the book.  They’ve moved it.”

She held it up and one after another of the doggie twins sniffed.

“Hm,” Fuwawa, glanced this way and that.

Mococo got down on the ground, sniffing.

Biboo was looking around, listening to see if anyone was coming.  She felt they’d been here much too long.  Did no one ever come to this library?

Mococo moved first, heading back toward where they had come through the small hole.

Standing there were two Rosarian monks.

“Bau Bau.” Mococo’s ear rose up.

“Who are you?” the first one asked, in a quiet voice since they were in a library.

“Um,” Biboo spoke, her gift of influencing with her words, “we are students, and got lost in this big library that keeps changing.  I’m sorry,” she had a pouty face, “can you tell us how to get out of here, because I’m getting hungry and it’s kind of dark, and me and my friends – fellow students – were getting scared that we’ll get in trouble.”

Fearful and needy, usually worked, because Biboo was too cute for her own good.  “You wouldn’t tell our teacher, would you?”

“Certainly, miss.”  He smiled, “please don’t worry.  This isn’t a scary place.”

“Thank you, sir.  You’re so kind.”

“No problem, little girl.”

Shiori slid behind a bookcase, as the two monks led Biboo and the two doggies out of the library.  Biboo glanced back, winked, and then pushed Fuwawa to go back to Shiori and help with finding the book.

Fuwawa, stood, her eyes downcast, because Mococo was leaving. They didn’t like being separated.

“It’s okay, Fu-chan.  I know where we’re headed.”  Shiori took the older twin’s hand, leading.

The archivist looked down at her small magic circle, and looked to the doggie, “smell familiar?”

She nodded, and they walked down a long hall of books, and she looked to the right and there in plain sight was the small book.  She pulled it from the shelf, placing it on the ground.  The cover was a soft material.

“This is the skin of a dragon’s organs,” Shiori said, and Fuwawa replied with a repulsed look.

Shiori then said words, again under her breath, speaking in a strange language.  Her words circled the book with a white wisp of smoke, once again, but then she stopped suddenly.

She stood.

Fuwawa’s ears perked up.

“We need to leave.”

“HuH?”

“It’s fake.”

She grabbed Fuwawa’s hand, pulling her harshly.  They speed walked back to the hole in the floor to leave.

But waiting was the top advisor to the Queen of Great Exardia, the one who had been placed in charge of the kingdom when he convinced the queen to leave.

“I thought you might return,” he said.

“I did what you wanted.”

“I paid you handsomely.  Why are you back?”

Fuwawa watched, wondering what they were talking about.

“How’d you know I’d come back?”

“We are many.  You’ve no idea our reach.  Kingdoms.  Dimensions.  The Island of Holios. All have waited for his return.”

A small military unit entered.  “You should have stayed away, witch.  You just had to play your part, but it seems you grew a conscience – or perhaps, you changed your feelings of the vessel we chose.”

Shiori didn’t respond.  Fuwawa listened, looking over to her friend, again, wondering what he was talking about. What vessel?

“And now you will be locked away for the rest of whatever life you had.”

Fuwawa growled and then let out a loud howl.

The ground shook, as Fuwawa’s eyes grew a deep fiery red. 

Shiori smirked, “this time I brought my friends, the demon dogs of hell itself.”

His eyes fell back slightly.

And then… all hell broke loose, as Biboo and Mococo returned, in their full powerful glory. The twins could always hear one another.

Chapter Text

Chapter 8 – Why, Gigi?  Why?

Night fell over the Island of Holios.  The full moon still lit the sky, bringing a gauzy film across the landscape.

Large lights illuminated the area of two tents, a quickly assembled ground zero, with patients and HoloHQ personnel, moving about.  The triage unit was next to the Wellness Center.

Six soldiers, two agents, and two scientists were dead.  There were four military men still alive.  Only four.  They were being kept in the triage unit and monitored by the medical staff they’d brought in.

It was hard for Elizabeth to wrap her head around all this damage from one automaton.  Their automaton, one of the sweetest people she’d ever met.  This wasn’t her.  And it hurt in such a deep and profound way that she almost didn’t know where to place her thoughts.  It was a mix of anger and loss. 

She knew what was in Cecilia.  She knew it was a creature that wanted to take everything, a selfish and greedy beast of the underworld.  Balmut, the dragon, who had been Belthior the demon for eons prior, and just seemed to live for the simple joy of destruction.  At one time, it was one of the most powerful.  Worshipped by entire kingdoms that have since faded into history.

Holo HQ sent exactly what Elizabeth asked for, and probably more than she asked for.  Military and Special Agents were staying in both a tent, and in the hostel, commandeered by central command.

Raora walked up to her, placing an arm around her shoulders.  She had been crying and hadn’t really stopped.  Cecilia had disappeared and they had no idea what was happening to the automaton.  And then Gigi….

“They told me to tell you that we can go see the doctor.  She is out of surgery.”

“Thank you, Raora.  Thank you for taking care of all of this.”

“Of course.  We are still Justice… and it’s just…” she choked back a tear “…us.”

“We will have Cecilia and Gigi back with us.”  Her flame burned brightly.  “I can promise that.  If I have to yank that bloody beast out of Cecilia, we’ll get her back.”

The two pulled apart, and Elizabeth led, “let us go see our little gremlin, right?”

“Right.”

Elizabeth gave a confident wink, walking at a quickened pace, Raora following close behind, for the Wellness Center.

Calliope watched, standing beside Kiara.  She knew that she would have to wait.  But she wanted to see Gigi badly.  She knew she was just a visitor to their island, but she had grown to really enjoy it here.  She had grown to really enjoy that silly little gremlin.

“She will be alright,” Kiara assured.

“She was just a funny little gremlin, ya know?  Why would… I just don’t get evil sometimes.”

“Yeah… me neither.”

Kiara realized that through myriad battles and so many worlds and changes, she’d never really seen her friend this torn up over someone being hurt.  They had lost one of their dearest friends the last time a crazy over-powered god tried to destroy the world.

“I should kill that freakin demon that brought all this here.”

“Whoa, Calli?”

“I’m just so… urgh,” she wanted to hit something.  “I don’t get it.  I just don’t get it.”

“You’re a reaper and you don’t get it?”

“Yeah, I want to understand why.  Why? Why do the bad guys always pull this kind of shit?!”

“That’s a good question, and I wish I had an answer for you.”

“FUCK!!!” 

Kiara simply hugged her friend, holding her tightly, hearing her soul break.  “I know.”

They held for a good 30 seconds.

“Kiara?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you, for saving her.”

“Of course.”  She snickered, “I would have done it even if you didn’t have a crush on the little gremlin.”

Calliope would let the one pass.  But she knew… she knew that Kiara really would have done it for anyone because that’s the kind of person she was, and that was the kind of friend she loved for all these years.

“You’re really something, Kiara.”

“You’d better believe it.”

“Thank you.”

The two pulled away, looking over the sky.  Calliope recalled the battle with the automaton.  How it disappeared.  She wanted to know why and how.  Where did she go?  Would the demon know?

She knew she had one goal. If she completed no other goal, it would be to kill that fuckin monster in Cecilia.

Kiara grabbed her hand, “Let’s walk over to the Wellness Center.  See how that little gremlin is doing.”

Calliope nodded, letting her friend pull her along.

******

Elizabeth and Raora walked into the Wellness Center.  Gigi was kept in the best room, because well, she was Gigi and the Mayor and everyone else wanted her in the best room and to do whatever it took to make sure Gigi would be comfortable and heal.

Despite acting offended or bothered, especially the mayor, the gremlin was loved by everyone.

Elizabeth walked into the room.  It took a moment to sink in, when she saw her friend. 

Raora, gasped quietly, holding a hand over her mouth, but held it together.  She waited for the doctor to explain.

All the tubes and wires, bandages on appendages, made her look so much smaller, she was drowned by the large ventilator covering her mouth and nose, and then the tubes coming from just under her neck, so that she could breathe.  It was so much hardware on one little gremlin.

The doctor began, “She’s in a medically induced coma, because… her esophagus was crushed.  She can’t breathe on her own, and that’s why those tubes are just above her chest.  She needs to heal, and she can, if we keep her in this comatose state. Gives her time to heal on her own, while still getting needed oxygen.”

“She’s a gremlin,” Raora said.

The doctor nodded, “Oh yes. That’s why we are hoping by this medically induced coma, she will start healing on her own… much more quickly.”  The doctor pointed to the x-ray, placing them on the backlit wall, one x-ray at a time he placed.  “I’ve worked with gremlins before.”

“Yes,” Elizabeth stated, “I’m thankful they sent you.”

They followed him over to the wall as he explained.

“There’s so many,” Raora said quietly, “…x-rays.” 

“Here, as you can see the esophagus was nearly obliterated, and the only reason she was alive was because she is a gremlin.  Her body has been constantly trying to repair the damage and heal.  But this will help it along.”

Elizabeth looked over the x-rays.  She had been thrown with such force, her small body looked broken in several places.  Again, she felt gutted. Only thankful, Gigi was probably unconscious for most of this.

“She’ll heal,” Raora was saying to herself, almost trying to convince her own thoughts.

“Yes.  Much faster than a human.  Well actually, if she were a human she’d be dead.  Probably on impact at the bottom of the cliff, when she hit the rocks down there.  No human would have survived this.”

Elizabeth held back that tightness in your throat, when you want to sob over something horrible.  The little gremlin was the sunshine of their little group.  Always smiling or joking or flirting.  Such a silly thing.

“Okay,” walking back to Gigi, she placed her hand gently at the top of the small little head, her fingers delicately brushing aside her bangs, not wanting to hurt her, “she looks so small.”

Raora leaned over and carefully gave her a kiss on her forehead and then pulled away. “You get better, Gigi.  We are all right here for you.  I know… I know you are a tough little one, and you will fight and… and get so much better, just like your old self.” 

Raora looked over the wires monitoring her pulse, brain, and heart with an EEG and EKG machine.  An IV hook with four different bags of needed drugs going into her.  She wiped her eyes, since she hadn’t stopped crying.

“You keep me posted if there is any change.”  Elizabeth stated, and then asked, “is she allowed visitors?”

“Only one at a time, and for short periods – maybe 15 minutes at the most.  We don’t want to bother the process.”

The queen nodded and then left the room, Raora behind her.  Outside, a small group gathered wanting to take turns to see the gremlin.

She informed them of the rules. 

“I’m first,” Kronii stated.

“Why?” Bae was beside herself.

“Wait a minute,” Irys pushed her aside, “I was there fighting the thing.”

“So was I,” Kronii was exasperated.

“No,” Kiara walked up, “Calli is first.”

“The vacationer?” Kronii squawked.  “And who are you?”

“I pulled the gremlin out of the water, so I think that gives me priority.”

Raora looked over Kiara, remembering how she held her dear friend.  They were strangers, but she could see that she handled her small and broken body with such care and concern.   

“I think she is right, mayor.  Calliope should go first.”

“Thank you.”  Calliope walked past the others.  They all fell backward slightly at her presence.  When the Grim Reaper was near, there was something very intimidating.  She was also much taller than the others.

She entered the room, closing the door quietly.

She stood beside the bed, looking over the tubes and wires, and then down at Gigi.  She’d seen so many hospitals and knew all the equipment, their purposes, and she gave a cursory glance but then looked at the small gremlin.

“Hey.  It’s me.” She laughed, “Mori Calliope, Mori Calliope,” she sing-songed, trying to be light, despite feeling such a heaviness deep in her soul.

Her eyes were closed, and the eyelashes were dark and long.  Her hair was a mess, just a multicolored blonde and brown mess.

She really did look extremely small and drowned by the large bed, with tubes and wires, bandages everywhere.  She was a mess.

“… a mess,” she said quietly, no longer laughing. 

She got quiet, thinking over what to say.  She knew people in comas can hear you.  At least, that’s what she heard.  Well, since she was a reaper, she knew that was a fact.

“I know you will heal and recover, G.”  She pulled up a little closer, careful not to touch anything.  “You’re a really strong little gremlin.  I saw that the moment I first met you.”  She then cleared her throat, “boat goes binted.”  She laughed at how silly that must sound.  “I thought I should give you a good island greeting, ya know?”

And then her throat tightened, as she placed one small finger at the gremlin’s hair brushing it aside.  “You know, I’m a scary Grim Reaper.  I touch people with my scythe, and they die.  I’ve…”  Her throat burned harshly, as she tried to hold in crying.  “I’ve, seen so much death.  I’m going to tell you something I’ve never told anyone.  I’m tired.  Tired of death.”

She paused for bit, the tears growing thick in her throat. “Right now,” she sniffed, “I wish I could touch you and make you feel better.”

“Damn it!” She wiped at her eyes furiously, because she kept crying.  “Why’d you have to go and get hurt, huh?  Why’d you mess up my vacation?  You know how hard it is for me to go on vacation?  I… I finally take one and this?  This is what happens?  Why’d…”

She lowered her head, still sobbing, “Why’d… you have to make me… like you so damn much? … and… love you?”

She carefully held her small hand in her own… gently rubbing the skin.  So small.  “…why?”

Chapter Text

Chapter 9 – Unveiling Truth, Nerissa and... Hope?

The lights flickered from outside the train, as they passed another dimension.  Travel was so quick, it was like looking out at the aurora borealis mixed with stars, swimming in and out.  So many colors.

Biboo liked that they looked like gems. 

The twins handled the small military unit with ease.  The advisor, like the coward he is, ran away.

Biboo, just using a quarter of her strength, brought down a large section of the library.  It had stood, holding such a wealth of knowledge for thousands of years, and it took just one upset Biboo to take it down.  She said the rocks were old, and that’s why it fell.

That thought ran through Shiori’s mind; remembering how they all laughed watching little Biboo explain the rocks and what happened as they left Great Exardia instantly. 

Being with her gang was the best of her life.

She leaned against the back of the seat, her head lying back, her eyes gazing over the darkness.  It made her think of her childhood.  Kept in the dark.  Never allowed to see the outside world.  That was the way of an archivist.  Her parents left her there, or so she was told, and then just left her alone.

Was it that she was dangerous?  Troublesome?  She never understood.

She realized nothing was real.  It was all a lie.  Everything and nothing mattered.

“Shiori.”

Biboo was talking, and it brought her back from her daze.

The small gem was cradling her hand into her own, carefully holding it out.  “Are you okay?”

“What, Beebs?”

“Your hand has a bad burn.” She held it carefully, pointing out the bad burn across.  “Does it hurt?”

“It’s nothing.”  She looked down at the burn covering over half her hand, pulling her sleeve down to cover. She was sure that it was covered when they sat on the train. 

“At least it’s not my left hand.” Shiori giggled.  It was her way to downplay something.

“We should ask the conductor, or that Kippu guy, if he has an ointment.”

“Seriously, Beebs,” she lightly pulled her hand away, “it’s nothing.  I probably deserve it.”

“Why would you say that?”

“It’s just… I used the magic wrong and that’s all.”  She smiled down at her small friend.

“You know when this train passes through a dimension your eyes glow really cool like.  You have the coolest eyes.”

“Do they?”

“Yeah.”

“Yours are like gems – which, makes sense, since you’re a gem princess.”

Biboo giggled.  “I’ll go get Kippu and ask about the ointment.”

“No… no need.”  She tucked her hand under her sweater. “It will heal.”

Maybe I want the pain.

Biboo got up from the seat.  “I’m going to get a drink if you don’t want me to try and help you.”

“What?  No, I was just saying that…”  Shiori got up to follow the small gem.  “Did I upset you?”

“I just think you should sometimes tell us when you are hurt so we can help you out.  You don’t always have to be the one who has to help us out.”

“But I like to help you guys out.” Shiori and Biboo stopped in the portal between the cars.  “I really… do… care about you all.”

Biboo became contemplative.  “I’m thinking you should tell me the whole story.”

“What whole story?”

“The one where you keep saying that this is your fault.  Tell me why you think it’s your fault.”

The taller girl looked back at the twins, soundly asleep on the seat across from where they had sat.  She then looked at the dining car, and Kippu wasn’t there.  It was quiet, so she pointed to a seat for them to sit down.

Once sitting, Shiori crossed a leg, and leaned back.  Biboo copied her move, and then nearly fell off the edge of the seat, and Shiori instantly grabbed her, pulling her closer to her side.  “You gotta be careful.”

“I have a tendency to fall a lot.”

“I’ve noticed.”

The two giggled quietly.

“You are just… different Beebs.  When people have said I have weird and freaky eyes all my life, you tell me that I have cool eyes.  When others tell me I sound weird, you listen to me intently.  You’re just someone I’m glad I met.”

“Are you dying, or something?”

Shiori couldn’t help but laugh.

“Well, I’m sure I’ll eventually die.”

Biboo pursed her lips together, her lower lip outward, blew hard, and her bangs moved lightly, but fell back to covering her left eye. 

“I’ll tell you a story, Beebs.”

“Ooh, neat!  I like your stories.”

“Cool,” So the archivist sat up, ready to tell her tale.  “Once, there was a small girl; a very thin, malnourished, and always wanting little girl.  She wanted to be brave and see the world, so she snuck away from her home – the place she lived.  She wasn’t really sure if it was a home… I guess.”

Bibbo scooted closer, staring so she knew she was listening. 

“But this little girl, she was a greedy little girl   She was always wanting more – more knowledge, more information, more life…” Shiori’s gaze drifted downward.  “She had been kept in the dark. Told it was for the best.  But at eight-years-old, she left because she didn’t believe she was being kept for what’s best.” 

She paused, for a good 10 seconds, and then continued.  “So, she left and found a new world. A new world of different sights and wonders.  She walked through the streets and talked to others, but no one listened.  In her old home she was always fed and was treated kindly, but it was not enough for this greedy child.

“On the streets she grew so hungry, and people kept passing her by and ignoring and making rude comments because she was such an ugly little girl.

“But then, a large demon walked by, and she was so hungry she asked him if he had any food or whether he knew of free food somewhere.  He left her for a moment, walked into a pub and then came out with a loaf of bread, handing it to her.

“She considered those results, weighing it carefully.

“She walked up to another demon and asked him to please get her something warm to drink, it would make her happy.

“Now mind you, all this time she was very gracious and polite. For she was raised to always be polite and have manners.”

“Yeah, those are good to have.”  Biboo nodded.

“So, he left and brought her back a thermos of cocoa.

“To truly test this theory, she asked the same thing of a human.  The first one yelled, ‘Leave me alone, you ugly child!’”  Shiori emphasized shaking a finger, and it made a flurry of windshield wiper sounds come out of the little gem.  “The second one…” her eyes blinked slowly “… they threw a very hot drink at her face.  And it hurt her very much.”

“Oh my god, what a jerk!”

“Yeah,” she huffed lightly, “yeah, that was pretty jerky, but then their friends came.  They thought it was funny, and so they took turns beating the little girl up.  But she didn’t cry and so it frustrated them, and they hit her harder.  But then they tried to take her away.  The little girl knew if they took her away… it would be very bad.”  Shiori stared off for a moment.

“So, she yelled as loud as she could for the demon who had brought her the bread.  He heard her. When he walked up, in his mighty size, they all ran away.”

“Good for him.”

“Yeah,” she smiled, “He was so nice, so,” Shiori lifted one eye, professorially, “her hypothetical thesis was concluded.”

“People were jerks?”

“Yes, the people were jerks, but… she realized, demons listened to her for some reason.

“When she asked an older and wiser demon, she met many years later, ‘why,’ they told her she spoke their ancient language, and when she spoke it there was something deep inside that told them, forced them, to listen.  To her, she didn’t hear a different language, but for some reason to their ears they could hear the ancient demon tongue coming out of this little girls’ mouth.”

Shiori smiled.  “Makes one wonder, doesn’t it?”

“I think, I think,” Biboo stuttered, “I think… you’re talking about you!”

“Cause I’m an ugly child?”

Biboo shook her head seriously.  “You’re beautiful, Shiori, with awesome eyes and you’re the smartest person I’ve ever met.”

The compliment surprised Shiori, “Thank you.”

“No problem.  I always tell the truth.”

“You do, and I suppose I should start telling the truth also.”

She had to think over her words, and then she continued her story, “After that I returned to the archivist’s hall, fully satisfied with my jaunt into the world and studied twice as hard.  Magic.  Reading the most ancient glyphs, spells, and books.  There was never enough for me. And then…” She stared off again, “well, that’s another story that doesn’t matter right now, but….  Let’s just say I had to leave at 16.

“It wasn’t long after, others called me a witch.  Said that I was casting demon spells - trying to be a demon queen.  I was this and that. Everyone wanted to place a label on me so that they could then deal with me in the way they wanted according to their narrative.”

“But you just wanted to live your life.”

“Yeah,” she smiled, appreciating someone who seemed to always understand her, “exactly, Beebs.”

“I get it.”  Biboo leaned back, thinking over the story.  “So, is that how you could read the ancient texts?”

Shiori didn’t speak immediately.  She contemplated her wording.  Formulating how much she wanted to tell her friend. 

“I’m going to say something to you… but I’m scared of losing you if I do.”

“Never,” Biboo dramatically stated, her small body moving to emphasize.  “I will always be your friend.”

“Everything was a ruse.”

“What do you mean?”

“Befriending Nerissa.  I…” Shiori eyes grew moist, her staring out.  “I…”

Biboo moved up on her seat.

“I didn’t care.  I was promised an ancient text that has been hidden for thousands of years.”

“Back up – a ruse?  What’s that?”

“It was fake.”

“What was fake?”

Shiori slumped, moving to the side, desperately looking out the window so that she wouldn’t have to see the disappointment in someone who had become one of the most important people in her life. 

“It was an act, Beebs.  All of this was an act… at one time.”

“Huh,” she asked quietly.  “…no.”

“… everything.  Us.  Nerissa.  This life.”

“No, I love you. And I know you love us.  It’s not an act.  I’d know.”

“I do… love you all.”  She wanted to grab her friend’s hand but remained trying to look out the train window.  She felt overwhelmingly ashamed.  “This is the most real love I’ve ever felt in my life.”

Biboo took her hand, rubbing it gently, because she could see that Shiori had started to cry, although trying hard not to let her see.

“I was paid a lot of money in Great Exardia by the Advisor, and he would give me the original text from the Great Exardia library.  But the hidden knowledge – the glyph to that text was in Libestal.  They wanted Nerissa for something important.  So, I had to get Nerissa out of Great Exardia and then when I was called, go to Libestal and he would complete our transaction.”

“But… we were together months.”

“And… I started to love you all so much, but I really wanted that hidden knowledge… and so, I thought to myself I could have my cake and eat it too, I guess.  I thought I was smarter… but in reality, I was an idiot.  A selfish idiot.”

Biboo pulled away her hand, placing it on the seat next to them, but still listening. 

Shiori could feel the shift. She expected it.  Of course.  She would hate herself too.

“So, for the rarest hidden knowledge I just had to fake… liking Nerissa.  Making her follow me anywhere with my special gift.  She was just a dumb demon, right?  They wanted her and I wanted the text.  I would do anything to see something no one else had ever seen or translated.”

She wasn’t looking at the smaller girl at all.  Now she just wanted to tell her tale, come clean, just finally tell it all and lose everything that meant something to her.  

She knew that Biboo would leave and probably take the twins with her.  She was used to losing anyone who meant anything to her. 

Her parents were gone, just leaving her in the dark land of the Archivists. She lived years and years, in the dark, one candle, reading all the books of existence. But she grew to like reading and learning.  She grew to love the place and the other archivists, that all lived in the Dark Hidden and studying.

“Then, I got the call and made us all… go to Libestal during the blood moon.  That’s where I saw the hidden knowledge and read it and then…  I didn’t even…”

Biboo was trying hard to process what she was hearing.

“When I realized what I read in the demon tongue, that I was releasing the most evil demon of the past, I stopped, and that’s why we had to run to the D Train, but…”  A tear fell slowly down her cheek “…we didn’t make it in time and Rissa was still taken over.  I thought I could trick them, but it was risking Rissa to do so.”

“So,” she turned to Biboo with a smile on her face, “so...” she laughed, “I did it all.  I loosened the most evil creature and destroyed Rissa in the process.  I…” she was laughing, but Biboo could see in her eyes that she was broken because her soul was crying, and now tears were falling fast and heavy across her cheeks.  “It was all because of me, and so that, THAT is why I said it’s my fault Beebs.  I did it all!”

Shiori stood quickly, ready to ask the conductor to stop the train so they could leave.

…

…

A small hand, slid into the archivist’s hand, holding it, and then gripping tightly.

Shiori looked down, surprised.

Biboo then wrapped her arms around the taller girl, holding her tightly.  Like, if she let go the spirit of someone she had truly grown to love would fly away. 

“Want to know what I’m upset about, idiot?”

“…yeah?”

She could feel the small girl’s body pressed against her own, as she hugged her more tightly.  “That you don’t trust our friendship.”

Shiori didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t sure what was happening.

“I was made from emotions.  I know emotions.” Biboo spoke confidently. “you’re saying one thing, but you are feeling something much different.”  She pulled away looking up at Shiori, “Dang it, we have to figure out how to help Nerissa.  So, you messed up?  We all mess up all the time.”

“Yeah… probably not like this.”

“Well yeah, but it’s still a mess up.”

Shiori couldn’t help but giggle at her logic.

“And so, what were you looking for in Great Exardia?”

“Well…” Shiori sat back down, taking a breath, wiping her tears. “Yeah, Great Exardia had bound the demon ages ago.  And so, I was hopeful there was a book that would have the information to do so in their library.  I was looking for a signature with my magic circle, that might be similar to the glyph I’d read in Libestal.”

“So, that’s why we’re now going to Libestal?”

“Yeah, it’s a wild shot in the dark.”

Biboo looked over the sky changing to lighter colors, meaning morning was near.  “Say, can we dig in the mines in Libestal – just a little?”

“You want to find gems now?”

“I’m getting a little low on funds.”  Biboo huffed, “man, Dooby doubled the price on this train just because we’re the most wanted criminals in Great Exardia.”

“It’s called supply and demand,” Dooby said, standing in the doorway, and both jumped.

“Where’d you come from?!” Biboo shrieked.

“I’m always here or there,” she winked.  “We’ll be in Libestal in five.”  She looked directly at Shiori.  “I can pick you up whenever you’re ready and take you to the Island of Holios afterward.”

“Thank you.”

Dooby turned, her thin tail swishing, and then left the two.

“Dang,” Biboo whispered, “do you think she heard everything?”

“I don’t know.  She… is just so… like when I sense her magic – its different than any other I’ve felt in my life.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah… wow.”

Back on the Island of Holios

Elizabeth watched the beautiful demon sleep in the cell at the local jail, chained heavily with their makeshift demon precautions.  Holo HQ took over, trying out new inventions to apprehend and trap demons.  She didn’t want to involve herself in secret societies and any governments outside of Great Exardia.

Justice worked on capturing those who hurt others.  That was her only purpose to make sure innocents were safe and evil was locked away.

They placed the demoness in the town jail, since there were still repairs that had to be done in the facility.  Once finished, they would move her there, bringing in more guards and taking over the ancient facility.  They placed a stronger dampner around her neck.  She was too dangerous, in their words.

But she considered the demon she’d been following. Why’d she save her at the cost of her own freedom and life?

She had spoken to Kronii and she read her the long list of Nerissa Ravencroft’s crimes, but the one glaring thing in her portfolio was that in the last 500 years her main crime was some petty theft.  She recalled when she was jailed in her country it was because she used magic to push aside a cart, and it crashed tipping over all its contents on the street.  No one was hurt, but the driver complained, an evil demon was trying to kill him.

When offered to pay a fine the demoness looked at her and said she wanted to spend some time in the town, and so they locked her up.

“What’s going on in that mind of yours?” Elizabeth said quietly.

Nerissa groaned, turning to the side, her eyes soft purple, as she opened them slowly.  Her lashes were so long, and her skin so delicate and unblemished.  Her hair silken and soft, the deepest black of a raven.

Elizabeth didn’t want to admit, but she was one of the most beautiful creatures she’d ever seen.

“Are you checking me out, queen?”

“Lady Bloodflame.”

“Well, mi’lady,” she looked down at the chains holding her to the ground, and then slowly felt the dampner still around her neck.  “…still a prisoner, I see.”

“You’re a demon.”

“Oh, really?  Glad you noticed.” 

“Sarcasm isn’t needed.”

“And yet, it’s all I have.”

She moved up on the cot slowly, able to sit. She felt at the bandage across her head, and then saw she had on a pair of sweats and an ungodly looking t-shirt that had a picture of a sunset and the writing, “Welcome to Holios.”  It made her laugh to herself. 

“How’s that little tapir girl?”

“She’s back to her old self – back to her full-sized self.”

“I’m glad of that.”

She noted the queen with her arm still in a sling, pointing at it, “And how are you doing, Lady Bloodflame?”

“Oh this,” she laughed, “is but a small inconvenience.  My flame still burns bright, and I am ready to find that demon that you released.”

“I released?”

“Well… sorry, yes, I realize it was an unfortunate creature you brought to our island.”

“Unfortunate, yes.”

“It…” Elizabeth’s expression became very heavy in sadness.  That was what Nerissa saw, when she first came to her cell.  “It hurt my friend very, very badly.”

“I am sorry,” Nerissa tried to stand again, but started to lose balance and sat back on the cot, being pulled by the cumbersome chains.  “Anyway… I am sorry.”

She believed that she was sorry and again wondered what was real with this demoness.  

Nerissa looked over the cell and then across at the beautiful queen.  Sometimes, her eyes, the deepest red, had a sadness in them that was unexpected.  She tried to carry off strength, but now she knew why she seemed sad.

“You wouldn’t be able to just undo these chains, would you?” Nerissa thought over her long life and here she was again.  “I’ll even stay in your cage if you promise to visit.”

“Is that why you stayed in our jail back in Great Exardia?”

“I loved the view there,” she again flirtatiously smiled at the queen.

Elizabeth looked over her situation.  “How do I know it’s not a trick so that you can escape?”

“I guess,” she smiled slyly, “you don’t. BUT,” she lifted from the cot, still feeling out of sorts, but she stood as much as possible with the chains at her wrists. “I can promise that I won’t.”

“It’s simply a trick.”

“I don’t break my promises.”

“An honorable demon?”

Nerissa stood there, partially bent over because she was tall, heavy chains pulled at her arms, and hanging off her ankles. 

She slowly sat back on the cot.  She wanted to be tough and snarky, and playful or flirty, but she was just very tired.  And whatever they gave her made her feel sick, or maybe it was the new dampner at her neck.  She felt weak.  Those who she thought were friends were gone.  And this beautiful queen would never accept her as anything but a demon, a criminal, a lesser being.

She fell back onto the cot, laying down, and then turned her back on the queen.

It surprised the queen.  She expected a bit more back and forth.

“Are you feeling sick?”

“No,” Nerissa said quietly.

“I can get you something to eat.  What would you like to eat?”

“Nothing.”

“Is there anything in particular that you want?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

“To finally live outside a cage.”

Nerissa unexpectedly started to cry, and she didn’t know why this queen’s acceptance bothered her so much, but it hurt to know how she was viewed – as nothing, really.

She hid her tears, lying with her back to the queen.

Her answer hit Elizabeth in an unforeseen way. She was a criminal.  She’d committed crimes throughout her demon life.  And yet….

“What if…  I joined you in there, and we share a meal?”

“Like… a dinner date?”

“Well,” Elizabeth coughed, “not a date.”

“I see.”

“And… and it’s more like a brunch.”

“Oh yes, of course.”

Nerissa sniffed, her tears leaving.  She actually had a bit of a gleam in her eyes.  “If you insist, most beautiful queen.”

“I just thought…”

Nerissa turned on the cot to face the queen, “…you did?”

“I mean,” she grew flabbergasted, “I mean, we need to eat food.”

“That is true.”  She lay on her side, looking over the queen.  “You probably eat all your veggies and keep yourself in very good shape.”

“I try.”

“Must be why,” Nerissa’s eyes, grew a deeper purple, “you’re so fit… and… absolutely stunning.”

Elizabeth’s blushed, her face much rosier, and it made the demoness smile; she loved it when she could make her blush, and the silly way she would get flustered.

“Coffee?”

“Oh yes, love some coffee.  You choose what you like and I’m sure I will love it.”

“I will be back in maybe 20 minutes.”

She left the jail, and Nerissa watched her leave.  She really didn’t understand this feeling and why she liked the queen so much.  There was something to admire in how she carried herself, and she’d never met a human like her in all her travels and life.  But she needed to leave this place.  But then, what would her life be like when she left.

She thought over Shiori, Biboo and the twins.  She did miss them.  It was her first experience where she felt she was part of a family in a very long and lonely life. 

The kind and just queen was her only reason to stay in Great Exardia, and now she was here.  She had feelings that she couldn’t explain toward the queen.  No matter how tough and stalwart she seemed, she sensed a very kind soul.

That was it – so much kindness that made her feel maybe there was some hope in life.  

The door opened, and she smiled, expecting the queen maybe forgot to tell her something, like, ‘I have loved you since the moment I saw you.’ Something stupid and girly like that.  She giggled, thinking over how she was thinking.  You’re being so stupid, Nerissa.

She looked up, ready to see the beautiful queen, but it was the Grim Reaper, her eyes were merely a blaze of fire, carrying her large scythe. The door shut behind her with a loud click of the lock.

“We need to have a talk, Demon of Sound.  Just dark creature to dark creature.”

The jail cell door melted, and the reaper stepped inside.

Nerissa scooted back on her cot.

“This is what you call the shroud of death.  Time stands still here – meaning we can’t be disturbed.”

Nerissa yanked at her chains and dampner, feeling panicked. She was truly trapped with death.

Chapter Text

Chapter 10 – From One to Another…  

“You need to tell me what that thing in you was and how do I kill it.”

“I… I don’t…”

Calliope grabbed Nerissa by the dampener harshly, yanking her upward, so that she dangled in the air, the chains pulling.  She slammed her against the wall.  A loud thud, and stone crumbling around her feet.

“Why was he in you?  Why’d you bring that thing here?!”  she yelled.

“I… I don’t know why.”  Nerissa felt the dampener burn at her neck, and realized it was like a shock collar if she even considered using her power.  She needed to calm down.

“Please… I don’t know anything.”

“He was in you.  You must have heard his thoughts, plans, whatever he said while buzzing around that little demon brain of yours.”

She slammed her head against the wall, for emphasis, more pieces of brick crumbling.

“He… ugh… um, he wanted to be a dragon, I think.  Ow, I think what you are doing is abuse of power.”

Calliope moved so close to the demon’s face, she could feel the fire in the reaper’s eyes, as if it would burn her on the spot.  “I haven’t shown you an inkling of my real power.  You don’t,” she emphasized, “want to see that.”

“Well now,” Nerissa tried to make light, “don’t promise me a good time, Reaper.” She laughed weakly.

Nerissa stared into the fiery eyes of the reaper.  It was said that if she decides to smite you with her scythe, a demon simply disappears from existence.

Calliope slammed her back down on the cot.  “Do you think this is a joke?  He is killing people.  Hurting people.  Hurting people that don’t deserve it.  So then,” she punched the wall above her head, so close she felt the hot breeze nicking her skull, “Tell me what he said.”

Nerissa rubbed at her neck, and then back of her head, “he…I think he wanted to be Balmut the dragon again.  That was in Great Exardia.  I think he wants to use the automaton to find where Balmut was hidden, between the two dimensions of Great Exardia and Libestal.”

“But what of the automaton?  Why’d he leave you for the automaton?”

Cause I’m too weak? She thought to herself.  She had become so weak.  Even now, a pathetic demon in a cage, kept chained and forever in pain from this thing on her neck.  Her friends had really just left her here.

Her gaze was downcast, and Calliope watched her, looking pathetic.

“It’s just a means to the end.” She coughed harshly, rubbing the dampener around her neck.  “She’s just a mechanical piece of armor for him to get what he wants.  He,” she thought back to the facility and what transpired.  “It was like he felt at the walls, and said there was power unlike any other, and then he looked at the automaton. He said, the manifestation of this power is there.  The automaton looked afraid when he said that, and then within seconds he was gone and in her.  But the…” Nerissa felt so sick.  “He… um… I don’t feel well.”

“Do I look like I care?”

Nerissa looked up at the Reaper, “No… no, you don’t.”

She was trying to gather some of her dignity.  “I can help you find your automaton.  I want to kill that demon who possessed me too.” Then more quietly she said, “Help get this dampener off me, and I promise I will help you.  I don’t…”

“Your voice has no effect on me so, stop right there.”

“I…I…see.” The demoness really didn’t look very well.  She leaned back against the wall.  This Reaper was shooting daggers at her throughout.  “Why… are you so interested in all of this?”

“Tell me what he said to you.”

“I see...” she cleared her throat.  “… just the facts ma’am.” She giggled at her silly imitation.

“I can end you.”  Her scythe was suddenly held at Nerissa’s neck.  “You still don’t seem to understand I am serious.”

“No… ugh,” she had to calm herself down. The pain was graduating in levels.

Her mind went everywhere and anywhere, and she blurted, “Wait…wait, wait… um…”  Nerissa spoke quickly, “I’m just really… tense.  I don’t do well under pressure.  And I’m not making sense.  I just… I was going to have a meal with the queen. She’ll be here at any minute. She said… she’d have a meal with me,” and without realizing, she smiled, in thought of just having the queen next to her. “We were going to share a coffee and talk… and I was looking forward to seeing Elizabeth… I mean, Lady Bloodflame.”

The reaper stepped back, turning from the demon of sound.

A slow laugh was heard, and Nerissa wondered what was happening.

She laughed for a good 30 seconds, her scythe disappeared, as she placed her hands on her hips, turning back to the demon, eyes changed back to a pinkish color.  “Wow, you’re just lovesick idiot, aren’t you?”

“Well…” completely affronted, “that was kind of mean of you to say.  I mean, I take offense at that comment.”

“Hey, just calling it like I see it.”

“I haven’t really been very demon-y for a while, so I’m just a little out of practice.”  She tugged hard at the dampener, “and this thing on my neck is very painful, so I’m not myself.  But once upon a time, just the mention of my name, the evil Nerissa Ravencroft, Demon of Sound, brought people to fall to their knees in fear.”

“Huh,” she pulled away, “I’ve never heard of you.”

“What?  But how could you not hear of me?  I walked through the fantasy dimensions, and everyone knew my name.  Just… saying my name and they went into hiding…”

“Hm… Just saying, I mean there are hundreds, thousands, probably millions by now, of demons and it’s hard for me to keep track.  I only heard you are a different kind of demon, lower echelon type.”

“By whom?!” she squealed, “what does that mean?!”

“Nothing.”

“Different, like because I’m so beautiful and I sing amazingly?  I am known for my voice!  What do you mean by that?!  Nothing about me is lower echelon.”

“Well, it’s obvious you have an ego.”

“What is there, like a demon grapevine, or something?  Who would have said that?!”

“Wow, that really bugs you, huh?”  The demon kept making her laugh.  “You’re just a clueless demon that got possessed by an ancient demon much more powerful than you.  So, he left you in a hot second to take over an actual powerful entity.”

Nerissa was about to speak, but nothing came out.  She wanted to be angry. How dare she look down on her.  She didn’t know what to say.  She had no idea why he took her over in the first place.  Maybe he had heard of the Demon of Sound from thousands of years prior.  She just knew it was the worst she’d ever felt in her long life.

“He is a horrible creature,” she muttered sadly.  “Maybe I was… simply too weak.” 

She looked past the reaper, “I used to be feared for thousands of years and then I became too human, I think. It was nice.  My friends were nice.  Living to just be with others you love… became nice.  Love does that to you.  I’ve enjoyed this recent part of my life much more than the thousands before.”

Calliope’s thoughts went to Gigi lying in bed at the hospital.  For the first time she looked at the demon, who didn’t look well, and was wearing sweats and a silly shirt and talking over having a meal with Elizabeth.   

“Thanks for the info.”

“Reaper?”

“Call me Calli.”

“Calli, what would it hurt for you to get me out of this and take me to help you find the demon?  You can easily smite me with one swing, right?  So, it would be worth it for you to let me help you.”

Calliope turned to leave.  “I’ll,” she turned back to the demoness, sitting in her sweats and Tee and chained in a cell.  She knew that was this demon’s fate.  “I’ll…think about it.”

She waved her hand in a quick upward motion and then disappeared.

The jail cell was exactly as it had been before she entered.

Nerissa let out a harsh exhale.  She felt she had stopped breathing.  Why would the Grim Reaper want to find this demon?  It seemed… personal.

***********

“Ceci?”

“What?”

“Ceci… I’m scared.  I just want to feel warmth.”

“Come here, silly.  I’ll help you sleep.”

“Okaayyyyy,” Gigi jumped on the bed, and she held her close, and she told her, “I’ll never let you go.” 

But when she looked down the gremlin was gone, and she was holding nothing. 

The automaton blinked, looking up at a very tall ceiling.  It was dark.  There were rocks and she could smell the distinctive wetness of mud and rock. 

“Where am I?”

She lifted from the ground, looking over her surroundings.  She looked over the walls and then the ceiling.

“…a cave.”

How’d she get here?  Wasn’t she just talking to Gigi?  She was right there, wasn’t she?

“I was sure I heard her voice.”

She turned her head this way and that way.  “Gigi?”

When she moved to walk, she saw something dark sitting in the corner.  “Hello?”

A dark sullen creature of black with sharp teeth, turned smiling at her.  It made her jump back, because it was a terrifying looking creature.   This was the type of thing you see in nightmares.

She smacked her cheek.  She was still dreaming.  “Wake up, Ceci.”

“You are awake.”

“Who… who are you?”

“We have to leave again.”  He was digging in the dirt by a rock.  “This isn’t it.”  He stood.  “THIS ISN’T IT - AGAIN!” he yelled angrily.

She jumped in her skin; he was a terrifying demonic creature. 

“There are too many caves in this area.”  He was muttering, “too many in this area of deep chasms and rock for miles and miles underneath.  Libestal is known for its mines and Great Exardia is known for its rock.  It has to be here.  But where?  WHERE?!?!?!” 

Cecilia backed up. Time to go.  Maybe he wouldn’t notice.

Her thoughts were interrupted with flashes of scenes in the facility.  Screaming.  Blood.  She stepped back again.  She kept seeing things that didn’t seem believable.  There were people screaming and crying.  Body parts.  So, so much blood.

He waved.  “Come here!  You cannot go anywhere else.  I’m still too weak.”

“I think I’d rather not.”  She tried to laugh and make light of this feeling of complete and utter terror, “I’m just going to go.”  Again, she tried to leave, but for some reason her body wasn’t doing what she wanted.  “Yeah, well, I’m going to go.”  Again, she wasn’t moving.  “Move, come on legs.”

He held up a small red gem, holding it between his fingers.  “An automaton’s power source – heart?  Interesting this little gem.  I can possess you through this – isn’t that strange?  I’ve never seen anything like this.  It’s of a material I didn’t know existed.  Alien maybe?  I’m holding it for you.”

“That’s mine!”

How could he possibly have that?  Cecilia placed her hand over her chest.  It was buried deep within and only she had access.

“I will consider giving it back to you after we find what we need. While inside you, it took some time, but I was able to read everything they left for you.  Do your friends know what you were?  You’ve wasted a perfectly good gift.  You were built to destroy, and you were wasting away among small creatures.  I have saved you.  You are fortunate.”

“I’m not feeling fortunate.  Give me that back and I’ll be gone.”  She waved her hand, “You can do your little Gollum impression in your caves, but I need to go.”

“You know,” he rolled the red gem in his hands.  “I realized I can’t break this, but I can… hold it.” His eyes grew darker, small pits of black. “Do you know what happens when you mix pure evil with pure power?”

“Who are you?” She stepped back, “What are you?”

“I am Belthior, the most powerful demon to have ever existed.  Petty gods tried to destroy me and lock me away, but I am very patient, and now you have the pleasure of having me as your master.”

“I have been free from having any master’s for years.  That’s not possible.” She stepped forward holding out her hand.  “I want that back!”

His clawed hands wrapped around the gem.  His eyes were completely black, but glowing red at the edges.  His presence was overwhelmingly dark, as a shadow grew around him, an outline growing outward.  And then he placed her gem within his own chest.  His body was translucent.

It felt like he was pulling his claws deep within her, and she couldn’t remove.

It felt like a rock was pushing on her back, and pushing her forward, until she was on her knees, holding herself up with everything she had, as she was being pushed downward, downward, fighting the entire time, but she was unable to stop. Her head was then shoved downward into the dirt, until her head touched the ground.

“I am your master now.  I suggest you understand your place, servant.”

“Maybe I’m dreaming.  I wish Gigi would jump on me and wake me up.  This has to be a nightmare.”

He slowly walked to the automaton, his feet clawed, she could see them as they neared her head.

“Gigi?!” she yelled, it echoed and reverberated back to her, in the cave.  “Liz!!! Raora!!! Somebody, please!”

“I want to go back to my friends.”  Her voice cracked, because she felt like crying.  “I just want to wake up.”

“We are not finished with our task.  I cannot hurt you.  You’re an unbreakable thing.  But I don’t want to hear you groveling.”

“Can I beg?” she laughed.  “This can’t be happening.”  She turned her head, looking across the ground.  She had to do something to wake up.

Memories entered of wars.  Again, it was just glimpses of worlds and seeing so many humans, demons, all types of creatures lying dead as far as you could see.  She wanted to close her eyes, but she couldn’t stop the visions.  It was the strangest feeling.

“What’s wrong with me?”

“Nothing.  You’re a perfectly good automaton.  I am,” he held up the red gem, “going to help you fulfill your potential.”

She couldn’t move, like a waking sleep paralysis.  Her soul had this longing like when you are so scared, and no matter how much you move you can’t leave. 

She wanted to run, but she was trapped in her own body.

“I want to go home.”

“Who is Gigi? You keep calling for her.”

“Gigi’s my best friend. She saved me from the facility.”

“Oh, yes, the one we killed.  When I saw her, I knew she was important to you.  It was for the best.”

“What?!”  She was struggling to move, to hit this creature.  Now he pissed her off.  She was groaning, trying so hard to move her body.  Over and over, she tried to move.

She screamed loudly, only scratching at the dirt, making a fist.  How could he have this kind of power?  She’d never felt like this.

“You son of a…. urgh!” With sheer will power she was moving her head upward, trying to get away from this hold.  She thought, if only I could expel this thing, take back my heart, and then I can leave.

“You are strong.  But this endeavor is futile.  You are seeing what you want, but I am inside of you, and the one in control.”

And then the flashes of scenes on the island crossed her thoughts again, and she saw Gigi crying in her grip.  She looked at her hand, it was still stained with blood.  A sharp breath, and she remembered.  “No”

She felt her soul had broken into small pieces.

“No.”  She wiped her eyes.  “No, that didn’t happen.  I would neveh…”  Gigi’s body was flying across to the cliff.  Flashes of unbelievable scenes.

“No.

“No.

“No.

“No.”

“Time for you to sleep.  We have to go further east.”

She wanted to cry, but she felt darkness entering again, and it was that feeling like you are being buried alive, and she couldn’t leave.  Clawing at the soil, piled heavier and heavier on top, until no light remained. 

Darkness.

*****

Nerissa sat with her back to the wall, considering her talk with the Grim Reaper.  After all the mild pummeling, she seemed like a decent person. She just wondered why finding that demon in the automaton seemed so personal.

Elizabeth walked into the jail, and she sat up.  Following behind her was Bae, carrying a basket of food and a carafe of coffee.

“I had to incorporate a bit of help.” Elizabeth giggled lightly, “not very easy with this cast.”

Bae walked up to the cell.  “I don’t quite agree with this, but I’ll help out Liz.”  She glared at the demoness. “You best be on your best behavior, demon.”

“Oh, I am always on my best behavior.”  She brushed across her hair, trying to straighten up, looking at the beautiful queen.  Even with a broken arm she was a sight of strength and beauty.  She had pulled back her hair.

Bae placed everything on a table at the side of cell, and then one last time, “You need me to stay here?”

“No, I am more than capable to handle… one demoness.”

She nodded, one more glare at Nerissa, and then left them alone.

“Can I help?” Nerissa asked.

“I have it under control,” Elizabeth had brushed her hair back into a ponytail, and it looked nice.  It brought out her strong cheekbones and lovely features.

“How do you like your coffee?”

“A small bit of cream and one sugar, please?”

She poured two cups of coffee, and she liked her coffee similarly.

Nerissa tried to reach, but the chains held her back.

“Hold up a minute.”  Elizabeth sighed, “Look, I am going to open this cell, but I don’t want any funny business from you.”

“Never.”

She unlocked the cell and stepped in, handing her cup.  Nerissa took it from her hand, with two hands, her other hand lightly brushing the top of her hand, staying there for a bit. “My, you have such strong hands.”

“Um…” she carefully pulled her hand away.  But it felt nice.

“Thank you, most beautiful queen.”

“You don’t…” she stared down at her hand and then looked over the demon’s neck.  She lowered, and Nerissa’s eyes widened.  Was she going to kiss her?

“Oh, my goodness, mi’lady, this is so sudden.”

“Are you okay?”

“…just… you know.  In love, maybe.”

“What?!” The queen stood.  “I mean, your neck.  Are you okay?”

“Hm?”  She reached touching the dampener.  “Well, this thing is still here.”

“It looks very red, and painful.  Has it been hurting you?”

Nerissa nodded. “A bit… but it’s no problem.”

“Of course it’s a problem.”  Elizabeth’s eyes met the demon’s eyes.  “There’s no need for you to be in pain.”

Nerissa took a sip from her coffee.  “It doesn’t matter.”

“It always matters.”

The demoness sat back on the cot.  “No, beautiful queen, it doesn’t for someone like me.”  She took another sip of the coffee.  “This is quite good.  I appreciate you bringing me this nice comfort.  You must be very busy, so you should probably leave the food, and I might take a…” Suddenly the queen was sitting closely beside her, touching her hand, holding it carefully.

Her heart could have stopped beating right then.

She looked at the queen watching her, sitting so closely, and holding her hand.  She might have to pinch herself.

“Look, Nerissa, I have been looking over your records and I want to ask you something.”

“Of course, anything for a wonderful person as you.”

“You,” the queen snickered, “always compliment and I am never sure if it is you being the demon of sound and trying to vex me, or you are just trying to be polite.”

“It’s the latter, most beautiful queen.”

Lady Bloodflame hadn’t removed her hand yet.

“Um, well there are sometimes I want to influence with my words but…” she looked down at her hand, “you confuse me.”  She looked up, their gaze so close.  She could never have dreamed she’d have the queen she admired sitting this close beside her, let alone holding her hand. 

But the demoness pulled her hand away, slowly – reality hit.

“I can’t do this.  It will truly break me, if I can have you this close and yet, never have you close.”  She licked across her lips.  “Yes, this thing hurts.  These chains hurt.” She shook her hands. “The fact I will be locked in a cage forever hurts.  It all hurts.”

Nerissa turned away.  “I think you should leave before I feel hope.”

Elizabeth watched the demoness closely.  She realized the demon of sound might be much more than something evil to lock away.  She had become a conundrum.  She saved her from that thing in Libestal and risked her own life and future.  She even saved Nimi, who explained to her earlier that she felt something different with this demon.

“I need to ask you something, Nerissa.”

“Yes?”

“Why did you just stop hunting down humans and it was like, you just went into hiding hundreds of years ago, and then only a few times you were seen.  Then you joined Advent and you and your friends committed petty theft.  I looked over your records and nothing your lot did was blindingly horrible.

“I began to wonder why I was told you would destroy the world and cause destruction of time and all life by my advisors.”

Nerissa listened but couldn’t face the queen.

“I’ll go on.  Why did you want to be locked up in my jail on Great Exardia for simply pushing over a cart to save a small cat crossing the street?”

The demoness turned quickly to the queen, surprised.  “How’d you know that?”

“I know many things in my kingdom.  I offered you a fine.  I offered you any opportunity to leave, but yet you wanted us to give you the 30 days in jail.”

“I…” the queen was so close she could smell the light bit of strawberry and flowers in her hair, and the gentle smell of soap and skin, since she had recently bathed.  “I just wanted to see you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, I…”

With each word they were automatically moving closer to one another.

“I… have never seen a more beautiful person, in every way, your majesty.”

Elizabeth’s shoulders lifted, and she sat back, “Me?”

“Yes, you’re quite amazing.”

Elizabeth cleared her throat.  “Well, you aren’t so bad yourself.”

“I’m not?”

“No, I mean… I mean, you’re very beautiful… you know… for a demoness.  And when you sang…”

“You liked my songs?”

“The most beautiful I’d heard in a long time.”

“Why thank you.”

They were both extremely close now.

“Can I tell you a little story, mi’lady?”

“Of course.”  She sat back, realizing how close their lips were, and she gulped lightly.

“You asked me a few questions, and I considered whether I wanted to share any of this with you, but…” the queens’ soft eyes were entranced, watching her lips move, as she spoke.  “I do, want to share with you.”

“You say I disappeared for years.  It was actually 457 years, five weeks, two days, and maybe it was a Monday. I had, I guess what you call an epiphany.”

“I had been traveling through an out of the way land, I think Goleron was the name, it was a dimension that I’m not even sure exists now.  There were always orcs or goblins, and disgusting creatures that did horribly perverse and violent things against humans and other lesser demons and such. They wouldn’t dare bother me, of course.

“I was simply walking along singing, enjoying a nice day and then I saw a little girl at the edge of a cliff, looking like she was about to jump into the river below.  Not that I cared.  But she just seemed so distant and when she turned and saw me her eyes grew wide, and she sang a few lines of my song – word for word – with the most clear and pure voice I’d ever heard.

“I was slightly jealous, but in awe of a child probably no more than 13.  She told me I was the most beautiful person she’d ever seen, she even loved my horns and wished she could have horns like me, and she was thankful she could see someone so beautiful with such a beautiful voice before she died.”

Nerissa paused, smiling toward the queen, who was rapt in attention.

“I couldn’t believe this child was about to end her life.  But then I smelled something so familiar, and I looked back through the trees and could see the bodies.  It was obviously just a young family, wife, husband, maybe two children and then a small baby.  Bodies torn apart in the most horrid way, and this little girl had probably seen all of this.”

Elizabeth gasped lightly.

“It was a horrid sight, but then I’d seen horrid sights before.  They had been slaughtered by passing orcs, and this was what this child saw after returning home from visiting her grandmother in another dimension; it was actually Great Exardia.  It was very far off, and she had to walk home from the main part of the town. 

“But that horrid scene is what greeted her.

“Something inside me, was touched in a way I’d never felt.  They say even a demon can possess a heart and soul, if they are moved enough.  I was moved to my core.  And something… changed.”

Elizabeth listened, her eyes growing moist.

“I took the little girl’s hand, and I said, I have a better idea.  Your voice needs to be shared with a world that is much bigger than this, I pointed toward the trees, we will not look back.  I will take you back to your grandmother and then you will forget this and grow up, marry, have your own children and then you can tell them about the beautiful Sound Demon that told you always look ahead – the future can be beautiful.

“See?” she laughed, looking over Elizabeth, “it ended up all about me.”

“No, you did something very worthy.”

“You’re too kind, my beautiful queen.”

They were so close.

“You surprise me.”  The queen sat back on the cot, and Nerissa sat back, so they were both sitting back on the cot in the jail cell.

“Do you need help with your coffee?”  Nerissa asked, as the queen struggled with the one broken arm.

“Oh no,” she placed the cup on the floor.  “My stomach can’t handle it much right now.”

“You look tired.”  Nerissa was truly concerned.  “Have you had a chance to rest?”

“Not really.”

“How is your friend?  The one you said was hurt by that demon-possessed automaton?”

“She is still in a coma.  They are monitoring.  She did look better when I stopped by earlier.”

“That’s good to know.”

“Nerissa?” She sat up, looking over the beautiful demoness.  They were of similar height and she was so amazingly beautiful, with a beauty mark just under her left eye.  “Please don’t lose hope.”

She didn’t know how to respond.  It almost angered her.

“You should probably head back to your friends on this island.”  Nerissa realized she had to be awoken. She got caught up with this fantasy of the queen sitting beside her and when she said those words to someone who had no life or hope, was almost cruel. 

“Thank you, for waking me up from this dream. I told that little girl about a future, but I know what the reality is for me.”

It surprised the queen, this sudden change.

“Do you think you can just come here and be kind to me and make me think these wonderful things and then I realize this is a fantasy.  I have no hope.  You need to leave.  Never tell me to not lose hope when right now it is obvious I have no hope.”

The dampener shot such a sharp pain within her body, and she lurched forward holding her stomach. “Urgh.”

“What’s wrong?” Elizabeth lifted. “I’m sorry, I upset you so much.”

“Leave me alone!”

She then let out a scream, as the dampener shot pain through her worse than when the reaper was there, and she got up slightly, “you need to leave.”  Her body shook.  It was the demon power within her, and it was coming forth on its own.  But it was hitting a wall, that was wracking her body in pain, because the dampener was keeping it from going outside her body. 

She was gripping the metal of the cot, squeezing harshly because the pain was ripping through her insides.

Elizabeth ran out of the cell and hit an alarm.  She looked back.  “I am getting you out of that thing on your neck!  I worried about something experimental being used on you.”

Nerissa’s eyes were wide, as the pain was unlike anything she’d ever felt.  She was roiling and screaming in pain.  Why was this going off like this?  Her powers were trying to come through, and she was retching in pain, both trying to control so not to hurt the queen, and to make this pain stop.

Get this off of me. 

When she looked up, Elizabeth was above, trying to place her hand between the dampener and her neck, yelling, as four guards ran into the jail.

No, back away from me.

“Get me the damn key to this thing!!!” She ordered the guards, “NOW!!!”

Chapter Text

Chapter 11 – A Quiet Evening on the Island of Holios…

Evening fell, a waning gibbous moon lighting the night sky.  The sound of the waves was comforting. 

“To think I came here almost a week ago to have a nice vacation.”

Calliope sat in a fat lounge chair by the window; it opened slightly to let in a gentle breeze.

Kiara watched her friend.  “What did the demon tell you?”

“That creature is looking for his old dragon body. It seems he would prefer to be a dragon than an automaton.”

“Wonder what that means for the automaton?”

“I just wonder what will happen when Gigi is taken out of the coma tomorrow morning.  When she hears that her friend is gone.”

“She’ll probably be broken.”

“Yeah.”  Calliope turned to the Phoenix. “I’m considering leaving to find Cecilia with that demon.  She might be helpful.”

“I thought you wanted to kill that demon.”

“I considered it.”

“Now that Nerissa Ravencroft is a beautiful woman.”

“Really?  I didn’t notice.”

Kiara clicked her tongue, “can’t say I wouldn’t mind having her as a traveling companion.”

“Yes, but you want every beautiful woman.”

“There are just so many,” Kiara smiled, a gleam across her eyes, as she considered women, in general.

A pillow was thrown at her head.

“Hey!”  She fluffed her beautiful head of orangish red hair, “I need to look nice tonight.  Anyway, did you put the fear of the gods into the demon?”

“Maybe.  I told her she was a lower echelon demon, and she was very offended.”

“Oh, come now,” Kiara walked up and sat on the arm of the chair placing a hand around her friend’s shoulder.  “She is by no means a weak demon.  She has the most wonderful voice.”

“Yeah, but she doesn’t know that.  I thought I’d play a little mind game.  She looked pretty whipped.  I guess those guys at Holo HQ know how to tame a demon.”

“Poor thing.”

“I let my emotions get the best of me.  Happens.  But she’s kind of funny, maybe kind of a dork.  She’s not what I expected.  She has a crush on our queen of Great Exardia.”

“What?” Kiara leaned in closer, “are you getting all the gossip now?  That’s my job.  Is that why you went to see her?”

Calli laughed, glancing at her friend who was extremely close.  “Are you trying to get me to kiss you?”

“Of course.  I love kissing my friends.”  Kiara giggled. “I think I’m having dinner with that lovely cat.  She’s making pasta from scratch – should be delish.  Want to join us?”

“And mess up your date?”

“Well…”

“Yeah, I’m not third wheeling your date.”

“Thank you.”  She leapt up from her chair, kissing Calliope on the cheek.  “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” With a wink, “don’t wait up for me.”

Calliope nodded her head, laughing lightly, as she watched her friend leave. She was happy for her.  She’d probably leave for the Wellness Center and check in on Gigi again.  Last time, the doctor said everything was healing as he had hoped.  She would be weak after they pull her out of the coma first thing in the morning.

*****

The Director of Research and Development for Holo HQ sat across from Elizabeth Rose Bloodflame in her office.  He was tall with tightly cropped blonde hair and glasses, looking like an accountant.  Beside him was his assistant, a small woman wearing glasses with a short bob.

“You requested my presence.  What did you need, Lady Bloodflame?”  He pulled at his tie, looking nervous.

“I want to know why there are so many new scientists and military in the facility.”  She was frustrated.  “There were two more helicopters this afternoon, and then again, this evening, and I saw a bunch of strange equipment.  I want to know what is happening.”

“We are simply running some tests. After the automaton seemed to come to life with the ancient technology we became concerned there was much more to the facility and the automaton.  It should have some vital information for the future development of new technology, and information on how to stop the automaton before she commits real damage.”

Elizabeth placed her good hand on the desk, drumming her nails quietly, listening to the director go on about technical logistics.  “First off, director, the automaton is not the one behind this damage.  It was whatever had taken over her body.  This is not Cecilia Immergreen.”

“Our intel is keeping open all possibilities.”

Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed.  “Why did you use an experimental dampener on the Sound Demon?  I read,” she pulled out a thick file, placing it on the desk.

His eyes lifted, as he looked over the paperwork she placed on the desk, on the top it was written CONFIDENTIAL.  “How did you get that?”

“I’ll skip that you asked me that… for your sake.” She pointed to the file.  “It suggests that she was behind the demon Belthior’s presence being brought to the facility.  That Nerissa Ravencroft was the reason he gained access to that automaton.  She was chained up like a dog and placed with an experimental dampener that was meant to continuously pull from her demonic power.”  She glared at the director, “she was being used as a power source?  Please help me understand this.”

Again, he loudly cleared his throat. “We needed information on the demon that had that creature in her.  Vital readings came from the dampener.  We needed…”

“She’s immortal, for the most part – which means, she would be continuously tortured by the time we could get that bloody thing off her neck.”

“Lady Bloodflame, she’s just a demon.”

Elizabeth slammed her palm on the desk.  “She is a living being.  You need to stop and reconsider what you are saying.  Start over.”

The assistant, straightened in her chair.  The director pushed up his glasses, his hand shakily.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to downplay an obvious problem in dampener technology.  It did give us some very good readings to help capture the Belthior demon and any future demon threats. That’s all we want is intel for future dealings.  It was necessary.”

“Why do I feel this isn’t just for future threats?”

He didn’t answer immediately, glancing at the file on her desk.  “It’s only prudent to see how this effects all areas of government. There are several countries, dimensions and worlds, with demons and the like, who might want this type of technology.  We are dealing with several governments.”

“I didn’t need it for my government.”  Elizabeth frowned, her eyes lowering as she spoke so that he would hear.  “You will not be playing with anyone – demon or human – as a guinea pig for an experiment so that you can make some weapon to sell to other countries.  You will not make a profit out of hurting others.  That is not how I work.”

He cleared his throat, scooting forward.  “You might want to ask your advisor about that.  Didn’t you step down from leadership to come here?”

The Queen’s flame burned brighter, as she closed her eyes for a second before answering.

“I am still very much the Queen of Great Exardia.  I am simply leading Justice, a branch of Holo HQ, to make sure peace is maintained with this new threat.” 

The assistant wrote down notes, watching the discussion quietly, glancing between the two.

“I was told Advent was bringing about an apocalyptic event by my advisor, but all I’ve seen is that there was an evil ancient demon that nearly destroyed our world eons ago, that needs to be stopped right now.  I’m questioning why Advent is considered a level five threat when they haven’t really done anything but caused a bit of trouble.”

The assistant pulled out a file, after her director nodded, and handed it to Elizabeth.

“This was Advent – the innocent group, as you say – and the damage they caused to Great Exardia yesterday during a terrorist attack. They were trying to steal more ancient texts.  The Archivist is extremely dangerous.  We found out she speaks in the demon tongue and is the only one who can release creatures like that one who possessed the automaton.”

He had the assistant show her more photos.  “They are obviously looking to release more evil on the world.  They need to be stopped.”

Elizabeth looked over the photos.  The Great Library was half blown away.  There were injured Rosarian monks in the photo.

“They did this yesterday?”

The director nodded, “Yes, and I’ve heard they may be headed to Libestal, and might already be there.  There is a high alert for the criminals and their rewards have doubled.”

Elizabeth looked over the photos one after another.  Her brow lowered, as she looked at the damage and the injuries in her country.  They actually hurt innocents?   Something didn’t seem right.  Nothing was making sense.  But her heart ached for her country if there was a threat toward her people.

“You say they are headed to Libestal.”

“Yes, your majesty, and may be hidden in the myriad caves of Libestal.  As you know, there it’s a veritable maze of underground caves that run the size of our own world.”

Elizabeth glanced toward the two in her office and again looked down at the photos.  Calliope had asked her earlier if she wanted to head to the border of Libestal and Great Exardia to find Cecilia in the morning.  She got information from the demon of sound, and wanted the demon to help them, if possible.

She feared that if this military joined with other countries to get involved in stopping Cecilia it might be so much worse. They really would end up in an apocalyptic situation.

“Director, thank you for your time.”  She pointed at him.  “I want you to understand something, I am still in charge.  I want you to tell me before you start any military or experimental actions from here on out.  I don’t need this to get out of hand.”

“What of the demon?  I think we need to take her down to the facility.  We were able to get one cell prepared for demon threats. She is part of this group, Advent, and could be conspiring.  Our scientists…”

“…want to experiment a little more with her?”

“It would only be prudent.  She is a powerful demon that we can learn so much from.”

Elizabeth’s jaw tightened.  “I am watching the demon.  She will not be a threat.”

“I don’t think…”

“…you don’t need to think.  It is up to me to think on this island when it comes to those who are here.  I am still the Queen of Great Exardia and Kronii is the Time Warden put in charge of this island, and so, I suggest you and your group may continue to work in the facility.  You were given that control years ago, but on this Island, Kronii and I are the leaders.”

“Understood.”

He glanced at his assistant and then got up to leave. But then approached her desk, reaching out, “I can take this back with me.”

She placed her hand on the file. “I think I’d like to look through the whole document.”  Her eyes lifted, “but you may go.”

He coughed into his hand.  “Yes, your majesty.  Thank you.”

Again, the assistant and he glanced back at one another, and both left.

“Interesting.”  She said quietly, looking down at the folder.

*****

Kronii, Irys and Bae stood looking over the landscape dotted with tents and large lights.

“What a mess,” Kronii stated.

“I hear there is some specialist that is coming this evening to help Nimi,” Bae added.

“Yeah, she should be here soon.  I was going to meet her at the train with Nimi.”

Irys looked at Kronii and then back at Bae.  “I can’t believe Belthior that creep is back.”

“Irys, we did all we could,” Bae assured, and Kronii glanced at the two, obviously closer than earlier.

“I’m going to head to the hospital and check in on the gremlin and talk to Nimi.  I’ll be there for the new specialist.”

“Want us to come?” Irys asked.

“No, you and Bae enjoy your evening.”

Kronii walked away.

Bae took Irys’s hand, “don’t worry.  She’ll be okay.”

“But will I?”

“Hey, it will be okay for all of us.  It just takes time. I need to ask if you’ve seen Ina.”

“No.”

They looked out toward the lighthouse.  “Do you think she’s there?” Irys asked.

“She might be visiting, since all of this started, she might have wanted to get away.  It might… stir sad memories.”

“Yeah.”

“Resetting an entire world is not easy,” Bae chuckled, thinking over how a little chaos was always needed at times like that.

“The Grim Reaper and Phoenix remember.”  Irys considered how they happened to visit at just this time.  Fate was definitely playing its hand.

“They are outside time,” Bae said, and then asked, “did you see how she acted when the little gremlin was hurt?”

“Yeah, the reaper seemed attached to Gigi.”

“Well, everyone ends up liking that crazy little creature.”

“How can you not?”

The two giggled, grasping one another’s hands, looking up at the moon.

“Want to go for a walk, maybe go up by the lighthouse,” Bae suggested.

“Yeah.” Irys glanced at the smaller girl, who had always been such a caring and good friend.  She needed her right now.  “I’d love to.”

Kronii watched them from the Wellness Center.  She watched them head to the lighthouse walking hand in hand.  There was a mix of anger and sadness, maybe just angry at herself.  “They look happy,” she said to herself, and then turned to enter the Wellness Center and chat with Nimi and look in on Gigi.

*****

Nerissa lay back on a bed that was so much more comfortable than that stiff cot.  She felt her hands able to move and then sat up slowly. She didn’t have that dampener on her neck.

It was evening. She was hungry.

When she looked across the room, the moon’s light came through the window and sitting in a chair was the beautiful queen, her eyes closed, and her broken arm resting onto her other arm, an awkward position.

Nerissa got up quietly, padded across the floor.

She glanced to the side, and lifted a small throw blanket, and then gently placed it on the queen.

“Told you, you need more rest,” she whispered.

There was a large file on the table beside her, and her glasses.

She was reading.

She looked over the room.  Was this the queen’s private room?  She was free.  It would probably be smart to simply run.  Leave as fast as she could.  Her wings were folded, and she could simply unfurl and fly out the window.  Head anywhere but here with all the military and those who wanted to hurt her.

The queen looked absolutely beautiful, her lashes brushed lightly, as she wriggled her nose and made cute little noises while sleeping.

Why would the queen trust her?

She wanted to reach out and brush a hand across her beautiful red hair.  There were feelings she’d never felt in thousands of years.  What was this effect the queen had on the demoness?

I am an idiot lovesick demon.

The queen opened her eyes slowly. There was the demon staring at her.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Nerissa brushed down her hair, straightening up.  “Did I wake you?”

“No,” she yawned lightly, blinking, “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

She saw the blanket over her shoulders.

“Were you watching me sleep?”

“It was hard not to stare at something so beautiful.”

“And you placed a blanket over me?”

“I didn’t want you to get cold, mi’lady.”

She pulled the blanket off, ready to stand.

“You need to get back in that bed.”

Nerissa grinned slyly.  “Will you join me?”

“Uh,” the queen’s eyes widened.

“I’m joking with you, most beautiful queen, though…” she winked, “…I would not object if you did want to be… with me.” 

The queen stood, placing the throw blanket on the chair.  “Again, I’m never sure when you are trying to influence with your gift.”

Nerissa’s eyes lifted flirtatiously.  “I’m just…” she sat on the edge of the bed, “being playful.  I don’t mean to offend.  You helped me.” She felt at her neck, “I just remember seeing you trying to help me.”

“I’m sorry it took so long to free you of that thing on your neck.”

“It’s okay.  I thought I had actually died.”

“You did.”

“Oh, that’s good to know, but I’m sure I’m immortal and would have woken up.”

“We had to revive you.”  Elizabeth stood, walking to the bed.  “I had to revive you.”

Nerissa felt at her lips.  The queen stood over her.

“You breathed life into me?”

“I’m sorry, if that was intrusive.”

“Saving me?”

She nodded.

“No, I’m good with you saving me.”

Elizabeth stood closely, looking over the demon whose eyes sparkled in the moonlight.  She was being pulled forward by feelings that were strange and different, but she had grown to truly respect and enjoy the demoness. 

This couldn’t be right.  Nerissa had eyes with the depth of the brightest gem.  She was a demon, but when she was near the queen, it was more like an old friend.  Even back in Great Exardia, she would catch the demoness watching her, and then her voice would echo through the courtyard, and she couldn’t help but sit in awe, listening.

The small of her back felt the hand of the demoness, ever so carefully, touching – pulling her closer.

“I don’t know why,” Nerissa said, “but I think I have always loved you.”

Her stomach tossed in knots, and the feelings that roiled further and further into her center, as she couldn’t move, entranced by the gentle touch of the demon. Her hand was light, cautious, as it moved lower, holding the queen in place.

“Loved… me?”

Her breathing grew to a steady and heightened evenness, as she continued to be pulled closer to the demon.

What was this feeling?  This couldn’t be right.  And yet, she had wanted to kiss her in the jail cell when they were so close, and she told her tale of becoming more human.

“I’ve never seen a more beautiful creature.”  The queen was moving closer and closer to the demoness.

“Same.”

Their faces inches away from one another.  Their gaze searching the other, watching the longing grow.

“But it’s more.”

“Same, my beautiful queen.”

Their lips touched.  Elizabeth pulled back. “This isn’t right.”

“Yes,” Nerissa looked toward the window, and the beautiful night sky.  “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

And then she fell crashing into the demon’s lips, her good hand wrapping around her head, tugging at her long raven hair, gripping it tightly.

Nerissa answered, pulling the queen onto her, lying back on the bed, careful with her broken arm, as their lips glided over one another, and then pulling away, smiling, and then returning, more passionately.  Lips were touching every section of the other’s face, rapidly, hungrily, as they continued moving and breathing, as one, passionately embracing. 

The demon lifted her, adjusting, trying to make sure she was comfortable, as they continued, their lips moving down one another’s neck and chin.

The blue flame was burning brightly, as Elizabeth felt a quiet warmth grow throughout.

“Your majesty, anything you desire.”  Nerissa, breathed, her lips just at the side of the queen’s, “I am so weak, and I am all yours.”

She pulled away enough to stare into her rich and deep purple eyes. 

“I mean that, Liz.” A small tear was in the demon’s eye.

For the first time the queen felt her heart skip, in a way that she hadn’t felt.  This was such a new feeling, and she realized this demoness was telling the truth.  She loved her.

Chapter Text

Chapter 12 – She Takes My Breath Away

Once again, rain began to fall in anticipation of the D Train’s arrival.  The sky grew darker.  Along the ground, fog curled and creeped, covering the area of land the train tracks developed.

Kronii walked to the train depot behind the hostel, along with Nimi. 

“How are you feeling, Nimi?”

“Oh, much better.  I just needed a good nap.  Nothing like a good nap.”

“Indeed.  Wish I could take a good nap.”

“You still have trouble sleeping?”

“Always, but it doesn’t matter.  I have time – so much time – on my hands.”

Kronii glanced to the pretty little nurse, with light brown hair and the deepest forest green eyes.  Her voice always had such a sweet and calming effect on the Time Warden.  Unlike others.

“I’m sorry I keep bothering you with questions about Gigi and the specialist. She’s a day late and I know we don’t really need her now.”

“Oh, we need her more than ever.  She might be the only one able to go into the facility and find out the best way to free Cecilia of that entity within.  Lady Bloodflame asked her to help with something else here, but that’s confidential.”

“Whoa, what do you mean confidential?  I’m the Mayor, and let’s face it, in charge in every way.”

“I’m sorry. Elizabeth asked me to keep it mums.  I’m sure she’ll tell you if you ask.  I just can’t.”

Kronii sighed and then, “…yes, I can’t expect you to breach a confidence.”

“Thank you.  But that’s why I didn’t cancel her arrival.  She might also have to travel to find Cecilia.”

“Travel to find Cecilia?”

“Oh yes, I heard the Grim Reaper talking to her friend that she’s going to find the automaton.”

“I see.”  Nobody told her of them leaving on some type of mission to find Cecilia.  What was she? Everyone just does things without telling her now.

The two stepped onto the platform and the train whistle blew in the distance.  “Why are you so nervous, Kronii?”

“I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.  But that’s okay.  I think you’ll like the specialist.”

“But… I’m not nervous.” She laughed in that way she did to release being nervous.

“I see.”

“What do you see?  You are making me nervous because you think I’m nervous.” Her voice was lifting. “I don’t know what you could possibly see.”

Nimi giggled into her small hand.  “Kronii, how long have I known you?”

“Oh,” she gazed up, actually trying to count the years.

“A very, very long time.  You and I share a very special secret.”

Kronii considered who Nurse Nimi was at one time, and knew this was her choice.  She felt she could do more good here and at this moment.

A loud whistle blew again, and the train came in fast toward the depot.

“Is it going to stop?” Kronii backed up.  “You think it’s going to stop?”

“It always does.”

Nimi understood the time warden struggled with extreme anxiety.  No one truly understood what a Time Warden went through, to make sure everything aligned perfectly.  She always felt a special compassion and empathy toward the woman, who rarely let anyone into her heart. She always wondered how she could help her.  She had hoped to help her out.    

She gently placed a hand on the Time Warden’s arm, “I’m glad you’re here.  This helps me out so much.  I’m still not my hundred percent self.”

“Oh, certainly.” Again, she let out nervous laughter.  “I’d do anything for you Nimi.”

“Of that, I am certain.”

The two smiled, gazing into one another’s eyes.  Kronii actually liked this new form of Nimi Nightmare, and even when she recharged and became small, she was very adorable to the mayor.

The train finally pulled up, and with a loud groan stopped, the front beams glowing across the fog.

“Finally,” Kronii, continued rubbing her hands together.  

The train stood still.  No conductor had come off the steps yet.

Usually, Dooby would jump off the train, immediately after stopping.

Despite only a couple minutes passing, Kronii was wrapping her hands within one another nervously.

“Wow, where are they?”

“I’m not sure.”  Nimi walked to the train, ready to climb up onto it.

It started up again, and she backed up.

Then it started to pull out.

“Wait,” Nimi waved, but the train’s whistle blew loudly, a distinctive choo choo, and then it took off. 

Kronii ran up, following right behind.  “Whoa, why’s it leaving?!”

“That’s odd.”

Kronii looked over the area.  The fog was dissipating.

“That was so… anticlimactic,” she giggled, again nervously, and then she felt a strange presence behind her shoulder.

“Is…” she tapped Nimi’s shoulder, “something behind me?”

“Boo!”

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Kronii let out the loudest scream.

Nimi nearly fell over laughing.  “Hey Mint.”

“Hi.”

A very petite ghost, of white and mint green hair, cute little twin tails, and the biggest aquamarine eyes, floated out from behind Kronii, who was quickly straightening up her jacket.

“Why… why… why would you do that?!” she growled.  The other two were laughing.

“I haven’t been her for almost a year and wanted to surprise you.”  The ghost girl hugged Kronii, quickly, and then pulled away, her cute little giggle lighting up the area.

“Oh, yeah… you surprised me alright.”

“Did Dooby tell you to do that?” Nimi asked.

“Yes.”  Mint giggled with the cutest little laugh, and Nimi and her kept laughing.  “I was concerned, but she said Kroniii would appreciate it.”

“I hate all three of you.”  Kronii unamused, began walking back to the Wellness Center, the two trying to keep up, muttering, “we are facing a deadly threat, wars brewing, evil is running amuck, and you two are acting like two junior high school boys.”

“Oh, come on now,” Mint floated up, “it was just a joke.  I’m trying to help you chill.”

Kronii stopped walking, to turn and face the ghost girl.  “Where’s your other irritating half, that is almost as bad?”

“Oh, Doki is asleep on the train with Dooby.  They were headed somewhere else.  She heard there’s a really big reward for some criminal.  If there’s a big reward, she’s there.”

“Wait a minute,” Kronii stood with her hands on her hips. “You’re the specialist we’ve all been waiting for?”

Mint nodded.

“You’re not a specialist of anything but being irritatingly bubbly and cringy, and much too involved in your fan love.”

“I disagree,” Nimi stated, standing beside her friend.  “We need someone who can enter the spiritual realm – not the underworld or anything evil.  We needed a pure hearted ghost that can go anywhere.”

Kronii nodded, considering, “she can go inside the automaton and find that thing, and then do that thing that Elizabeth needs.”

“Yes.” Nimi said.  “We need a ghost.”

“Makes me feel I didn’t die for no reason.”  Mint stated happily, but deep down there was a sadness because her and Doki had come up empty once again, while trying to find out why she died.

“Huh,” Kronii was actually impressed.  “Will you re-open your maid café?”

“You hungry for some good food?”

“Well, the choices have been a little slim lately.”

“I’m sorry.  I’m only here for a little bit, and then I have to leave again.  I will be back for the holidays.”

“Yum,” Nimi sighed, “I love your hot cocoa.”

“Okay, maybe you aren’t so bad,” Kronii admitted, “you do make the best hot cocoa,” and then she joined in the other two, laughing, and sharing stories of her travels with Dokibird, as they walked back to the Wellness Center. 

They also clued in the small ghost with what was happening.

Deep in the Caves of Libestal

The warlock had a head of hair that was pure black, as black as a night sky with an eclipsed moon.  “It’s time to go.” He had a thick Eastern European accent.

His wife, a delicate woman with a head of soft white hair, grabbed the baby, swaddling.  He kissed her gently, and you could see the concern, as he told her goodbye.  He then kissed the head of the child.

“Hurry.”

The mother and child climbed down to the cellar, with him closing the door behind.

The room led to another door, that led to canals.  She ran as fast as possible despite her small and weak form.  She ran toward the outer banks of the city, where a boat was waiting.

When the man turned, the door burst open, instantly rushed by knights in heavy armor.

A large spike went through the man, plowed with so much force it went through him and into the floorboards.  The knight, his armored helmet covering his face, turned and walked away defiant at what had been accomplished. 

Shiori jerked awake, nearly lifting from her bed.

Her eyes opened immediately, sweating profusely, beads dripping through her gown. 

It was a constant and recurring dream.

For the first time, though, she woke after seeing the man die.  Every other time, she’d woken before seeing him die or seeing if the woman escaped with the baby. 

“Same dream?” Biboo asked, waking up besides, wiping her eyes and then yawning.

“Yeah… nightmare.”

Biboo touched her hand. “You’ve been having nightmares more frequently.”

“There is something… I don’t know.  I think I’m reacting to something near.”  Shiori looked over the dark tent.  “We should wake the twins and head out again.  I need to find that hidden glyph.”

“I know you’re worried over Nerissa.  But we’ve been moving constantly, and you haven’t been sleeping.  I’m starting to worry about you Shiori.”

The archivist’s eyes had circles, and the brightness was duller. 

They had camped out in another cavern, traveling under Libestal because everyone was trying to hunt them down.  They’d place a very large reward on their heads.

“It doesn’t matter.  I have to find out how to get that demon out of Nerissa.  I don’t think she will ever want to see me again.  After what I did.”

Biboo leaned against the archivist’s left shoulder.  “It will be okay once we send that evil thing away.”

“If we find what we need.  As long as she’s safe and that evil creature is bound once again, then I’ll feel better. But….”

She stared blankly. 

“There is something – something that is not right.”

Back on Holios

Nerissa pulled away from the queen, taking a moment to stare at her back, her fingers trailing the strong shoulders, along to her angel bones.  She was so fit.  Right now - so vulnerable.

Slowly, she backed away, lifting off the bed, standing, her own bare body feeling the coolness of the air from the window slightly ajar.

It was that time of day, as the sun tries to crest across the horizon, and the lighting, a muted blue, spread across the bed, the queen, her fire lighting, and playing with prisms against the bedding. Her long red hair cascaded around the silk sheets, and it was as if she were looking at the most beautifully painted masterpiece.

“You’re so beautiful.  Maybe I am a sucker for redheads.”

She looked over to the file the queen was looking at, trying to find a pen or something to write a note for the queen with, and she knocked over the file.

“Oops,” she whispered to herself.   

Lifting the file, she could see a photo of herself. 

A file about her?  She opened it and began to read further.  They said she had conspired to bring that creepy demon to their island to make use of the most powerful ancient technology.  But it was a catalyst for Holo Central to use it to their advantage.  The readings from the dampener and when she was in the facility brought something to activate within the facility, and despite her trying to bring evil into the world.

She stopped reading that conclusion.  Angry.  She wasn’t trying to bring anything into the world.  Why were they making things up?

And then she lifted a piece of paper with writing at the top: DEMON/AUTOMATA WEAPONRY

"What?" 

It was describing how to use demons to extract power with the technology from the facility that she was in.  Who was Cecilia Immergreen? She kept seeing that she was the ultimate weapon. She was now an unstoppable weapon because Balumat was inside.

“Oh, my gods,” she held her hand to her mouth, speaking to herself quietly.  “Why was…” she looked to the queen.  “Is this what Great Exardia and her Holo HQ were working on?  Was she actually safe?  Was she just another demon to use?”

She perused more and more, her ability to read fast, was part of her demon gift, and she could see all the new ways they could detain and extract demon power.  It was because of the ancient technology.

Her eyes grew redder and redder, the more she read, realizing if they got hold of her, she’d never leave that place down there – the facility.  She was just a power source for them to make something deadly.

Again, she looked over to Elizabeth.  Would she be behind this?  It didn’t seem like something Elizabeth would approve of, but it had the crest of Great Exardia within.  This was a document from Great Exardia.

“No,” she felt she was going to be sick, as she held her hand over her mouth.

Elizabeth stirred, turning to her back.  She could see her strong form.  She was a Queen, after all.  She was the leader of a country, a country that would behave like so many countries she’d seen through her life.

Nerissa stood back, her wings unfurling.  She walked over and grabbed the clothing Elizabeth brought for her, a very simple blouse and slacks.

Her heart was truly broken.  There was this deep crushing, the pressure of her heart and soul being destroyed.  Her eyes grew a deeper red.  She had loved Elizabeth like no other in her long life.  She realized they were merely another tragic tale.

“Goodbye,” she said quietly.  She would simply slip away, and one day a forgotten memory for the queen. 

She turned, placing the pants on, and then buttoning the shirt. She brushed her hands through her hair, straightening it up.  She just had to jump out the window and leave.  There was this tugging, because the last thing she wanted to do was leave the queen. 

What they shared was more than she’d ever experienced with another, but she could not stay and be a lab pet.

She paused, looking out at the ocean, the lighthouse.  The sun was rising, and she could leave before it was too light.

“Where are you going?”

She turned quickly to face the queen, standing, the physical form of a valiant warrior, tight abs, full and upright breasts, and all so beautiful, with pristine unblemished skin, marked with small scars because she was a warrior, but they were only small chinks in a body of pure perfection.

“You are leaving?”

“Yes.” Trying desperately not to cry, “yes, I’m leaving.”

The queen struggled to come up with words, and then she looked over at the file, papers strewn across the floor.

“You read that?”

“Yes, oh mighty great Scarlet Queen of Great Exardia.”

“I see.”

The queen grabbed a small robe, “Please, don’t let me keep you. Fly away.  Leave like a coward.”

“A coward?! That’s all you have to say?!”

“Well, you are obviously jumping to many conclusions, and I’d hate to destroy those conclusions by begging you to stay.  Plus, I don’t beg anyone.”

“What do you mean?  I mean…” she stuttered, “…I mean, I don’t beg either – I’m a powerful and strong demon that’s lived thousands of years, and why are you being so dismissive?”

“I’m not – just letting you fly away.  Like the bird you are.”

Nerissa felt confused. 

“I’m leaving.  And I’m not a coward.”

“Well don’t let me keep you – go ahead.  Make the most wonderful, beautiful love to me that I’ve ever known and then just leave without letting me explain what that file is and why I had it, but surely, you must know since you are leaving.”

“Now…” Nerissa took a breath, trying to construct words… “why are you being infuriating?”

“I just think since I’ve never been with anyone in this long life of ruling, and since you were my first tryst, the only one I’ve ever desired to be with, the most wonderful and creature that I’ve ever known that maybe you would like to have coffee with me and chat and I can tell you what my advisor approved of without my knowledge, or leave.”  She nonchalantly sat on the chair beside the window.  “Or you can stay.  It’s up to you.  I’m not a jailer and you are not a prisoner.”

“What?”  It took her a moment to process the words that had just been spoken.  “I was your first?”

“That was what you got out of that?”

“Well… you were talking a lot.”  Nerissa sat down across, looking directly at those deep red eyes of the queen.  “I think you said you loved making love to me.”

“I did – quite a bit.”

“Oh.”

“Anyhoo,” she pointed to the file, “my wonderful advisor and several others within Holo HQ tried desperately to hide that file from me.  I’m guessing they are probably discussing what to do now.  Maybe even what to do with me.  Assassinations are a thing.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying, I also read that very long file.”  She cleared her throat, looking out at the island, watching more helicopters with more military landing.  “There are many more powerful than me, in this world.”  She stood.  “I need to shower – would you like to join me?”

“What?  Did you just say you were going to be assassinated?”

“I honestly don’t know.  I’m trying to go through every scenario as a tactician.  I’m trying to figure out what is truly going on, and I have a special entity coming in that should help me out. 

She smiled, “But we do have time for a shower, breakfast, and then I need to head to the Wellness Center.  Our gremlin is coming out of a coma, and I need to be there.”

Nerissa stared into the queen’s deep red eyes, and lovely features, stun locked.  She was talking so quickly, but decisively.  This was truly a leader of a country.  And it was playing tricks with her mind, but not in a bad way.

This was more than she expected from the beautiful Lady Bloodflame.

“I’ll come with.  I’m not leaving your side.”

“I thought you were about to fly out the window.”

“Not anymore, and are you always like this?”

“I’m a determined queen and warrior, Nerissa.”

Her mouth hung slightly open.  “My god, how did you get this hot?”

She rushed instantly lifting the queen in her arms, kissing every bit of her lips, as they both hungrily, tongues entering, kissed more fully.

Frantically, the queen was unbuttoning the demon’s blouse, as she pulled off the robe, ripping it off her shoulders.

“Oh, my gods, you’re something,” Nerissa whispered, her lips touching every inch of the queen’s neck, as they maneuvered to the shower.  “And I might need some new clothes.”

“But you don’t need them right now.”

The two giggled, their gaze stopping to catch the fullness of the other’s love and desire.  It took a moment for the two as the realization hit them both.

“I meant what I said,” the queen spoke, “I usually mean what I say.”

“I’ve no doubt, my queen.”  They stopped kissing, just to take in the other.

The queen’s hand went up to Nerissa’s cheek, holding it, caressing it.  Her eyes searched every inch of her lovely face.  “Thank you… thank you for loving me.  It might not be easy from here on out.”

“I’m used to it not being easy.”

This time when they kissed it was softer, more fluid, more deeply.  The two walked into the shower, slowly making love, as the water washed over their bodies.

Chapter Text

Chapter 13 – Gigi’s Awake … Finally

Calliope and Kiara waited beside Kronii, Bae and Irys.  Elizabeth was there, standing beside the Sound Demon, who continued glancing at Calliope, and then back.

“What are you doing here, again?” Calliope asked.

“I’m the queen’s bodyguard – new gig.”

“Oh, I see.”

Kiara whispered to Calliope, “I’m sure she’s guarding her body, if you know what I mean.” 

She wanted to break out in laughter.

Raora was on the other side of Liz.  She smiled over at Kiara, with a quick little wave.  She waved and winked back.

They were gathered behind glass, watching the doctor and nurse remove the tubes and breathing apparatus.  She was left with an IV, dripping what was needed into her little gremlin body.

Her eyes fluttered.

“She’s coming around,” Kronii said.

They were all so quiet, watching every little twitch and movement.

“It looks like it worked,” Raora said.

They all said various, “yeahs,” as they continued watching.

Her lips started moving.  “See.”

Calliope moved up, listening.

“Ceci…” she said, her voice quiet, but Calliope and Raora heard.

She then started saying the name over and over again, “Ceci, Ceci… Ceci…”

Her heart waves began moving rapidly, the EKG lines spiking.

“What’s going on?” Kronii, pressed her hands on the glass. “Something’s wrong.”

“Her heartrate is spiking,” Calliope wanted to run inside.

They helplessly watched the doctor and nurse work on Gigi, preparing a shot, and then pressing it into her arm. The nurse adjusted the IV fluids.  The gremlin slowly calmed down.

Her lips were still moving, and her eyes were fluttering, until she finally opened them, turning her head. She could see everyone watching her, worry strewn across their faces.

It took her a moment, and then she could see she was in a hospital, the doctor was there, and she looked over at the monitor and the IV.

“What’s…” she blinked, trying to wake up, “…goingondoc?”

“Miss, you were in a coma.  How do you feel?”

“Tired.”

She looked at her friends outside the room, staring at her behind glass.

“I’m in a zoo?”

The others could hear outside the room and started laughing.

She smiled, happy to see everyone.  She couldn’t remember what happened. She looked over the faces, and then she couldn’t see Cecilia.

“Ceci?”  She lifted from the bed, still weak, and it was difficult, so she laid back down.  “Where’s Ceci?” She addressed the ones outside, since she could see they could hear her, “Hey guys, where’s Ceci at? Where’s Ceci?” 

“I’m going in,” Calliope stated, ready to head into the room.

“Don’t tell her anything that will upset her,” Raora said.

Elizabeth held the reaper’s arm.  “Please, let me go in there.  I’ll let you see her afterward.  I think… I should have a talk with her first.”

Calliope considered the situation.  “Yeah… yeah, you should.”

Elizabeth walked in, the doctor nodded to her.  “She’s looking good.  All the vitals are clear.  She just needs some time to adjust and get some strength back into her, and then she’ll be back to her old self.  But she should take a day or two and take it easy.”

“I see.  Thank you, doctor.”

The nurse stood at the back, as the doctor watched.

“Hey love.”

“Hi Liz.”

“How you feeling?”

“Really tired.”

“We’re all so happy to see you.”

“I’m happy to be here.  You all look…” she turned to see everyone looking so intently.  “Was I dead, or something?”

“Almost – it was quite close.  You’ve been in a coma for a little over two days.”

“WHAT?!”

“It was needed, but fortunately, you’re out of it. We’ve all been so worried, but we knew you’d pull through.”

“Yeah.”  Gigi stopped smiling, “is Ceci… is she… was she hurt too?  Why isn’t she here?”

“I’m so sorry, she’s not here right now.   She’s fine though.  We just don’t really know… where she is.”

Gigi lifted up on the bed quickly, “Then we have to find her!”

“Hold up, now.” Elizabeth held her shoulder.  “You need to recover.  You really did almost die, little one.”

“I saw her.”  Gigi blinked, “I saw her, and she was calling me.  She was in a cave, and she kept calling me.  It was such a real dream.  I know where she is.  It’s a cave.”

“There are a lot of caves.”

“Then we gotta start looking now.  She’s probably scared.  She needs me.  I was dreaming about her.  Now I remember, and she was in a cave and calling me over and over, and she was scared.”

“Sweetheart.”

“You don’t get it.  She needs me.”

The heart rate was skyrocketing again.

“Gigi, please, you need to calm down.”

Her eyes moved in her head, processing, trying to remember these strange visions. But it couldn’t be right.  She wasn’t thinking clearly.

“Gigi, it will be alright.”  Elizabeth hugged her tightly.  “I promise you.  It will be alright.” She held her close, brushing her hand gently along her hair.  “I’m going to go find Cecilia for you – for us.”

“I’m coming too.”

“You’re too weak. You need to recover fully.”

“I’m coming.  I won’t be too weak.”

“She should probably come with us,” Calliope spoke, she had walked into the room.

“Mori Calliope!” Gigi wanted to jump out of bed, but she was still hooked up to stuff.

“Hey there, little G.”

“You’re still here.”

“Yep.”

“I think we ruined your vacation.”

“It’s cool.”

“I’ll head out and let you two talk.” Elizabeth placed a hand on Gigi’s cheek, smiling.  “Look, you need to take it easy because we all were worried over you.  And…” she kissed her on the cheek, “we love you, love.”

“Thanks, Liz.  I love you guys, too.”

She nodded to the reaper and then left.

“Hey there, you gave us quite a scare.”

“Yeah, maybe myself too, but I don’t remember.”  She laughed. “Why was I in a coma for two or three days?  I know you’ll give it to me straight.”

“Oh, well, you almost died, and your body couldn’t repair itself unless they put you in this medically induced coma.  Now, your gremlin body healed – it was slow going, but now you’re here.”

“Wow, how’d I almost die?”

“You…” Calliope glanced back at everyone watching.  “Man, just a sec.”  Calliope walked back to the curtain, shutting it closed, and then “Hey doc, nurse, leave us alone. She’ll be fine, I would know.”

“She’s the Grim Reaper,” Gigi said.  “She’s got this.”

The doctor nodded, and then he and the nurse left.

Calliope paced to the side of the bed, the winsome little gremlin attentively watching.

“I don’t like to pull punches, and so here it is, but you have to stay calm.”

“I can stay calm.”

“Okay, okay…” she took a light breath, “you were nearly killed by Ceci while she was possessed by this evil guy – a very powerful demon of old.  She, or I should say he, crushed your esophagus and threw you so hard you broke a ton of bones in your body, and Kiara pulled you out of the ocean barely alive.  That creep got into Ceci’s automaton body and took it over.  It wasn’t Ceci who hurt you.”

“I know it wasn’t.  She’s not like that.”

“Well, he took her somewhere and we don’t know where.”

“She’s in a cave.”

“I heard you say that.”

“I’m going with you to find her.  I am and if I don’t go with you, I’ll go alone and I’ll find her.  I’ll find her, and you can’t stop me.”

“I wouldn’t even think of it.  I think you should go with us.  You obviously have some kind of connection, and we need that right now.”

“Oh… cool.  Thank you, Mori Calliope.”

She jumped up to hug her, but the reaper quickly caught her, holding, so she wouldn’t fall or pull out anything.  “You gotta be careful.  You’re still getting your sea legs.”

She gripped around Calli’s neck tightly, crying.  “Mori Calliope, thank you.  I knew you were someone special.”

“Yeah, so are you.” She hugged her tightly back, “so are you.”

She loved how she felt so close in her arms.  She was crying, crying over the one she truly loved. Calliope understood. She’d do whatever she could to make sure Gigi stopped crying and was happy again with her best friend.

*****

Mint was suddenly standing beside everyone, behind the glass with the curtain pulled closed.

They were waiting for their turn to see Gigi, since Calliope pushed ahead of the line, and then closed the curtains. They could only hear them talking.

“Oh hey, Mint,” Kiara said first.  “Wait a minute! What are you doing here?!”

“I’m on a secret mission,” she said, her voice in a very hushed tone.  “Ssh…. Spy stuff.”

“You’re play-acting again?  Is this another one of your weird roleplays?”

“Hey.  I’m serious.”

The others all looked at Mint and said hi.

“That’s the Grim Reaper?” she asked Kiara.

“Yes.” 

Mint wondered if she could help her out in knowing about her death.

And then she turned and saw the one and only Nerissa Ravencroft, Demon of Sound, the Devilish Diva of Sound known throughout the human and fantasy realms. 

“OH. MY. GODS!” she screamed, running up to Nerissa.  “It’s you!”  She started feeling around her outfit.  “Oh, my gods, I have all your albums,” she started squealing, “ohmygods, ohmygods!” It looked like she was going to convulse on the ground.  “I have… so much merch and tapes, and even the LP that was put together when you performed in LA.”

“What…” she giggled, “I’m famous?  Well, I mean, of course I am.”

“OH. MAN!  Every time you performed, your fans recorded, since you never cut any recordings. Which, seriously you should.  But they’re fan made. Every time you performed a text was sent out to us.  Word of mouth travels fast.  I saw you back in the 80s in Japan performing some city pop – it was awesome.”

She showed her the phone app with Nerissa Ravencroft, a photo of her in a sexy stance.  “That’s a good photo of me – captures my beauty.”  Her eyes lit up.  “Oh, my gods, I’m famously known in this human world.”  She looked over the sub count, “oh, only 881k followers?  Why not more?  I’m loved by millions, am I not?”

“It’s a new app.  And you’ve just recently caught on again.”

She grabbed Elizabeth, “Look, look!  It’s me!”  She laughed, pointing at Kiara, “Hah!  Tell that reaper friend of yours that’s I’m fucking famous.”  She haughtily lifted her head, “I’m a diva,” she held up her hand to her lips, as she laughed.

Everyone was watching Mint gush over the demoness, squealing and jumping up and down.  “Can I please have your autograph.  Here.” She handed her a tape.  “I have other stuff. I listen to your, In My Feelings and Sweetest Scarlet – the song about your first love – on repeat.”

“Oh?” Elizabeth, her attention instantly caught, turned to Mint.  “She made a song called Sweetest Scarlet?”

“It was after I spent my first time in Great Exardia,” Nerissa grinned.  “I had a thing for redheads.”

“Really?”  Elizabeth smiled widely.

Nerissa told Mint, “Feel free to bring by whatever you want me to sign.  I’m staying at the hostel in the queen’s suite.”

The others watched with expressions flat, watching the display of goofiness that only Mint could exude. 

The ghost stood beside Nerissa, trying to catch her breath.  Her cheeks were bright red, as she smiled with her whole self.  She couldn’t believe she met one of her idols.

“Oh sorry,” she said to everyone, “I’m sorry I interrupted this very sensitive time.”  She looked over the others.  “I saw Gigi last night, with Nimi.  She looks good.  Nimi said there was nothing to worry about.”

“It’s okay,” Elizabeth said, looking over the small ghost.  “You’re the specialist?”

Mint’s eyes squinted, “That’s me,” she said quietly, holding her hand over her mouth, moving closely to Elizabeth.  “I’ll keep it on the downlow.”

“Mint, we all know who you are,” Bae laughed.  “Stop it.”

“Yes… unfortunately,” Kronii remarked.

“Hey, hey, hey, guys!”

“But a ghost might be just what we need right now,” Irys said.

Bae realized, once again, they never found Ina.  She grew extremely worried.  “Hey, Mint, can I ask you something really quick?”

“Sure.”

The two walked outside the Wellness Center. The place was crawling with the military and strangers in suits.

“Man,” Mint said, “this place looks so different with all those guys from Holo HQ.”

Elizabeth suddenly appeared, also wanting to talk to Mint.  She asked Nerissa to stay back while she spoke to Mint, so it was just her.

“I’m so popular,” Mint gushed.  “What do you both need?”

Bae looked at Elizabeth and then spoke first.  “Mint, have you seen Ina?  I mean… in maybe your spiritual traveling, somewhere maybe in the lighthouse or somewhere else on the island, like…” she pointed toward the mountains to the east.  “Maybe meditating in the mountains?  Under a waterfall? She’s done that before.”

“No.”

Bae was really feeling this ominous concern in her whole body.  She was used to chaos. It was needed in life.  Chaos was the outward sign of free will in all creatures.  Without chaos, there would only be order. Order was dictators and those who wanted to control outcomes and others.

It was this extreme feeling of control.  And that made her very uneasy.

“You okay, Bae?” Elizabeth asked.

“Yeah, I just don’t know where Ina went off to.”  She looked over in the facilities direction.  There were twice as many soldiers guarding it now.

“Can you do me a favor, Mint?”

“Sure.”

“Can you go down there and see if maybe Ina went…”

“...Down into that freaky facility?”

Bae nodded.

Elizabeth cut in.  “I was actually going to ask you to go down there, also.  I need you to do a little spying for me.”

“That’s why I’m here. I’d do anything for you, Liz.  But” she turned to Bae, “why would Ina go down there?  Even I don’t want to go down there.  It makes my skin prickle, despite me being a ghost even.  There’s something really creepy, about that place.”

“I can’t say I disagree,” Elizabeth shuddered, “but, I think they are trying to create some type of weaponry, or something that they are trying to keep from me. I need you to go listen, just listen to the scientists and find out if you can get any intel on what they are doing with all that equipment they have.”

Mint straightened, giving the queen a salute, “Yes ma’am” she emphasized with her strong accent, “I can do that.  I promise, I will get that intel.”  She winked.  “And I’ll keep an eye out for Ina, Bae.”

“Thanks.”

She giggled.  “No big – I got this.”  Mint disappeared.

Elizabeth looked back, and Nerissa was standing at the door, trying to act like she wasn’t listening in.

“Say, I want to go see Gigi.”

“Certainly, Bae.”

The smaller girl walked past Nerissa and walked into the Wellness Center.

Elizabeth walked over, her broken arm in a thinner material, much more durable for traveling.  She also healed much more quickly than a normal human.  They had re-wrapped it earlier at the Wellness Center.

“You are spying on me?”

“I just want to make sure you are safe.  Aren’t I your bodyguard?”

“Well, then I guess you’d better guard my body.”

Nerissa smiled coyly, “I think I can handle that.”

Bae looked over to see Kronii and Irys were inside.  Irys was standing beside Kronii, and just a little bit of her felt a tug of jealousy.  She cleared her throat and then went into the room.

Beneath Libestal

“Shiori, you, okay?”

Biboo was walking along the caverns.  The witch held out her hand again, making a sigil, spinning it various directions.  Her hand shook.  It was still badly burnt.  It wasn’t healing.

“Shiori, I think we need to get out of these caves, maybe take a break somewhere.  We can call Dooby and catch a ride somewhere quiet.  Just a few days.”

“Nerissa doesn’t have a few days.”

Fuwawa glanced at Biboo, and the three had such dire looks.

Shiori stumbled slightly, and Fuwawa, grabbed her before she hit the cavern floor.

“This is wearing you down,” Fuwawa stated, the others lowering beside her, nodding. 

“Please let’s do what Biboo said,” Mococo asked, “Bau bau.”

A gunshot reverberated across the rocks. They all ducked, looking up, trying to find where the gunshot came from.

Then, they heard laughter, echoing through the cave.

Biboo stood quickly, pulling out her katana, looking over the dark cavern.  “You guys stay behind me.”

“Hey, Advent,” a voice echoed through the cave, and then laughter.  “I’m just here for the Archivist.  If she comes with me, I’ll leave you others and won’t shoot you.”

“Forget that!” Biboo yelled, “come down, you coward and fight me.”

She stood, her katana outward in front.

A bullet again ricocheted, this one hitting her katana just at the hilt where she held it, sure not to hurt her hand, but caused her to lose her grip, the sword falling to the ground.

“I’m a superb shot – sure you can’t just let me have the Archivist?”

The Abyssgard hounds both growled, their eyes glowing.

“Wow, I’m so impressive,” Doki leapt down to an open area, walking slowly, her gun out, laughing.  “I got a call from someone very rich – which I like – and they only want the Archivist.  Even gave me a little down payment, to bring her in alive.  So – no worries.  You guys though, I don’t have to bring in alive.” 

She twirled her sidearm, doing various tricks, and then replaced it into the holster.  “They told me that I need to bring back only the Archivist.  So,” she looked over the dog twins, holding out her hands.  “You can just leave.  With the rock princess.”

“We’re a team,” Biboo stated defiantly.

“Thought so.”

Within a second three shots rang out.  It hit each one.

“Those are just tranqs,” she said, walking up to a weak Shiori.

Biboo and the twins faltered for a second, but then, their eyes all started glowing.  Shiori grinned.  “I think you’ve miscalculated. They’re incredibly strong.”

“I see.”  Doki laughed in her iconic way. She had gained a reputation.  If you heard her laugh, you were probably done for.  But Advent was a different type of criminal.

“Hey doggies, come on, I was just playing, haha.”

They growled, their claws out. 

“Come on… can’t take a joke?”  She kept laughing, holding out her hands, backing up.

The twins approached, looking slightly larger in attack mode.

“Hey now…”

The dogs chased and she ran like crazy the other direction.  Jumping across rocks, and the dogs were on either side, jumping after her.

They could hear Doki laughing, “Dok…urrrr Hahaha!”

Biboo stood beside Shiori, “you, okay?”

“Are you?”

“Yeah, just a…” her eyes fell back into her head, “…dang it…” she fell to the ground.

“Beebs?”

She moved her shoulder, turning her to her back. “Beebs?”

She answered with a little chirping snoring sound.

“Oh man.”

She lifted to her knees, and when she looked up there was a gun pointed at her forehead.

“Hey there, Shiori Novella, Archivist.”

“Dokibird… are they okay?”

“Oh yeah, sleeping soundly like your friend down there.  You going to come quietly, or do I need to let you take a nap too?  I’d rather not have to carry you, though.”

“Look, um…” Shiori looked over the area.  “I can pay you… I think.”

“How much?”

“Really?  You’d let me pay you?”

“Yeah, sure.  I’m a true capitalist.  I go where the money leads me.  Plus, I got creepy vibes by the ones who gave me a down payment, to bring you in alive.”

“Who were they?”

“There were actually two.  One was a Libestalian – easy to spot the squareness.”

“Yeah.”

“The other, I think he was a representative from Great Exardia.  Had that funny accent they all have.”

“I see.”

“He was the one mainly speaking and gave me the envelope with money – cause I’m the best at what I do.”

“So, I’ve heard.”

Doki smiled, lowering, “they want you alive, which means they want you more for what you can give them, right?”  She lowered, her deep green eyes, one with a red marksman glow, a crosshair deep within the iris, and grinning widely.  “What did you do to make the leaders of Great Exardia and Libestal get together to want you?”

“I… have a gift.  A gift they want to use for something evil.  You can’t let them have me.”

“Hm,” Doki backed up, placing a hand under her chin. 

“Doki, I know I’ve heard of you and your ghost friend – you’re good guys that help people out.”

“That’s mostly Mint.  She thinks she’s a superhero, cause she’s delusional like that.  I just do my job as a bounty hunter.  Anyway, she’s back on the Island of Holios.”

“She is?”  Shiori sat up, straightening.  “She is?  Why?”

“Yeah, seems they needed her to help the queen there.”

“The queen there is the queen of Great Exardia.  Is she the one that wanted me?”

“Don’t know.  These were probably just her servants or something.”

“Will my friends be alright?”

“Oh yeah, just a strong tranq, since they’re supernatural creatures.  They’re just sleeping for a few hours – more than enough time to get some distance.  I try very hard not to kill others, but don’t tell anyone.” She laughed again.

Doki stood up, twirled her gun quickly, and then re-holstered it.  “So, how much you got?”

“Honestly…” she bit her lip, “just a few gems.  But… but I can get more.  Beebs has this gift also, she can find gems super easily.”

“Hmm.”

“Please, Doki, if you can just let me go.  I can find what I need.  My friend’s life depends on it.”

Doki laughed, bobbing her head, thinking over what to do.

Shiori looked over the area.  She could maybe pull out a spell and maybe run. She knew Doki had the fastest trigger finger.

“Can we put my friends in not such an open spot, so they’re safe?”

“You mean I have to carry them?”

“Well, I’m not very strong.”

Doki held her hand under her chin, laughing.  “This is a trick, right?”

“No… no, why would I try and trick you?”

The bounty hunter kept laughing.  “You’re trying to get me to pick them up and then you whack me over the head or something.”

“I’d never do that.”  She smirked, being facetious.

“I like you, Shiori, you make me laugh, but you’re pushing it.”

“Don’t you always laugh?”

“Well,” she laughed, “that’s true.  It’s a nervous tic.”

“Really? I didn’t know that.”

“Oh yeah.” Doki looked down at the small gem princess.  “The doggos are in a safe spot, so I’ll make sure she’s out of harm’s way, okay?”

“You will?”

“Yeah.  I don’t have anything against her.” She bent down to pick up the gem princess. “I’m keeping my eye on you while I do this.”

“Sure.”

“Stay sitting there.”

“I am, cause I’m actually pretty tired.”

Doki lifted under Biboo’s arms, dragging her to a small crux in the cave, behind some rocks.

Shiori looked down at her hand.  She couldn’t figure out why the burn was growing and not being released.  It hurt and she didn’t feel well.  She didn’t want to be handed over to the ones who wanted her. She knew they wanted her to do something else, probably just as evil. 

Of course, maybe they had the glyph.  “Wait a minute,” she spoke to herself, “Maybe I should go where they are.” 

These three were safe.  This might be the best outcome, if she really thought it over. 

Doki walked back over.  “You ready?”

“Yeah, yeah, I am.”

Shiori stood, maybe too quickly.  She fumbled slightly, dizzy.  The cave was spinning, and her knees were growing weak.  She was going to fall over.  She wasn’t feeling well at all.

“What’s wrong?”

“I….”

Doki instantly grabbed her shoulders, as if she could shake her awake.  “Whoa, don’t pass out on me.  I seriously don’t want to carry you out of here.”

“I…” Shiori looked at her hand. She groaned, the pain in her hand.  “I think… my hand is trying to tell me something.”

“Your hand?” Doki could see the burn.  “Man, that doesn’t look good.  I have this ointment.”

Her eyes glowed, like she was in a trance.  She began speaking in a strange tongue, just faint whispers at first, and it was freaking out Doki, but she still held her, making sure she didn’t fall.

“Saq qo, saq qo gethsogol.  Brom Brom gethsogol,” over and over again, and then she whispered more gibberish.

Her knees buckled and she passed out in the tall bird’s arms.

“What the…?” She laughed, “Shiori?  Hey, you, okay?” She slapped her lightly, “Come on wake up.”  She kept holding her, letting her down to the ground gently.  “Shiori?  Wake up.”  She laid her down, thinking over what to do.

“Ah man, please… fuck.  Darn, now I gotta carry her?  Ah man – this, sucks.” 

She lowered, pulling her up in her arms, hoisting her over her shoulder. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 14 – An Unfortunate Series of Events

Gigi was jumping around, watching Calliope pack supplies they’d need for their trip. 

“You can relax, G.”

“We need to go.  I woke up like five hours ago.”

“Two.”

“It seems like five.  And I’m hungry.  I’m going to go get something to eat.”

“You do that.”

Kiara walked by.  “Oh hey, G. Raora said to go over there she has some leftover pasta and…”

Gigi ran out the door before she could finish.

“Guess she’s hungry.”

Calliope giggled, thinking over how excited the gremlin was.  “It’s nice she’s looking like she’s back to her old self.”

“Yes. She’s as cute as ever.  But she really needs to take it easy.”

“She’s a gremlin.  Have you ever been able to make a gremlin take it easy?”

“True.”

She looked over Kiara, dressed nicely in a light pastel chiffon blouse and shorts.  It accentuated every part of what made the Phoenix beautiful. 

“Please, take care of everyone here.”

“I’ll keep an eye on things.”  Kiara walked up to her friend, standing close.  “Look, you be careful. This is an evil, that seems like it’s more… like I have a bad feeling.  You know about my bad feelings.  And I’m going to be worried about you the whole time, cause you’re facing true ancient evil that should have been gone a long time ago.  And… despite you being infallible, those with you are not. And that is why I’m worried, because you care for them.”

“Hey,” she stared into her friend’s swirling eyes, a rainbow of colors.  “I’m the Grim Reaper.”

“I’m a Phoenix.  Last time I died.  It hit you hard.”

“It did.  You burned down half the world. That was a lot of death at once.”

“I can never make up enough for that.”

“It’s not you.”  Calliope looked out angrily, “It’s those fuckin gods who play with you when they want to restart the world.  I hate that you are at their bidding.  I’m glad the new gods came along, and struck a deal to reset the world, as long as they went to sleep. 

“Kronii and those guys seem a bit more hands off and more chill.  But they’re still gods.  Gods are going to do what’s in their best interest.”

“I know… but it’s still… me.  I’m the Phoenix.  I heard there’s another here, the one who speaks to the ancients.  You know we don’t get along. I’m going to try and keep out of her way.”

“The ancients are asleep. And, I haven’t seen much of her, but she’s pretty innocuous.  Total loon.  I think the ancients sleeping have just kind of made her null.” 

Kiara turned, looking out the window.  “You know… that was the worst.  I can feel for Cecilia, having something overwhelmingly take over you and not being able to stop it.  It made her try and kill her closest friend.  Watching the destruction and knowing you are merely a puppet being moved to destroy.  And…” she had such a distraught look. “You just…”

“Hey, I remember. Took you forever to rebirth.” Calliope grabbed her hand, “That’s why I was with you the whole time.”

“I can never thank you enough for that.  You kept me safe.  I was pretty much a loon too.”

She held her hand within her hands.  “I will always be where you are.”

“I know.”

“Look,” The reaper placed a hand at the side of her hair, running a hand through it.  “You always carry that weight.  I know you are constantly trying to make up for that, but it’s like dropping a glass.  The water’s going to go everywhere, and you can’t stop it from falling.  All you can do is mop up the spill as fast as possible to contain the mess.”

Kiara leaned into her warm hand, and then turned, kissing it lightly.

Their eyes met.

“I can lock the door.”

Calliope didn’t know why, but there was just something about the Phoenix that always got to her.

Within moments, they wrapped their arms around one another, kissing deeply, Calliope carrying the smaller phoenix to the bedroom, where all the passion and feelings of eternity washed over their kisses and fingers, entwining and wanting to touch every bit of skin, as they pulled and yanked at every piece of clothing, removing, nearly tearing, until falling to the bed, skin touching skin, and it felt so good to be together again.

“Nice bed,” Kiara said, breathing into her lover’s mouth.

“Thanks, feather down, I think.”

They kissed more deeply, hands rummaging across skin, as they fought and clung to one another.

“Man, I missed you,” Kiara said.

“I missed this.”

Their hands were feeling with such familiarity, ages and ages, of being drawn to the other.  Maybe it was knowing they would always be there – two forever beings.

Warmth grew, hands reaching and touching, deeper and deeper, legs intertwined, pulling up and across, the contour so automatic, like muscle memory.

“I love…” Calliope breathed into her skin, “you… so much.”

There was a feeling, just the most subtle feeling someone was in the room.

Calliope instantly looked back, from under the covers.

Gigi’s eyes were wide.

“My… my hat… was on…I’m sorry… I’m gonna go.”

She ran out the door in an instant.

“Oh… fuck.”

“Guess I should have locked that door.”  The phoenix gazed into her lover’s eyes.  “You need to go talk to her.”

“But…”

“Kind ‘a killed the mood anyway.”

Calliope laid her head on Kiara’s chest.  “Man, I’m so sorry.”

“No worries.  There is still eternity for us.”

Calliope gave Kiara one last kiss, staring deep into her eyes, “Yeah.”

“Go let her know it’s okay. I’m okay. She’s probably very embarrassed. She needs you more than me, right now.  She’s still weak and you need to make sure she’s okay.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re right.”

Gigi ran as fast possible, nearly knocking over Elizabeth.

“Hey, hey there, what’s the hurry?”

“Nothing.  I saw nothing.”

“O…okay.”  She held to her arm, “are you crying?”

“No.”

“Are you feeling okay, I mean you did barely wake up from a coma.”

“I’m good,” she wiped at her eyes.  “I just – wanted to go for a run.  Lots of energy because I’m excited to go find Ceci.  Calliope is taking forever to pack.”

Elizabeth snickered, “Speaking of which, I need to tell her something that will be pertinent to our travel.”

“What?” she kept wiping her nose.  “She’s busy right now.”

Calliope came running out, just some slacks and a sweater, looking for the gremlin.

“There she is!” Elizabeth waved.

“I should go.”  Gigi took off again, full speed across the area, heading past the facility and toward the hills. She just wanted to go somewhere and think, process these feelings.  She didn’t even know what they were, but it felt like her chest was being crushed.

Calliope wanted to take off, but Elizabeth stopped her, “Calli I seriously need to tell you what the Head of Holo HQ told me.  It’s not good.  It’s not good for Cecilia.”

This stopped the reaper, she walked up closer to the queen. “What?”

“I’m glad Gigi left, because I don’t want her to hear this.”

Kronii walked up, finally catching up.  She wanted to find out what was happening.

“Hey,” they all said hi to one another.

Elizabeth began, “They got word that around an hour ago Cecilia, or rather the entity in our automaton, destroyed half of Libestal, thousands of people.  They were slaughtered, injured, and they have footage of Cecilia.  Meaning, it doesn’t matter to these governments now.  They see her as the threat.

“The leaders of Libestal were killed.  The one taking control of the government is a radical that believes the ancient demons should be worshipped again, and be brought back, and influencing others that align with that thought.  He really believes they are pure, unlike the tainted gods people worship.  Total theocrats.  They are closing it down and I fear for what will come from the ashes.”

“Oh, my gods,” Kronii exclaimed.  “This is a nightmare.  How are people’s memories so short?  It was the dragons and ancient demons that were the bane of life in the fantasy realms.  If it wasn’t for Irys and the rest of us… ungrateful.”

Calliope glanced at her.  She wasn’t sure how to feel.  She just knew they all played their jealous games for attention.  She did her job as the Grim Reaper and always ended up picking up their mess.

“There are factions everywhere that think the dragon’s age of rule was a utopian for the followers,” Elizabeth stated. “Glorious dragons.”

“Bunch of idiots.”  Kronii crossed her arms, her brow furrowing angrily.  It was so difficult to bring life back and they always just threw it away, this gift.

“They are sending military there.  Holo is sending military.” Elizabeth continued, “The military forces in the nearby countries are already readying themselves.  My country wants to join, and I need to head there.  The advisor has not returned my calls.  And I have no idea what is going on.  I just know I don’t trust my advisor much these days.”

“They’re going to respond with more military power and it’s going to become a big mess.” Kronii stated angrily.  “Why is panic the first course of action?”

“Word is spreading, and this is going to get out of control fast.”  Elizabeth told the reaper “I will travel with you, but I need to stop by Great Exardia, so we will head there first. I still don’t think it’s the best idea to take Gigi.  The doctor said she should rest for a couple of days, at least. I’m worried about her recovery.  And now she’s running off and so excited to find Ceci.”

“Yeah.” Calliope was trying to figure out where she ran off to.  “Look, Elizabeth, I’ll meet you back here in a bit.  I’ll go find Gigi and make sure she’s okay.  Tell her to calm down,” she laughed, trying to make light of everything, but she knew the situation she found herself in might have truly upset her.

Elizabeth nodded, and Calliope took off toward the hills.

Under Libestal

Dokibird walked for about 20 minutes, when Shiori started to wake up.

She groaned, moving in her arms, and Doki placed her down, happy she was finally awake.

“Hey, Shiori, you, okay?”

“Yeah.” She looked up at the tall blonde, with two green eyes.  Her crosshair red eye was gone.

Doki stepped back.  “I was getting tired – not cause you’re heavy or anything.  I just don’t like carrying stuff.”

Shiori’s stomach growled.

“You hungry?”

“Maybe a little.”  She looked over the area of the cave.  “How long was I out?”

“Maybe 20 minutes, or so.”

“What happened?”

“You were talking this weird language and just seemed like in a trance and then passed out.”

“Weird language?  Do you remember what I said?”

“Something about gulls or brooms or something like that.” She laughed.

“What?” it made her also giggle, “seriously?  That means…” she considered different tongues and languages.  “Wait, was it brom?”  She said it with a thick accent similar to Scottish, heavily rolling the “r”.

“Yeah!  That was it.  You kept saying that broom word.”

“That’s the word ‘north’ in the old dragon tongue.  So that means the rest was in dragon tongue.”

“You said it a few times and then the other stuff, like sacko sacko, hahaha.  It was weird.”

“So,” Shiori concentrated pacing.  “Sacko.”  She snapped, “was it saq qo?”

“Maybe.”

“That’s the color red.  I said something about red and north, in a dragon tongue?” She looked at her hand.  “I knew something didn’t seem right.  Ever since we entered this area of Libestal.  The nightmares I’m having.  Someone is trying to tell me something.” She walked over to the side, looking over the cavern walls, pointing. “We were nearing the northernmost area of Great Exardia’s border.  We need to go back to where I was in that trance and speaking.”

“Back there? But I already walked this way.”  Doki scratched at her head, “I was actually going to just go back to the D Train and send you back to be with your friends.”

This surprised Shiori, as the blonde spoke, distantly.  “I just didn’t think it’s right to take you to people who would hurt or use you.  I was thinking that over as I walked carrying you, and the more I thought about it, I was thinking, Mint would be pissed if I told her later what I did.  Cause… like I said, she thinks she a freakin’ superhero.”

Shiori wanted to jump up and hug the taller girl.

“But yeah, it would be safer if I just walked you back to your pals and then be on my way.”

She grabbed her hand; it was burning painfully.

“You know, I really do have an ointment for that.  Here.”  She pointed, “sit down.  You need to eat, and I’ll get your hand fixed up.”

Before Shiori could object, Doki gently pushed her to sitting.  “Man, I can tell you’re stubborn, but then so is Mint.  She’s kind of a pain in my ass.”

“Oh,” Shiori giggled, “so you love her?”

“Hey… she’s a friend, ya’ know?”

“Uh-huh,” Shiori could see the way the blonde turned a slight pink, thinking over her friend.

“Anyway…”  Doki placed a power bar into her hand, “eat that.”

“Yes, bossy.”

She laughed, “You’re hungry and you passed out probably because you haven’t eaten.”

“Thank you.” She took a bite.

Doki’s eyes squinted as she looked over the witch’s hand. “It must hurt.”

“Yeah, but I…” she thought over Nerissa suffering.  “I deserve it.”

“What?  No, you can’t think like that.  I’ve thought like that before.  It’s not a good way to think.”

“I’m sorry.”

Shiori took another bite out of the bar.  “It’s not too bad.  Thank you.”

“Sure.”

“What do you mean… you thought like that?”

“Here,” she rummaged through her pack and pulled out the ointment.  “I got this from Dooby’s conductor, Kippu.  He’s a great guy.”

“Does he actually talk?”

“Yeah, he’s pretty funny.” she laughed, “Here.”  She started spreading the ointment on her hand, slowly, carefully.

“You could be a nurse.”

“I have good hands – I need them for what I do.”

“I noticed.  You shot that katana out of Beebs hand.”

“Yeah, I didn’t want to hurt her.  That needed to be a clean shot.”

“You’re,” Shiori’s eyes had a glint in them as she watched the bounty hunter. “… a softie.”

“Haha, no way.  I’m a tough bounty hunter, hahaha.”

“Yeah, sure,” she smiled down at how she placed the ointment and then wrapped her hand with a bandage, carefully covering.  “So, what did you mean by what you said earlier.  Why did you feel like you deserved bad things, or whatever?”

“It’s nothing.  Just…” Doki stared outward, “just… there are bad people in this world. I was unfortunately imprisoned for a long time with those bad people, and then Mint came along.  Nobody deserves bad things.  I’m glad Mint found me, and I found her, and now I only hang with good people. Bad people, I hunt down, and I’m good at it. But…” she licked across her lips.  “You’re not a bad person either, that’s why I can’t turn you over to those creeps.”

“Well, maybe…” she looked at her hand again.  “Maybe we need to head to the northern border of Great Exardia.”

“Why?”

“If I was speaking the dragon’s tongue, and saying north and red, they have the reddest rocks, embedded with rubies, and they say the dragon’s treasures hidden underneath.  But the weather is so bad, it’s deadly trying to travel there.  I wonder, if that’s why when I keep trying to commit a magical circle to find the glyphs my hand isn’t healing, but instead I feel I’m being led somewhere in that direction we were headed.”

“I don’t get it.”

“It’s…” Shiori’s eyes glowed, “oh my goodness, I’m being led to the glyph I need.  It’s in the north.  I bet that’s where Balumat’s body is.  It was bound ages ago, they say, between Libestal and Great Exardia. The northern mountains border Libestal.” 

She sat up, “We have to go there.  We have to get Beebs and the others and head that way.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.  I’m not getting paid for that.”

“Look,” Shiori grinned, “you want riches.  I can show you the most riches you’ve ever seen in your life.”

Doki’s eyes swirled in consideration.  Dragons were known for having tons of gold and gems, riches from every part of the world.

Shiori saw two small red lights in the distance.  She pointed, “do you see that?”

“What?”

“There’s… eyes?”

Shiori’s eye squinted, as she tried to see what it was.  They were moving rapidly toward them.  She moved to standing, backing up.

“Doki… Doki, I think we should run.”

Doki turned, just as the automaton stood directly over her.

She flipped backward, both pistols out, her red marksman eye stared at the automaton. 

“Ceci?”

The automaton looked curiously at the bounty hunter.

“You look… different… Ceci.”

Shiori started to form a circle, her hand shaking, this needed to work.  She could feel the murderous intent.  Doki was talking like she knew the automaton, but there was something wrong.

It’s gaze then instantly spun to Shiori, creating her circle.

“Archivist.  The one who released me.”

She held the circle, shaking. 

“How’d… you were in Nerissa Ravencroft – weren’t you?”

“I left that creature.  This was better.”

“I see.”  Shiori was terrified, at this red-eyed automaton, holding a lance, blood covered its clothing.  It was dripping other’s blood, and it had this strange very inhuman look, as it stared deeply at her.

“So, Nerissa, is she alive?”

“I’m not sure, archivist.  She wasn’t very alive when I last saw her.”

“You… you killed her?”

“Yes.  I’ve killed many.  My followers asked and as always, I answered.”

A shot hit the shoulder of Cecilia, and the automaton turned to Doki.

“Shiori, run!”

Then a slew of gunfire, rapid, one after the other, as Doki kept shooting at the head of the automaton with both guns.  “That is definitely not Ceci,” she said to herself, as the automaton stared at her, the bullets making only a small dent, as it walked toward Doki, slowly, watching almost curiously.

Within seconds, she reloaded, again rapid-fire, toward its shoulders and chest.  It smiled - amused.

“Fuck!”  Doki kept shooting and it was doing nothing.

Behind, Shiori let her circle go, a blaze shooting toward the automaton.  Her arm fell to her side; it burned so badly.  She used everything she had.

It knocked back the automaton, maybe six feet.

“You both are bothering me.”

Doki had to reload her back up ammo.  Within that instant it was in front of her.

“Oh… fuck me.”

It lifted her and threw her about 50 feet to the top of the cavern wall, her hitting so hard, a part of the cavern, boulders all fell to the ground along with Doki.

The automaton then instantly went to the smaller witch.  She was shaking, blinking, trying to figure out if she should try and fight.  She had put so much power behind that circle, and it barely made it move.

She looked back over to Doki.  Blood trickled from her head and lips, half buried beneath the rocks. She wondered if she was still alive.  She’d never seen such power.

“You can join me, Archivist. I will need one who can release the others who are bound.  We are four.  Four are needed, and then there will be none who can stop us.”

Shiori was trying hard to try and figure out what she could do.  It was a demon, but it didn’t seem to pay attention to her voice as others did in the past.

“You have so much blood, on you.  Were you in a fight?”

“I had to test out this entity. It’s a very efficient machine.”

“You killed people?”

“Of course.  Only the unfaithful.”  She smiled, in such an uncanny way.  “And we will kill many more.”

Shiori glanced back to Doki.  Her eye was again turning bright red, the crosshair glowing, and she could hear the rocks fall slightly.

She was moving slowly, but she stood.  Shiori smiled, happy she was still alive.

“It is not dead?” The automaton was in front of the bounty hunter.  “You… you have something in you?”

“Gift, from a friend,” she coughed and then started laughing.

She had hoped it would move away from Shiori.

“I have a present… for you, too ‘not-really-Ceci’.”  And she kept laughing.

Within a second, she threw the explosive at Cecilia, it sticking to her automaton chest, then blew up with so much force the automaton went backward flying to the other side of the cave, the stone walls crumbling and crashing around them.  It felt like an earthquake had hit.

It had caused the structure of the cave to falter, bringing down the top, and Shiori took off, running to the side, trying to find a place where she wouldn’t be buried under rock. 

She looked back.  Was Doki still back there?

It was hard to see with all the dust of rock filling the area like a heavy fog.

And then she saw red, glowing within the smoke. She hoped it was Doki’s marksman eye, but then she could see there were two red eyes.

Shiori felt her body wanting to crumble within itself.  This thing was unstoppable.

The automaton stepped out from the smoke, looking very upset.

That’s when she heard the familiar growl.  It was the twins.  But more than that, she could feel the ground shake, the rocks moving almost rhythmically.

She turned in an instant, to see Biboo, walking toward them, her eyes were pure white, glowing, and a shield of purple and silver, like a cloak of electricity, encompassed her small form.  She held a large hammer, it shimmering like lightning was being drawn to it.

“Beebs?” She was so happy to see her.

“Belthior,” the gem princess said, “your evil woke me up.”

“Princess Koseki Bijou.” The automaton stepped forward.  “I thought they locked you away in hell.”

“They did, but I know how to make friends. And you don’t because you’re a big jerk.”

Just then the Abyssgard twins stepped forward, as the demon hounds.  The three faced the automaton.

Back on Holios

Calliope searched for the direction Gigi ran.  “Come on, G.  Why you gotta make me run after you?”

That’s when she spotted the small head of the gremlin, sitting at an outcrop on the hill, just above the facility.

She walked over.

Gigi continued to sit.

“Hey, G.”

“Hey.”

“Um, I’m sorry you walked in on that.”

“It’s cool.  I’m not a child.  I’m not even upset about that.  Just… I don’t know.  If it’s the coma or almost dying, but my insides are just all scrambly and my head is like it’s going to explode with these thoughts, and…”

“I see,” Calliope said quietly.

“It’s just…” she turned to look at the tall pink-haired beauty.  “I mean, I felt so stupid, ya know?  I should have knocked or something.  But even that’s not it.  Like I playfully flirt with everyone, and I maybe wouldn’t have cared any other day, but for some reason I’m really feeling emotional.  It’s like… something is broken, deeper.”

Calliope sat down beside her.

“This is a nice view.”

“Yeah, I like this view here, Mori Calliope.”

“I like hearing you say my whole name.”

“Me too.  It’s a good name.”

Quiet.  Just sitting quietly, the breeze picking up, blowing their hair every direction.  Calliope pulled her hair back.

“I’ve never done that.”

“Done… that, that - sex?” Calliope asked.

“Yeah.”

“Oh… really?”

Gigi nodded. 

“You wanna know a secret?”

“What, Mori Calliope?” she turned to face her friend.

She smiled, with a light laughter, “I’ve only been with Kiara.  As a reaper, you don’t get many chances to be with another, but Kiara, just… she made – makes - it easy.”

“You love her?”

“Well, yeah.  I’ve loved her for thousands of years and so, for us it’s just like such a part of us.  She loves to do that kind of stuff and she’s been with a lot of people through those thousands of years, but me.  I’m so busy and it wasn’t so important, but then I see her and…” she smiled in thought, “…just something inside happens.”

“I see, I guess. I sleep with Ceci.”

“I know.”

“But we’ve never.  I mean, I never even thought of it with her.  I kind of wondered, because she makes my stomach churn.  But then I think maybe I’m just hungry.

“I just like holding Ceci. She’s my friend and she keeps me warm.  When I grew up in Freesia, when I was little, all my siblings and me we’d all keep each other warm.  That’s how we are in our like… society, I guess.

“When I left, I got really lonely, but then I found Ceci.  She was just… perfect.  I mean, I look at her and she’s got these amazing eyes, unlike any eyes I’ve ever seen.  It makes my insides feel like they’re melting, but I’d never tell her that.  She’d probably think it was dumb.

“She… just smiles and it makes me feel really happy to see her smile at me.  She like knows me – better than I know me.  It’s so wild.  I feel like… half of me is gone.”

“Yeah, I get that.”

“I’m just… empty,” she held her stomach.  “I feel like a hole’s been carved there and I’m empty.”  She started to choke up.  “I just want to be able to hold her again.”

“I know.”

“It hurts…” now a tear fell, “it hurts so much thinking she’s alone and scared.  Her being hurt or scared makes this feeling so much worse.  I know she told me I was the only person she ever felt free and happy with, and it made me feel special.  But it’s like I feel her, and she’s scared.  It hurts so much that I can’t be there to help her out, and she’s alone again… just like when I found her.  I don’t want her to be alone, and sad…”

She lowered her head crying… sobbing.  “I miss her so much.”

Calliope placed a hand on Gigi’s shoulder, pulling her close.  “That’s what you call love, G.” She squeezed her close.  “We will find her.  I promise.  We’ll bring her back and you can hold her and stay warm again.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 15 – Deadly... Minto and Answers

Mint floated across the large open area of the facility.  She hated how creepy it was.  She never knew how long she was a ghost.  She felt like maybe she had other lives, but the ghost part felt more complete with her friend Dokibird. They had tons of mutual friends in different dimensions.

She didn’t know why she was thinking of that dumb bird right now.

She saw men that looked in charge walk into a room and then simply went inside, acting like she was taking a seat, pulling out a fake notepad, as they spoke.  Go on… she giggled to herself… Tell me all your secrets.

“What did the queen’s advisor say to you, Azel?”  The larger man, with a salt and pepper head of hair, neatly shaven beard and mustache, spoke.  He sat behind the desk. 

The thin blonde man with glasses answered, “Libestal is still trying to play its own game.  They really want Belthior to find his dragon self, and then with the other dragons, rule again. They are doing exactly as we thought they would.  Land of zealots.

“The advisor was wise to send a liaison to pay for that bounty hunter to pick up the archivist.  They play into our hands so easily.  We will take her to Libestal and then take her to Great Exardia before she awakens any others.

“We contain it.  Say she is behind the release of Balumat, and all of Great Exardia will follow the mighty advisor for finally bringing in this great evil.  She and the dragon will have the same fate.”

“Yes, and while the world is fighting, Great Exardia will be the one to stop it all with this weapon we develop here.”  He turned to the woman, “how is our power source?”

“She still sleeps.”

“Can’t we wake her up?”

“They are still trying.  She is not responding.”

“Well then, we need to make her respond.”

“Are they talking about Ina?”  Mint floated between them, watching their eyes.  She felt something was off.  “What bounty hunter?”  They just stopped talking about her.  She knew there were other bounty hunters, but maybe that was the strange feeling she had.

“What of the file the queen took. She’s asking questions that I don’t like,” the blonde man said, walking to the back of the room, “She may know of the weapons we are developing.  What if she puts two and two together?  Instead, of sending her on that Justice goose chase to get her out of his hair, he should have done the age-old staple that’s been efficient all through history – assassinate the bitch.”

“Kill her?” The man behind the desk chuckled, “not a bad idea.  That option is still on the table.”

“Yeah,” the blonde guy laughed.  “I wouldn’t mind taking the shot myself.  She’s always so full of herself.”

Mint floated in front of him, pointing angrily.  “I really do not like you, blondie.”

“Of course.  We’d get her out of our hair.  I’ll have to work on that.” The blonde guy sat down in a chair across from the desk, chuckling lowly.

“You’re so impressed with yourself,” Mint huffed.  “What a jerk.” 

Sitting at the back of the room, was a small woman with glasses and bob haircut.  She was very quiet.  Minto floated over to her.  “You’re kind of cute.”

She was looking at her phone, texting someone.

“Thank you.”

Mint could swear she heard her say, “thank you.”

Mint moved closer.  “Did you speak to me?”

Nothing.

The woman continued to look through her phone.

Man, am I hearing things?  Mint giggled.

Then the woman with the bob haircut, as she looked down at her phone, said quietly, “leave… Mint Fantome.”

Her heart dropped on the spot.

What was this feeling?

It was like she was dying all over again.

Mint felt she was being sucked into a pitch-black vortex.  She screamed, flailing, until she landed.

It was this strange feeling like she was floating in total darkness. This would be like floating among the stars or somewhere in space, but the absence of any light was freaking her out and she was reaching, squirming, anything to feel somewhat solid.

A light appeared in the distance and then was suddenly in front of the small ghost.

The tall patrician woman looked like an angel, with a crown of stars floating above her head, shining golden eyes that when Mint gazed into her eyes, she felt she might fall into them, so she looked away.

“Hello Mint.”

“Hellll… ohhhh?”

The entity giggled, as she watched Mint continue to struggle trying to stand.

“Let me make this more comfortable for you.”

They were suddenly in a comfy living room, sitting on a soft white couch.

“What… happened?  Am I being isekai’d again?”

“Oh,” she laughed, “no.  You and I both know the deal we made when you died this last time.  Three is the limit.  You are truly dead, but then I believe you know the caveat.”

“Doki and I have to find out the details of my death,” Mint said, “I wish she wouldn’t have made that deal – and just let me die.”

“Your friend certainly likes to play on the edge – some would say she’s too cocky for her own good.”

“They got that right.  She…” Mint looked down at her hands, wringing them lightly.  “I hate her.  And I love her.  She’s so irritating.”

“That is not why I brought you here.”

“Sorry.  I wish you would have all at least given me a date of when I died.  It would help.”

The entity smiled.  Meaning, she wasn’t going to give Mint any more information than was needed.

A pot of coffee was suddenly on the table, with two small white cups.  “Coffee?”

“Yes, please.”

The goddess made it exactly how Mint liked it and then handed her the cup.

“Thank you.”

“I brought you here because you caught the attention of Nya, one of the great ones.  The ones who are above us watchers and creators, like myself.”

“I don’t remember a Nya.”

“Nor will you after we talk.  This great one would have destroyed you in that meeting room.  I pulled you out of there.”

“Thanks then… I guess.”

“They will continue to move the pawn pieces for the most destructive outcome just for pleasure.  But I cannot interfere.”

“You seem pretty powerful, maybe you should.”

The woman had a kind appearance and when she laughed it was like a summer’s breeze, wrapping around Mint.

The small ghost realized she wasn’t going to answer.

“We have always enjoyed watching you, Mint.  You are truly one-of-a-kind.  One of those rare pure hearts with no ill-intention toward others.”

“Hey now, don’t go simping on me.”  Mint giggled.

“Simping?”  The goddess preened her gown and then gave her a quick wink.

“I brought you here for one reason.  When you leave you will only remember what is needed.  Then, you and Dokibird need to leave and allow the Island of Holios gods and the Scarlet Queen to do what she has been called to do as the most pure and just queen.

“I have one warning for you, Mint Fantome.”

“Yes?” Her eyes were wide.  She took a quick sip and then placed her cup down.

“Not, by any means, must you let the Grim Reaper touch you.  It would be best if you tried to avoid her.  You were isekai’d three times.  You cannot allow death to touch you.  I cannot stop that.  Our deal becomes void, if that happens.”

Mint was staring, wide-eyed.  “Man.  You know how to ruin a good time.”  The small ghost then glanced over the comfy living room, fully furnished with lovely plants and everything white and clean, “Yeesh.”

“There are those who have goals on the planes you exist.  Right now, the leaders of Libestal, and various other followers of the old dragons and ancient demons, want to bring back that age.  There are even those in Holios HQ that agree, though you will probably not know who, nor do you need to for what I am telling you.”

Mint nodded, squirting her lips together, trying to pay attention.

“Nya has watched this, and it drew him.  This, what is happening now, is merely a game for him.  He will take on any form needed.  This caught the attention of chaos because they watched those who are greedy for power using this, as well."

“What about Hakos Baelz, isn’t she the goddess of chaos?”

“She is chaos in this time.  There are gods in time and gods outside time.  I am one who is outside, as is Nyarlathotep – Nya.  There have been many gods of chaos.  True chaos resides above and outside time.  But that is not important.  I need you to remember three things.”

“Okay.”  Mint pulled forward attentively.

“One, Elizabeth Rose Bloodflame is meant to be at the forefront of world leaders.  She will always choose justice led by kindness and goodness.  She has the pure blue flame that burns from this soul and is very rare.  Blue is the hottest flame, and for the queen, it is the truest flame.

“I knew I liked Liz.”

“Yes, and she’s likeable.”

They both laughed.

“You’re pretty nice for a goddess of the stars.”

The goddess took a sip of her coffee, then held the cup on the saucer, smiling.

“You remember me?”

“Yeah, as I’ve been sitting here it’s all coming back to me. After I died.”

“We find ones we favor.  Like you and Dooby. Rare pure hearts.”

“Gee, you’re so full of compliments.” Mint blushed.

“Second, and we must continue despite my enjoying this time with you, Mint.”

“Thanks, I’m liking hanging with you too.”

“Cecilia must be stopped.  The automaton that is known as Cecilia Immergreen, was created to destroy worlds.  But she was also given the rarest gem that is not from any of these worlds.  It made her have a soul and it beats through her like a heart.  If that is destroyed, then Belthior will finally be released from the automaton.  He is clinging to it.  He learned what it was while inside, and he will not let go.”

Mint’s brow furrowed, “Wait, if that’s like her heart, then if it’s destroyed wouldn’t she be destroyed?”

“Second, Cecilia Immergreen must be stopped.”  Her voice echoed as if it were a reverb, and it made Mint instantly quiet.

She realized she wasn’t going to get an answer.

“Only the truest love can pierce through the gem.  That must be the sword, Thorn. It must hit the gem.  Elizabeth, in her love for Cecilia, did not stab it through her chest when she was confronted the first time.”

“Then why do you think she would a second time, or any other time?”

“She is not the one who should wield Thorn.  It can only be the one with the truest love for Cecilia, or it will be for naught.”

“Wow, it would have been easier if it would have just been a kiss like in most fairy tales.”

The goddess couldn’t help but chuckle at the small ghost. “Yes, I agree… but then, the fates ultimately decide.” She took Mint’s hand in her own, warmly holding it. “Honestly, I’m saying it is Thorn, but I don’t know what will break the gem, I only truly know it must be wielded by the one who truly loves Cecilia.  The gem must be separated from Belthior’s grip.

“Mint, this is very important. You need to relay what I am telling you to the Scarlet Queen.”

“Yes, ma’am.”  She straightened up, listening.

“This is imperative.  Belthior wants to awaken the other four dragons.  If this happens, they will devour and destroy every dimension, demanding fealty or death.  There will be no more resetting of the world.  This is the true outcome of this world if those four are released.

“Thus, Belthior must be stopped.  Once the automaton’s heart is pierced, he will no longer be protected and will be able to be bound once again.  He is in a weakened state.  That will be your best chance.”

“Can he be killed?”

“Immortal creatures cannot die, but they can be bound.

“Nya walks among the factions now, influencing and moving pawns, for the most destruction. This is what brings Nya joy.  Watching the worlds burn.

“You need to tell the queen.  Only she can stop what has been put into motion.  Her pure heart of flame and Thorn, the physical form of that heart, can pierce true evil.

“Nya wants to see the queen falter and fall to corruption. That is her hope in all of this.  She wants to see the blue flame die.  Once that happens, there will be no hope for your worlds and dimensions in this time.

“Then, Nya simply moves to another.”

“Would…” Mint squirted her lips together in thought.  “Liz is seeing this demon.  Is that part of the corruption?”

The goddess looked at the small ghost curiously.  “That is not for you to know.”

“I really like the Sound Demon, Nerissa Ravencroft.”

“That is for the queen to figure out.  She will choose correctly, if she remains pure in her heart. Now, I need to tell you the third point.  This is very important, so please listen.”

“I’m all ears, ma’am.”

She paused for a moment and then began:

“The advisor of Great Exardia has been planning with operatives in HoloHQ for years and years to finally become the Grand Minister of every fantasy realm, and he might not even stop there.  He has always been jealous of the queen.  She thought he was like a wise counselor because he was close to her father.  But he would love nothing better than to have power.

“He wanted Justice to find Cecilia Immergreen and has worked on using that power in the facility to develop weaponry using both magic and technology.  Supernatural creatures, including Ninomae Ina’nis of the ancients, have great power that he wants.

“With a great weapon he can destroy the dragons, Belthior in the automaton.  The automaton itself, because he has been working on replicating her power source- the red gem.  The automaton has done exactly as he wants, so now, they want to allow Belthior to wreak havoc.  Most importantly he can destroy the one who all the countries see is hurting their people.

“When he stops this automaton because of what he has found in the facility and created, he will be a hero.  He will rise up and others will bow to him and how brilliant he was to defeat the evil automaton that killed so many.

“All will believe him to be a great hero.”  The goddess took Mint’s hand.  “Make her understand.”

“I will.”

“He is making sure Libestal continues to get the demon in the automaton to kill and cause destruction, because the more it kills, the more they need a savior, and that is when he steps in.  It’s the age-old way of the world.”

“That’s,” Mint looked so sad, “so evil and mean. They’ll make Cecilia kill so many.”

“These are only pawns to Nya.  This is what they want to happen.  And even if it doesn’t the destruction will have fed their joy of simply watching lower forms of life fight and kill and destroy.  Nya does not care about the outcome.  Whether the Advisor gets his way and power, or Libestal raises all the dragons and demons, it doesn’t matter.  Nya wants destruction.

“Now, I’m going to send you back to where they are keeping Ina.  You need to help her leave and then tell the queen what I’ve told you once you see the queen again.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Yes.”

“In all this, it seems like Cecilia is the one who has to die or end her life with a soul.  That doesn’t seem good for her at all.”

“That is how it does seem, Mint.”  She placed her hand on the small ghost’s shoulder, who had a small tear on her cheek.  “Listen, when you go back you will remember nothing of Nya or of our meeting.  That is for the best.  If you even mention the name Nyarlathotep, they will hear, and you will bring attention you do not want to yourself. 

“Its best you don’t remember.

“You will think you obtained the information from the facility and that is all you will tell the queen, whence you meet again.  Then you need to find Doki, and you will know what to do from there. Dooby is waiting.  She is the one you can always trust.”

“What?”

“What?”

“What?”

Mint blinked a few times.  The area blurred but slowly came into focus.

She was in a place that looked like a lab. She saw scientists. That’s what Elizabeth asked her to look into, the scientists, so she followed one.

He walked into a room, and she slipped through the door.  That’s when she saw her, in a tube, like a big test tube, her tentacles floating around and her eyes closed.  She was hooked to all these tubes, cords and wires, all monitoring her.

“Ina?”  Mint placed her hands on the glass, knocking lightly, “Ina?  Can you hear me?”

She floated around, looking over the tubes and where they led to. 

“How do I unhook you?” She held a hand under her chin.  “Hm… I guess,” she went to the back, “I just pull everything out.”

She started pulling out plugs, and cords, trying to get them away from Ina.

Alarms went off, as she realized she just needed to break everything.  It was like a poltergeist had gone mad, as the scientist ran in, watching things being thrown everywhere.

He ran to an intercom.  “Quick, something is happening with the goddess of the ancient ones!”

Mint laughed to herself. They thought it was Ina.

And then she could see Ina’s eyes open, and she was in the tube, her eyes glowed like dark black pearls, and then she looked at Mint.

The glass shattered, going everywhere, as Ina floated outside the tube.  Her tentacles grew outward, carrying her across the floor, slapping across the lab and breaking more stuff, so that small fires and explosions were going off.

“Ina, can you hear me?”

Mint watched Ina, her iris and sclera black marbles.

“Who woke me?”

“Oh… fudge.  It’s the ancient ones.” 

Mint floated up to her face, “Ina, wake up!  We gotta get out of here.  Take control. You can do it.  This is your body.” She paused to reconsider what she said, since a very beautiful naked goddess was in front of her.  “I mean, just wake up!”

Ina blinked, and she actually started to go back to her old self.

Soon, she was the lithe and lovely dark-haired girl, standing in the middle of the lab.

“That’s right.”  Mint lifted the lab coat, “quick, put that on.  You’re kind of naked.”

“Huh?”  Ina was looking over the lab, looking like an explosion had gone off.  She looked so dazed and confused, Mint thought.

Mint helped her finish placing the lab coat over her shoulders.  “There you go.  Come on, follow me.”  Mint took her hand carefully.  “Come on, I came to take you back to Bae.”

“I love Bae.”

“You do?”

“She’s, my friend.”

“Oh good.  You, okay?  Can you understand me?”

“Hi Mint.”

“Oh good.”

“My head hurts.”

“I’m sorry, we’ll find some Ibuprofen once we leave.”

Mint opened the door, and military personnel were headed their way. 

She closed the door.

“Let’s find another way out.”  She pulled Ina to another door, then opened.  It was a small room, but there was a grate for the cooling system.

She pulled Ina inside, closing the door.  She walked over and pulled off the vent and then peeked inside.  “Ina, go inside there.  I think we can make it to the area the elevators are at through here.”

Ina climbed in, and Mint followed, closing the grate behind her.  “Man, I feel like Solid Snake.  Didn’t know actually being a spy could be this tense.”

“Mint, why am I here?”

“I think they were trying to use you for something that wasn’t very nice.  Do you remember how you got here?”

Ina shook her head. 

“It will be okay. I don’t know where we’re going.  Let’s hope my being the luckiest ghost works to our favor.”

*****

“Do you hear the alarms going off?  The soldiers are rushing toward the facility,” Elizabeth speed walked over with Kronii. Nerissa was back in the room preparing for their trip.

“Mint’s down there,” she told Kronii.

“Well then that explains it.”  She was very deadpan. “She would accidentally release a nuclear bomb and walk away unfazed.”

Elizabeth confidently said, “This is our chance to go down there.”

“I have a better idea.”  Suddenly her clock hands were there, and she closed her eyes, “there are things only gods can do.”  Her clock hands moved counterclockwise, and then everything was frozen in place.  “Stay close, we are moving in between time.”

“Nice trick.”

They walked to the facility, and then she grabbed Elizabeth, and they moved through the floors and down to the bottom of the facility.

“Why didn’t I just ask you to do this in the first place.”

“This isn’t a parlor trick.  I only do this if I’m allowed by the confines of fate and time.  There is a reason I can do it now.  I was just told I am allowed.”

They walked along the large, cavernous area of the facility.  She was continuously listening and feeling.

“This way.”  They passed frozen guards, military, scientists, and the blonde-haired man yelling and pointing at soldiers.  They were all frozen in time, in the middle of an emergency situation, and then she walked into a room that looked like it was hit by a tornado.

“Mint was definitely here,” Kronii said monotonously, “What a mess.”

Elizabeth simply followed, walking closely behind.

She pushed open a door and then saw the grate on the floor.

“Elizabeth, would you mind going in and grabbing that ghost.”

“Happily.”

She went into the vent, crawling only a little way, and found Ina sitting against the side, staring, entranced.

“Liz?” Ina wasn’t frozen.

“Is Mint with you?”

“She disappeared.  I have a headache.”

“Oh, I’m sorry love.”  She looked over the area concerned.  Why was Ina here?  Where was Mint?

She led Ina out of the vent. 

“We need to go now.”  Kronii took Ina’s hand.

She pulled it away.

“Ina?” she laughed nervously.

“We are upset, Time Warden.”

“Oh man, ancient ones?”

“Time Warden.  You said that you had this under control.  They were trying to use her again and wake us from our sleep.”

“I’m sorry.  Let us leave and I can have a talk with you in our usual place.”

“Fine.  We will leave.  Please keep her safe this time.”

“Yes, of course.”

Ina blinked a few times.

“Come on,” Kronii took her hand.  “Hold onto her hand on the other side, Liz.  We need to leave.”

Within a moment, they were above ground, standing beside the Wellness Center.

Kronii stepped back, turning the clock, and then everything moved again, back as it was.

Ina stood there, hating this feeling that she lost large chunks of time.  It was always like this.  She just wanted a normal life, sitting by the ocean, holding the one she loved closely.  That one was gone.

Bae saw her and took off running to her.

“Ina,” she hugged her, “you’re here.”

“Hi Bae.”

“You hungry?”  She looked over at her dressed in a lab coat.  “New style?”

The beauty giggled.  “I don’t know.”

“That’s cool. I really…” she smiled warmly, “…really missed you, so much.”  She hugged her again. 

Bae glanced at Kronii who nodded once, and then she told Liz.  “You should probably get ready to go to Great Exardia.  You need to stop this war before it starts.  I have a lot riding on this.”

“You disappeared for a little bit in that room.”

“I had to answer to someone.” Kronii spoke dismissively, “It’s nothing.”

Liz wasn’t able to see the dimension Kronii visited for a second with the ancients speaking through Ina.  This was something she wouldn’t understand, but she knew she had to get to her country soon.

“Okay, I will take it at that.”

Deep Under Libestal

Biboo moved within seconds to the automaton, her hammer swung, hitting, the automaton back and away.

In an instant it was back, as Biboo continued swinging, their bodies flying across the cavern, knocking more rocks loose, as the whole place was being compromised.

The hell hounds took turns running at the automaton, tag-teaming with their claws.  With each stab, the automaton skin instantly healing.

Shiori moved back, and away from the fighting, and then made her way through the rocks trying to find if Doki was still alive.

She crawled along the back of the cavern, calling in a hushed whisper, “Doki?  Doki, you there?”

She continued looking over, and over, trying hard to see where she had gone, and couldn’t see her.

A group of rocks crumbled, and fell, and Shiori moved back.

This was too dangerous.

Doki, please be okay.  She had to leave the area and ran back in the direction where they had been, far enough away from the fighting.

The three and the automaton kept going back and forth, taking turns.  The entire cave was going to crash down, and then Biboo flew down toward where Shiori stood, breathing hard.

“Dang it, he disappeared.”

“What?” Shiori popped up from behind the rocks.

“She’s gone.  Fu-chan and Moco-chan are checking, but we can’t find the automaton.”

“I suppose that’s good news.”

Just then, the entire top of the cavern rumbled, the ground shook.

“Oh, dang it, it’s compromised.”  Biboo grabbed Shiori, and they took off running.  The twins were close besides, as they kept running as fast as possible as the cavern’s walls and roof of rock, fell, large boulders, hitting harshly, as they ran.

Sounds of crashing, breaking rock, and so much dust kicked up, it was difficult to see.

Shiori was suddenly lifted between the doggos, and Biboo began glowing again, and the three ran at supernatural speed, before being buried under rock.

They made it to the exit of the cave, nearly falling off the edge of a cliff, standing before a snowcapped mountain range.

All took a deep breath, holding to their knees, leaning over.

“Wow, that was exciting,” Mococo said.

“It was fun,” Fuwawa and Mococo kept giggling and talking over how they fought the automaton.

“You okay, Shiori?” Biboo looked over at the taller girl.

She wasn’t smiling or laughing and looked sad.

“Doki was in there.”

“Oh.”

“She told me she wasn’t going to take me to the ones who paid her and was about to bring me back to you guys.  She… was actually truly heroic.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Bau bau,” the twins gathered around her, and they all hugged.

It was quiet, as they stood on the mountain’s edge, and the wind lifted through the mountainside.  Shiori stared out toward the northern end of Great Exardia.  Her hair blowing wildly, as the winds picked up.

She looked down at her hand. It was still wrapped with the bandage the bounty hunter had placed, and she held around it.  Looking outward, toward where they needed to go.

“We need to go to the northernmost border,” she pointed to the craggy snow-covered mountain miles away.  “That’s where I’ve been led with this hand.”  She choked back, speaking, thinking over Nerissa and Doki, and all those she thought were dead from the automaton and Belthior within.  “Some force, the dragons, or maybe an ancient warlock of my dreams, is guiding me that way.  The glyph with the binding spell, is there. Then…” her eyes lowered, turning a deep gold, “we get rid of that creature once and for all, and he won’t ever hurt anyone else.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 16 – The D Train

Elizabeth stood outside the depot, the D Train ready to leave.  She had no idea where Mint had gone; she was hopeful for information before leaving.

The weather, as always with the D Trains arrival, was cloudy, windy and rainy.  She spoke out to the sky, “Where’d you go, you little ghost?”

The Director of Research and Development for Holios HQ came running up to the train, umbrella in hand, a smaller teen in tow.  He waved to the queen.

“What’s he doing here?” she grumbled to herself.

He finally made it to the train, briefcase in hand.  “I thought I would go with you to Great Exardia, help if needed.”

“Help?  What would you help with?” She then glanced at the small girl, cute with purple hair and heterochromatic eyes, one deep purple, almost black and the other red.

“I spoke with the Chairman at Holo HQ and he asked me to help in any way.  This needs to be nipped in the bud, and so here I am.  His orders.”

“I see.” She glanced at the small girl behind. “And your fellow traveler?”

“Oh,” he laughed, trying to be friendly, “this is my daughter.”

“You have a daughter?”

“Just for the next few weeks.  Her mum is in the Roman Empire.”

“I see.”

The little girl waved to her, smiling, looking adorable.

“This could be dangerous.”

“Not in your kingdom, your majesty.”

She considered this turn of events.  “I suppose I can’t stop you, if you were asked by the Chairman, and I might need your help and since you have a direct line with the Chairman, that might be helpful.”

He smiled very largely, pushing up his glasses.  “Thank you, your majesty.  My daughter is very well-behaved.  I think it will be a good learning experience.”

The sweet little girl beside him actually made him seem more human to the queen.  She had begun to greatly dislike him.

She nodded, as he and his daughter boarded the train.

When they entered, they saw the Grim Reaper sitting beside the small gremlin, and then the Sound Demon.  It took him a moment, because she was a rare beauty.  He would have loved to have her in the facility.  Especially since they lost the spokesperson of the ancients.

He waved.  “Hello all, we will be traveling to Great Exardia with you.”

“Cool,” Calliope crossed her arms. “I’m taking a nap.”

Gigi waved.  “Hi, you can sit over there.”  She thought the small girl was cute.  “I’m Gi Murreeeeeen, and you all are?”

Dooby cut her off, when she walked onto the car, “Our train is getting crowded,” Dooby smiled graciously, walking along the aisle, as they sat across from one another.  She smiled at the tall blonde man and then stopped to look at the teen girl, small for her age, for a moment and then went back to greeting.  “Our train will be at your destination by the morning.  There are drinks and snacks in the back car.  Feel free to enjoy.  Further back are the sleepers.  Please use the one that is on your ticket.  Kippu will take your tickets after we pull out.”

She placed a hand at her cap, nodding, and then left for the front to drive the train.

“Anyway,” Gigi continued, “your names?”

“I’m Axel and this is my daughter, Rayn.”

“Cool name.  It’s raining and you’re Rayn, that’s cool.”  She smiled, friendly to the girl, and she giggled in reply, lowering her eyes.  She thought maybe she was shy.  She turned to see Elizabeth and Nerissa were heading to the back car.

And then she looked over at Calliope, who was sleeping already.

She hopped up off her seat and then walked to the teen, “Hey, want to go get a snack with me? If it’s okay with your dad?”

The girl glanced at her, smiling slowly.  What a funny little creature.

“Go ahead, dear,” the dad said, pulling out some paperwork from his briefcase.

“Yes, I will go with you.”  She turned to Axel.  “Thank you, father.”

Gigi always had a bounce in her step.

The child found her so odd.  This is the one who almost died.  She could die.  She walked like she couldn’t die.  But yes, this one very much would be interesting.  She was friends with the automaton.  This one was led by love for her friend, the automaton. 

“I like your prehensile tail.”

“Thank you.  That’s an awfully big word for you.”

“I am taking pre-college courses.”

“Wow,” Gigi turned to her, “you must be a super smart kid.”

“My father, says so.”

“Cool.  How old are you?”

“Six… sixteen.”

“You’re so small, but so am I.”

“Yes, many think I’m more like pre-teen, but I always correct.”

Gigi stopped in the car at the back.  Liz sat at the back, sharing a cup of coffee with Nerissa.  She turned to the kid.  “What would you like?” 

“Maybe a sundae.  Do they have those?” she giggled.

“What kind, strawberry or chocolate?”

“Strawberry.  I like the red color.”

“I might get that too.” Gigi turned to the conductor.  “Kippu, my man, we’d like some strawberry sundaes – make that two on my tab… actually, Liz’s tab, over there.”

Without a word, he instantly made two sundaes.

“I’ve just never seen a tail like yours.  It’s very cute.”

“Thanks.” And then showing off, Gigi made her tail lift and picked up the sundae, handing it to the little girl, making her giggle. 

“It’s pretty strong too.”

“Wow, I like it a lot.” She stared at it.  “Is it similar to an appendage?”

“I like your accent a lot.  It’s like Liz’s.”

“Thank you.  I grew up just outside Great Exardia.”

“Ah.  But yeah, I guess it’s like an appendage.”

Gigi kept her hood over her head, and then looked at Liz, who was very close to Nerissa. She was glad they were also in this back car. She thought they were cute together.

“The lights as we go through dimensions are very interesting.  This is a phenomenon of time stretching that is needed.  We are moving in between.” The little girl ran to the window, “Let’s sit here.  I was told that at night, you can sit on top of the D Train and watch how it changes.  I want to ask the conductor if I might be able this evening.”

“Oooh, that would be cool.”

“Yeah, I’ll ask my father if I can stay up.”

“I’ll join you, if you’d like.  You know, so you don’t have to do it alone.”

“You’re so kind, Gigi.”

They sat down, licking their sundaes.

“That would be,” she turned to stare at the gremlin, almost to the point it made Gigi uncomfortable, but she figured she was an awkward genius kid who didn’t understand social cues.  “Simply wonderful, Gigi.”

“Yeah.”  Gigi thought her cadence was interesting, “what do you want to be when you grow up?”

“Oh, maybe the ruler of the world.”

Gigi laughed, “oh, so you have a good sense of humor.”

“Is that impossible, you think?”

“Well, I guess it’s good to have dreams and might as well shoot for the stars, right?”

The young girl laughed, taking a few bites of her sundae, “Yes.”

“Wow, so you’re like super smart – so you probably could rule something or other, like Liz.”

“You have no idea.”  Rayn laughed, licking off the top of her cone, “…no idea.” 

Gigi was feeling more at ease.  Maybe since she was a nerd, she was just weird.

“I like your tail very much,” Rayn looked it over again.  “I don’t have one.”

“Well, you’d have to be a gremlin.”

“Yes.” She meant she didn’t have one for her collection, but there was no need to say that to the gremlin.

*****

Mint once again felt she was being pulled apart into a black hole, swimming through a pitch-black vortex.

Darkness everywhere.

Floating.

And then she blinked and was in a completely different place.

It was a large cavern that looked like it had been hit by an earthquake.  Rocks were everywhere, unevenly, and she floated across, wondering where she was at.

“Man, I’m trippin.”

She felt at herself.  She was still a ghost.

“I was pulled here.” And then she spun around quickly, “that means only one thing.” 

The feeling was overwhelming.

“Oh fudge, please be alive.  Not again.”  She kept digging through the rocks, and then she saw a glove, and then a hand.

Within an instant she was on the ground, trying to push away boulders.  “Doki?  Doki, you idiot?  Wake up.  What’s going on?”  She nudged her arm, “Come on, stop acting like this. Wake up.”  She grabbed at her, able to only be corporeal with Doki, lifting her in her arms.  “I told you not to go just cause of a stupid reward.  Why are you so dumb?  I told you I had a bad feeling about you leaving for this one.”  She screamed, “Argh, you idiot!”

“Yeesh,” Doki groaned, “you don’t stop.”

“Oh, my gods,” she grabbed her hugging, and then pulled away quickly.  “Idiot, I hate you.”

“Tsundere much?”

“What happened?”

“Super long story, but we gotta get out of here.”

“Why?”

“Remember Cecilia?”

“Yeah.”

“She’s not herself, these days.”  Doki groaned, “man, this one is bad.”

“You only have so many lives left.”

“Yeah.  I think I just used up two.”  She tried to stand, and nearly fell, so Mint held her under her shoulder.  “Here, I guess you can lean on me.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“Not like you don’t always lean on me anyway.”

Doki laughed.

“I need to take you to the D Train.  We have to go somewhere, and Dooby will know.”

“Can I take a nap at least?”

“Just a short one.  I have to tell the queen what I found out on my secret mission.  I mean, I thought I was in Holios but then I was suddenly here, and so I have no idea why I keep getting zapped across the world.”

“You were on a secret mission?” Doki kept laughing, holding her side, as Mint helped her across the demolished cave, navigating carefully over rocks.

“Yep and found out secret intel in that creepy facility where they found Ceci.”

“Hm, I was just fighting Ceci.  She’s a crazy killing machine right now.  I think that’s why this cavern is half on the ground.”

“I know.  But that’s not her.”

“Yeah, I got that impression.”  Doki faltered, and nearly fell over, pulling Mint with her.

“Oh man, Doki, stop goofing off.”

“You call my pain, goofing off?”

“Sorry.”

“Dooby should be just outside these caverns.  We just keep going this way.”

“Good.  We’ll ask her to take us where Elizabeth is.  I really have to talk to her.”

“Why don’t you just call her?”

“I don’t happen to have a phone.  Do you?”

“Uh… Doki felt around herself.  I don’t have much right now.”

“I can’t believe you were trying to get yourself killed.”

“I never try to get myself killed.” The bounty hunter laughed, “It just happens sometimes.”

They continued, half stumbling through the damaged cavern.

“Hey,” Doki said, “thanks for coming by.”

“I was kind of forced here…” she glanced over at her friend, “…but I guess it’s good I’m here.  You probably would have stayed buried under those rocks and died a third time.”

“Maybe.” She laughed, her iconic staple.

“You’re such a dumb bird.”

“Hey!  I had to fight a really strong automaton, and I thought I was pretty impressive. She was just like… a monster.  But I fuckin held my own.”

“Yeah, yeah, and then died twice.”

Doki faltered again, and Mint almost went down, holding her.  “Hey.”

“Can we just sit down for a bit?”

“Sure.”

They sat on some rocks.

“You…” Mint looked over her friend, bleeding from scrapes and gashes across her head and face.  “…okay? You might need stitches.”

“Yeah.  I just need to rest a bit. I’ll let Kippu stitch me up when we get to the train.” She laughed, “And no worries, I didn’t die a third time.”

“That brings you to six lives.  You need to be more careful.”

“I am.  You know me, I am not brave on purpose.”

“True,” she giggled, “you’re a big chicken for the most part.”

“Hey, so are you.”

“I am not.”

“Actually,” Doki smiled admiringly, “yeah, you’re pretty brave and strong.  And kind of crazy, but then with our lives, it’s actually a plus.”

“I think so.  Be cringe and free, right?”

“Right.”

They bumped fists.

Doki stood up, “Okay, I’m ready to go.  Let’s find that train and head to give your super secret intel to the queen.”

Mint giggled, so that it echoed through the cave, as they both made their way to the exit out of the caves.  Laughing and sharing stories of what happened respectively as Doki fought Cecilia and Mint was a spy in the facility.

“I really am a secret spy for the queen.”

“Sure.”

“No, Doki.  I am.”

“I said, sure.”

“You said it with a tinge of facetiousness.” Mint stopped, her brow furrowing angrily.

“I just said sure.”

“Sure.”

“Yeah, like that.”

“Urgh, you’re so exhausting.”

“Oh brother.”  Doki held to her side.  “I really want to just rest on that train.”

“Sorry.”

“Sure.”

“OOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!  SURE?! SURE?!  YOU’RE SAYING SUUUUURRRREEEE?!?!?!”

A few rocks fell.

“Oops,” she whispered.  “Sorry.”

Doki rolled her eyes.  Her closest friend always got like this.  It could be exasperating.  She laughed while walking.

They finally made it to the entrance.

And as they walked out a full battalion of Libestal army were standing, looking like they were waiting for them.

Doki turned to Mint.  Mint turned to Doki.

The main military man stepped forward.  “Dokibird, bounty hunter.  Where is the archivist?”

“Hmm, let me think about that.”

“Yes?”

“She might have gotten away.”  Doki took Mint’s hand.  “Sometimes, it just doesn’t work out.” She laughed, “Hey, you win some, you lose some.”

She pulled Mint’s hand, as they tried to leave, but were blocked by the soldiers.

“I see,” the head of the army said, holding out his hand.  “The money that was paid, then.”

Doki scratched the back of her head.  “I don’t do refunds.”

“We do.”  He continued holding out his hand, his expression unchanging.

“I… don’t have that.”

“You don’t have the money?” Mint was incredulous.  “Didn’t you say you were paid this morning?”

“I had to buy some stuff, ammo, bombs, you know, plushies that were super cute… you know.”

“Oh, my gods, Doki.  Plushies?!”

“They were really cute,” and with a baby voice, “they had these little wienie dogs and a gremlin one.”

Within an instant, they were being arrested.

“You can’t arrest me, I’m a ghost,” Mint stated haughtily, ready to float away. “I’ll come back for you Doki after I talk to Liz.”

She was shot with a strange electrical wave, that made her corporeal. 

She felt at her body.  “How’d…  Hey.”

“Great Exardia has lent us some new technology.  Dokibird, and your accomplice Mint, are under arrest.  You will be held until tomorrow morning, since it is nightfall.”

“I can’t!  I have to talk to the queen of Great Exardia!  It’s very important.”

Mint kept trying to talk her way out of it.  Doki just considered she might finally get to sleep.

Before they could say another word, they were both handcuffed and arrested, being taken back to the Libestal mines.

Mint kept screaming, “but I need to speak to the Queen of Great Exardia.  Call her, she’ll tell you.  I have to talk to her!  I get a phone call.  I know I get a phone call!  You can’t deny me my rights.  I’m a citizen of the Island of Holios!!!”

They took them away, Mint yelling the whole way, while Doki told the soldiers, “I like your cool hats.  How much you want for one?”

Back on the D Train

“Yo, G, you want the top bunk?”

“Yes!”

“Good, because I prefer not having to climb.”

They were all making their way to the sleeping cars.  Nerissa was next to Elizabeth, as they discussed the top or bottom bunk. 

Axel told his daughter she would have to take the top bunk, and he helped her up.

Gigi waved to the little girl, “Goodnight.”

“Night, Gigi.”  She then winked with a “later.”

Gigi nodded, also winking.

“What was that all about?” Calliope asked.

“It’s just cool kid stuff.”

“Cool.”

“She’s really smart.  Like a genius.”

“Wow, impressive.  Now, I’m going to go to sleep.”

“Want me to wake you in the morning, Mori Calliope?”

“Yeah, that’d be good.  We can have breakfast.”

“Yippee!”

The little girl watched, so Gigi thought she would show off a little, and used her prehensile tail, pulling herself up on the ladder, climbing, and then went up and down.

It made the small girl laugh and clap.  “That is simply awesome!”

“You like that?”

The little girl nodded.

Her dad kissed her on the head.  “Get some sleep love.”

“Yes, father.”

Calliope shook her head, “what a showoff.”

“Hey, she likes my tail a lot.”

“Cool.”

In the bunks toward the back Elizabeth spoke to Nerissa, “It might be best we separate here.”

Nerissa leaned in closely, “must we?”

“It… might be best…” Liz inhaled breathily.

“I think…” the demoness spoke closely, “I might walk in my sleep.”

“I would not… judge you if you did.”

The two grinned, naughtily, their eyes gazing one to the other. 

Elizabeth insisted she climb to the top bunk, but with her arm still wrapped, Nerissa instantly held around her waist.  “My queen, let me help you up.”

“Why… thank you.”

“Oh, no problem.”  Nerissa was extremely close, being helpful, “I think I like to climb in my sleep.”

“Oh… I see.”

Calliope peeked out from the bottom bunk, under her breath, “yeesh, just share a bunk already.” Rolling her eyes, she went back to try and get some sleep, despite the bunks being very short, and she was very tall.

“Yeesh, these are Gigi-sized.”

“I heard that,” Gigi said from above.

She knocked from the bottom.  “I’m going to sleep now.  Shush.”

“Goodnight, Mori Calliope.”

And then popping through the curtain in Gigi’s bunk was the reaper.  She smiled, “Hey G, goodnight.”

“Oh hi, Mori Calliope.   Wow, I get to see your beautiful face before I fall asleep.  Now, I will definitely have sweet dreams.”

“Oh brother.  You need your rest, okay?  You’re still recovering – just remember that.”

“Thanks.  I won’t forget.”

“Cool, little G.  See you in the morning.”

Gigi jumped up and hugged her neck tightly.  “Thanks, Mori Calliope.”

“Sure, kid.”

“Love you.”

“Lo…love… you too.”

“Besties forever.”

“Okay, okay, yeesh,” she blushed.  “Go to sleep.”

“I am.”  She laid down dramatically.  “See?  I am laying down now.”

The reaper nodded, laughing, and then left, “Goodnight.”

“Nighty night, Mori Calliope.”

The D Train rushed through dimensions.  Dooby looked over to see there was an emergency, and she needed to take a detour toward Libestal.  That meant she’d take a different route across the northern area of Great Exardia rather than the southern, but it might add another hour to their trip.

“I’ll have to let them know in the morning that we’ll be a little late,” she told Kippu.

“I’ll probably take a nap.”

“You always take naps.”

“But I want to take a nap now.”

“Okay, I have it under control.  I need to watch it closely when we go through these mountains of Northern Exardia.”

Kippu left for his small quarters, to sleep on his small bed.

Dooby looked over the emergency. She was being guided to help Mint and Dokibird.  She wondered what they were up to.

Much Later – Around 3 Am

A quiet hush grew along the train.  The lights of the stars and flashes of dimensions lit the outside.

Gigi was snoring but woken suddenly.  She turned and the little girl was there in her bunk.

“Oh, wow,” she whispered, “you scared me.”

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t want to wake my father.”

“But you wanted to wake me?”

“You seem cool.  My father works so hard, and I didn’t want to bother him.”

“Oh, well that’s thoughtful.”  Gigi giggled.

They were both whispering tightly.

“I wanted to see the stars on the roof.  Will you go with me? I don’t’ think they will let me go alone.”

“I did tell you I would, didn’t I?”

She nodded. “But if you’re too tired.”

“Oh no.  I think it will be a lot of fun.  Just let me get my jacket and I’ll meet you at the stairs.”

“Okay.”  The little girl seemed so excited.

“Dress warm, kid.”

“I will.”

Gigi happily placed her hoodie on, and then her shoes, and then climbed down quietly, not wanting to wake the reaper, or anyone else on the train.

She walked to the back car, and passed through the door, and there were stairs that led to the top of the train.

The little girl was dressed in the cutest black fur coat with a collar that looked like black raven feathers.  It was an interesting long coat.

Gigi whispered, “you look posh.”

“Why, thank you.” She preened. “This is my favorite coat.”

“Mine is just a jacket/hoodie combo.”

“I like it.  Makes you look like… a superhero.”

“Wow, you think so?”

“Oh yes.”  The little girls’ heterochromatic eyes sparkled in the night sky, as they made their way up the stairs. 

“I think you have cool eyes.”

“They are my mother’s eyes.”

“Really?  Yeah, I didn’t really see the resemblance with your dad.”

They walked along the top of the train, it had rails, and they held, standing and watching as the train moved quickly along the railway. 

The sky was the most beautiful blanket of stars, and there were colors like a rainbow in the night, waving iridescently, glowing as a prism, with the blanket of stars floating within and outward.

In the distance were mountains, and you could see their shadow and then the white of the snowcaps, glistening against the darkness.

Gigi held to the railing.

The little girl stood beside her, watching Gigi’s expression closely.

“This is the coolest.”  Gigi’s eyes sparkled, in the night sky.  She was in awe.  “I didn’t know we could come up to the top of the train.  If I knew,” she smiled over to the little girl, “I would have done it sooner.”

“Would you have?”

“Oh yeah.”

“Are you warm enough?”  the little girl asked.

“Yeah, are you?”

“I don’t get very cold.”

Gigi continued looking up at the sky.  “I should have grabbed a hot cocoa. We should maybe see if they’re serving downstairs, ya know.”

The train’s wheel shushed along, in a rhythmic pattern, that made the night seem even more magical.

The little girl hadn’t said anything, and Gigi turned.

“Hey, you o………. kay…”

Behind her was a tall dark figure.  It must have stood at nine feet at least.  It was thin and dark with two different colored eyes, that were the only thing she could see.  It had a head that was shaped like a crown, and a strange collar like a raven.

Gigi was so terrified, she tried to scream but couldn’t.

The figure placed its finger at her lips.  “Ssh.  Don’t be afraid.”

She then got scared for the little girl.

Where was she?  But then this thing… had eyes like… no, it couldn’t be.

“Who… are you?” Gigi asked, ready to pull out her gauntlets from her jacket.

“I am a friend.”

“Where’s the girl?”

“I think you know.”  Its voice had a very calm timbre.  “Say my name.”

The gremlin shook, deep down inside.  This insidious feeling crept across her skin.  This creature changed form.  That meant, it was probably a demon of some type.  She couldn’t stop shaking, in fear.  The creature was like nightmares, crawling along her insides.  She wanted to run, or scream, do anything to wake up, and be away from this thing.

“I…I have to go now, Rayn.” Gigi fumbled with the railing, ready to run.

“I know.”

Within seconds, her body was flung from the top of the train, but she quickly held to the rail with her prehensile tail, the small fingers, wrapping around for dear life.

Her body hit the side of the train, as she bounced against it, holding tightly to the railing.  She realized she was still recovering, and it hurt.

She was about to call for help, when the creature’s face was in front, it having lengthened and lowering to stare face to face. 

Gigi’s eyes were wide, and she tried to scream, but nothing came out.

“I like this tail.”

She felt a stabbing pain in her tail, making her release her grip.

She fell, rolling and rolling, then only air, as she continued disappearing off the edge of the dimensions, across the night sky, into the abyss below.

The little girl walked back down the stairs, and to her bed.

As Dooby drove along the rails, she felt a strange shift.  She looked down at the controls.  That was odd.

She walked back, looking over where Kippu slept and then back inside, to continue driving the train through the meandering terrain of the mountains.

Something wasn’t right, but the light turned to red for her to head to Libestal.  She couldn’t turn down an emergency call, and filled more coal into the engine, to make it move faster toward the destination.

Chapter Text

Chapter 17 – Ancient Ones and A Love That is Eternal

“Does it smell like mustard in here, or is it just me?”  Mint was constant movement, pacing.  She had to talk to the queen.  She didn’t want to let her down.

“I’m sleeping.”  Doki laid back on a cot with not the most hygienic mattress, but she didn’t care at this point.  She was still recovering.  “George the jailer likes a lot of mustard on his sandwiches.”

“You know him?”

“I know most of the people who run the jails, since I bring a lot of prisoners around.  You get to know people.”  She laughed, “and I know how to make friends.”

“Yeah…” Mint rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t disagree - Doki was friendly with everyone. She had friends in every dimension. 

The small ghost adjusted the dampener that kept her corporeal wrapped around her neck.  “I hate this thing.”  Mint banged on the cell.  “Hey, I’ve been here awhile, do I get that phone call?  Come on,” She kept banging.  “Phone call?  Hello?”

The guard walked in.  He glanced at the small ghost and then at Doki.

“Does she ever shut up?”

“Hey!!!” Mint screeched.  “I take offense with your attitude.”

Doki placed her arm across her forehead.  “No.”

“You’re both to be moved.”

Doki turned, attentive.

“Sorry, but you’re being taken to the Libestalia Northern Mines – high security.”

“Wait,” Doki sat up.  “That’s for the worst criminals.  I’ll pay back the money.  Aren’t we supposed to get a trial?”

“’Fraid not, Doki.”  The guard truly seemed empathetic to their situation.  “This is from the higher ups.”

“Why?” Mint asked.  “This isn’t right.  This is against our rights!”

“Not sure.  But they’ll move you both.”

“Basically, we’re being taken in the middle of the night somewhere nobody finds us.  Is it because…” Mint didn’t want to give away that she had intel for the queen.  “Oh man, I have to get out of here!” She started banging on the cell.  “Oh, my gods!”

“Doesn’t matter.  They’ll be here soon, and so,” he had a half-smile, possibly concern.  “Doki, I’ve always respected you.”

“So,” she sat up, “help us.  I know what happens when people get sent there.  They are never heard of again and just dig until they die in those mines.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Mint held the bars.  “Seriously?  I… I can’t do that. I… I’m a ghost!” She grabbed the dampener trying to pull it off.  “Oh man, this is like that episode in One Piece with Luffy.  I don’t want to get muscle mass breaking rocks.”

“What?” Doki shook her head, her brow pinched, “huh?

“Anyway, don’t listen to her.  George, come on.  Maybe just… you know…” she pointed to the jail door, “… like leave it open.  We’ll do the rest.”

He glanced around the area.  He was a short and square little Libestalian with a mustache.  He reached in his pocket.  Glancing back and forth across the area, he threw it into the jail.  “You’ll know when to use it.”

Doki quickly slipped it in her shirt.

“Sorry, that’s the extent.  You two are on your own.”

“Thanks, George.”

“Yeah… thanks.” Mint looked over trying to figure out what he gave Doki.

He backed up, and then six soldiers walked into the jail, one unlocking the cell.  He grabbed the two, placing handcuffs on their ankles and wrists, and then roughly pushed them out of the cell.  They did all this without talking.

“Hey,” Mint didn’t want to stay quiet, “You are doing something super illegal.  I’m filing a complaint, and…” he hit her hard across the mouth. She fell forward, smashing onto the ground, since her arms and legs were chained, and she felt it. It was so strange, being hit.  She had been a ghost for so long.

“HEY!” Doki tried to rush the guy, and they held her back.  She kept yelling, “Mint!  Mint!  Hey, assholes!  Don’t touch her!”

“It’s okay.” Mint was on the ground, and she got up slowly.  “I’m okay, Doki.”  She straightened up, holding her head up.  “I’m good.”  She frowned, angry, wiping the blood off her lip. “I might be small, but I’m not weak.”

Doki kept trying to struggle and reach her, a cry in her voice, “Mint?” There was something that hit deep in her chest, watching her small friend be manhandled.  She was the one that usually got the short end of the stick.

“It’s cool, Doki.”

They forcefully pulled them both away.

George watched.  And then left to make a phone call.

Back on Holios

Nurse Dizzy Dokuro was filing her nails, humming a tune about Phase Coffee, or something, and the phone rang.

“Ugh, I have to answer that.”

She lifted the receiver.  “Hello, Nimi’s Wellness Center.  We are closed.”

“Wait, I need to talk to Nurse Nimi.”

“Who is calling?  She’s probably asleep.”

“This is vital.  I really need to talk to her.”

“Leave a message.”

“Um… my name is George.  We have a mutual friend from your island.”

She took down what he told her and then placed the note on the wall in the nurse’s station for Nimi to find in the morning.

In Another Dimension

Kronii stood before 12 hooded figures, faces unseen. The place they met was where time did not exist, where ancients exist, and sleep.  She hadn’t had to appear before them for years.

When they spoke, their voices were very quiet, monotone.  The only one who spoke was in the center of the half circle.

“Time Warden, why did you let our priestess be taken by those primitive beings?”

“I fear that there is another god or demon that is trying to undermine what we have done with the resetting of the world.”

“I see.”  They spoke among themselves.  “We have been asked to step aside and sleep until they complete what they are doing.”

“What?  I’m sorry, but if they do whatever they are doing we stop existing.  The new gods, me included.  You cannot…”

“Stop there.”  He held up a hand, and it was as if a strong wind hit the tall brunette, as she stiffened, realizing she said something offensive.

“I’m sorry lords, but ancient one… please.  Please, let us do something.  You… our hands are tied.  We are gods and… the world depends on us.”

“There are heroes on your plane of existence.  You are a Time Warden, and you have many strong and capable ones that live on the Island of Holios and throughout these regions of your world.  The Scarlet Queen will either triumph or fail. She must face this test.”

“That may be true, ancients, but not if there are ones more powerful than myself or any of us, that will use trickery or whatever, to get what they want.  They play with fate.”

“Fates are outside of this and their decision is without questioning.  The fates will always be.  Do not fear that they can change fate.”

“Are you saying they want this to happen, my lords?  Do you want this to change again?”

“The Great Ones, who are outside your existence want to test your heroes.  We will let them.”

“But…” Kronii wanted to hit something.  “Please, let us do something to help them.  Which ones are asking, if I may ask?”

“The Ones whose names cannot be spoken.”

Kronii felt she had been punched deeply in the gut.  “They are just… evil.  You are allowing evil to do as they please?”

“Time Warden, the Nephilim, the Priestess and your Chaos are on the island.  I will let you destroy the facility, but that is all I will allow.  We have been told they are inventing something that is much too deadly.  It is not time for that to be used.”

“Well… I suppose it is something.  But ancient ones, I must be able to do something.”

They spoke among themselves again.  He nodded.

“Time Warden, you will know.”

“I…”  She stood there, watching them slowly disappear.  “I guess I get to wait.”

Darkness.

And then, she was back on the island, and she saw Bae and Irys, sitting on the docks with Ina.  It was such a lovely night, and the slow cacophony of waves was calming.

She walked over. “Hey guys.”

“Hey,” Bae asked first, “how’d it go?”

“We are allowed to destroy the facility now.  I’ll call the Chairman and tell him to recall the military and everyone.  It seems,” Kronii spoke slow and downtrodden, “they are allowing them to play with our heroes… Justice.”

“We can’t do anything?” Irys asked.  “But… why?”

“It’s not for us to question, but to do.”

“Seriously?” Bae felt a bit upset.  “Well, that’s the…” she glanced to Ina, “you-know-who’s for you, ey mate?”

“Yes, they can be rather, cryptic, I guess.”  Kronii smiled at Ina, who dropped some of her ice cream from her cone, onto her dress.  “Let me get that.”

She pulled out a handkerchief, and sat down beside Ina, wiping off the ice cream.

“Thank you, Kronii.”

“Certainly.”

Kronii looked out at the stars.  She considered talking to another goddess, maybe trying to work out a deal.  She worried about the heroes, who had become her friends. 

“I think I’ll head to bed.”

Kronii stood up, feeling her heart slowly break.  She wanted to talk to someone, but she could see Irys and Bae were holding hands.  Ina… well, she was never quite there.  She was hopeful one day she would get better, but they were here on the island mostly for her to be able to recover. 

She understood why the ancients were angry she was taken.  Despite their indifference, they did seem to always take care of their priestess, even if they did use her to destroy the world, fighting the phoenix, at one time.  But then, gods always played with their creation with abandon.  She really had hoped to be better at this god thing.

She walked back and could have sworn she saw a little tapir walking from the lighthouse toward the hostel.  She was going to the hostel too.  Only Raora and Kiara were there, holding down the fort, she guessed, until the others returned.

She jog-walked up to the small tapir, holding a pipe.

“Nimi?”

“Oh, hey Kronii.”  She smiled warmly, “it’s so nice seeing you.”

“You, too.”

The smoke circled around her pipe, she took a puff, and then was suddenly her normal size, which was a very docile and sweet looking little brunette with the deepest forest green eyes. She had the softest brown hair, that blew gently in the light breeze, across those deep green eyes.

“Oh, hey, you’re big again.”

“I wanted to be this size to walk with you.” She giggled, “I don’t have to bend my head back so much.”

“Oh,” Kronii laughed, “I’m still a bit taller.”

“But not as much.”

The two chuckled between them, as they walked to the hostel.

Nimi watched the taller girl closely.  “You look like you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

“I… well, it’s just… I just… ya know – goddess stuff.”

“I see.”

She took her hand.  “Want to go for a walk?”

Kronii looked down at the hand that held her own, it was smaller, and so soft.  This belonged to someone different, and yet it was the same.

“It’s been a while, eh, Nimi?”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t want to bother you.”

“I know.  You are good at understanding boundaries.  But Kronii, we’ve always been friends.”

“Yeah…” she felt uncomfortable.

“I can let go of your hand if you like.”

She fiddled with her fingers around the small hand, gentling touching.

They had stopped on the road, at a higher point on the cliffs with the ocean below.

“I wish…”

“Be careful, what you wish for.”

Kronii stared down into her friends’ eyes.  She started to speak but stopped herself.

A knot was at her throat and then quietly, “I loved you.”

“I know.”

“Why… did you leave me?”

“I didn’t leave you, Kronii.”  She giggled, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes.  “I never left you.  I’ve been here, on this island with you.  It’s still me.  But I am not what I was anymore.  You have to realize that.  I actually, feel more like I’m… me.  I will help more in this form.  I love helping others.”

“I know.” Kronii kept rubbing her hand gently.  “I think… maybe that was what I loved the most about you.”

Nimi sighed.  She looked up at the moon, it seemed larger on this part of the island.  “The past is nice for memories, but the present is best for living.”

“Yeah.”

Nimi took both of Kronii’s hands and then swayed in the moonlight.  “Wanna dance?”

“Here?”

“Yeah, here.  We can dance in the moonlight.”

“What if someone sees us?”

“It will make them smile.”

“Oh,” she giggled, “that’s so… dumb.”

“Sometimes, it’s nice to be dumb.”

They swayed, and then Kronii said, “what the heck,” and she and Nimi danced slowly in the moonlight, swaying, back and forth.

Their eyes met, and they moved closer to one another.

“You are really pretty, Nimi.  I’m sorry I avoided you.”

“You’ve always been beautiful, Kronii.  And, that never bothered me, I just wanted you to feel at ease.”

“Ah,” she laughed, “you always know what to say.”

“I do.” And then she placed her head against the taller girl’s breast, still swaying. 

Kronii leaned her head onto the smaller girls, and she felt so relaxed.  This was her friend’s true power, her kindness and empathy.

They wrapped their arms around one another, swaying slowly.

“I’m tired, Nimi.”

“I know you are.”

“Tell me it will be alright, and the heroes will win in the end.”

“It will be alright, Kronii, and the heroes will win.  I have every bit of faith that they will.” She smiled, “And I know a little about dreams. That they do come true.” 

She could hear the taller girl sniff, and she knew she was crying.

She cried being held by someone she loved so much that she never truly had words for this feeling.  She just knew, that for once, she felt hope… and warmth.  Warmth in the arms of the one she had always loved.

A Place Far Away

The small gremlin fell, and as she fell, she quickly placed her gauntlets on her hands, hoping to grab something, anything.

After falling for a while, she stabbed into what felt like rocks.  She punched both fists, into what might be a side of a mountain, and then stopped the downward movement.

She slid a little, and then planted her feet, knowing by the feeling she was on the edge of something.

Her breaths came constantly and hard, trying to calm herself.

“Come on Gigi, you need to get out of this.  Stop being weak.” Everything hurt, and her tail, she didn’t want to look down.  It made her want to cry.

“That creep,” the end was completely sheared off. 

Fortunately, it would grow back.  That was how it was with gremlin tails, but it hurt like heck, that he, or she, or whatever it was, just chopped it off like that.

“What was that thing?” she considered what it looked like.  “I never saw something like that before.  What the heck?”

She groaned, punching into the rock, trying to climb.

She moved slowly, to the side, trying to see where she was at, and she looked over, to see nothing but trees and rock.

And then, without warning, the rocks she was clinging to, broke off, and she started falling again.

She screamed, as she hit branches, and more rocks on her way further down.  Her body was knocked so hard, it flipped again, and then she hit more rocks tumbling and tumbling.

Her body flew for a bit and then hit again.

“Umph,” she grunted, as she finally rolled to a stop.

She tried to lift up but fell back down.  “Man, how could I have been suckered so bad?”  She thought over that innocent little girl that became a weird demon.  And then she thought about Elizabeth and Calliope being on the train with that thing.

“I gotta…” She worked her way to sitting up.  “I gotta get to them and warn them.”

She held to her side, and now she did see the small end of her tail, bleeding, as it sat there.  “That little creep.”  She tried to stand and fell down.  Her leg hurt, and she might have broken it.

She had scrapes and cuts everywhere.

She pulled off her gauntlets, stuffing them back into her jacket.  Brr, it was cold.

She tried to stand again but fell.

“Owowowowowow.”

Taking in her surroundings, she saw some branches and logs broken, so she pulled herself in that direction.  “I need to make a cane or something.”

She yelled, “HEEEELLLPPPP!!!”  She thought maybe there would be someone. 

“Yeah, like there is someone just walking along here in the middle of nowhere.” She laughed.  “This sucks so bad.”

Grabbing a good-sized branch, she started pulling off smaller branches, to make it more of a stick.

She stuck it on the ground and then tried to stand. 

It broke, and she fell again.

“Owowowowowow.” 

She lay there in the mud and then turned to her back.  “HEEEELLLPPPP!!! SOMEONE!!! ANYONE!!!”

A few crickets chirped.  A bird flew by.  It was really dark, and the clouds had moved in, so that you couldn’t see the moon or stars.

“Looks like…” a few drops fell at first, “…rain.” 

Grumbling, “rain – THAT BITCH!!!”

Rain fell lightly, as she lay on her back, feeling helpless and useless. She had just woken from a coma and now this. 

And Cecilia.  Where was Ceci?  She was stuck here in the middle of nowhere, and some demonic thing was around her friends, and Ceci was body-napped by another creepy demon, and she just wanted to punch something.

She wanted to punch, and hit, and scream.  Which she did.

And then… she lay there, as the rain fell harder, and mixed with her tears.  Everything seemed so unattainable.  It seemed so hopeless.

Her eyes closed slowly, so tired.  No, stay awake.  But her body kept wanting to sleep, it was in so much pain, like maybe she had broken all those bones again.  She hadn’t but that’s how she felt.

She thought about Calliope telling her to take it easy.  And then her mind wandered to Ceci, taking her hand, and letting her lay next to her. She turned and felt she could see those beautiful deep green eyes, like a southern sea, so deep and lovely.

“Ceci?”

Tears continued to fall, as she envisioned life as it should be.  But she was here, in the middle of a dense forest, on the side of a mountain.

Her eyes kept closing, and she knew she was passing out.  It would come. 

“Please,” she prayed to whatever gods, “help me…” and then slowly passed out, there in the rain and mud in the mountains of Northern Great Exardia.

Chapter Text

Chapter 18 – Advent Always

The D Train parked in Libestal for a good 20 minutes.  It was that time in the morning when the sun was trying to peek over the horizon.  The sky in dark blue and faded yellow hues, spread out like a blanket across the rocky landscape of the land of caves and mines.

Dooby had a rule:  You meet the train when you need it.  She wasn’t one to go searching for a passenger.  It would leave her open to bad things if she wandered too far from her train. 

Kippu asked, “should I go find Doki?”

“No.”

“But… was it not an emergency, Dooby?”

The engineer placed her goggles over her eyes and then spied across the area.  There was no one running toward the train.  Not for miles.  There were more soldiers, however, more than she’d seen in the past, going over routines, marching, looking as if preparing for something.

“You and I know I can’t stay longer than fifteen minutes.  If you are late, you miss your ride.  Those are the rules.”

Kippu, rarely was one for emotion.  He sadly glanced over the country of Libestal.

“We’ll come back, after we drop off the queen and her entourage.”  Dooby considered the strange feeling she had around three in the morning.  Was it because of Mint and Doki?  This wasn’t like them.

“But…” Kippu tapped his hat repeatedly.

“No buts, Kip, gotta go.”

“Yes, Dooby.”  He nodded quickly.

Kippu went to the meal car, to start breakfast, and Dooby went back to the controls, and with one last whistle they pulled away, headed back toward Great Exardia.

Dooby turned, and the smaller girl, the one who was the daughter of the blonde-haired man stood there, looking over the small interior.

When did she get there?

“Hey kiddo, no passenger is allowed in this part of the train.”  She bent down to eye level.  “Sorry kid.”

“I’m so sorry.  I like trains.  Would I be able watch you drive?”

“Perhaps, after breakfast, with your dad.  Right now, we are running a little behind.” She pointed to the door.  “Please be careful walking through the train partition and enjoy our breakfast in the meal car. Kippu will make you pancakes.”

“I love pancakes.”

Dooby glanced at her heterochromatic eyes.  She didn’t know what this feeling was, but there was something not quite right.

“You’re up kind of early for a kid.”

“I like to wake early – habit because of classes.”

She touched the steel where the coal burned.  “Your train…” she grinned, looking directly at the engineer’s eyes, “is like a part of you, but not as lovely.”  She continued looking at the engineer, but speaking about the train, “I wonder what would happen if it crashed?”  She giggled, “I hope it doesn’t.”

Dooby was never a personable or outgoing person.  She preferred this life, living with her train, only needing to chat with Kippu when needed.  It fit her well, as an extreme introvert. 

It wasn’t that she wasn’t capable, being of a higher intelligence than most, even in her prior life, but right now, she felt uncomfortable in something more than mere introversion.

“I really need to get back to watching over the train controls.  We are heading up a steep grade and through the mountains.”

“I like your tail, Dooby.”

She swished it automatically. 

“Jerboa tail?”

“Yeahhhhh…”  Dooby cleared her throat.  “I really need to get back to my train.  You need to go back to the meal car or find your dad.”

“Yes ma’am.”  She blinked almost as if she was being facetious and then spun around and left the car.

It wasn’t until the little girl was gone, Dooby realized she was squeezing her hat in her hands in an iron grip.  She placed it back on her head, adjusting.

The pistons suddenly quickened, pushing the engine harder, and it sped up. 

“What the heck?”

Dooby instantly worked on adjusting the controls, moving the regulator, but it was still firing the pistons, and was moving too fast.

She didn’t want to start breaking, as they hit the steepest curve, heading up the mountains for a good portion of the next 30 minutes, and so instead, she worked in increments with the counter steam brake, but lightly, while adjusting the controls.

She looked back and hadn’t placed anymore coal into the box, but it was burning super hot, and the pistons were moving faster and faster.

She was constantly moving between the brakes and controls.

It groaned, and she was talking to herself, “come on, slow down.  What is wrong with you?”

She had to somehow reduce the steam going through the cylinders, so she kept squeezing the control to close off the pressure.

She took a deep breath, her face sweating hard, as the steam from the box blew hard toward her, as she moved back and forth across the engine compartment.

“Come on, slow down, darn it!”

Again, she slowly pushed on the counter steam brake and then moved back to the other controls, doing this consistently, for a good 15 minutes, her arms feeling the pressure of constant redundancy.

She made it through the harshest turn and then it suddenly just slowed down, and the pistons relaxed.

She looked over the controls, and then back at the box.

Rubbing her head with the back of her arm, sweat was heavy, as she took a deep breath, sighing.  She tried to think of what could have caused this.

“No, it couldn’t have been.”

Something wasn’t right.  But it happened oddly coincidentally to the kid showing up in her compartment? But she was just a kid – a weird kid – but she didn’t touch anything in the compartment that would have made it do what it did.

Daybreak was entering, as she watched the tracks closely, working out scenarios in her brain, as to what just happened. Did she put in more coal accidentally?  Her mind just felt frazzled.  Maybe she’d have Kippu drive on the way back to Libestal, and she’d take a nap.

She just wanted to make it to Great Exardia, drop off the queen’s group, and then head back toward the Island of Holios swinging by Libestal on the way.  She’d drop by the ironworks just outside Libestal, maybe have the blacksmith look over her train.  Kaela had been the only one who ever worked on her train. She could check it out, and then Dooby, on that rare occasion, would walk around Libestal and see if she could find out anything about Doki or Mint.   

They reached another level of the dimensions, and were finally making their descent toward Great Exardia, through a straighter line of the mountain pass.

The Northern Mountains of Great Exardia

Gigi felt warm.  The smell of something tasty wafted up into her nose, and her stomach growled.  Boy, was she hungry.

She turned, and realized she was covered with a blanket. 

It felt so nice.  She felt her body had already started to heal, not a hundred percent, but her bones didn’t feel as broken, well her leg was sore but didn’t feel broken, maybe more like a sprain.  Maybe she was having a nice dream.

Except, why were her hands tied together?

She opened her eyes, blinking, trying to look over where she was at.

“You awake?”

She was poked with a stick at her shoulder

It took a moment to gather her bearings and open her eyes wide enough to look, trying to rub them, with her bound hands, to see who was there. 

She was surrounded by… three members of Advent.

Biboo lowered.  “You’re that Justice gremlin with anger issues, aren’t you?”

“Huh?”  She tried to sit up.  “I am not!”

Her ankles were also tied together.

“Bau bau,” Moco-chan said, looking at her suspiciously.  Her sister beside her.  “We should interrogate her.”

“Hey,” she saw their leader, Shiori sitting by the fire. “Hey, can you untie me?”

Shiori glanced over and then sipped her coffee.  She smirked, laughing while listening to the others playing with the gremlin.

“How’d you get here, gremlin?” Biboo interrogated, “were you following us?”

“No.  I… kind of fell here.”

“You fell?” she giggled, “like, from the sky?”

“No, from a train.  I was pushed by a monster demon thing that was a little girl but then turned into a monster.”

They all started laughing.

“You’re part of Justice,” Biboo stated, poking her again.  “She’s probably lying.  I say we leave her to get eaten by a mongus lizard.”

“There’s no such thing as an amongus lizard.”

“How do you know?”

“BeCAuse,” she emphasized, “I’ve never seen ONE!”

“And I’ve never seen a monster demon little girl.”

“Well… well, I’m looking at one.”  Gigi sneered.

Biboo poked her again with the stick.

“Hey, stop it!”

“Are you going to get angry?”

“Yes, I will get very angry if you poke me again.”

She did.

“ARGHGHGHHHHHH!”  She started waggling around and trying to kick the gem princess.

“See, she has anger issues.” Biboo stood, placing her hands on her hips.

“Fine, don’t believe me, but I really need to go.  So, untie me and I’ll be on my way.”

She wasn’t sure how long she’d been asleep.  It was definitely morning, and the rain had stopped.  When she looked back, her tail’s end was still gone, but there was bandaging around it.

“Did you guys bandage my tail?”

“Shiori did.”

Again, she looked over at the cute black- and white-haired girl.  She remembered that she seemed nice when she saw her on Holios.

“Hey,” she yelled over to her again, “please, can you just let me go?  I really have to get back to my friends.”

They all kept laughing at how she was wriggling around like a worm.

“Let’s hang her from the tree and tickle her until she talks?” Mococo said, and Fuwawa agreed, “yeah, yeah.”

“No… wait.”  She squirmed back and forth on the ground.

“Yeah, sounds like a plan,” Biboo giggled.  “You two grab her.”

“Wait, wait!” She made herself into a ball, not wanting them to hang her from the tree.

The three kept laughing, as Shiori walked up with a cup of coffee.

“You guys…” she lowered down, looking over the cute gremlin.  “They’re just pulling your leg.  Want some coffee?”

“Is it poisoned?”

The soft-spoken girl took a sip, her lips on the edge of the cup, and then slowly moved it toward the gremlin, “no poison.”

Gigi gulped, she was really cute and was sure that was considered an indirect kiss.

“She’s turning pink,” Mococo said. 

“Yeah, very pinkish,” Fuwawa and her sister giggled.

“Hey Beebs, why don’t you untie her so she can have some breakfast.  I don’t think we have to worry too much about this little gremlin.  She says she just fell here, and… I believe her.”  She stood, looking above at where she might have fallen.  “That would have been quite a drop.  It’s amazing you’re alive.”

“I’m agile… and dangerous,” she glared at Biboo, “You should worry, cause I’m… I’m a member of Justice.”

“Well then,” Shiori shrugged her shoulders, “then I guess we should just leave you here.  We wouldn’t want a member of Justice to arrest us.”

“I…” they all started to walk away.  “Wait… I won’t.  I just…” her stomach growled again, the food smelled really good, “can I just… have something to eat?  P-p-please?  I’m still kind of not feeling so great, and really hungry. And it’s been a really long day – night – day.”

Shiori walked back, and then spied at the small gremlin, placing a hand at her forehead.  “You are a little pink, feverish.  How long were out in the rain?”

She actually sounded nice, and Gigi sniffed, then sneezed and said, “I… don’t know. It was cold and dark when I first fell down and now it’s light.”  She sneezed again, glancing across the area, the night of facing the strange demon, and falling off a cliff, of which she wasn’t sure how far she fell.  She just knew that she was healing but wasn’t a hundred percent. 

They all didn’t seem too dangerous, but she knew she had to get back to her friends, and find Cecilia, and just the thought was overwhelming.  The fact her friend was being destroyed and there was this evil thing traveling with Calli and the queen, and just the not knowing what was happening to them, or to Ceci, and she wanted to cry.

“Hey,” Shiori watched her bright eyes, fade slightly, as they lowered sadly in thought.  She really did look unwell.

“Why don’t we get you some food, kay?”

“Yeah, yeah,” the twins began untying her, and Biboo and Shiori helped her to standing.

“You okay, now?”

“Th…thank you.”

“Look, we aren’t the bad guys.  We are trying to get answers, probably like you.”  Shiori placed the blanket around her shoulders, and then her arm stayed there for a bit as she adjusted, which made Gigi feel all wiggly in her stomach, since she was cute.  It made her blush again.

She began to walk, but her leg was still out of sorts, and faltered, so Shiori held around her shoulders.  “Let me help you.”

“I think I broke my leg.”

“It didn’t look broken when we tied you up,” Biboo said.

“It’s just sore,” Gigi stated, “where’s my jacket?”

“It’s over there, hanging by the fire.  It’s probably dry now.”

“Oh…” Gigi saw her small orange jacket with her gauntlets in the pockets and realized they had hung it out to dry.  It was… thoughtful.

Shiori helped her to the fire and then helped her sit down.

“You maybe should dry a bit more,” Biboo said, “since we found you soaked and in the rain this morning early.”

“You did?”

“Yeah, Fu-chan and Moco-chan heard someone yelling and we headed your direction and then found you.”

“Oh…” she glanced across the bright eyes of the twins, “thank you.”

“Bau Bau.”

“Why’d you tie me up?”

“Precautionary,” Biboo said, “there are some really evil things around.  And you are a member of Justice, along with that queen of Great Exardia.  We had no idea if you were hunting us, since there are some that seem to be after us. They even sent a bounty hunter after Shiori.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, your queen.”

“She wouldn’t do that.”

“She did.”

“But… why would she do that?”

“I don’t know,” Biboo was beside herself.  “You tell me.”

“I would, if I KNEW!!!”

“She’s getting mad again.”

“You’re mAkiNg. ME. MaaaaaaD!  With your… your… insin-u-a-tions!”

Gigi felt dizzy and calmed down.  Her stomach growled again. 

“Can I, please have… some food now?”

Shiori handed her a biscuit and sausage, laughing at how she had sudden outbursts.  She was definitely a gremlin.

“Looks good.” She gulped it down in an instant.  “Thank you.”

“Wow, have some more.”

She was munching down on everything they gave her.  Biboo’s brow lowered, “Hey, don’t eat all our food!”

“Sorry, I’m super hungry.”

“She’s a gremlin,” Fuwawa said, “and they eat to help heal.”

Gigi nodded, with a mouth full of bread, pieces falling off the side of her mouth.

“Sorry,” she looked over to Biboo, “I called you a monster girl.”

“It’s cool.” She laughed with that windshield wiper sound, “I’ve been called worse.”

They all laughed, watching the small gremlin eat with abandon.

After a few minutes, Gigi held her stomach. “I… I think I’m going to be sick.”

“She ate too fast,” Biboo pat her back, and she instantly threw up on the fire.

“Ew.”

She kept throwing up, everything that had gone in, was coming out.

“Did you guys… poison me?”

“No,” the twins said in tandem.  “Eat slower.”

“It’s because you ate too fast,” Shiori told her, and then placed a hand on her back.  “You’re healing and nursing a possible developing cold.  You have to know how to pace yourself.”

“Yeah, Liz tells me that too.”

She finished up, and Biboo handed her a rag to wipe her mouth.

“Liz?” Shiori asked, “The Scarlet Queen?”

“Yeah, she watches over us all – like a big sis.”

“I see.”  Shiori didn’t especially like the queen.  She never understood why Nerissa pined for that woman. She was simply another rich and powerful leader of a country. And now, Nerissa was gone, and she had had a crush on a queen whose kingdom was corrupt.  She had no idea if she was behind Doki being sent to take her back to the ones who wanted to use her to wake the other demons.

She handed her some water.  “Here, you might want to rinse your mouth, and then we have to go.”

It didn’t escape Gigi that her attitude seemed to change at the mention of Liz. 

“Where… are you headed?”  She rinsed, spitting to the side, and then drank the rest.

Biboo pointed toward the highest peak.  “There.”

“Whoa, you’re climbing that?”

“No, we are going inside of it.”

“Inside?”  Gigi scrunched her brow.

Her face felt hot, and her insides felt all squiggly and out of place. She was breathing raggedly, and uneven.

“Inside…?” Her body felt clammy and cold, and she knew this feeling.

Her breathing sped up, as she tried desperately not to give in to the darkness, that began to close around her view.

“Gigi?” Shiori stepped up, closely.  “You… okay?”

“I feel…” the area spun, her eyes drifting open and closed.

Her body felt cold, and within a second, she collapsed, but Shiori instantly caught her.

Biboo helped, and they placed her back on the blanket.

“What do we do now?” She asked Shiori.

“Looks like…” she sighed, “we can’t just leave her here.  She’s not well.  We take her with us.”

“We can take turns carrying her,” Fuwawa said.

“Yeah, yeah,” Mococo agreed, “she’s very small and very cute.”

“You like her, Moco-chan?!” Fuwawa barked.

“She’s like the plushies in Libestal.”

“Oh yeah, the gremlin ones.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Bau Bau, I want one.”

And then they fought over who would carry Gigi first.

“Thanks guys,” Shiori said as she and Biboo worked on putting out the fire and packing up.

“Are you sure?” Biboo asked, worried, “we should trust her?”

“What else do we do? It wouldn’t be right to leave her out here alone.”  Shiori rubbed her forehead, “I mean, we already took up too much time, stopping in that village to buy these supplies.  I have to find the glyphs.”  She rubbed at her hand, which still had a small bandage.  “This is where I’m being led. It’s imperative we find a way to bind that demon and keep them from waking up any more of them.”

“Yeah, it’s like we’re becoming the heroes,” Biboo giggled again.

They gathered, placing their hands together and then lifted, and in unison, “Advent Always,” and then quietly, “for Nerissa.”

Back on the D Train

Back in the sleeper car, Calliope stirred.  She expected Gigi to wake her up, and so she slept with her eye mask over her eyes, finally enjoying some needed rest.

She groaned, pulling up the mask, noting the sun was shining through the small crack between the window and the curtain.

“Ah, G, why didn’t you wake me?”

She made her way to the edge of the bunk, not the easiest to maneuver, and then left her small bunk, to climb and wake Gigi.

She looked over the inside, sheets messed up, and there was no gremlin.

“Hmm, where’d she go?”

She figured she must have woken up and went to the bathroom or was on her way back to wake her.

Calliope made her way to the bathroom, and then back to the bunk area, fixing up her bedding, and then climbed up to the top bunk again.  Still no gremlin.

She figured she must be in the breakfast car, but why’d she leave without her?

She walked along the aisle, passing the little girl and her father.

“Mornin’.”

They both replied with “good morning,” as she passed and left for the meal car.

The little girl pulled down a satchel, smiling as if she had just gotten her Christmas present, and then opened it for her father.

“Look what I have.”

He grinned widely, admiring her trophy.

“Isn’t it nice? I love how it looks like there is an eye in the middle here.”

“It will be a good addition to your collection, my lord,” he said quietly.  “Next… will be the queen.”

“Shame she has no tail.”

“Her red hair is not too bad.”

“Yes, Hasturazul, and that lovely blue flame.”

“Indeed.”

“There is another one I would love to have, but perhaps later.”

“Perhaps.”  He tilted his head.  “Time for breakfast?”

“Yes, it should be fun.”

He nodded, “Indeed.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 19 – Where’s Gigi and Prison Life Begins

Kippu flipped pancakes, landing them perfectly on the plates, and then handed two to Nerissa, who then took them back to her seat beside Elizabeth.

“Thank you.”

Elizabeth had her reading glasses on and was looking over papers.  She was especially interested in the ones regarding some very deadly weapons. These were as if someone decided they wanted to use nukes.  They wanted to kill the automaton, but the damage surrounding, could kill thousands of civilians.  This was horrid.

“You look hot with those glasses,” Nerissa spoke closely, her lips close enough to feel the heat of her breath against her cheek, “… my beautiful queen.”

She glanced, her deep red eyes peeping over the frame, with a slight smile, “you just look,” she whispered, “hot.”

“You look like you’re reading something very intense.”

“I am.” She tapped the side of her glasses.  “But it is classified.”

“I won’t look then.”

The two continued flirting, gazing at the other, recalling the night before.  Nerissa’s hand slid between the queen’s thighs.

“You have bewitched me, and I’m the demon.”

Elizabeth had a low and sultry giggle, “Listen, as much as I love our time, we need to be very platonic in my kingdom.”

“I understand.”

“You do?”

Nerissa nodded, her eyes lifting flirtatiously.  “I know how to be a good girl.”

“Don’t…” she laughed, “be too good.”

They snuck a quick kiss, since it was just the two, sharing breakfast alone.

Calliope walked into the meal car, glancing across the area.  She had a determined look on her face, the two noted, and then she walked to the main car.

“Wonder what’s going on with the reaper?” Nerissa said.

“Yes… where’s Gigi?  Wouldn’t she be in tow?”

Calliope walked back into the meal car and right up to the queen and demoness.  “Hey, have you guys seen Gigi?”

They both shook their heads, and Elizabeth placed her glasses down.  “She wasn’t in the back bathroom?”

“No.”

“Not in the car up there?”

“No.”

Calliope didn’t like this feeling.

Axel and his daughter walked in, the little girl smiling, holding her father’s hand, and then she ran up to Kippu, “Can you make those in a bear shape, please?”

He nodded and then made her the pancake.

Calliope watched them and then walked over, “Hey Axel, have you or your daughter seen Gigi?”

He held his hand to his chin, as if thinking deeply, and then asked his daughter, “have you seen that little gremlin friend of yours?”

“No, father.”

“Hmm, she must be somewhere on the train.”  He laughed, “it’s not like she could have disappeared.”

“Can gremlins disappear, father?”  The little girl asked her dad.

“No, I don’t think that is a part of their supernatural abilities.”

Calliope really didn’t like this feeling.  Why didn’t she notice Gigi missing until now?

“I would suggest, we all look through the train again,” Elizabeth stated, suddenly beside the reaper, becoming just as worried.  “I’ll go to the front and ask the conductor.”

“Yes,” Nerissa added, “I’ll look over the back, and I saw some stairs.”

“Maybe,” Calliope snapped, “she went to look at the dimension folding.  She might have been up there all this time.”

“Of course,” Nerissa said, “I can go with you, if you’d like.”

The little girl and her dad were sitting and eating their pancakes.

“Axel,” Elizabeth asked, “when was the last time you and your daughter saw Gigi?”

“I wanted to go see the stars with her last night,” the little girl said, “but I fell asleep.”

She watched them for a moment and then she and the others went off to look everywhere on the train.

“Pancakes are quite tasty,” Rayn stated, “don’t you think, father?”

“Indeed.”

Calliope met Nerissa at the stairs, and they climbed the steps to the top of the train.

The sky was light blue, mixed with various pastels, as they passed another dimension.  Calliope held onto the railing, and Nerissa followed.

“She’s obviously not here.”  Calliope was ready to head down.

Nerissa stopped, looking along the top of the train.  Something caught her eye, because if there was one thing a demon could smell, it was blood.  She leaned down to look more closely.

“Calli, is this what I think it is?”

The reaper walked to where Nerissa was and then went down on her knees to look more closely.  She ran her finger across the side of the train, then lifted.

It was dried, but obviously blood.

“I can smell it too, it’s blood.”

Calliope had this deep crushing feeling that went through her chest.

She looked closely at the side of the train, and it looked more smeared along the side of the train.   And just below was a small dent, like maybe something had hit the side.

“What do you think happened?” Nerissa asked, standing just to the side.

“No idea.  And that is bothering me the most.”

“I feel something very dark here.  Something… unusually dark.”

“Like, a demon?”

“Yes, maybe.  I’m not for sure, but it’s just this feeling.”

“You’re a bird type.”  Calliope stood close beside the demoness.  “Oddly, could a bird type maybe come here and take someone?  Maybe fly away and then fly back?”

“Well…” Nerissa saw the look.  “Why would I hurt Gigi?”

“I don’t know.  Why would you?”

“Are you serious?”

“I have no idea.  I just don’t know why she is suddenly gone from this train and you’re the only demon I know around here.”

“You’re serious?”

Calliope shook her head.  “Actually, I just don’t know.  I just…”  She hated this feeling, this feeling that she was unable to do something.  “I don’t know where she is, and I don’t sense her anywhere.”  She felt at her stomach.  “You’d think I’d sense something, anything….”

“Whatever took Gigi, if that is the case, obviously…”

“What?”

“She would have put up a fight, but I heard nothing last night.”

“Neither did I.”

Nerissa looked over the panic mixed with anger across the reaper’s eyes.  “Maybe… I mean, this might even be old blood from something else that happened.  We are traveling fast, and what if it’s simply a passing creature that ran into the train? Do you think that’s possible?”

“Basically, we don’t know anything more than when we first got here.”  Calliope banged on the railing, “damn it!”

Nerissa could see the reaper cared deeply for the little gremlin.

“I… I could fly and look over the area, but we’ve been traveling for hours, and we have no idea when she left.”

“She didn’t leave, she was either taken or… worse.  I just don’t…” Calliope stared out at the passing landscape, “I just don’t know… where to start.”

Elizabeth met them up at the top of the train, “Thought I’d find you both here.”

“Did Dooby say anything?” Calliope asked.

“She said she hadn’t seen Gigi since last night.  Neither had her conductor, Kippu.”

“How well, do you know that Axel guy?” Calliope asked.

“Not very well.  But what would he have to gain?”

“I just don’t know!” Calliope was so upset, and she was angry at both herself and whoever might have hurt the gremlin.

“Dooby said we will be in Great Exardia in the next 30 minutes.  We will gather a search party.”

“How many miles have we covered since last night?”

“Quite a lot.  I’d say the entire central to northern end of both Great Exardia and Libestal, and dimensions in between, including some demon realms.”

Calliope felt she’d fall over, with his feeling of absolutely dread. “Fuck!

“And she didn’t hear anything or see anything that might have given a clue as to where Gigi is?”

“No.  She said that she did feel strangely last night around three, but she also got an emergency signal for Mint and Doki in Libestal, and that is why we were pushed back an extra hour.”

“Wonder what that emergency was?” Nerissa asked, “Could it have to do with Gigi?  Maybe they know where she is.”

“That’s a really long long shot, demoness.”

She didn’t call her by her name, and it did somewhat irk Nerissa. She was trying to be helpful, but it did bother the demon deep inside of her.

Calliope felt so angry, and she didn’t know where to place it.  But she knew there was only one in the train that she had no idea about, and it was that head of R and D for Holios.  She left without saying a word and went to the man.

Elizabeth glanced at Nerissa, and they instantly followed her down.

The reaper walked with purpose up to Axel, as he sat with his daughter.

“Look, if you hurt Gigi, you will regret it,” she told him, her eyes turning nearly to flames.  “This is not an empty threat.”

“I’m sorry,” he sat back, covering across his daughter.  “Please, don’t hurt us.”

“I…”

The little girl looked frightened. 

“This… I…” her eyes went back to pink.  “Gigi is missing and I’m just… very unsure of what happened.”

“You are the grim reaper,” Axel stated.  “I question you being here, this isn’t even a dimension you have authority in, but I realize you are a friend of the queen.  But, please, don’t threaten my daughter.  Because then, I will make you regret your actions.”

Calliope didn’t like threats, especially from someone she barely knew and still had no idea of their intentions.

Axel stood, glancing to the queen and then to the reaper, “I have a scenario, if your friend is missing.  I was talking to Rayn, and she said that Gigi sounded very excited about seeing the stars last night.  She might have simply gone up on her own – perhaps to check out the area out of curiosity.  I know she was recently in the hospital and in a weakened state.  How do you know, in her weakened state she didn’t end up falling off the train?  Perhaps,” he emphasized, “jumping to conclusions, randomly blaming anyone and everyone, to fit your own scenario might be wrong.”

She turned and just left, walking past Elizabeth, speaking, “Once we get to Great Exardia you can leave, but I’m going to stay on the train with Dooby.  Retrace our steps.  You call me if you get any information.”

“That might be best.”

Nerissa stared at Axel and his daughter.  There was just something. And then the girl had the slightest smile, as she bit into her pancake.

Back on Holios – AM

Kiara rolled over and was covered with the fluffiest tail. She moved it carefully to the side. 

“Meow.”

Raora turned, her arm lying across the phoenix.

Their bodies so close, Kiara brushed across the thick pink hair, lying across the panthera’s breast.  She lowered, placing her lips over one, “this is delicious.”

“Tastier than my dinner last night?”

“Well… very close.”  Kiara’s lips trailed up from the breast up toward the clavicle, peppering the lightest breaths along to her neck, and then kissed her gently on the chin, leading to her lips.

“Man, you are kind of…” she groaned, “amazing with that tongue.”

The panther pulled the phoenix closer, and then trailed a path to Kiara’s ear, her breath warm and kisses moist, as she trailed up to just behind her ear, taking a light bite.

“Round…” the panther giggled, “I lost count.”

“Me too.”

“Raooowwwwr.”  The big cat pounced on the phoenix, flipping her to her stomach, lying across her back, kissing along the back of her neck down to her angel bones.

“Oh man, your body is amazing.”

“I’m a big cat, with big parts.”

“Yes, I especially love those two big parts on my angel bones right now.”

She laid along her back, the warmth of their bodies touching, giggling, and dragging her sharp teeth along her back, making the phoenix squeal in delight.

“I am… falling for you.”

“Oh,” Kiara breathed into the pillow listening to the panther.  She was amazingly beautiful, but then Kiara had been with some of the most beautiful women in the world.  Including, her best friend for eternity.

“I…” Raora spoke very quietly.  “… Elizabeth is with Nerissa and Gigi and Ceci are always together, that sometimes… I don’t know.  I feel a little… alone.”

“Oh.”

“I don’t mean like… I don’t want to sound pathetic, you know, or needy?”

“No, not at all. Don’t ever think that.”

“It’s nice to have someone… someone to love.  I mean make love to, but also… love to love?  Do I make sense?  I know my accent is hard sometimes for others to understand.”

“No… I understand completely Rara.”  She laughed, “and I love your accent.”

The big cat fell to the side, and Kiara reciprocated, by lying facing her, looking into those beautiful golden eyes of the panther.  The god eyes were truly lovely.

They played with one another’s hair, brushing across the other’s face and cheek, smiling warmly, having made passionate love for most of the night.  The cat had a lot of stamina, and it was certainly a memorable time for Kiara, who never took lovemaking lightly with any woman she’d been with, but Raora almost had a unique innocence, mixed with roughness, that she hadn’t had before.

“You know… I have not been with many women.”

“I see.”  Kiara pulled the cat’s hand close to her lips, kissing gently.  “I can’t say the same.  But then, you knew that.”

“I understand.  You’ve lived a long time and had many lives.  I think that makes you especially interesting and wonderful.  I… will have an end date, I suppose.”

Kiara nodded.  “I… sometimes wish I had an end date.”

“But you have Calliope.”

“Oh yes, definitely helps with this long life.”

“I only want someone to be with me in this life that I have.”  Raora was smiling, and there was sadness to her words, but she was not needy.  She never thought that of the big cat. 

“You know, Rara, I grew up not far from where you grew up?”

“Really?”

“Ah yes, the northern area of the Romance Empire.”

“I have actually never been there.”

“No, really?”

They both laughed.

“Well, it’s absolutely beautiful.  Your southern area is too, but we have the most beautiful mountains and lakes.”

“I would love to see it.”

“Maybe… I can show you around.  Sometime.  No wait, we will definitely go to my home country, and I will show you everything.”

“I would love that very much.”

“I promise.  I…want to watch you see my country for the first time.”

“And then, I will show you mine.”

They kissed, very lightly and very softly.  It was more affectionate.

“I like you Rara, very much.  You are one of the sweetest people I’ve met, and I’ve met a lot.  But you… are uniquely sweet.”

“Same, Kiara.”

The two continued studying one another’s face, their lips, eyes, and every curve.

Raora placed a strand of the phoenix’s hair lightly behind her ear.  “Your hair shows your lives, and it’s really beautiful.”

“Not as beautiful or soft as your beautiful mane.”

“You think so?”

“Yes, I’d love to brush your hair.”

“Would you?” Raora squealed, kissing her, “that is the icing on my cake.”

“No, I think…” Kiara purred again, “that I have a better icing for your cake.”

They began the next round.

*****

Kronii moved to her side, the sun coming through the hostel window.  Yes, she was still in a hostel room, and she really had no place to stay. She couldn’t believe she was a homeless goddess.

She turned around, ready to leave, and her hand bumped into another body.

She blinked a few times, realizing the body beside her.

This was odd.  She saw light brown hair, soft and lying across the pillow.  She was still dressed.

Wait a minute… did we?

She looked down and realized she was also still dressed.

“That’s right,” she whispered, “we kept talking and then… we must have fallen asleep.”

She got up on elbow, looking at her pert nose and closed eyes, those long lashes and perfect lips. She really hated disturbing her because she looked so tranquil.  

Talking last night, actually felt… nice.  Nothing had really changed. Nothing of importance.  Nimi had always been able to calm her in the past and now she calmed her once more.

“You’re really lovely like this – right now.”

She glanced across the area.  She was blocked against the wall and window, and Nimi was on the outside. She’d have to climb over her, or maybe she could just scooch to the bottom of the bed and then leave.  She just had to go to the bathroom really bad.

Carefully, she shushed down the bed, the sheets tangling at her foot, and she awkwardly fell forward and off the back of the bed, hitting the floor.

“Ouch,” she crawled along the floor, and then slowly stood. 

Once up she turned and Nimi was looking at her, giggling lightly.

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to go to the bathroom.”

“Why didn’t you just wake me up?”

“I didn’t want to disturb you.”

“Thank you, but I should probably head out.  I have to get to work.”

“Oh yeah, the Wellness Center needs you.”

“It might.”  She laughed lightly, climbing out of the bed.  “Go ahead.  I’ll use it after you, if that’s alright?”

“I probably need a shower.”

“I do too.”

The two stared across at the other.

“I also need to brush my teeth,” Kronii then said quietly, “I have an extra toothbrush here.  I bought the four-pack.”

“Oh… you always were good at being prepared.”

Kronii laughed nervously.  “Yep, that’s me.”

Nimi walked up to her.  “If we take a shower together it saves on water.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.”

She looked down at those beautifully deep green eyes. 

“OH.” Her eyes were wide.  “OH… you mean… like the two of us…?”

Nimi nodded, smiling gently.

“Oh, yeah, that would… maybe be nice.”

“I think so.”

Kronii’s eyes began to look everywhere but at the small nurse.

She took her hand carefully.  “I’ll help you.”  Staring into her eyes.  “I know I don’t look the same, but inside, I am still the same.”

“I think… you’re just beautiful in every way.”

The small nurse led the time warden into the bathroom.

Libestalia Northern Mines Camp

Mint walked out in the prison stripes, and swirled around, showing Doki.  “Whaddya think?”

“Fits you.”

“Are you saying I look like I belong in prison?”

“No, just… you look good in stripes… anything really?”

“Oooooh,” she slyly smirked, “are you flirting with me, Dokibird?”

The yellow-haired bounty hunter laughed.  “You wish.”

“This isn’t so bad, huh?”

“I know this is you coping.”

Mint watched the others down in the mines.

“We could work out. Get buff.  I can use these muscles since I’m now corporeal… stuck being corporeal, with this really uncomfortable necklace – dampener thingy.”

“You always talk a lot when you’re nervous.” 

“Shush.”

Doki kept laughing at her friend.

They were taken here, searched, and then placed in the new uniforms.  Both were marched through the heavily guarded and impenetrable gates of the prison.  They were the new recruits for the mines.  They were told they’d work breaking rocks and then be sent down into the mines to dig for gems. They’d get two meals.  They missed breakfast, so they’d have to wait for dinner.

Mint really was afraid, but she didn’t want to cause Dokibird to worry about her.

She looked over the sides of the quarry hundreds of feet high, and then there were the mines, and she looked out at the other prisoners. These were not small guys, but they had chains around their wrists and ankles, and dampeners on magic users and demons.  The guards were square, with bats, and shocking batons.

All had their hair cropped close to their heads, or bald.  There were a few females, but mostly male.  She didn’t know why they put them in a mixed prison, but then it was the most hardened criminals, and even the women were twice the size of her, if not three times.

This was a place that meant business.

“How do we get out of here?” Mint asked her friend seriously.

“I’m thinking it over.”

“What do you mean by that?  What about what that guy George…”

“Ssh, you need to keep your head down until I tell you it’s time…” she stared deep into her friends’ eyes, “… I mean that, Mint.  Please, for the first time listen to me.”

More of the prisoners were gathering around the newbies, which didn’t escape Doki’s notice, chatting and laughing among themselves.

“Just…” she sat there, and one of the prisoners walked by, stopping when he realized it was Dokibird.  “Stay behind me if there’s trouble.”

“Hey, bounty hunter.” He was a big guy, bald, like many there.  “It is you. The great Dokibird.”

Another walked up, “We had heard we were getting a gift.”

They laughed, as more gathered, noticing it was Dokibird. 

She was the reason quite a few were in this prison.

“Hey guys.”  Her one eye turned red.  “Nice seeing you again – seeing that you’re still in prison where you belong.”

“Dookibird,” the main one was a short-cropped black-haired demon, a dampener on his neck.

A group stood there, all with large biceps, and watching the newcomers.

“Who’s your little friend?”

The one walked up to Mint, who instantly stepped behind Doki, since she told her that.

“No one.  She’s not even a friend, but an irritating person who got thrown in this place the same time as me.”

“Hey!”

“Shut up!” She pushed Mint back into the rocks.

They all laughed, gathering around Doki.

“Which one first?” she grinned, smirking, looking over at the pile of rocks.

Two charged, and within seconds she grabbed a rock, throwing it right at his skull, him dropping instantly.  She spun around, and another came down at her and she kneed him, then grabbing another rock she punched him in the gut, and then hit down at his temple, sending him to the ground instantly.

“Who else?”

Two were down.

The guards were there, and stood around, making a circle, laughing and watching the prisoners gather around Doki.

“Hey!” Mint yelled, watching and realizing Doki was only protecting her.  “Stop them!  They’re gonna kill her!”

Soon, the others followed, six more, and Doki was throwing rocks, and spinning around, blocking, her red eye glowing, as she was taking out one after the other, shooting rocks like bullets, hitting them in the perfect spot, knocking them down.

Every so often one got in a hit, but she was able to hit them and held her own.

She was throwing rocks, like gunfire, hitting exactly where she aimed, her red crosshairs eye glowing.  Until there was no one left going after her, and she laughed, and then pointed at the one called Grox.

“You’re next, asshole.”

The main leader stepped back, grinning, as he looked over the prison guards.

“Not bad, Dooki.”

“Why don’t you try me, Groxy?”

“I don’t need to.”

He waved to the guards.

They used their batons, electrocuting Doki, until she fell to her knees.  He grinned, his eyes blood red.  Mint wanted to punch that main demon prisoner.

“I see you’re still the same,” Doki smiled up at the one she called Grox, “always hiding behind the big wigs.”

“Urgh.” They shocked her with the baton again.

The lead Prison Guard directed, “Put her in the box until she realizes the rules here.  You are not allowed to waste our rocks on fighting.  Learn well, prisoner.  You touch another rock, to fight, and it will be the last time you use that hand.” 

They shocked her with the baton again.

Doki grunted, lying on the ground.  Mint grabbed at her dampener.  “You can’t do…”

Doki shot a look at her, shaking her head.  “Don’t.”

They grabbed the bounty hunter dragging her to the middle of the quarry, where there was a hot box, and then they threw her inside, locking it.

Mint had no idea what to do, but then the Grox guy walked up, speaking with a voice that sounded like if a snake was hissing, as it spoke, “You look like you need a friend.”

“I pick better friends,” Mint walked away, but ran into a gigantic chest, as she was stopped in place.

Grox stepped back, looking afraid.

“Hey!” She tried to push him out of the way.  “You’re in my way ya big galoot.”

The giant demon was an immovable object.

Mint pressed her lips together, staring up at the gargantuan.  He had the most beautiful deep green eyes and one horn on the left side of his head.  His body, when she ran into it, felt like a wall of muscle. 

“You have no idea who you’re messing with, buddy?”

“I don’t?” the demon asked playfully.

“I’m… just having a down time right now, but I’m a super powerful phantom, Mint Fantome.  If I didn’t have this dampener, you’d all be quaking in your boots.”

He slowly began to smile.

“What powerful things have you done?”

“I… I once… haunted an entire corporation to the point they had to ask me to leave.”

“Did you leave?”

“Yes, they asked very nicely.”

The demon crossed his arms, and then slowly started laughing.  He kept laughing, and the other prisoners around him joined in laughing.

“This one is funny.”

He placed his hand on top of her head, covering it completely, his hand was so large.  “She’s very cute and funny.”

He glared at Grox, and Mint thought they looked like they were enemies.  “She’s mine.  Go slither back into your hole, with the rest of your little friends from your part of the demon world.”

Grox looked terrified, moving aside.

He grabbed the small ghost by the arm, “Come with me.  Let me show you around this wonderful establishment.”

“Why would I go with you?”

He leaned down very close in front of her face, since she only came up to his waist, so that she got a good look at his very sharp teeth. “’Cause, otherwise, you will not have a good time here.”

Something about the large demon made her feel she could trust him, plus she didn’t have a lot of options, seeing that Grox and his gang were on the other side.  “Sure.”

Others instantly moved aside.

Once they were away from Grox he leaned down, “I’m orcnumberonerissafan.”

“What?!”

“Yeah,” if she didn’t know any better, he sounded like he giggled.  “I recognized you right away. Maid Mint, Minto, from the Rissa fan board.”

“Oh my god!  It’s you?!  You’re in prison?”

“I wasn’t always in prison.”  He chuckled.  “This is a new gig.  I have a temper at times and might have killed a few creatures at a bar because they got in my way.  But I’ve caught all Rissa’s concerts in the demon realms.”

“Yeah, oh my god! I saw her in the Hell Lands five years ago.”

“ME TOO!”

They jumped up and down, holding hands, suddenly singing, “My sweetest scarlet, my sweetest scaaaaarlet…”

“Dang, why you here?”

“I…” Mint acted clandestine, “I know too much, regarding some Great Exardia intel.”

“Really?  That’s like some of my demon friends from Great Exardia who just got here.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, one is a major leader in the demon world, Regis Altare.  There’s something weird going on in Great Exardia.  Political prisoners who disagreed with some advisor there, now that they don’t have a queen.”

“Huh…” Mint pondered for a moment, “I’m sure they still have a queen.  I was on a secret mission for the que… oops, maybe I shouldn’t tell you that.  But me and my friend… she’s over there,” she pointed to the hot box, “just got here but I have to get out of here like yesterday.”

He chuckled.  “Nobody gets out of here.”

“I need to.  It’s imperative.”

“Too bad for your friend.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s fifty-fifty you live and make it out of the hot box.”

“What?”  Mint eyes grew wide, “we have to get her out of there!”

“Not much to do.”

“That’s… this isn’t right.  orcnumber… wait, what should I call you?”

“Oga.”

“Oh, that’s easy.  Oga.”

“If I had this dampener off my neck, I’d help you out Mint.  I can grow to the top of the quarry when I’m free to use my true demon powers.  All of us demons could easily take these little square guards of Libestal, but these dampeners have been enhanced.”

“Wow, that’s pretty cool you are so strong.”

“You think so?” He laughed, his sharp teeth showing when he grinned.  “Stick by me and Grox and his friends won’t bother you.  I’ll see about helping your friend out of the hot box.”

“Oh thanks.”

“There are other jailbirds here.  Rissa has quite a few demons enamored with her in the demon realm.”  He gazed up in admiration, “she’s a hotty and her voice, mwah, chef’s kiss.”

“Yeah.  You know, I met her.”

“No way,” he smacked her, and she went flying.  “Oh sorry.”

Mint jumped to her feet, “no problem.  I’m durable.”  She rubbed her arm, as she walked back to sit beside him, “Yeah, I met her and she’s even twenty times more beautiful in person.”

“Man,” his eyes were sparkling, “I would have loved to meet her.”

“If you help me and Doki get out of here, I could maybe get you an autograph.  She knows the queen of Great Exardia, and that’s who I…” she whispered, “… who I work for, as I told you.”

“Wow, the queen.  Always treated the demons well in her kingdom.”  He held a hand under his chin in thought.  “We need to get you out of here.  I might be a criminal, but I know a good guy when I see one.  You’re a Rissa fan and if you work for the queen, then you’re okay in this ex-military guys mind.”

“You were a soldier?”

“Five-thousand years in the deep demon realms, and I fought with Great Exardia when they had to bind an extremely evil demon that possessed the fiercest dragon, Balumat.  Us demons placed him far under the earth to sleep, while the demon was bound by the king at the time. 

“In recent wars, I think the queen was a young knight, but she gained our admiration for fighting alongside the military, never wavering.  But I heard she left Great Exardia.”

“She’s still the queen.”

“That’s not what I’m hearing. The advisor is going to take over as grand ruler of the fantasy realms – that’s what I heard.”

“What?  That’s not right.  I mean, it’s kind of wild that you fought for Great Exardia, and the queen is who I’m doing this gig for, and now I met you here and I’m getting a lot of context of what’s going on in Great Exardia, but I’m in prison in Libestal.”

“Small world.”

“Or just well-placed plot devices.”

“Haha,” he smacked her again, sending her flying.  “Oh sorry.”

She again hopped up, a few feet away, thumbs up.  “I’m good.”

Back on Holios

Nimi walked into the Wellness Center with a smile across her face, as she looked over her messages.

Nurse Dizzy walked up, “I’m going home now, since you’re here.”

“Oh, okay Dizzy.  The military is leaving today, so I think your hours might be cut a bit.”

“Oh good.”

“You don’t want more hours?”

“I don’t do well with losing my customary 10 hours of beauty sleep.”

Nimi just nodded and then waved goodbye as the nurse left quickly out the doors.

“Yeesh, good help these days.”  Nimi looked down at her book for messages and nothing was there.  Good, no problems she’d have to deal with.

She adjusted her small hat on her head, and then made the rounds in the center, looking in on the few patients they had.

Behind her on the floor, stuck under the table, was the sticky note that Dizzy had taken down the message from George’s phone call the night before.

Chapter Text

Chapter 20 – Great Exardia and Fever Dreams

The train stopped, the queen disembarked, looking over her country, taking it in. The beautiful architecture of smoothed white stone and brick, thatched roofs, and cobblestone roads that lead to the castle at the center.

All the markets and the lovely bakery owned by the same couple for over 70 years.  She loved their bread.

This was a peaceful kingdom.  This was her kingdom.  She had been away for much too long.

Nerissa joined her, as the Head of R&D with Holios HQ stepped down with his daughter.

Elizabeth walked back to the D Train, Calliope in the doorway on the first step.

“I hope you find her.”

“I will.”  Calliope said, angry at this point. Something had happened, and if someone was behind it, they would most definitely feel her scythe.

“I’ll go to the castle and organize a search party with our soldiers.”  She took Calliope’s hand within her own.  “I promise, I will do what I can to find our gremlin.”

“I know you will.”  Calliope did a quick salute, as Dooby poked out from the window and waved.

They all waved goodbye, as the steam smoke billowed, and the whistle blew, and then it pulled away.

Two carriages pulled up, driven by the royal brigade, horses in decoration, as the advisor stepped out of one carriage.

He walked up to the queen bowing, “Your majesty, it is a pleasure seeing you back.”

“Thank you, Regan, or should I say Regent?”

He nodded, a smile across his face, and then glanced across at her party, looking over the tall and beautiful demon.  “The Sound Demon is here?”

“She’s been an invaluable help with some matters and has been advising me.”

“I see.”

“Yes, I’m always trying to be helpful,” Nerissa said, straining a smile, as she looked over the place she had once been jailed.

“And Axel Hastur,” the advisor walked over, shaking his hand briskly.  He then smiled down at the small girl, his eyes moving away from her and back to her dad.

“My daughter, Rayn.”

“Yes…” he bowed slightly.  “I’m sorry, you have a lovely daughter.”

“Takes after her mum.”

“I see.”  He pulled at the collar on his robe, and then waved to the group, “Please let us head to the castle.”

Nerissa watched the two, the father and daughter.  There was just something, but she wasn’t sure.  If they were demons, they cloaked it so well, it was hard for her to feel their demon selves.  Then, what were they and what was this feeling?

She wanted to make sure before she caused the queen to worry.  She looked so happy to be in her kingdom, and she didn’t want to squash that joy of her return.  But later, she would most definitely have a chat with the queen about her concerns.

The advisor helped the queen into the first carriage, and he looked at Nerissa, “Miss you should go in the second one.  This is the queen’s carriage.”

“But…”  She took a light breath, “yes, I’ll just go in that one.”

Elizabeth smiled, her eyes assured her that it was alright.

Axel and his daughter also went to the second carriage.

The queen, having read and heard things wanted to get her Regent alone to question.  She needed quite a few questions answered.

Elizabeth looked over the rolling green hills and beautiful tall linden trees, lining the streets.

“Oh, how I missed my land.”

“Yes, it has missed you, your majesty.”

“Regan?”

“Yes.”

Elizabeth turned to her advisor, dressed in a more royal garb, different than his usual uniform.  His robe was white, collared with a thin red line of the king.  It was very similar to her father’s robe. 

“What has been going on while I’ve been away?  I know I wasn’t sure of when I would return, and so I gave you full authority as Regent, but now I am back.  What are these new weapons that I’ve seen making their way to our country?”

“To the point, Elizabeth.”

“No more, majesty?”

“Forgive me, your majesty.  This is necessary.  I’m sure you know of the threat of that automaton.  She has struck down two more countries and she draws closer.  She attacked two of our villages in the west.”

“What?  Two?  Casualties?”

“Twenty in Herfordshires Landing and 45 in Biltmore.  They say she is a demon.  We are beginning to question whether Libestal is behind this threat.  The automaton has been attacking only those allied to us and our kingdom.”

“Libestal is one of our closest allies, and I heard she did attack Libestal.  What reason would they have to attack us?”

“They worship the demons and dragons.  We do not.”

“I had heard the new leadership has been moving in that direction, but I would prefer to talk to their new leader.  Could you arrange that?”

“Yes.  He is actually on his way, wanting to meet with you.  We have a few in the council who are anticipating your arrival.  I have planned a meeting during your welcoming feast.”

“That’s interesting.  I would prefer we meet after I go over your notes from the last six months while I’ve been away.  I prefer being prepared.”

“I arranged it for you.  I was sure, since you are asking about the weapons and such, that you would like this meeting.  You’ve never had trouble in the past in being decisive.”

She didn’t appreciate his passive/aggressive attempt at manipulation.

“I would just like to prepare a bit.”

They both looked out the window.

“Also, take note.  We need a full brigade of soldiers to search for a missing person from our party.”

“A missing person?”

“A gremlin.  I’ll have the D Trains conductor send the route, and they are to plan a mission to go along the entire area.  I want at least 50 men, and I will coordinate the search before the dinner tonight.  Arrange this please.”

“Yes, of course.   But 50 for one gremlin?”

Elizabeth’s flame was a bright blue, burning with her heart.  “Yes, do you think it should be more?”

He didn’t answer.  “Now?  You want to pull away 50 soldiers with this new threat of the automaton?”

“This is a priority.  I am here and I have the Sound Demon.  Not to downplay our soldiers’ abilities, but we need enough to cover a good bit of area.”

“This gremlin, means something to you?”

The queen nodded, “if I had a younger sister, this gremlin is the same to my heart.  A worthy member of Justice.  If more soldiers could be spared to use in the search, then I want as many as possible.”

“Yes, your majesty.  I will get on that.”  He grinned, this was actually fortuitous.

“Good.  Thank you, Regent.”

A sudden bang hit the side of the carriage, the queen instantly looking outside.  A few citizens were throwing rocks and vegetables at the carriages.

“What is going on?”

“Oh nothing, but some rabblerousers, I’m sure.”

Instantly, the soldiers on horseback, quelled the ones, pushing them away.

“Were they yelling ‘down with the queen’?”

“I’m not sure.  That doesn’t sound right.  There has been some undercurrent of unrest over the attacks in the west.”

She looked out, watching the soldiers pushing them back, and she was sure they were yelling something against her.  Was it because she’d been away so long?  Did they feel let down, after what happened in the west?

He disrupted her thought asking, “this Sound Demon, is she a close friend?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I just have heard things.”

“I see.  Are we regressing to gossip?”

“Elizabeth, I mean, your majesty, I have known you since a baby, and I’m just worried.”  He held out his hand, placing it carefully on her knee.  “I am just concerned and want what is best for you.  I was tasked by your father to make sure you are happy and well.”  He glanced to her arm, “it looks like you’ve broken your arm in this Justice, and perhaps you are not yourself.”

“Myself.”  She laughed, “I am positive I am still myself.  My arm doesn’t affect my brain.”

“Of course.” He laughed along with her.  “It might seem to the country, that you placed other priorities… you know.  People will come to wild conclusions.”

“I see.”

“I have been making sure our country is taken care of from any outside threats.  Prudent, as your father always advised.  It is better prepared than to be caught unawares.”

She listened as he continued speaking, saying things, as her father would say, “a mouth full of logorrhea’.  Politicians consistently used this tactic on simple minds, but she wasn’t simple.

“I’m just saying, your majesty, is it wise having a powerful demon in your castle at this time, with Belthior back and wreaking havoc in the automaton.  It’s why a high-ranking member of Holios HQ is here.  Our people are questioning demons and whether they have a place here.”

“I see.  So, a few don’t like demons?  We don’t change policy because of a few uninformed individuals.  Did you ask Axel to come to our country with me?  I was under the impression he was asked to assist me from Holo HQ.”

“It was a concerted effort, possibly.  He understands warfare and new technology.  He has intimate knowledge of the facility on the Island of Holios.”

“What war and you mean new technologically advanced weapons, don’t you?”

“I’m just saying, that if this goes south, it would be best to have those who understand military…”

“…and I do not?”

“You are mixing my words, your majesty.  He understands the more modern ways of warfare.”

He pulled at his collar, flustered.

“I think it best we both relax once we get to the castle.  I’d like the baths prepared, and then I want on my table in my room all your notes.  I am a fast reader, and I suppose that is what I will do before dinner tonight; plus, discussing the soldiers for the search, that I asked for.”

“Yes.”

“I would like to discuss those notes with you, but that can wait until after dinner.  We will have those waiting to discuss with me, enjoy some after dinner digestifs in the sitting room in the west wing, as you and I meet.  I need a good 20 minutes, and then I will meet them.”

“Yes, your majesty.”  He laughed, “still the same queen – just like your mother.  And, just as lovely, Elizabeth.  She died much too young.”

She considered that day and then simply said, “yes, she did.”

She was raised by her father, and trained early on, as if a son.  And she loved it.  She loved everything about the knighthood.

The carriages pulled up to the castle, a full royal guard stood attentively as Elizabeth disembarked, and then the other carriage pulled up and they all climbed down the small step.

“Tonight, we will have a feast in your honor, your majesty,” the advisor waved over for them to follow, as the queen led walking into the castle.

The head cook approached, bowing deeply, “Hello, your majesty.”

“Come here, ya old sod.”  She then hugged him, in his ear, “how have you been?”

“Much better now that you are here, your majesty.”

He wiped his eye, nearly crying at seeing his queen.  “It is so good to have you back in the castle, mi’lady Bloodflame, where you belong.”

“Thank you.”

She looked over the staff.

“Where is my staff?” she asked Regan.

“They were let go, as I need staff that were more understanding of my needs.”

“They’ve worked for our family for years.”

“I understand, but after you left, they felt very akin to you and their loyalty made them ask to be dismissed.”

“En masse?”

He shrugged his shoulders.  “McVoy?”

“Yes sir.”

“This is what happened, correct?”

He nodded once.  “I must prepare for tonight’s dinner.  Your majesty.”

He left quickly.

Nerissa watched the interaction, again feeling this strange uneasiness.  She wanted to walk up to the queen and take her in her arms, and ask how she was, because she could see whatever was happening with her staff and after the carriage ride with her advisor, she seemed bothered.

Axel and his daughter looked over the ornate panels, and all the beautiful paintings and fixtures.

“I’m very tired, father.  Can we go to our rooms?”

“Of course.”

The advisor quickly snapped for two servants.  “Please, help them to their room.”  He glanced back at Nerissa, his face glowering, “Please, also show the queen’s guest to her room.”

Elizabeth raised her eyes, “We have been traveling.  Us girls, would feel much better cleaning up before dinner.  We will head to the baths.”

“Of course.”  The advisor pointed to four servants instantly walking over to help with the queen’s luggage and grabbed Nerissa’s bag, and then they followed them up the stairs.

Nerissa just wanted to be alone with the queen.  She felt so out of sorts, in a place like this.  She missed Holios and the hostel. 

Back in the day, she would have easily caused so much destruction and havoc in a place like this. What had she become? She had become enamored by this queen, that was what happened.

*****

The large indoor bath had servants preparing baths and salts, as the two women lowered into the water.  Towels, their only covering, lowered onto the side of the bath, as they entered.

The servants were busy making sure all the candles and towels were laid out, and then stood, hands clasped in front waiting for instruction.  Usually, they would bring the towel to the queen, helping her out of the bath once they finished.

“Please, leave us,” the queen spoke to the servants, and after glancing back and forth warily, they bowed and then left.

Nerissa watched how everyone acted around the queen.

“You’ve been very quiet.”

“Have I?” Nerissa’s hair was up in a bun, her horns and hair, without jewelry and it actually made her look very demure and gentle.  Her hair was so black like a raven, and her eyes were the deepest dark purple that almost looked red.  They sparkled and danced in the low lighting of the bath.

She gazed at the redheaded beauty, her hair also up in folds, thin red locks falling into the water, cascading like trellises filled with roses.  She looked like a queen, her beauty unmatched by anyone else she’d seen. Her eyes were also red, but they had this determination and strength deep within.

“I struggle with two sides - I question… if I should be here, but then, I can think of nowhere else I’d rather be.”

“It is a bit overwhelming.”  Elizabeth giggled, then blowing a bubble in the bath, and motorboating the water with her lips, like a child, which made Nerissa laugh.

“When I was little, I hated coming to this large bath.  It scared me.  I told my mum, ‘Ack, I’m going to drown.’  She batted me on my noggin, not harshly mind you, but told me, ‘Clean is clean’.”

She pursed her lips together.  “I never really got that.”

“Clean is clean?” Nerissa couldn’t help but start laughing, “I’m guessing there is a bigger meaning there.”

“No.  She was just telling me I’m a smelly bum and needed a bath.”

The two kept giggling, as they neared one another slowly until touching arm to arm.

“Stay by me this visit.  We won’t be here too long.”

“Did you remember to get the party to search for Gigi?”

“Yes, before coming to the bath, I issued an order to the Regent.  I honestly didn’t know where to start but was able to get Dooby to send me a map of the area her train passes.  It’s almost… too much area.”

“Should I try and find her?”

“I would rather leave and try to find her with them.  Honestly.”

“Maybe we should.  Maybe we should just leave and find her and go back to Holios and your Justice headquarters.”

“We will.” Elizabeth looked deeply into the demoness’s eyes, “this is my kingdom and these are my people.  I am responsible and I can’t derelict my duty.”

“I understand.”

“I must say, I haven’t seen any of my soldiers or staff in the castle.  It’s… something that has me concerned.”

“What do you mean?”

“I will watch and see.  Stay by me.  Just… my flame.  It’s just a feeling at times.  The oddest thing happened on the way to the castle, and maybe that has me on edge, like a warning.”

“Maybe we should leave?”

“Run?  Run from my kingdom?”

Nerissa nodded. 

“Maybe I am old-fashioned, but I can’t just run from my duty as queen.  I was away too long.  Tomorrow, I will walk the grounds.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“That will be nice.  I want to go into the town and listen and talk to my people.  I need to find out how they have been since my leaving.”

Nerissa held her hand, and they stared into one another’s eyes.  “You are truly a good queen.  I’m sorry if I seem like I don’t appreciate being treated like this, but I feel awkward.  Your Regent gives me the most detested looks.”

“Well, he’s an old bugger.”

They laughed, holding around one another. 

“There is no law of the kingdom I am breaking by seeing you.  My father was a very progressive man, and he never was one to have me betrothed or married off to anyone.  I make my own choices.”

“That’s good to know.”

Nerissa leaned up, kissing the queen gently on her lips.

The queen followed, kissing her back, and then they very carefully kissed, touching bodies close under the water, legs and breasts touching as they drew closer to one another.

Nerissa was kissing along every section of her neck, chest and breasts, her mouth warm, as her thigh went up and into her center. 

“This is nice.”

Their eyes met, and the queen’s lovely lips spread into a smile.

“I have an idea,” The queen’s eyes flashed naughtily.

“Oh yes, my queen.”

Then Elizabeth went underwater, which surprised Nerissa, but then she did something completely unexpected.

“OH MYYYYY….” Nerissa clamped a hand over her mouth, “mmmppphhhhh,” She wanted to squeeze her legs together, but the queen was pressing them apart.

She shivered, as she felt her licking up and into her with such gusto and flourishing, that she was about to scream, with each brush of the tongue.

She wouldn’t let up, and Nerissa was thrashing in the water.  Over and over, her tongue was moving, Nerissa gripped her hair, wanting to both pull her up, but keep her down in the water because it was amazing this feeling. She was coming harshly.

Again and again, she licked up, rotating her tongue, placing it lightly and then thrusting, and Nerissa couldn’t stop being on constant edge, both wanting it to stop but continue.

Elizabeth suddenly popped up out of the water, her mouth dripping wet.  Her hand gently cupping the demoness, rubbing gently, as she squeezed her legs together, holding her arm there.

“My, I almost drowned.”  Elizabeth laughed cheekily.  “Here have a taste, love” she kissed her, their tongues brushing up and into one another, and then she pulled away.

“You’re too silly, Liz.”  Her face was red, as she kept breathily, gulping for air.  “You’re both crazy and silly.”

“Is that anyway to speak to the queen?”

Her thighs were buzzing with orgasm.

“Oh, so sorry, your majesty, you are a silly queen.”

“Am I?”

The two couldn’t stop laughing.

“Oh, I’ve never climaxed like that before with an underwater thrashing.”

Their eyes met, as they truly stopped, the laughter slowing.

Each took in the other’s beauty, as they watched one another seeing the other.  Their eyes, both soft and shining off the water’s reflection of light.  Seeing their heart and soul, and that moment in time, that you realize a monumental truth.

“I…”  it was the demoness who spoke first, “…love you.”

But simultaneously the queen was also saying the words, her blue flame burning the brightest it had ever shown, “…love you, too.”

Their lips slowly met, kissing deeply with the full meaning behind the words. Their arms wrapped around the other, pulling close, like they could pull their bodies into the others. 

The passion they’d shared, was felt in each touch of one’s lip to the other.  Everything was slow, methodical, meaningful.

Their hands reached around one another’s head, tugging at their hair, pulling in closer, kissing more deeply.

“We should probably get dressed and get ready for this dinner,” Elizabeth said, her lips trailing along the demoness’s cheek, as she spoke.

“Yes, we probably should.”

“Stay by me this evening.  There will be the usual rigamarole with royalty, but I will be by your side.”

“I can hardly wait.”

“I can hardly wait, to see you in the lovely dress my ladies picked out for you.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes.  It’s very befitting for such a beautiful princess.”

“I’m not royalty.”

Elizabeth brushed her hand gently on her cheek, caressing.  “You are more than a princess - you’re someone I love.”

Nerissa was giddy and this feeling was unusual.  “I know that feeling, because I’m with someone I love also.”

Below the Red Mountain of the North

“Is it my turn?” Mococo grumbled.

“No.”  Fuwawa said, “I’m the oldest.”

“But you’ve carried her all this way.”

“Guys,” it was Shiori, “when we get to the next spot, Moco-chan needs to carry the gremlin.”

Biboo pushed at the rocks, making small steps for them, able to manipulate the rocks.

They were all dressed in thick coats, light gloves, and used ropes and pickaxes, as they made their way up the steep mountainside.

The rocks were mixed with ice and snow, and they had to tread carefully.

They had covered Gigi with a coat and then tied a thin special thermal blanket around her, and tied that around the twin, so that she was tucked close to her body at the back.  It was like a mom carrying her papoose baby.

Gigi was very out of it, and Shiori kept an eye on her, as her fever had spiked.

The gremlin probably needed more rest in a warm place, but they didn’t have time to stop.

The wind blew harshly, howling through the mountains, the snow brushing across the side.

“I hope it doesn’t snow,” Biboo didn’t like cold weather. 

“I see a good spot for us to make a small camp.  It will be dark soon.”

“Good idea, Shiori.”  Biboo again, manipulated rocks, making small steps for each member.  It was very tiring and took her full concentration so none would fall.

Once on the small precipice they gathered around one another.

“There’s a cave, let’s go in there and out of this wind,” Shiori pointed to a small opening in the side of the mountain, and they each walked in.

Shiori made a circle, making a small light and they followed her inside to an open area.

Biboo took out a lantern, and Shiori placed her hand on it, making it light.

“Let’s make a fire.” The leader pointed to Fuwawa and Mococo, “you guys, can you put down Gigi and then go out and get us some wood?”

“Yes ma’am,” they giggled, and then Mococo helped undo Gigi from Fuwawa’s back, and she placed her on the ground.

Biboo made a small bed, and she walked up to the small gremlin, pulling her to the bed, and trying to adjust her on top.  “Good thing you’re pretty small.” 

She did think the small gremlin was irresistibly cute.  She had unusual hair coloring and the longest eyelashes. She then started covering her with a light blanket, since her body was so hot, to keep her warm.  She made sure to tuck them under, and she couldn’t help but hug the little gremlin, hoping Shiori didn’t see. She was just too cute, and the twins weren’t the only ones who liked the gremlin plushies in Libestal.

Gigi started mumbling.  Her face was a deep red, her lips cracked and dry.

“She is burning up.”  Biboo felt her cheeks.  “Like, really boiling hot.” She actually sounded worried.

Shiori walked over, kneeling, placing the back of her hand against the gremlin’s forehead.  “We have to get her fever down.  This isn’t good.”

“So much trouble for this gremlin.”

“What do you suggest, Beebs?”

“I don’t know, throwing her off the mountain is an option.”  She laughed, her usual windshield wiper laugh.  “I’m kidding.  I’ll make some soup. Maybe we can get some down her.”

“I think that would help her out. Thanks, Beebs.”

Shiori looked in her pack, getting out a rag to place in some cool water and then rub her head and body, trying to bring down her fever.

“Ceci,” Gigi mumbled, moving her head back and forth, “Ceeeeeci,Ceci…Ceci…” she kept saying over and over, breathing hard, moving like she wanted to get up.

“Hey,” Shiori brushed aside her hair gently brushing her face with her hand.  “It’s okay.  You’re gonna be okay.”

The small gremlin looked like she was having a bad dream, and she kept mumbling and lightly thrashing on the ground, but Shiori’s touch seemed to calm her down a bit.

“We need to break this fever.”  She looked over at her tail, “I wonder if she has an infection developing.”  She undid the wrapping, looking over her tail.  “It looks fine.  It’s even started to grow back.”

“She’s saying Ceci.  Isn’t that the automaton’s name?”

“Yeah.”

“Why is she calling her?  You sure… she’s not calling her here to attack us?”

“I don’t think she’s calling her here.  She’s just… they were together at the hospital when we brought Nerissa and looked like they were close.  I think, maybe the automaton means something to her.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“That must be hard, her seeing her friend be taken over by Belthior.”

Biboo nodded, “yeah, that would suck if my friend was an evil demon like Belthior.”

“Our friend almost was…” Shiori lowered her eyes, again feeling the guilt of what she had done.

“Hey,” Biboo instantly sat beside Shiori.  “It will all be okay.  We’ll find the glyphs.”

“Yeah… yeah, of course.”

*****

Gigi stood across from Cecilia, who was sitting on the ground, holding her arms around her knees, rocking.

“Ceci?”

“I just want to go home.”

“Ceci?  I’m here.”

“I want to stop please.”  She was crying, her face tucked to her knees.  “I don’t want to see this anymore. Why can’t I leave this place?”

“Ceci, I’m right here.”

Why wasn’t she looking at her?  Gigi walked over, and then lowered on her haunches, trying to touch Ceci.

“Ceci?”

“Don’t touch me!  I can’t.  I’m a monster.”

“No… Ceci.” Gigi started crying.  “I’m right here.  Don’t you see me?”

“I can’t.  I can’t.”

“Please don’t cry.” Gigi kept trying to touch her and pull her to her, but each time, she was just out of reach.

“Ceci?” 

Why couldn’t she touch her?

“CECI?!?!?!” She kept yelling it over and over and over again.

She held out her hand, “take my hand, please!!!”

*****

“Hey,” Shiori was staring down at the gremlin.

She looked over where she was in a cave.  It was dark, but she saw the bright yellow eyes of the small witch who had been nice to her.

She was holding a small cloth to her head, continuously dipping it in a bowl, and wiping her face and body down.

“You’re having a bad dream.”

“I…I’m…” she glanced to the corner of the cave, hoping to see Cecilia there, and she wasn’t. She reached out.  “Where is she?”

“You’re delirious.  Your fever is really high, Gigi, look at me.”

“She… right there.”

She kept trying to get up, moving back and forth, holding her hand toward an invisible being.

The gremlin had one tear gathered at her eye.  It rolled slowly down her cheek.

“I’m sorry about your friend.”

Another tear fell.

“You have a really bad fever.  I have some liquid medicine - you need to take it and drink water.  It will help bring down your fever.”

“I… I’m too weak.”

“You’ll get stronger. Here.”

She held at the back of her head, lifting, so she could pour the medicine into her mouth.

“Too weak to save her.” Another tear fell.

“That’s why you need to get stronger.”  Again, she tried to pour the medicine into her mouth, and the gremlin finally did.

She then tried to give her water, holding her closely, “Come on, good girl.  This will help get your fever to go down.  Okay?”

The tears came slowly, and this was the type of crying that comes from a very deep pain.

Shiori looked back at the twins and Biboo, who all had these very sympathetic and sad expressions.

“This is very sad,” Mococo said, and Fuwawa nodded, “bau bau.”

Shiori grabbed the bowl of soup, hoping maybe the gremlin could drink a little.

Biboo stood up, “Hey guys, let’s get some sleep while we can.”

The twins nodded, and all started getting their beds ready, as Biboo stoked the fire. 

“We should probably take turns keeping watch.”

“Yeah, Beebs, I can go first.  I want to keep helping the gremlin.  Her fever needs to lower.”

“I know.  I can stay up with you.”

“Bau Bau,” the twins said, and Mococo added, “me and Fu-chan will take over in a few hours. Wake us up.”

“Yeah, two is better,” Fuwawa and Mococo both nodded in agreement.

“Sounds like a plan you two,” Shiori laughed lightly, and then said, “goodnight.”

They all said goodnight to one another. 

Biboo went to the opening of the cave, watching and listening.  It was just the sound of the wind, snow floating by in a constant pattern.  It would get very cold, and she wrapped her coat around herself.

She turned to look back at her friend, placing the cloth on the gremlin’s forehead, wiping it down, and then wiping along her neck and chest, trying to break the fever.

“I hope you get better soon, gremlin,” Biboo said to herself.  “Even I… would like that.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 21 – The Banquet and An Escape Plan

“My goodness, you are stunning.”

Nerissa stood, her jewelry throughout her hair and horns, and the dark blue dress, thin and fitting every curve, and low cut, showing off Nerissa’s beautiful assets on top. She had a black shawl just over her lovely shoulders.

The queen was speechless when she watched her walk into the room.

The Queen wore her full regal white knight’s suit, her blue flame vibrant and strong at the center, and her cape, her hair pulled back, and Thorn at her back.  It was quite a handsome royal display.

“You look ready for battle.” She moved close to the queen, “and absolutely handsome.  I want you to pick me up in your arms and carry me somewhere.”

“Over a threshold?”

Both became quiet at the sudden insinuation.  Elizabeth’s face turned bright red, as she blushed.  “I meant… you know, to a bedroom or something… anyway… let us be off.”

Nerissa snickered at how the queen grew flustered. She enjoyed it when Elizabeth was taken back, not so in control.  It was cute.

“I wanted to show my kingdom that I am still the knight queen and able to hold my own tonight.”

“Are you expecting a battle?”

“I am not quite sure.”

“Not quite… sure?” Nerissa was incredulous.  “What’s that mean?”

“It means I want to be prepared.  This is still the Bloodflame kingdom.  I am still the queen.”

The queen held out her arm, for Nerissa to take.  “Shall we?”

“Are you sure this is alright?”

“I realize, I want you on my arm for this dinner.”  She then seriously spoke, “whatever happens, stay by my side. Tonight’s banquet will be live for my people to watch, since I have returned.  It will all be on camera, so be sure to smile.”

Nerissa giggled, “seriously?”

The queen nodded, smiling coyly, planting a kiss on her cheek.  “It is with all these events.  It was incorporated a while ago, to make our people feel part of these functions, since we couldn’t possibly fit them all in the banquet hall.”

“Maybe I should put on a concert.”

“My goodness, you reminded me of that little ghost, your biggest fan.  I still wonder where she went off to.”

*****

The main dining hall had a long table at the front, the queen’s chair at the center.  Beside her would be Nerissa on one side and the Regent on the other.  Along the table would be other dignitaries, like the new Prime Minister of Libestal.  The council was there and high-ranked military in full regalia.

Many were in awe of the woman on the queen’s arm, truly one of the most beautiful creatures one had seen.  Her eyes sparkled with the demon blood, and her skin porcelain and unblemished, with the one beauty mark below her eye. 

They watched the queen enter, all bowing.

She pulled out the chair for Nerissa, seating her and then she sat, placing Thorn at the back of her seat, a place always set for her sword. 

The queen looked out at the council and then turned to the Regent, “Where is Regis Altare?”

“He stepped down.”

She continued looking over the council.  All the demons and a few others were not at the banquet.

“I see at least five of my council members gone.” She stared into the tired grey eyes of the Regent, “all stepped down?”

“Yes, they were very loyal and felt they no longer wanted to serve if you were gone.”

“And they couldn’t even make an appearance tonight?”

“It seems, not.”

She felt uneasy, knowing what was happening.  There were no demons and none who in the past remained loyal to her.

She then noted a group of soldiers on both sides of the hall.  These were not her royal brigade. She had not seen these soldiers before.  Quite a few, marched up to the back of the banquet room, as if holding the line, blocking the exits.  This was all very odd for a banquet.

She touched Nerissa’s thigh under the table and whispered.  “Stay with me.”

“Of course, why?”

“Just… I have a strange feeling about this banquet.”

She turned to her Regent.  “Regan, will I be poisoned tonight?”

He laughed, “of course not.”  He kept laughing, “what a silly thing, Elizabeth, I mean, your majesty.  I could have a royal taster come by.”

“Where is my brigade?”

“Out searching for your gremlin.  You did give that order.”

“I see, but my brigade is 2,000 strong.”

“Well, you did ask for as many as could be spared.”

“There is always a representation of at least 30 within this room during a banquet.”

“You seemed very attached to the gremlin, and so I wanted to make sure all your most trusted men were out trying to find her.” His eyes lowered, as if showing empathy, “I would do anything to fulfill your wishes, Elizabeth.”

The string quartet began playing, as the servers brought out the food.  The Regent stood, holding his glass out to the guests, and then toward the queen, bowing.  “To our beautiful queen’s return, the Bloodflame Kingdom’s flame may it always burn bright.”

“Here, here,” a few shouted.

All raising their glasses.

All stood, and the queen sat, raising her glass, with a “thank you” toward the Regent.

She looked over at the camera, since they were recording the banquet on live feed for the country to watch, since not all could attend.

In fact, she realized, unlike in the past, this banquet was only those close to the advisor and visiting dignitaries, and the higher-ranking military and officials.

The queen then stood, looking out to the group.

“Please, I want to say something to my kingdom. Our kingdom.  A kingdom that believes all our citizens deserve the rights and freedom to thrive in our country.  In that legacy, I am very proud to be your queen. It is what keeps my flame burning bright. The people of this country have always fed my flame.  Your love.  Your goodness.  Your strength.

“I have been away for much too long.  Much can change in a world in only six months.  Children can be born.  Death can take those we love, in that,” she became very serious, her eyes moist, “we remember Herefordshire’s Landing and Biltmore, who should not have such loss. 

“In six months, so much can happen that make us question… sadness can overwhelm one.

“But in these six months we can also find reasons to rejoice. 

“Young lovers can be married.  Old ones will see their grandchildren walk and smile for the first time.  Words can be spoken that can break through a cold heart. Even views… can change because of circumstances. 

“A person can lose their way, but then another can find their way.  What matters is that those values, those core things that make up honor, justice, goodness, cannot change.

“Life goes on.  But my flame,” she glanced down at the Regent, “will always burn brightly as long as I live. That is because of justice, truth and honor that runs through the Bloodflame kingdom.   I will protect my kingdom.  Of any evil or interest outside of what is best for our people.  My heart and soul are true to those of my country.

“May OUR FLAME burn forever brightly.”

Some in the gallery chattered among themselves.

She held up her glass, “to the people of our country, may we all burn brightly for one another.  Always,” she smiled sincerely, “always, be there for another.”

The Regent slowly clapped, and the others followed, as the queen sat.

Nerissa whispered to her, “that was kind of awesome.”

“Was it?”

The two smiled toward one another.

“Eat up,” the Regent said, laughing.  “Very nice speech, your majesty.  Very nice indeed.”

“I meant what was said.”  She stared into the Regent’s eyes, “I will not let evil enter our kingdom.”

“I see.”  He tugged at his collar, a move the queen realized was always a sign of him saying one thing but doing another.

They all ate the beautifully presented meat, potatoes and vegetables in front.  She realized the chef had made all her favorite foods.  It warmed her heart.

The music played in the background, and as they finished the meal, servants came by to remove plates.

“Nerissa,” Elizabeth said, “would you please sing a song for our guests?”

“Me?” she blushed, but then instantly ready to stand, “if you insist.”

The queen stood, waving her hand to the crowd.  “We have a treat tonight.  My guest and friend, the Sound Demon, Nerissa Ravencroft, a well-known recording artist in the human realms, as I’ve been told, is going to sing us a song.”

All clapped, as Nerissa pushed from her seat to go to where the musicians were at.

She glanced at Elizabeth and then at the cameras, giving a wink.

“This is dedicated to my friend, Lady Bloodflame.  Truly one of the kindest and best of people I have ever met in my long life.  And that is saying something because… I’ve lived a really long time.”

Some chortled in the room, and she was lively, able to present and entertain in front of an audience.

She whispered to the band telling them what to play.  The band began playing, and her voice lifted over the crowd, hushed in awe and silence.  And then in a jazzy pop, she sang, “Stay with Me.”  The words Elizabeth said to her as they sat.  

And she called me silly….

Outside of the banquet hall, the people began listening closely, moving and dancing in the streets.  The Sound Demon had a gift, and she was using it to influence a more positive presence.

When she finished, cheers and claps were heard even in the hall, and then she waved, “Please, my queen, come up and let us sing this next song together.  A gift,” she smiled warmly, “to the people of your country.”

Everyone cheered, and the Regent became dour, as everyone stood, listening to the queen smiling and singing with her demon lover.  There was no animosity, and it lifted the hearts of her people in a way he didn’t expect.

When it was over, everyone stood, clapping and cheering.

“Thank you, Nerissa, this was so much fun.  I hope our people truly enjoyed this impromptu concert. My croaking included.”

“Never.” Nerissa waved to the audience, “she was quite wonderful, wasn’t she?”

Everyone clapped and cheered, being prompted by Nerissa.

The people were yelling encore, but the queen bowed, “Well, I think Nerissa should give us one more lovely song before we open the hall to the people to come in and enjoy dessert.”  She looked to her cook, McVoy, “is that possible, dear cook?”

His face lit up, he yelled across the room, “YES, your majesty.”

The Regent again grabbed his collar uncomfortably.  One of his soldiers walked up, whispering to him and he waved at him, causing the soldier to leave.  He turned and left back to the line.

None of this passed the queen’s attention. What are you up to, Regan?

As the night wore on, the people were smiling and talking among themselves, and approaching the queen, who made herself available, along with Nerissa, who was being inundated with those who wanted her autograph.

Soon a line was formed, and Elizabeth was introducing the Sound Demon to those like Princess Chibidoki, a pink-hair dragon borne, who was so small she sat on the shoulder of her envoy, Nagzz.  She had wild eyes that went in every direction.  It was an odd tic she had.

There was Prince Rin Penrose, she was a Prince in a further fantasy realm, and Princess Himemiya Rie of the PhaseLands. 

Behind was Princess Pekora, her servant Vivi being constantly scolded, behind her.

Elizabeth pointed out others to Nerissa.

MiComet, a pair of well-known ateliers in NiHolo Provinces, dressed beautifully, one with short blue hair, strikingly beautiful, and the other with short red hair, looking playful beside her possible girlfriend.  They were quite powerful in their area of the world.

She walked by the table, Nerissa on her arm, as Matara Kan, the ruler of a small island, sat with her ex, a literal brick.  Nobody asked questions, but she was somewhat delusional.

“You both look so lovely, dears.”

“Thank you, Matara, you are looking as beautiful as always.  How is Bricky doing?”

“Oh,” she patted the brick on the table, “he’s been rather quiet.”

Nerissa wanted to snicker, break out in laughter, but she smiled graciously instead.

She whispered to Elizabeth as they walked away.  “She’s dressed in military gear.”

“She also thinks she is a powerful warlord from her island of 300.  It’s best not to ask questions.”

After meeting a few of the visiting dignitaries Elizabeth, with Nerissa, walked back to the stage.

“Please, everyone, enjoy the music, and dance to your heart’s content.”

The music slowed, and out in the courtyard, old and young were dancing.  The queen took Nerissa’s hand, “Follow me to the courtyard.”

“I will follow you anywhere.”

“Let us dance under the moonlight.”

“Of course, my queen.”

Among all the people dancing, they joined.  The trees swayed in the gentle breeze and the gardens were lit by small lights, and the sky was clear.  It was the most beautiful night.

People passed by on and off greeting the queen, and she would be gracious, dancing with her date.

“Your gift of sound has done wonders.  I knew it would.”

“This is more than an effect of my demon of sound vocals, this is because of you.  You make your people feel like they belong and are worthy.  This,” she pointed out to the crowd, “your kingdom, your majesty.”

She held around her lover, hugging, and swaying as the music played.  Her flame burned extremely bright that evening. 

They held so close, dancing, as if the music played for only them.

Nerissa felt the warmth, and there was an unusual warmth, deep inside her soul, when she was near the flame of the queen.  The more time they were together, it seemed the more… warmly familiar it felt, as if it was entering her own soul. 

As if the blue flame… had become part of her.

The little girl and her father watched from their window above the courtyard.  She smiled.  “Hasturazul, that blue flame is an amazing thing.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“I really want it, but I am almost sad to obtain it.  It is not like a tail from the gremlin.  That was necessary. This is a flame that has both good and evil within.  Interesting.”

“I agree.”

“But I also… I am curious to watch what unfolds.”

“Hmm, yes those two are quite interesting.”

“A demon and a queen.  Such an odd pair.”  She stared, watching the flame closely.  “Yes, it is a very unusual pairing.  Very, very unusual.”

The little girl turned walking to the bed.  “I am tired.  It seems tomorrow will be a better day.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“You meet the Regent - I want to sleep.”

“Yes, I will do that.”

“I hate to talk to those that waste my presence.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“That gremlin.”

“Yes?”

“She was very trusting, wasn’t she?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Such an odd little thing – almost admirable.”  Then thoughtfully, “she still lives.  Amazing fortitude, wouldn’t you say?”

The tall blonde man nodded, considering how the entity spoke.

“These Justice ones, they are all… very different.  Perhaps, I should see the cat.  She does have a tail.”

“If you would like.”

She fluffed her pillow.  “I really would rather not, however.  She is with that Phoenix, whom I respect, she did kill off half a world.  I want to stay and watch the queen and her demon.  They interest me.  I don’t… know what it is about those two.”

“They are amazingly beautiful creatures.”

“Hmm, perhaps.”  The little girl laughed.  “Perhaps, I would like to take another form and speak to the Demon of Sound and the queen separately.  I want to know what it is they share.  What is this love they have.”

He grinned.  “I am glad you are enjoying your visit to this plane.”

*****

The Regent walked into the back of the castle, his military leader keeping up.  He stomped along the stone floor loudly.  “Follow me.”

They walked into his library.

“We are ready to move, sir.  We can take her and the demon.”

“We will wait until the morning,” he slammed his hand on his desk.  “She is a sly one, that queen.  Just like her father.  This evening is for the queen.  Let her enjoy one more night.”

His jaw tightened, angry.

“Yes, sir,” he bowed “we await your order,” and left.

“Yes, Elizabeth,” The Regent stared down at a box, opening it. There was a crown inside.  He smiled to himself. “You get one more night, with that demon.”

The door opened, and he closed his box, ready to answer the military leader, but in walked Axel Hastur.

“Oh, it’s you.”

“Our lord and I were surprised to see the queen and her demon dancing tonight, rather than being hauled out in chains and to your prison.” He chuckled, almost mocking.

“It did not work out as I planned.”

“I am wondering what other things will not work out as you plan.”

“Merely a hiccup.”

“The automaton is erratic and Libestal is wanting to wake the dragons.  Belthior is very unstable.  Will you be bombing anyone soon?  Were all those weapons and gadgets a waste? You can’t even seem to take down your queen.”

The Regent was moving things on his desk angrily, and then yelled, “What would you like me to do?!”

In an instant the tell blonde-haired man was in front of the Regent, his face no longer human, but a group of small squirming snakes, some with eyes and others sharp-ended like knives, standing another foot taller over the older man.  His body was more shaped like a long lizard, but with three mouths at the center.

The Regent cowered, falling to his chair.

“You wanted power.” The voice was of multiple deities speaking at once, “Do you even deserve it?”

“I am sorry, my lords.”

“You are boring us.  Tomorrow, please be more entertaining.”

“I promise, you will be pleased.”

“Promises.  Be careful with those.  We always collect on those.”

“Her head will be gone by the end of the week.  I assure you.  Her head will be yours.  She is a traitor to her country.”

“If not,” The yellow-haired man stood at the door, back to the shape of a man, “it will be your head.”

The Regent slumped into his chair, and then his eyes, steely and dark, hatred growing toward the queen.

The D Train

Calliope stood behind the conductor, her blonde hair a mix of sweat and soot, as she kept placing coal into the bin.

“Want me to help?”

“No, I’m used to this.  I’m getting muscles with this new gig.”

“You are. Wow, so buff.”

“Are you mocking me?” she giggled, glancing to her old friend.

“Oh no, I would never do such a thing.”

“It’s nice to see you finally smile.”

“I feel guilty if I do.  Gigi could be out there.”  She looked out to the horizon, seeing how the colors were lighter, meaning the sun was coming up.  “We’ve covered so much ground.  Where do we start to look?”

“In that, we have to be smart and calculated, so we don’t waste time.”

“She could be hurt or scared.  It’s been more than 24 hours. Elizabeth told me not to take her, and I didn’t listen.  She said she should rest.  The doctor said she should rest for a few days.  I was selfish – just wanting to be around her.”

“You sound like you really like her.”

“Yeah, I do.  It’s like, not romantically.  It’s just… she’s like someone that makes me feel happy.”

“It’s been a while since you’ve really let yourself just be happy, Calli.”

“Maybe. She’d be safe on the Island of Holios healing as she should, rather than who knows where.  I just know, whatever happened to her wasn’t something she wanted to happen.  She wouldn’t just leave.”

The train was continually making weird noises.  It was a bumpier ride than on the way to Great Exardia.

“My train doesn’t sound so good, ever since…” and then she thought over the strange encounter with the little girl.  “It’s just weird.  Did that father and his kid seem weird to you?”

“Very.”

Dooby scratched at her forehead, black soot staining across her brow.

Calliope walked up, pulling up a rag, wiping her head.  “You’re a mess, you know that?”

“Still the dad.”

“I almost can’t help it.”

“We need to stop outside Libestal.  My mechanic-slash-blacksmith is there. She makes all the parts for this train.”

“But what about Gigi?”

“Oh, this will help.  I’m going to look over where you think she might have fallen.  I need to get some readings on the train, weight differentials and times.  I want to get an idea when exactly on my route, she left the train. I’ve already got a sample of the blood you and Nerissa found on the side of the train, and then I’ll measure and check on the dent you said you saw.  My lab is there, on the edge of Libestal. You might forget, but I was a pretty good detective at one time.”

“I remember.” 

“When you shoot an arrow, it is better to aim at the center with your eyes open, than simply shoot with your eyes closed and hope it lands on the target itself.” The jerboa conductor winked, her cute dimple creasing.  “We will find Gigi.”

Libestalia Northern Mines Camp

Mint looked out from her cell, looking over the hot box at the center of the quarry.  It was difficult for her to sleep all night, worried over her friend being there since yesterday morning. 

Dusk was just at its cusp, and then she saw the guards walk up to it.  She grabbed the bars, pulling herself up to look at the guards, unlocking the hot box.

“Doki?”

They went inside and then pulled her friend out.  Holding her up with both arms, they dragged her away.

“What are they doing?”

She wanted to yell, but she heard Doki talking in her head, “don’t be dumb and keep your mouth shut.”  Yeah, she knew that’s what the bounty hunter would say.

She kept watching until they took her out of sight.  She pulled herself up on the bars, trying to see where she went, tiptoeing on the bed.

The yellow-haired bird girl was nowhere to be seen. 

She fell back against her bed. 

“Idiot.”  She wiped across her eyes.  “Man, I hate her so much,” she was talking to herself, half crying, “but I don’t’ hate her at all…” and she hated that she felt this way.  “I wish I could just become a ghost again.  This corporeal stuff isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.”

Her hands were already looking calloused.  They made her dig for the smaller gems, since she was small and sent her into really small holes in the side of the mountain, and she hated it.  She had to do that all day yesterday and then she couldn’t really eat the slop they gave her, so she gave it to Oga and his friends.

“This is my future.”  She gazed up at the top of the cell.  “Hey, goddess of the stars.  Do you think you could do me another favor?”

No answer.

She suddenly heard walking and a strange dragging sound.

She sat up.

Her eyes widened, as she saw what was being dragged.

“Back away from the door, prisoner.”

She stayed sitting, and then they opened the door, threw Doki into the cell, and then simply left.

Mint within an instant ran and fell to the ground, holding around her friend, pulling her to her lap. “Doki? Doki, can you hear me?”

She groaned.  “Water, water.”

“I…” she glanced across the room and there was a water bottle with a little left, so she brought it up to her lips.

She poured it down her throat, and half fell off the sides, as her hand shook.

“Hey,” Doki smiled and then snickered, “it was really hot there.”

“You idiot!” she smacked her on the arm, then adjusted her to her lap.

“Hey,” and she felt the tear fall onto her face.  “I’m okay.”

“I don’t like it here.”

“Yeah, I’m not enjoying it too much either.”

Mint sniffed up her tears.  She wiped across her eyes and nose.  “Hey, I did make some new friends.  You can meet them tomorrow.”

“Cool.”

“I think they can help us get out of here.”

“Cool.”

“And then… I think I built up a little muscle.” She held up her arm, flexing.  “Can you see it?”

“Cool.”

“Stop just saying cool!”

“Cool.”

“I am going to hit you.”

“Cool.” And then she couldn’t keep from laughing.  “I’m sorry Mint, but I love seeing you make that funny face, where you puff up your cheeks.”

Mint wanted to be angry. But she giggled and then made the face, fish lips and all.

Doki kept laughing.

“You really are an idiot.  I don’t know why I care about you.”

“You care about me?”

“Well… yeah.”

Doki could see Mint hadn’t let her go, and was holding around her shoulders, keeping her in her arms, letting her rest on her lap.

“I could just sleep her.”

“On my lap?”

“Yeah, it’s very comfy.”

Mint brushed across the blond locks of the bounty hunter. “It would hurt my legs because your head is very fat and heavy with your ego.”

Doki kept laughing.

She lifted a hand to the ghosts’ cheek and then poked it.

“Can you get up now?  Are you strong enough?”

“No, I’m not sure I can move.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Doki stared up into the beautiful aquamarine eyes of the smaller girl.

“Can you help me up?”

“There’s only one bed here.”  Mint looked over.  “You should sleep on it.”

“We can lay on it together.  You and I are both kind of small.”

“Yeah.  I can’t believe you took all those guys on.  That was kind of cool.”

“You think so?” Doki giggled, “what can I say, I’m impressive.”

“Shut up, you’re an idiot but you do know how to aim and shoot.”

Doki laughed again.

“They won’t touch you tomorrow.  My new friends, Oga, and Regis, and the others, will help us out and they’re really big and strong demons.  Some are from Great Exardia.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I think,” she moved closer to Doki whispering, “I think something is going on in Great Exardia, so I really need to get out of here, and tell the queen that secret intel.”

Her lips were right above Doki’s as she spoke, and then she stared down, realizing how close she was to Doki.

Both of their hearts seemed to skip a beat.

“Um,”

Both stared up into the other’s eyes.

“You have cool eyes,” Doki said.

“You think?  You do too.  I even like your red crosshair eye.”

“It’s a nice eye to have.”

“Must come in handy.”

“Yeah.”

“Cool.”

Their lips were inches away from the other.

And then the corridors lights went on.

It was already time for them to go back out and work.

“Oh wow,” Mint pulled back from Doki.  “Looks like they want us all to wake up.”

“Yeah, that sucks.”

Both considered how close they came to kissing, but neither would say anything to the other. They were just good friends, after all.  Right?  That’s what they kept telling themselves. 

“I’ll tell them you can’t go out there. You just got out of the hot box.”

“Please don’t.  I don’t want to go back in that not pleasant sauna.”

“Okay.  I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

“Keep your mouth shut and head down.”

“Got it.”

The guards came to the cell as it opened, placing their wrist and ankle bracelets on.

“Hey Dookibird, how’d you like the hot box?” the guard laughed.

“I feel my pores opening.  It was a five-star hotel experience.  I used to pay good money for that kind of a sauna.”

They laughed at her, and she also laughed.

“Yeah, you two should try it sometime.  Just saying, dudes.”

They kept laughing.

Mint could see that she was already making the guards feel more at ease. There was just something about Doki that always gave her a little edge with the boys.  She never got it.  But it also made Doki, unfortunately, kind of cute to her as well.  Like some weird mix of tomboy dork.

They walked out to the food area, the sun just cresting the horizon, making the walls of the quarry a dark shadow over most of the grounds.

“Man, I’m starved,” Doki looked over the food.

“Ew, it all looks disgusting.”

“Eat. You need to keep up your strength now that you have a corporeal body.”

“Okay, mom.”

They waited in line, and then Doki was handed a water bottle.  She turned and looked up.  It was a really big demon with one horn.

“Yo, thanks.”

“Your Minto’s friend.”

“Oh hey,” Minto animated, “this is my friend, Oga.”

“Oh hi.”

“Hello.  Grab your grub and then come join us over there.”  He pointed to a group of maybe seven guys.

“Okay,” Mint was super happy.

The two got their plates and then walked to the table with Oga.

“Glad to see you got out of the hot box,” the large demon said.

“Yeah, it definitely lived up to its name.” She laughed.

“Have a seat ladies.” A blue haired gentleman pulled out the bench. 

Mint nodded, “Thank you, kind sir.”

“I am Regis Altare, demon lord in these parts.  I was on Lady Bloodflame’s council and envoy to the demon realms, but… I was suddenly arrested and placed here with Axel.”

“Really?” Mint’s eyes grew wide, and it looked so cute a few said, “awwww.”

Oga continued introducing, “Well you know Regis, and that there is his best bud, Axel.”

“I am not his best bud.”

“Don’t lie, Axey, ma boy.”

“Shut up, Reeg.”

Doki started laughing, along with the others.  “Yo, Axel.”

“I knew it was you.”

She and him fist-bumped.  “Long time no see.”

“Indeed, bro.”

A blond-haired guy waved, “I’m Goldbullet, call me Goldie, and this is Shinri…”

“Doki?” Shinri had a very serious look, “I hear you are a very good shot.”

“I never miss.”

“Neither do I,” Shinri said, his hair in a high ponytail.

“Yeah, I’ve heard about your sniper skills.  Impressive.”

“Thanks.”

“And Goldie, I know of you too.”

“I always tell these guys I’m popular,” Goldbullet winked at Mint, who blushed.

Oga continued, “Goldie is why you are out of the hotbox, by the way. He’s very influential.”

To Mint, Goldbullet held her hand, kissing it gently, “You’re so cute.  I wanna put you in my pocket – not literally though that would be creepy.”

She giggled, blushing, “Oh wow.”

They were all enamored watching the small ghost girl.

“And then there’s Octavio, Crimson, Jurard, but don’t mind him, he’s a professional asshole just because he’s a dinosaur animas type, pardon my French.”

They all kept laughing.

“Yeah, he and Crimson are trying to figure out which one is worse.”

“Shut the fuuuu… up.”

The guards walked by and they all smiled, nodding.

“Yeah, those little Libestal guards feel pretty powerful right now.”  Crimson grabbed at his dampener, “man, once this is off, I’m going axing!”

Doki looked back and saw that Grox and his gang were staring at her.

“Man, what’s his problem,” Axel said.  “He got a crush on you, Doki?”

They all laughed, again.

“Nah, because of me he lost like a million dollars or something.  Made him kind of mad. But then, he still has like millions more, but he always took it so personally.”

“Yes,” Regis told them, “He is very influential around the eastern demon realms, gangsters and such.  He is partly vampire.  He’s probably got a few of these guards on his payroll.  So, tread lightly.”

“They have vampires?” Mint asked.

“Oh yes, in fact, Crimson, don’t you have a touch of vamp blood?”

“Eh, maybe on my mom’s side.  She was a bit of a… whore-ific woman.”

“Yo, ladies present, yeesh,” Octavio smacked him on the head.  “See what I deal with in our Armis brotherhood.  We are members of the demon realm branch of Great Exardia’s council.”

He growled.  “Don’t touch the hair!”

“Yeah,” Jurard grinned, with very large fangs.  “He spent hours in front of the mirror this morning.”

“Shut the fuck up, dino!”

The guards walked by again.

Soon, they were all sharing family history and chatting before having to head to the mines, but Oga squashed the talk, and they gathered in a circle.

“Look, we have been thinking over a plan to get these dampeners off.  They are controlled in the main building.”  He pointed to the tower on the north side.  “Amazingly, we needed someone super small, like a midget small, under five feet and as you can see, none of us are under six.”

“There is a small vent system,” Regis added, “that was part of the blueprints my company actually designed.”

“Impressive,” Doki laughed.

“I do know this place quite well, something these knot heads would never realize since I helped build this hundreds of years ago.”

“Yeah,” Oga finished, “You can see, this small space was impossible for us, but now we have this little one…”

They all turned and looked down at Minto, making faces while she bit into the slop, spitting it into her napkin, talking to herself, “Ugh, this stuff is disgusting.  Dis…scust…tiiinnngg.” And then she looked up.

She glanced up, as they all stared down at her.

“What?” She wiped at her face.  “What?”

“I see,” Doki laughed.  “She’s def small enough.”

“We get these dampeners off, break into where they keep our special weapons, and then break out of here.”

“It’s like she’s our little godsend,” Goldbullet said.  “Eh guys?”

They all nodded, smiling down at Minto.

She kept wiping her face with the napkin, since she was so concentrated in pulling weird stuff out of her food.  “What? What?!  Do I have something on my face?!”

Doki patted her shoulder, “Yeah, she’s perfect for the job.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 22 – Detective Demon

Nerissa stared at the long red lashes of the queen as she slept. They made love, and she fell asleep, after such a big night.

She told her about her suspicions of the girl and her father, and Liz told her they’d keep an eye on them.

They spoke for a while, and she told her she knew the Regent was planning a coup.  But they were able to stop it.  However, she said they needed to be on guard in the morning.  He will most definitely make a move. 

Since everyone was so busy with the banquet, her planned meeting with the dignitaries and council was postponed to this morning at 9am.  She would meet the new Prime Minister of Libestal, and her council with the Regent as planned. 

She told Nerissa it would be best if she didn’t attend, plus it would be boring.

Nerissa said she might want to go into the town and check out that bakery with the delicious bread, and then maybe she could meet her there for a coffee or something.  Sounded like a plan.

But in the demonesses’ mind, the entire time, she didn’t like the fact the Regent was going to try a hostile takeover of the throne.  She would find way to put a stop to it.

She moved slowly, pulling away from the queen, setting her arm aside, as it laid over her stomach.

“You’re so beautiful, my queen.”  She smiled, kissing her forehead, before leaving the bed.

She slipped on some sweats and a T-shirt, with a light jacket. 

She made her way out of the room, walking carefully down the corridor and to the area she knew the dungeons were located.  She figured that if this group of staff were missing, she hoped they weren’t in the dungeons, but then if she was an evil villain, that’s where she’d keep them, so she was going on a hunch.

Nerissa hugged the wall as she walked down the steps. 

Two guards were chatting, and so she backed against the wall, carefully looking over, and saw them, and then when they walked away, she entered the other corridor and went further inside the jails.

“Man,” she quietly said, “this place is huge.”

She then heard more voices.  She quietly snuck to one cell, peeking inside. 

She looked right and left, and then whispered, “Hello?”

“Yes?”

She looked inside, and there was one who walked up.  “You’re not a guard.”

“No, I’m a friend of the queens.  I’m doing a little investigation.”

“The queen?  She is gone.”

“She’s here.”

“Tell her please save us.”

“Who are you?”

“I am Floral.  She will know who I am. I was her first lady.”

“Please,” another spoke, “get us out of here.”

“Okay. Ssh.”

Nerissa looked over the area. 

“Look,” She spoke through the cell grate, “I will make sure I tell the queen, and she will come back for you.  I promise.  Right now, I must go and report what I found.”

“Please don’t,” one yelled from inside.

“Ssh.”

They were making too much noise.

Nerissa had to run and hide behind a wall, when she heard the guards walking down the corridor.

“Where’d you go?” They were yelling, but another was telling them to be quiet.

Nerissa sat on her haunches, looking over another way out.  She saw an open door and went in that direction.

There were more steps, and so she kept walking.

“Where does this lead?”

It was lower and lower, maybe three more levels and then she came to another corridor.  She walked down, and saw another cell, slightly larger, sets of shackles, looking barbaric, and then another door.

She walked over to the door, opening it slowly.

She walked inside and saw a room lit with two sconces and a desk.  She walked over, this feeling unlike any she’d felt in a while.  Maybe… thousands of years ago.  It was both familiar, yet ancient.  

At the center of the room there was a book.  Digging through her memories of first knowing life, she recognized the hieroglyphic writing. Unusual, but she recognized it was in an ancient language of long lost gods. 

She looked down at it.  She then spun around, looking over the circle at the center of the room.

She knew what this was, as she lowered and looked over the writing, how the lines connected toward the center.

“Summoning,” she said quietly.  “What did they summon?”

Instantly she stood.  This was dark stuff.  This was the type of ancient summoning that was done before she was created.

This was the type of stuff that should never be brought up again.

And now she realized who the father and daughter were, and she was scared to even think of the name.  They were to be unspoken, or terrible things could happen, just at the mere mention of their names.

“What a fool,” she thought to herself, “if that Regent summoned these.  How could he be so foolish? They always collect payment.” 

She ran out of the room, closing the door.  She had to tell the queen.

When she walked into the corridor, it was no longer a corridor, and she was out in the courtyard.  The moon was lowering, as it was around three in the morning.

“Oh no.”  Her heart sunk into her chest, and she felt fear that she hadn’t felt in ages. 

It was so palpable, her chest rose and fell, her breath being caught in fear.

She turned and there was a man of silver hair and thin lips with heterochromia.  He might be considered handsome.  Tall, dark, and a very expressive grin.

“You have questions,” he said.

“No, I’m just going for a walk on this lovely night.” She laughed nervously, “I best be going.”

He smiled.  His eyes were two different colors, one dark purple and the other red.  He stepped up to her, his gaze, as if examining her from head to toe.

“You are even lovelier up close. You were created to be tempting in every way.  I’d say your creator did a good job in creating you.”

“Thank you… I should go.”

“Say my name.”

She placed her hand over her mouth, swallowing much louder than she hoped.  “I really should go.”

“Back to the bed of the queen?”

“I’m sorry,” she spoke quickly, “I’m not trying to mess up whatever plan you have here.  I just want to go back to the queen, and I won’t tell her anything.  I’ll talk her into leaving this place.  We will go as far as possible from here.”

“No, you will not, demon of sound.”

Her heart was racing.  This was an Evil One that was way more powerful than she was, and she knew this, and she was terrified because of what he could do.

She could be locked away for thousands of years once again. Being the plaything of the archdemons and lords of the underworld. Made to sing hours and hours in the dark, chained in a cage.

But the thing that hurt her the most was the possibility she’d never get to see her beautiful queen again.  And that caused her to feel the deepest pain in her chest.

He placed a hand outward, “Please, come with me.  Don’t be afraid. Walk with me.”

“I am.”  She was nearly crying.  “I am so very afraid.”

“I know.  You know who I am.  I will let you go back to your queen.”

“How can, I be sure?”

“You have something.  Something inside you now.  It’s unusual for a demon.  I want to look inside you and see it.  I want to feel it.  I want to know what it is.”

“How?  I don’t understand… I…”

“Come with me.”

She followed him tenuously, as he looked over the courtyard gardens. She had danced earlier with the queen on these lovely grounds.  She wanted to hold that memory and not be in this present place with him.

“I’m so afraid,” she said quietly, her voice shaking.  At any moment he could end her.

“Do you think I would lie?”

“I don’t know.”

He smiled, laughing lightly. 

“I don’t need to lie, like humans and those who live in this world.  They lie constantly. To themselves. To others. To the void, hah.  And why?  Because they are scared.” His eyes glanced to her, “You are scared.”

“Very.”

“And you are honest.  I’m glad you are not trying to puff out your chest in false bravado.  I find that tiring.  You and I both know I can remove your head before your next breath.”

He could hear her breathing, and then he looked her up and down. She was shaking. 

She was suddenly in a thin black negligee with small slippers on her feet.

Instantly, she wrapped her arms around herself.

“Better.  A beauty like yours should be seen.”

Her chest rose and fell, and she wanted to run.

Suddenly, he had a beautiful black cape, long with feathers at the top.  He placed it over her shoulders.  “There, you don’t want to get cold.”

His closeness made her constantly shiver, and she tried hard to stop this deep pitted fear.

He slowly touched around her shoulders, tightening and buttoning it at the front, making sure it was snug, and she stood there, terrified.

“You are shaking so much.  You must be so very cold.”  His eyes stared deeply into hers.

“Wh…why… why are you talking to me?”

“I want to.  Most want to talk to beautiful women.  Like you.” He winked.  “All those years you came to Great Exardia to simply take one look at your beautiful queen.  I’d say… since she was a young adult, you started coming to watch her – hopeful to catch her attention.  Odd how you fell in love with her from afar, and now you are living your dream.”

She found it hard to speak.

“I know many things.  You are so afraid of waking from this dream.  Do you think I want to take away your dream?”

“Listening now, I realize I am pathetic.”

“She saw something in you too.  She looked forward to your visits.  Funny how humans and the like hide and don’t just talk.  So much fear in this world.  It is why I am.”

Her eyes wanted to look anywhere but at him, but she feared looking away and making him upset.  Her throat moved, as she swallowed.

He finally moved away from standing in front of her.

“I have no need to lie like a mere mortal creature. I exist outside this plane, but when I come here – in this case was summoned – I get bored.  All are the same. All want power and prestige.  All want what they deem others have.  All want and covet, like a bunch of small creatures that they are.  Greedy horrible things.  You see it too.

“They summon because they think I will give them this.  It never ends well for one whose whole existence is for money or power.  That never ends well.

“And then we saw your queen that you love with even more concern than your own life.”  He leaned toward her, “Would you give your life for her?”

“I…” she thought over Elizabeth and moments of them together, “Yes, I would.”

He pulled back. “I told my fellow One, now these are interesting creatures.  Not this Regent – he is the most boring power-hungry man.”

“Is he going to hurt Elizabeth?” she asked.

“That’s up to you and your queen.  You both are strong.  But I want to tell you, I will not interfere.  She could die.  She could live.  I will not interfere.”

“You will let me leave?”

“No.  We are having a nice chat.”  For the first time, his smile left.

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m outside all this life that you take very seriously.  To me, it’s like I’m reading a nice book, I guess in your more human terms.  You two have a book I’m finding hard to put down.”

“Did you hurt Gigi?”

“Yes.” He smiled again. “I cut off her tail.”

“What?!”

“It was a nice tail.  Believe it or not, she has a one-of-a-kind tail.  No other gremlin has one like hers.  There is a reason for that.  And it grows back.”

He took her hand in his, touching it, feeling it, and then held it.  She desperately wanted to pull it away, but she didn’t dare offend him.

“You see, her tail when it’s chopped off grows back.  And when it grows back it makes her stronger.  Not even she knows this.”

“You wanted her to be stronger?”

“I wanted her to have a chance because I am playing a game in this realm.  I want to have all of the pawns, or” he laughed, “maybe I shouldn’t say that.  It might offend you – to know you are merely a pawn in this game.”

“Me?  I’m probably more terrified of offending you.”

He laughed again, stopping to stare into her eyes.  “I can see you are a smart demon.  I like that despite your terror – don’t think I don’t notice – you are still yourself.  You understand.  You understand that with one thought I can tear you into little pieces, and your queen, and make you both watch it happen to the other.”  He said slowly, “piece… by… piece.”

A tear fell from her eye.

“You are so lovely, Nerissa Ravencroft.  I could easily have you.  And you couldn’t do a thing.  You know that, correct?  I could hide you away, keep you for eternity, just for my own pleasure. An immortality that would make you go mad to merely have it end.  I have made others go mad.  My other one with me, now he loves to watch others go mad.  But even that gets tiring.”

She shook her head slowly, and now crying.  “Please….”

“I said I could… not that I would.”

She felt it was hard to breathe.

He kept holding her hand.  “You are shaking so much.  I actually,” his teeth were very sharp when he grinned, a smile that filled his lower jaw, “enjoy it.  Fear.  It is one of the most true and visceral feelings.  There are no lies in fear.

“Anyway, we were talking about the gremlin, weren’t we?”

She nodded.

He kept holding her hand, his grip cold and deadly, walking through the garden.  It became so surreal, as they walked further away from the castle grounds, and to the outer gardens.

“She was absolutely terrified when she saw merely a shadow of my true form.  Poor little thing.

“She had a chance to live or die, but she lived.  I didn’t care either way.  That was left up to her.  It was up to her to prove if she is a worthy one.”

“She’s alive?”  It made her happy to think Gigi was alive. She wanted to tell Elizabeth.

He pressed his hands behind his back, still not letting her hand go, holding it there at the small of his back.  “Your queen will do the same.  She will either die by the end of the week, or prove she is a worthy one.”

“I don’t understand. What do you mean she might die by the end of the week?” 

“You don’t really need to understand.”

He finally released her hand, suddenly up extremely close, his hand at her breast.  His eyes constantly staring into hers.

His nearness sucked every ounce of oxygen. She couldn’t breathe.

He reached into her chest, for a moment, and she couldn’t move, and felt she would pass out without being able to move or breathe. As he seemed to be rooting around her insides.  But then he pulled his hand out.

“Unusual.”  He laughed and then placed his lips down and onto hers.

“You taste delicious.”

Another tear fell from her eye.

He stepped back, releasing her so that she could breathe again and move.  She wanted to run, but that would be futile.

“Very unusual.  I won’t hurt you.  Do you believe me?”

“Do you promise?”

“I see.  You understand pacts and gods.  You have lived a long life.  Much of it tortured and at the whims of others.  You know this.  You fear this but right now, you are thinking over how to make sure your queen is safe because I told you she might die.  You are here because of your concern for your queen.  That does not pass me because I understand these things that are beyond greed and self.”

She nodded.

“Yes, I promise I will not hurt you.  I will not hurt you.  And I promise I will not hurt your queen that you love.  You understand promises, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“I will not interfere, as I told you.  Your queen, does not bore me.” He seemed so very enthralled.  “I will go back to being a little girl, since that seems to be the part I’m playing in this place. People trust children here – it’s so odd.  Whatever, I get to eat this thing called a sundae and it’s quite good. I thank Gigi for introducing that delicacy to me.”

“What did you do to me?”

“No worries.  You will wake with your queen, and all will go back to whatever the Fates decide.  As I said, I will not interfere.” He smiled laughing, “I’m actually rooting for her, and that cute gremlin.”

He placed his hands behind his back.  “You won’t remember this night, detective demon.”  He kept laughing. “Nothing at all.”

*****

The queen woke, looking over the beautiful demoness beside her.  She brushed her fingers lightly along her hair, as she lay there, her eyes closed, the lashes moving lightly.

Nerissa’s eyes opened slowly. 

Seeing Elizabeth watch her made her smile.

“Did you get a good sleep, my love?”

The demoness nodded.  “I feel, extremely rested.”

“I want to show you something.”  She moved her arm that had been broken.  “It’s like it wasn’t even broken.  Isn’t that funny?”

“I’d say it’s wonderful.”

“I guess this feeling I’ve had with my blue flame, is possibly my healing.”

The two hugged and then moved to kissing.

The queen traced across her lover’s face, carefully feeling every line.  She then moved up to her horns and asked, “Did it hurt?”

“Hurt?”

“When you lost this part of your horn?”

“Oh,” she laughed lightly, “I don’t remember.  I…” she stared into Elizabeth’s eyes.  “I’m having trouble remembering when I lost it.”

“It doesn’t hurt now?”

“No, I like when you touch my horns.  You haven’t really touched them before.”

“I guess I never noticed them much.  They are just a part of you.”

They locked their fingers, playing casually with one another’s hands.

“Are you hungry for breakfast, my love?”

“I was, but now I am hungry for something else.”

“Are you,” she growled, kissing up at her chin, “I have that boring meeting, but I’m looking forward to meeting you afterward.”

They continued kissing, moving closer to one another, the blue flame growing between them.

And then they made love, once again.

The sound demon had forgotten everything about the night before.  The fact Gigi was alive.  Even the servants in the dungeon.  She forgot everything about her night with the Old One, the one that came before worlds, the truest of evil and chaos, Nyarlathotep, also known as Rayn or Nya, or whatever form he chose

Chapter Text

Chapter 23 – Finding a Blacksmith  

The train moved along a more desolate area of the high desert, just on the outskirts of Libestal.  It was a small town of a few buildings, and then the depot.  

“This area is where I first found myself when I was reborn.  It was strange at first but felt so normal.  Like, it’s where I was supposed to be.”

Calliope crossed her arms, leaning back and watching the landscape pass across her view.  She listened, looking out at the depot.  It was just a small town in the middle of nowhere, mountains on all sides.

“This is like your secret lair.”

“Yeah, I’m actually an evil villain and this is where I construct all my plans for world domination.”

The two laughed, as Kippu waddled in on them.

“I’m going to take a nap.”

“Sure, Kips.  I’m going to go chat with Kaela.”

He was already leaving for his bed.

“Wasn’t he just sleeping?”

“He was probably eating, the fat little fuck.”

Calliope couldn’t help but laugh.

They both departed the D Train and walked toward the blacksmith’s place.  They could feel the heat of the forge as they neared, and then Calliope could see the tall blonde, leaning over an anvil, hammering red hot metal.

She turned, her goggles over her eyes, but then went back to work. 

“I’ll be done shortly,” she yelled, while finishing her job.

Calliope glanced over all the metal shapes, and some looked more like art pieces, and then tons of horseshoes, and various tools.

It was all neatly placed, looking like it was in order of size and type.

Kaela put down her hammer, and then walked over, pulling up her scarf, wiping across her brow.

“Hey Dooby.”

“Hi Kaela.”

“This is the Grim Reaper.” The blacksmith pointed at her.

“How’d you know?”  Calliope was very surprised.

“I once made a scythe for someone.  I sense everything I make.  You carry it within you, and that’s how I knew.”

“Wow, I am very impressed.  I’m Mori Calliope,” and then she wanted to say her name a few times, hearing Gigi say her name over and over.  She turned away, looking over all the tools, missing the gremlin tearing at her heart.  “You have a nice place.”

“Thanks.”

Kaela walked outside, and they followed.  “What’s wrong with your train?”

“I don’t know.  I thought maybe you could tell me.”

“Okay, give me a little bit of time with it, and I will tell you.  Do you need anything else?”

“No, I’m good.”  Dooby then snapped, “Oh yeah, could you look over a dent on the left side just below the car where I have the observation deck. Also, look for any other strange dents or something that looks out of place there.”

“Okay.”

Calliope noticed how to the point the blacksmith was, and it made her feel comforted, like she could handle anything.

Dooby turned to the reaper, “She’ll go into the train and then get some readings.  Once she has the entire algorithm of our trip, I’ll look over those readings.  In that, she’ll have the weight of our train, and I’ll look for the moment Gigi’s weight was gone from the train.  But follow me.”

“Nice.”

They walked back toward the train and then to a little building beside.  “This is my office.  I have a lab back here and I’m going to test the blood and see if it belongs to gremlin, and then if there is any other blood or something that would help us.

“Kaela will also get the measurement of the dent in the side of my train, and she can see if it has any materials, that will help us know what caused the dent.  Was it Gigi, or something else.  It might have nothing to do with her disappearance.”

“Wow, I guess I’ll just watch.”

Dooby pointed to her fridge, “Feel free to get a drink.”

“Thanks.”

No sooner had she sat down, popping open her can of pop, than Kaela walked into the office. She held a small piece of metal, no bigger than a fingernail tip.

“That was very fast,” Calliope, once again impressed.

“Is Dooby back there?”

Calliope nodded and she left for the back room, knocking lightly before opening.  Calliope placed her drink on the table, and followed, wanting to hear what she had to say.

“Oh hey,” Dooby looked up from her microscope.  “That was fast.”

“Not so fast.  I’m not done but I wanted to show you this.”  She placed the metal on the table. “Look over that under your microscope.”

“Okay.”  She removed the slide with the blood and then grabbed it placing it under her microscope.

“What is that?” Kaela asked rhetorically.

“Um,” Dooby squinted, and then scratched at her brow.  “I don’t know.”

“It’s an alien alloy mixed with something not of this world.”

“I thought the alien part was not of this world,” the reaper laughed.

Kaela glanced at her, unamused, and then went back to Dooby.  “The alien could be something already here on our plane of existence because they have that material in the facility that is on the Island of Holios.  I was tasked with making weapons recently with that material.  But the unknown, that I’ve never seen.”

“Hmm,” Dooby looked back into the microscope.  “Odd.  Like… could it be a part of something outside our world like… demon maybe?”

“It’s not demon realm.  It’s not anything.”

Calliope began to feel uneasy if something unexplained had gone after Gigi.  “Can I look at it?”

“Sure.”

Dooby moved aside and Calliope looked into the microscope, watching how in between the lines were smallish looking balls and squares.

Dooby explained, “the little balls and squares are the oddity.”

“I see.”  Calliope wanted to try something and touched it with her reaper hand, concentrating on the power she did have.  The balls flattened and then disappeared.

“I made it disappear.”

“How?” Dooby asked.

“I don’t know.  It disappeared when it touched my power of the reaper.”

Kaela spoke, “that means this is a material that can hurt demons, maybe even kill them.  That metal was just a little part left over of something that cut into the side of the train.  So, that means it was a weapon meant to be strong enough to kill or harm a demon. Why would someone use a weapon like that and hit the side of your train with it?”

“I’ll add,” Dooby said, “this blood sample I just looked over is definitely gremlin blood.”

“So,” Calliope’s heart sunk, “that is Gigi’s blood and something that you said can hurt demons was used on her.”

“We don’t know for sure,” Dooby said.

“I’d say it’s for sure,” Kaela stated, not one to mince words.  “And the foreign materials could be organic, and not even metal.”

“This is completely outside anything I’ve seen,” Dooby said.

Calliope didn’t want to think there was a possibility something actually killed Gigi. She didn’t want to believe she was gone.

“Calli?”  Dooby placed a hand on her arm, “Kaela still has to do the readings.  Once we find out where she disappeared, we’ll go there and find her.”

Calliope nodded, “yeah.”

Kaela looked over at Dooby.  “Look, your train might not be ready to make the trip until tomorrow, or the day after.  But I do have two gryphons someone gave me as payment, and then there is my cool car that I built.  It goes through dimensions like your train.  I would fit it with train wheels to fit the tracks, since they are already placed. The gryphons are pretty neat, but they might eat one of you, and that might be a bummer, so I should probably drive you.”

Calliope glanced at Dooby quickly and then back to the blacksmith who said all this with little expression.

“Driving my car might actually be best, but then I’ll have to drive – since I understand how it works, and I don’t want to train you on it right now - and maybe I want to take a break from my work and go toward Great Exardia right now because of some stuff I’ve been hearing.”

“What have you been hearing?” Calliope asked.

“Stuff.”

“Yeah but…”

She was cut off by Dooby, “Thanks, Kaela.  Can you go get me those readings?”

“Will do,” she left as quickly as she came.

After she left Calliope said, “She’s very calm, isn’t she?”

“She’s one of the most amazing people I’ve known.  And I don’t think I’ve ever seen her be wrong about anything.”

“Wow.”

“Meaning, if there is stuff going on, it must be important stuff.”

“Can I know what this stuff is?”

“Oh, I’m sure she’ll share when she comes back.”

Calliope nodded, “…sure.  Yeah, I love cryptic stuff.”

Northern Great Exardia

Belthior, within the automaton, followed and watched, the party of travelers.  

He was curious of the witch who could read the most ancient of texts.  Her party carried a small creature on the demon dogs’ back.  It was the gremlin.  She was still alive.

Inside, something kept scratching and wanting to leave, but he would squeeze the heart, and it would calm down.  Seeing the gremlin seemed to wake up the soul of the automaton, and it was getting more and more difficult to control it.

He wanted to follow the witch and see if she had found his dragon self.  That was his truer self.  He hated using this automaton, despite its power.  It was always complaining in ways that became something he simply wanted to destroy.  She constantly tried to take over this body.  It became tiring.  Did she not understand the concept of servant and master?

In the dragon’s lair, there would be heat so hot it could finally destroy this thing; that was his hope.  He just needed to be patient.  The witch would find what he wanted. 

Yes, just be patient and wait, and then he would simply take it from her, and then finally dispose of this piece of machinery.

*****

Advent’s group made their way to the side of the mountain, that was where they needed to be to enter.

Shiori held out her sigil, her arm burning, as she continued looking for a sign to direct them.

“There has to be an opening around here somewhere.  It’s close.”

“Your burn is so much worse, Shiori,” Biboo grew concerned.

“I have to find it.  I know it’s around here. It keeps pointing me to right here.”

Mococo had Gigi on her back.  She was finally sleeping, her fever lowered, after Biboo and Shiori took turns placing cool rags across her face and body and giving her medicine when needed throughout the night.

“She feels nice, huh, Moco-chan?”

“Yeah,” Mococo giggled.  “She’s so small, but she drools.”

“Oh yeah, that part is not so nice.”

“I found it,” Shiori’s eyes were wide, smiling, she turned and grabbed Biboo, wrapping her in a hug.  “We found it!”

“Yay,” she hugged her back, as they jumped around in a circle happy to have found what they were looking for. “But it just looks like every other side of the mountain.”

“No, look!” 

Shiori ran her hands along the rocks, wiping off snow, and there were markings.  She kept wiping and then there was a triangle of markings.

Her hand was shaking with the focused magic, as it kept opening more and more, slowly growing.

She groaned, in pain. The burn was all the way up her arm now.

“Shiori?”

“I’m good Beebs.” 

She held her hand over the rocks, as an entrance came through, like a wall of dark purple liquid, similar to the viscosity of oil. 

“That’s the door?” Biboo made an ick face.

“It looks weird, but we have to walk through.”

“Is it safe?” Fuwawa asked.

“I want to go through it,” Mococo said.

She waved to the others, “Follow me guys, but keep your eyes peeled. We don’t know what might be inside.”

“A dragon?” Fuwawa asked.

“No, there are no dragons,” Mococo said.

“But then why are we looking for one?”

“We are?”

“Moco-chan, you can be so dumb.”

They all stepped through.

Once they all made it inside, Biboo placed her pack down, pulling out a lantern. Shiori lit it, and they held it up.

Shiori instantly put her hand up, before anyone walked further, “STOP!”

Before them there was a large cavern, and one more step they would have all fallen off the edge of a steep drop that went down into the depths of an abyss of fire and lava.

Mococo was walking further than the others, and when Shiori told her to stop, she fell forward, the weight of Gigi on her back, pushing her forward.  Her foot was already off the edge of the cliff.

With Gigi on her back, the weight differential made her fall more to the side, when she tried to put on the brakes. 

She reached out, Fuwawa instantly grabbing her arms. 

They were both flailing and falling, with Gigi starting to slip out of the wrapping.

“Moco-chan!”  Fuwawa pulled her sister close.

Gigi began to wake up.  Her eyes opened to black nothingness, and she screamed, grabbing at the first thing, which was Mococo’s neck, yanking her toward gravity.

She dangled off the edge of the cliff, screaming, gripping around Mococo, frantically moving and pulling her feet feeling only air, and Fuwawa was holding her sister, unable to keep from falling.

They were all screaming when the three tumbled off the side of the cliff.

Shiori and Biboo were screaming for them, but Biboo instantly ran to the edge, lying down, using her hands and working on making rocks push out from underneath them, as if a conductor, moving rocks faster than ever, one after another.

She kept making outcrops, but they were falling faster than she could make outcrops.

They would tumble off, and onto the next, falling further and further down the side of the cliff.  It looked like a wild pachinko machine, and they were the balls.

She finally made one wide enough, and they landed.

Biboo took a deep breath, “fudge, that was something.”

All three were on top of each other, saying various forms of “ow.”

“Be careful,” Fuwawa yelled, “Everyone just stay still!”

“Fu-chan, grab the gremlin!”

She yanked her before she fell, and then the twins scooted back away from the edge.

Gigi was half awake and half asleep, trying to gather some semblance of her surroundings.  Where was she?  She was finding it hard to gather her bearings, after being bounced every which way.  She was sore and out of it, but she could hear the twins.

It was very dark, and the only lighting were the sections of lava below at the center of the large cavern.

When she realized how high up, she was and what was below, she started grabbing at the first thing, which was Fuwawa.

Mococo then grabbed at Fuwawa also, and they scooted back against the cliff’s wall of rock.

“That was close,” Mococo said.

“Too close, Moco-chan.”

“Way too close,” Gigi said, looking over the edge.  “Why are we here?  How’d I get here?  Why am I with you guys?”

“Hi gremlin,” Mococo said.

“Hi…?”

They then heard the other two yelling from above.

Biboo yelled down to them, “Don’t move.”

They were on a thin outcrop on the edge of a deadly fall to the bottom of an abyss of rock and lava.

“I’m not planning on moving,” Gigi said.  “Are you guys?”

“No,” they said together, “Bau Bau.”

Above, Shiori looked through her pack for rope, pulling out their extra gear.

“Beebs, how far down are they?”

“Pretty far down there.”

Shiori went to tie it off on a stable looking rock at the side, but she stopped, her arm in so much pain.  She continued, but Biboo placed her hand over hers.  “Shiori, I can tie a good knot.”

“Thanks, Beebs.”

She tied it tightly, and then walked to the edge, throwing it down.

“Can you guys climb up?”

They nodded, and then Fuwawa told Gigi, “You first.”

“Why me?!”

“Don’t you want to go first?”

She shook her head.  “I’m terrified of heights.   At this moment, I’m trying hard not to panic.”

They both giggled.  “We’ll help you.”

Mococo went behind Gigi, and told her, “You hold around my neck, and I will climb up.  You hold me and close your eyes.  I will keep you safe.”

“What if you drop me?  What if I see how far we can fall and then I panic and I make you drop me?”

“You have to sometimes face your fears, right Moco-chan?”

“Yeah.”

“Moco-chan is really strong and a good climber.”

“You won’t let me fall?”

“No.  I promise I will protect you, gremlin.”

“Okay…” she closed her eyes.  “I’m gonna keep my eyes closed.”

“That would be best.”

They all made it back to the top and then sat down, catching their breath.  Gigi looked over the group, as they all quietly stared across to one another.

“Okay, I guess I’ll ask.  How’d I get here and why am I with you guys in a weird mountainy lava place, that looks like maybe we’re headed to the hell realms?”

They all started laughing, even Gigi.

Shiori explained, “We are looking for a way to bind the demon that is in your friend.”

“The one in Ceci?”

Shiori nodded.

“You can get it out of her?”

“I hope… so.” She didn’t want to tell her that Cecilia might be an unfortunate loss when they got rid of Belthior.

“Then let’s get to it.”  Gigi stood but then instantly sat back down.  “Just a sec.  I’m not feeling so good.”

“You are still healing, and you just broke your fever this morning,” Biboo scolded, “You need to take it easy.  Shiori, you need to rest too.  You guys have to give yourself a little time to get better.” She looked over, knowing finding this entrance took so much out of her friend.  Her arm looked like it could barely move.

“Let’s make a fire,” Shiori said, smiling toward Biboo, knowing it was just because she cared. “We can make a camp, rest up, eat something, and then we need to hike down there.”

“Wait a minute,” Gigi’s mouth hung open, “Down,” she pointed where they just climbed up, “there? But we just barely made it back up here.”

“Yes.”

She really hated heights.

“But why?”

“We have to go into the dragon’s keep, under the earth. Through the mountain’s side and down into its center.  In there is where we will find the ancient glyphs.  Or I am hopeful that is what I will find.  I am being guided here.  The writings, they must have hidden them deep within the dragon’s keep.  It would keep others away.”

“Wait,” Gigi asked, “we have to go to where there are dragons.  Like real dragons?”

“Yes.”

“You sure?”

The twins laughed.

Mococo said, “she is very scared.”

“You bet I am. But... if it’s how I can save Ceci then I’m all in.  It’s just… it’s just… it’s really dark… down there.”

“She is a chicken,” Mococo said, giggling.

“Well… yeah.  I don’t do well with scary places.”

“I’ll protect you,” Mococo hugged around her.  She really liked the gremlin.

“Me too,” Fuwawa said, hugging her on the other side. 

“Bau Bau,” they said in unison.

“Welcome to Advent,” Shiori said.

“Whoa, let’s not go that far.”  Her tail then wagged, and she yelped, “My tail!  My tail’s back!”

They all cheered and congratulated her. They then explained how Gigi ended up with them and how she had a high fever, and she still had a slight fever and needed to take it easy.  But she said she felt really good and was anxious to find out how to get that thing out of Cecilia.

The D Train Depot

Kaela sat in a chair beside Calliope, as Dooby drew lines across the graphs, matching different variables.  Every so often she would look up, her pen against her temple, thinking, and then would place more numbers beside the graphs.

“How long have you been a blacksmith?” Calliope asked the blonde.

“A long time.”

“Like… years?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“Just… uh, making small talk?”

“I don’t like small talk.”

“How about big talk?” She laughed.

Kaela gave her a look and then slowly began laughing.  She chuckled for a while and then said, “I never heard that.  You’re so funny.”

“I’m just glad I got you to laugh.”

“I laugh all the time.” She looked to Dooby, “I laugh all the time, right?”

“Oh yeah, Kaela is a funny gal.”  She continued working on her calculations. “… a regular comedienne… yep.”

The tall blonde then said to Calliope, “My father taught me this trade when I was maybe six.  He was always teaching me so many things with mechanics and smithing and fishing.  Everything.  I learned all about the Libestal mines and very young we would go there.”

“That’s pretty cool.  I never knew my dad.”

“I’m sorry.  My dad still lives in Libestal, but very far from here.  You don’t travel around Libestal at night.  It gets dangerous.”

“Really?”

“Many things that come out at night. They hide in the trees.  You have to be careful.”

“I really like your accent.  You’re not originally from Libestal, are you?”

“I am from a land in the south.  My family came here when I was young, but not old enough to lose the accent.”

“Cool.  I’ve never really been to this dimension.  I’m usually in the human realms and don’t have time to travel to outskirts and different dimensions, I was actually on vacation – first one in like… well, I can’t remember the last vacation I took.”

“You were?  But now you are here when there is a war about to start.”

“A war?”

“Yes, the facility on the Island of Holios was destroyed and it had technology that was used in Great Exardia, to stop the demon threat.  They say that Libestal was behind it because of the automaton, and the new Prime Minister wants the dragons and demons to rule, so many nations are getting together with Great Exardia to exterminate the demon threat.  Countries, like Libestal say the demons and dragons are gods and should rule. It’s very religious how they view ancient demons and dragons, but many don’t think that way. So, there are many splits of thought.”

“I’ve met some nice demons in my life.”

“It doesn’t matter – nice, good, bad.  The automaton is an ancient demon, and they want to eradicate it.”

This completely took Calliope by surprise.  “Excuse me, I need to make a phone call.” She stood, “Hey Dooby, I’m going to step into your lab and call.  I’ll just be a minute.”

Dooby said “Yeah, go ahead.”

She walked in and then pulled out her cell and instantly dialed Kiara’s number.  It rang a few times.

“Hello?”

“Um… Raora?”

“Oh hello, Kiara is in the shower.”

“Okay, then let me ask you.  Is the Island of Holios intact?  I heard the facility was destroyed.”

“Oh yeah, yeah.  You should call Kronii.  She would know about that.”

“Okay, tell Kiara hi for me.”

“I will.”

She sounded so happy, Calliope thought.  “Tell her I’ll be a little while longer out here.”

“I will.”

“Thanks.”

And then she hung up.  Kronii?  She didn’t know her number, so she looked through her phone and saw the Wellness Center number.  She dialed.

“Nimi’s Wellness Center.”

“Nimi?”

“Yes?”

“This is Calliope Mori, and would you happen to know where Kronii is or a number I can reach her?”

“She’s right here.”

“Oh cool.  Can I please talk to her?”

“Hi, Calli, Grim Reaper on vacation.”

“Yeah, um… hey Kronii.  I was calling because I was told the facility was destroyed.”

“Where’re you at?”

“I’m in Libestal and headed to Great Exardia.”

She could hear Kronii take a deep breath.  “Are Liz and Gigi okay?”

“I… don’t really know.  Everything is kind of up in the air here.”

“Okay, listen closely.  We were able to stop any technology further being developed in the facility.  There are weapons they were making that actually hurt and kill demons and explosives that had already been sent to Great Exardia.  Did you find Cecilia?”

“Not yet.  I’m a bit busy… looking for Gigi.”

“What? Why?”

“I’m not really sure, but we can’t find her.”

“Oh… that’s not good.  I cannot tell you any real details, but I want you to be sure and help Gigi and it’s important Elizabeth makes it all right.  There is something happening in the background with something other than gods.”

“Ah man, I don’t want to go through another end of the world scenario.”

“This is different.  Kiara won’t become a Phoenix.  We are safe on the island. But you have to take care of Elizabeth’s dimension and Great Exardia.  There is something… uh, I can’t tell you.  We’ve been told we can’t interfere.  It’s up to the heroes of Justice to make it right and save their world, or it will be lost.”

“Well, isn’t that convenient.”

“We have to follow the rules, Calli.”

“Do I?” she laughed, “Yeah, I got it.  I have no real power in this world, at least no power over death.”

“Just make sure she is safe and Gigi, and… keep the Archivist from waking the four demons and dragons. Cecilia, or Belthior within the automaton, cannot keep destroying their world.  You have to help Elizabeth and Gigi stop him and stop the Archivist.”

“Stop them?”

“By any means.  Cecilia could be a casualty, but it doesn’t matter.  You have to stop Belthior and the Archivist.”

Calliope considered what it could be, and then said, “I’ll make sure.  After we find Gigi we’ll head to Great Exardia.”

“Good, have a nice vacation.”

“Are you serious?”

“No, I’m sorry it’s my bad inflection and sense of humor.”

Calliope laughed lightly.  “Sure.  Please be careful over there and can you check on Kiara for me?”

“Yes.  Bye and may the fates be gracious to you.”

She hung up.

Calliope only had one thing on her mind, and that was finding Gigi.  Cecilia could probably destroy the world, and that’s all she wanted was to find the gremlin alive.  But the thought of killing or destroying her beloved friend, would probably destroy the gremlin.

She walked back to Dooby and her office, as she sat there, still writing out calculations, looking very concentrated.

“Hey Kaela,” she asked, “Tell me more about this war you think is going to happen.”

“Got it!”  Dooby suddenly yelled, “by golly, I think I got it,” and then she started humming, “I am like 99.9 percent positive I know where she fell off the train.  Speaking of which, how’s the train, Kaela?”

“Like I thought. It might be done tomorrow or the next day.”

“Looks like it’s gryphon time for us, then, Calli.”

“I thought I was driving you since we have to go through dimensions.”

“Oh yeah.” Dooby actually looked sad that she wouldn’t be able to fly on a gryphon.

“I’m waiting on some new pistons, and deliveries have been taking forever, with the fear of war.”

“I can tell Kippu to stay and keep an eye out for the delivery and he can call us.”

“Sounds good.”

Dooby placed her hands on Calliope’s arms facing her, “Let’s go find that gremlin.  I am sure she is still alive.  We just have to find her.”

“Thanks, Dooby.”

She hugged her.  And Calliope felt some hope at finding Gigi for the first time.

Chapter Text

Chapter 24 – Everything Meets the Fan

Nerissa kissed Elizabeth goodbye, taking a longer bit of time, holding around someone she’d grown to truly fall in love with, in a way that it became unbearable to think she might lose her.

Pulling away, “Liz, please be careful.  You said the Regent was going to try and forcibly take the throne. Don’t you think, I should go with you?”

“I can handle a room of council members and dignitaries and the Regent.”

“But…”

Elizabeth placed a finger on the demon’s lips.  “It will be okay.”

“Will it?”

She could see the desperation in her eyes.  They were so bright, and every time she looked at the demoness, she seemed to be even lovelier.  She was dressed casually, her hair pulled back, beautiful jewelry throughout, crisp white blouse, and black pants and jacket with a soft fabric royal blue vest.  She looked like she was the dignitary.

“Look,” she pulled back, holding her hands, smiling gently, “You go to Beryl’s Coffee Shop and Bakery in town, and I will meet you there in around an hour.  Enjoy this lovely day.  I promise I won’t leave you.”

“You make me believe you.”

She placed a hand on her cheek.  Nerissa leaned to the side, kissing it.

“I have Thorn, and my blue flame.” She touched her flame and then touched Nerissa’s chest with the flame in her hand, “when I was young, my mother gave me this flame, just like this.”

Nerissa did have that feeling again that the flame was entering her own soul.  It was strange, and yet familiar from the night before when they danced.

“I realized something.  This flame is part of only the most truest of love.”

“Is that why I feel it so deeply?”

“I’m not sure when it happened, but my flame has become a part of you and me.  I noticed last night, but mostly this morning as we lay there in bed, and I watched you sleep.  My flame pulled toward you, and then I placed it on you, and it stayed.  And then I realized, how very deep and true my love for you has become.”

Nerissa’s eyes blinked, “but… I’m a demon.”

“Justice is blind.  There is no good.  There is no evil with justice.  Justice is just true and impartial.” Elizabeth’s deep red eyes burned in a sparkling crimson, as she stared into the eyes of the one, she loved.  “If something does happen.  Take my flame far away.”

“What?” Nerissa grew pale, her eyes lowering, “What… are you saying?”

“I’m not saying it will, silly.  It’s just… oh bother.  I don’t want to make you sad or worried.  It’s just… if something does happen to me.  I need you to take my flame to my men.  They are probably headed to the northern area of Great Exardia.  They are 2,000 strong and they are all loyal to me.  I hand-picked and trained every one of them.  They have been my royal brigade since I first became a knight.  They will not follow a demon, but they will follow the blue flame.”

“No.  No, then we should leave.  If you think they might hurt you, we should just leave now.”

“Nerissa, my love.” She placed both hands on her cheeks, holding her warmly, staring into her eyes. “I am a queen.  I am the queen of this country.  I can’t just leave.  I have to face the Regent and whatever he is planning.  I have to be who I am.  I don’t run away.”

One tear fell from Nerissa’s eye.  She wrapped her arms around the queen.  “Then, I won’t leave you.”

“I would die if they hurt you.”

“Same.  So why… why are you doing this?”

“The Regent cannot just hurt me.  He has to have a trial and prove I am disloyal or a traitor to this country.  He will be hard-pressed to do such a thing.  I will do the same toward him.”

“I don’t trust him. He is not like you.  He doesn’t play fair.”

“I don’t trust him either.” She grinned cheekily. “I realize they’ve made weapons that could hurt even a demon like you.  I must try and stop the Regent if these are his plans. I want to hear what the new Prime Minister of Libestal and the council have to say.  I need to find out what is happening.”

“I’m getting a bad feeling. I just… I just please… please let me go with you.”

Elizabeth licked across her lips, and then stepped back, clasping her hands, and then placing them on her lips considering.  “Okay, but just sit outside the room.  You cannot come in.  Etiquette of these meetings.  But you can stay outside.”

Nerissa nodded. “I can do that.”

“You are such a silly and absolutely lovable creature you know that?”

“What can I say,” and then she was back to the coy and flirtatious demon of sound, “I’m irresistible.”

“You are, most definitely.”

The two giggled, and then kissed more fully, deeply, holding around one another.

“Just know this,” Elizabeth whispered to her, “I love you.”

“I love you, Liz.”  She held her as tight as possible, “I love you so much.” 

This feeling actually made her scared, because losing the one thing that filled her soul would forever leave an empty coldness, wrapping around her heart, that she would have to keep for eternity.    

*****

The queen walked into the meeting set up in her west wing. The sitting room in light pastels and fat chairs and couches.  Along the back wall was a full floor to ceiling set of windows, looking out at the courtyard. At this time in the morning, the sun drew long shadows along the lawn.

All stood and then bowed, as she walked to her seat at the center, dressed in a casual suit, a long coat and tie and her glasses, making her look almost like a librarian.  Her hair pulled back, bringing out her high cheek bones, and deep red eyes.  She placed Thorn in its holder at her side. 

The room was set so that all could see one another in a semi-circle, large comfy couches, where they sat four on one side and five on the other.  The Regent beside her in a chair, slightly smaller than hers. Two tables were set up with tea and desserts placed for easy reach of each member.  

Servants walked in, pouring tea to those seated.

And then Alex Hastur walked in, “Sorry I’m late.  I had to attend to something.”

“Please, sit,” the Regent stood, pointing to a spot beside the Prime Minister.

Elizabeth watched him and then asked, “is your daughter alright?”

“Oh yes, she’s quite well.  She was finishing breakfast.  Your chef is so delightful with children.  I heard he has a daughter also.”

“Yes,” and then Elizabeth realized she hadn’t seen his daughter.  “She was my closest assistant, Floral.” 

The Regent waved, introducing, “Well, let us move on, if that is alright with you, your majesty?”

She nodded, “please.”

“This is the new Prime Minister of Libestal, Maris Benoit.”

“Your majesty,” he tilted his head.

He was the usual short and stocky, squarish citizen of Libestal, with a small mustache.

“It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Minister.”

“You are a sight to be seen.  I am sorry I was not able to speak with you last night.  You seemed very busy with the activities.”

“Yes,” she laughed lightly, “it was quite an evening – very spur of the moment. Were the accommodations to your liking in the castle.”

“Oh yes, your majesty.  It was nice to see how you interact with your people.”

“I enjoy interacting with our people.  It might be my favorite part of this position.”

She looked over at the other council members, greeting them and asking about their lives and family briefly.

All seemed very normal, and she was then asked by the Prime Minister of Libestal.  “I want to ask, why are there soldiers building up on our northern and eastern borders, in fact a few battalions near our richest mining sources.”

“I am not familiar with that,” she looked to the Regent.

“It was ordered because of the automaton threat.  She was seen in that area earlier.”

He handed her an edict.

“What’s this?”

“Five kingdoms have joined to fight the automaton.”

She looked over the document, reading the countries who signed.  “The Romance Empire?  That is twice as large as our country.  It is lined up on our western and northern borders.  I didn’t order this.” 

Her eyes moved, as she read over the number of troops and battalions lined up along all their borders.  Her country provided weapons to remove the demon threat.  They were making quite a bit of money selling these weapons.

“I’m sorry,” she directed to the others, “I understand making sure the automaton possessed by an archdemon like Belthior needs to be stopped, but this could put us in an unnecessary war.”

“It was approved with the council, and you have been busy, just arriving a day after it was signed.”

“I asked you to place on my desk all that was decided within the last six months.”  She glared at the Regent but wanted to maintain decorum.  “I am sorry, Prime Minister.  This is unusual.”

She hated being hit with a surprise like this in the middle of a meeting.  And then the Libestal Prime Minister suddenly held at his throat, coughing, choking.

The queen was up in an instant, calling to the servant at the door, “Quick, get a medical unit in here.”

She rushed to the PM’s side, and a light bit of foam was coming from his mouth.

“He’s been poisoned,” she said, quietly.

Alex stood, “I will go get aid,” he instantly left the room.

The PM’s eyes were wide, staring up at the queen.  His death was instant.

She instantly looked at the Regent.  “What is this?”

Behind, two more council members choked, falling over dead, just like the PM.  She looked down at the tea that she hadn’t drunk yet.

Instantly, guards rushed in.  The military of Libestal, six strong, and the Regents men, at least six, all armed, swords out.

“Your majesty.”  The Regent point toward her, “What have you done?”

“What the frig?  Are you joking?” She instantly grabbed Thorn, and lifted it, then pointed it at the Regent.  “Arrest the Regent.  I want him questioned in the poisoning of the Prime Minister of Libestal and several council members.”

They stood still.  Nobody followed her orders.

She looked back at the other council members all watching her closely, looking afraid.

“I gave an order,” she said to the men.

“We do not follow the order of a traitor to our country.”  The Lieutenant said, waving to the men, “Arrest the queen.”

She continued holding Thorn and then held at the first man.  “I will not be arrested on these false charges.”

“I’m afraid, you have no standing anymore.”  The Regent stated.  “You are surrounded by my military.  They no longer follow you.”

She then wondered what happened to Nerissa.  She was just outside the door.

“This…”

“Will you strike down your own military?  Your own countrymen?  Is this how far you have fallen, as well as taking on a known criminal, ally to the Archivist, and demon as your lover?”

“You are over-stepping your position, Regent.  I strip you of this title.”

“You haven’t got that authority.”  He held up a piece of paper.  “All the council has signed this edict.  You are to face a trial on charges of treason to your country.  We are under a war pact now with several countries, and you have no power.”

She looked back at the terrified eyes of council members.  She knew they had been coerced. She wondered what had happened to Regis and the other council members.  She considered what she needed to do.  She could fight her way out of there.  She wanted to find Nerissa.  What had they done to her?

She was a queen, and she was thinking over her lover more than her kingdom.  What would her father have said.  Probably, good for you.

“Put down your sword, Scarlet Queen,” the Lieutenant ordered.

“No more, your majesty, eh?”

She held out Thorn holding her ground. 

He charged her, and she blocked, going back and forth, the others joining, all six fighting the queen, her moving quickly, guarding and blocking, repelling every match steel to steel.

Her flame burned brightly, as she took on the military men, standing her ground.

The Regent instantly ran out of the room yelling, “Capture her! She must face trial. By any means!”

Sword to sword, the sharp metal arcing and swinging, as she parried every attack, in the small room.

She tried desperately not to hurt the men, when coming in contact hitting with the underside of the sword, or the hilt, swinging the red arc toward furniture or anything other than killing one, simply playing defense.

The council members rushed out finally and were yelling for more soldiers.

She had to get out of this room, noticing the windows at the back, leading to the courtyard.

She ran that way.

One soldier swung and she moved quickly, so that he fell backward, and then she kicked using his momentum, and he crashed through the glass, it shattered. 

“Sorry,” she said quickly, and then using her shoulder, she busted the rest of the way out, heading out to the courtyard, not in the most graceful manner, falling to the grass, but then instantly got up, Thorn out and ready.

She could see more soldiers heading her way, and a blockade forming, and then the archers.  So many, just to take her in.

She threw off her glasses, her hair falling to her shoulders, as she breathed hard.

She looked outward and up and could see Nerissa.  She was flying toward her swooping down.   

“Come on!”  Nerissa flew to her.  “I don’t know how I got here.”

“Can you actually carry me?”

“No.  But I can stop them.”

She landed and then with her voice, she shouted, and the men chasing, flew back 20 or 30 feet across the ground.

“Wow. What do you mean you don’t know how you got here?”

“I was in the hallway, and then I was here.”

“This has been one of those days.”

They turned and there was a full brigade and more, bowmen waiting for them.  A slurry of arrows fell toward them, and Elizabeth swung the mighty Thorn, splitting them with the wide red arc of her sword. 

Nerissa once again used her voice, making a swath through the soldiers lined across the area.

“I’ll make a path, and we run.”

“Run to the border, Nerissa?”

“Yeah.”

Elizabeth looked over the gathering men and soldiers, the blockades.  Along the castle keep, archers.  They were surrounded.

And then the demon faltered, holding to her shoulder.

“No!” Elizabeth grabbed, holding to her.

She had been hit with a bright blue arrow, and another hit her leg.  They were aiming for the demoness. 

Pure anger was in the red eyes of the queen.

The blue flame burned so high, and then from Nerissa, the flame joined, and a large dome of blue covered over them.

It was the strangest feeling, as they stood amidst arrows flying and hitting, but being knocked back by the dome of blue flame.

She held Nerissa, the blue flame actually on her chest, just as it was with Elizabeth.  They shared the blue flame.  It had split into a twin flame as they held together.

“Can you move?”

“Yes.”  Nerissa held around the queen, finding it hard to stand.  “Just a scratch, right?” she laughed, but the arrow’s entry burned harshly, and it hurt, like something she hadn’t felt for ages.  She actually felt… mortal.

“These are the weapons I read about that are used against demons.”

The men were closing in.

“Nerissa, you need to fly away.  You need to leave here.  They are trying to kill you.”

“No, I won’t leave you.”

“That is how you save me.  This arrow is just part of what they have to hurt you… capture or kill you.  I’m the one they want, and they want me alive, not you.  You they will kill. And that…” she gazed deeply into her eyes, “that would kill me.”

“I can’t leave you,” Nerissa was crying heavily.

“Only for a short while.  Get my men. Lt. Colonel Temma of my brigade – all these men respect him.  Just as I told you.  Get help.  They will not kill me. They have to have a trial.  The Regent needs to shame me and make me look like I am not a good queen. That will take time. I have time.  You do not.” 

She placed her forehead against the demons, all the emotion of love between them.  Time stood still in the dome.  “Please, leave.  Take my love with you, let it carry you, with my flame protecting you.”

The demoness knew she was right.  There were too many.  They were quickly being surrounded by hundreds of soldiers and archers, men on horses and the Regent had been planning to take the queen by force.  He was going all out.

“I love you.” Nerissa kissed her deeply, “and I will be back,” and then like an arrow, flew straight up into the sky to leave.

She paused, a barrage of arrows flying toward her.

Elizabeth stood, holding Thorn.  “Leave the demoness alone!  You have me.”  She swung Thorn, the red arc spreading outward, hitting the arrows out of the sky.  Her blue flame grew, as she continued keeping back those still shooting at the demoness.

She was finally far enough away, and the queen turned, her eyes burning crimson, as she watched the men approach.  “What you do, decides your fate.”

She was fighting with everything she had until she was inundated by the sheer number.

They trounced on the queen, finally taking her down, placing her arms harshly behind her back and in shackles, pulling her away.

She had injured so many men, putting up a worthy fight.  Some of the soldiers watched, some still questioning why they were attacking their knight queen.  She was hauled off and hadn’t killed one soldier.   

Nerissa flew high and far as fast as she possibly could and then looked back.  She could barely see her queen, but she knew they had finally captured her, and she couldn’t stop crying.  She felt she had let her down, simply leaving.

“I will get help, Liz.  I will be back, and that Regent will regret it all.”

The only problem: she was horrible with directions.  She was to go north but was headed in a more northwesterly direction, and soon more west. 

Plus, she was in so much pain from the arrows, more had made their way to her, as she flew away, and it was affecting her flight.

She didn’t understand why she felt pain, like this.  It was like part of her was more human and mortal. 

Alex Hastur and the young girl watched.

“It is good you took the demoness out of the hallway.”

“Yes, she needed more of a fighting chance.”  He smiled down at the little girl, “do you think that is interfering?”

“I promised not to interfere, not you.” 

“Indeed,” he chuckled.  “Especially, since the Regent’s plan was to present her head to the queen to truly break her.”

“And they call us evil.”   The little girl clasped her hands together, “She did put up a good fight.  Simply overwhelmed by numbers.”

“Seems the Regent wanted her very badly.  I suppose my threat that his head would be leaving, got to him.”  He smiled toward the other entity, “You were right about the flame.”

“Yes, it’s a remarkable thing.”

“Did you take a little of it, my lord?”

“No, I could not.  It is protected by goodness, purity, hope – all the things I detest.  When they realize how powerful the blue flame is, I want to watch.  But it seems those two will have to go through some difficulties until then.”

“Then let us go now.” 

“I’d like to visit the gremlin.  See how she is faring.”

Along the Northwestern Border between Libestal and Great Exardia.

“Are you driving too fast?”  Calliope asked, as they bumped along in Kaela’s jeep-dimension-traveling-hybrid that was designed for dimensional traveling.

“This is so fun,” Dooby yelled, “enjoy the ride, Calli!”

“The gryphon is sounding pretty good right now.”

“I love being out in the open like this,” Kaela yelled over the wind.  “I don’t get a chance to get away often.”

“You sound like you’re a workaholic like me,” Calliope laughed.

The terrain was getting more and more uneven, as they neared the mountain ranges in the north.

They were traveling toward the signal on Dooby’s gadget that was showing a small beeping red light, where she had marked the last place Gigi would have been.

“We’ll probably have to camp once it gets a bit dark, we are still in Libestal and then head out again.”

“We can’t just go straight through?”

“It’s a three-day trip, but we are already trying to do it in two,” Dooby yelled over the wind.

The outside began to wave, like a mix of the aurora borealis caving into sheets of silvery light.  

“This is my favorite part,” Kaela said, sounding more and more like a kid.

She hit the gas and the car flew up.

Calliope gripped the seat.

For about five minutes they were airborne, and then they landed back on the tracks. 

“That was cool!”  Kaela laughed loudly, “Woooooo!  We are moving quickly now.”

“You surprise me, Kaela.”  Calliope still had a death grip on the seat.  “Didn’t realize you were such a thrill seeker.”

Dooby watched the world go by.  It was different in the car than in the train.  Everything seemed closer and like you could touch it.  This life was always a new surprise.  She loved it so much.

And then the sky split into brilliant colors, like a rainbow swimming, and then the world was more normal, with the trees and mountains in the distance.

“We will pull over soon enough,” Kaela said. 

“Good idea,” Dooby added.  “We don’t want it to get too dark before setting up camp.”

Calliope was still curious about what these monsters in Libestal were.

After another couple of hours, the sky was darkening quickly. 

“Nightfall is soon,” Kaela said.  “We’ll pull over here.”

“It came on so quickly,” Calliope watched them pull under a canopy of tall dark wooded trees, the width of around two cars.  She’d never seen such fat trees.

“What kind of trees are those?” She asked Dooby.

“Those are dark wood trees.”

“I’ve never heard of those.”

“They are on the border of Libestal, and they are plenteous.”

“I built a boat with the wood,” Kaela said.  “It holds up very well.  I also have a bo that I use with that wood.  It’s very strong.”

“You handle a bo too?”

“Of course.”

“She is a master of the weapon,” Dooby laughed, “pretty much, don’t get in a fight with Kaela.”

“I don’t like to lose,” she also laughed.

“I see.”

Calliope was being continually impressed by the blacksmith.  She watched Dooby and mostly Kaela, set up the camp and helped where she could.

They had two tents.  Kaela was in one and she told Calliope and Dooby they could share the other.

“Sounds fun,” Dooby said, “like… old times.”

“Yeah.”

The nostalgia didn’t pass either.  They were part of such an inseparable group at one time.  But the writing was on the wall.  Time always passes and things change.  Life changes.  And the world changed. They all lost something.

After sharing a nice meal, some drinks, and chatting they were ready to head to bed and start out at the morning’s first light.

Calliope stood, stretching out and yawning, when she heard the strange rustling above in the trees.

Was it the creatures she had been hearing about?

She listened closely, and it sounded like something fell from the tree and was moving around further back.

“Hey Dooby!” She whispered tightly, “come here, come here!” She pointed.  “Something’s over there.”

Kaela already had her staff out and went in front of them. “Stay behind me.”

Dooby already had her pistol pulled out, and Calliope drew her scythe.

The three stood, watching, listening as the rustling grew closer.

They saw deep red eyes glowing.  The eyes moved erratically, like the creature was lumbering their way.  It was a tall creature.

And then it came through the trees.

“Nerissa?”  Calliope called, holding up her hand, “Hold back, guys.  It’s Nerissa Ravencroft?”

“I have her album,” Kaela said, and then she instantly rushed to the tall demoness, who was about to fall over. She instantly caught around her.

Calliope joined, and they held her at both sides.  She was barely standing.

“Help,” she said quietly, “please…” she looked to Calliope, “help Liz.”

Dooby placed a blanket down, and they sat her down.

“Nerissa, what do you mean?”

“She has a few arrows in her,” Dooby looked her over.

“Reaper…” she looked to Calliope, she looked like she had been crying, “Glad… found you. But… I need to find her men.”  She placed her hand on the reaper’s hand, “where’s north?”

“North?”

And then her head lolled forward, passing out.

Kaela held her, as she leaned on her shoulder.

“She’s out,” the blacksmith said.

“We need to remove these arrows,” Dooby said. “Kaela, help me with her?”

“Of course.”

Calliope stepped back, “What can I do?”

“Heat up some water for us, make sure there’s enough light here.  I need to operate – none are too deep, but these two at her back and leg.”

Kaela looked over the arrows at her shoulder, leg and back.  “Most are from behind, meaning she was running away when she was shot.  Something must have been after her.”

“She said something about Liz needing help – that’s the queen.” Calliope said, “what’s happening in Great Exardia?”

“These are the weapons they were making to hurt and kill demons,” Kaela said.  “I used this material before.  Great Exardia paid me a lot of money to make these arrowheads.”

“And you made them?” Calliope asked.

“I always do the job if asked.  I don’t judge others and what they ask of me.  Like I said, I made a death scythe for a Grim Reaper.”

“I think we have something more important to deal with.” Dooby was already pouring alcohol over her hands, and gathering supplies, laying them out beside the blanket. 

“Calli and Kaela, lay her prone,” Dooby instructed. 

She had a stethoscope out, and was listening to her heart, and then taking her vitals, her movements intentional and determined.

Calliope remembered how Dooby was multi-talented and trained medically and realized it had carried over to her new iteration.

“She’s demon, so everything is slightly different, but there’s something very human about this demon.”  Dooby paused inquisitively and then continued tending to the demoness.

There was the faintest blue light within her chest, just at her side she could see it, where her heart was.

“Is that what I think it is?” Dooby quietly asked herself.

She had seen this blue flame on the queen.  How did a demon get it?

“The one in her back is deep, and the leg one is so close to the carotid.”  She looked up, “Let’s get to work.  She has lost a lot of blood, and we need to get these arrows out and then close up the wounds, hoping she doesn’t lose much more.”

The two listened to the blonde’s instructions, following every order, as she became a surgeon.

Chapter Text

Chapter 25 – And so… the War Begins

The large lights were on, brightening the quarry, as the sun was setting across the west, making strange shadows of rock along the ground of the Libestalia Northern Prison Camp.

Below in the mines, Mint’s eyes squinted, as she looked over the small hole.  She did not want to crawl in there for the hundredth time. She was tired and hot and just… tired.  She’d been in these holes all day, and every muscle ached.

They placed Doki up on top with Oga and Axel, and the bigger guys, breaking rocks.

She didn’t want to admit, but she felt bad for Doki.  She had barely come back from dying twice in the cave and then they were caught, and she ended up in a prison like this, where quite a few were out to hurt her, and then spent almost two days in the hot box.  She wondered how she was doing.

Regis used the detector to find where more gems and minerals were within the small holes burrowed by earlier crews.  They were small holes, so as not to compromise the stability of the mines.

And Mint was the one chosen to crawl in the holes, being so small.  There were a few Libestal prisoners that were also small, but she knew they wanted to make sure she got the newbie experience.

“Minto, you got this,” Regis patted her shoulder, always positive with a gentle demeanor.

“Thanks.”  She crawled back in, the dirt becoming a part of her outfit.  She coughed and sneezed, using the small pickaxe and shovel, with a light on her helmet, as she dug out small gems.  It was very cloistering.

Once she filled her satchel, she’d have to scoot out backward and hand it to the guards.

This time she pulled out and Regis whispered, “Dinner will be soon, and after we will have Doki and Axel start a fight with Grox and his gang.  That will create a diversion, and then you, me and Oga will head to the place you need to enter, open it and you should have the plans memorized, correct?”

“Sure.”  Mint was still trying hard to remember where to turn at a place in the directions that had two possible choices – left or right.

“We can’t risk it being written anywhere.  You have to commit it to memory.”

“HEY,” the guard walked up, “less talk and more digging.”

“Sorry,” Regis bowed, “she needs some water.”

“Why?”

“Because, if not, she will be no good to you and you’ll lose out on this really rich vein she found.”

The guard sighed and then pointed, “Go get another water.”

“Thanks,” Minto walked over to grab a cup of water next to Octavio. “Hi.”

“Hi there.”  He had a pickaxe and was digging along the side behind where she and Regis were.

“You find a lot of diamonds and emeralds?”

“Quite a few – but then,” he winked, “I’m lucky.  I wish I could pocket one for my girlfriend.”

“You have a girlfriend?”

“Yes, a beautiful goddess with golden eyes.”  And then he laughed, “so I’m taken.  You?”

She coughed, “I’m taken too.”

“Doki?”

“…n-n-n-no.” she laughed nervously. She didn’t know why she said that.  “Her? Hah, that would be crazy.  She’d be so irritating.”

“She’s pretty hot.”

“Seriously?” She squirted her lips together, taking a sip of water, “Tch, I didn’t notice.”

The guard instantly was there, grabbing Mint, “just water.”  He pulled her back to her area.

“Yeesh, sorry.”

He shoved her back toward Regis.

He hit the cup out of her hand, “No more water. You’re lucky I’m not taking away your dinner tonight.”

“Gee thanks.”

He glared at her and then walked away.

“What a jerk,” she mumbled quietly.

Regis looked down the aisle of dug out holes.  “This one is next.”

Mint sighed loudly.  “Man, I hate this so frickin’ much.”

“Duly noted, but get in the hole, Shinji.”

“Shut up!”  She kept laughing.  “Didn’t know they had human media here.”

“I travel a lot.” 

“I would have been good missing dinner, just saying.”  She giggled. 

“Have you been eating at all?”

“Yeah… a little – it’s so gross.”

“Agreed.”  His smile was kind, as he whispered, “Let’s hope this is your last day having to do this.”

“Got it, boss.”

She went into the hole, it being a tight squeeze and then pulled herself forward, her small light flickering on and off.  “Oh great.” 

She was just thankful she wasn’t claustrophobic, though she might be after this gig.

*****

.

Above, Doki broke rocks next to Axel.  They kept laughing and talking over old stories of when they were chasing criminals and fighting in tournaments back in the day. 

“You doing okay, Doki?”

“Oh yeah, I’m good.”

She was just daydreaming about taking a nap or leaving with Mint and having their own anime beach episode, once they broke out.  Relaxing on the beach with some fruity cocktails and not doing a thing.

“Yeah, I’m doing super good.”

Crimson and Jurard listened, not wanting to be outdone, they told of how they fought in the gladiator games on the Romance Empire.

And of course, Shinri and Oga joined, telling stories of being in battle deep in the demon realms. Their stories were quite a bit more graphic.

Soon, they were all reminiscing while hitting the rocks.  But soon, it fell into competition to see who could break the most rocks in the quickest time.

The guards watched, half interested.

Jurard roared, smashing two rocks at once.  So, Crimson smashed three.

Doki, not wanting to be outdone, grabbed four and asked Axel, “here.”

He broke them.

She sneered, “See – you gotta work smarter, not harder.”

“You just got someone else to do it!” Crimson growled.

“Well yeah… I’m not an idiot.”  She kept laughing.

“She’s got a point,” Jurard and Oga kept laughing and pointing at Crimson.

Angry, he swung the hammer hard, so hard, it smashed both the rocks, the ground, and the side of the quarry.

His dampener instantly went off, and he fell to the ground in spasms.

“Whoops,” Jurard laughed, “guess they worried he was being a little too strong.”  And then he teabagged him and walked back to breaking rocks.

“That guy has a problem,” Axel shook his head, and then he and Doki couldn’t stop laughing.

“I wonder why the dampener didn’t go off when I used my eye?” Doki asked.

“It will probably if you use it when they don’t want you to use it,” Axel, nudged his head toward the northern main area.  “After dinner, my friend.”

“Yep.  You ready to spend time in the hot box?”

“You?”

“No.  But I’m ready to get the fuck out of Dodge.”

“Where’s Dodge?” Crimson asked.

They all started laughing, as he got up shaking off the shock to his system. 

“No really, where is it?”

Jurard whapped him hard on the back of the head, “less brain use, more rock breaking.”

Gold Bullet walked up to the group, interrupting before Crimson hit the dino back.  “Yo, everyone.”

“Where was he?” Doki asked Axel.

“Having a snack with the warden.”

“Wait, what?”

“Yeah, I think the warden has a crush on him.  But Goldie has a gift.  It’s helping us – no worries.”

Two guards walked up behind Doki.  She really didn’t want to pay attention to them, but they told her, “Come with us.”

“But I’m not done with my pile.”

“Too bad.” They pointed to Axel and Oga, “Finish her pile.”

Gold Bullet asked, “Where are you taking her?”

“None of your business.”

“It’s cool,” she laughed.  “Probably just a nice little walk.” 

She glanced at Axel, and he could see she was worried, despite laughing.

They walked her away, past the quarry and out of sight, and behind some buildings, where Grox leaned against the wall, smoking a cigarette.  He was with two of his gang members, both large, muscular with close-shaven heads.  She remembered one of them from when she was a bounty hunter.

“Figures it’s you.”

The two guards held her in front of the dark-haired vampire creature.

“You know, seeing you again made me remember about my one million.”

“Was it a million? That’s a lot.”

He backhanded across her face, as they held her in place.

She licked the blood across her lips. The guards pulled her back up against a large boulder, cuffs at her wrists and ankles, being held against the boulder, as Grox grinned in front of her.

“So, where is that one million now?”

“I don’t know.  Gone.” she laughed.  “Whoa, that was like… what?  Almost two years ago?  You gotta learn to let it go – it will make your life much easier.”

“You never were the smartest.”

“You always were the dumbest.”

“I want you to tell me where my one million is.”

He waved to one of the big guys, who punched her hard in the stomach, this time she felt it, and bowled over, coughing and spitting. 

“Ouchy.”  Then she laughed.

The guards pulled her back up.  She coughed, in pain.

“Now, where was the money?”

“Oh, that?” She laughed some more, coughing, trying hard to breathe, and then, “I burned it.  It was cold and I needed a fire up in the northern demon realms. It gets really freakin cold.”

He nodded to the big guy, and he punched her twice, this time she fell forward, her legs buckling, and the guards were holding her up since she wasn’t able to on her own.

The guards pulled her back up to stand against the boulder.

She was being held up, since it was hard for her to stand.

“You think you’re funny?”

“I was… laughing,” Doki laughed some more.  She turned to the small guards, “did… you guys find it… funny?”

One of them laughed.

“So, it’s gone?” Grox asked.

Doki nodded.  “All of it.” She coughed, licking the blood on her lips. “I’m not greedy.  Just… a bed and food,” she took a breath, “and I’m good.”  She was positive that the last hit cracked a rib.

“Well then, I guess it doesn’t matter whether you live or die.”

“I’ve died before.”  She stared him down seriously. 

Grox stood in front of her.  “How about your little ghost friend?”

“What about her?”

“How many times has she died?”

Doki stared into his eyes, her red eye with the crosshair lighting up.

“I struck a nerve,” he said. “Maybe I should bring her here with her corporeal body and let my friends have a little fun with her for your enjoyment.”

She looked over to the guards. “How much does he pay you guys to be his little pussy bitches?”

He laughed, “You know what, I’m going to go find your little ghost friend. I bet she’d love to spend some time with me, don’t you think? I’ll make sure it’s very memorable.”

“You touch her, and I will kill you,” Doki in a very calm voice, “I promise you that. Slow and painfully.”

“Such bravado in your circumstances.” He laughed nervously. “You really are just a dookibird, aren’t you?”

“I’m a lucky bird.”  She yelled, “And you’re a fuckin asshole!”

He pointed to the two big guys, “Give her a memorable beating and then dump her in the holes at the back to reconsider her life choices.”

He left.

She looked over at the two big guys. “Shit.”  She did not want them to hit her again.

The two looked at one another, grinning, looking like they just got a present.

“Look, guys,” she laughed, “how bout I pay you not to beat me up?”

Then one fell. He just crumpled to the ground.

She spun around her head, trying to see where the bullet came from.  She was sure that was the sound of a suppressed gun shot.

And then the other big guy also fell over a bullet through the middle of his forehead.

The guards holding her, pulled out their batons, looking around, letting her go, and she fell to her knees, crawling to the building for cover, in case they were about to shoot her next.

Four guards walked over with Gold Bullet, who had the longest rifle at his back, his hair pulled into a ponytail. He wasn’t dressed in the prison garb. 

“You guys having fun without me?”  Gold Bullet told the guards, “The warden would like you to do some other work at the mines. Better scurry away.”

They looked scared and then jog-walked to running, away.

The four guards with Gold Bullet nodded at him and then lifted the bodies of the two big guys, dragging them away to take them to the holes they were planning to place Doki.

They left him alone with the bounty hunter.

“Whoa,” she was still on the ground, trying hard not to fall over completely or pass out. “How’d you get to wield so much power?” She laughed, but then moved to sitting, holding her stomach, which felt like mush after those guys punched her, “Should I be worried?” She coughed, leaning against the building.

“Maybe.”

He didn’t even have chains on his wrists or ankles like her.

“I was called away for another job, but I wanted to talk to you alone first.”

“Are you going to kill me too?”

“No, I don’t have to. I only kill when I need to – or paid enough.”  He sat down beside her, “I know why you and Mint are here. The warden told me.”

“So, are you going to help us?”

“I will when I get back.” He patted her knee, “For now, I have them putting Grox in the hot box. That will keep him out of the way. But I wanted to tell you that your escape plan won’t work. The warden knows.”

“You told him?”

“In life,” he held out his hands to explain, “there are balances. If one is to be lifted, another must be removed.”

He leaned closely, whispering, “There are much bigger things happening along the border, of which this prison is on. You and Mint need to stay away from the eastern wall.  Got it?”

She nodded.

“I would stay and help, but this new job pays quite a bit, and I won’t pass that up. I’m headed to Great Exardia.”

“Yeah, I finally remembered who you are.  The best assassin with the golden eyes, Gold Bullet. It took me a while. I’m guessing your eagle isn’t far away.  And… what’s your relationship with the warden?”

“Now, I can’t tell you that.  Then I would have to kill you.”

She coughed, wiping the blood off her lips.

“You don’t look so good, Dokibird.”

“Thanks.”  The world was taking on a milky white cover, her peripheral already starting to close in.  “Why… are you helping me?  You shot those guys and then put Grox away? What’s in it for you?”

“I wanted to ask.  I really like Mint.  Do you think she’d go out with me once I get you both out of here?”

“Huh?”  Her eyes were wide, “Why?”

“She’s the cutest girl I’ve ever seen.”

“Huh?” She shook her head lightly and then laughed.

“She’s the cutest girl I’ve ever seen, and I don’t know,” he actually shyly turned a light pink, smiling and blushing, “I just thought she’s so cute.”

“Mint… is so irritating and talks way too much, and I don’t get why anyone would like her, since she’s always oversharing and talking about the silliest and dumbest stuff, and she’s always fangirling over everyone.” She laughed again, “she’s… incurably irritating.  Why would you want to deal with that?  You really don’t need that kind of headache.”

She kept laughing, holding her stomach, since it hurt when she laughed.

“Interesting.”  He grinned and then pursed his lips. “You don’t want to share her.”

“What?!”

“And I’d also think… you are the one in love with her.”

She kept laughing.

“Hmm…”  He backed up. “Now, I might have to kill you.”

Doki was quiet.

He smacked her shoulder hard, “just kidding.”

She fell over, lying in the dirt.

“Welp, gotta go.”  He flung his serape over his shoulder. He flicked a salute, “I’ll help you both get out of here when I get back, and I’ll expect you to set me up with Minto.”

He jumped on the boulders and then disappeared.

“What. The. Fuck?”

She was not doing well, as she lay in the dirt.

Her eyes closed, as she considered taking just a small nap. It was quiet here.

*****

Axel kept looking back at the guards.  Doki had been gone much too long.

The bell rang for dinner, and the other guys were heading over to the mess hall, but Oga walked up to Axel.  “Where is Doki?”

“No idea.”

“We need to find her.”

“This doesn’t affect our plan.”

Jurard, Crimson and Shinri joined them, as they got in line for food.

Shinri said, “I heard a guard say Grox was in the hot box.”

“Have you heard anything about Doki?” Axel asked.

They all shook their heads.

“Something’s really wrong,” Axel stated.  “Guys, watch the area, I’m going go in the direction those guards took her.”

“Be careful man,” Oga said, “we don’t need another man down right now.”

“Got it,” and then he slipped out to the back and instantly around a corner to find Doki.

He no sooner left, when a large explosion hit the east side of the quarry wall, rock and debris flew everywhere, the ground shaking, and men and guards were scrambling.

Another explosion hit, and then another, and soon, everyone was scrambling and running, in utter pandemonium and panic. 

The quarry was becoming more and more covered in rock, piles five feet deep at the least.

Prisoners and guards were running in panic; many being buried by rock and metal.  In the confusion, some of the prisoners were able to take down the guards, stealing their keys and controls for the dampeners. 

They were climbing the downed eastern wall, escaping, and others were running toward the front gates, which were partially opened, after the explosions.

Axel ran to the back, the quarry closer to where the mines were being hit the hardest.  Criminals were running out of the prison, and Axel watched, but ran further in and toward the back to find Doki.

“Doki!  Yo, Doki!”

And then he saw her lying behind the building.  “Oh fuck.”

He ran down, lifting her up and against the wall.  “Yo, wake up!”

“Huh?” her eyes fluttered open. 

“Look you gotta get up.  Damn, what happened to you?”

“Grox.”

She shook her head, finally gathering her bearings.  “Where’s Mint?”

“I don’t know, but someone is bombing the eastern wall and we…”

“We gotta get Mint. They’re bombing the eastern wall, you said?”

“Yeah.”

Doki was making her way to her feet, pressing on Axel’s shoulder, “We gotta get the keys and out of these chains, and then some of us have to go get the controls and turn off these dampeners.”

“You… okay?”

“Yeah, I had a good nap.” She laughed, holding her side, “Follow me.”

They ran toward the mines.

Dungeons of Great Exardia

The Regent walked across the castle, his military Lieutenant explaining where the first strikes were and telling him where they last saw the automaton.  The Libestal Prime Minister’s body was being sent back with his few soldiers and back to their country, under military guard.

They were told the queen conspired to kill him, to try and stop their war effort. That was the message they were to take back to their country. That and a warning, if they pursued raising any other demons or dragons, they would be dealt quickly and decisively.

Word was that they were using the Archivist to raise the dragon, and thus, they would send the first response. 

They would target the prison camp.  They were hopeful to not only get rid of any who sided with the queen, but release some of the most hardened criminals into Libestal.

The Regent made his way down to the dungeon, down the steps to a prison made especially for the queen.

He walked to the prison door and opened, stepping inside, a large smile across his face.

“So, Elizabeth, I see you are enjoying your stay.”

She was kept standing and shackled to the wall, being uncomfortably stretched against the stone wall since the morning they’d brought her and locked her away.  No food.  No water.  He was trying to break her.

Her arms outstretched, her flame much smaller than in the past. The country fed her flame, and that meant the people were being told something to make them no longer trust her.  It made her feel weak inside, as her flame lost it’s will.

“Do you have nothing to say?”

“I don’t want to waste my words on you.”

He walked up, grabbing under her chin. “Look at me.”

“Must I?”

He looked her up and down. She was in her slacks and blouse, it torn open, half revealing her chest, and still a mess from her earlier battle.  They simply locked her away.

“You are so much like your father.  He also thought he was infallible.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Why do you think?  I will be the Next Grand Minister of all the fantasy realms.”

She laughed, “You really did all this for a title?”

“You always were a haughty little brat.”

“You were like my uncle growing up.  I regret not seeing who you truly were.  Nothing but a worm crawling about the kingdom.”

“Tomorrow there will be a trial for all to see. The charges have piled up against you.  All your treasonous acts with your demon lover.  The country will not be happy with what a shameful slut you’ve become.”

She growled, “Leave Nerissa out of this!”

“I wonder how you will feel if I present you with her head?”

Her flame rose slightly at the mention.

“She is far away from here.”

“Oh, you don’t understand the weapons I have at my disposal.  You will be tried, found guilty, and then brought about in the public square for all to see, where you will be beheaded in the next three days as the sun rises.”

“You are a foolish man.  This is not how you run a country.  The people will find out your deceit and you will fall.”

He grabbed her chin harshly again, forcing her to look at him.  “You know, you are as beautiful as your mother, even more so. But I will like you better without your head.”  He grinned, “Your flame falters. The people already are seeing what a disappointing traitor you are.”

“You are a coward!  You are like the hyenas waiting for nightfall and then picking the leftovers.”

“Did you know, your mother loved me before your father?”

Elizabeth didn’t want to listen, but he went on.  Walking away, his hands behind his back, being smug.

“She was the queen of this country, and he was merely a small prince, and I was a Duke.  He stole her from me, just to be king.”

“You lie.”  She was angry, “I saw their love and when he was near, her flame grew because of that shared love, and she gave that flame to me.  And that is how I know.  The flame does not lie. This flame cannot be doused or stolen.  It is only given by true love.”

He pressed his hand hard at her chest.  “Once your head is gone, then this flame and it’s silly meaning for this country will be gone.”

“Remove. Your. HAND!”

The flame burst forth, and burned his face, just to the side.

He fell back.

“I see.”  He laughed, standing, touching his face.  “I see.  My, you do have some power left in you.”

“You must be handled with care. I’ll inform the guard.”  He yelled, “Guards!”

Four ran to the prison cell.  “She needs to face the wall. Her flame is dangerous.”  He then whispered to the guard, and he nodded, “yes sir.  Understood.”

“I hope you can rest for your trial tomorrow. Wouldn’t want to be a mess when facing your country, Elizabeth.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 26 – Upturned Plans

Where the group of five walked, it grew hotter the lower they traversed.  It meant they were drawing closer to the dragon’s keep.

Gigi wiped across her brow, “Anybody else think it’s super hot here?”

All nodded, walking along.

“Yeah,” Biboo said, “I’m sweating in places I didn’t think were possible.” 

Gigi tried not to look over the edge, but through her peripheral she’d catch small pops of lava, as the ground to the side was on fire.  In the distance were falls of lava, making everything take on a darker red to orange coloring.

It was like they were walking into hell.

Biboo walked just in front of Shiori, holding a light.  They treaded carefully with each step.

Gigi was behind Shiori, watching her and then listening to the twins chatting back and forth, every so often arguing over something silly, like, if crullers were actually donuts.  It made her laugh.

“You, okay?” She asked Shiori, watching how she favored her arm. She could see the burn at the hand.

“Yeah, it comes with the job.”

“The job, eh?” Gigi was trying hard not to look over the edge, and then they stopped at an entry on the side of the mountain, which was thankfully away from the ledge they’d been on for almost 40 minutes. 

Dark red pillars stood, built from the red rocks of the mountain.  They stood maybe 400 or 500 feet high, and Gigi stood there, looking up, amazed.

“Who built this?”

Shiori explained, “More than likely the earlier worshippers of the dragons, thousands of years ago.  Their ancestors are throughout Libestal and Great Exardia.  There are even still dragon hybrid humans and creatures.”

“Huh, that’s wild.”

“Very.”

“It definitely looks like it could fit a dragon.”

“I think we need to go that way,” Shiori said.

Gigi glanced across the group.  “I was wondering, what happens when we find a dragon?”

“I’m not looking for a dragon specifically,” Shiori said, “We are looking for writing – specific writing.  I’ll know it when I see it.”

“Hmm,” Gigi walked between Shiori and Biboo, and then the doggos said, “We’re hungry.”

“We just ate, guys,” Biboo told them, and added, “be quiet.  What if you wake the dragons?”

“We won’t wake them up.”

“Yeah,” Mococo added, “the demons put them to sleep.”

“But if you’re too loud, you might,” Biboo said it too loudly, and the cavern groaned, a few rocks tumbling from the top.  “Dang it.”

“Ssh,” Shiori said, waving everyone to follow her, slipping into a smaller opening to the left.

All followed her into another corridor, this one more human-sized long and winding, and they followed, going on a more downward grade.

There was a smell of sulfur and fire was much more prevalent in the area, and Gigi looked over the walls of rock, which were all very red. She then poked at one and said, “Hey, is this a ruby?”

“Yes, don’t touch,” Shiori said… “anything.”

“But these are worth a lot,” she pulled it out.

The ground underneath shook lightly.

“A tremor,” Biboo said.

Shiori looked at Gigi holding the gem.  “I told you not to touch.”

“But it was right there – like, begging me to take it.”

The ground shook again.

Shiori formed a small sigil, hoping it would lead them in the right direction.  They needed to get to the glyphs and leave.  The ground kept moving, and all were holding to the walls, as it shook.

Shiori was trying hard to concentrate on her magical circle, hoping it would point her to the glyphs, or writings.

Suddenly, what sounded like a low growl came from ahead.

Gigi pocketed the red gem.

“It’s a dragon,” Fuwawa said quietly.

Mococo agreeing, “yeah, yeah, dragon snore.”

Gigi felt her stomach churn, scared.

Shiori was trying hard to pay attention to her sigil as the others were talking about everything and anything. “Ssh….”

Finally, it lit up a very light reddish color and then a flame shot at her arm and then disappeared. She fell to her knees, in pain.

“Oh man,” Biboo was instantly beside her, and Gigi and the other two both joined, asking “You, okay?”

Her eyes glowed bright gold, lighting up the area, and then she began mumbling, in the dragon’s tongue.

“What’s she saying?” Gigi asked.

“Ssh,” Biboo reprimanded. She listened to the words in the strange language.

Shiori fell forward.

Biboo and Gigi both grabbed at her.

“What’s going on?” Gigi asked.

“It’s a dragon,” Mococo said. “He’s waking up.”’

“No, I meant with Shiori.”

“Shiori?” Biboo was down beside her holding around.  “Shiori, can you hear me?”

Her eyes were bright gold, lighting up the tunnel, she was mumbling incoherently and then she closed her eyes.

“Yo,” Gigi snapped in front of her eyes.

“Stop that,” Biboo pushed her.

“Don’t push me.”

“Stop being stupid.”

“I AM NOT.”

“SSH.”

“YOU SHUSH!”

Biboo stomped her foot realizing she needed to be quiet.  Again, the ground shook.

Shiori looked over at the two of them and then pointed to the right.  “We need to go that way.” And then flatly - upset, “you two seriously need to be more quiet.”

The two glared at the other. And then Gigi whispered, “she started it.”

Mococo and Fuwawa laughed, watching the two fighting.  “The gremlin is very funny.”

“Yeah,” Fuwawa agreed.

Another low rumble went through the area in front of them.

Shiori stood, holding onto Biboo’s shoulder, helping her stand.  “Follow me guys.  The dragon is still sleeping but not for long if we keep making a bunch of noise.”

“Told you,” Mococo whispered to her sister.

They all walked in a line, following Shiori as she led and then they came to a large open cavern.  It was almost as massive as the cavern they first arrived at, but they were now on the lower level.

Gigi stepped forward, her eyes wide.  The place was huge, pillars toward the back hundreds of feet away, and gold as far as the eye could see.

The entire area looked like an ocean of gold.  It sparkled in the low lighting of the fiery red rocks inside the cavern and intermittent falls of lava.

“There is so much gold,” she said.

“Yeah,” Biboo was nearly drooling at the sight of every kind of gem.

“Bau, bau,” the twins said in unison.

“We have to go over there,” Shiori whispered pointing. “Be extremely quiet.”

There was another opening, off to the right side.

Biboo and Gigi wanted to grab some of the treasure.  The draw of the dragon’s treasure had killed many through time.

Gigi quickly pocketed a few coins and then followed.

They moved in a line, and then squeezed through an even smaller corridor, the walls hot because of the heat throughout this area of the cavern.

“Be careful,” Shiori said, “try not to get burned.”

All nodded, following.

The corridor became a grade, growing steeper as they went down and down further below the earth.

“You sure, this is the way?” Gigi asked.

“She knows what she’s doing,” Biboo said.

“I’m sure, but” she took a breath, both the cloistering feeling and the heat getting to her, plus she was beginning to feel off, as if she was still trying to heal, or maybe something else.

Mococo placed a hand on the gremlin’s shoulder, “It will be okay.”

“Thanks,” she turned back smiling.

They finally went into another room, and this time the walls were more golden and at the center was a large squarish boulder, black with streams of red running through it.  But every inch had hieroglyphic type writing.

Shiori’s eyes were wide, and her smile spread, as she looked over the rock.  She rushed, touching the stone, her hands gliding gently over it, feeling every contour.

She turned, a near tear at her eye, “This is it!  We found it!”

She started reading the writing, able to memorize whatever she saw and in the language.

The wizard with the raven black hair from her dreams was suddenly standing in front.

It caused her to step back.

It was like her dream, and he spoke with the thick eastern Romance Empire accent, looking over the smaller witch.

“Why are you here?” she asked.

Gigi noticed her movement, and it looked like she was seeing something no one else was seeing.

The wizard told her, “Stop.”

“Stop, why?”

“This is not the correct ones.”

“What do you mean?”

Gigi whispered to Biboo, “Who is she talking to?”

Biboo shook her head, “no idea.”

“Look to the left,” the wizard pointed her in the opposite direction. “Leave quickly.  I will show you, my child.  It is a small thing, among the large thing. This is meant to captivate.  You must go to the one that delineates.”

And then he was gone.

Shiori suddenly stopped looking over the glyphs.  She looked at her arm, the burning.  The burning.  She was being led, but not by the warlock of her dreams.  It was the dragon himself.  He wanted to be awakened. 

“Of course.”  She grabbed Biboo’s arm, “Stop me if I read anything in this room.”

“Oh…kay?”

“We have to go.  NOW.” She pointed in the direction the warlock had told her, “We have to go that way.”

Her arm shook, and then as if possessed went to a section of the rock.  And she moved, as if it was pulling up to the writing near the top on its own.  She pressed her hand and began to read in an ancient tongue.

“NO.” Shiori pulled back her hand. She could not read it out loud.  “STOP!”

Her eyes glowed, the luminescent yellow and black borders around the iris were glowing, as the glyph itself glowed in red writing.

Gigi watched, realizing Shiori was trying to stop herself.  It looked strange, like she was fighting herself.

“Biboo, grab her! We gotta stop her from reading that!”

Shiori was trying hard to turn away, but her arm pulled back to the rock, and she kept speaking.

Biboo grabbed at her, pushing her to the back of the room, “Shiori? Shiori, look at me!”

She turned, growling, and then Biboo went flying backward to the wall on the other side, hitting so hard she took a part of the wall with her body, as she crumpled to the ground.

“Oh, my gods,” when Gigi saw that something very wrong was happening, she ran over leaping on top of Shiori knocking her down, “You have to wake up!” She was straddling her, “don’t get possessed. That’s not a good thing.”

Shiori growled again, her eyes glowing, and then Gigi was thrown up and back, like she weighed nothing.  The gremlin was thrown over the glyph and to the other side of the room, hitting the wall hard.

“Ugh,” she rolled on the ground.

The dog twins didn’t know what to do.

“We have to stop her,” Fuwawa said.  “Come on.”

Mococo nodded and then the two of them tried to tackle her and make her stop talking, but she bit the younger one, and she yelped.

“She bit me,” she cried.

“Moco-chan!”

The doggos were thrown into Biboo.

Shiori was back at the rock, the words tumbling from her mouth, as the rock glowed.  Her eyes were glowing brightly, the red veins of the rocks like rivulets of liquid were moving.

A mighty roar came forth from where the dragon slept, and the ground shook so hard parts of the ceiling were falling.

Gigi and Biboo scrambled back to their feet.

The gremlin realized she had her gauntlets in her pocket and pulled them out and then ran up, jumping off the wall with as much momentum as possible, and then punched the rock as hard as she could muster.

It stopped glowing.  Biboo took advantage, and tackled Shiori again. 

She grabbed around her shoulders, straddling, holding her down, crying, “Shiori, please you have to take control, dang it!  Please… please.”  She cried, “I love you, please, you’re stronger than this. You’re the strongest person I know,” Her eyes were moist, as she searched the eyes of the witch, “…Please.”

“PUT SOMETHING IN HER MOUTH!” Gigi yelled.

“Oh, dang it,” Biboo kissed her, covering over her mouth.

“Uh,” Gigi was completely surprised, “not exactly what I meant.”

She was still kissing her, her mouth holding her in place. Shiori was suddenly not struggling… and kissing her back.

The twins’ eyes were wide when Fuwawa said, “told you…” to her sister, “pay up.”

“Whoa…” Mococo said, “they’re going at it.”

“Cover your eyes, bau baus,” Gigi placed her gauntlet covered hands in front of them, “they’re hitting second base.”

The Dooby Gang

“You look worn out,” Calliope told her friend. “Watching you work was pretty amazing.  But then you always were an amazing person.”

Dooby blushed, not one to take compliments. 

“If it wasn’t for you two, that would have been a very difficult operation.”

“Is Kaela okay watching over her?”

“Yes, she’ll get me if I’m needed.”  She touched the reaper’s shoulder.  “I’m sorry.  I know this is putting a crimp in our plans to find Gigi.”

“Sometimes, things just happen.”  Calliope sat down at the campfire, Dooby joining her.

“Aren’t you tired?”

“Very, but there’s just something she said.”  Dooby laughed, “did she ask you where is north?”

“Yeah,” she also laughed, “I think so.”

“Why did she want to know where north is?  That’s a weird question, right?”

“Yeah.  That must be where she was headed.”

Dooby considered what was north of Great Exardia.

A loud explosion went off in the distance, and they both turned, lifting from where they sat.

“Was that an explosion?” Calliope asked.

“Certainly was.”  She pulled down her goggles and then turned a knob and they went into night vision, her able to see long distances with her goggles.

“Impressive goggles.”

“Yep, I like having impressive gadgets.”

Calliope laughed, “Yeah, I remember.”

She held up her hand, “There’s smoke.  It’s west of us.”  And then more explosions went off, so large it shook the ground where they stood.  “My goodness, someone is bombing Libestal.”

“Why?”

“Good question.”

She pulled up her goggles.  “What is going on?” She held a hand to her chin, “Nerissa was with Elizabeth in Great Exardia two days ago.  And now she is here, obviously having been attacked by Great Exardian arrows according to what Kaela said about those being the arrowheads she fashioned for Great Exardia.

“They wanted to hurt demons.  Nerissa is a demon.  Libestal is ruled by someone who now wants to bring back the age of the demons and dragons.”

“I thought it was just dragons.  Belthior is a demon that wants to be in a dragon again, right?”

Kaela walked up, “Those explosions are in the northern part of Libestal.”

“Your dad,” Calliope remembered.

“He will be alright.  My father is a very powerful man – very strong.  He will be busy helping others.”  Kaela had been listening to them, and added, “I thought I would try a little experiment, since Great Exardia attacked the demoness who is here.  I can’t reach Great Exardia.”

“It’s in radio silence?” Dooby asked.

“Yes, there is something blocking the ability to communicate with the country.”

“Why?”  Calliope asked.

“Well,” Dooby said, “if you want to start a war, or take over a country - miscommunication is usually the best way to rile up citizens, especially if it’s like a dictator or coup, something like that.  So, for some reason Great Exardia is trying to do something very wrong.”

“Like bombing Libestal.” Kaela said.

“Wasn’t Nerissa close to Elizabeth?  Why would she want to hurt Nerissa?” Calliope said.  “That would mean…”

“Yes.  Something is going on in Great Exardia and Elizabeth is probably not the one calling the shots.  It’s why Nerissa was injured and trying to go north of Great Exardia.  Something is necessary to help Elizabeth that is in the north. She said something about Liz.  I think she’s trying to get help…”

“Meaning they might have Liz.”

“The throne is being overthrown,” Kaela said.

Dooby nodded, “We have to go to Great Exardia.”  She then smacked her head, “No, we have to go to the north.  The Northern Great Exardia mountain range is that direction.”

“That’s where we are headed,” Kaela said.  “Isn’t that where the gremlin is?”

She looked down at her small detector with the red light.  “Of course.”  She told Kaela, “It’s still dark.  Do you think we should risk heading out?  The queen could be in danger.”

“It’s a big risk, Dooby.”

“I’m willing to take it,” Calliope said.

“We have an injured woman in there.” Kaela said, “she needs to rest.  My small jeep is not as smooth as your train.”

“There are bombs going off in Libestal.  Nerissa is heading somewhere probably to help the queen.  Something has happened to Elizabeth.  It’s pretty obvious,” Calliope said.  “We need to take the risk.”  She looked to Dooby, “how much further is it?”

“Maybe another day if we hurry.”

“And that’s if we don’t run into the night creatures.  After this area is the most dangerous part of our journey, and really should be traveled in the day, but…” Kaela said, “let me do some quick maintenance to the jeep.  Get us a little more protection.  Give me around 30 minutes and I think we can risk it.”

“I’ll go look in on Nerissa,” Dooby said.  “Make sure she has clean wrappings and is ready for travel.”

“Do you need help?” Calliope asked the blacksmith.

“Yes, thank you.”

Northern Great Exardia Mountains

The Evil Ones walked across the lava and were soon in the room where Advent and Gigi were.   

Where they looked, they could see but not be seen.  They entered as Gigi punched the stone glyph.

“Look at the small gremlin.  She is holding her own well.  She has a brave heart.” The dark one, Nyar looked at her in admiration. 

“Yes, she is quick and strong. Her tail is already grown back.”

“I knew it would.”

“The dragon has started to be awoken.  If Belthior comes he will do something to the automaton.” Hasturazul placed his hands at his back.

“That is how it is.  Justice will lose one.”

“The Archivist must find the proper writings.” 

“Do you still think she will, Hasturazul?”

“Will we let her, my lord?”

“I don’t see why not.”  He then listened, “it is already too late.”

“I have always loved the dragon times.  Wonderful and chaotic.  This land may fall.  Perhaps, these heroes are not worthy.”

Nyar listened, not having as much doubt as his companion.  He was suddenly a little girl again.

“Are you changing to speak to the gremlin?”

“This form she will recognize.  I need to separate her from the others.”

“That is possible with the dragon waking.”  He then smiled, “she is carrying something he wants.  I suppose we will see how fast she truly is.”

The two laughed.

“Then, I will see the queen, my lord. We will see how the blue flame holds up with all that she has been through.”  His eyes glowed as if in admiration.  “Humans are sometimes the cruelest creatures, are they not?  I give nightmares and madness, but sometimes they need no help and become the nightmare and madness.”  Hasturazul nodded and then left to Great Exardia.

Nyar, now Rayn, followed the group of five.

Chapter Text

Chapter 27 – The Queen of Great Exardia and Zen

Hours had passed, and Elizabeth grabbed at the chains, trying hard to keep holding herself up.  It was growing more and more difficult.  She lowered her head, “Mother, please, give me the strength I need.”  Her body shook in pain, “please…”

Her flame was weak. She had grown weak.  She leaned her head against the cold stone wall, time passing so slowly, as she struggled to simply breathe and hold herself up.

She could hear someone coming toward the cell, and she didn’t want to be afraid.  She wanted to be strong.  She had to be strong.

The cell door opened, and she was in too much pain to turn and see who entered.

There were a couple of sets of boots.

She gripped the chains.

“Your majesty?” was spoken quietly, “forgive me.”

And then she felt a cloak placed over her back, covering her body, nude since they had ripped off her clothing earlier to add to her humiliation, as they whipped her back.

“I am sorry, my queen.”

She turned her head slightly and could see a young knight-in-training, and then further back a young lady.

“Who are you?”

“I am squire Gonathan Gerhard, son of one of your Royal Brigade, Commander Garrett Gerhard.”

“Garrett’s son?”

“Yes, and my sister is here, Genevieve.”

“Majesty, I am sorry they have hurt you like this.” Genevieve spoke, “I will help clean your wounds – clean you up.  I’m sorry I cannot give you a proper bath.  I’m studying to be a nurse.  We had to sneak in here and I am not sure how much time we have.  There are others in the kingdom who do not agree with what is being done to you.” She angrily added, “They are evil, these ones. Evil, evil creatures.”

The young squire had a set of keys and unlocked her shackle and then the other and she nearly fell, but he held around her.

“Thank you,” she said softly.

“Genevieve, please.”

His sister placed a blanket on the dirt floor, and then brought in a bucket, placing it on the ground besides new clothing and cloths, as he lowered the queen to sitting, and then slowly moving her to her side, so that she could lay down as his sister tended to her. He was careful in how he held around her, keeping the cloak over her body.

She looked over the young man, and his sister. They both had dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. 

“You look like your father.”

“Thank you, your majesty.”

“I had to watch when they did this to you, your majesty,” Gonathan spoke sadly, “and I am sorry I could not stop them.  I don’t understand how some could be so brutish and cruel to their own queen.”

“It is quite alright.  I am glad you did not.  They would have had you killed or locked up. That would have done neither of us any good. You showed both restraint and intelligence – both key in being a good knight.”

The siblings looked back and forth at each other, and you could see they were concerned because of how the queen looked.

“I must be a mess,” she laughed.  “I’m sorry I cannot see you in better circumstances.”

“It is alright, your majesty.  Your presence is an honor to us.”

“Genevieve will help clean your wounds and get you changed.  I will stand guard and make sure no one comes by. The guards here only make rounds every hour. This is my hour and so, we have a bit of time.”

“We should maybe escape with the queen,” Genevieve said. 

“There are soldiers everywhere and it is near impossible.  All communication has been blocked for the outside realms and world,” Gonathan said, his back to them as his sister worked on helping the queen, “Your majesty,”

Elizabeth was lying still, as the young girl tended to her back, carefully cleaning where they had whipped her.  She was weaving in and out of consciousness.

“Your majesty?”

She woke, listening, “Yes?”

“We have those in the kingdom that will not bow to the Regent, but he has already started taking away those who have been vocal.  Two of my knighthood brothers have left to find the Royal Brigade.   There are blockades, and I am hopeful they will make it.  They will die trying, if they must.  And if I must, I will fight them if they try to hurt you again.”

“Thank you, Gonathan, and Genevieve.  But I do not want you both to be hurt or killed because of me.  I trust the Royal Brigade will come back and I have other friends.”

“The beautiful Sound Demon?”

“Yes, I am hopeful.”

“I loved her concert, your majesty,” Genevieve smiled with everything.  “It was so fun.”

“I am glad.”

“There are those who say there should not be demons in our country,” Gonathan said, “Those are the ones who side with the Regent. There is actually a reward for anyone who can kill the Sound Demon if she returns.”

“What?”

“Yes, a price for her head.  A very high price.”

“No.” Elizabeth looked over the cell.  “They can’t.”

“Shush, Gonathan.  You worry the queen.”

“I am sorry.”

She thought over Nerissa sharing her flame and worried over them telling her there was a reward for her head.  She knew there were many assassins who would take advantage of her being injured.

“Thank you, for telling me.”

Genevieve finished washing her body as best as she could and placing ointments and creams along her back and lower back, and then tended to her wrists, holding around them carefully, she said quietly, “I can’t believe they did this to you.”

“I’m alright.”

The young girl sniffed, holding in her tears.

She then grabbed a clean shirt, asking, “May I place this on you, your majesty?”

“Yes, that would be fine.”

The two helped her to sit, and then Gonathan turned around, his back to them once again.

She helped dress the queen in a plain white blouse, and undergarment, and long brown skirt, that was pressed.  She had warm socks and boots.

“Your majesty, I’m sorry we have nothing finer for you.”

“This is the most precious gift I have received.”  She hugged the young girl and then held out her hand to Gonathan, who took it. He had a firm grip.

“Thank you, both.  I will remember this.  You do your father a good service.  He should be proud.”

“Thank you, your majesty.”

“Oh wait,” Genevieve pulled over a basket.  “Please eat, your majesty.”

Inside there was bread, fruit, meat and cheese, and a bottle of water.  “I hope you don’t mind.  It’s very simple.”

“It looks delicious.  Please join me.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

The two sat down and they spoke for a bit, enjoying a small meal.  She learned Gonathan only had two more tests and then he would be a knight.  He said he would wait to be dubbed by his queen.

She was able to drink water.  It felt so good. 

“Ah, this is such a blessing,” she smiled, her flame growing and shining the interior of the cell, “you two have given me hope that all is not lost.”

“Thank you, your majesty.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, “but I have to place you back in the shackles.”

“I understand.”

“There are others like me, those who serve and question this treatment of you.  I think we can coerce them to leave you alone until the trial. There is word of mouth spreading, to attend on your behalf, to try and quell this deceptive attempt at calling you a traitor.”

“Thank you.”

“It is set for just after sunrise.”  He knew she had no idea of the time of day, so he added, “in three to four hours.”

“I see.”

She knew that it would feel an eternity in those chains. 

“Please,” she spoke to them both, “do not do anything that will draw attention to yourselves.”

“Your majesty,” Genevieve cried, “I’m sorry you must stay like this.”

“I will be alright.” She smiled gently, holding onto the young girl’s hand.  “Evil will not prevail.” She placed her hand on her flame, “My flame is telling me there is yet hope.”  It was also telling her Nerissa was still alive.

She thought to herself, “Be safe, my love.”

North Libestal Prison Camp

When Axel and Doki rounded the corner there was chaos, as prisoners and guards were all escaping the falling debris.

She then looked over to the mines, the entries buried under rock.

“Oh no,” Doki went running over, as quickly as possible.

“This won’t do,” Axel growled, running past a guard. “Wait just a sec, Doki.”

She stopped watching her friend, feeling impatient.

“Hey guard.”

The guard turned to him, and he smashed him in the face so hard he was on the ground in a second.  He then grabbed his keys and the dampener button.  “We still need to get to the controls with the release on these things.”

He unlocked Doki’s chains around her wrists and ankles first.  “Go and get your friend.  I see Oga and Shinri, we’ll head to the main building and get these dampeners off.  Your ghost friend will have a better chance with that if she can become a ghost again.”

“Thanks, Axel.”  She slapped him on the shoulder, “you’re the dude, man.”

“Thanks.”

She ran off and he watched.  She would never realize how much he liked her.  But then, it was obvious she was into her ghost friend.

Doki was at the entrance and started pulling off rocks blocking the entry.  It hurt, but she was moving on adrenaline.

“Be okay, Mint.  Come on.”

She kept moving one rock after another.  Suddenly Crimson and Jurard were there.  They were pushing and lifting rocks alongside her.

“Thanks guys.”

“No problem.  I just want to show Jurard I can lift more rocks than him.”

“Fuck you.”  He started moving rocks faster.

Doki shook her head.  She didn’t care.  At least they were helping.

It was comical how rocks were flying, each guy trying to work faster than the other.

The door was finally cleared, and Doki ripped it open, running inside.

Jurard and Crimson followed her in.

“Be careful,” Doki said.

It looked like the wood braces were compromised, cracks forming on some, and others looking like they were about to break.

A guard was there, holding his baton, looking scared.

Jurard and Crimson looked at him and then punched him hard in the face and he flew backward.

“I hate those little guys,” Crimson growled.

“I hate them more,” Jurard laughed.

They pulled the keys from him and the dampener button and started undoing their chains.  Doki was already walking ahead, looking for Mint.

A couple of Libestal prisoners ran past.

“Mint?” she yelled, not wanting to be too loud, since it looked like everything was about to fall.

It was dark, and then she saw Octavio, “Yo, have you seen Mint?”

“Yes, follow me.”

Jurard and Crimson caught up.

Rocks began falling.

Octavio said, “This place looks like it’s about to go.  What’s happening up there?”

“Bombs,” Doki said, “somebody is bombing the whole place.”

“My goodness,” they made it to the area Regis and Mint were working, but rocks covered over the entrance.

“They’re back there.”

“Oh man,” Doki yelled, “MINT?”

More rocks tumbled from above.

“We gotta move fast,” Jurard said, and he and Crimson started pulling away rocks.  Octavio and Doki followed their lead.

Soon, there was a small hole and Doki yelled through it, “Mint?”

“It’s me,” came from the other side, and then she could see the blue hair of Regis Altare.

“Is Mint with you?”

“She was in one of the holes when everything crashed around us.  I’m sorry.”

“Wait what?” Doki kept pulling at rocks.  “Mint?”

“Doki, she was crushed in the hole that she was in.”

“No, she wasn’t.”

“I’m sorry.” Regis was covered in dirt, his eyes downcast, “she’s gone.”

“No, she’s not.”  Doki said it matter-of-factly.

Doki kept throwing rocks out of the way.  She couldn’t believe this.  It actually angered her, he’d say that.

The others watched her manically pulling away rocks. They simply followed, realizing what had happened.

Soon enough room was clear, and Regis crawled out.

Doki pushed him out of the way wanting to crawl back inside.

“Wait,” he said, “we need to get out of here. This place is all falling apart.  We are about to be buried if we don’t leave.”

“Then get the fuck out!” She waved all of them, “Leave, and I’m going to get Mint.”

“Yo, Doki,” Jurard grabbed her shoulder, and she hit his hand away.

“I said, get the fuck out of here. I’m going to go get Minto.”

“She’s gone, man!” Jurard didn’t like being hit.

“She is not!”

The four guys stood looking at the smaller bird girl.  A single tear was in her eye. “She’s not gone.  She’s a fuckin ghost.”

“Not with that dampener on,” Regis said sadly. “You have to face the fact that…”

Doki hit him hard across the face.  “I said,” she pointed to them, “Get. The fuck. Out of here.”

Regis wiped at his mouth, “I understand.”  He felt bad.  “I think we should all go.”  He turned to Jurard and Crimson, “Guys, grab her.”

“Whoa wait!”

They both took her, one on each side, lifting her and forcibly pulling her out of the mines. 

“NO!  MINT!”  She kept kicking out, trying to waggle out of their grip, “MINT! She’s back there!”

She was kicking and screaming as they dragged her out of the mines.  She wasn’t as big as the two guys, but she was putting up a fight.

“LET ME GO!  NO!” She kept screaming as they finally made it to the door, the entire place falling behind them.

“No,” she fell to her knees, “You fuckin jerks!  YOU FUCKERS!!!  She’s not dead.  She’s not.”

Jurard grabbed at her shoulder, “Hey man… I’m sorry.”

She whapped his hand away.  “You both.” Then pointing to the four, “I don’t want to see any of your fuckin faces.  If I see you again, I will shoot you.”

Her eyes were filled with tears.  “She can’t die.”  She was on all fours, her head down, “she can’t die.  She’s a ghost.  Mint doesn’t die.  I don’t know what’s wrong with you guys.”  She kept talking to herself, crying.

They all uncomfortably looked across at the others, not knowing what to do or how to comfort.

There was a groan in the earth, as more rocks fell from the eastern wall.

Suddenly a very large woman was yelling at a bunch of Libestal guards, these ones twice the size of the others, and they had guns out and were shooting at the prisoners trying to escape.

“Oh no,” Octavio said, “it’s the warden.”

Doki looked up, “the warden?”

“A half dragon, half human hybrid.  And with a temper. Zentreya.  She looks mad.”

Mint was suddenly standing beside Doki in her ghost form, “they have a warden here?”

“Mint!?”

“Why you crying, Doki?”

She was so shocked, she couldn’t talk, and then she grabbed around the ghost, hugging her tightly, since she was the only one who could feel her corporeal form when a ghost.

“Yeesh,” she giggled, “I think I was crushed, but then I was here.”

“You idiot.  Why’d you have to…” She pulled back, “wait a minute, if you’re a ghost that means.”

“I can be a tyrannosaurus.” Jurard suddenly grew into a dinosaur, instantly catching the attention of the warden.

“We have to get our weapons, boys,” Octavio the puppeteer laughed. “Armis follow me.”

He and Crimson ran to where they had the weapons stashed, as Jurard looked at the warden.  “She’s mine.”

He growled, running toward her.

She grinned, her eyes a deep red, and then the claws were out.  Ready to fight.

Doki backed up.  “Yo Mint, I wasn’t crying.  The rock dust got in my eye.”

“Yeah sure, Dokibird.”

“No really.”

“Yeah, whatever,” she rolled her eyes.

She then looked over Doki, having obviously been in a skirmish, “What happened to you?”

“Just… got a little beat up.  Two big guys were taking turns punching me.”

“You, okay?”

“No, I have a broken rib now, thank you.” She held to her side; she had been moving on adrenaline but now it was getting really painful.  “I was digging you out of the fuckin mines and you were fine all this time.  I had a whole fuckin breakdown scene cause I thought you were dead dead.  That’s just… so thoughtless on your part.”

“Oh, that I didn’t DiIIIIIEEE?!?!?!”

“Yeah.”

“You’re so irritating.”

“And you aren’t?”

Doki suddenly pushed Mint out of the way, as someone shot at them. 

“Just a sec,” her red crosshair lit a bright red, and then she lifted a rock and threw it hard, hitting the guard trying to shoot them, square on his head and he fell over.

“Oh my gosh, I’m a ghost, remember?”

“Oh, so I’m not supposed to try and protect you?” She then lifted a rock and threw it at another guard behind them.  “I mean, you could at least be a little grateful.”

“Gee thanks, for saving my ghostly apparition.”

The two were very quiet, watching the other.

Mint wrapped her arms around Doki’s arm, moving closer.  “Hey Doki?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

She looked down at her small friend with the brightest turquoise blue eyes, large and smiling with her whole self.  “Glad you’re okay.”

“Same.”

In the distance, Jurard was fighting claw to claw with the dragon warden.

“Man,” Mint said, “it’s getting busy around here.”

“We should leave.”

“Yeah.  I need to get to Great Exardia.”

Axel came running out, Shinri following with his longbow and Oga.

They all met up with the two girls.

Regis said, “I also need to get to Great Exardia, mind if I travel with you both?”

“Sure,” Mint said instantly.

“I’m coming too,” Axel said.  “These guys can take care of the warden and the remaining guards.”

“We’ll get Armis and Shinri, and see you guys a bit later in Great Exardia,” Oga told them, “May your travel be swift and without incident.”

“Thanks, Oga,” Mint hugged him, despite being a ghost.  “You were my first friend here.”

“It was a pleasure, fellow jailbird.”

They both rocked out, head banging, “Sweetest Scarlet, oooooh yeah!” 

“She’s so weird,” Doki eyes flattened.

Jurard went flying across from them, changing back to human form.  He was hit hard by the warden.

“She’s strong,” Mint was in awe.

 And then the walls of the prison grew up from the ground, multiple monoliths, with sirens going off, the stone structures taking the place of the eastern wall and surrounding them.

“It’s the back-up plan,” Oga said.  “It must have been triggered.”

“What do you mean?” Mint yelled.

“Because the walls were knocked down, to keep the prisoners in, these pop up in emergencies.”

“Then we need to run!” Doki was ready to take off.

They all took off, but the 500-foot-high structures were already covering the eastern side, and so they turned to run to the western side, but it was still intact.

The gates were no longer gates, but they were surrounded by tall monoliths of stone.  It looked like an arena in the Romance Empire, as one after another stone structure grew hundreds of feet high.

The seven stood, other prisoners on the ground or in nets, captured by the larger guards who looked like overgrown geckos.

Oga said, “Guess I’m using my back up plan.”

He suddenly grew up to be a 600-foot-tall demon, and an aura of red was all around him.

His voice boomed when he spoke, “Get behind me guys.”

Zentreya walked up, as if not a care in the world.  “Nobody escapes my prison.”

Mint told Doki, “She sounds like she’s from Great Exardia.”

“It’s fake,” Octavio said, now beside them, “She has a really raspy dragon voice, so she inserted a voice changer to sound like that.  She thought it would make the prisoners and guards respect her more.”

“Wow – so vain,” Mint said.

“I heard that,” she pointed to Mint.  “You’re a ghost.”

“Yeah, so you can’t hurt me.”

“But I can hurt her.” She pointed to Doki.

“I’d like to see you…”

Zentreya used two pistols, and pulled out one, shooting a tranq at the yellow-haired girl so quickly, she was down in an instant.

“…try.” And then she fell over.

“Doki?”

“It only put her asleep,” Oga said.

“Your motley crew thought they were going to escape,” the warden said, looking over the group.  “I like a good challenge.  I have an offer.”

“What kind of an offer,” Mint asked, actually thinking the warden looked kind of cool.  She had never seen a dragon hybrid before, and she walked up to her. She was the most buxom and shapely woman she’d ever seen.  And if there was something Mint loved, it was a really hot woman.

Zentreya stood a foot over the small ghost.  Her yellow eyes squinted, staring down at the small ghost.

She suddenly leaned down, pushing a small button, which activated the dampeners once again, and then patted her head, “You remind me of someone.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, someone I killed.”

“Oh…” she backed up.

“Send your strongest and if they win me in a hand-to-hand battle, I’ll let your lot go.”

“Do you mean us emissaries who were sent here from Great Exardia?” Regis asked.

“Yes, your group, and the two - Mint and Dokibird.  Our prison is for criminals.  I will give you all a fighting chance.  Because I am magnanimous like that.” She smirked, lifting an eyebrow.

“She’s so cool,” Mint said.  “Do you sing?” she asked her.

“Why yes, I do.”

“I bet you’re really good.”

“Well…” she laughed, blushing slightly.  “I also dance.”

“Wow, I thought so.  I can see by how gorgeous you are.”

“You think so?”  Zentreya then went down to the small ghost again.  “You are a ghost of good taste.”

“I’ll fight you,” Oga said.

She shot both her guns at his knees, and he instantly shrunk and fell to the ground.  “Don’t interrupt.  And you’re a killer.  This prison is for killers.  This deal is not for you.”

“Let’s see,” she held out both guns, her gecko guards crossing their arms.  “Who will represent you and fight me for your freedom?”

“I will,” Mint said.

“I meant, more of a challenge.  I’ve already taken down the tyrannosaurus brute.”

“I challenge you to an idol-off.”

“A what?!”

“We set up that place as a stage and sing and dance, and the one with the most cheers from the crowd here is the winner. An idol-off.”

Zentreya laughed, “Are you serious, little ghost girl?”

“Yeah.” Mint was smiling widely.  “I want to hear your beautiful voice and see your cool moves.”

“Oh,” she blushed slightly.  Her eyes brightened, in thought.

The gecko guards watched her. 

Regis told her, “I can fight her.”

“Just wait.” 

The warden clapped her hands, “That sounds perfect.”  Pointing to the geckos, “Set up our stage, sound system and all.  We are having an idol-off.”

She actually seemed very excited, and then she pointed to Mint, in her proper Great Exardian accent, “You’re going down, ghost girl.”

“I just hope I get to hear you sing and dance.”  She swooned, causing the dragon to blush again.

Axel whispered to Regis, “what the fuck am I watching?”

“I think… it’s called an anime – or subversion – not really sure.”

“Huh?”

Great Exardia

Daylight was cresting the earth in the east.  The Regent walked into his library, smiling proudly of himself and all he felt he accomplished. 

Alex Hastur stood there.

“Oh,” he grabbed at his chest, “you surprised me, my lord.”

“Did I?”  He had no distinctive expression, watching the older man.

“After this morning, the queen will no longer be.  Her head will be yours in two days.”

“Not tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow?  I suppose we could move it up.” He considered, his eyes blinking in thought.

“You surprise me, Regent.”

“Do I?”

“You tortured her.  Is that something you enjoyed?”

“She burned my face.” He pointed to the small burn at the left side of his cheek and chin.

“I see.”  He looked over his face, staring closely, so that the Regent fell into his chair, shaking.  “My, how horrid.”

He was mocking the Regent.

“She laughs at me, thinking I will not do what I said I will do.  She deserved it.”

“Did she?”

“What… did you need, my lord?”  He wanted him to leave.

“I was about to visit the queen and ask how she is doing.  I know today is a big day for the both of you.”

“Someone went into the prison and cared for her.”

“And you told your soldiers to beat her again?”

“No… I merely…”

“You are such a rare human.” He laughed.  “What has she done to you that makes your hate so deeply that it controls your existence?”

“I… I… deserved this kingdom.  I deserved it. It was stolen from me.”  He hit the desk, “I loved Anne Rose Bloodflame, and she was stolen from me.”

“Really?”

“I am not sure I like this rhetorical questioning.  Am I on trial?” He laughed.

The Yellow King was directly in front of his face.  “Why yes.  You are.”

He then disappeared.

The Regent was shaking so hard and gripping the sides of his chair to the point he had scratched into the wood.

*****

The queen was roused from falling asleep, her wrists being pulled against the metal of the chains that held her to the stone wall.

“How have you been, your majesty?”

“Alex Hastur?” she said.

“Yes.”

“How’d…” She tried to turn her head.

“I think you know that I am not Azul Haster, your Director of Research and Development.”

“Yes, that’s right.  He had a different name back then.”

“Let me help you.”  He touched the shackles and she fell free from them, falling to the ground, him catching her and placing her against the wall.

“Here.” He helped straightening her against the wall.

“Why?”

“Do you know my name?”

She shook her head.

“I am one that it is best you do not say my name.”

“You are watching.  The gods have sent you?”

“No.  You are favored by your gods, however.  They are like… our children.  We were here before them.”

“I see.”

She was leaning to the side, as he lowered on his haunches in front of her speaking.

“If I were human, I might feel sorry for you.”

“But you are not.” She laughed, “you are here because of the Regent. This is the evil my flame felt.”

He grinned.  “You are a sharp queen.  Your Regent is an idiot.”

She laughed.  “Yes, he is.  But then I am the one here and beaten and he is the one free.”

He watched her and her blue flame, both still strong. 

“Your director was a child of ours, a tribute since born.  I simply was able to take his body.  He is no longer with us.”

“And you have no daughter.”

He shook his head slowly.

“You are the ones who hurt Gigi.  Is she alive?”

“I cannot tell you that.”

“I see.  She is alive.”

He laughed.  “You are almost admirable to a god like me.

“I came to make you an offer, Elizabeth Rose Bloodflame.”

“There is no such thing as offers.”

“Oh, I see.  I can give you your kingdom back and make sure the Regent pays for what he has done to you.  I can keep him in a room for eternity being eaten by rats over and over again.  To make him pay for what he’s done.”

“Vengeance, I see.”

“Yes, I can free the others in this dungeon that he has imprisoned.  Take away these scars he has given you.  You can live as you did with Justice and your kingdom will be restored. I can give it all back to you.”

“At what price?”

“The Sound Demon Nerissa Ravencroft.  That is all.”

She laughed, a light chuckle as she sat there.

“She has lived thousands of years.  I can make you forget she existed so you will not have the pain and burden of memory.  You will have lost nothing.  She is a demon who has done many horrible things in her life.  It is time for her to pay, is it not?”

“I see.” She stared down at the dirt and stones of the prison.

“How long have you lived, Alex Hastur, or whatever your name is?”

“Forever I have existed.  Where there is chaos and fear, I live.”

“My life is finite.  It must be difficult living with no end or beginning.  Time is a strange construct.  But also, a strange motivator.”

“What are you saying?”

“You might as well hang me back up on those chains.  I do not accept your offer.”

“You would throw away the people of this kingdom for your lover?  Thousands of lives to be subject to the Regent and his greed for power.  Their lives forever ruined, and you will have lost your head to his whims, and your lover will still be alive, but now without you.  The flame will die.  Is that truly worth it?”

“My people have not given up on me and I will not give up on them.  And Nerissa is more than my lover.”

“Is she?”

“She is a living being that I love.  She is also a living being even if I do not love her.  She is still who she is.  I love her more than my own life because I am finite.  She shares my flame.” She gazed into the entity’s eyes, “I will not remove the flame from her.”  Knowingly, “that is what you really want.”

Her blue flame grew stronger and outward.

He smiled and then stood.  “The Regent will not place you back in those shackles.  Enjoy this time of respite. I will see you at your trial.  You will be afforded the Fates and not our interference.  You have answered well.”

He disappeared as easily as he appeared.

She touched her flame.  “Mother, thank you for this.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 28 – Road Trip and a Dragon

Nerissa lay in the back next to Dooby, who was keeping an eye on her, taking vitals every so often.  She had a thick bandage across her thigh, and then one across her mid-section.  That was where Dooby worried, since she had lost the most blood from that wound.  Her shoulder had a bandage, but fortunately the arrow hadn’t gone as far.

Calliope rode in front with Kaela. 

They had placed steel plating at the window sides, so there was no glass.  Kaela fashioned it so that she could see out the front, side slats, and then the back was also fashioned with a metal barrier with a slat, like a tank.

It was dark, the dense forest canopy making it darker, and the sun would not be up for another few hours.

They headed along the tracks in an easterly direction, until they came to an area to move further north.

“We need to get off the tracks here.  Now, we are merely four-wheeling it.  Hold tight.”

The ride was much bumpier, and Kaela switched on high beams.  Calliope was sure she saw large shadows weaving in and out of the trees. 

“This is kind of creepy,” Calliope said, sure she saw something large jump across the trees.

The canopy was so thick, the rain was coming through lightly.  But on this route, there were thick trees for a few miles, and Calliope could hear chirps and clacks, of the creatures that lived in the trees.

“Can we go faster?”  Calliope asked.

“I don’t want to risk crashing or going off the road or into a tree here.  If we do,” she quickly glanced to Calliope, “you don’t want to know what predators will go after us.”

“Thanks for scaring me.”

“Sure.”

Kaela chuckled, “No worries, we are more than a match for these.  Right Dooby?”

Dooby held up her pistol, “you bet.”

“I guess you’re right.  I am a reaper, after all.”

It was winding in between a dense forest.

“Ugh,” Nerissa groaned, waking up with all the bumping.

“It’s okay,” Dooby told her, pulling the blanket up around her neck.

“Liz?” Her eyes opened slowly, glancing over her surroundings. “Where…”

“You’re safe.  Remember me?”

“Train… yeah.”

“Calli is up front and our friend Kaela.”

“Liz.  They…” Nerissa sat up, wanting to leave. 

Calliope looked back, “Nerissa?”

“Reaper.”

“Hey, you need to take it easy.  We know you’re trying to get help for Liz.  What happened over there?”

“They attacked… her – us.”

“Who?”

“Regent.  So many…” her eyes closed again, she was mumbling quietly.

Dooby looked over her eyes, taking her pulse.  “She’s out.  I’m afraid all this is going to open her wounds.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t make this road smoother,” Kaela yelled.

They hit a harsh bump, and the jeep was moving fast down a steep grade, and everyone held tightly.

Dooby placed her arm across the demoness, like when you try to protect your child, at the 90-degree grade.

“This is not good” Dooby yelled, “Kaela?”

“I’m trying not to crash!”

Calliope’s eyes were wide, as they neared a rushing river, and then Kaela hit the brakes hard.  All jerked forward.

“Dooby?”

“Yeah?”

“What’s the detector say?  Should we go left, or right?”

“Is that river supposed to be there?” Dooby asked.

“It looks like a flood probably from all the rain north of us and the bombing has compromised the dam and places north of us.  We need to get to higher ground.”

“Right.  Go right.”

Kaela was hitting the gas, and the wheels were spinning in the mud.  She moved the gear shift, and then worked on the gas and clutch, but it was still spinning.

“Want me to go out and push?” Calliope asked.

“Yeah, probably.  Be careful.”

“Yeah, well it’s not something I want to do, but I think I’m the only one free and strong enough.”

“Are you saying I’m small and weak?” Dooby asked.

“Yes.”

Kaela cracked up.

Calliope climbed out of the car, glancing across the trees and rocks, “Fuck, this is creepy.” 

She walked to the back, pushing at the car, yelling “hit it!”  She focused her reaper strength and then pushed it harder.  The wheels finally came loose, and she went back to the car when she heard a bunch of chittery sounds behind. When she looked back there was a group of spiders, the size of Dooby, crawling toward her.

She hated spiders.

“OH FUCK!” she grabbed the door handle, pulling it open, jumping in the car just as a spider jumped at it, making a loud thud against the side.

She was breathing hard, her eyes wide, shaking.  “There are fuckin big ass spiders out there!”

“Ah,” Kaela said, “then we need to go.”

The reaper looked over incredulously.  The blacksmith was always so calm.

The car finally moved, and they were driving, with the sound of thuds, as some spiders jumped toward the car, but then stopped.

“We must have been in their territory,” Dooby said.

“Well let’s hurry out of their territory,” Calliope looked at the side mirror, watching all the dark shadows of spiders, as they finally stopped attacking.

They drove around 20 minutes, when Kaela stopped again.

“What is it?” Calliope asked.

“Dead end, but I saw a turn a little way back – we’ll go that way instead.”

“More spiders?” Calliope asked.

“Yes, it’s through their territory.”

The reaper closed her eyes, “man, I hate spiders.”

They drove, the jeep bumping along.  Again, she’d catch the shadows above in the trees and their sounds.  Now that she knew they were spiders it made her much more on edge.

“Everyone hold tight, then, my jeep is going to have to climb.”

Dooby only worried about the constant bumping affecting her patient.  She felt around the bandages, and they were getting wetter, which meant she was bleeding.  She got out her kit and wrapped another layer of bandages around her mid-section. 

They might need to stop, and she’d have to check and redo the sutures.

Nerissa was waking up with the movement, “we have to…”

“We will.”

The demoness touched at her chest, the blue flame glowing lightly and she smiled, “I know… my love.”

“Are you talking to Liz?”

She was mumbling, holding her chest.

Dooby’s phone rang and she lifted it.  It had a special chip so she could be reached from just about anywhere. One of Dooby’s creations.

“Hello?”

The voice was faint, and she repeated, “Hello?  This is Dooby.”

“Dooby.”

“Nimi?”

“I found… note…”

“You keep cutting out.  Nimi can you repeat that?”

“Doki Mint need help.”

“What?”

“Imprisoned.”

“I can’t help them right now.  Nimi if you can hear me, I have another emergency I’m tending to.  We are looking for Gigi and helping Liz in Great Exardia.”

Just static.

“Nimi? Did you hear me?”

“I’ll go.”

“Nimi? Go where?”

The connection was gone.

“Ah fuck,” Dooby glanced back, gathering from what Nimi was able to say, that Mint and Doki were imprisoned?  But why would she call about that? 

She considered the signal of an emergency almost two days ago.  Was that what it was regarding?

Prison.  The Northern Libestal Prison was hardcore. Why would Mint and Doki end up there?

Kaela could see her friend thinking over something in the rear-view mirror.

“What was that call about?” Kaela asked.

“Mint and Doki.”

“I’m sure they’re fine.”

“Yeah, they have been through a lot and always end up on top.”

“Who are Mint and Doki?” Calliope asked.

“Oh yeah, you never met them.  They’re a ghost and bounty hunter – the ones I told you about who are tied together because of their souls.”

“Oh, the soul mates?”

“Yeah.”

“Mint… hmm, something about that name seems familiar.”  Calliope just couldn’t place it.

Northern Great Exardia in the Dragon’s Keep

The group of Advent plus a gremlin walked quietly along the walls, in the direction the warlock had told Shiori.

It was toward the back pillars, and that’s when they saw a rock structure, almost like an overhang, and then small ripples in the gold, like it was breathing.

“That’s where we’re headed,” Shiori said.

Biboo had very small steps and lagged behind.  Gigi was close to Shiori wanting to ask about the kiss, and so she did.

“I didn’t realize you two were a thing,” Gigi said.

“Shut up, gremlin,” Biboo crossed her arms.

The twins giggled, listening.

“I mean, it’s not a big deal.  I just, when I said find something to cover her mouth I just…” she laughed loudly, “didn’t think you’d go there.”

And she kept laughing.  The twins couldn’t help but also laugh. All were laughing, and Biboo was getting angrier, with a pouty face.

Shiori turned around, placing her hand against Gigi’s mouth, hard.  “Ssh…”

The gremlin gulped at the nearness of such a cute girl.

“We,” she whispered, “are going near the dragon.”

“Where’s the dragon?”

Biboo caught Shiori’s eye and turned away.

“Um,” the witch wished she had more time to just chat with Biboo but this was more important.

She considered the words that she was told, whispering to herself, “It is a small thing, among the large thing. You must go to the one that delineates.”

She suddenly glanced across the area.  There was a path along the side that wasn’t as dense in gold as the other areas.  And then she looked across at the overhang and could see writing, demon writing.  Underneath it rippled.

“An overhang delineates that which is beneath it,” Shiori said quietly. “It’s under where the dragon sleeps,” she said.  “I think that overhang might be another way underneath the dragon, but I have to see what is written to be sure.”

Biboo heard and said, “That dragon is moving.  Is he waking up?”

Shiori nodded.  “I think I read enough for him to start to wake up.

“But I need to read what it says on that overhang.  Come on, follow me and be quiet.” She looked at Gigi, “I mean it.  If not, I’ll leave you here to be eaten by that dragon.”

“Yeesh, got it.  I can be quiet.”

All four stared at her.

“Well… usually I can.”

They followed Shiori to the overhang.

The ripples grew the closer they got to the overhang.

Shiori held up a hand.

The ripples were now heaving waves, as the gold fell off the sides of plates of red and black scales.

“Oh man,” Gigi was shaking hard.

“Wait, if it moves,” Biboo said quietly, “We want it to move away from where it’s at.  Fuwamoco twins, you keep an eye on Shiori and make sure she gets to where she needs.  I’ll run over that way and get its attention.  Draw it away so that Shiori can read the writing and find the glyphs.”

“You run like a small chicken,” Gigi said.

“And you’re faster?”

“Yeah.  I’m the fastest one here.  I’m a gremlin and a chaser.  I probably run five times faster than you.”

“You think?”

“Yeah, she does,” Fuwawa said, her sister agreeing.

“Dang it.”

Gigi considered that if Shiori could get rid of Belthior she could finally free Cecilia.  The pain that Cecilia must be suffering from being trapped and at the whims of that creature for so long now.  At least a week.

She remembered how bright her smile and the last thing they said to one another.  She said how she missed her, and they laughed. She loved Ceci’s laugh; it was a mix of giggling and chuckling and would always make her smile.

And now the recent dreams of Ceci were of her scared and crying.  That thing had taken away her smile.

Gigi wiped at her eyes, “Yeah, I’ll lure that thing away.  You guys get Shiori to where she needs to go and read that.”

“You sure?” Shiori asked.

“Yeah… well no… but I have to.  I’m the fastest one here. Promise me though.”

“Yeah?”

“If I get eaten by that dragon promise me.  I mean, promise you will get that demon out of Ceci.  Save her – please Shiori,” and then she looked at the other three, her eyes moist because of her thoughts so heavily thinking over the one she loved the most, “promise me you’ll save Ceci from that thing.”

Shiori considered it and held out her hand.  Gigi took her hand.

“I promise you Geeg.”

“Yeah,” The twins were tearing up and sadly, “bau bau.”

Biboo placed a hand on the gremlin’s shoulder, “I promise too.”

“Thanks,” She looked across at the four, “Advent always, right guys? I trust you guys will do the right thing.”

Gigi smiled trying to hide how terrified she was.

“Here goes nothing.”

She took off in the opposite direction across the gold, which was a lot more difficult to run in than she had thought. 

“Man, I should have reconsidered this,” she said, and then turned, now that the dragon was sleepily moving its head.

“Oh wow, that’s a really big dragon.”

She ran faster toward the pillars, yelling, “YO DRAGON!!!  BALUMAT, IS IT?!” She placed her hand in the gold, then threw it up in the air.  “I’m OVER HERE!!!”

It shook off all the gold, falling like large waterfalls of gold, and the others were rushing to the side, trying to get away from being buried under gold.

“Who wakes me?” the dragon growled.

“Oh fuck,” Gigi was shaking hard, as the dragon let go a roar that shook the cavern, and he then spied across.  “You carry my gold.”

“Huh?”  She remembered she had taken a few coins, and they were in her pocket.

“Oh yeah,” She pulled the coins out of her pocket.  “You mean these?”

It roared loudly again. This time, its neck began to light up, the fire roiling from the pits of its stomach up and into the layers of its neck as it built up its flame.

“Oh no.”  Gigi took off running as fast as she could toward the double pillars.  They had burn marks but seemed to be strong enough to go against its flame and so that’s where she headed.

The dragon finally moved from where it was sleeping and stepped away from the overhang.  The others moved as quickly as possible, but still trying to be quiet and stealth, so the dragon wouldn’t notice them.

Gigi was running and she could feel the heat as the dragon was building up its breath of fire.

She finally made it to the side of the cavern and jumped onto the rocks, which were easier to move and in a mix of using her tail and feet, she was moving more swiftly toward the pillars.

And then the heat was intense, as the dragon breathed out its flame, it was burning everything, and Gigi jumped just in time down in between the rocks, to hide from the flame.

The heat was intense. She could see the flame above her and ducked down as far as she could go between the rocks.

“Where have you gone, small gremlin?”

She was quiet, hearing it walk closer to her hiding place, the chink and jingle of gold and riches falling with its steps.

Her heart was beating so fast, she could feel it in her ears.  She looked across trying to figure out the best path.

“Did you wake me to offer me your small fleshy body?  It is not even enough as a snack.  Once I leave, I will have my fill on the demons who cursed me to sleep in this cavern.”

Gigi crawled along the ground, looking for an opening.  Anything.

That’s when she saw a small light and wondered what it was.  But maybe it was a way out.

She crawled that way and then could see there was an extremely small opening in the rocks, and she slid down into it.

“I smell you small creature,” the dragon growled, his flame flowing across the area again, and part of it touched Gigi’s back as she went rolling down into the smaller hole and deeper down into the side of the mountain.

“Ugh,” She could barely crawl.

“Oh man,” she was squeezing as tightly as possible.

The dragon’s large body smashed into the rocks, which opened up the cavern beneath, and she went falling straight down, with rock, hearing his loud roar, she tumbled another 50 feet after being airborne and then rolled further down, and stopped, her tail grabbing a boulder, just before falling into the lava pit before her.

“Oh fuck,” She scooted back, climbing to the side, hugging the rock wall, so as not to fall into the pit of lava. 

“Ugh,” she touched at her back, it hurt.  Everything was sore.

“Where did you go, little gremlin?  I smell your blood.”

She was shaking hard, as she crawled further along the side, toward another opening.  “Please, I just got to get over there.”

She was using every appendage, including her tail, to scale along the edge of the rocks above the lava.

The only positive is that she definitely had the dragon’s attention. She was hopeful Shiori found the correct glyphs or writing to free Ceci.

She was finally at the next opening in the rocks and leapt to it, falling just short, but holding the rocks, pushing herself up with her feet and tail.  Gripping with as much strength as possible, pulling up.

She finally gripped it in a good spot and pulled herself up and into the next hole.

The heat above the lava pit was unbearable, and she kept moving on adrenaline, sweat pouring off her forehead, so that it was stinging her eyes. 

Breathing hard, she skirted through the next hole and to a larger opening and climbed up. Where she ended up was right next to the pillars that had been on the other end.

She peeked up and outside and that’s when the dragon’s eye was looking directly at her.

Her body automatically shook in the type of fear that is part of your breathing.  She couldn’t stop shaking.  It was so large up close, and she was terrified. 

A small squeak came out of her, since fear had taken her voice.

“Is that you, little gremlin?”

“No,” she quietly said, “I think you’re dreaming.”

“Do you know the tale of these pillars, gremlin?”

“No.” She kept trying to figure out if there was another way out.

She’d have to go back down into the lava pit, and she wasn’t sure she’d make it.  She was going in circles.

Think, Gigi.  Come on, think….

“Since I have some time,” she said, finally deciding to try another tactic. 

Loudly, “What is the tale of these pillars, mighty dragon?”

“Once one enters, they do not leave.”

“Oh.  Are you not the great Balumat?  I thought it would be a longer story.”

“I just woke.”

“How long were you asleep?”

“Do you think you will talk and put me back to sleep?”

She laughed.  “Your sharp wit surprises me, great dragon.  I have never met a dragon before.”

“You are meeting the greatest dragon.”

“Can I ask then.”

“I suppose.  Since you will die soon.”

“Did you want Belthior to dwell in you?”

He suddenly roared so loudly, the rocks began falling from inside the cavern. Pieces of rock, hitting her back and she ducked, covering her arms over herself, until they stopped.

“Who are you?!” he growled.  “I should kill you for simply mentioning that name.”

“I am the one who wants to get rid of Belthior. I will kill him.”  Gigi stood up before the dragon.  “I realized, you don’t want him to try and possess you again.  Cause you are a mighty and great dragon. Weak things use strong things because they are weak. He has taken over my friend because of her strength and he is weak.  He possessed her.”

“Why did you come here and wake me?”

“I didn’t actually wake you up.”

He growled in a low rumble, watching the gremlin closely.

“I came here, hopeful to find a way to get rid of him because…” she cried, “He took that which is best of me - she is my best of me.”

“I see.”

His eye was the size of her, as he stared at the small creature.

“You are a brave one.  I see it in your soul – with my dragon’s eye.  There are those with the souls of heroes.  Many have tried to kill me.”

“That would be silly.  How can one like you be killed by a small creature like me?”

“You are correct.  Small things like you are not even worth one of my bites.  You would get stuck in my tooth – and more likely an irritation.”

She laughed, and he laughed with her. 

“I just want to get rid of Belthior,” she said to him.  “More than anything.”

“More than your life?”

“Yes.” She answered quickly and confidently, and it caught his attention. 

Her tears were falling heavily, sliding down her cheeks.  “He hurt my friend in a way that I’m not sure she will ever recover.  I want to kill him.  I want to kill that creature called Belthior.  I hate him with everything I am.”

“I see.”  He lowered, “Little gremlin, climb on my back.”

“Why?”  She shook, because that did frighten her.

“I want to leave this cavern.”

“Is this a trick?”

“You will see.  I will show you something.”

She really was terrified of heights.  Flying on the back of the dragon would surely awaken that fear.

Gigi took a deep breath. Facing her fears was one of her strengths when it came to protecting one, she loved, so she looked back.

She couldn’t see Shiori and the others.  They had to have found the writings, and so she said.  “Okay.”

“Hold very tightly, I am very fast.”

“Oh, I will.”

She climbed up, using all appendages, and even that was a feat of facing her fear of heights.  He was at least 500 feet long from snout to tail and in height over 20 or 30 feet of climbing, when he lowered his head for her to climb.

“Just give me a sec,” she said, trying to move as fast so he wouldn’t grow impatient.

He laughed at feeling her move across his supple neck and scales.

After a few minutes she finally made it to the nape of his neck and the feeling was like soft leather and heat.  The warmth was actually quite nice, as she tucked herself in, gripping the fleshy scales.

“Let us be off.”

And her stomach fell nearly to her knees, as he lifted, breaking through the back of the cavern, a section they hadn’t explored, and made his way out. 

And then she felt the air, cold and brisk, but underneath his warmth kept her, like as if she were sitting by a fire, and she watched the clouds, as they split apart with his mighty wingspan over 100 feet, brushing them apart.

“I have a fear of heights,” she said.

“Do not look down, little gremlin.”

“I couldn’t if I tried,” she yelled, “You are a massive creature.”

She made him laugh again and he swept back and forth with a feeling like a dance, as she could see his wings move and glide.

The sun was about to rise, and that part of the sky that is a soft grey, like steel being bent to form the yellows and oranges of a sunrise, was just cresting at the edges of the horizon.

She was in awe, as she felt the world in a way she’d never and saw colors brighter in their nearness.  She lifted one hand, nicking the clouds, it separating like cotton candy.

“You are amazing!” she yelled.

He then lowered, and she felt him decline back to the earth, and held tightly as he made it to where he was headed and landed.

“Where are we?”

“You can climb down now.”

Gigi disembarked the back of the dragon, and when she made her way down to the ground, it was very rocky and snowy.  The weather changed, and the world actually felt warmer. 

“Look,” he said.  “But don’t look down.”

She walked toward the edge of the large crater of rock and could see for miles and miles.

“Where are we?”

“A place no human has survived.  The mountainside is strewn with many bones of those seeking the treasure at the top of this mountain.  To climb this would be their death.  We are at the peak of Strunmah Zok Mul.  Only a dragon has stood here.”

When he spoke the “r’s” were rolled harshly, as if growing from deep inside his breath.

“Is this your mountain?”

“Yes.  But where I want to go and die is much further in the north.  Only dragons can go there.”

“I see.”  She had to lean her head very far back to look at the dragon. “You are dying?”

“I am very old.”

“They say you killed many years and years ago.”

“I am very old, as I said.  Those who are not as old have a history that is not the same as my history.”

Gigi had to think about that.

“Are you saying their history is only what they can remember?”

“That sums it up, I think.  Their history is of when Belthior possessed me but before that time.  There were kings of Libestal and other realms, even Freesia where you are from, that knew of dragons.  I knew a king thousands of years ago, King Dorokan of Libestal, the Libestalians worshipped us dragons and we had a more symbiotic relationship. There were fields that tended to for miles that bred sheep and goats our favorite.  We could eat them freely, as long as we left them at peace.  We did so for many, many years.

“Dragons do not like to eat humans and the like, gremlins and such.  They are very chewy and grainy, leaves a horrible taste in the mouth.”

“I’m sorry about that.”

He smiled, from what she could tell.

“Yes, well I love goats.  Best taste of all.  Cattle are not too bad, but a good goat – no dragon could deny.”

“I see.”

“Belthior is a parasitic demon.  There are those that are very good at feeding off of others.  Parasites are in demon and human realms.  They feed off the accomplishments or the strength, as you said, because they are too weak.  They want and covet that which is not for them to possess.”

“And Belthior went inside you, like he did to my friend, Ceci?”

“Yes.”  He looked down at the gremlin.  “Are you injured?  You are bleeding.”

“I am?”  She felt behind her back, where she had been running through the rocks and burned.  “Oh, I am.” She laughed, “I’ve been injured for around a week.  I was in a coma for two days when Belthior within my friend, tried to kill me, and then nearly killed by another thing – that I have no idea what it was.  I became ill with a fever and was starting to recover but now, I’m just having a rough week.”

“I see.  And you are here to save your friend, despite being so small and injured.”

“Yes.  I have to.”

“I see.”  He moved toward another part of the mountain, “Follow me carefully.”

She walked over to where he pointed.

“See the pool of blue over there?  Look but do not touch.”

She walked to a small pool, like a hot spring.  It was a deep periwinkle blue.  It was maybe around six-by-six in size but had this translucent color that made her want to touch it.

“Is that water?”

“No, it is a pool of something no human has seen.  As I said, many a knight and those who thought they were brave enough have tried and lost their lives doing so – except one.  A king many, many years ago of Great Exardia.”

“Elizabeth’s ancestor?”

“Is she the queen of Great Exardia?  A Bloodflame?”

“Yes.”

“Many, many years before her.” His voice was very low and raspy, and when he spoke Gigi found it easy to listen. 

“This blue is the color of sky and water, the two things that are needed for the world around you to exist.  The blue flame of the Bloodflame kingdom is made of this blue.  It is the soul of the magic in these realms.  It is an untouchable thing.  Even I dare not touch the blue soul of this world.”

“The soul of this world?”

“Yes.  But they say a mighty heart can touch it without dying. Do you think you have a mighty heart, gremlin?”

“What would be the purpose?”

“Do you wield a sword, little gremlin?”

“No, I wield these.”  she pulled the gauntlets out of her jacket.  “This is my only weapon.  But I can hit with these very hard.”

“They are like claws.  You must think you are a dragon.”

They both laughed.

“Place your gauntlets in the blue liquid.  If you can pull them out, then you are worthy.  If you are not, then you will never be strong enough to defeat your enemy, Belthior.” He stared down into her eyes, “You will most assuredly die, little gremlin.”

“If I am not worthy what happens to me?”

“You will die here on this mountain.  I felt it was a good burial for you, who I consider worthy enough to speak to me.”

“You brought me here to die?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, let me think about this.”

“You dared to wake me.”

“I see.”  She smiled, watching the dragon.  “You are basically telling me to know my place in the presence of the great dragon, Balumat.”

He quietly watched the little gremlin.

“If I place my gauntlets in there and pull them out, can I even punch you?”

He laughed so loudly, she nearly was knocked off the mountain.  She went down on all fours.

“Will I really be able to hit the demon and kill him with my gauntlets with this blue liquid surrounding them?”

“Yes.  This is the soul of Great Exardia and the fantasy realms.  None have touched it and lived, other than the king.  He did so because of how much he loved his kingdom, which was being overrun with Orcs and goblins.  They were killing his people, raping and mutilating.  It went into his heart. They say only the great monarchs of Great Exardia have ever wielded the power of the blue flame. Do you think you are different?”

“I think I might be dumb enough.”

She didn’t want to die.

“Basically, either way I might die.  I touch it I might die.  I hang with you, and you will kill me anyway.”

“Yes.  I would not be Balumat if I let you live.”

“I see.  Then I will do it.”  She placed her gauntlets on and then looked down into the pool.

She thought over Ceci and how she would do anything to free her of that creature.  She knew she had to be stronger. She was always the smallest and weakest in Justice.  That was how she felt.  She needed to be stronger for those she loved.

She took a deep breath.  “Here goes nothing.”  She stared out across the sky; it was very blue.  “I love you, Ceci.  Please come back to me.”  She then thrust her gauntlets into the blue liquid.

It surrounded her hands, holding her in place.

Even if she wanted, she couldn’t pull them out.  She gritted her teeth, the pain intensifying across her whole body, like a burning growing from within, as if she were being cooked.

The dragon watched, as her body was shaking, and she screamed, a bloodcurdling scream of pain.  Her body writhed in pain.  

She was trying hard to pull her hands out of the pool, but it held her, and she started crying in pain.

And then it released.

She fell backward, her hands finally free, back and onto the ground, lying there, breathing hard.  Her gauntlets, dripping with the blue liquid.

Tears fell from her eyes, she was in so much pain, and then they slowly closed, as she lay there her body no longer moving.

The dragon did not expect her to do it.  It both surprised him in shock and admiration. 

The small gremlin was foolhardy, if nothing else. 

Her small body lay there, her head to its side.

“I am sorry, little gremlin.  You said you wanted to kill Belthior.  It seems, you were not worthy.”

And then he heard her snore.

Chapter Text

Chapter 29 - Strunmah Zok Mul and An Assassin

Gigi walked along the dragon’s cavern, past the tall pillars, and across an area behind where the dragon had slept. 

She walked along the edge - an upward grade - the pits of lava hundreds of feet down. She walked until she stopped at her friend, standing there and looking like she was about to jump into the lava.

“Ceci, no!”

The automaton turned to her friend, a look she’d never seen on her friend before.

“What are you doing?”

“I can’t,” Cecilia’s eyes were filled with tears.  “I can’t do this anymore.”

“No, I’m here.  I’m going to get rid of that jerk Belthior.  I’m strong now.”  She held up her gauntlets, an aura of blue flame around them.  “I’ll punch him into oblivion, and he won’t hurt you anymore.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Cecilia brushed aside her delicate silvery blonde hair.  Tears streamed down her cheeks.  “I cannot go back to you.  Not like this.  All that I have done.”

“Of course you can.  What do you mean, not like this?  Like this – you mean the beautiful person I’ve always known.  The most beautiful person I’ve ever known.  You mean, like that?”

“I am… different.”

“NO.  He’s lying to you, isn’t he?”  Gigi grew much more animated, her hate growing toward Belthior.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It always matters!”  Gigi walked up to her, eyes lowered in concern for her friend. “You matter!”

The automaton held out her hand in a stopping motion.

“Don’t.  I will jump.”

“Please, Ceci.”  Gigi was also crying now.  “I’m right here.  I love you so much.  I never realized how much… until I lost you.  I can’t live without you.  You are everything to me. I’m nothing without you.”

“You are always something. The most special person I’ve ever met.”

“No.”  She stepped closer.  “If you jump, I’ll just jump in after you.  I will punch a hole through the earth to grab you and never let you go.”

“What?” Cecilia wiped her eyes.  “You would do that for me?”

“Of course.  I’d do anything for you.  I did do anything.  I died even, like twice maybe.”

“Belthior won’t let you.  He has my heart and won’t let it go.  I can’t… I can’t get him to let go of my heart and it hurts,” She held at her chest, “it hurts so much.  He keeps crushing my heart.” Her eyes were wild, filled with tears, as she gripped the side of her hair, shaking her head, “I can’t get him to let go.  I don’t think I can fight anymore.  I can’t….”

Watching what he was doing to her friend made her grow angrier and angrier.

“Fuck that guy!  I’m coming to kill him - you just have to wait a little longer.” 

Gigi leapt over to Cecilia, grabbing around her before she jumped, grabbing her so tightly, until they fell to the ground, holding around one another.  She wouldn’t let her go.  

She just held her, crying.  Her head tucked against her neck, holding her so close. “Ceci don’t lose hope.  I will make Belthior let go.  Wait for me.  I’ll remove him from your heart.”

She kept calling her name over and over.  “Ceci, don’t leave me.  Ceci…”

“Are you awake?” 

She felt her shoulder pushed.  She finally opened her eyes, and the dragon was pushing her with his claw.

She was breathing so hard, it was like she was about to push her own heart out of her chest.

She stayed lying on the ground, feeling like she’d been run over by a truck.  Her eyes had tears thick within them, and she hadn’t realized she was crying.

“Ugh,” she groaned, looking up at the large eye of the dragon.

“What did you see?” he asked.

“I was dreaming, I think.  I was dreaming of Ceci in the dragon’s cavern, where you slept.”

“What did she say to you?”

“She said,” Gigi finally sat up, wiping across her eyes, “he is holding her heart and won’t let it go.”

“I see.  His grip is on her heart.” 

The dragon lifted, stretching.  “You were out for a long time.”

“I was?”

“Yes, I was getting bored listening to you snore.”  He turned, so that his eye watched her closely, “You have proven you are worthy, little gremlin.  What you dream once receiving the blue flame it is telling you something important.”

“What did it tell me?  That I love Ceci?”

The dragon groaned and sighed.  “You are worthy and brave, but not very smart.”

“Hey!”

“The key is the heart in her chest.  You have to get him to release her heart.”

“Why would you tell me that?”

“Because we have to get you back to the cavern. Belthior will be there.”

“But I thought you were going to kill me.”

“I would have if you were not worthy.”

“Didn’t you say the blue flame would kill me if I wasn’t worthy?  I’d be dead.  Would you double kill me?”

“You are brave and worthy but also irritating.”

Gigi snickered, punching him on his claw, “you weren’t really going to kill me, huh?”

He sighed once again, smoke blowing from his snout.  “Do not do that again.”

Gigi placed her gauntlet covered hands on her hips and then laughed, so that it echoed across the mountain.  “I am a worthy champion.”  She laughed again, “Man, I always wanted to do this pose.  And bonus points for being on top of this mountain with the mighty Balumat.”

And then she yelled, “BOAT GOES BINTED!”

She laughed, “I always wanted to say that too.”

The dragon sighed again, but a low rumble of laughter.  “You are a very strange little creature, gremlin.  In all my time, truly the strangest.”

“I grow on people and dragons, I guess.”

“You do.”  He lowered his head to her. “When Belthior possessed me, he made me kill one I loved.”

“Oh,” she instantly became serious, truly saddened, “wow, I’m very sorry.”

“He gets into your mind.  He is a creature that digs deeply to find that which will make you a willing participant.  It is a madness.  He finds what will drive one mad.

“Demons have possessed others in the past. Some it was too much.  Others reveled in the power of causing fear.  Some, were punished, like me and kept bound in a sleep.”

“Is that why you wanted to be woken up?”

“How would you know that?”

“My friend, a witch, wants to bind Belthior and so she heard you, leading her to wake you without realizing, but she still wants to bind Belthior.”

“It was her that I felt… interesting.  She woke me – another worthy one.” He growled, “She wants to bind the demon?”

“Yes.  For me.  To free my friend.”

“Does he know she can bind him?”

“I think so, yeah.”

“Is she a powerful witch?”

“She freed you. The most powerful sorcerer I’ve ever seen.”

“He will kill your friend the witch.  He will kill her before letting her bind him.”  He stared down.  “We must go back to the cavern.  Climb on my back and I will take you back to face Belthior and free your friend.”

She was worried, thinking over her Advent friends back in the cavern.  “Yeah, we gotta hurry.”

She climbed back up on his back, settling back into his neck which felt incredibly warm.  It made her want to sleep.  Touching that blue liquid took a lot out of her.

“Gremlin, you are a positive and likeable creature.  There is something, as I said, very heroic in you, little gremlin.”

Gigi had started to doze off on his warm neck.  He could hear her snoring.

He lifted quickly into the air, “…such a funny little creature, this one.”

The Dooby Gang in the Canyons of Libestal

The Jeep was constantly bumping along rocky terrain as it continued to climb.  After almost an hour, the terrain flattened, and the jeep drove more smoothly.

“Kaela, when you get a chance, could you pull over in a safe spot?” Dooby called from the back.  “I have to look over Nerissa’s sutures.”

“Got it.”

Calliope turned to her from the front, “will she be, okay?”

“I’m sure she’ll be fine.  I just want to see if I need to sew that one entry again.”

It was still dark out, but there was just a tease of light, meaning they were finally going to see daylight in the next 30 minutes.  The area was still wooded, but the trees were mixed with white and dark brown barks.  Many tall conifers in between.

Kaela drove along the edge of another precipice, heading toward tall canyons.

“Are we finally out of the spider lands?” Calliope asked.

“Well, those spiders.”

“What do you mean by those spiders?”

“I mean, you always have spiders. The canyons have different types of spiders.  They are the type who hide and are apex predators and are not very into packs, like the dark wood spiders we passed earlier.”

“How big are these ones?”

“Bigger.”

“Bigger?  Like how big?”

“Are you sure you want to know?”

“Maybe not.”

“Libestal has unique landscapes.”

“We’re still in Libestal?”

“Oh yes.  We probably will be for another half day.”

“Man,” she looked out at the growing structures of rock that they drove through the center of.  Tall canyons on both sides with reddish rock.  “Is this a shortcut?”

“Actually,” Dooby said from behind, “we ended up going through another section because of the river.”

“Yes,” Kaela finished, “we kind of had to backtrack.”

“Oh man.”

“I found a spot,” Kaela yelled, “we’ll go there.”

She drove the jeep into a small opening and then parked.

“Calli, please go and check the perimeter outside, and I will look over the inside.  Make sure it’s safe.”

“Got it.”

They climbed out of the car, and Calliope walked to the entrance, it was still quite dark, the sky pale blue, and millions of stars.

“Looks clear to me,” she yelled back to the group.  She looked upward, fearful there might be a giant spider waiting.

Dooby was already setting up a small area with a blanket for Nerissa.

“I’ll help,” Calliope walked over, and she helped pull the demoness out of the jeep and to the blanket.”

Kaela walked back.  “I think we’re safe here.”

“I can go back to the entrance and guard.”

“Okay, I’ll stay here with Dooby.”

Dooby slowly unraveled the bandages and instantly got to work on re-suturing her back wound.  “Man, I was afraid it opened.”

“Will she be alright?” Kaela asked.

“She’s a demon and I’m sure she will.  She’s just lost a lot of blood, which means everything takes longer.  Plus…” she looked over at the light blue flame that unlike Elizabeth was seen under her skin and not on top.  It was like it was wrapped deeply around her heart, inside of her.  “I’m not sure how the blue flame is in her.”

“I thought only the Bloodflame’s held the blue flame.”

“I don’t know how it happened, but this blue flame affects her.  Honestly, it might have saved her.  This one wound should have killed her with this enhanced weapon they used.”

“Interesting.” She stared down at the flame. “My father would love to look at this.”

“Your father would probably figure out how this is possible.”

“Yes.”

Nerissa looked over at the two, again wondering where she was, her eyes fluttering open. 

“Oh hey,” Dooby said, “You’re awake.  How you feeling?”

“Where are we?”

“Still headed to where you were headed in the north.”

“Oh good.”

“I had to stop and re-apply your sutures.  But we’re ready to go again.  You hungry?”

“No.”

“I am,” Kaela said.

“Me too,” Calliope said, while walking into the small cave.

Dooby went into her bag and pulled out a couple of sandwiches, tossing one to each girl.

“You sure you don’t want one?” she asked Nerissa.

“I’m not hungry.”

They all glanced at one another. She didn’t look well.  Nerissa had pale skin, but she was even paler.

“The sun’s starting to rise,” Calliope said.

“Just before dawn,” Dooby said, “like the movie.  It’s when the vamps come out.”

“There are vamps too?!” Calliope screeched.

The two started laughing.

“No,” Kaela answered, “there are no vampires here.  You have to go further north of Libestal to find vampires.”

“Oh… seriously?  I mean…” she unwrapped her sandwich, “you are both serious?”

She and Dooby nodded.

“Wow, I have never been to this area before. Makes me not want to visit again.”

Nerissa held to her chest, as the flame moved. “We need to help Elizabeth.”

“We will.” Calliope assured.

“She is… so much pain.”

Calliope bent down next to her, “what do you mean?”

“She’s in pain.  I feel her.”

Nerissa tried to get up.  “I have to fly to her.”

“Yo,” Calliope held at her shoulder.  “You seriously have to heal first.  You aren’t any good to her like this.”

“But…” Nerissa’s eyes lowered, then staring up at the reaper.  “I…” she turned her head, as if hearing something. “Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“Someone is outside the cave, far away, but out there… like a clicking sound.”

Dooby and Kaela both got up quickly, turning to the entrance of the cave.  Dooby yelled, “Calli get Nerissa away from the cave opening!”

Calliope lifted and pulled Nerissa away from the entrance, just as a bullet ricocheted off the ground where she was lying.

Kaela ran ahead, to peek out.  “I see a reflection, obviously something metallic – the rifle.” She pulled out a small telescope, peering across the canyon, “up on the top, around two o’clock.”

“Oh man,” Calliope held the demoness in her arms, tightly.  “Now we have someone shooting at us?”

“Everyone, stay away from the line of fire!” Dooby yelled.

Kaela was on one side, and Dooby on the other, holding out her pistol.

Calliope held Nerissa, further back, pulling her close.

“Can’t believe you heard that,” the reaper said to the demoness.

“I have good hearing.”

“I thought I had good hearing.”

“It’s a demon thing.”  Nerissa smiled. “Thank you, Calli, you don’t have to hold me so tight.”

“Oh yeah, sorry.” Nerissa lay there in her arms, and she moved her to the side, adjusting her to a more comfortable position against the rocks in the back.

She could hear her labored breathing, since she probably handled her too roughly.  “Sorry if I grabbed you too harshly.”

“I’m good.  Pretty sure you saved me.”

She looked back at the beautiful demon, lying there weakly.

“Hey, I just wanted to tell you, sorry if I might have hurt you back on Holios.  I never apologized.”

“It’s okay.  You wanted to help your friend. I never held it against you.” She held the blue flame, “this… is much more painful.  Knowing someone is hurting Liz and unable to protect her.”  A tear formed in her eye.  “I don’t know what they are doing, but…” she could sense where she was hurt and feel the pain, “they will pay for hurting her like that.”  Her eyes turned a darker crimson.

Dooby yelled across to Kaela, “Can you see who it is?”

“Not sure.”

Another bullet hit and this one was aimed at the Jeep, hitting the gas tank, piercing through the metal.

Gas leaked out into the cave floor.

“That shooter is good,” Kaela said.  “They are trying to strand us here.”

“What are they after?”  Calliope asked.

Dooby lifted, looking back at Nerissa.  “I think I have an idea.”

A bullet suddenly hit Dooby, and she fell to the ground.

She moved behind the rock, holding her arm. “Fuck, I’m so dumb.”

“Dooby?!”  Calliope yelled.

Kaela went further back, watching.  “Stay down, Dooby.”

“I… will.” She grimaced, making pained sounds because it burned harshly.  

Calliope got up, “I may not have the power of death here, but I can still be a reaper.”  She placed a hand on Nerissa. “Stay still.”

“Not going anywhere.”

She rushed out of the cave, her scythe out.

Within an instant, she spotted where the shooter was, and became black smoke, disappearing.

*****

Calliope was in front of a tall man, brunette with blond highlights, with his hair pulled back into a ponytail.  He carried a long gun; half his length and he was tall at around 6’3”.

Her appearance surprised him.  And she held a large scythe.

“A Grim Reaper, here?  There are no Grim Reapers in this world.”

“There’s one here right now.  You hurt my friend.”

“The blonde girl.”  He nodded, “I see.”

“Why are you shooting at us?”

“I am merely doing the job I was hired to do.”

“No excuse,” she held the blade at his throat.

“I need the Sound Demon.”

“Why?  Who told you to kill her?”

“There is a very, very large reward for the Sound Demon’s head from Great Exardia.  If I don’t do it, another will.  And they want it by this afternoon as a gift to their queen.”

“That’s sick.  The queen wouldn’t want her girlfriend’s head.”

“I think it is more to send a message to the queen.  She is not running things in Great Exardia.  She is being held on trial for being a traitor to her country, and because she sides with an evil creature like the Sound Demon, will be beheaded herself.”

“What?  When?”

“I am not sure.  I am thinking quite soon.  They are having her trial today, and then she will be found guilty and then beheaded, as the sun rises the next day, or the day after.”

“Do you usually shoot those who you aren’t after?”

“I aimed for a place that would cause little damage.  I don’t want to kill your friend.  I just want the demoness, Nerissa Ravencroft.  I can see your group are strong – so, I need to weaken it.  Her head is worth an awful lot of money.”

“I guess this is where I remove your head.”

“You are not allowed.  I know how rules work.  There are dire consequences if you kill a human in another realm.”

She laughed, “maybe that’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

“Give me the demoness and I’ll leave your group alone.”

He was right, she couldn’t kill him.  But she could remove him.

The area was suddenly a dark forest, thick brown barked trees.  She wrapped him in her death cloak and then placed him at the camp where they had spent the night.  She took him to a place she remembered. And then she disappeared in black smoke.

Goldie glanced across the area.  “Interesting.  Who is this group Nerissa Ravencroft has gotten help from?”

*****

Calliope appeared back in the cave, and Kaela was wrapping a bandage around Dooby’s arm.

“You, okay, Doobs?”

“Yeah.  It went right through my arm – nothing vital hit.  Just enough to hurt.”

“He’s gone now.”