Chapter 30 ( In the Thick of It and An Army Of Demons )

Two hours later...

The trio went outside and began working again. Val was walking among everyone making sure they had what they needed. He stepped over to the forges and spoke with Daz. Black soot covered him from head to toe and he wiped his brow smearing the soot. He spotted his father and said," When you see Vallium, please tell him I have made him a sword. I haven't seen Jacxieblue and Ruthieanne in months. Have you seen them? I have some new armor for them." HIs father nodded and moved along the forges watching the dragons move in syncronic rhythm and time. He saw a flash out of the corner of his eyes and turned to see his youngest son step through a portal and walk to his mother. He touched her shoulder and she turned smiling and wrapped him into the warmest hug. She stepped back and looked at him and said," You look thin. Are you eating properly?" The young man smiled and said," Yes mother, I am eating just fine. I am so glad you were able to break free of Lucifer. I just haven't had the chance to speak to you. When we went to Drow earlier we were busy and I did not want to distract you from the business at hand." He said softly. His mother touched his cheek and smiled. "I know this has been hard on you. Have you seen your sisters?" He shook his head no. He had not seen them in months. He then said," Drow sent me to ask you a favor. Can you please go to Arizona and bid the Menataur people to join in the cause?" Ishellia smiled and said," Of course anything for Drow." 

Suddenly, they head the caw of a large raven and looked up as it flew furiously hard. It tried to slow it'sself but his momentum just kept him moving forward as he beat his wings backwards. He slammed into Val's chest and crumpled into a heap. He reached out and caught the poor guy and gave hims a swift leaf heal. Bright green energy swirled around his hands as he looked at the bird and asked," Why are you in such a hurry?" The raven in his exhausted state just held up his tallon to show the old druid that there was a message tied to his leg. Reaching down he pulled the message off and unwrapped the scroll. By this time Rahnyah and Ishellia had moved to the raucus to see what was going on and Val read aloud," Father, Jacxieblue and I are on the shores of Gahennah we have been in skirmishes with the demons and we had pushed them back. However, Lucifer sent them reinforcements and now we ourselves need help. Our troops are dwindling and I am growing weak. Jacxie's pets have all been killed and we are in desperate need of assistance! Send Help."

They looked at one another as Vallium spoke," I can go." The Gnomish General, came forward and said," I can get you there. I will need you," He said as she pointed at Daz. " And You," He said pointing at Kerari. "Then I will need you." He said to Rahnyah. When Val put his hand out to stop her." YOu can not go until you are weilding Nuadah's sword." She stopped and stepped back. " Vallium will take her place. Then you will have a mage." The General nodded and Ushered them quickly to the plane and started the engines and the plane began to move across the bumpy field. As the plane picked up speed the occupants were tossed about and jostled to and fro until the wheels left the ground and headed up. Gahennah was not that far away but if one had not been there one could not open a wormhole. The plane skidded down upon the water and plumes of liquid sprayed from the skis that had been dropped as landing gear.

They all disembarked the plane and walked up the beach for a few minutes when they saw the fighting about 300 yards up. Daz and Kerari began running and Vallium followed behind. As Vallium reached their point Daz yelled," Open a portal little brother! Quickly, Quickly!" Vallium started flicking his fingers and purple light emenated from his fingers and he spoke," Shemanch Rhie Rhom! Shores of Avalon!" and the portal opened as Daz reached his older sister Ruthieanne and Grabbed her. She looked at him and said,' Jacxie is trapped in a buch of demons over  there." He looked at her and Grabbed the back plate of her armor and threw her as hard as he could into the portal and turned to go get his sister. Jacxieblue was inundated by demons and she was cornered up on a rock slashing as fast as she could as one demon fell another took it's place. She looked up and saw her brothers and hope renewed her briefly as she kept slashing. 

Meanwhile Ruthieanne tumbled and sped through the wormhole and could not gain her balance and when she neared the opening on  the other end she tumbled ass over teakettle three times and landed sprawled on her face at her mother's feet very unceremoniously. Hadassah and Richard came over from the tailoring table and Hadassh reached down to help her step sister up from the ground.

And Richard said, " Just as clumsy as ever are we?" He said as Hadassah asked," Wheres Jacxie?" Ruthieanne looked distraught, "I'm not clumsy, Daz threw me through the protal like a rag doll. Jacxie's in trouhble. She was surrounded by demons and Daz went to help but I am not sure his consecration will be able to help though. I noticed for some reason his is bigger than mine now." Without hesitation Hadassah looked at Richard and he smiled and took her hand. Rahnyah noticed and said," Oh No you are."  She was too late They both jumped into the wormhole and popped out on the other side. Richard wobbled just a bit and caught Hadassah by her tail yet again, to keep her from falling flat on her face. She turned to him and hissed softly and started rubbing her backside." It's always the tail with you." She said in a huff in which he responded flippantly," Would you rather I let you fall into Pirahna or flat on your face? I mean this could be arranged but then you would be in pain. And if it isn't plain I give you then it's not worth it in my opinion." He finished with a smirk that made her blush. 

Looking ahead she and Richard could see that they were surrounded and fighting desperately. Richard grasped the medallion on his neck and said," Demons stop, turn and march through the portal then wait for me." Daz and Jacxie were startled slightly when the demons stopped their advance and turned and marched to the portal and walked right through. Jacxie said,' Oh Daz, this can't be good." They turned and ran towards their brother and stood beside him as Richard and Hadassah ushered the demons through the portal. Daz looked at them and said," So that's what you went to get from South America? They better be standing still on the other side." Richard stuck his tongue out under his mask and took Hadassah by the hand and stepped in after the horde of undead paladins and demons. 

They wobbled a bit as they stepped out of the portal on the otherside and Richard walked to the front of the column of dead and said loudly," You demons are ours." As he held up Hadassah's hand while Rahnyah looked on silently. Richard said as Daz , Kerari,Jacxieblue and Vallium made their way through the portal and stepped through to the scene unfolding.  " Thibideau! I have at least a hundred paladins here. I do believe they belong to you. Cleanse them. Go, stand before Thibideau and don't move." The Paladins stepped out of formation and walked to where Thibideau stood. He was baffled but motioned Ruthieanne and Daz over to him and said," On the count of three. 1,2,3, The Power of Shit Cunts Compells you!" They all said in unison and stomped down their feet. The cleansing consecration whipped through them like wildfire. Thibideau said ," Again." " 3,2,1,The Power of Shit Cunts Compells You!" The Paladins struggled and twitched as they were cleansed of the darkness that held their soul. Ruthieanne looked at her brother and noticed that something was different. His armor was differnt his demeanor was different and why was Kerari by his side?"

Richard and Hadassah waited for Val to come over there and waited for his reaction. Val walked over, the large Raven still sitting on his shoulder, not moving. " Why do you have these demons here?" He asked as Richard turned and flashed the medallion." Why dear father -in-law, I have brought you an army. one that can't die." Mephistopheles popped into the air and settled on the ground and said as he took a big rip off a two foot long steamroller made of the hollowed out femur of a large demon. He blew the smoke out of his mouth and said," Lucifer is really getting peaved at you two. He is not happy one little bit." He said as he took another rip off the steamroller and Richard turned and grasped the medallion and twisted his hand upon it causing Mephistopheles to blanch.

" I Richard, Master of Demons, Lord of the Thirteen hells, The Black Pope, Seer of all things Dark and Unnatural, Keeper of the Keys, Bruce Mother Fucking Wayne and Last but not least, Mayor of a small town on the coast of Rhode Island. Do hereby commadeer your services from the Father of Hell, the Whelp of Yehovah, What's his name? Oh yeah Lucifer! You are mine! YOu will go back as if you know nothing and bring me information any time I call you to do so." Meph took another rip off the steamroller and blew out the smoke," Well, I had better have a good place when you take over Gahennah." he said as the final amount of smoke came out of his lungs. Richard held his hand out for the steamroller and lit something at the end of his gloved finger and lit the bud inside and drew a long toke. He coughed slightly and handed it back to Mephistopheles and bid him to go do as he was told. THe Demon Blipped out of sight and Richard turned back to the scene unfolding with the paladins.

Thibideau yelled louder, I need more paladins! Come help your brothers and sisters! Their souls rest in our hands, we must pull them back. Armored men and women began to file over from around campfires and work tables and forges. they stood around the colums of their fallen brethren and sisters and as if they were one voice, In unison said," The Power of Shit Cunts compells you!" And stomped down their armored feet with a crashing crescendo. White light burst forth and swept through the paladins in an instant. They stood there dazed looking at one another and coming to their senses. Thibideau began to speak and they knew his voice and turned towards him.

" Ahh, I can see the recognition in your eyes. That is good. Let me be the first to welcome you back from death. You have a second chance now. We, your brothers and sisters have cleansed you from all the darkness that held your souls at bay. You have edured the test and passed. Things will be strange and different. You must take good care of your bodies. While the tiny robots do their work keeping you alive, you must eat well and do your best to keep your body healthy as you can. Many of you may not remember who you are. That is ok, do not push to remember everything. Some of you may have been gone for 5 years and others for a few months. Lucifer has been making his army for quite some time." Thibideau gestured to Richard and Hadassah and said," If it were not for these two procuring the demon medallion they would not have been able to save you from Lucifer's grasp." I am sure that many of you are hungry and confused. I am sure that we can have some food whipped up very shortly. I see many campfires burning and there is plenty of meat and other things to eat."

People began to scurry about. Rahnyah stepped forward and moved to speak to Rhiannon. She leaned over Rhiannon's shoulder and spoke softly in her ear. No one could hear what she said and Rhiannon nodded her head yes and rose gracefully from her seat where she was working on some glyphs. She turned and walked to the lake and swirled her fingers and the fish came to her call. At the same time Rahnyah cast a portal hole right into the fish and it opened next to a fire close by. the pile of fish just fell to the ground and women scurried to clean them so they could be cooked. Rahnyah smiled and hugged her sister in law and walked to the large cauldron that had been placed upon the fire. A goblin near by brought a twenty five pound bag of rice and poured it into the cauldron as others carried the water and poured in it bucket after bucket. Soon the smell of the rice and fish frying permeated the air. Others worked on vegetables and sweet treats. Within the hour a huge feast had been prepared and set upon a very long table and portioned for the paladins along with everyone else. They filed along as if by rote memory to the tables benches and sat down and awaited the food that was being set before them. 

The workers from the forge were next because they had expended the most energy. The armorers were next on down to the scribes and herbalists. There was plenty. The army of demons just stood twitching randomly here and there and snorting or huffing here or there. Richard said as he twirled his fingers in the air,' Ok you rabble comeon let's get you secured for the evening. They turned and followed him until he found a nice clearing and he and his mate started flicking their fingers and an eerie blackish purple light came from the tips and they spiraled into ethereal chains that surrounded the army of demons. They finally counted them all." One thousand!" Richard said and Hadassah echoed," One Thousand old man!" They walked around looking at their handiwork and were quite impressed with one another. Hadassah looked up and said," These chains should hold quite well until they are needed." Richard nodded and then said ," Ok my dark lovely, let's go have some dinner. We have done enough for one day."