"Cool!" Brianna said, turning to follow the Furies.
<<<>>>
Tartarus Command
Bune and Rommel were at the map table as another demon was pointing at a map of Nevada. The intelligence demon's pointer hovered over an area marked on the map as "Black Rock Desert."
"He wants you to assemble one division here, on the farthest western edge of the flats," the demon, called Acwel, said. "The engineers promise an area-wide portal at this position, allowing for use of the air force in battle."
"Just make damn sure the energy field covers the entire desert. I don't want the pilots straying out and their dragons disappearing while they're still in the air," Rommel snapped. He added: "Goering has expanded the number of dragons that can flame the enemy. We'll need the entire desert covered in the field."
"Yes, sir," Acwel said. "I'll pass along your request."
They were interrupted by a pilot, Oonishi, entering the tent.
"Sir," Oonishi said, with his head bowed.
"Yes?" Bune dismissed Acwel with a wave of his hand. "What is it now?"
"His lordship requests your presence immediately," Oonishi said, his head still bowed.
"I'll be there shortly," Bune murmured, still studying the map.
"Sir, he suggested you accompany me immediately, or I will be fed to my dragon, sir," Oonishi explained finally raising up his head.
"I see," Bune sighed. "I'll be with you in a minute, wait outside."
Oonishi bowed his head again and wheeled around.
"I wonder if his bloatedness has changed his mind. Again." Rommel said, standing with his hands on his hips. "I spent the entire last week planning to attack Cheyenne Mountain to take control of the nuclear weapons, then he wanted to interrupt this thing called 'Burning Man', saying he had heard there were a lot of half-clothed women at this spot."
"His sexual preferences are what makes him interesting," Bune mused. "Meanwhile, I suggest we do one more set of exercises, make sure the men know to coordinate with the dragons. We lost half a battalion in last weeks' training. Half were flamed where they stood ready to attack."
Bune exited the tent and trotted in the direction of the Black Palace, morphing into his dragon form as he ran, then he lifted off with ease.
He turned one head and watched Oonishi mount his dragon, urging the Apalala into the air to catch up.
Bune soared over the mustering army. The sight of two dragons overhead was so familiar, few warriors bothered to look up as Bune and the Apalala glided overhead.
Bune sighted the Black Palace and altered his course for the massive structure. As he drew closer, he spotted the R'giers standing guard. Oonishi and his dragon broke away and headed out across to the ruddy glow in the west.
Bune dived at the huge patio, causing the milling demons to scatter. He flared at the last moment and landed, morphing back into human form as his feet hit the black stone. He marched to the colossal entrance. A guard snapped to attention as Bune passed. Bune paused and eyed the R'gier.
"Soldier, why didn't you challenge me with the password?" Bune demanded.
"Sir?"
"The challenge. You failed to challenge me."
"Sir, I know who you are!"
Bune morphed into a duplicate copy of the R'gier, and snatched the guard by the neck and lifted him a foot off the ground. "You are to challenge everyone, no matter who they appear to be," he growled. "Besides myself, there are many demons who are shifters!"
Bune tossed the guard into the wall and changed back into his human form. The guard stood up and saluted.
"What is the password!"
"Your mother sucks cocks in hell, asshole!" Bune snapped.
"Very good sir! You may pass!" The guard sighed in relief as Bune marched on into the palace.
Themis intercepted Bune as the green duke strode across the hallway, heading to the staircase.
"His Highness is in the throne room, sire," Themis said, turning to lead the way.
"Any idea what he wants, this time?" Bune asked.
"There's an intelligence briefing. Bad news, I'm afraid," Themis said, as they entered the throne room.
Bune walked in and spotted Goering cowering against a wall while Sorath raged.
"Your dragons failed me! Explain to me why I should not have you torn apart and slowly fed to the Charybdis!" Sorath's scream echoed off the walls. He spotted Bune and stormed back to his throne.
"There's been some news from the surface," Sorath started, then he fought to calm himself down. He smiled, revealing a set of sharp teeth and fangs. "Another change of plans, as a result of that pig's incompetence."
Sorath nodded at another demon, who rushed in from a side door.
"Lord Bune, I have received word from the surface," he stammered. "The Furies are well, they all seem to have their powers restored, and they're preparing for battle."
"Really?" Bune mused. "Any word on how the blonde one regained her powers?"
"Unknown. Word is, Hades is sending an envoy into Elysian to rally the heroes to battle," the blue demon said, edging away from Bune.
"Sire," Bune said, turning to Sorath. "Our engineers have an energy portal all ready for the area you picked out. Why not just challenge the Furies to battle there? They'd be at a major disadvantage because the energy portal will be tuned only for our side."
Sorath narrowed one eye at the green demon. "Are you sure? We must vanquish the Furies before we can even make a move on Hades' palace."
"I understand, sire. But if we try to do battle here, we'll also have to face the heroes from Elysian. By attacking on the surface, we will overwhelm the Furies by sheer numbers alone. There are only three of them, and thousands of us," Bune reminded Sorath. "And it's possible the drugged people at this desert event will not even notice and you could still wreak havoc among the half-dressed female humans. Many with tattoos."
Sorath's eyes narrowed. He mulled this a moment, then nodded. "Yes, let's continue with the plans to attack during Burning Man. I, for one, intend to allow them to witness an actual burning man. Several if possible."
Bune bowed and headed out, followed by a sweating and terrified Goering.
"Thank you for distracting his Lordship," Goering managed to say while jogging alongside Bune.
"Oh, don't thank me yet, Hermann," Bune purred when he spotted two R'giers bearing down upon them.
<<<>>>
Furies House
Tisiphone reached out to take an arrow out of the target when another arrow hit, pinning her sleeve to the target. She snorted and looked back at Brianna.
"What are you thinking, child? That could have nicked me!" Tisiphone shouted.
"Sorry, but you told me to fire as many as possible as fast as I could, and you didn't tell me to stop while you went downrange," Brianna said, notching another arrow. She let it fly towards Tisiphone.
Tisiphone snatched it mid-air and flung it back at Brianna. It stuck to the ground by her boot.
"Mother says we have to make new weapons, everything from iron," Megaera interrupted, pulling the arrow from the ground. "The usual steel won't drop them as easily."
"Iron sucks for swords and cutting weapons," Alecto pointed out.
"I know of a smith who can forge iron and steel. Perhaps an iron core with a steel sheath? I'll go visit him and have him work up spears, arrows and see if he can craft a daito or two," Tisiphone said while walking back to join her sisters. "I figure he'd need a year just for the blades."
"I'd say he should plan on at least three years," Alecto said.
"Three years? Sorath would have taken over the whole planet by then!" Brianna objected.
"She means she'll go back in time and show right back up with the weapons. We're goddesses, remember?" Alecto said, watching Tisiphone jog to the stables. She reemerged, leading her horse. Tisiphone mounted and urged the black stallion on. They disappeared.
"Now, watch," Alecto said. In another minute, Tisiphone and her stallion reappeared, this ti
me loaded down with boxes and items in leather bags.
Tisiphone swung down from her horse and started unpacking the weapons. "I was wrong, it only took him two years," she said, then she held up a long sword to Alecto. "See if this meets with your approval."
Alecto unsheathed a long Katana and eyed the edge. "Wow, an iron core slightly exposed along the edge," she muttered. "He's amazing. How strong is it?"
"Strong enough for at least one battle. If there's more than one, we're in trouble," Tisiphone explained. She picked up a quarrel of arrows. "There's several hundred arrow heads. He didn't have time to make the shafts. Just one as an example. This is just what I brought with me. He's sending along the rest by one of his apprentices."
Megaera examined the arrow. She swiftly notched it in her bow and drew back. The tip began to glow orange as she aimed and it bloomed into flame as it streaked to the bull's eye, exploding on contact.
"Those fragment upon contact, flinging burning iron in all directions," Tisiphone explained.
"Nice," she said, watching the straw from the target drift slowly onto the lawn.
As Tisiphone picked up a large battle axe, there was a flash and several pack mules appeared, being led by an older man in Japanese robes. He led the mules to a stop by the Furies.
"Sengo Muramasa!" Alecto smiled and bowed. "You grace us with your presence! Why deliver this yourself and not send an underling on such a dangerous trip?"
"Ah," Sengo said in a whisper, "you honor such an old man. I just wanted to see how you were after all these centuries. I am in the right century, yes?"
"Yes, Sengo-sama," Alecto said.
"Good! I had no idea where the window led. I wasn't about to trust any child to this trip," he said, as he struggled to drop from the mule.
"Mother will be eager to meet with you. I'm sure you two have a lot to catch up on over tea!" Alecto said as she took his arm and walked him to the house.
Tisiphone motioned to Brianna. "Help us unpack all of this and let's see what we have!"
Tisiphone, Megaera, and Brianna stood back, looking at the weapons laid out on a large beige canvas. Throwing axes were lined up next to several large battle axes of Persian design, stacked next to several Merovingian style battle axes.
Next was an array of large broadswords and Chinese dao, all gleaming lethally in the setting sunlight. Assembled next to the swords were arrows heads of various sizes, all with iron tips. Then a small number of spears of varying length, most of Japanese design, with a couple of Tanzania spears; long, lean, and deadly when in the hands of a Fury.
"Now, do we wait for him to attack?" Megaera asked.
"I'm all for hunting his ass down," Tisiphone replied.
"Hades sent word, it appears Sorath wishes to attack some gathering in north Nevada, a place called Black Rock," Thanatos said, joining the women.
"What gathering?" Megaera asked.
"Burning Man?" Brianna replied. "I wanted to go last year, but my mother wouldn't let me. There's a lot of people there, a week in the desert getting stoned and partying."
"Hades is too disliked by the heroes in Elysian, so they have refused his requests for assistance," Thanatos added.
"Those arrogant asses!" Tisiphone spat. "Do they understand Sorath intends to take them out as well?"
"Apparently, they do not feel Sorath is a genuine threat," Thanatos explained.
"That settles it. We have to face off with Sorath at that Burning thing," Megaera said.
"Burning Man," Brianna corrected.
"Whatever," Megaera countered. "We need to pack up and ride out."
"Great! I can't wait!" Brianna said, almost jumping up and down.
"Not so fast, kid," Tisiphone said. "You can't leave this spot except to go to the underworld. You can tag along and watch, but you'd be useless in a fight. You'll lose the ability to hold any weapon."
Brianna was visibly let down, her shoulders slumped, and she dropped her head. Then she looked up and narrowed her eyes. "I haven't been away from this house in a while. What if...?"
"That can be tested easily enough," Alecto said and grabbed Brianna's hand. They walked around the house, past Dan's car and towards the pair of trees that marked the edge of the portal's field.
"Here we are," Alecto announced. She stepped between the trees and disappeared from Brianna's sight. Brianna followed and felt a slight tingling as she walked. Alecto was now standing in front of her.
"I can see you, but I doubt anyone else could," Alecto said. She glanced around. She saw that her neighbor, Agnes, was sitting on her porch, reading the newspaper. "Let's test it. Walk across that lawn and let's see if it gets a rise out of that woman."
Brianna turned and spotted the older woman seated on her porch. She walked in a direct line to the manicured lawn and passed around a small sign warning: Keep off the Lawn.
She'd gone no more than two feet when Agnes stood and started shouting.
"I saw you appear out of nowhere! I know you're a ghost! I'd appreciate if you stayed off my lawn, whatever you are!" Agnes had her skinny arms on her hips and looked to be ready to fetch a shotgun.
Brianna wheeled around and ran back to the trees, passing Alecto. She stopped once she felt the tingle and glanced back.
"She saw me!"
"Come back here and let's check to see if you can manipulate things not inside the portal," Alecto said, eyeing Agnes, who'd sat back down and went back to her newspaper.
Brianna stepped across the portal and looked around. She spotted a small pine cone and bent to pick it up. It lifted a few inches and fell to the ground.
"Dammit! Let me try again, something smaller! I know I can do it!" Brianna exclaimed. She tried to lift some pebbles, then tried a small pine needle. It lifted a full foot and a half, then wobbled and fell.
"That's ok, most ghosts can't even do that, now come along," Alecto said, patting Brianna on the shoulder. As she stepped back into the portal, she glanced back to Agnes, who was watching over her newspaper.
"Who is that anyway?" Brianna said as they returned to the house.
"Agnes Brittle, a self-proclaimed psychic and witch," Alecto explained.
"I lived here all my life, I never heard of her," Brianna said.
"You two traveled in completely different circles, but all along the coast, she's known for her highly inaccurate readings and line of essential oils that are just repackaged cheap stuff she buys at the mall," Alecto told her as they approached the house.
They walked towards the house just as Dan opened the front door. He watched a defeated Brianna following Alecto.
She broke away and went up onto the porch and sat hard on a chair, crossing her arms, and glaring out towards the path leading to the portal entrance.
"What happened?" Dan asked, sitting next to his niece.
"I can't go help them fight! I can't even lift a stupid pine cone!" Brianna cried.
"I don't want you to go fight with them. They have years of experience and I've seen what they're up against. I doubt even nukes would harm that monster. It's safer here for both of us," Dan explained.
"Can we at least go watch?" Brianna asked. "They said Sorath was intending on attacking Burning Man!"
"Why would he attack there? There's nothing of any strategic value!" Dan shook his head. "That demon is as crazy as he is evil. Brianna, I was in front of him, he was planning on having me executed! Those guards of his are dangerous. I don't want to be anywhere near where they're going to fight!"
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Dan aimed his black Dodge along Interstate 80, heading up into Nevada. He had made good time on Interstate 5 and after three and a half hours, he had picked up 80, heading from Sacramento towards Reno. After Reno, it was about 30 miles to highway 447. He was pushing to make it to Reno before finding a hotel.
He fumbled with the MP3 player and tried to find some decent traveling music. He looked to his right, and the seat appeared empty, but held Brianna. At least this trip she wasn't needing to st
op every 60 miles for a restroom.
Over the music, he said, "Once we get there, I'll hang in the background, and you can wander where-ever you like. In your present condition, you can't get into trouble."
He felt more than he heard a whisper voice telling him to stuff it. He smiled and continued along the highway, pushing the speed limit. If he was stopped, he'd flash his badge and tell a story about needing testimony from a witness living in Reno for a trial in a few days.
He wasn't stopped.
Earlier, he was sitting on the back patio, watching Megaera and her sisters pack up the weapons, and get ready for the trip. Brianna had finally convinced him to make the drive to "Burning Man", and Megaera told him to start out immediately, as they'd take a few more days to finish gearing up and then will ride out. It would only take them a few moments to travel the distance from their house to the battle field.
"Allow plenty of time. Grab camping equipment. If you can navigate through Tartarus, this is a snap, babe," Megaera advised. She handed him a slip of paper. "But still, plug this into your phone thingy, and it'll lead you to where we're going to deal with Sorath. He may already be among the people there, so it's going to get weird."
"It's Burning Man, it's already weird," Dan quipped.
"Then he may not even be noticed," Megaera whispered as she pulled Dan towards an encompassing hug. "Make sure your tent is private, I have plans for after the battle."
"Yuk!" Brianna commented, standing watching her uncle with her arms folded. "Hey, old people! Get a room!"
"That's what I was telling him!" Megaera said, then locked lips with Dan.
After making sure Dude would be ok with Gaia, he had climbed in his car and drove off. He looked over at Brianna as he passed through the portal, and she faded to just a wispy outline. He stopped and turned to her.
"You sure you'll be OK away from this area?"
"Yes! Let's get moving!" Brianna whispered.
Dan had stopped at his house. All was ok, he checked for issues, but apparently, he'd only been gone a few earthly hours, versus the days he'd spent in the Underworld. Time was weird, he finally admitted as he piled a tent and camping gear into his spacious trunk. As he was packing, Jones rolled up and parked behind him.
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