Chapter Twenty Two : Profit And Loss Statement or The Courts Of The Fey

Well as Andais Queen of Air and Darkness of the Unseelie Court had said in the past that none could escape the Fellowship of Shadows and it seems that in truth she was right. For somehow within the same day I had managed to lose the Stone of Tongues which contained the Fey Realm within the Stone in additions to losing my Changling beloved Ninja Alex the Blade. How so many of my plans had suddenly blown up and become a complete personal disaster despite a number of victories for Dragonfirre is for once truly beyond me. For while we had acquired one of the blueprints for the fabled Lightning Gun all the while making the Red Menace look like fools and even setting back the Fascist Mad Scientists when we liberated their safe from their Science Center. We were not so fortunate when it came to personal conflicts between Dragonfirre members and possible new allies. Nor was I able to negotiate the release of all of Miracle Mike’s captives and the return of the Stone of Tongues. A deal was made that liberated our current Dragonfirre members but we had truly lost more than we gained. We lost our reserve Dragonfirre members, the Fey Realm within the Stone home to an abundant number of Hyborian Fey as well a number of significant thralls. So in my mind not really a victory by any sense of the word more like slap in the face from our Gods for our failure. Now compound the fact that the Associate my beloved no longer had given into the Shadows and turned against us all with plans to murder members of Dragonfirre my heart truly despaired. By Aphrodite all I wanted was love and happiness for all of Dragonfirre was it too much to ask for just a little bit of help. Perhaps I have underestimated the power of the Dreaming God for if my intellect cannot find the logic to explain current events then while the canon of Aphrodite often says to make love and not war there remains the obscure texts that often speak of a lesson she learned from Aries and that being “All things are fair in love and war.”. So as relate the events that have lead to my renewed insight into our war against our true enemy Cthulhu the Dreaming God I vow not to be fooled again.

To begin with perhaps the moment where we had left off I had been perhaps a bit by the presumed Leader of the Providence Science Center who had for the last few moment been trying to unsuccessfully kill my beloved Alex the Blade. So in actuality the safe with the plans for the Lightning Gun we needed to liberate were on the second floor and everyone had vacated the building and were at the rendezvous point with the exception of Slick Rick and I on the third floor. So alright there were two other items we could acquire as well but in truth then only one that was a necessity were the plans. In reality I had a feeling we were on a time table and in actuality we were since I had just placed the so called Leader within the confines of a solid fog spell and Alex was safe outside my mind had cleared. I have to admit Slick Rick never fails to disappoint for I was going to ask him to either assume an Earth Elemental shape or summon one but he had actually already summoned one. It was perhaps only its inability to even lay a hand on the Leader that had caused me to mentally dismiss its presence before. So I telepathically informed Slick Rick where the safe was located since I had previously acquired the information from Alex the Blade when he had examined the area. I informed Slick Rick that a guard as well as some kind of force shield was protecting the room and I figured an Earth Elemental could acquire the safe for us. So as we moved away from the third floor to the second and actually Slick Rick moved to the first I also shadow conjured an Earth Elemental of my own in case it was needed for an assist. Slick Rick informed me that his Earth Elemental had tried to enter the room from underneath but had been forced back down by the shield. As I had arrived at the second floor still invisible of course I had witnessed the Earth Elemental hit the field and I was able to see that the guard seemed to be talking to the Leader and seemed to be getting herself ready for action. I therefore advised Slick Rick to attempt to pull the safe through the floor and as I had sent my Earth Elemental into the very walls await orders and be ready to assist. Within moments Slick Rick’s Earth Elemental had pulled the safe through the floor and I departed the room to meet him on the first floor. Slick Rick told me that his Elemental would be dismissed within moments and mine would need to carry the near two thousand pound safe which for an Elemental that weighted over thirty thousand pounds was not even a stretch. Lucky Ron and meanwhile arrived at the cars and had placed Mickey the Torch in the trunk of one of the cars and had asked me they needed to reenter the building to acquire the items from our list. I informed him that we did not need to since the only item on our list that we could only acquire here was already in our possession. Dirty Anna on the other hand had informed me that she had noticed some kind of mysterious activity between the Science Center and the Palace which she currently was unable to decipher. I had arrived at the first floor and I noticed that Slick Rick was already heading out of one of the side doors. I decided to have my Earth Elemental grab the safe and take it underground and bring it to me in the clearing by the trees near the cars. I informed Alex the Blade to meet me by the trees as the safe would soon be arriving since I wanted him to see if it was trapped and if so disarm as well as open it and I prepared a knock spell just in case he failed. Well it seemed the trap was surprisingly beyond the abilities of Alex the Blade for no sooner than he had started to examine the safe then he was blasted back by an electric charge. I had been of course standing back away from the front of the safe and released the power of my knock spell which opened the locked safe. I then commanded my Earth Elemental to open the safe and after what may have been a little poisonous gas and more electricity which seemed to be harmless to my Elemental I had it pick up the safe and bring it to me. Realizing my solid fog spell could soon be breached by the facility Leader I telepathically informed the others that it was time to depart for the safe house in Patch of Providence. As they all including Alex the Blade who was thankfully shaking off the effects of the electric charge I took a quick look over what we had acquired as Dirty Anna looked on. It seemed in addition to the Plans we had also liberated fifteen other books as well as a magical book which resembled a spell book and a map case which along with the Lightning Gun Plans glowed with magic I removed a bag from my Backpack of Holding which I quickly emptied the safe contents into as I made a final search of the safe as I told Dirty Anna everything was alright and to hurry and make it to the cars. As she left to join Alex in one of our cars I quickly mounted my phantom steed as I left my Earth Elemental with a final command to take the safe and bury it as deep within the earth as it was able before it was dismissed back to the demi shadow plane of earth and rode off. As I was still invisible as well as my steed only Dirty Anna could actually see me as I rode to the others and telepathically informed them that we had to plans as well as Amy and I would meet them at the safe house. I rode ahead to inform Fluky Luke of a slight change in the plan I wanted him to drive on to Ugly City and await our arrival since I wanted a little more time to consult with Slick Rick and Alex the Blade regarding the nature of our arrangement. While he was a little confused agreed and I left him with a messaged to inform Swami Donnie if he was there to either be prepared to deal with Miracle Mike of be somewhere else.

We were able to make it to the Patch hideout without incident and when we arrived the others were a little surprised as was Diamond Jim that Fluky Luke had not arrived with us. Slick Rick must have been performing long range scouting for I had been unable to reach him telepathically until about the time the others had arrived. I informed the others that Fluky Luke must have moved on ahead to Ugly City and that perhaps we should move out and catch up to him. I took the time to inform Diamond Jim who seemed a little confused to just go with it and after a few assurances to the others and a dismissal of my phantom steed I was once again in the driver’s seat. I of course had acquired directions from Fluky Luke on how to navigate the roads to the Ugly City safe house and to be honest with my intellect it was truly child’s play. During the journey which took us over an hour plenty of time for Fluky Luke to make the arrangements I had requested which would place his daughter nearby but not close enough for Miracle Mike to try to pull one over on us I had time to consult with Slick Rick and Alex the Blade. I have spoke before of the reverence I hold for Slick Rick and when I had told him of my plan to gain more from Miracle Mike for the return of his daughter he was at first skeptical. I truly did not believe that Mike was as powerful as he was leading the other to believe and I explained to Slick Rick that I was sure I could negotiate the release of everyone and my only main concern was the Stone of Tongues which also held the Fey Realm within the Stone to which I felt a strong connection. He felt it was risky of course but I felt confident that I would be able to pull it off. Now Alex the Blade on the other had had a more insidious way of looking at the matter he felt we could use Amy and her life as a bargaining chip to not only acquire the release of our companion the Stone of Tongues but also gain his service. So I will admit I had had quite the same thought but there is still goodness within me and thinking of an action and carrying it out can sometimes be a different matter indeed. I realized that if I was truly willing to risk the lives of darling Dirty Anna, the charming Mickey the Torch, as well as the heroic Lucky Ron and the angelic Clean Eugene I better be darn sure I could pull it off. It’s ironic but it was not until I had seen by discussing with Alex the Blade that if I actually failed then I might truly lose them. It was a price I am glad I was not willing to pay.

We arrived at the estate in Ugly City and I telepathically informed Fluky Luke that we had arrived. It had been decided that we would not try Alex the Blades way since it was far too risky. I had taken the time to fill in Fluky Luke with my plans for the Hoard and the need for more weapons and who we might be able to liberate them from. I was sure Swami had a few enemies we could help him out with which could aid us in acquiring both potential arms as well as manpower. Fluky Luke while he had seemed surprised informed me that he would check with Swami and get back to me. I then turned my attention to the matter at hand the negotiations with Miracle Mike which I expected to concluded to our benefit. The drowning despair that was soon to overcome me over what happened next I have to sadly say drew me into such a state of disappointment, suffering and torment that I cannot truly say I can completely trust my own account of the following events. Suffice to say I remember beginning with confidence with full confidence that I would be able to free every member of Dragonfirre from the influence of Miracle Mike and with the option to either revive his body or acquire him a clone one the Stone of Tongues as well. Somehow I was unable to persuade him to give in on the concession of the Stone of Tongues and it seemed he was truly unaware of the situation on this world which had meant my threat to lay his whereabouts to the Ves and Red Menace had fallen flat. There was a moment that I had never faced and I sought the counsel of Slick Rick. I believe the problem that had changed my carefully laid out battlefield was that Miracle Mike had temporally taken over the body of Mickey the Torch and was using his body so that his words as well as mine were heard by all. It seemed that while I had at first thought Lucky Ron had stepped in thinking to bring his legendary luck into action he was not dealt a winning hand. For the deal which ended up being struck was one that released everyone present and left Miracle Mike with the Stone of Tongues and everyone within it. While Slick Rick had tried to tie the Stone to us it was Miracle Mike and myself who cleared up for him the Lamp of Al-Hazred that was actually bound to us. I did not reveal out loud just how important the artifact was since in reality it was the Stone of Tongues from another continuum left her to aid us in our task to defeat the Dreaming God and all that remained of Hyboria. It seemed that Miracle Mike had been aware of that fact and had even tried to lay claim to having allowed us to have it and while his constant arrogance was really starting to get on my last nerve it was the moment when the deal was struck the really blew my mind. For while Dirty Anna, Lucky Ron, Mickey the Torch and even Clean Eugene were now freed Miracle Mike vanished into thin air with both of my thralls, the Stone of Tongues and everyone we had left within the Realm within the Stone. Well alright I would have been willing to trade the Red Menace as well as my Magician Thrall but I would have liked it to have been on my terms. In truth it was that very moment when I realized we had truly lost the Stone of Tongues and the home of the Hyborian Fey that had been unleashed upon Emerald. For the first time in my life I was left without words or even the ability to attempt to cover my feelings.

I seemed to come to aboard an elevated train I seemed to remember Miracle Mike speaking about recharging magic items and Dirty Anna saying something about heading to Summit. I seem to remember her asking about the items we had liberated from the safe and I shifting to the Ethereal Plane to make sure there were no magical tracking effects I had not noticed the first time as well confirming that everyone was truly freed from the clutches of Miracle Mike. I remember she wanted to see the non magical books and I told her she could see them but that I was keeping an eye on them. So as I remember her being next to me looking over the books Alex spoke to me and indicated that he wanted to speak with me telepathically. I had indulged him and he informed that someone of a suspicious nature had just boarded the train. While it was still early in the morning not even six am Emerald time I figured the least Dragonfirre could do was handle a lone figure mysterious or not. My mind was elsewhere for I was fighting and internal battle that had me literally on the verge of losing my sanity with each moment that passed. I was holding on to one hope that the Lamp of Al-Hazred might be the answer to my prayers but first I had to purify my thoughts and my mind. I had witnessed a strange phenomenon when Clean Eugene had vanished and the mystery of where he had gone was not lost on me. It was my hope that while the interior of the Lamp of Al-Hazred might not have the same accessibility as the Stone of Tongues had it might hold a remainder of the conduit to a Fey Demi-Plane where I might be able to send the Fey of the Realm within the Stone. My mental effort totally blinded me to the activity that had taken place on the train for I remember hearing the sound of Mickey the Torch’s flame and Dirty Anna telling me frantically that Alex the Blade had jumped off the train. Strangely I was barely even aware of my feelings for Alex as I cast out for him telepathically and he informed me that he had been breathed at by Mickey the Torch and threatened by Lucky Ron which in and of itself knowing of Alex’s and Lucky’s skills hardly seemed a reason to leave the train. I asked if he wanted me to come with him for in truth everything I needed to complete our mission was with me but he told me to remain with the group. I asked him to return to me but alas my words fell flat upon his mind for he only left me with the statement that both Lucky Ron and Mickey the Torch were marked for death. I lost contact and cast my mind toward Mickey the Torch and Lucky Ron who seemed to be in middle of a discussion with a reporter from some newspaper. My mind started to clear a bit and I remembered that we had also temporally lost our guardian who had been residing in Mickey the Torch and while somehow trying to transfer the spirit of the Asgardian like woman she had somehow ended up residing in Sneaky Pete who despite my attempts to calm had stormed off. I was able to pick us as Mickey the Torch advised me to come on down to the next car and speak with Nick Carter a self styled immersive journalist for the Ajax Miltren Press or something like that. Upon entering a discussion with Nick I was able to find out that he had been sent by a so called Seer named Olga who had told him when to board the train in order to reach the people he needed to reach with important information. He seemed to be good at his job and seemed to have been following our exploits due to the apparent lack of a profit motive. I figured we might have gained another ally but in truth I wanted to find out what he needed to tell us and move on. Nick revealed that he was aware that somewhere near the City of Industry and Berker Island perhaps near X Island was another island named Tabernacle Island which had become an island of interest. He had continued to relate how strange supplies were being sent to the island and he had believed we might have been involved. Which lead me to wonder about us being mistaken for another group before the band Garbage which I mentioned as I told him we were Dragonfirre. With little prodding he informed us of how Garbage were reputed to be Hyborian Clones which if Miracle Mike was to be believed soulless beings who seemed to be in some chaotic fashion liberate Emerald from oppression. Which played well into why Queen B would have been setting a trap for them since she was known to fascinate and enslave those within her inner circle. Nick seems genuinely sad that we were not the ones who were heading to the island and I realized that while it might very well be a trap it was territory of which he spoke was quite near the City of Industry where the Green Men rumored allies of the Dreaming God were said to reside with the Orb of Sight. I conferred with the others and let them know what I had surmised and let them know I did not think it would hurt to at least check it out. I also confirmed that Nick Carter did not have direct contact information but I managed to inquire about his place of employment and he let me know he could eventually be reached through his editor at Ajax. As he was set to depart I inquired about how much he was really aware of what was happening and he was quite informed and when I had inquired as to why the other factions were not more concerned he related that he lacked proof and most factions were currently at each other’s throats thinking they were each superior to the other and also scared and not really believing that they could be truly be being used as pawns. I advised Nick to be safe and thanked him for his information and let him know Dragonfirre would be in touch. I had been barely able to focus my mind away from my task and after Nick Carter had departed I returned to my seat and once again fell into a trance like state.

During the drive from the Summit train station to our new residence a reputed three room cottage we had all boarded a large duck car. It was during this time that Slick Rick had informed me that Alex the Blade was currently attached to our car and perhaps I should deal with him. I reached out with my mind and found the mind of Alex the Blade and while my mind was in truth far away I tried to reason with him. Sadly he would not be reasoned with or consoled and seemed determined to end the life of Lucky Ron and Mickey the Torch that very night. I remember begging him to change his mind using logic and even asking him to do it for me but his will was Iron and he managed to do something that I had not believed possible he broke my heart. It was a clean break and if my mind had not been elsewhere I perhaps would have summoned an Air Elemental to grab him off the rear of the car and make him explain himself. He had closed his mind to me for while I knew he could hear me he would not respond to me. So if this was how it was to be then I realized the love that he claimed to have for me meant not to him compared to his need for vengeance over even the slightest of insults. To attempt to be fair it’s not like I could not see the reasons he felt that Lucky Ron and Mickey the Torch should did slain but the truth regardless of his feelings he should have remembered we needed them to complete the mission. If he had truly believed that it was possible and that we needed to return to Hyboria after defeating the Dreaming God then removing two members from our team which would severely weaken our chances of success then he had truly lost his mind or the darkness had claimed him before I had even had a chance. So I had telepathically informed the others of Alex the Blades intentions and my belief that he could not be trusted until he came to his senses if ever and if so they might try again to have faith in him. As I fell back into my trance my mind dwelled on what I had lost for no one broke my heart and did not live to regret it and from now on Alex the Blade was my beloved no longer.

We arrived at the cottage which was one of three in a row and of course The Associate was nowhere to be found not that I really cared anymore. For security’s sake I telepathically asked Scrounger to let me know if he left the range of his sense of smell. As we had entered the cottage it reminded me of many of the houses of ill repute where I had in the past spent quite a bit of time. Dirty Anna seemed be turned on by the presence of sex and debauchery and it was not long before she and Clean Eugene were making us if one of the bedrooms. Meanwhile Mickey the Torch had taken to the back porch and I figured I owed him a few moments since now that Alex the Blade was no longer on my mind I should come clean with Mickey the Torch. I had come to realize that perhaps I was going to need to be more direct in order to gain his attention and therefore I let him know as I had slipped into draconic that I knew that a conflict might soon arise between him and Alex the Blade and that I would not be taking sides. He of course had explained his reasons for taking the actions he had taken and I informed him that I understood and respected him for his convictions but that I also understood Alex’s action and while I might not agree with them or for that matter his or Lucky Ron’s I did not need to. He seemed to understand and respect my position and I could see that Fluky Luke was also relaxing on the back porch. I decided to go back inside for my mind was still focused on the task of communing with the Lamp of Al-Hazred and trying to focus on reaching a Fey who I hoped and prayed to Aphrodite would be nearby. I had entered and sat in a lotus position and continued my meditations when I noticed that Slick Rick seemed to be trying to clean a corner of the room. He looked back for a moment and I had asked him if everything was alright and he had told me that the place was disgusting. Slick Rick had spoken and therefore I acted I shadow conjured fifteen unseen servant and set them to cleaning the cottage. Strangely it was at this moment that I noticed Dirty Anna coming out of the bedroom she and Clean Eugene had been sharing looking glorious and nude were it not for my focus I might have been tempted but my mind was still elsewhere. Only when she proceeded to run out the back door still naked did I react and I advanced to cut her off and just in the nick of time for I could see a Hub Trooper outside who was yelling for her to go back inside. As I stepped out to her I quickly fell into routine and informed the Trooper that she had had too much to drink and I pulled her back inside. It was then that I heard a shot and the actions of Dirty Anna seemed to fall into place she was no doubt concerned that if anything could go wrong it would when the Associate was concerned. My mind raced quickly and put the pieces together if the Associate had been sneaking around then he might have easily drawn the attention of the Psi-Ops division of the Hub since if their abilities functioned as I believed they might his actions would have stood out like a fox in a henhouse. I knew that if I was detecting thoughts then the minds of anyone in range I could detect even if they were not visible and that of course would draw my attention. Well my suspicions were confirmed when I inquired to Scrounger on the location of the Associate and was informed due north and moving. I looked back to Dirty Anna and informed her that no doubt the Associate had managed to get himself into trouble and might be in the need of an assist and she should get dressed.

I realized that the Associate was about to cost me all of the time I had spent preparing for my ritual and if there could not be love between us than perhaps all that left us was war. If this was to be our relationship and all he wanted to be was an instrument of evil and destruction then so be it. For if the Dreaming God had thought in his delusions of grandeur that we were just going to lay down and suffer under its machinations than it was in for a rude awaking. For it had awoken that which had once slept and now was awake and while the cost might be great for Hyboria, Dragonfirre and all I had already lost and was sure to lose I was more than willing to pay it. So it seems the philosophy of Andais Queen of Air and Darkness of the Unseelie Court has finally proved me wrong and while I do not proclaim to swear allegiance an alliance with the vicious, impure Unseelie I am sure will prove to have its uses.