Wild cards
Chapter 13
…
The world swam back into focus and the first thing he became aware of was the heat. Heavy, stifling, it pressed down on him like a weight. He groaned and tried to move.
"You're awake."
He felt some of the weight lift and he wobbled as he was set back on his feet, senses slowly realigning.
"Where are we?" Harry asked.
"The infernal realm."
"I remember that."
Andrew smiled, "Just checking."
"What'd I miss?"
"Not much" the man said, "got the D jack, heading to a spot that should bring us to a portal gate."
"What's a portal gate?"
"A permanent gate that can generate a portal like the D jack, but only to a single location. You'll find them all over the dimensions."
"Can it get us back to Earth?"
"No, but the location data in it can help me tune the D jack so 'it' will."
"Well what're we waiting for?" said Harry turning and falling flat on his face.
"Your legs" quipped Andrew.
Harry wasn't in a position to retort so he just grumbled through a face full of soot.
Once Harry's legs started working again they made good time, arriving on the banks of Fire Lake. At the very center was a small island with a single tall spire.
"This must be the place."
"You're not sure?"
"Well I've never actually been here."
Harry gaped at his laid-back companion.
"Oh don't look at me like that" said Andrew.
Harry closed his mouth and continued to remind himself there was no need to panic. It was much too late for that.
"So, how are we supposed to get over there?"
Andrew surveyed the area till he spotted a small strip of land connecting the two shores, "over there."
"Well this looks safe" said Harry.
The two stood at the edge of the land bridge staring across. It sat just above the magma, less than a foot in most places, and couldn't have been more than ten feet wide.
"Eh, not so bad."
Harry was beginning to reassess the sanity of the man he was with as they started across. He waved his little 'scanning' wand around as they walked. Harry didn't know why. All there was around them was burning hot magma. What could possibly be worth scanning?
Harry noticed what looked like an insect just ahead of them, a large one, probably as long as his hand. It was glowing the same color as the magma and Harry could only imagine touching it would prove it was just as hot.
"Fire krill" said Andrew halting their march, "they live in the lava pools."
"There are things that can live in this?" he didn't see how it was possible.
"It's a sort of natural magic. You find that in a lot of extreme places."
As they stood the magma suddenly lurched up onto the bridge. Except it wasn't magma, it was an entire wave of Fire krill.
"Woah!"
A large rat like creature crawled onto the bridge a moment later. Glowing red and black it had a long rod like tail and its back was covered in a thick matte of hair shaped like a shield.
"Wicked" said Harry as he watched the rat thing pounce on the Fire krill.
"Lots of things eat Fire krill" Andrew explained while he waved his wand, "we should go before they attract something bigger."
Harry followed behind Andrew who brushed the masses of krill aside with his foot. They got through but Harry could see the scorch marks on Andrew's shoes, confirming his suspicion and increasing his respect for his travel companion, even if he was crazy.
They came across other clusters further along they were forced to circumvent but nothing that slowed them down. A couple times Harry thought he saw something moving out in the lake but whenever he turned to look it was gone.
They were nearing the spire when they came upon a whole field of Fire krill stretched out thirty feet before them. One of the rats was among the group but it wasn't eating. It had flattened itself to the ground under its protective shield as though expecting an attack.
"Now what?"
"I'll tell ya this much, I'm not walking through that" said Andrew.
Harry was pretty sure his shoes wouldn't survive if he tried.
"Why don't we have a look through your deck and see what we can find."
A massive grin broke across Harry's face. He opened his board and pulled out his deck. Spreading it out they looked over his cards. Harry wasn't sure what they were looking for but Andrew quickly spotted it.
"Let's try this guy."
Harry took the card, "Obsidian Gargoyle?"
"He's made of stone. The krill won't be able to hurt him."
Harry nodded, that made sense.
Replacing his deck and setting the card on the board he took a deep breath and focused, "Obsidian Gargoyle!"
There was a flash and the sound of scraping stone. Harry opened his eyes and looking back expectantly was his Obsidian Gargoyle.
"It worked!"
The gargoyle barked excitedly.
"Well done" said Andrew.
The Obsidian Gargoyle needed little direction and immediately went to work scattering the krill and clearing them a path. It had almost gotten all the way when it came to the rat.
The gargoyle barked at the rodent but it didn't respond. It pawed the thick shield, tried to push it, then decided he had won and hopped on top of it. Harry and Andrew laughed as the gargoyle sat triumphant on his conquest.
"What a ham."
The moment was cut short by the sound of flapping and a near inaudible screech. The two looked up to see a mass of wings descending form the heights of the cavern.
"Fire bats!" exclaimed Andrew.
They hadn't even time to run before the winged beasts were all around them. The two stood back to back trying to fend them off to little effect. The presence of the krill drew some of them away, but it was the Obsidian Gargoyle leaving his prize that saved them.
The stone dog tore through the horde, leaping and biting and swatting the fiery flying rodents out of the air like they were nothing. More of them broke off to feed on the krill and it looked like they might be safe when a massive creature heaved itself up out of the magma.
It had a shape that reminded Harry of an English bulldog, stocky and broad with a flat face and overhanging teeth. That was where the similarities ended. Its skin was smooth like half melted stone and cracked around the creases in its face which glowed like hot lava.
There was a rumbling from its chest followed by a sonic assault, a bark so loud and deep it shook the stone around them. All the bats still in the air dropped like rocks and the ones already on the ground stumbled about drunkenly.
The Obsidian Gargoyle cowered next to the two humans as the enormous lava hound started chomping on the beleaguered bats. It wasn't paying attention to them, yet, but it was blocking their path.
"What now?" Harry asked quietly.
Andrew looked around for something as the giant dog came to the hiding shield rat and pawed at it curiously. Harry observed this behavior, looking at his cowering Obsidian Gargoyle and a light went on.
He went to his deck, pulling the top card off. Perfect, exactly what he needed. He focused and the card came to life, a small beacon on the ground indicating the trap was ready.
"Harry?"
The boy turned to the man, "I got an idea."
He grabbed a couple dead fire bats and headed straight for the massive dog. The dog saw Harry coming and left its toy to face him. The beast gave a low deep growl in warning till Harry held up one of the dead bats.
"You want this?"
Harry waved the bat back and forth, watching the hound's eyes follow. Reeling back, he flung the corpse as far and high as he could. The lava dog crouched then hopped to catch the bat with a resounding crunch.
Gobbling it down the fire beast looked expectantly at Harry. Harry held up the other bat, the dog shook excitedly. Harry pitched it up and the dog moved to catch. His hands empty, he grabbed a nearby bat as it flailed about uselessly and gave it a toss.
Again, the lava beast moved to catch. Harry could see his trap glowing. The hound was almost on it. The next bat he grabbed still had some wit left and it struggled as it was flung into the air.
The great dog shifted left and right as the bat tried and failed to find lift, inching closer and closer with every squirm and wiggle.
"Come on, come on."
The bat found its wings at the last second, but the hound would not be denied. It launched itself up with a mighty lunge. The bat flapped desperately to get away, but a pair of jaws enveloped it and slammed shut, cutting it clean in half.
Gravity asserted itself and the hound landed solidly on its behind. The remains of the bat floated down and the hound leaned back to catch it in its mouth. The bat dropped in and the dog toppled over backwards, right onto the trap.
Chains shot out of the ground and clamped around the dog's legs. Surprised, it twisted and struggled to escape but managed only to turn over onto its side before being fully bound.
"Not bad Harry, not bad."
The two of them strolled past the captured fire monster which had ceased to struggle. Harry glanced back at the beast and frowned. The creature looked at him with an expression of utter sadness. He felt bad about just leaving it like that.
He grabbed another bat and jogged over to the bound beast. Without a word he tossed his cargo right into the hound's mouth. A couple crunches and the dogs tongue lolled happily out of his mouth.
Harry smiled, "Bye."
Andrew watched out of the corner of his eye as Harry jogged to catch up. He smiled quietly to himself and kept walking.
The Obsidian Gargoyle trotted along beside them till they reached the foot of the spire. Here Harry dismissed both the gargoyle and his trap.
"There should be some steps somewhere" said Andrew, "she wouldn't have put a gate way up there without a way to get down."
They found the steps carved into the spire itself and began their ascent. The stairs like the spire were covered in soot which meant they had to step cautiously else risk starting over, or worse.
They stopped half way up to catch their breath and looked out over the vast Lake of Fire. A rock came tumbling down the spire which drew their attention. A pair of eyes glared down at them from a cloud of soot, then it exploded and they were lost in darkness.
"I can't see!"
"Up the stairs, quick!"
Completely blind, Harry crawled up the stairs as fast as he was able. Hacking and coughing he cleared the soot cloud just in time to see the creature responsible.
It had a feminine shape, the human parts anyway. Her hands were large with long sharp claws. Her arms were coved in black down with long brown feathers forming massive ugly wings. Her feet were enormous with razor sharp talons.
Harry knew what a harpy was, and not just the ones like Aunt Petunia. He didn't remember the details but he didn't really need to. The claws and talons needed no explanation, nor did the fearsome glare she had leveled at him. He'd had harpies glare at him like that before.
A rock bounced off her head and that glare was redirected with an indignant screech. Harry spotted Andrew not ten steps up from him holding a handful of rocks.
"Over here you ugly bitch!"
Whether or not she understood his words she clearly took offense. Waving her wing at him released a barrage of tiny fireballs. Andrew flinched back then quickly scampered further up the stairs.
The fireballs struck stone and poofed out, revealing small feathers. An infuriated scream was followed by another barrage and Andrew kept scrambling. Harry turned to his board. Intent on saving his friend he pulled the first card off the top.
Enhanced Reflection. He couldn't have asked for a better draw.
It took him a minute to gather up his focus and cast it. He felt a sudden rush then he saw the glow surrounding him. He hadn't been expecting that.
He heard a third barrage explode against the stone and his hesitation vanished. Racing up the stairs he could see the harpy readying another volley. He caught up to Andrew just as she let it off. Without a word he rushed forward and leapt into the oncoming attack.
There was a brilliant flash when the fireballs struck. The harpy was blinded and never saw her attack coming back till it struck. There was a screech, an explosion, and the fiery bird woman toppled from the air.
The two watched her fall, trying to catch their breath and slow their racing hearts.
"Good work Harry."
"Yeah" Harry replied, too shell shocked at what he'd just done to muster anything more.
The harpy managed to catch herself before she hit the lake. Looking up at them she gave a pitiful squawk. She might have done more but at that exact moment the lake exploded upward, sending the harpy reeling into the spire.
Andrew and Harry stared as a massive head appeared out of the magma. Its jaw was long and narrow with a mouth full of teeth looking something like a chainsaw. Its body followed, and it stepped up on solid ground with a massive foot bearing three long hooked claws. Sharp and pointy bits aside the most distinguishing feature was the sail that stretched from the back of its head to near the end of its tail.
"What is that?"
"Awesome!"
Harry looked at Andrew with his wand moving rapidly then back down at monster that had just climbed out of the lake of magma.
"Okay, but besides that."
"If I were to guess, probably the reason there's no gate up here anymore."
"You mean, it can get up here?" Harry wasn't sure he had anything that could fight such a beast.
Fortunately, the monster's attention was on something a little bit closer. The harpy squirmed and squawked weakly as she lay across the spire arm clearly broken.
"She's toast" Andrew commented.
A fact she was aware of. In a final act of defiance, she gave a vicious screech and erupted into a massive fireball.
The saw mouth turned away as its whole head was enveloped in the explosion. When it had cleared there was no trace of its prey and its gaze turned upward.
"Andrew, I think we should go."
"I concur."
The two men raced up the stairs as fast as they could. A powerful roar echoed after them which only quickened their pace and in almost no time they had reached the apex.
There were signs of a structure once present, now no more than rubble under what appeared to be some sort of nest.
"Guess this explains the harpy."
"Sure looks like it" said Andrew, wand waving even as he looked back down the spire.
"Is he?"
"Not ye… oh, here he comes."
Harry didn't have to be told. He could feel the spire shake under each step.
"Time to go."
Andrew had the D jack out with his hand flying over it before the words were out of Harry's mouth. All the young wizard could do was watch as a strange distortion coalesced from a semitransparent blob to a clearly defined hole in reality.
"That should do it" said Andrew as the gate popped into solidity.
"Where does it go?"
A deafening roar, like a thunderclap exploding in the ear, shook the spire.
"Who cares!" shouted Andrew.
Together they leapt through the portal which sealed shut behind them.