Chapter 9: At the Mouth of Hell

There was dead silence for nearly a full minute. Linkara was the first to break it. "I'm sorry, what?!"

Layla sighed, running her hands through her hair in a gesture of impatience. "We have to go to...Critic's twin." She sighed at the looks she was getting. "He's got us by the short hairs. If Linkara goes in hell- bent for leather and gun blazing, he's going to get not only himself killed but also Spoony, Insano, and possibly Rob. If Doug goes in without me, his Twin can subject him to all sorts of torture without actually killing him, and he'll still come after me. But if I go in with Linkara, under the pretense that he's bringing me for a trade, I can get close enough to Doug's twin to try something."

Critic frowned. "Layla, if you cast Resurrection..."

Layla shook her head. "Not Resurrection. Not...really. It's a spell that only Healers know, and I'm the only one that can Cast it effectively. It does...sort of cheat Death, but there's a loophole. Also, there's a pretty good chance it..." she bit her lip, staring down at the floor, and Dominic sighed.

"It could prove fatal, couldn't it. For you." Layla nodded imperceptibly.

"Fuck that!" Critic yelled in anger. "There's no fucking way I'm letting you go through with this! We'll just have to think of something else!"

"Like what? If your twin forces me to Cast Resurrection on him, he will become immortal, and he will plunge this world into Darkness and Insanity." Layla waked over to Critic, looking into his eyes. "I don't have a choice. None of us do."

Critic shook his head. "No, you're wrong. We do. We can run. We can go someplace where that madman can never find us. I can pass on my Duties to someone else, and we can live a long, semi-peaceful life under assumed names. We'll even have a nice white-picket fence."

Layla smiled sadly. "And what about Rob? Do we leave him to his death? Can you live with the knowledge that you might have been able to save your brother's life?"

Critic gulped back tears. "I spent the better part of a decade thinking he was already dead. I don't know how I feel knowing he's alive. But I do know that if you do this, and you die, I'll go crazy." He pulled Layla into a tight embrace, breath hitching. "I love you...so much. Please tell me there's another way."

"There's not, and the longer we sit here and argue, the more time your twin has to torture my men!" Linkara interjected angrily. Critic glared at him in fury, and Linkara sighed. "I'm sorry, but Layla's plan is the only one I see possibly working."

Critic fumed for a second, then nodded. "Fine. So what do we do, just have you two walk into my brother's lair? He's bound to smell a rat."

"Not if we make it look like I'm Linkara's prisoner."

Linkara shook his head. "There are so many ways this plan could go wrong. Critic's twin isn't stupid. I'm sure he knows that we're friends."

"Yes, and he's holding your lovers hostage with the promise of torturing them if you don't turn me over post-haste. He's going to bank on that overriding any friendship we may have." Layla said, and Linkara heaved a sigh.

"Yeah, but I still don't like it. What if something goes wrong?"

Layla was about to answer when Nella and 90's Kid entered the Palace, the latter looking white as death, his eyes red rimmed and tired. "Then Awesomia is doomed," Nella said, leading the teen over to the bar. "Dominic, don't suppose you could bend the rules a bit and let this kid have a shot of brandy?"

Dominic shook his head. "Sorry, I'm not risking it. I can give him a Coke, but that's it."

90's Kid shivered, then spoke, his voice a croak. "Sure, dude, Coke's fine. Hey Linkara-dude." Dominic poured him a Coke, and 90's Kid gulped half the glass down. Linkara reached for his hand, and 90's Kid jumped out of his way. "DON'T TOUCH ME!"

Linkara blinked, a bit shocked at the outburst. "90's Kid..."

"J..just don't touch me, OK? None of you touch..." He stopped talking, his breath hitching as he choked on air. "Not again..." he moaned, then fell to the floor, convulsing. His glasses fell off, revealing that his eyes were black. He clutched his head, screaming and sobbing. "Please stop please I can't take it I'm seeing everything all the possibilities and they're all full of insanity and death and blood so much screaming and..."

Layla knelt next to him, placing her hand on his arm. He wrenched away. "Didn't you hear me? Don't touch me!"

"I heard you." Layla said gently, and replaced her hand. "What happened?"

90's Kid gulped. "I was Seeing even with the glasses on, and I went to see Nella to ask her why. I began to feel this really horrible pressure, like someone was squeezing my head, and I Saw...Things."

Nella picked up the story. "He collapsed on my threshold, bleeding from the eyes. This was the only place I could think to bring him, since magic is suppressed here. I don't know what's going on."

Linkara sighed. "I think I might. He's a native of Comicrona, right? It's possible that his Gift is starting to get out of control, since he's got nobody back home that could help him manage it. Unless he gets Training soon, he could go insane."

90's Kid looked terrified. "Dude, I don't want to go crazy! There's gotta be some way to help me!"

Critic shrugged. "I've got some cognitive ability, but I don't know how much help I could be."

"What about that spell you did when we first met?"

"That was a temporary shield. You need someone that can not only see every possible future, but can also help you untangle..." Critic fell silent, mouth open. Layla looked over at him.

"Doug?"

"I think I've got an idea. It's a really far fetched one, but it just might work. They've been known to help Seers in the past. But it's a gamble, and with everything going on with my twin, They just might be mad at me, and..."

Dominic gaped at him. "Douglas, you cannot mean!" Critic nodded, and Dominic uttered a few colorful Gaelic curses. "It's so crazy, it's brilliant."

Linkara and Nella frowned in incomprehension, but Layla's expression mirrored Dominic's. "Doug, you cannot be serious." She laughed. "I agree with Dominic."

90's Kid spoke up, exasperated. "Who are you guys talking about? Some fortune tellers, what?"

Critic shook his head. "Much more powerful. I'm talking about the Ladies." 90's Kid looked blank, and Critic groaned. "The Three in One, Maid, Mother, Crone...FATE!"

Linkara's jaw was on his knees. "Summon Fate. Ask powerful...Beings to act as teacher to a teenager, while at the same time try to mount a rescue on a place that will no doubt be crawling with Black Magic so Layla can get close enough to your twin to cast a spell that just might catch the attention of another, even more powerful Being on the off chance we can prevent a war that could tear Awesomia apart. Am I getting that right?"

Critic nodded, and Linkara grinned a frozen grin, walked behind the bar, and grabbed a bottle off the shelf, taking a large swallow. "That's insane. But seeing as how the longer we sit here debating, the longer Spoony and Insano are in that lunatic's hands, I say we go with it. Anyone know how to Summon Them?" There was a sudden rush of air, and a young woman with shoulder-length blue hair appeared before him.

"No need, Lewis. We heard everything. The Child needs Our help, and We are willing. His thread is connected to yours, and he will be a great asset to you in time. But now you must go. Your lovers' thread begins to Fade, and unless you hurry, my Sister-self will be cutting it." Fate turned to Layla. "You know what you must do, Healer. Cast the spell and sever the Threads. I cannot tell you the outcome, but I promise that Thanatos will not interfere. He knows what is at stake."

She then turned to Critic, a gentle smile on her face. "I have one Gift for you, Disciple. Should you need it, you'll know what to do. Hold out your hand." He obeyed, and she dropped a small leather pouch into it.

Critic peeked inside, then looked at Fate, eyes wide. She nodded, then walked over to 90's Kid. "Give me your hand, Child, and we will begin Training." He took her hand, and they vanished.

Linkara turned to Critic. "So what did you get?"

Critic pulled out a small vial stopped with a cork. Inside was a purplish, viscous liquid. "A way to stop my twin for good, if Layla's plan fails."

"That's great, but what is it?"

"Raw Magic. I drink it, and I'll be able to stand up to him in Magical Combat. Of course, the chances are it could end with us both dead and millions of dollars in property damage, so let's hope Layla's plan works."

Layla nodded. "Indeed. Well, let's put it in motion."

Critic tried to look brave. "Right. Oh, just one thing before you go." He yanked Layla into a passionate kiss. "You had better come back to me."

"I'll try."

Critic blinked back tears. "I suppose that will have to do."

After Linkara and Layla departed, Dominic pulled a large bottle of Scotch off the shelf and passed it over to his cousin, and the waiting game began.