Feros and the Underworld Prince

by A. L. Bridges

  “Jason…” Reyna scolds, obviously not getting the joke.

  “This ain’t no damn after school special; smoke it!” Jason orders as I suck down a hit.

  “I make Brian Gumble look like Malcolm X, huh motherfucker?” Jason asks and I start cracking up as I pass the pipe to him. Jason takes a hit and holds it in.

  “I’m Wayne Brady bitch!” Jason says with a cracked voice as he tries not to exhale and Cheza starts laughing along with me. 12

  Natasha is chuckling slightly, but I wonder how much of it is from her connection to my mind and how much of it she actually understands. Reyna is looking as lost as ever while I take another hit from the pipe and have another drink for scientific research to see if it is possible to ‘fuck away’ your dreams.

  …

  Chapter 41: Just Another One of Those Mornings… Again

  [October 12th]

  I wake up in Jason’s bed with a pounding headache, but thankfully this time there is an absence of ass pain and glitter. I look around the room to try and get my bearings and I notice something interesting: all five of us are sprawled out on Jason’s giant bed, and we’re all naked. Well, at least there are women in the bed with me and Jason this time…

  “Hey Airi? What happened last night?”

  (Well, you got drunk and high enough to put a normal person into a coma, so congratulations on being alive)

  “How did we all come about being naked in bed?”

  (After your egregious over imbibition and after all the girls were quite drunk as well, you went all nineteenth century on their asses and declared that Cheza, Natasha, and Reyna were suffering from ‘female hysteria’ and administered the cure with the help of your assistant, Jason von Fingerbang. Jason retorted by saying “That’s Doctor Jason von Fingerbang; I didn’t go to eight years of fingerbanging school to not have doctor tacked onto my name!”)

  “What was the treatment?”

  (Can’t you guess? Vaginal massage until the patient achieves a ‘hysterical paroxysm’. That is correct; nineteenth century doctors decided that the treatment for alleged ‘female hysteria’ was something that they also saw as hysterical. Although, it did lead to the invention of the vibrator so I guess it all worked out. Speaking of which, we are out of D batteries again)

  “I should just start buying them in bulk at Costco…”

  (Anyway, one thing led to another and Jason had just enough sense left to realize that the club’s booth wasn’t the place for your five-person orgy so he ported everyone back here and you two “tag teamed that shit!” Although, it seems that you and Jason had some sort of unspoken ground rules and neither of you hooked up with the other’s girlfriend; However, there was an interesting incident involving you both paying special attention to Natasha at the same time as Cheza and Reyna hooked up while watching… it was around this time that the batteries died…)

  “Alright, I get it! I’ll stock up at Costco the first chance I get!”

  I slowly get out of bed and look around for my boxers, which are nowhere to be found. Fuck it; I’ll just go to the kitchen naked. I quietly shut the bedroom door behind me and walk down the hall towards the kitchen. I grab a glass from the obsidian cabinet and pull out a carton of milk from the black fridge.

  “So it looks like you guys had fun last night.” Hel says behind me, causing me to jump and come close to knocking over the glass of milk that I just poured.

  “Um… yes ma’am.” I reply while trying to cover myself. Hel snickers and gives me a sly smile for my attempt.

  “What are you doing up at 7am?” Hel inquires. I shrug in response.

  “I have been giving some thought to your predicament of having to fight an army.” Hel says.

  “You have?” I repeat, trying to pay attention to the conversation and shed my embarrassment.

  “I have. If I remember correctly, you have ties with the Tuatha De Danann. Why not ask them for assistance in this matter?” Hel suggests.

  I hadn’t even thought of that, but will Dagda be able to grant me aid? I know he’s always helped me in the past, but this is a different type of matter entirely.

  “The next thing you need to do is scout out the situation by going to Duniya al Jinn to determine what you are going up against. Naia should be able to help you get in, or I should say that without her, you’ll never get in.” Hel informs me.

  “And the last thing that you need to do is to learn your control over the Void.” Hel tells me as she steps closer.

  “Using the Void isn’t like using your other abilities… it isn’t a force that can be commanded because in actuality, you hold no power over it.” Hel whispers into my ear and then turns around and walks down the hall.

  What the fuck is that supposed to mean? How can I have control over something yet hold no power over it? Well, she is right on all counts and if the Void can help me take down Horus, then I’ll learn to control, yet not hold power over, the fuck out of it!

  After I go talk to Dagda. I touch my Haglaz to port to the house in Arizona before waiting a minute to touch my triskele and port to Tir na nOg. Remembering my lack of dress, I touch my triskele at the gate to clothe myself in jeans and a t-shirt before porting to Dagda’s palace.

  “Cole!? What happened!? You look terrible!” Brighid declares when she walks into the white marble foyer that I ported into.

  I touch my triskele and conjure up a mirror. Brighid’s right, I look terrible; most likely from the lack of sleep that I’ve gotten since Addie died. With the exception of a few hours of high/drunken sleep last night, I haven’t really slept since her death…

  “Yeah… I guess I haven’t been sleeping much lately…” I tell her as she wraps an arm around me and leads me to a white leather couch. Brighid sits beside me and turns toward me.

  “What’s been going on?” Brighid asks with concern across her face.

  “…You were wrong, Brighid… she’s dead.” I reply as a single tear rolls down my right cheek. Brighid pulls me into her slightly plump form and I feel myself calm down.

  “I’m so sorry, Cole.” Brighid gently says. “How did she die?”

  “Gunshot to the head. I force fed the trigger man his own intestines, but I’m in the process of going after the one who gave the orders: Horus.” I reply and Brighid pulls back to look at me.

  “Horus? God of war, the hunt, and the sky, as well as a head of the Egyptian pantheon, Horus?” Brighid asks incredulously. I nod in response.

  “Isis told me that he is currently in Duniya al Jinn. I’m going after him, but I’m pretty sure he has the backing of all jinn so he most likely has an army of flying soldiers that are also some of the most powerful magic users in the universe.” I explain as I build up to asking for help before Brighid interrupts me.

  “Say no more, Cole. Of course we’ll help you; you’re part of the Tuatha De, part of our family, and Horus is going to learn what happens when you harm our family. Manannan mac Lir will assemble a force at his palace in Mag Mell and have them ready for you. He and my father are actually in Mag Mell right now. Perhaps you should go pay them a visit while I make the preparations for the soldiers.” Brighid suggests.

  “That sounds like a good idea, but how do I get there?” I ask.

  “Mag Mell is a Celtic plane, so you should be able to port there simply by saying the name; the planes should know what you mean and take you where you need to go.” Brighid replies.

  “Alright, thanks Brighid.” I tell her as I stand up from the couch.

  “Mag Mell.” I say as I touch my triskele and the ground shifts beneath me.

  I should have anticipated that the Celtic Underworld would be different, but I didn’t think it would be this different. I wasn’t expecting to port to a beach with Marram Grass in front of me and the sound of waves behind me, and the last thing I was expecting was color. An aroma of barbeque hits me, causing me to look around for the source. What appears to be an open air shack is about two hundred yards to my left on the beach. I start
heading that way as the scent of pork fills the air and I realize that I haven’t eaten today. I hear laughing as I approach the rear of the shack.

  “So this lad, he turned an’ said… an’ said… oh hell. It was somethin’ about priests or bears…” I hear a male voice with an Irish accent say. I round the corner and see three men at the bar, two of which I recognize.

  “Cole! How are you, boyo? Take a seat!” Dagda drunkenly proclaims when he sees me. I take a seat on the round bar stool as a mug of beer appears on the bar for me, next to a large platter of bacon.

  “This beer is brewed by Goibhniu and the bacon is from Manannan’s own pigs.” Dagda adds.

  I remember that Goibhniu is the Celtic god of brewery and smithing as I take a sip of the beer. It was said that his beer had certain healing properties and even granted the drinker invulnerability; I don’t know about being invulnerable, but I do feel less tired after drinking it.

  “Cole, this is Nuada, the original high king of the Tuatha De Danann. Nuada, this is Cole, the newest member of the Tuatha De.” Manannan mac Lir introduces us with his usual gruff tone as I eat a strip of the most delicious bacon that I’ve ever tasted.

  “It’s nice to finally meet you, lad. It looks like you have a hand like mine used to be! Too bad Miach is no longer around to heal it…” Nuada says with a thick Irish accent.

  “It’s alright; I still have full functionality of my arm because it’s not made of silver like yours was.” I reply, remembering that the reason Nuada stepped down in the mythos was because he had his hand cut off and the high king couldn’t have any flaws. He was given a prosthetic made of silver before Miach restored Nuada’s hand, but then Miach was killed in a fit of jealousy by his father, leading to the knowledge of the healing properties of herbs to be lost to all but Airmed.

  “So why is Mag Mell so different?” I inquire.

  “Mag Mell is a higher Underworld plane, like Elysium and several others. Annwvyn is the Celtic district in the Underworld city.” Manannan mac Lir replies.

  “I suppose that makes sense; with the number of underworlds that some mythologies have, they had to have somewhere to go. Anyway, Brighid is in Tir na nOg preparing an army for me to help my assault on Dinya al Jinn.” I inform them.

  “COLE! What be the meanin’ o’ this!?” Dagda demands.

  “She’s dead Dagda… Addie was killed, and Horus is the one who pulled the strings. He’s currently hiding out in Dinya al Jinn, most likely with an army of jinn backing him… I can’t get to him without your help…” I nearly plead.

  “I’m sorry to hear that, boyo. Of course you’ll have our assistance; I’ll even lead the charge myself! Next time just don’t make it sound like you’re taking control of the Tuatha De!” Dagda proclaims.

  “Sorry, I’m just a little… upset.” I solemnly reply.

  “I understand, lad. Is not easy loosin’ a child.” Dagda softly says.

  “Yeah… anyway, I need to get back to Niflheim.” I tell him.

  “Alright, we’ll send word when the force is assembled.” Dagda replies.

  “Thanks Dagda. I’ll see you soon.” I respond and touch my triskele to port back to earth before waiting a minute to touch my Haglaz rune.

  It’s only 8am by the time I return to Jason’s room, which makes me think/hope that Dagda and friends were still partying from last night and hadn’t just woken up and gotten shitfaced immediately… then again, they are Celtic Irish, so I’m not inclined to immediately rule it out either. No one else is awake yet, but instead of risking sleep and thus a dream, I port to the training grounds that Jason showed me yesterday. I think that the best time for a scouting mission will be tonight so I might as well work on using the Void until then. Thirty-nine homunculi remain on the training grounds and the body of the one I killed is inexplicably missing.

  “Alright, now how do I control something without commanding it or having power over it?” I think aloud.

  (Consider your relationship with me. You do not hold power over me, yet I work with you as a partner. That is what you must do: treat the Void as a partner whose gate you control)

  “Yeah, but you’re a part of me.”

  (Who is to say that the Void is not a part of you?)

  I understand Airi’s point so I close my eyes and focus on using the Void.

  “I need your help. I need your power to protect those too stubborn to run from me. I need it… to avenge Addie.” I say aloud.

  “Gaze upon Erasure… and return to the Void!” I say as I hold my left arm out.

  My arm flushes black as a total of ten tendrils shoot out of the holes in my left forearm and surge toward the homunculi. Giant holes of perfectly circular shapes get blasted out of them and the body parts just disappear like they were sucked out of this world. The tendrils cut through the ranks in a fanned out pattern, taking all of the homunculi out before disappearing as my vision blurs and I see stars.

  (Good work, Master) is the last thing I hear as my body hits the ground and my eyes close shut.

  ****

  “Daddy! Wake up Daddy!” Addie exclaims.

  “Hmm? What do you need sweetie?” I sleepily ask.

  “I’m hungry!” Addie announces.

  “Okay… let’s go see what Auntie Sara is making for breakfast.” I say as I sluggishly get out of bed. Addie grabs my hand as I grab my bedroom doorknob. I open the door and the room shifts out from under me.

  I’m kneeling in the middle of an ocean of blood, nothing but red for miles around me, while somehow floating on the surface as I cradle Addie’s corpse to my chest. Addie’s body turns into smoke that slips through my fingers. The black smoke coats my skin before seeping into my eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. As I feel myself slip below the surface of the ocean of blood, one thing consumes my mind:

  Horus. Will. Pay.

  ****

  “Cole… Please wake up, Cole.” Cheza cries quietly to my right.

  “I’m alright, Cheza.” I think to her.

  “COLE!” Cheza screams as she hugs me.

  “You ass! You can’t scare me like that!” Cheza cries into my ear.

  “Sorry. I was working on some new stuff and something strange happened. What time is it?” I ask.

  “It’s a little after seven. I woke up at 9am and wondered where you were. Airi told me that you were unconscious in the same place as yesterday so I smacked Jason around to wake him up. He ported us there, we saw you on the ground, and then we brought you back here.” Cheza sniffles.

  “Shit, it’s already that late? I have to go pick up Naia.” I inform her.

  “Why do you need to go get Naia?” Cheza asks defensively.

  “I… uh…” I stutter while trying to think up an excuse that won’t lead to Cheza coming with me on the scouting mission to Duniya al Jinn.

  “I’ll go grab my suit and the Synergistic blades.” Cheza says and quickly leaves the room before I can get a word in edgewise.

  I swing my legs over and stand up out of the bed to look for my jacket, boots, and armored jeans.

  “I’m coming too.” Natasha says when she enters the room.

  “No, Natasha. This is just a scouting mission and the fewer people we go in with, the better.” I explain while locating my jeans.

  “Exactly, it’s a scouting mission. Have you ever done any scouting? Because scouting is in my job description. Not to mention that my abilities as an oracle can really help out in situations that call for stealth.” Natasha explains.

  “Fine.” I concede. After all, she is correct; I have no clue what I’m doing.

  “I’ll go grab my suit.” Natasha says as she starts to leave the room.

  “Wait, what suit?” I ask.

  “The one that Sara gave to me before Pinga ported us here. After we pick up Naia, we should port to The Agency and get outfitted. I’ll call Carla to have her send the requisition order.” Natasha says while leaving the room.

  I locate my jacket and holster. I unclip the bottom pack
and stick it to my lumbar before throwing my jacket on. After waiting for a few minutes, I decide that the girls are taking too long so I port to Duat alone.

  “Cole?” Naia asks in Isis’s room as I hear a phone ring.

  “No, it’s fine. Hel just came for a visit… Yes I’ll tell her to follow protocol next time.” Isis says into the phone and hangs up.

  “Do you need something, Cole?” Naia inquires.

  “I’m going on a scouting mission to Duniya al Jinn and Hel has informed me that I need your help getting in.” I tell her.

  “I do not know if that is such a good idea…” Naia replies.

  “Please Naia! You’re the only way I can get to Horus to exact my revenge for what he’s done!” I beg.

  “Alright… but I am coming with you. I am not going abandon you on my home world.” Naia concedes.

  “Okay, let’s go. Natasha and Cheza are waiting for us back in Niflheim.” I tell her. Isis walks over and embraces Naia.

  “Be safe.” Isis says.

  “I will, Milady.” Naia replies while returning the hug.

  Naia breaks away from Isis and I port the two of us to Niflheim.

  “Okay so when he gets back, you’ll hold him down and I’ll cut his balls off.” Cheza says in a malicious tone as I port in behind her.

  “Don’t you want to have kids?” Natasha asks to her right. Both of them are dressed in black leather, but now isn’t the time to appreciate it. I need to get out of here, but I still have about fifty seconds before I can.

  “Right… so we’ll restrain him, chain him to the bed, and hold him hostage until he pumps a baby into me… then I’ll cut his balls off.” Cheza replies.

  “What, am I not allowed to have any fun!?” Natasha asks.

  “Fine! We hold him hostage until he pumps a baby into you too!” Cheza responds.

  “No, I just want to sit on his face while you two are working on the whole baby thing!” Natasha explains.

  “Oh… yeah, that’s cool.” Cheza replies.

  I back away slowly, naturally freaking out as I touch my right shoulder blade. Fuck Naia at this point; it’s everybody for themselves.