by Michael Todd
Angie shook her head. “Not in any scroll or book. One of the priests suggested the energy of emotion, but we had no idea what that meant.”
Juntto nodded, impressed. “Smart, for a priest.”
Angie looked at him strangely. “I don’t understand.”
“I’m not human.” Juntto reached out and held her tiny hand in his large one. “You see, when emotions change in our bodies, we shut down. We aren’t dead or sleeping. We’re hibernating. Our body has to change to efficiently produce the chemicals that create those emotions. Basically, I was growing a heart while I laid there. My body has changed. It’s been morphing to use positive emotions—friendship, love, and compassion. Before, it was all anger, violence, hatred, and despair. Those were the first emotions I learned here on Earth.”
Angie shook her head. “That’s terrible. That was what we projected? Makes me think we have a lot to do to change this world beyond just killing demons.”
Juntto gave her a kind smile. “You are part of, if not all of, the reason I am awake.”
Angie narrowed her brow. “How? I didn’t do anything.”
Juntto chuckled. “Sure, you did. You holding me, crying, and caring for me? That was the energy I needed to restart. I was lost in this in-between place, but when you touched me, I started to come out of it. I could hear you, but you sounded like you were in a tunnel. When your tear hit my skin, it brought me back to the surface.”
Angie was amazed. “So…love brought you back.”
Juntto nodded. “I suppose it did. But more importantly, you brought me back. And Katie too. Her caring and desire to help me out of friendship brought me back. You all cared for me like I was your family.”
Angie winced as the ground shook again. “How are you feeling?”
Juntto shrugged. “Like brand new, actually. I don’t need to eat like you humans do, and my body manifests what I need when I’m unable to care for myself. Except for tequila—my body doesn’t manifest that.”
“And your body needs tequila, does it?”
The ghost of a smile touched Juntto’s blue lips. “Okay, maybe need isn’t the right word. Putting me in this icy area was a smart move, by the way. If you had kept me warm, I might have been out for centuries.” Something crashed outside, and Juntto turned toward the door. “What’s going on out there?”
Angie sighed and shook her head. “We came to see you, and then a portal opened. They say it’s Moloch out there. I assume he came for Katie, but he’s been killing soldiers right and left. She’s out there fighting him by herself. None of the small arms are working.”
Juntto furrowed his brow. “I need clothes.”
Doctor Ozu pointed to a rack of military camouflage. “There are those. We, uh, we don’t have anything for giants. And, uh, we’re low on boots.”
“I’ll make do.” Juntto grinned and shrunk to human size. He was a large, blue-scaled human, but he could now wear the clothes. “Thanks, buddy.”
Angie turned as he got dressed, mostly to hide the bright red of her cheeks. Juntto just chuckled, knowing she had seen him naked. When he had finished dressing, he rolled his shoulders and stretched his back. His body flickered and changed from one form to the next, Van Damme and Morpheus appeared briefly, but ultimately he went back to his frost giant form. His beard was long and scraggly and his long hair was silvery-white, but there was something about it that Angie thought was hot.
As he worked out his stiff muscles, his eyes shifted to Angie. “And by the way. I definitely let you win those video games. I didn’t want you to be upset. I know how feisty you get.”
Angie put her hands on her hips. “Is that right? What about the tantrums you threw?”
Juntto waved her off. “All for show—and you’re one to talk. You threw a bag of gummy bears at the television. They were stuck there for days.”
Angie shrugged. “All for show.”
Juntto raised an eyebrow, a smile creeping onto his face. “Mmmhmm. Sure. Now, what kind of spears do we have around here?”
16
Katie rocketed toward Moloch and grunted as she slammed into his arm. She slid down to his wrist like she was on a fireman’s pole. He shook his arm trying to fling her off, but she held on tightly. She wrapped her legs around his wrist, turned upside down, and grabbed his middle finger. Okay Pandora, this is where I need you to work my ab muscles, please.
She roared as she bent his finger backward, hearing a loud wet snap. He squealed and shook his hand, trying to get her off. “I just fucking got that arm back, and now you’re going to fuck it up?”
Katie laughed and let go, latching onto the scales on his forearm. As he nursed his finger, she shinnied up over his elbow to his bicep. She easily ducked when he attempted to swipe her off. When his hand had passed, she hurried up and over the crest of his shoulder. Quickly, she crawled into the crevasse between his neck and collarbone. She leaned back to avoid his hand and then pulled out her pistol. She pressed it hard against his shoulder and pulled the trigger.
The bullet entered his body, traveled through flesh, and exploded out the tip of his finger.
He screamed.
Katie jumped, flipping sideways over his head and landing on the other shoulder. Moloch shook his arm, blood squirting from his fingertip. “You fucking bitch. I swear, when I get hold of you I will torture you to the brink of insanity, nurse you back to health, and do it all over again.”
Katie smirked. “Uh-huh. And what arms are you going to do that with?”
“Huh?” Moloch grunted. He glanced around in time to see Katie pressing her gun to his other shoulder.
Katie smiled and let out a small giggle. Moloch tried to reach for her, but he was in serious pain from the special metal. “Don’t you do it, whore.”
Katie sighed. “Didn’t say the magic word. You have no manners at all. It’s a shame, really.”
She pulled the trigger and Moloch’s head flew back, an earth-shaking roar escaping his throat. The sound echoed across the base. The soldiers covered their ears until he was done, shaking their heads at one other.
Moloch moaned, his arms hanging limply at his sides. “I came out here to do a job that wasn’t even mine to begin with, and now look at me. Two fucking useless arms and a slut on my shoulder like a goddamned parrot!”
Pandora chuckled, taking over Katie’s voice. “Squawk. Moloch is an ass. Squawk. Moloch has no balls. Squawk. Moloch is a pussy.”
Katie laughed and spread her wings, gliding to the ground. She hunkered down and hid behind a piece of metal, breathing heavily. This is fun and everything, but I don’t know how much longer I can do this on my own, Pandora.
Pandora sighed. I know. I’m giving you everything I’ve got.
Katie peered over the metal at Moloch, who was mumbling to himself and pulling energy into his wounds. How long will it take him to heal?
Pandora thought about that for a moment. Well, he heals slower on Earth, so…about three minutes.
Katie rubbed her face. Fucking perfect. I am out of ideas.
The door to the hangar bay flew open. Katie looked over the hunk of metal, her jaw dropping. Ducking through the doorway, fully dressed in battle gear and fully bearded, was Juntto in all his glory. Katie immediately stood up and put her hands in the air. “Juntto, you magnificent bastard! Did you take a long enough fucking nap?”
Juntto grinned as he ran to Katie. “Never leave a friend behind.”
“I think I remember that from somewhere.” Katie smiled at him.
Juntto put his hand on Katie’s armored shoulder. “I’m tagging you out.”
“For once, I’m not going to argue with you.”
Juntto stepped in front of Moloch, who was licking his wounds. Slowly, Moloch’s eyes shifted upward, going from Juntto’s bare feet up his pants, and over his strong, camo-covered chest. His lip snarled as he stared Juntto in the face. He couldn’t believe the Leviathan was still alive. “I thought you were dead.”
Juntto beat his fi
st on his chest. “It will take a lot more than some puny pussy-ass fucking demons to get rid of Juntto.”
Moloch was enraged. “You sick sonofabitch. You work for me! You came here for me! I woke you up on the side of that frostbitten mountain, and I decide what you fight for. How dare you come at me like you have something to prove?”
Juntto cracked his knuckles. “You’re mistaken, Moloch. I work for myself. You’re nothing. There have been far too many years of you and your sick fucking demented demons controlling the people of my planet. These humans have shown me it’s far more heroic to stand for something instead of falling for your bullshit. I decide what I fight for, and I fight for them.”
Moloch’s arms started to twitch. “I’m going to ball your fucking Leviathan ass back up and send you back to your planet the long way. When you arrive, they won’t even be able to recognize Juntto the Great. You’ll be the laughingstock of every frozen runt on your miserable planet. And while I’m at it, I’ll make sure to send you parts of your friend Katie and your little girlfriend Angie. When you wake up, you’ll have a reminder of what happens when you fuck with Moloch!”
Juntto gritted his teeth and yelled. He grew even larger, his new camo splitting around his muscles. He sprinted toward Moloch and rammed into him. Juntto grabbed Moloch by the shoulders and slammed him to the ground. Moloch bounded up, got his arms to work, and slashed his claws at Juntto, slicing him across the arm. Juntto growled and kicked him hard in the stomach, sending the huge demon flying across the runway to land in a pile of junk that had once been a plane.
Moloch jumped up and raced toward Juntto, but the frost giant ducked to the right at the last second. He waited until Moloch had passed him and grabbed the back of his neck, slamming him to the ground again. Juntto stomped on Moloch’s forehead, whereupon Moloch growled and grabbed his ankle, flipping him over in the air and sending him face-first into the asphalt.
Soldiers ran from the battling giants, afraid of being stomped underfoot or battered by a giant flopping limb.
Juntto groaned as he pushed himself up, shaking gravel from his hair. Moloch was already on his feet, laughing at the Leviathan. “I thought you were supposed to be superior in strength. Maybe once. Now you seem like you’re less than human.”
Juntto grinned and spat a chunk of rock out. “That was just a warm-up, you mewling quim. Don’t worry, your fate will find you.”
Before Moloch could respond, Juntto rammed his shoulder into the demon’s stomach, knocking him back a few feet and pushing the air from his lungs. Juntto didn’t hesitate. He slammed his foot into Moloch’s chest. The huge demon flew back, landing on the original side of the runway.
The door to the hangar bay opened and two Marines ran out carrying huge, handmade weapons. They handed them to Juntto with a grin. “We sure as hell are glad to see you back. The doc made these real fast. I hope they help.”
Juntto saluted. “Thank you, guys. Let’s see if we can’t send this fucker back to his cave.”
Juntto turned, holding a weapon in each hand. Although they would be huge for someone Katie-sized, Juntto couldn’t even get his finger on the trigger. He put one weapon down on the ground and held the other between thumb and forefinger, carefully pulling the trigger with his nail. A grenade launched, flying through the air like a slug of potato from a potato gun. As it landed on the ground, it bounced twice and exploded right in front of Moloch.
Juntto looked at the weapon and sighed. “Why can’t they build Juntto-sized weapons?”
Moloch hopped to his feet and roared at Juntto, then turned and ripped open a gate. Juntto started to chase him, but Katie put her arm on Juntto’s leg. “Wait! Let him run back scared. I promise that Lucifer will not be happy with the fucker. Moloch’s jumping out of the frying pan into hell. It needs to be over for today.”
Juntto grumbled but didn’t move. Moloch disappeared into the portal, and it snapped shut behind him. Juntto sighed. “Glad I came when I did.”
Katie groaned and stretched her back. “Me too, big guy. I don’t think I could have taken another bashing. My head was starting to hurt. Thanks for that.”
Juntto shrank down to something like human size. “I told you. You have my back, and I have yours. You’ve had my back since you brought me onto the team. I will always have yours.”
Katie lifted an eyebrow. “You seem different—almost gentler.”
Juntto chuckled. “Maybe, or maybe I just handle my temper better. Don’t tell anybody. I did have one hell of a rest, that’s for sure. The only thing I remember was the smell of meat. When I woke up, though, there was no meat.”
Katie laughed. “We had to build a freezer big enough to handle your ass. Until we could finish it, we stowed you in a meat locker at a local butcher shop.”
Juntto looked surprised. “Just like the Italian mob. Nice.”
“Yeah, except those were dead bodies, and yours was just, like, stuck or frozen. You were glitching hardcore. We had to figure out how to get you back. Which reminds me, what woke you up?”
Juntto shrugged. “Honestly? You and Angie. My body reprogrammed itself to work off caring, friendship, and honor. That was why it froze. I was…rebooting, I guess. I only ever knew anger and bitterness until I met you and Angie. Her tears brought me out of my sleep.”
Pandora choked. Oh, that’s fucking rich. It’s like a modern-day fucking fairy tale where Juntto plays Sleeping Beauty, and Angie is the prince. This story fucking sucks.
Katie giggled. I personally think it’s sweet and romantic.
Whatever. As long as you don’t start making me watch chick flicks, I will let you have this dumb fairy tale.
Juntto and Katie looked over when Angie burst from the hangar. Juntto grinned wildly and started forward, meeting her in the middle of what had been a war zone minutes ago. She launched herself into the air, wrapping her legs around his waist. Quickly, she climbed up his body and rubbed her nose against his. They stared at each other in the eyes for several moments.
Katie looked the other way.
Pandora made a gagging noise. Kajesus, get a fucking room.
They had better. Juntto’s clothes didn’t survive that fight with Moloch.
The Ice King and his fire bride. Gross.
Katie smiled. I think you’re jealous.
Me? No, thank you. I’ve been married to the literal worst being you can be married to. Let them have their artificial love. Everything will come crashing down when Angie gets knocked up by a Leviathan and gives birth to a seventy-two-pound blue Viking.
Angie ran her hands through his long beard and smiled. “I knew you would come back.”
Juntto lifted an eyebrow. “Did you? I think I recall you asking…no, begging me to. And I’m pretty sure you said you’d do my laundry for the rest of time.”
Angie grimaced. “You heard that? Well, how about a trade?”
Juntto narrowed his eyes. “For what?”
Angie leaned in and whispered something in his ear. Juntto’s smile went from tight-lipped to a full-on grin in two seconds flat. Whatever she’d said was enough to get him to agree.
The doors of the base began to open and military members emerged, looking around at the damage. They formed a circle around Katie and Juntto. For several moments everyone was dead silent, then one person in the middle of the crowd began to clap. That one clap turned to two, then three, and before they knew it, the crowd erupted in cheers around the combatants.
The captain pushed through, clapping his hands. “Well done, guys. Well done. I think this calls for a little party, don’t you?”
Katie wasn’t about to turn down a party, that was for sure. “Let’s do it!”
Juntto cleared his throat. “Can I party like this or do I need pants?”
“Free-ball it!” a random soldier shouted.
“Pants,” Angie blurted. She scowled at the soldier. “Don’t encourage him.”
Angie jumped off Juntto and took his big hand, leading him toward the hangar t
o get more clothes. Behind them, one soldier whispered to another, “I thought that guy was dead.”
The other soldier shook his head. “Nah, man. He’s an alien. He was frozen or something while he healed. But shit, when our people were under attack, he woke right the fuck up and he didn’t hesitate to jump in. It was a good thing he did. We may be celebrating, but there are a bunch of bodies to clean up.”
The two soldiers stopped and looked around at the carnage. The first soldier put his hand up. “Everybody, hold up. I know we want to celebrate this victory, but we have brothers and sisters here who deserve a hero’s burial. I think we should all band together to take care of them first.”
Katie made her way through the crowd and patted the guy on the shoulder. “Good thinking, and you’re absolutely right. We can save the celebration for another time. We may have pushed Moloch back, but he took multiple lives. These men and women deserve mourning and respect. They were heroes. I’ll be happy to help you.”
Juntto stepped out of the hangar dressed in new camo. “As will I. These men and women are responsible for bringing me back to the land of the living. I owe it to them.”
The entire base put aside their celebration and began the cleanup. Members of the medic team came out with body bags and stretchers. It was a hard job since many of the bodies were in pieces or horribly mangled from the damage they had received, but they were shown the utmost respect.
When all the bodies had been recovered, everyone stood around the flag in the center of the base. The military members saluted the flag as two soldiers slowly lowered and folded it and walked away in a ceremonial march. The reality of the evening came flooding over them. Many had died. They had sent the demon back to hell, yet Moloch was still out there.
He was still lurking in the shadows, waiting for them to make a mistake.
Brock sat crouched in an abandoned house, wondering where the original inhabitants had gone. Sean stood watch at one side of the window. His assault rifle was at the ready in case anything crept up on them. Eddie came down the stairs and gave Brock a nod, letting him know it was all clear.