Two days, fifteen hundred miles and a lot of quiet time, Lyric did a lot of thinking, a lot of prayer singing and reached some decisions. They arrived at the spot where Catahoula Levee rd turns into Bayou Benoit Levee rd. Lyric pulled his crappy little car off the road and hid it behind the tree line to the West. Once it was hidden and the two of them were well covered in insect repellent he opened the back door and considered Acheron's unconscious form. He looked questioningly at his silent companion, but she just shrugged, the choice was his.
Thinking carefully, Lyric drew a holding sigil on the ground and laid Acheron's body on it. Once he was certain she was secured he sang a waking song. The response was remarkable. Acheron was instantly on her feet and pounding at the wall of force that contained her. Getting nowhere, she disappeared several times only to reappear on the sigil. Lyric remained quiet and watched the demoness struggle. Finally, she stopped, instantly calm and looked at him quietly before speaking.
"Smart thinking, to bind me before you woke me. So now what? Are you going to leave me here? Let me out? Banish me? What's the plan?"
"We're going to talk," Lyric sat down cross-legged in front of her. "Lomong said you'd teach me the eighth measure because my welfare is your welfare. Do we share a fate like Vergers and Singers?"
"Yes." Acheron sat like Lyric.
"But you've been cast out of heaven, so you can't borrow my grace to get back in. Do you know what will happen if I die while we're tied."
"When a Singer and Verger die, they go straight to final judgment. Do you know what that is for a demoness?"
"The lake of fire."
"We call it the pit, but yeah, you get the idea."
"So you want to keep me alive because if I die you go straight to the pit. Did you know that before you caught my cast?"
Acheron nodded.
"What's your game, Acheron? It seems you've put yourself in a pretty stupid position."
"I told you, my reasons are my own, and they will remain so. But now you know why I need you to stay alive, and you can count on me making that my priority."
"I understand. Does your plan involve harming me or our new friend?"
"No."
"How can I believe you?"
Acheron shrugged.
"Not only do I have no reason to lie to you, I couldn't if I tried. It's the nature of the tie; there is no deceit between us. You can't lie to me either, go ahead try. Tell me the sky is green."
"The sky is..." Lyric tried to say green but couldn't. Not only that, he involuntarily blurted out, "blue."
Acheron smiled.
"See, not only can you not lie, if you start a falsehood you have to tell the truth."
"So everything you've said to me true?"
"Yes."
"You hate me?"
"Yes."
"You love me?"
"Yes."
"You want to murder me?"
"Yes."
"You want to keep me safe?"
"Yes."
"Are all demons crazy?"
"Yes."
Lyric had not really expected an answer to that one.
"Let me make this simple for you. My intentions do not involve harm to anyone living, dead or otherwise. If things work out the way I want, you will have no cause for regret whatsoever, in fact you might just be happy for me."
Lyric laughed aloud at that.
"Not likely demon."
"Demoness." She corrected. "Can I be freed now?"
"Not yet. We need to reach some agreements. I don't want to be constantly at odds with you, it's exhausting and dangerous. I promise not to abuse our tie - or you - as long as you will not stop me from helping her, or anyone else who needs my help."
"I can't promise that, your life is my priority, if it comes down to helping someone or keeping you safe it will be you."
"Then help me. You said together we are more powerful than anything on the planet. What if we work together the way Singers and Vergers are supposed to?"
"I'm not a Verger, I'm inherently evil, I can't be your sidekick. Why don't you simply avoid stupid, unnecessary risks?"
"You realize that you're not negotiating from a position of power, don't you?"
"I know it seems really important to you that you're in charge, and that's fine. Remember that the tie doesn't let me lie to you, not even to tell you what you want to hear. So I can't just agree when I don't agree. I wish I could lie, it'd be easier and faster."
Lyric sighed.
"We need a solution; I am responsible for both you and myself. What solution can you suggest that will work for us both?"
"Get rid of your pet. She seems to suffer from the same disease of nobility you do. She will continue to be a problem as long as she travels with us. Besides, you don't need her. I'm more than enough muscle to keep you safe."
"Really? Cause last time I checked she saved my life and the life of someone I would have helped, had I the chance." Lyric considered the demoness mulling over the decisions he reached in the car.
"Here's my plan and your options Acheron. I'm going to Sta Catoe to find this Prophet Man. You may either stay here, bound to the sigil, I will cover you with a concealing song and you will safe. I thought this might cause a problem after what happened in Dacapo and what you told me about amicable separation. Now I think you won't allow that to happen because if I die it's straight to the pit for you. You may also choose to keep me safe by traveling with me and helping me whenever I need help. If you do that, I need your word that she will come to no harm from you. And if she is in danger and you're in a position to help, then you must help her. Or you can teach me enough about the eighth measure right now to enable me to compel you, and then the choice isn't yours at all. "
"You do need to learn the eighth measure, especially if you're going to be stupid. There aren't any shortcuts though and you'll need a lot of practice to be able to compel me. Here is my counter proposal, I will protect you and help you willingly in your bleeding heart habits. I will help keep your pet alive when she does dumb things. But if it comes down to you or her, she's on her own."
Lyric considered this. He didn't like feeling like he was putting his would-be protector in danger. However, she had already proved capable of taking care of herself. He looked over at the pretty mute and she nodded.
"Ok Acheron, you've got a deal."
He sang the release song and immediately Acheron jumped on him. First, she smacked him hard enough to make his ears ring, and then kissed him fiercely. Lyric could not pull himself together enough to respond on any level before she released him.
"Damn it!" He sputtered. "You need to stop that shit!"
"Sorry Lover, that wasn't part of the deal." Acheron stood next to the stranger and threw her arm over her shoulders. The woman stepped away from her and picked up her backpack, slinging it over her shoulders and marched east without looking at the two of them.
Lyric watched her go, admiring her. .. stop it! He fumed in silent frustration. What the hell is your problem?
Acheron grinned.
"By the way, the name of the girl attached to that perky little ass you're ogling is Cadence."
The demoness followed Cadence, making a sweeping gesture along her body that exchanged her leather ensemble for an identical outfit to the woman. Lyric, his face on fire, shook his head and followed, carefully keeping his eyes on the ground.
* * *
Several hours of slogging through forests and wetlands brought them at last to a remarkable sight. Lyric had visited more than one second sight town in his travels and each was unique. None of them prepared him for this. A bustling town hung suspended from the branches of several enormous cypress trees. Lyric had no idea cypress trees could grow so big. These ancient monarchs of the bayou looked to be thousands of years old, each one easily twenty feet in diameter. Looking up higher in the trees, the Singer could see what looked like dwellings, but the town itself sat thirty feet above the water on an enormous wooden platform. The garg
antuan feat of engineering was suspended from the giant cypress by several thick cables that disappeared into the Spanish Moss high overhead. Wide sturdy bridges, Wide enough for a two-lane highway ran around the perimeter of the town, connecting each of the swamp giants, which seemed at least partially hollowed out as Lyric saw horses, wagons and pickup trucks passing in, out and through the trunks. The outer road connected to the town at opposite ends by large bridges. Then several smaller footbridges crisscrossed from town to road to trees to homes and so on. An honest to God town hanging above the water. As they drew closer, they came upon a small ferry that stood ready to carry them across to the Second Sight Town of Sta Catoe.
"It's five bucks per passenger," said the captain, a bored looking mandragora. Lyric pulled out his wallet but the small imp, upon seeing Acheron, suddenly became positively ebullient. "Mistress Acheron, my dark lady, it is a privilege to serve you and your..." the little demon looked at Lyric and Cadence, "companions. Please, no charge."
First time she's been useful. Lyric thought sourly.
I heard that, dickhead. Acheron smacked him in the brain. Lyric winced; surprised that he could be mentally slapped.
The trio stepped onto the waiting ferry, as soon as they were on the boat Lyric noticed the oddly convex floor with a familiar looking green and black tessellation. There was no sail, no rudder, and no motor. Lyric was watching to see how the mandragora got the craft moving. The imp moved to the back of the ferry and stamped his foot. A burst of flame shot from his boot and traveled along the vessel floor. The little boat made an odd groaning sound and began moving. Lyric frowned, looking over the bow into the water and made out a massive head just below the surface. They weren't on a small boat, it was a massive turtle! He looked at the ferry captain in disgust who was staring, enraptured, at Acheron. They stopped shortly at a large elevator that would carry them up to the town and disembarked. As the mandragora paused to turn his vessel around Acheron cleared her throat and cocked an eyebrow at him expectantly holding out her hand.
"Oh thank you, Mistress! Thank you for allowing me to lavish my adoration upon you!" The imp gushed as he pulled a fat wad of cash from his jacket and placed it in her hand. The demoness did not respond, she simply tossed the money to Lyric and turned toward the elevator.
Lyric felt a sense of satisfaction at Acheron taking the mandragora's money, but was not happy leaving the turtle in bondage. Singing softly, he sent a gentle tune across the water. Once the ferry reached the halfway point between the shore and the elevator dock, all of the fetters that bound the poor animal, both physical and magical vanished. A resonant grunt sounded from the turtle and it immediately sank beneath the surface and swam away. The tiny demon was left splashing in the bayou to contend with the gators closing in on him. Acheron laughed in delight
The elevator took them to the main loading platform connected to the outside road. The night-lights were just being turned on, and the whole town began to glow different beautiful colors. There were no large streetlights, or floods or spots or anything resembling what you would find in a human city. Instead, hundreds of thousands of tiny lights graced buildings, and trees and even vehicles. They caused the town itself to be a light source. The very air seemed to capture and hold the glow. For all the ugliness and pain he had seen in his travels, moments like these that took Lyric's breath away. The evening in Sta Catoe looked like something out of a fairy tale. Lyric stood quietly admiring the beauty of the small town and considering the loveliness of creation before noticing Cadence was staring at him with a gentle smile on her face.
“Let’s find some hot food and beds for the night.” the Singer suggested, and headed for the nearby walkway that ran parallel to the large bridge that led to town. Their path was a hanging footbridge, but remarkably sturdy with little sway to it. The three of them were able to walk comfortably side by side.
Upon entering the town, they came upon a man sitting on a bench by the sidewalk smoking a pipe with his arms crossed...
“Hello sir.”
“What?” The man asked shortly, not looking at Lyric.
“We need food, showers and beds. Where can you send us?”
“That way.” The man pointed down the main road and continued his smoking.
“Thank you.”
"Yup."
They continued down the road, passing all manner of stores, both mundane and exotic. A pizza joint sat directly next to the Cackling Witch Apothecary. A sign across the road boasted private meetings with the only black unicorn in existence, one of seventeen locations. A beautiful fairy sat by a fountain, chatting with the mermaid that apparently lived there. A small band of goblins sat in an outdoor cafe called Dragon Milk, drinking something that looked like liquid pearls. Their eyes lit on Cadence and Acheron and ugly smiles appeared on their faces. Acheron passed close to them and touched their tabletop. Loud shouts filled the air and Lyric looked back over his shoulder to see the goblin's table engulfed in flames. Acheron shrugged innocently in response to his accusatory look. Eventually they came to a sign advertising the Dancing Demon Inn.
“Seriously?" Acheron laughed as they approached. "They’d wet themselves if they saw me dance. Let’s give ‘em a show, Lover!” She said brightly, and hurried to the door.
“There’s no way this can end well.” Lyric muttered and Cadence nodded.
* * *
"How go the battle plans, pet?"
The self-styled goddess Melody jumped in surprise, releasing the girl she had just turned into a rat. Lisian stepped from the shadows and stood before her masterpiece.
Melody had a strange notion that her unique lineage made her the most important woman alive. Lisian capitalized on that delusion to create the "Goddess" she would use to break the Soul Singers Guild. That would please Trytohn and it would further her own plans.
"They go well, Mistress. Your gifts are put to good use. I've created an army of powerful beasts to lead the main assault." Lisian's eyes glanced at the rodents that Melody was tormenting when she arrived. Melody hurriedly continued. "My general has recruited a massive horde of the second sighted. They will attack from the opposite side. When all is said and done, you will have an endless supply of souls for your army and I will have all of the earth."
Lisian smiled and Melody feared she would rip in half at the beauty of the demoness. The part of her that lived for her Mistress' approval warred with her need to be the most beautiful woman alive. Lisian had given her the ability to look like anyone except for her. Melody carefully controlled the seething rage inside her.
"Lovely, have you put on weight, pet?" the demoness grinned evilly. "You look a little fat. Anyway, you know that young Singer you can't seem to kill?" Lisian asked pointedly. Melody blushed scarlet and carefully avoided her Mistress' gaze while sucking in her flat stomach. "I need eyes on him at all times, but I can't be in two places at once yet. Currently he is in a bayou in Louisiana. I'd like you to send someone inconspicuous to watch him while I see to a delivery I'm expecting from Brazil."
"I have someone perfect in mind, Mistress."
"Excellent. Don't attack, just follow. Unless his demoness is absent, then feel free to kill him." Melody began to reply but Lisian smoked out.
Melody glanced at the large rats cowering in the corner. She released a bit of pent up rage by stomping a few to death. To the rest she snarled, "bring me Lucille."
11 DAMMIT
They followed the demoness into the building and saw her sitting at a table already joined to a game of cards. All the men looked like hard characters, Lyric hoped they didn’t try anything; he would hate to have to talk Acheron out of slaughtering them. Walking up to the front desk, he rang the bell labeled: Ring bell. Immediately a serious looking woman came walking out of the back.
“Food?” she asked.
“Yes and some rooms.”
“How many?”
“Three.”
“Don’t have three, you can have two.”
“Okay two.”
“Fine, sit down, food will be out.”
“Thank you,” Lyric said to her back.
Lyric and Cadence sat at a table in the corner where they could survey the room and its occupants. A motley crew met their eyes. A small man with a perpetual frown sat holding court with a well-dressed group who wore too much jewelry and too much perfume. Lyric was glad they were on the opposite side of the room; the smell must be over powering.
A member of the fabled Milleytes Lux sat with a gypsy girl, a vampire and a handsome man with an easy smile and happy eyes. A leprechaun was playing a drinking game with a fairy. The table of men Acheron was playing cards with kept bursting out in raucous laughter and a quartet of hobbits sat in a corner looking extremely stoned and staring at something one of them held in his hand.
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