'Tween Hopeful and Hopeless

by Sam Cheever

  The waves of power behind me built noticeably. I started to sweat under the dual assault of their throbbing power.

  Down boys.

  I cocked my head at Dialle’s father. “The only killing that will be done here will be by me, if you don’t break up this little enclave immediately and stop plotting death and destruction.”

  The ogre king next to King Dialle was not much bigger than I was but definitely not as good looking. He barked out a rather alarming sound that I think was supposed to be a laugh, and then slammed his craggy lips closed when everybody turned to look at him.

  I knew how he felt.

  Dialle the First narrowed a slowly swirling gaze at me. Oh-oh.

  Tread carefully, Astra.

  I didn’t need my Dialle’s warning to know I was perched on the edge of a fiery inferno. King Dialle the First had a fuse the length of my pinkie finger. And when his normally coal black eyes started swirling with color it was usually time to don a fire suit.

  I set a power bubble into place around the three of us and stood my ground. When dealing with dark worlders, any attempt at placation is construed as a sign of weakness.

  Finally the King shook his head. “I see you haven’t managed to acquire any intelligence since last we met, Mx. Phelps.”

  I just shrugged. He had a point.

  Sighing, the sexy Devil King finally got around to business. “We have several candidates awaiting designation among the Hopefuls. We wish to gain their release.

  I frowned. The Hopefuls were those who waited between Heaven and Hell for their placement to be decided. I knew that some of the hopefuls had been evil in their human lives but not evil enough to get thrown directly into Hell. They were sometimes allowed to work for many centuries as Hopefuls, in an effort to cleanse their souls enough to allow them entrance through the gates. However, I doubted that any creature King Dialle would be looking to release would be languishing as a Hopeful. Said creature would have been fast-tracked into the lowest circle of Hell.

  “What do you want from me?”

  The King leaned back in his chair, fixing me with his swirling gaze. “I want you to serve as our intermediary with the Angelic Council.

  Bleurgh ! Not the Council again! I shook my head. “I’d rather eat a demon burger, rare.”

  The swirling gaze gained intensity, hostile red swirling with jarring yellow. The temperature in the room built.

  “Is that your last word on the subject?”

  I nodded, “Pretty much, yeah.”

  The king lifted an elegant hand and the air in the room filled with the musty smell of evil. I heard a sound behind me and turned to find Emo on the floor, covered in gargoyle.

  Now you’ve done it, Astra. You’ve pissed off the bogeyman again. Emo’s words sounded angry but his dark gaze held amusement.

  I reached down and sent a power arrow into the back of the thing’s head, flinging it away from my partner with the momentum of the volt. It’s not my fault, the bogeyman keeps tossing challenges at me I can’t refuse.

  Watch out, Astra! I swung around at Dialle’s warning and found myself facing a very large ogre with a huge, nailed club.

  I threw a protective bubble into place just before the heavy wood and metal club hit my face. It landed with such force my bubble wobbled and for a second I thought it would give out. But the bubble held and I sent my power out on a long string, wrapping it around the club and yanking it out of the ogre’s enormous hand. His craggy lips formed a surprised “oh!” as I lifted the club with my power and bashed him over the head with it. He fell at my feet and I finished him off with a power jolt to the chest.

  I looked around and realized the chambers were filled with dark world minions. Dialle and Emo were back to back with me, forming a death dealing triangle in the midst of the chaos, but I realized we were outnumbered about thirty to one in that cavernous room.

  We fought on, steadily reducing the numbers of our combatants. But still they came, forming a seemingly impenetrable wall of hostility and evil intent. An hour later my arms were screaming with weariness and I was bleeding from several places.

  A quick scan of my partners showed them to be in a similar state.

  That was when the dark fairies showed up. I cursed as the first length of shimmering fairy string wrapped itself around my arm, jerking me to my knees. The second string was binding my other arm before I could climb to my feet again.

  Emo !

  A long knife suddenly appeared from behind me and sliced through one of the strings on my arm. I quickly sent a wall of power into the air above my head, frying several evil bugs before they could ensnare me again. The other string disintegrated along with its owner. Thanks, partner.

  My pleasure, boss.

  My mental drawers shifted and Glynus’ sweet voice filled my head. Mother Tweener?

  I sighed inwardly. My dragon charge was very sensitive to my emotions, even when we were separated. She must have felt my alarm. I’m okay, tadpole. Go back to your studies.

  You have need of me.

  It was not a question.

  No!

  Something that felt like a lead-filled leather purse hit my back and I went down under an overabundance of spit and claws. All the air left my lungs as the gargoyle landed on top of me, and it took me a moment to recover. By that time the back of my neck was in the nasty thing’s mouth.

  I’m fine. Have you done your Earth studies yet?

  The teeth clamped down, bringing several points of pain into sharp focus in my mind. I felt warm wetness running down my neck. I hoped it was blood and not gargoyle spit.

  Mother Tweener, I know you need me. You’re going to have to put ten credits in the lie jar!

  If I wasn’t currently dying I would have laughed at her indignant tone. I reached back with one hand and sent a power arrow into the ‘goyle’s brain. Unfortunately for me the thing dropped like a rock as it died, thoroughly pinning me to the ground beneath it. Okay, you’re right, I’m in a fight. But I don’t want you to come here. It’s too dangerous.

  As I tried to shove the dead gargoyle off my back one side of the room exploded inward on a wave of fire. The screams of dying dark worlders filled the room. Too late, Mother Tweener. I’m already here.

  I sighed and lay my cheek on the soft carpet. I truly sucked as a mother.

  Chapter Two

  The Council table was empty. Emo, Dialle and I climbed over the sea of dead and smoking bodies in the room and headed for Glynus. She stood in the vast hole that used to be a door with a smug look on her pretty face and smoke still wafting from her nostrils.

  I scowled at her. “You disobeyed me.”

  She shrugged. “You needed me.”

  It was pretty hard to deny that. But I tried. “We had it under control.”

  Glynus cocked her elegant black head at me. “Do we need to discuss the lie jar again, Mother Tweener?”

  Dialle snorted and I glared at him.

  I looked at Glynus, prepared to give her a solid scolding, but never got the chance.

  My Aunt Myra, Guardian Angel extraordinaire, shimmered into the room with a grimace. “Smells like a steak house in here,” she groused.

  I narrowed my gaze at her. “You’re a little late gathering up your errant charge.”

  Myra glared at me. “She’s just like you, Astra. Stubborn and willful. No one controls Glynus but Glynus.”

  Glynus puffed up with pride.

  I frowned, “That wasn’t a compliment, tadpole.”

  She smiled at me…the wretch. “To a dragon it is, Mother Tweener.”

  She would know more about that than I would.

  “We have a problem, Astra.”

  My gaze swung to Myra. “What’s up?”

  The Hopefuls have taken control of the gate. They’re attempting to blast through to the Big House.”

  My mouth dropped open. “How in Hades did that happen?”

  Myra looked embarrassed. “Apparently the records were tampered wi
th and thousands of evil beings were engaged as Hopefuls in Saint Peter’s environs. They managed to persuade enough of the real Hopefuls to violence that they overpowered Peter.

  Emo stepped toward Myra. “Saint Peter has been taken?”

  Myra sighed. “Unfortunately yes.”

  “When did this happen?”

  “In the last hour.”

  I looked at Dialle, “So this was all just a distraction?”

  He shrugged. “I am sorry, Astra. I assure you I was not a knowing participant in their plans.”

  I stared hard at him for a long moment. I believed him. Though I knew I shouldn’t.

  My mental drawers shifted and an unexpected voice filled my mind with musical tones. Hello, dragon slayer. We have need of your presence on Olympus.

  I looked at Glynus. Her beautiful eyes had widened perceptively. Hello Queen Zerphor. I’m kind of busy right now.

  I realize you are in a crisis. That is why I have contacted you. I have a possible solution for your problem.

  My gaze flew to Myra. “I have to go to Olympus. Zerphor is offering to help.”

  Myra looked shocked. “What can the dragons do to help?”

  I shrugged, climbing up on Glynus’ back. “That’s what I’m going to find out. Meet me at the gate tonight. That should give me time to get to Olympus and back.”

  “But what if the dragons cannot aid us?” Dialle let his skepticism show as he glanced at Glynus.

  I shrugged. “Then we’ll go to Plan B.”

  “What’s Plan B, boss?”

  “Kick ass, blow shit up and pray.”

  * * * * *

  Zerphor waited for us in the meadow as we flew over Olympus. Behind her, as far as the eye could see, ranged an enormous herd of Blacks, snorting and stomping the vibrant grass of the lush meadow. Zerphor stood at their head, proud and elegant, a small dragon at her side.

  Her new offspring. A Prince named Norbert according to Glynus. I grinned.

  Glynus set us down gently and walked toward her mother. She lowered her head in greeting. “Mother, Queen.”

  Zerphor allowed her face to soften into a dragon smile. “Daughter. You look well.”

  Glynus returned the smile. “Yes Mother. I am very well, thank you.”

  I sensed they would like to spend a few days catching up, but Zerphor caught herself, glancing toward me with a hardened expression. “Quince has gone to the Reds.” She tried to hide her worry over this pronouncement but wasn’t entirely successful. “We will need them if we are to succeed.”

  “I cocked my head. Exactly what do you have in mind, Queen Zerphor?”

  She opened her mouth to respond but a roar split the air above our heads. I looked up and saw Zerphor’s mate, the giant Black named Quince, flying toward us at a dangerous speed. Pursuing him were thousands of Red Dragons.

  As one, the Blacks prepared to take flight. I looked at Glynus.

  She gave me a dragon grimace. I fear the shit is about to tilt the fan, Mother Tweener.

  Sighing, I had to agree. We’d discuss the swearing thing later. If we were still alive.

  Quince slid to the ground and hopped towards us. He stopped in front of me and dipped his huge, elegant head. “Dragon slayer, welcome.”

  I thought it was a strange time for niceties but I didn’t want to be rude. “Hey. Did you know you have about a thousand Reds on your tail.

  He looked out over the meadow, “And a thousand Blacks at my beck and call.”

  I followed his gaze. “I see your point.”

  So did the Reds apparently. They were hovering in mid air several hundred yards off. They seemed unwilling to land.

  I looked at Zerphor. “Now what?”

  She lowered herself to the ground, giving me a wing to step on. “Now we negotiate, climb on.”

  * * * * *

  The clouds around the pearly gates were dark and turbulent. I shivered in a cold, malevolent-feeling wind.

  Beneath my thighs Zerphor’s powerful body pulsed with each robust beat of her massive wings. I sat morosely on her back.

  Stop pouting, Dragon Slayer.

  I’m not pouting.

  Yes you are.

  Well…I can’t believe you promised the Queen of the Reds that I’d raise her little prince for her.

  Zerphor smiled in my mind. It is the greatest of compliments that she is allowing you to do so, dragon slayer. They know of your great success with my offspring.

  I looked down. Said offspring was currently flying upside down beneath her mother, singing and snapping her jaws at unsuspecting birds. She was totally oblivious to the danger we were approaching. I suck as a mother.

  That may be true, Dragon Slayer, but as a trainer in human ways you excel.

  I frowned, was she right? Glynus had functioned fairly well in my world. Something no dragon, Black or Red, had been able to master for centuries.

  I watched Glynus put herself into a series of rolls that caused her to bump into her father, flying alongside us. She received a slap on the tail with a massive wing for her mistake. Shaking my head I knew Zerphor was wrong. I sucked as a trainer too.

  The Angels await us.

  I looked up ahead and saw the long line of golden figures along the horizon. As we neared I could pick my father and aunt Myra out of the line. The tousled brown head beside my father had to be Flick. My sometimes guardian.

  Zerphor headed straight for them.

  James Phelps, Seraphim and right hand man—er, angel—to the Big Guy, greeted me with a worried smile. “Astra, I see you’ve brought the cavalry.”

  I turned to look behind us, where the sky was filled, as far as the eye could see, with Blacks and Reds, flying side by side, if not happily, at least in resigned acceptance.

  Myra looked impressed. “No one has ever accomplished such a feat, Astra. The Blacks and the Reds working together…” She shook her head. “Incredible. How did you do it?”

  I scowled. “You can thank Queen Zerphor for the negotiations. But believe me, the price was very high.”

  The Queen of the Black Dragons chuckled in my mind.

  My father and Myra gave Zerphor a respectful bow. “Your majesty. Your negotiating skills, it seems, have not been exaggerated.”

  Behind me the ranks ruffled and I turned to see two of Zerphor’s lieutenants moving rapidly through the tidy lines of dragons. They were carrying Dialle and Emo on their backs. Emo had a big grin on his face. Dialle looked worried.

  The clouds before us opened and Saint Peter rose from the center. His golden light was muted and worn around the edges. I gasped as I saw the shimmering chain binding him to King Dialle the First. “He’s been chained.”

  My father’s handsome face folded in horror. He glanced at Myra. “It’s worse than we feared, sister.”

  Myra’s response was a murderous scowl.

  From the depths of the black clouds that clogged the air before the gates, dark worlders began to rise around Saint Peter and Dialle’s father. They continued to lift into place until we were looking at thousands of them ranged out along the horizon.

  “How can they be up here without burning into cinders?”

  Flick spoke up for the first time. “They muted the white power using the Hopefuls.”

  I frowned, “Explain.”

  “Hopefuls are imbued with neutral power so they can’t tap into the Celestial stream. Unfortunately, we didn’t realize that neutral power could be mixed with black power to mute the white. They permanently extinguished nearly all the Hopefuls in the process, but it got them what they wanted.”

  I thought about this for a moment. “Wait a minute, is that why you’re all out here instead of in there kicking dark world ass?”

  Myra scowled, “Succinctly put if characteristically crass, Astra.”

  “Which is why the dragons have come.” Dialle stated, nodding his head in sudden understanding.

  “Yes,” Zerphor’s elegant head nodded. “Though in recent years some of us have shown
aggressive tendencies, we were created under the brightest white power, meant for only good. Many of us wish to return to that bright white existence. Our anger has dimmed the good within us.”

  A cry of pain drew our attention back to Saint Peter, who had been flung to the ground face down. King Dialle raised his arm, showing us the chain. “Submit to your new masters angelic chorus. And we may let you live.”

  I looked down at Zerphor. “Time to do your thing, your majesty.”

  She nodded and turned to face the endless array of dragons, which, I now noticed, had arranged themselves into black and red formations in hundreds of perfectly straight lines.

  Zerphor opened her mouth wide and emitted the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard. Crystalline notes danced through the air and filled me with the utmost calm and peace. Almost as one, thousands of dragons joined the song.

  Behind me, the Angels lifted their voices in angelic chorus, the sweet notes flowing upward in an almost visible wave, to mix with the incredible beauty of the dragons’ song.

  The song was so powerful that tears flowed down my cheeks. I sobbed as the notes swelled to the point where the air vibrated with their power. Zerphor turned toward the gates and I watched as King Dialle hit his knees and then went face down in the cloud. He lay writhing in the white mist. The endless lines of dark worlders behind him quickly followed suit.

  Saint Peter rose up until he floated above the cloud with arms outstretched, a beatific smile on his face and his mouth open wide in song. The golden chain shimmered and weakened and Saint Peter started to lift higher, his light brightening under the rejuvenating power of the dragons’ song.

  Suddenly the clouds beneath the dark worlders started to swirl and churn until they formed an enormous funnel, pulling the dark uglies screaming into the maelstrom and out of sight. When I looked down I saw the fiery depths of Hell gaping in welcome at the bottom of the funnel.

  Their work seemingly done, the dragons’ song softened and started to fade away. The angels allowed their chorus to fade too. And silence reigned for a few seconds.

  Then suddenly a dark shape surged up from the funnel, and launched itself at Saint Peter, wrapping something that shimmered around Peter’s throat.