Eve of Innocence
Chapter 10 of Children of Luzistor
The bottom hatch of the magic bottle was kept cracked open so Cambris could find it. Otherwise, there would be nothing to see. Picard had pulled it fully open to look down at the forested expanse of Rotbone Island, just across the sea from Lunari. Dan had wanted it to oversee Lunari itself, but the controls were so touchy that he didn't dare tamper further with them. Here at the bottom of the tall spiral stairs, Picard found a respite from the frenetic activity and voices in the lair. He set his tea on a clever device that kept it hot. He had sent via teleport a request for all available information on demon lords. In the pine-scented breeze from outside, he studied a sheaf of papers.
The drawing was depressing enough. It depicted a raging horned demon with an energy blaster grafted onto one arm—more Tekniker foolishness. Accounts were sketchy, as there were few survivors who had had contact with them. One curious anecdote stood out: their powdered horn was a hot item in magic shops, but being cursed, was dangerous to handle. Spell types included something like a small nuke, soul fire, and scythe strike. They sounded equally unpleasant.
Picard poured more tea from the silver pitcher and took a bracing pull. Preparing seemed doomed to failure. Jili could amass a force of reanimated foes, but they only lasted for a single day. The vampire quartet was a welcome addition, but even they were overmatched. He toyed with the idea of fitting everyone with chest plates taken from fallen metal men, but those were heavy and unwieldy. That left as the sole solution the enigmatic stealth girls. Somehow they must figure out how to work together in solving this demonic problem.
A figure began to form. It sat next to the hatch, knees drawn up, arms wrapped around them.
"Jonturi!" Picard was genuinely pleased. "How long have you been there?"
"Not long," she said with an apologetic half smile. "It wouldn't be polite."
"I take it you're in need of some solitude as well."
She was silent a moment. "I know they mean well, but I don't want anyone feeling sorry for me." She leaned to look out over the rolling hills, the sprawling expanse of Castle Rotbone. "I've never seen so much green. So this is Uropa."
Picard bent to peer out. "That thin blue line across the sea is Lunari. From there you can teleport to Montfort Abbey, then cross a bridge to Khot's Old Quarter."
She shook her head in shy denial. "I wouldn't embarrass Jili like that."
It seemed callous to make battle plans with someone who could well be dead tonight, or the next. Especially with someone who, no matter the setbacks, always wore a pleasant face. "Jonturi, do you use magic to get people to like you?"
She appeared shocked. "I wouldn't do such a thing."
Picard perused the notes again. "Curious. No demon lord has ever been seen in Uropa."
"Because of the goddess," Jonturi said with calm assurance.
"Could the two of you perhaps summon her?"
Jonturi contemplated her knees. "Some say she's gone for lack of believers. People follow so many false gods. If Ginmaya comes, it will only be because there's no other way." She looked up with earnest conviction. "That's why she touched Jili and me. We must be her agents here in the dark realms."
Another strategy dashed. Using a cover sheet, Picard idly made a paper airplane. When Jonturi questioned it, he handed it to her. "Go ahead and toss it out."
She did so. "Oh, it flies like a bird!" They both watched the bat-shaped object spiral down over the forest until lost in the trees.
Picard enjoyed her fascination. Who knew—perhaps it would inspire some idea for the coming trial.
"You must show me how to make them." When he nodded agreement, she placed a hand over his. "Shall I play you a song?"
"By all means." He closed eyes in anticipation. The sound was like mighty French horns. He was immediately transported to space, viewing an intrepid vessel lost in the vastness of the cosmos. But it remained defiant as drums and cymbals cascaded to full orchestral strength. His sternum vibrated as if he were in the same chamber as the musicians. A roll of kettle drums finished the composition, with high-pitched viols in concert with the low fade of the horn.
"Magnificent!" Picard patted her hand.
Jonturi was equally moved. "I've not heard such instruments. Your world is truly an amazing one."
From high above came Vixia's voice. "Picard! We're ready for final planning."
"I'll be right there," he called back. He pulled the hatch nearly closed, to where it aligned with a mark painted on the deck. Cambris would use it that night to enter. Picard packed up his things. "Jonturi, have you had much contact with Vixia?"
Jonturi arose with him. "No. She doesn't like me."
"As I thought." Picard recalled the dead man found in the ghost dock after the Red Claws had departed. He appeared to be some kind of functionary. What was he doing there? Jili had already told him about Queenie's treachery. This may well have been intended to divert the shamans to some secret passage for later recovery on Vixia's terms. At least he could count on her disruptor being directed at the enemy. For her, it was a matter of self preservation.
Armor storage passage
As it was agreed to get the enemy's attention with an attack on stored armor destined to become tlingit warriors, Picard and Moast, with Zena as backup, followed Vixia down the short corridor. They eased around the corner of the chamber patrolled by skeleton sentries, trying not to be noticed. At the storage room door, Vixia made ready her last remote bomb.
"I'll have to go at least twenty deep," she said, programming her wrist control. "Be ready for a fast exit to the lower castellum." She eased the door open, waited for Zena to send in a hovering mage light.
"Careful," Picard warned. "They may have substituted some for the real thing."
Vixia warily moved deeper among the erect figures, whose helms glinted under the overhead light spell. She affixed the bomb to one of them. At that moment, from farther back, an undead mage levitated. He wore the usual green cloak and hood. Others arose from closer in. They were somewhat handicapped by not wanting to damage the merchandise, so their spell of choice was vapors of soul fire. Vixia took a hit, nearly fainting from the energy drain, but Moast ran in to support her. Zena swept the field with a flame thrower spell, driving the enemy back. One of them was a moaning funeral pyre.
"Quick, close the door!" Vixia called out. She pressed the wrist control. A muffled blast came from inside, and metal debris thudded against the door.
"Like, I think we got their attention," Zena said, pointing to a trio of skeletal pikemen blocking the other end of the hall. Picard and Moast layered them with weapons fire, spreading bones in a wide arc. Vixia brought up the rear, firing at apish soldiers who came running from the far corner. They made their best time back to the lair, where the force was waiting to move out.
Denizens of the lair were pretty much in hiding, not knowing if war was coming this far back in the station. Four vampires in white stood by: Cambris, Yelena, Mirjana, and the mute Emmy. At Picard's signal, they transformed and winged their way into the darkness along the outer rim of the station. Their task was to support Team Dan, who was also augmented by Platina.
Ardra sidled up to Picard. "In our world, I'd turn this upstart demon into a flea." She looked around. "The stealth girls as usual are nowhere to be seen."
"Which is a good thing," Moast said. "Neither will the demon lord see them until Jili acts."
The Borg queen never seemed to worry about anything. "They are not good team players, Locutus."
"No," Picard agreed. And if anything happened to Jonturi, something special will have passed from the world. "Move out. Let's get this done."