Chapter Twenty Four : Shadows Reunited or Exploring X Island

What had began as a new beginning along the path of shadow had eventually turned into moments of tension and chilling action. I actually should have expected as much for while Dragonfirre had been preparing plans on the beach for either further exploration of Industry City or a trip to X Island we received news the Associate had made contact with the Organization. The reunion and eventual debriefing of the Associate and Dragonfirre was filled with shall we say more than a little bit of excitement. Eventually a compromise was reached thanks to the drudical power of Slick Rick to whom I owe a great debt. For while I will admit my feelings for the Associate are no longer what they once were it took the voice Lucky Ron to help me realize that perhaps I was being a little harsh. Now the fact that I had almost ended the life of my Associate even without the help of Mickey the Torch who almost finished the job for me I shall for now overlook. For in the end logic prevailed for the needs of the one I was able to help both Mickey the Torch and the Associate realize are often greater than the needs of the one. Which meant after a trip to the local Visitors Center and confirmation from the Lamp of Al-Hazred on the whereabouts of the Orb of Sight we were on our way to X Island. I knew the trip would be filled with extreme danger as we had already been warned previously by the Lamp but it seemed the others were eager to follow the path of least resistance so in short order and with the continuing aid from the Organization Agents Fluky Luke, Mack Daddy, Hawkeye Allen, Diamond Jim, Lefty, and of course Gizmo Dent we arrived at X Island. It of course did not take much time for us to have a run in with an impressive paramilitary unit of seven soldiers and three militant mages who proceeded to show us why the Lamp had warned us about coming here in the first place. Well as always the truth of a story is always found within the details and I shall not spare them for it seemed if Dragonfirre had set off looking for excitement I would have to say they had found it.

Well Dragonfirre and a few Organization Agents were relaxing on the Industry City beach. We had a few three agents with us at the time Fluky Luke, Mack Daddy and Gizmo Dent. All of the current members of Dragonfirre Lucky Ron, Dirty Anna, Mickey the Torch, Clean Eugene, Slick Rick and of course myself Beauty the Brain were in attendance we were only missing the Associate. Whose fate or destiny if you will I had already realized had been taken into his own hands. I will admit I had once thought I had loved my Associate but I had been slapped with the cold reality that his vengeance was greater than any love he might believe he held for me. Let’s put it this way while most might see me as a loving and caring friendly women there is a dark side to my personality. Shall we say I can be an immoral, egotistic, vengeful and greedy bitch when I am in the mood so it is only perhaps due to the fact that I see the members of Dragonfirre as my friends and friendship is something I value more than almost anything else they have never seen that side of me. Well that was about to change for while we had been discussing plans to either check out the local Green Men who were posing as bakers of head out to Berker Island or even directly to X Island we were informed by Mack Daddy that the Associate had been located. Now that fact that he had managed to get himself captured by the Hub Psi-Corp was something that truly drew my anger for if he had stayed with us instead of sneaking around with plans to kill Mickey the Torch and Lucky Ron then he would never have had to be located in the first place. Mack Daddy asked us if we wanted him back and truly at the moment I could have really cared less for he had spurned me and that was something that my ego could not live with. In my mind he would be lucky if I ever lifted a finger to help him ever again for it seemed to me he wanted to be known as the coldhearted and ruthless Associate. An old Assassin friend of mine whose real name I shall leave a mystery once told me that “The perfect killer does not live in the world of friends and family their world only had room for enemies and adversaries. ”. Now while we had been lovers for years I would agree we were not friends and in truth adversaries so when I looked at it more closely he and the Associate had a lot in common the Associate just didn’t yet seem to realize it. I figured let him do whatever he wants he was no doubt a trap just waiting to happen anyway. Strangely Dirty Anna spoke up after she looked to me and realized that my expression had not even changed and if anything only grown darker she then informed Mack Daddy that we did want him back. Fluky Luke seemed to be a little surprised that we were not quicker to jump at the chance to be reunited with our Associate. I explained to him how we were having a difference of opinion at the moment and I also asked Mack Daddy for the details of how they had heard from the Associate. I was informed that he had made a call to the Organization and he had been picked up by Lefty who was even now bringing him to our location at a dip in the beach were we waited with the two land water craft or cars. I was actually frustrated when I realized everyone was willing to wait so much so that while the other lounged around and Clean Eugene went into prayer Dirty Anna and I spent a little time reviewing the Spellbook we had acquired and the three spells contained within dismissal, mind transfer and unspeakable oath and while the spells were interesting they were not the spells we were looking for and I quickly lost interest. I figured I would entertain myself in one of the cars with Gizmo Dent who had plenty of information that interested me as well an intellect that that excited me. I had actually missed something that I am glad Slick Rick made notice of for just before I was about to enter the water car he drew my attention to Clean Eugene who seemed to be in prayer and yet something seemed to be off. Slick Rick reminded me that there was not a direct connection to the deities of Hyboria and that he could be praying to anyone even our enemy the Dreaming God. So I lowered my voice to my best seductive tone and tried to entice my charming Clean Eugene and when I failed I knew something was wrong. My second thought was to reach into his mind and command him but I had been so focused in my ritual the night before and since I no longer sensed the presence of Miracle Mike I had released both Clean Eugene and Lucky Ron from their thrall state. So I had to interrupt him the old fashioned way with my telepathy and what I found was not to my liking. For while the mind I was speaking with sounded like Clean Eugene it was when he tried to convince me to kneel down and join him in prayer to Hercules that I began to realize something was wrong. I for the sake of clarity had reminded him that I was a worshipper of Aphrodite as he well knew but he seemed to feel that I should abandon her and instead embrace Hercules. Well that was when I informed Slick Rick that his intuition had been correct and that I might need his help to bring Clean Eugene out of his trance like prayer state. Slick Rick with the insight not doubt gained by decades of life studied Clean Eugene for but a moment and then slapped him and suddenly he was back. It took a moment of explaining regarding the nature of the divine here on Emerald and how he had been possessed and once he understood he took in stride as I knew he would. Strangely he said he did feel oddly drained and with a little aid of the divine energy of Hercules and the soothing of Dirty Anna they were soon relaxing on the beach. I meanwhile had taken my leave to get to know Gizmo a little better in the now empty water car. I will admit I was only a little perturbed when a car drove up and Gizmo let me know he would be a moment. I saw him acquire something which he handed to Mickey the Torch and I watched as he attached silencers to each of his Colt M1911’s. I will admit I liked the guns but I had already upgraded to my new Desert Eagles and with my explosive white phosphorous ammunition I was as they say locked and ready to rock. Gizmo Dent came back to the water car and I will admit it had been a full day since I had had any sexual pleasure and with the release of my thralls Gizmo Dent was looking like a worthy distraction. So calling upon the shadows within the car to conceal my actions figured now was a good as a time as any to get to know Gizmo Dent a little better. I figure with the shadows concealing us I would make sure we were not disturbed so I created an illusionary minor image to give the impression that we were just talking in the shadows. Meanwhile I decided to keep it mutually entertaining for the both of us and shall we say it was quite fun as we orally pleased each other. It was child’s play for me to maintain the illusion while we mutually satisfied each other and I will admit I was a little perturbed when I saw Fluky Luke point toward the car. I looked up and saw the Associate had arrived and it seemed like they were all looking for me. Well it seemed I would just have enough time to freshen up and dispel my illusion and find out just what the Associate had been up to not that I really cared but I owed it to him to at least exit the car and see what the Assassin wanted.

It seemed that Lefty had a few moments ago arrived with the Associate as expected and he looked like he had been thru the abyss and barely survived. Served him right I figured perhaps he would learn his lesson and begin to realized that we were alone on the world of Emerald and united we would stand but divided we would fall. Well to be honest that was not really true for I figured if the Associate could walk away from someone who in his writings could be called his beloved all for the sake of vengeance then I truly did not know what to expect for he defied logic. Alright perhaps that is a little too harsh even for me I will grant that his actions for the most part do follow a path of reasoning but that path is one of a cold hearted Assassin. Perhaps because he keeps trying to deny his true nature is part of the problem for whenever he tries to explain himself he never seems willing to explain the dangers he sees at almost every turn. The truth is I knew for some time now he had been holding back and as Lucky Ron and even Mickey the Torch were fond of saying holding back was not going to accomplish this mission. He was standing back about forty feet from me and I asked Dirty Anna telepathically what was going on and she told me the Associate seemed only willing to speak with me. Gizmo had exited that water car with me and was flanking me on my left while Fluky Luke in front of me to my right while Mickey the Torch had came closer to me putting himself to the side between the Associate and myself. I was glad I was not only one to realize that the Associate was a deadly adversary or perhaps even our enemy. In my mind the Associate had made his choice he had not only walked out on me but Dragonfirre as well and to top it off he had allowed himself to be captured by no less than the Hub Psi-Corp. So shall we say I was not in the best of moods and when he asked me to come to him and upon seeing the weapons Dragonfirre not even drawn I drew my Colt M1911 pistol and took aim at him. I am sure the others could see my resolve as I told the Associate to move no closer as he started to walk toward me but no doubt I am sure they were surprised at what happened next well with exception of Mickey the Torch I am pretty sure. I gave him one last chance as I told him “Take one more step and I will by Ares will shoot you where you stand.”. I was not surprised when he took another step he was after all still iron willed and as my own vengeance over being spurned flared to life I fired since the Associate is not the only one who has a will of iron. My shot missed him and the others with the exception of Mickey the Torch looked surprised and I could of course understand for I had done exactly what I said I would do. I realized that one issues that Mickey the Torch had with the Associate was that he kept threatening to do things but never did them. Which of course translated from draconic meant the Associate was a man without honor and one not worthy of respect for men with honor carried out their words or died trying. So I realized there was a rift there but in truth I really no longer cared and in truth I felt it was at the moment a good thing as the Associate took another step and I fired again. I missed him and even Gizmo Dent who had sensed something might be wrong fired as well but it seemed that Tyche the Goddess of Luck was with him. I might have had to withdraw had it not been for the swiftness of Mickey the Torch who with skill honed by years spent in the Hyborian north struck him down with his heavy mace. I at first could not tell if the blow he had landed was meant to disable or to dispatch the thorn that the Associate had become. Dirty Anna rushed to the Associates side to see to him and even covered his body with her own to protect him and Clean Eugene even move to her side to assist as well. I meanwhile gave Mickey the Torch and Gizmo Dent a look of gratitude as I reloaded my pistol. With the aid of Clean Eugene the Associate was brought back to consciousness and I had to sadly say I was not relieved actually more like angry that he did not even know how to die like a man. I will admit that perhaps I was at the moment a little high strung because the way I saw it at that time the Associate was an Assassin bent on a mission to slay not only Mickey the Torch and Lucky Ron by myself and any other members of Dragonfirre he could manage. So he was not coming within forty feet of me unless he wanted to do so riddled with bullets. Well the Associate was being as stubborn as usual and while in the past I had admired that quality in him at the moment it only left me with the realization that soon I would be putting a bullet between his eyes. As I looked at him as he rose to his knees I saw a single tear fall down his face and I realized that he must have thought that he could pray on my emotions well thanks to him my had already frozen toward him a single tear was not going to melt my heart. He said “If you are not going to talk to me then kill me.” . I of course started to raise my pistol as I could see that Dirty Anna seemed to be trying to use her tact and charm to beguile the Associate which actually seemed to be working. Meanwhile Lucky Ron had crossed the beach and approached me and seemed angry that I was not willing to help the Associate. I told him he had betrayed me and Dragonfirre as well as been captured and I was willing to help him but only from forty feet away. Dirty Anna seemed willing to back away and seemed to be trying to convince everyone else to back off but Mickey the Torch and even Lucky Ron who felt anything he needed to say should be heard by all. Lucky Ron seemed to calm down once he realized I had actually been willing to help as opposed to just holding onto my own vengeance for how he had treated me. I therefore closed the distance but I asked for the Associate to be tied up for while I realized it would take him moment to slip his bonds those minutes would give me the time if he rose to bring my Colt to bear. I know it might seem that I had really wanted to end the Associates life but in truth that was not really the case for he had been the one to abandon me and all that we could have meant to each other. He had even when I would have fled with him told me to not leave the others which should have told me even then that he did not truly want me. So he had become if not quite an enemy but definitely an adversary for the doorway of family and friendship had closed by the Associate. Well of course I had locked the doorway behind him and if he came closer than five feet to me ever again he would regret it. So it was with great trepidation that I opened my mind to the Associate to find out what he wanted from me.

The Associates tale was one of capture, torture and eventual escape from the Hub Psi-Corp. He was asking for my help for he seemed to be aware that the Hub had been in his mind and were in the process of transferring him into Red Menace custody when he had somehow escaped. It seemed he was also worried that they may have somehow broken him or even placed commands into his mind that could cause him to be a threat to the rest of us and me. I listened to him but as I did I was so overcome with anger that I did not even for once attempt to conceal as I continued to aim my gun at his head. I was angry for this was the last straw the Associate had allowed his vengeance to endanger our entire mission and this was the man who had professed his love to me. I was angry and shocked for the man who had once kissed me with more passion than I would have thought possible would now forever because of his actions be deigned that chance ever again. The Associate had only trusted me and he had hoped that my powers would be able to break the bonds he felt had been places upon him. I told him telepathically the if it were merely magic then I would have perhaps been willing to assist him but for the no doubt psionic wounds and bonds no doubt placed upon him only Slick Rick might be able up to the task. The Associate seemed to feel that Slick Rick would never help him but I informed him that once I explained and asked him for his help I was sure he would assist. I therefore broke off mental contact with the Associate and spoke out loud to the others that the Associate had been captured by the Hub Psi-Division and he had managed to escape and perhaps with the help of Slick Rick he could be both healed and any harmful psionic damage repaired. Slick Rick had looked at me and informed me that I would of course need to ask for his help and I informed him that of course I would and I bowed and curtseyed more than willing to show Slick Rick the reverence he deserved as I made my plea for him to restore the Associate. Ironically once again the others must not have heard what I had said regarding psionic damage but Mickey the Torch fully understood my meaning and he realized just what a continued danger the Associate posed to us and once moving swiftly struck him once more and to the ground he fell. Perhaps it was his cry of Hub Psi-Corp before he struck him down was what prevented the others from reaction while I had never doubted Mickey the Torch and even with the action he had just taken I held no malice. For sadly the Associate while at the moment in my mind had not exactly rejoined Dragonfirre and I felt all things considered we could have been treating him far worse. Slick Rick without even breaking stride and spoken to me and said very well I will help him and he crossed to him and cast a rejuvenating cocoon spell which surrounded him and proceeded to heal and restore him physically. After the spell had run its course I telepathically informed Slick Rick of the possible psychic damage and after explaining to him in detail the nature of the situation we realized together that might be only one spell which might work and that was the powerful panacea spell. Slick Rick told me had only one spell level of power left to him today and while I realized the powerful panacea spell used the power of the positive material plane itself to cure almost any type of infliction or mental injury regardless of the source we would have to wait at least until tomorrow. Meanwhile Lucky Ron had been asking about the Lamp of Al-Hazred and if it could give us any more information about the current location of the Orb of Sight. I informed him I did not believe so but perhaps it could and in order to check we would need to move to a safer location. I also informed him that the Associate would have to remain with Gizmo Dent and Mack Daddy for we could not risk taking him with us until we could be sure that he was safe. What followed was a short conversation in which everyone but the Associate took part where if it were not for the silver tongue of Dirty Anna I am almost sure that the Associate would have been sent to Berker Island to be fixed the by someone under the employ of Swami Donnie. It ended up that they would take him for a ride and keep him under wraps for the day until we returned while Fluky Luke would lead us to a safer location. As we had started to head inland I noticed that Fluky Luke seemed to be looking at areas along the beach and I telepathically informed him that I needed someplace shielding my mithral preferably a large building. I will give it to Fluky he never missed a beat and changed direction mid stride and continued to escort us to the Industry Government City Visitors Center where we rented a large day room. Once there we were able to order lunch and the large spacious room I felt would be perfect for a meal as well as a great place to commune with the Lamp of Al-Hazred.

We had arrived in the expansive Day Room located within the Industry City Government Visitor Center and while the room seemed better suited for a meeting or party we rented it for the entire day just in case. At one point Slick Rick had been planning on doing a bit of scouting and circle X Island to get a feel for the area in advance of us travelling there. Of course situations dealing with Clean Eugene, the Associate and of course my need to bring the Lamp to a fortified mithral structure had set back those plans. I knew he might be disturbed by the slight that our delays had cause him but I much preferred to have him with us especially now that we were no longer in possession of the Stone of Tongues and working without as my old circus friends used to say a safety net. Which was alright with me but it did mean that I needed to make sure that I stayed focused and did not allow us to be out maneuvered like the time at the University of Providence. So as I removed the Lamp of Al-Hazred from within the confines of my Backpack of Containment and after attuning myself to it I had been surprised. For I had been wrong in my assumption that the Lamp was only looking at past events for in reality it was looking at events in real time but also happened to possess knowledge from past timelines as well. So I was quite pleased as well as surprised a fact that I chose not to hide from my fellow Dragonfirre members. As it turned out the Lamp was able to reveal the Orb of Sight was indeed in the possession of Green Men who were now residing on X Island. So with no reason to actually go and harass the local Green Men Lucky Ron figured we might as well just head straight for X Island. I had already thought out the possibilities of the outcomes regarding that option and if we were to attempt it I made my concern known that it would be best if we rested the day and used the cover of darkness as advantage. I also realized that if Slick Rick deemed the Associate worthy he could perform the panacea spell needed to free him of any unwanted influences. Slick Rick must have seen the value of having the Associate our coldhearted Assassin with us for he agreed to assist the Associate. So Fluky Luke made a call to Lefty who would contact Gizmo Dent and as lunch arrived we waited for the return of the Associate who I hoped at the very least would remain an adversary as opposed to an enemy that we would need to terminate.

At my request the Associate was brought to us hooded and tied so that he could not give any information away concerning our location. Slick Rick summoned power needed to evoke the power manifestation of positive energy and within moments the Associate was free perhaps more free than he had been in a long time. A fact that Slick Rick even shared for he informed me that there was more that had been done to him than he would have expected. I on the other hand realized that the spell that had been just used might have very well even removed the bindings that had been placed on the Associate by Drusilia Nailo my Mother and former Mistress. If the bindings had truly been removed I realized it was still late for us perhaps Dirty Anna’s desire to protect him might have been more for her part than mine which might mean she might be able to bring him comfort when the time came. For I had been down the Changling road before and while the Associates physical abilities might be something I would never stop craving his heart was cold and I needed a passionate lover willing to stand up and defend or protect me from myself not drag me into the darkness with them. Mickey the Torch while our relationship was still chaste and Dirty Anna with whom I sometimes wonder how I ever lived without were already performing the tasks I knew the Associate would never be able to bear and I will admit for a moment it had saddened me but only for a moment which quickly passed. Once he was freed it was time for him to make his case before Dragonfirre for in truth they wondered if now that he was here what would stop him from taking the life of anyone present. Showing more trust than I would have expected he told me he would submit to my thought scanning spell in order to prove his dedication to Dragonfirre and the mission to save Hyboria. I of course cast my detect thought spell and the minds in the room began to come into focus at first I only gain the presence of intelligent minds and then the actual intelligence they possess and finally the spell attempts to break into the surface thought of all within its sixty feet cone. I will admit the feeling has always been an exhilarating one and while not as overpowering as the dominate person spell it can be quite provocative depending on the thoughts of my subjects. Of course it also makes for a flawless interrogation technique on the weak willed or those who submit to it as the Associate had given his word to do. One has to also have the correct stimulus in order to trigger the correct thoughts which is a technique my Mother was sure to make sure I mastered. I informed Dragonfirre that my spell was working and if they had any questions for the Associate which they needed answered now was the time. I of course telepathically started a line of questioning of my own and asked the Associate what had happened to him since we last saw him a day ago. What unfolded was quite an array of thoughts some of which I could determine due to my superior intellect were events the Associate was blocking or had been altered and now not apparent to his conscious mind. From what I could gather while we had been in the cottage in Summit the Associate’s activities had drawn the attention of the Hub Psi-Corp. What had proceeded was a skirmish involving sleeping gas and his eventual capture and move to the area of Hub. He had been stripped of all his possessions and had been to his knowledge psychically interrogated and only the fact that much of what we are doing was not known to him perhaps will give us a slight advantage in the future. It became obvious that he had been tied to the murder of the Hub Psi-Agent from Defender Island it seemed the Associates actions had finally caught up with him. It seemed that while in their custody he had no rights and they were trying to find out if he had any information to offer them to prevent them from turning him over to the Red Menace for further interrogation. He seemed to had broken away from a room where they had him tied up but the room that he exited had been lit in an all around fashion which prevented him from using his shadow abilities to avoid detection and since he was still wounded was recaptured and eventually rendered unconscious. Now after that was when events began to run along two different courses for as far as the Associate knew the truck carrying him to the Red Menace had somehow had an accident and he woke up finding his bindings laying around him and grabbed his backpack and escaped. Well what really happened was that he had slipped his bonds killed the driver as well as several other witnesses in cold blood and eventually made his way to a phone and called the emergency number we had acquired from Smiling Ed which I had made sure everyone had memorized and contacted the Organization. What he failed to remember was the bloodthirsty slaughter and I figured perhaps now that his mind was no longer scrambled I doubted if he ever would. I shared this information verbally with the others while telepathically I informed my beloved Dirty Anna and counselor Slick Rick of the other memories just so they would be aware. I also confirmed to Slick Rick that his spell had worked perfectly and the nature of the dual memories was a mystery I would be working on but for now he did seem sincere. I even found something that would have seemed humorous if it had not once again shown me just how deadly the Associate really was. For while he had sworn to not rat out Gizmo Dent and Mack Daddy Fluky Luke or anyone else his hidden thoughts were now mine to view. It seemed that while out for the little drive on the ocean the water Gizmo Dent had seemed to spot something and had informed the Associate that they might be in a little bit of trouble. He had asked the Associate who had already slipped his bonds to come and take the wheel. After which he opened the door to investigate and had vanished as well leaving the Associate alone. The Associate not even thinking twice dove into the ocean to locate the two Organization Agents. What he had seen was out of a nightmare a huge kraken like creature with tentacles that had grabbed both Gizmo Dent and Mack Daddy that somehow possessed such dexterity that they were both being held by only one tentacle. Acting with the skill that I both admire and value he had drawn a poison dipped shuriken and before the water could even begin to erode the venom had stuck the tentacle and suddenly the creature released its Organization Prey and withdrew to the ocean depths. With his aid Gizmo Dent and Mack Daddy reached the water car and they had driven to the shore and had agreed to not speak of this incident to anyone and the Associate had told them he would not reveal the events to Fluky Luke for which they seemed indebted. So in truth his whole return in the hood and ropes had been nothing more than a clever deception by the Associate. I kept the little tale to myself for use in the future and I then looked to Lucky Ron who I knew was eager to start a interrogation of his own since from where he and the rest of Dragonfirre were concerned the Associate had been acting quite reckless as of late and I am sure his claim that he was going to kill both him and Mickey the Torch did not exactly brood teamwork and camaraderie. I am sure he needed to make sure for himself that the Associate could be trusted to officially rejoin us and be trusted to not slay members of our group without prejudice or sense of morality. Now there was a thought morality for while I have to admit I am perhaps one of the most immoral people I know I do believe in the value of friends and family but for now the Associate was neither. As far as I was concerned he would not be getting anywhere near me without my Desert Eagle having something to say about it because I no longer trusted him. If the others wanted to attempt to trust him then let them I needed the coldblooded and ruthless Assassin the Associate was already on his way to becoming I felt our mission depended on it. As I had been dwelling on death toll I expected to be collected by Beauty the Brain and the Assassin known as the Associate Lucky Ron had come to the chain of events that had lead to Mickey the Torch breathing fire and the Associate leaving the train in Summit. It seemed the conflict seemed to be revolving around the Associate seeing the reporter Nick Carter as an adversary as opposed to how the other members of Dragonfirre perhaps with the exception of Dirty Anna as a possible ally. Now of course the Associate had made the first move and when Nick Carter had countered Mickey the Torch and Lucky Ron had moved him to another car to both protect but also talk to him. It seemed that Lucky Ron had tried to impress upon the Associate to leave the reporter alone but of course the Associate perceived a danger and had acted. In truth while Mickey the Torch and Lucky Ron had moved with him to the other car the Associate had intended to move with them to make sure they did now suffer foul play or betray important facts about our purpose on Emerald. Yeah I know it had sounded farfetched to me as well but I know what lies beneath the surface while he might have believed in his mind that was what he planned to do I am sure his eyes showed the look of the killer within. Which no doubt had prompted the warning for him to stay back from Mickey the Torch before he had breathed. Well regarding that act the Associate once again took it to the next level and in truth I had been expecting it for some time. He spoke “If Mickey the Torch breaths at me or anyone attacks me again I will kill them!”. I perhaps could have warned the Associate but there was no need but my hand did move to my Desert Eagle which I kept cloaked with the glamour from my Hat of Mystery since I felt at any moment the Associate might snap. Surprisingly it was Mickey the Torch who snapped first for no sooner than the words had left the Associates mouth he moved in and swung his heavy mace which he had already prepared and struck him a telling blow. Now I knew of course by the fact that the mace was not on fire as well as being wielded in one hand that Mickey the Torch was making a point regarding the Associates honor and his strongly held belief that he had none so I waited. It was Fluky Luke whose deft reaction with a cheap Tazer that not only struck Mickey the Torch but laid him out flat that while shocking to the others was not something I had not seen before. Since it seemed that Mickey seemed to have a weakness for anything that rendered him unconscious. I reacted quickly while Fluky Luke seemed to suddenly feel empowered and while I saw to the unconscious Mickey the Torch Fluky Luke had Lefty produce a set of chains and he was bound to a chair while the Associate was tied to another with the end result of them facing each other. He informed us that we needed to figure this situation out and if either of them made a move he would Taze them. Ironically Dirty Anna seemed quite impressed and seemed eager to find out how the Tazer worked and Fluky had told her that he had picked it up cheap from a local store. As I nursed Mickey the Torch back to consciousness I realized that the reaction could only be an electrical one which must have disrupted his nervous system hence the lack of consciousness quite a simple process really. It seemed Lucky Ron as well as the others expected me to solve this issue and I was impressed that the Associate just stood there and let the events unfold around him. He was setting them up perfectly by allowing himself to seem the calm and controlled one when just moments before he had been threatening to end anyone’s life who dared to cross him. I almost laughed out loud but I managed to contain myself for it seemed I was going to have to go to work after all and as I looked back Slick Rick was in the far corner meditating to regain his energies and seemed oblivious to the entire situation Aphrodite bless him. It seemed that both Mickey the Torch and the Associate were doomed to a eventual conflict and I will admit I did appreciate the help of Clean Eugene whose silver tongue and ordered words helped to calm them both before I began to address the situation. Fluky Luke seemed to feel the situation was contained but I let him know that not really only at rest and I even told him Mickey the Torch was only making a point and could not doubt break the chains as easily as the Associate could slip his bonds. I spoke of honor and wisdom as well as the divine attributes of Mickey the Torch even the quickness and insight of the Associate and in the end my goal to achieve a balance for the greater good of the mission to stop the Dreaming God and save the dream that was Hyboria sunk in. So with the focus being brought back to the need to get back on track and complete our mission it was finally resolved to rest the remainder of the day and move out under the cover of darkness as had been previously discussed. I of course cast a servant hoard spell to make sure that while I slept near Dirty Anna and Clean Eugene the Associate would not be allowed to reach me without me waking and introducing him to a high explosive white phosphorus shell from my Desert Eagle.

Our journey in the two water cars and the arrival of Diamond Jim and Hawkeye Allen who would be accompanying us to X Island had progressed quite smoothly. Well of course we had to separate Mickey the Torch and the Associate into separate cars since there was not need to tempt fate. Better to reach the X Island where I sure everyone realized there would be soon plenty of enemies to satisfy even the coldblooded Assassin known as the Associate. I know that may seem harsh but I have come to the realization that the sooner the Associate accepts his destiny the better off we will all be in the end. I had ridden in the first car with Mack Daddy, Diamond Jim, Lucky Ron and Slick Rick while Gizmo Dent, Hawkeye Allen, Dirty Anna, Clean Eugene and the Associate had taken the second car. I kept us in contact with one of my handy message spells and while I could have done telepathically as well I figured one less thing I needed to concentrate on. As we approached the Island Lucky Ron asked me which way did I advise landing and I mentioned we should perhaps circle and get a view of the Island. Slick Rick quickly made the point mute by assuming an avian form and performing reconnaissance around the entire Island and found us a beach on the opposite end of the seemingly occupied volcanic mountain. As we made ground I asked Scrounger and Mickey the Torch if they could detect the presence of any others on the Island near our location. The beach area was actually quite densely populated with flora so much so that I had a feeling the only Slick Rick would have an easy trip through the area. Scrounger came thru for us and informed us that there were four natives of Emerald some distance into the wood. We started to move out and I let the others be aware I felt it would be best to locate them and interrogate them either by thoughts or actions but either way I would need someone who moved well and had a good chance of performing the task of scout for me. For while I had the ability to be unseen as well as silent I will admit the only tool missing from my personal arsenal was a better perception. Both Slick Rick and the Associate volunteered for the task and while I would have love the chance to be alone in the wood with Slick Rick I realized I would much prefer to have him with the group in case there was a situation. That left me with my adversary the Associate who I informed to give me a forty foot lead since my detect thoughts spell had a range of sixty feet I wanted enough room between our targets as well the Associate just in case. I realize some might have wondered what I was worried about well you have to remember I already saw the Associate as the Assassin I was waiting for him to become as well as witnessed how volatile his temper has become. So if anyone actually thought I was going to allow him to be anywhere near me much less alone then they would be the ones I would call fools or in reality dead fools. As it turned out the four agents were mercenaries posted on the Island to keep an eye on ships that approached or left the Island. Of the four I was able to read the thought of the one I actually needed the radio operator. It seemed the post there were held up had actually been there for years and while they had watched strange activity and even lost two of the team members recently they were staying put. I seemed the worked for various commercial interests and while they had radioed for a replacement team their current orders were to stay put for at least twenty days. Our presence had spooked the three mercenaries and the radio operation had hoped they were not going to get him killed. The skill of the Associate and myself was beyond their ability to even acknowledge us as a threat and I telepathically informed the Associate we were pulling back. I could not actually see the Associate with my spell but I could determine how close he was which was good enough for me to keep the necessary distance from my deadly adversary know as the Associate. When we returned I told the others of the situation and I realized since they were of no help we would need to come up with something else. I then turned to the one who I knew would be able to find the answers Slick Rick and asked him if he could use his abilities to give us a lay of the land in order for us to be better able to accomplish our task. Slick Rick focused for a moment and I saw him perform the ritual to give him a lay of the land and I knew that within moments he would have a map of the entire Island within his mind which was just what we needed. As it would turn out there seemed to be a settlement in the mountain and two hatches of interest on up the mountain face to the north and one dues south. While it was obvious that the route that was no doubt the hardest might prove the most fruitful and while I was up for the climb the idea was eventually put to rest. I of course had to remember our two Agents Hawkeye Allen and Diamond Jim and while I felt we could make it I also had to consider what situation we might be in if we could not make the climb by morning. Dirty Anna had believed that I had the ability to teleport us and while I did have the ability it was limited to only once per day and while I was not hesitant to use it I preferred to save it for as a shall we say get out of danger pass. Which was how we ended up headed south and eventually running into a heavily armed force of experienced gunman and even a few mages. Our situation was actually better then it could have been for we did have some warning which gave me the time to cast greater invisibility, see invisible and arcane sight so at least there would be no surprises. Mickey the Torch stepped out into the clearing and while we had detected them some distance away at least one hundred and twenty feet when they saw him opened fire. I had to admit I was impressed for not only the distance but the power of the impact for I am pretty sure if it had been anyone other than Mickey the Torch then we would have been looking at a fresh corpse. Well that was of course the rallying call to action as I witnessed seven of the ten men open fire for Clean Eugene had told us he had sensed an evil presence and within our midst appeared from under the earth two huge Gugs. Well for the record my thinking was now on mages for the Gugs were huge giant like creature with four arms and I could tell they meant business. I the Associate and Lucky Ron move off to engage the enemy and witnessed Slick Rick transform into a huge wolf and then his paw touched the ground and a huge tiger image formed over the wolf and seemed it to give it the fierceness of a tiger. He then broke off heading for the ranks of gunmen who were trying to keep us pinned down while the Gugs pinned us down. Dirty Anna and Clean Eugene maintained ranks and started to work on the Gugs but both of them were taking fire and I could tell might need help soon. I had decided to move forward and starting softening up our real targets I pushed myself and had moved up eighty feet in order to have them in spell range. I tried to bind the will of one the gunmen with my Fey charms but his will proved too stronger than I had expected. I then telepathically informed the other of the positions of our ten enemies and I had asked their preference an Air Elemental that I figured would have chance to sweep them away or three Unicorns who could help with healing. Dirty Anna had responded to both and Lucky Ron had responded with she can only do one and requested the Unicorns to which I obliged. I sent one to Hawkeye Allen who had been shot and had already fallen to the ground and one to Dirty Anna and the last to Clean Eugene. While Mickey the Torch had already healed himself Clean Eugene had used his healing ability to help Dirty Anna for which I was thankful hence his own personal Unicorn since he himself was also wounded. The Associate had meanwhile gotten himself into trouble somehow he was visible holding his Nunchaku and taking fire but fortunately for him the gunman was having as much trouble hitting him as Gizmo Dent and I had. While bullets were bouncing off the fierce force of nature that Slick Rick had become as he charged into the midst of two of them and began show them the fury of which he was capable. The enemy forces were actually well spread out but they were right in the perfect place for a mass whelm spell and as my luck would have it I could actually strike ten targets at a time. There was more than one reason I had moved up I also realized that while only seven of the ten were affected by my spell once they started lethal damage the stunning damage I had dealt them would soon render them unconscious and easy prey. I will admit I loved the spell actually for the once the severity of the real wounds was less than the mental trauma I had dealt them they were ours and we would then see if any of them were worthy of becoming my new thralls.

We were in the midst of enough excitement for almost any lover of death and chaos and I am sure Ares would have been proud. The situation was going to be a close one but on the bright side no risk no gain. After all Dragonfirre had decided to not work the path of investigation and innuendo instead embracing blood and death which was fine by me well once the Associate came around and embraced his inner Assassin. Hell I might even place an illusion over a few of the fallen gunmen and allow Dirty Anna to feast on their entrails after all her eyes were starting to look a little bloodshot regardless of the makeup and it played havoc with her complexion. I was my hope to also gain a thrall preferably one of the mage types since I really liked their summoning tricks. Soon it might even be time to reward my fellow Envoy of Shadow whom I think I will call my Darkness for after he has killed he is always more calm and if the bindings are truly broken then there are a few itches I have that only a Changling can scratch. I knew I was getting ahead of myself and I still needed to look out for the needs of Lucky Ron, Mickey the Torch as well as live up the expectations of Slick Rick. I know how Slick Rick feels about the people of this world and in truth while I did not share that view I was now prepared to do whatever was necessary to make sure Dragonfirre put an end to the Dreaming God and if the Orb of Sight was on X Island then it would be ours and woe to any who dared to stand in our path.