by Leo Romero
“What about Nigella?” asked Aurora.
“She will live,” Draxil answered. “Lothar didn’t sever the connection between them both as I just did with Stone. He still had use for her. He knew he still had to hide. As long as he lives, she’ll live.” He gazed down at Lothar again. His jaw rattled once more. “He’s losing the battle. We have to do something urgently.”
“What can we do?” I asked.
Draxil looked around. “I don’t have healing powers. My powers are destructive.”
“My light magic has healing, but it’s weak here.” I looked around. Gargoyle remains and the top half of Typhon’s head greeted me. I thought outside the box.
An idea hit me, and I clicked my fingers. “I got it. The Fleece. The Golden Fleece. It can heal.”
Draxil’s eyes lit up. “Are you sure?”
“No. But I saw that movie Jason and the Argonauts, and I’m pretty sure the Fleece brought someone back to life.”
Draxil rose to his feet. “We must try. Get us back to the Netherworld.”
“What are you both talking about?” Aurora asked.
“There’s a merchant in the Netherworld who’s also a trekker,” I told her. “He managed to find the Golden Fleece. He tried to sell it to me, but I didn’t have the collateral.”
“And have you got it now?” asked Aurora.
“Uh...”
Aurora placed her hands on her hips. “So, what are you gonna do?”
I flipped a hand on the air. “I’ll get it on credit. I know the guy. Kinda. I’ll owe him. Look, we don’t have time. Aurora, get us to the Netherworld.”
Chapter 7
Aurora’s portal creation skills were improving. It only took her five tries to get us to the Netherworld. She managed to get us to the base of the Bone Tower, which I was more than grateful for as I was in no mood for another round of fighting bone monsters. We headed straight for Krane’s store. We got there, and I jumped inside, my eager eyes searching for Krane. He wasn’t around.
My gaze fell on the backroom where he was storing the Fleece. I headed straight for it, Aurora and Draxil following up. On reaching it, Krane stepped out of the doorway. I almost ran into him.
“Ah, you’ve returned, StoneAngel,” he hissed, rubbing his claws.
“Yeah,” I said, scratching my head. “As a matter of fact, I came back for the Fleece.”
Krane gave me a wry grin. “I’m afraid someone has already purchased it.”
My heart skipped a beat. “Oh for crying out loud. Who?”
Krane’s head twitched to the side. “I’m afraid I cannot tell you. Business is confidential.”
“Yeah, but I really need that Fleece.”
“I’m sorry, StoneAngel. I cannot tell you who—”
Draxil shoved me out of the way and grabbed hold of Krane’s throat. Krane let out a screech, his mantis arms flailing. He tried hitting Draxil in the back, but the demon was too strong for him.
Draxil pulled him in. Their faces were inches apart. “Do you know my name?” Draxil snarled.
Krane shook his head in terror.
“I am Draxil, formerly known as the angel Ordion. My brother in arms Lothar, once known as the angel Isaac, needs that Fleece to save his life. You will tell me who has it or I will tear off pieces of you until nothing remains!”
Krane got the message loud and clear. “Von Blatt! Von Blatt!” he jabbered.
I rolled my eyes. Frogface! I should’ve guessed.
“And where can I find this Von Blatt?” Draxil asked.
“It’s all right, Draxil,” I said. “I know where to find him.”
Draxil whipped his head around to face me. “Where?”
“The Terrarium,” I told him. “Where all the amphibians hang out.”
Draxil slung Krane away like he was a dead rat. He clattered into a bunch of shields.
Draxil approached me. “Take us there.”
“If I must,” I said with a sigh. Draxil stormed out of the store. I met Aurora’s fearful stare as he marched past her.
Krane was rising back to his feet.
“Sorry,” I said to him with a shrug. “He’s got anger issues.”
“Get out!” Krane snapped, rubbing his neck.
I turned to face Aurora. “Someone’s not happy,” I said. “Come on, we better leave.”
*****
The Terrarium was a giant glass dome created specifically for the amphibians and lizards and such creatures frequenting the Netherworld. It was split into areas like any regular city. Frog creatures lived separate from crocs and alligator people, while lizard folk had their own quarters. They overlapped here and there of course, but the separation was mainly down to habitat. The amphibians needed water and land, while most of the lizards preferred a drier environment. Whatever the case, non-phibs and non-lizzies weren’t particularly welcome there. And I had no clue what the status was on demons.
“It’s a welcome reprieve to be out of that godforsaken mind of yours, Stone,” Draxil kindly informed me as we trekked across the Netherworld Dust toward the Terrarium.
“Come on, it’s not that bad in here,” I said to him. “I’m sure there are worse brains to possess.”
“If there are, I am yet to encounter them.”
Asshole. He looked about him. All that greeted us was the desert-like terrain of the Dust—the vast, empty space between stuff in the Netherworld. Above us, the inky sky kind of melted into the dust at the horizon. That strange, eerie Netherworld ‘sunshine’ that existed above the blanket of murk lit the way for us in a kind of dark-light. Netherworld-Noir, was how I always liked to describe it.
“This place could rival Hell,” Draxil told me as he trudged along.
“Ah, it’s not that bad,” I said, my feet traipsing over the snow-like dust.
“So you better fill me in on what’s waiting for us at this Terrarium,” Aurora said.
“Frogs. And lizards. And reptiles.”
“No spiders?”
“Not this time.”
“So how are we gonna find Frogface?”
“We’ll ask someone.”
“Why am I getting the feeling that this is gonna be another one of those episodes?”
“Because you’re wising up.”
“Oh brother. And I’ve got a date with Zane later.”
I whipped my head around. “You’ve got a what with what?”
“A date. With Zane,” she answered.
“What did I tell you about getting mixed up with the necro-nerd?”
Aurora rolled her eyes. “It’s all right, gramps. Zane’s over all that necromancer stuff. He’s a practicing sorcerer now. And he’s getting rather good. Besides, he always speaks highly of you.”
“He does?”
“Sure. He says you opened his eyes to the dark side and you taught him how to play cards.”
“Yeah, and he still sucks at poker!”
Aurora tutted. “Do you not have anything nice to say about anyone?”
“Sure. I’m fantastic!”
Aurora scowled at me.
“When you two are finished bickering, you might want to concentrate on the task at hand,” Draxil growled.
“Maybe you can talk some sense into her, Drax.”
“I’m the last twisted creature you would ask for dating advice.”
I looked his ugly ass up and down. Yeah, I’m hearing you loud and clear there, buddy!
Aurora stifled a laugh. “How does he know about dating?” she asked me in a quiet voice.
I gave her a wry grin. “He’s been in my head.”
“And a thoroughly repugnant place it is too! I’ll never be the same again. But, child, if you seek my advice, it is this. In the words of the most high: love conquers all. My veins once ran with the divine love of the Heavens, and now they are bloated with the rage and hate of Hell. Qualities that have achieved nothing in millennia. Love and compassion are the way, and if you are lucky to find them during your journey, you must che
rish them or suffer an eternity of misery. If you have found such a man, then you have my blessings.”
“See?” Aurora said. “Draxil agrees with me.”
“He hasn’t met Zane.”
Aurora glowered at me.
I held up my hands. “Okay, you two win. I promise to get you back in time for your date with Zane.”
“You better, Stone!”
We walked on some more through that barren dust bowl.
“Argh! This is maddening!” Draxil howled, obviously on the brink of insanity. “Where is this infernal glass dome?”
A couple more steps, and a huge glass wall appeared in front of us like magic. Draxil almost walked into it. He pulled up and stared, open-mouthed.
“We’re here!” I declared, holding my hands out to the sides. We all looked up. The glass wall rose into the sky for what appeared to be miles.
Draxil reached out and touched it. “Where did this damn thing appear from?”
“The Netherworld is like that,” I told him. “All looks lost and then things just appear as if from nowhere.”
Draxil grumbled. “Good. Now, how do we get in?”
“It’s quasi-real. You can just...” I reached out and touched the glass. The moment I did, it rippled like water. My fingers sank into it like it was jello, but without the wet, gooey sensation. In seconds, my forearm vanished. “Walk through,” I finished as I stepped through the bizarre glass into the world beyond.
I shook off the weird sensation of passing through that magical glass and took in my surroundings. My skin already swarmed with humidity, causing beads of sweat to form on my forehead. Trees with exotic leaves stood to attention in the near distance, rising up to a misty sky miles above us. How far up the roof of the Terrarium reached was anyone’s guess. The whole place was lit up as if there were a blue sky outside, complete with sun shining in. It was weird. It was magic!
Flies buzzed feverishly on the air in clusters, kind of reminding me of Pestilence and his damn swarms. I shivered, although I was feeling stuffy and steamed-up. My eyes danced across the lush vegetation. Spindly fingers reached for the ground, while giant, fig-like leaves shaded everything like umbrellas. Color dazzled all around: olive, banana, plum, tangerine, and strawberry with the odd flash of artificial neon shining like nightclub lights.
The pungent scent of pine and moss and wet earth filled the air.
There was a voluptuous glug as both Draxil and Aurora stepped through the glass.
Aurora gazed at her hands and then up and around her, all starry-eyed. “Wow, this is amazing!”
A giant beetle with a cat’s head crawled over my foot. I kicked out in disgust, sending the thing flying toward the pond. “How ruuuude!” the cat-beetle shouted as it went.
I met Aurora’s disapproving stare. I shrugged. “What? The only beetles I like are the ones that can sing.”
“We’ve no time for beetles. Take us to this Von Blatt!” Draxil ordered. He was already getting ants in his pants. He looked around him, hands on hips.
“I don’t know exactly where he is,” I stated. “Only that he lives in Toad Town.”
Ahead of us were a bunch of wooden signs, each pointing in a different direction. ‘Swamp City’ was to the right. ‘Lizard Land’ was straight ahead, with ‘The Desert’ beyond that, and to the left was ‘Toad Town’.
“And Toad Town’s across that pond,” I said, nodding toward the giant, green pond to the left.
Draxil set off. I grabbed hold of his arm. “Whoa, buddy. Where you off to?”
“Toad Town.”
“Er, can you swim? ’Cause that pond’s big and deep.”
“I...” He looked down. “Cannot swim,” he said in a glum voice.
“I thought so. Didn’t have swimming lessons in Heaven?”
He gave me a stout look. “I cannot swim in this form. My limbs and body are too heavy.”
“Exactly, so we’ll need help getting across that pond.”
“What do we do, Gabe?” Aurora asked.
“We catch a ride.” I looked around. A bunch of toadstools the size of Draxil’s melon head were sprouting from the ground nearby. It was the classic lipstick-red color with white dots. Would’ve made Super Mario drool. I nodded. That sucker would get you high for weeks. I went over and grabbed hold of it and yanked it out of the ground. It came away easier than expected.
“You planning on having a party?” Aurora asked.
I shook my head. “Not me.” I held it under arm and set off toward the pond, my feet squelching through the mud. The tick and buzz of weird insectoid creatures hummed through the air like some kind of constant percussion as I reached the edge and looked down. It was like a mini port. Giant lily pads were stationed waiting for guys like us. Sitting on each were caterpillar people, ready to launch, their vivid skin bright against the green water. And they loved nothing more than the sweet, exotic taste of mushroom.
I whistled down to the nearest one. His head spun my way, his multitude of legs rippling up and down in a mesmerizing sequence. I showed him the toadstool and grinned. “Enough to Toad Town?”
His antennae whirled like crazy, and his eyes lit up. He nodded his head fervently, a big grin on his face.
“Come on,” I said to the other two. I threw down the toadstool. The caterpillar man caught it with the dexterity of a baseball catcher. He took one look at it, and his mouth opened up bigger than the moon. He threw the toadstool into his pie hole and guzzled it up like he hadn’t eaten for a week.
Man, I hoped he was gonna be sober enough to get us to Toad Town.
He let out a belch and a dreamy expression flittered over his face. He looked up at me and pulled his feet in, ushering me to get on the lily pad. I eased myself down and landed on it. I wobbled for a second or two while I got used to the bobbing sensation. It was like standing on a water bed. I helped Aurora down while Draxil kind of jumped down, almost capsizing us. We all teetered, and the caterpillar man scrambled, holding down the lily pad with all his limbs until everything settled.
I gave Draxil daggers.
“Apologies,” he said with a shrug.
Clumsy oaf.
The caterpillar man’s beady eyes brimmed with ire. Draxil met his stare and let out a low, guttural growl. The ’pillar got the message loud and clear. He leaped into the water, turned, grabbed hold of the lily pad, and started shuffling all those legs at once. The lily pad sped across the water like a jet.
I sat down on the pad and lounged back, enjoying the ride. “Ah, Venice,” I said as we passed between the huge trees jutting out of the water, passing other ’pillar-propelled lily pads, carrying all manner of freaky creatures around, all going about their everyday business or just enjoying a ride on the giant pond. Above us was a canopy of giant leaves and swollen pods dangling down like earrings, ready to burst. Exotic fruits tumbled down vines, bright red, poison green. Huge dragonflies buzzed and hovered around, colors merging and melting down their metallic-like bodies in a hypnotic haze.
Aurora sat down next to me, taking it all in, whereas Draxil remained standing, arms crossed over his chest. He stood at the head of the pad, staring ahead of him. I just hoped he didn’t scare off everything in sight.
“Relax, Drax,” I told him.
“I cannot rest knowing my brother is dying,” he said over his shoulder. “Nor that the horsemen have returned.” A dragonfly zoomed in toward him. Draxil swatted it with a grunt. The dragonfly was sent headfirst into a tree before collapsing into the water.
Gee, someone was in a bad mood.
I met Aurora’s stare and gave her a shrug. We continued along the water. In the distance, a thicket of huge trees standing on the shore came into view. I nodded to myself. Toad Town. We approached, and they came into view. The frog people. They were lounging, hopping around, doing their thing. Some were even trying to catch a ride on a lily pad. Expert swimmers and they still wanted to be chauffeur driven!
As we drew closer, a chorus of ribbits floated
on the air like it was a Budweiser commercial. “Toad Town up ahead,” I said to my companions. Draxil just stood as he was. Our caterpillar driver got us closer to the bank where a school of giant tadpoles were squirming beneath the surface of the water.
“Thanks, buddy,” I said to the ‘pillar as I got to my feet. He nodded in appreciation. I hauled myself out of the pond and onto land, reaching back and giving Aurora a hand up afterward. Draxil virtually jumped up onto shore. He stood there, gazing at everything around him. Already we were getting funny looks from the giant eyeballs of the frog people. They probably had no idea what Draxil even was, never mind what his intentions were.
Ahead of us, the giant trees stood to attention. They’d been hollowed out and acted as houses for all the types of frog people. Bullfrogs, tree frogs, poison dart frogs, horned frogs, frogfish (which were half frog, half fish, but full-on dumb). Imagine having a brain the size of a pinball and the memory of a goldfish. Life would suck, wouldn’t it?
We needed to find out which tree Von Blatt lived in, but from the looks we were getting, I didn’t think that kind of information would be forthcoming.
“So, what exactly is the plan, Gabe?” Aurora asked. The unease in her voice was palpable. A bright-green frog woman with yellow stripes and bulbous indigo eyes passed by with her smaller child frog, fresh from tadpole school. We caught the little fella’s eye, and he veered over to us, his eyes flushing with intrigue. He held out a froggy claw, his lips up in a smile. The moment his mother noticed he’d left her side to come over to us, her face flushed with horror. She hopped over and grabbed hold of her son, who let out a wail in protest. The frog lady dashed off in the opposite direction to us, admonishing her kid.
“What is wrong with these creatures?” Draxil asked.
“Think they might be a little afraid of you,” I answered.
“As if they are normal!” Draxil grumbled, waving a hand across the air.
I looked around. Von Blatt could be in any of the trees facing us. And there was a chance he could recognize me, and with me stealing Bam Bam, Aurora, Pegasus, and soon to be the Golden Fleece, he’d want revenge. And this was his turf; he had backup to call upon if need be. I’d have to use a trick of the light masking spell for sure. What with frog creatures being low IQ in general, we could pass the sniff test, but Von Blatt was a little higher than average IQ for a frog, so we’d have to be careful around him. But still, we needed a plan of action, some kind of BS to get someone to lead us to Von Blatt.
