Plane of the Godless

by Peter Hartz

  Michelle stood, and walked over to the door and leashed Max before letting the three dogs out, as the three other people followed her outside. Max pulled her along, and jumped off the three steps of the porch, something Michelle had seen the young dog do many times. Abby followed, jumping out and hitting the ground running, and headed over to the bushes at the edge of the walkway. Sadie took the steps in one hop as well, the much taller dog making the move with a youthful grace and athleticism she had not shown for a few years. She squatted in the grass just beyond the paved sidewalk, and as she relieved herself, an “Ahhhh…” was heard from her. Max finished his business, going both, but Abby was still going. It was apparent from the quantity of solid matter coming from her that the spells from earlier had helped her out considerably.

  Michelle turned to where Giltreas leaned against the porch railing post, and said “What do you mean, it may not end. Is that supposed to happen?”

  Dave moved over to let Allison get closer to hear the explanation as well, as Giltreas spoke up. “There is a certain tell that will show when a temporary spell will end; a waning of the energy from the casting of the spell is evident. When the energy from the casting has faded away, the effect of the spell itself ends. I sense no energy from the casting still in Sadie, which would mean the spell has ended, and yet we still hear Sadie’s voice. This has not happened to a spell I have cast before. It takes the strength and will of a Mid God or nearly so to make such spells permanent, something I most certainly am not. I must think upon this.” His focus turned inwards, and Michelle turned back to the dogs, making sure they stayed in the yard, letting him think as her mind raced. What do you do with a talking dog?

  Dave moved down the stairs, over to the black SUV, and opened the front passenger door. He had already noticed that there were no plates on the vehicle, and a temporary tag was taped up in the back window, as if it was just purchased new. There was nothing telling on the temporary tag, though. Now he opened the glove box, and pulled out a sheaf of papers folded up in an envelope, and started going through them.

  And what he saw caused him to nearly drop them. He then put them back together, put them back in the glove box, closed it up, and slammed the door in a hurry. He then walked around the front of the Suburban quickly, and said “We have to get this thing out of here as soon as possible. Get your stuff together; we have to leave as soon as we deal with the situation in the woods.”

  Giltreas, Michelle and Allison all turned at the urgency in his voice. “Who owns it? What did you find out?” Michelle voiced the concern first.

  “It is registered to a company I haven’t heard of before, but the address is in Bethesda, Maryland. My instincts tell me they might be a defense contractor. Which means it is most likely lo-jacked. It also means that someone in the government may be behind this. We have to get this situation cleaned up before someone comes looking for it. We have to get you and Allison to safety right now. We probably should take the dogs, too. Allison, get the dogs into my SUV, and get them situated. I don’t know how long we will be gone, and I don’t know any other way to see to them without bringing them along. Get all their stuff ready to move. Giltreas, is it ok if we bring them along?”

  Dave turned to the grey man, who simply nodded, then said, “They will be welcomed. Companion animals are respected and cared for.”

  Dave nodded, and then turned back. “Michelle, can you show us back to the clearing? We need to get on this right away. Also, Giltreas, if you are going to revive them, I will need to get some things out of my car.” He turned to the slender man, and asked, “Will we be able to make a couple trips? I want to get them out of here right away, but I will need to get them supplies, clothes, food for the dogs, and anything else they might need.”

  “Certainly I see no reason why not.” Giltreas smiled inwardly at the snap of command in Dave’s voice and the quick succession of tasks thought out and presented so efficiently. The human would make a good companion, to be sure. He took charge in a dangerous situation, and showed no hesitation or fear. Giltreas did not understand everything that was going on, but for now, the need to act took him, and he took a step forward, but then turned towards the cottage. “I must retrieve my pack and my things from the room. I will return momentarily.”

  Dave waved him on, and went to his own SUV. Opening the back, he lifted the top on his ever-present tool box, and pulled out a mostly full pack of long wire ties. He wanted something to cuff the bastards with, and this would do nicely. A strong nylon rope he always carried with him was next. This would work. He moved back as Allison came out the cottage door with an armful of stuff she deposited in the back of the SUV. He glanced at what she deposited, and mentally took inventory of what was there, and what he might need to bring later.

  Food for Sadie and Abby was already there; he had topped off the food bins for both of them before coming up. Allison brought supplies for Max from her car, and dropped it all in the back of the 4Runner. Dave opened the bin for Max, glanced inside, and closed it again. He estimated that all three dogs probably had food enough for a month or more in the sealed plastic bins that he and Michelle favored for storing food. The grey bins themselves were square, and had a circular lid on them with a rubber gasket that enabled them to be air and water tight, and kept the smell of the food contained; a must for a cottage in the woods with the wildlife around. Michelle had bought all three nearly a year ago, and had given the third one to Allison when Max was just a year old.

  Food bowls of plastic, and water bowls of stainless steel. Six-foot black nylon leashes for each dog, along with longer variable-length spring-return leads that let the dogs roam out to sixteen feet on walks. A stack of blankets for the dogs to sleep on; Max usually had no problem sharing with his canine cousins.

  Allison deposited her bug-out pack on the next trip from her car. He knew it would have a few days’ worth of clothing and other personal supplies in it she might need, a survival knife and sharpening kit, along with a cleaning kit and quite a bit of ammo for her Glock. He really wasn’t sure how much, but it was probably three extended-round clips, and a couple boxes. No more than two hundred rounds. The shoulder holster she preferred was most likely in there as well. That was where she deviated from her Marine Corps training – no hip holster for her. She was more of a boy scout than he was, he grinned to himself. She had told him when she made up the pack that it was something she never expected to use, but it was like insurance – you inevitably needed it if you didn’t have it, and she felt better knowing it was there.

  It also contained a trio of two-way dual-band amateur radios with spare batteries. Michelle, Allison, and Dave all had their amateur radio license, something Allison had pestered them about until they gave in. Dave smiled as he thought to himself, ‘She’s more of a geek than I am, too.’

  He stepped back from the bumper of the SUV as Allison dropped another load of stuff in it, and at a glance from her, confirmed she was done, closed it up tight. They both turned as the cottage door opened, and stopped in surprise.

  Giltreas returned out the cottage door, and Allison and Dave both gawked at him momentarily. He had his sword at his left hip, and all the things Michelle had pulled off to let him sleep the night before were back in their place. A medium-sized, worn leather pack was on his back as well.

  Dave shook himself, then spoke up, “Giltreas, is it a problem taking both the black one and the dark grey one with us? We have too many people to ride in just the black one, if you are going to revive the four others.”

  “It will be no problem, David. It will certainly cause stares, but no one will openly challenge you. We should be able to get to the royal palace, and leave them out in the carriage area near the stables,” Giltreas said, as he wondered to himself what was going to happen next.

  Dave nodded to himself, then spoke up. “Allison, drive mine, take Michelle, and get the dogs into the back seat. Then you lead the way to the clearing, where we pick up our travelling companions. Giltreas, you ca
n ride with me,” he said, as he led the way around to the passenger side of the big black Chevrolet. “Are you comfortable with putting your pack in the back of the grey one?” At the answering nod, he continued “Your sword can go in the front seat with you, with the hilt pointing up towards you.” Did he really just say sword? Really?

  Giltreas followed, putting his pack through the open door in the back grey carriage to one side, then walked over to forward-most door Dave opened for him on the right hand side of the black carriage. He detached the sword and sheath from his belt and put the sword in first, then he climbed in himself. A handle fixed just inside the door towards the window in front was well suited to pull himself in, as was the narrow platform just below the door.

  David was just getting in himself. He then reached to his left, and pulled a strap over his shoulder to his right hip, showing it to Giltreas. “Grab that buckle, and do the same. This will help protect you if things get bumpy.”

  Once Giltreas was secured, Dave turned the key waiting in the ignition, and started up the machine.

  Giltreas looked in wonder at the sound and slight trembling sensation coming from the black “horseless carriage.” Interesting.

  He watched in fascination as Dave pushed with his right foot on some sort of pad sticking up from floor below his feet, then used his right hand to pull a stalk mounted just behind the wheel towards him and down. He reached out to grasp the handle in front of him to steady himself as Dave turned the wheel slowly while looking over his shoulder, backing the carriage up some ways from the house to allow the smaller grey machine room to maneuver, pointing the carriage at the back of the yard.

  The other carriage continued to move backwards with them, two white lights glowing on the back of the carriage, then three red lights appeared, one on either side, and one higher up in the center. The grey carriage stopped, and the white lights went away as it started to move away from them, towards the back of the yard.

  Dave moved the stalk behind the wheel down further from where it was. With both hands on the wheel, the carriage moved again, forward this time, following Michelle, Allison and the three dogs in Dave’s carriage as she led the way towards the woods behind the cottage. They proceeded slowly over the somewhat uneven ground, but the bumps did not seem all that bad to Giltreas. Certainly better than most carriages and wagons he had ridden in before.

  The path through the woods was unfamiliar to Giltreas, and it appeared, to Dave as well. Michelle led the way confidently, though, with the red lights appearing only when she slowed to maneuver over a particularly difficult patch of ground, or a narrow spot between two trees.

  Quickly enough, Michelle turned and stopped at the base of a low hill. David stopped his carriage as well, and pushed the stalk behind the wheel up to the starting position. He then turned something on the trunk leading to the wheel, and the sound and vibration stopped. He looked towards Giltreas, and reached down with his right hand to push on a red part of the thing the strap had connected to. This released the strap that crossed his body, and caught it with his right hand. He then let it retract, transferred it with his left, and set it aside just behind the door. He then lifted his left hand to the door, grasping and pulling a handle which opened the door, all the while watching to see what Giltreas would do.

  Giltreas mimicked the actions, retracting the strap, and opened the door to get out.

  He stood, then stepped around the door, and pushed it shut.

  Dave stepped forward to the front of the Suburban, and waited for Giltreas. Then they walked together to where Michelle and Allison were waiting.

  Michelle was speaking to Allison, saying “I don’t think you want to go up there until things are a little more cleaned up. I nearly lost my lunch last night, and I could barely see what was around me in the dark. It is pretty gruesome. No offense, Giltreas,” she said, turning towards him as they walked up to the women.

  “None taken, I assure you, Michelle. At best, death is not a pleasant companion.” He sketched a half bow to her, with a wry smile on his face that conveyed understanding and apology both.

  Allison, however, did exactly what Dave expected – she led the way up the hill with a toss of her head that said volumes.

  Dave knew his wife had been in a few firefights in Iraq, when her convoys up from Kuwait to Bagdad had been ambushed. He had heard later from some friends of his in one convoy that she had kept her cool, and returned fire with her M16A4 rifle. The insurgents had tossed grenades and smoke bombs at them to cover their approach. No one knew if anyone hit anything, but she never stopped firing at targets that kept appearing and disappearing through the dust and smoke surrounding the road, all the while carefully conserving ammunition. After the insurgents had broken off the attack and ran, she had advanced with the others to secure the forward approaches to their position, and to make sure that no one was still planning to attack. She gained the respect of her fellow Marines that day, and it was not the only time since. Dave expected her not to be affected by what he expected to see up the small hill.

  Allison was the first to move into the small clearing, her pistol out. Dave was reminded again that she always went armed, he reflected as he walked in behind her. Michelle hung back, not wanting to go and see the scene again.

  Giltreas walked up casually, then looked at Dave as he finished surveying the scene, then turned to look at him with respect.

  “All four were armed with pistols, and you took them out with just knives and a bow, it looks like. From the look of it, they were caught by surprise, and didn’t even have time to react, or prepare.” The look of respect he gave Giltreas made him uncomfortable. He was not one to brag; there was no need, when one’s actions were the only message one should need to send.

  “Fortune shone down upon me, David.” He turned away.

  Dave snorted, but turned himself back to the task at hand. “How will you do this? What steps will you take?”

  Giltreas stepped forward, and started talking. “Before calling on my Patron to help me revive them, I must heal that which caused their deaths, else they simply slip back across the veil once more. Then with the assistance of my Patron, I shall call up the strength, form it to my will, release it upon them, and bring them back to this side once more.”

  Dave nodded. “Makes sense. Before you bring them back, I want to secure them, and make sure they have nothing they can use to get away or start up trouble again.”

  “Wise of you,” he said, and turned to the task at hand.

  The one next lying next to the tree that had been killed by the crossbow bolt was first. He pulled the broken shaft out from where it was sticking out of the man’s chest, and lifted the corpse with very little difficulty, carrying it over to a clear area between the one with his chest torn open and the one with his throat cut. He then lifted the one with the slashed throat, setting him in the row as well.

  With all of the dead lined up in a row, he stood at their heads, closed his eyes and lifted his arms, palms up.

  With a suddenness that shocked Allison and Dave, a rushing sound came from Giltreas at the same time a greenish light flashed from him to the four dead men on the ground. Allison gasped as she saw the wounds simply disappear as the green light from Giltreas flashed over the bodies. They were still dead, though.

  Dave just stared for a moment, until Giltreas gave a quiet cough. He looked up at the grey man in front of him, and said “I gotta learn that someday. Do you think you could teach me?”

  Giltreas blinked, then thought about it. He had never trained a student before, but the idea of teaching this human man was not unpleasant. “Certainly, David. I would be honored to see what you can learn from me.”

  “I will take you up on that,” Dave said as he pulled something out of his back pocket. Rolling each of the dead men over onto their fronts, he gathered their hands behind them, and a long white cord of some kind was looped over each wrist and through each other, binding their hands behind their backs with a “zzzzzippp”
sound he had never heard before. Then Giltreas laughed as Dave used the rope he brought along. It was a devious idea that had never occurred to him, and he wholeheartedly approved, intending to use it himself should he have the need.

  When he had finished tying them up, he searched their pockets, and under their outer clothing around each one’s chest and under their arms, making a pile of their possessions.

  Each of them had a similar device made of dark metal that Dave seemed to disassemble, then set aside carefully. “What are those?”

  “Those are weapons. We call them guns or firearms. Very dangerous. They can kill a man easily from considerable distance with one shot.” He reached under his coat to under his left arm with his right hand, and pulled out another one similar to what he had pulled from each dead man. He did something with his, and a long and thin portion of it fell out into his hand. He then worked a piece of it that seemed to slide along the top, releasing a small brass-colored bit with a rounded end on it, before he handed it to Giltreas.

  “It fires a small projectile at very high speed, and will continue to fire as fast as you can pull the trigger until it is empty. What I handed you is called a clip. It holds rounds that are fired. As each round is fired, the gun reloads itself with a new round, ready to be fired again. That magazine holds 15 rounds. When the last round is fired, the slide on the top will lock back like it is right now. You drop the current magazine, put in a new magazine, push a lever to release the slide, and it is ready to be fired again.” He handed the now-empty gun to Giltreas, taking the magazine back.

  Giltreas took it carefully, looking it over, as Dave spoke again. “There are some safety tips you need to know. First, always assume a gun is loaded and ready to fire even if you emptied it yourself; even then, it is wise to be very careful. Second, do not point a gun at anyone unless you intend to shoot them. Third, never put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire. That is where the bullet comes out,” he added, as Giltreas felt the end of the barrel. He handed the gun back to Dave, and smiled.