Chapter 25 ( On The Flip Side)

Ishellia , Vallium and and Janice exited the wormhole just outside Drow's stronghold and came to a stop. Four guards came at them with spears drawn. Ishellia spoke," Tell Drow Ishellia is outside . He will want to come and see." The officer turned and left leaving the other three behind to keep watch on them. A few moments later Drow came outside and walked up to Ishellia with his arms stretched wide. Coming close he hugged her tightly and kissed her pale cheek. "Ishellia dear, what do you have here?" He asked as he looked at the semi trucks. She grasped ahold of the back door and opened it. The door creaked as it swung wide and there were stacks upon stacks of solid gold bars. Drow looked at her quizzically," Is this about the trip to Gahenna?" Ishellia smiled warmly, " Yes Drow this is to pay your armies to join with us on the edge of Gahenna and march with us to Lucifer's stronghold." The old orc looked at the gold again and smiled." I would have done it without the gold but not so sure if the others would. You know how opportunistic they are." HIs old friend took his hand and said," We are looking for as many ancient weapons that we can find to make Lucifer mortal and then kill him. IN all your readings have you read bout any weapons that may be of use?" 

Drow spoke softly, " Come you all, evening draws near, let's go inside and have something to eat. Meesha is missing you Ishellia and would love to have some female company." Looking over at Janice, he said," You must be the fabled Janice. You know this is not your fault. It was not you who made him evil. He has been in hiding for a thousand years. From what I have read, he broke free of his bonds that held him at bay in hell and came to this realm. He is an angel and has always been an angel. Which gave him the ability to hide among normal humans and wait for the time he thought would be the right time to strike." Tears fell from her eyes and she tried to wipe them away but they just kept falling." I loved him so much, I had no idea." Drow put his large hand on her shoulder and guided her into the stronghold and into his wife's care. Looking up at her husband, Meesha said, " Dear the prime roast is on the table awaiting our guests." 

This whole time Vallium was quiet and just silently paid attention to what was going on. Thinking deeply," I think ." He said as they walked." I think there is a weapon of the Old Norse Gods. Rumored to be wielded by Thor. It was called Muilnijr I believe." Drow looked at him and smiled then responded," A mace you say?" That is intriguing. I do think I saw something in one of Robelaire's books that I read." He said looking at Ishellia. She thought for a moment and nodded her head," Yes, I believe so Drow." she said as she accepted the platter of meat from Meesha and took a slice and handed it to Vallium. Meesha said ," Thank you Vallium for remembering that, now we need to find where the mace is  residing and if we can get to it."

Back in the Temple of Supay;

Richard made it across to the other side and pulled down on the lever holding the bridges in place and Hadassah bounced across with complete abandon. She made it across with no difficulty and the two went on further to the room where they would need to find the sconce. The only problem was.. The whole room was filled with sconces. Every three foot there was a black wrought Iron sconce adorning the wall. Richard called out his little beastie named Muskononovette. She really hated being out of her bottle and would act out terribly. Richard pointed at her and said," Quiet. I need you to find the right sconce, there are too many to test by ourselves. Get to work." Muskononovette turned to look at him with her bent over slight form that showed her rib cage and withered wings that no longer flew and said. " This was not in my contract Richard. You promised me my wings back and that was two hundred years ago." She said flippantly as she turned to test each and every sconce on the wall. " I used  to be beautiful," she said." I slipped in and out of trees." She said.

" But noo, Richard has to go and catch me and make me do things I don't want to do." she said. " He said, " I told you, I had medicines and herbs that could fix your debacle because you tangled with the wrong dragon and he broke your wings and now you have no way to fly." Looking at Hadassah, he said," I told her it came with a price and she agreed at first. Then she tried to back out of the deal. Which I refused to allow so I have kept her for an inordinately long time and shall continue to do so for her petulance. One day she will figure it out and complete what she agreed to do and I will fix her wings. Until then she's my little bitch. Aren;t you you sad sack of pixie ass." He said as he nudged her closer to the wall." You see dear if you die I can resurrect you. but if I die it takes time to reanimate if it is a true death. Rap God they said. Well, I might be Rappish but I don't know about God," Pointing a finger in the air and shaking it. Hadassah crinkled her nose and shook her head. " I think you are just fine the way you are." I like you with all my black little heart." She said as she nudged in closer to him wrapping her slinky long feline tail up around his back and linking it through his arm. They both sat and watched the pixie/imp do her job and jump up and pull down each sconce soon the wall opened up and they could continue on with the job at hand.

There at the end of a long wide stairwell, covered in dust and Spanish moss was the idol sitting eerily reminiscent of a movie we have all seen a time or two. You know the one with the boulder. He looked at her and said. " A god damned boulder better not come rolling after my ass when I take the idol. It looks like the medallion is around it's neck." Hadassah stepped nearer to the edge when she stepped on a stone that triggered by her weight and little Curarie darts began poofing across the room." Really? " He said. "Really?"

" Why is it always neurotoxin and why do they have to launch it out across a wide area?" Didn't folks back five thousand years ago ever use math that once the trigger was released the darts would stop coming out." The he stopped speaking as Muskononovette sped ahead of them and triggered the whole lot of them. The poor thing lay in a huddle on the floor at the bottom of the stairs looking like a porcupine filled with poison darts. With a flick of his wrist she went back into her bottle to heal up. Well, she's done for a few days. At least she triggered the trap ahead of us."  He said as he patted the bottle in the inner pocket of his bright red robes. " Now, let's get up there and see if there are any boobie traps or anything that could cause us to die a terrible unnatural death." He said . Then she looked at him and said ," You have already died an unnatural death Richard. How would it be any different than what would happen now?" He looked at her and smiled ," Well, I'm not too sure but if we get squished it' will be permanent. I don't think nano bots can reinflate me. He said laughing." 

Climbing the steps to the pedestal, they looked for anything that could trigger catastrophe. Even as nimble as Hadassah was, this was going to be hairy. Her Riooan senses blended with Kraxion foresight saw a tiny little lever that stuck out from underneath the idol and she poked Richard and pointed at it with her pinky finger. " Look there, "She said, right up under the lip of the plate it sits on. See, the light hits it at just the right angle. It is very small. Wait. don't touch it. do you have any vision flower or a cigarettes'? If you blow the smoke at the idol I bet there are little electric beams blocking us from touching it and unleashing unholy hell." 

Richard nodded his head and replied," You know that was quite astute of you to see that." He said as he reached into his pocket and found a pack of cigarettes'. Lighting one quickly, he blew smoke at the idol and sure enough there were beams of red light in the smoke. Looking at her quizzically he asked," How did you know?" he said softly. She just shrugged, " I hear that two of my great grandmothers 35 generations ago were very clairvoyant. One was Riooan a feline bi-pedal humanoid from the jungle planet Rioo. Her name was Rahnyah like my mother. The other was Kraxion from the planet Kraxis her name was Miralania like the fawn that likes Prince Renquist. Anyway, I get the metal studs from her and the fur from Rahnayah. I have always been able to see somethings before they happen so I think that little lever I saw, if we push it somehow with something long we can turn off those red light beams, take the idol and the medallion. Bikkity Bang we are out of this blasted place.

 You know, I have some portal dust. So I can get us out right away. Mom makes sure I have some so I can get out of tricky situations when in need." Richard looked at her again and said," What can we use? Oh wait! You have a wand in your satchel Hadassah." The young woman pulled her satchel forward and looked inside and pulled the little wooden wand out and shrugged saying." OK, you blow the smoke so I can poke the lever and then you grab the idol and give me the medallion ,then I will get us out of here. Not until then." Richard hissed slightly," Ever the warlock aren't you?"" Oh yes." she said," now come on." she said as she motioned for him to blow the smoke. "Ready, steady... Go.. " She said and he blew the smoke out. quickly she pressed the lever and the beams stopped and Richard grabbed the idol and handed her the medallion which she put on over her head and pulled her satchel of silver portal dust and tossed." Shemanch Rhie Rhom Shores of Avalon!" A portal opened and they walked through on to the shores of the lake." Richard looked at Hadassah and bowed low, sweeping his arm ," My dear that was the most enjoyable quest I have ever been on. Thank you for the wonderful company and thank you for saying you will slay by my side for a long time. I never thought when I met you eight years ago that you would become my soul bond." Smirking at her as he helped her clasp her medallion back on her exquisite throat. "I dare say, I wish you would just stay this way. I rather like it when you don't have all that glamor on you." She looked at him and smiled softly and said," One day I will have the confidence to do just that but not right now."