Feros and the Underworld Prince (48 page)

“
Cole, this is Nuada, the original high king of the Tuatha De Danann. Nuada, this is Cole, the newest member of the Tuatha De.” Manannan mac Lir introduces us with his usual gruff tone as I eat a strip of the most delicious bacon that I’ve ever tasted.

“
It’s nice to finally meet you, lad. It looks like you have a hand like mine used to be! Too bad Miach is no longer around to heal it…” Nuada says with a thick Irish accent.

“
It’s alright; I still have full functionality of my arm because it’s not made of silver like yours was.” I reply, remembering that the reason Nuada stepped down in the mythos was because he had his hand cut off and the high king couldn’t have any flaws. He was given a prosthetic made of silver before Miach restored Nuada’s hand, but then Miach was killed in a fit of jealousy by his father, leading to the knowledge of the healing properties of herbs to be lost to all but Airmed.

“
So why is Mag Mell so different?” I inquire.

“
Mag Mell is a higher Underworld plane, like Elysium and several others. Annwvyn is the Celtic district in the Underworld city.” Manannan mac Lir replies.

“
I suppose that makes sense; with the number of underworlds that some mythologies have, they had to have somewhere to go. Anyway, Brighid is in Tir na nOg preparing an army for me to help my assault on Dinya al Jinn.” I inform them.

“
COLE! What be the meanin’ o’ this!?” Dagda demands.

“
She’s dead Dagda… Addie was killed, and Horus is the one who pulled the strings. He’s currently hiding out in Dinya al Jinn, most likely with an army of jinn backing him… I can’t get to him without your help…” I nearly plead.

“
I’m sorry to hear that, boyo. Of course you’ll have our assistance; I’ll even lead the charge myself! Next time just don’t make it sound like you’re taking control of the Tuatha De!” Dagda proclaims.

“
Sorry, I’m just a little… upset.” I solemnly reply.

“
I understand, lad. Is not easy loosin’ a child.” Dagda softly says.

“
Yeah… anyway, I need to get back to Niflheim.” I tell him.

“
Alright, we’ll send word when the force is assembled.” Dagda replies.

“
Thanks Dagda. I’ll see you soon.” I respond and touch my triskele to port back to earth before waiting a minute to touch my Haglaz rune.

It’s only 8am by the time I return to Jason’s room, which makes me think/hope that Dagda and friends were still partying from last night and hadn’t just woken up and gotten shitfaced immediately… then again, they are Celtic Irish, so I’m not inclined to immediately rule it out either. No one else is awake yet, but instead of risking sleep and thus a dream, I port to the training grounds that Jason showed me yesterday. I think that the best time for a scouting mission will be tonight so I might as well work on using the Void until then. Thirty-nine homunculi remain on the training grounds and the body of the one I killed is inexplicably missing.

“
Alright, now how do I control something without commanding it or having power over it?” I think aloud.

(Consider your relationship with me. You do not hold power over me, yet I work with you as a partner. That is what you must do: treat the Void as a partner whose gate you control)

“
Yeah, but you’re a part of me.”

(Who is to say that the Void is not a part of you?)

I understand Airi’s point so I close my eyes and focus on using the Void.

“
I need your help. I need your power to protect those too stubborn to run from me. I need it… to avenge Addie.” I say aloud.

“
Gaze upon
Erasure
… and return to the
Void
!” I say as I hold my left arm out.

My arm flushes black as a total of ten tendrils shoot out of the holes in my left forearm and surge toward the homunculi. Giant holes of perfectly circular shapes get blasted out of them and the body parts just disappear like they were sucked out of this world. The tendrils cut through the ranks in a fanned out pattern, taking all of the homunculi out before disappearing as my vision blurs and I see stars.

(Good work, Master)
is the last thing I hear as my body hits the ground and my eyes close shut.

****

“
Daddy! Wake up Daddy!” Addie exclaims.

“
Hmm? What do you need sweetie?” I sleepily ask.

“
I’m hungry!” Addie announces.

“
Okay… let’s go see what Auntie Sara is making for breakfast.” I say as I sluggishly get out of bed. Addie grabs my hand as I grab my bedroom doorknob. I open the door and the room shifts out from under me.

I’m kneeling in the middle of an ocean of blood, nothing but red for miles around me, while somehow floating on the surface as I cradle Addie’s corpse to my chest. Addie’s body turns into smoke that slips through my fingers. The black smoke coats my skin before seeping into my eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. As I feel myself slip below the surface of the ocean of blood, one thing consumes my mind:

Horus. Will. Pay.

****

“
Cole… Please wake up, Cole.” Cheza cries quietly to my right.

“
I’m alright, Cheza.” I think to her.

“
COLE!” Cheza screams as she hugs me.

“
You ass! You can’t scare me like that!” Cheza cries into my ear.

“
Sorry. I was working on some new stuff and something strange happened. What time is it?” I ask.

“
It’s a little after seven. I woke up at 9am and wondered where you were. Airi told me that you were unconscious in the same place as yesterday so I smacked Jason around to wake him up. He ported us there, we saw you on the ground, and then we brought you back here.” Cheza sniffles.

“
Shit, it’s already that late? I have to go pick up Naia.” I inform her.

“
Why do you need to go get Naia?” Cheza asks defensively.

“
I… uh…” I stutter while trying to think up an excuse that won’t lead to Cheza coming with me on the scouting mission to Duniya al Jinn.

“
I’ll go grab my suit and the Synergistic blades.” Cheza says and quickly leaves the room before I can get a word in edgewise.

I swing my legs over and stand up out of the bed to look for my jacket, boots, and armored jeans.

“
I’m coming too.” Natasha says when she enters the room.

“
No, Natasha. This is just a scouting mission and the fewer people we go in with, the better.” I explain while locating my jeans.

“
Exactly, it’s a scouting mission. Have you ever done any scouting? Because scouting is in my job description. Not to mention that my abilities as an oracle can really help out in situations that call for stealth.” Natasha explains.

“
Fine.” I concede. After all, she is correct; I have no clue what I’m doing.

“
I’ll go grab my suit.” Natasha says as she starts to leave the room.

“
Wait, what suit?” I ask.

“
The one that Sara gave to me before Pinga ported us here. After we pick up Naia, we should port to The Agency and get outfitted. I’ll call Carla to have her send the requisition order.” Natasha says while leaving the room.

I locate my jacket and holster. I unclip the bottom pack and stick it to my lumbar before throwing my jacket on. After waiting for a few minutes, I decide that the girls are taking too long so I port to Duat alone.

“
Cole?” Naia asks in Isis’s room as I hear a phone ring.

“
No, it’s fine. Hel just came for a visit… Yes I’ll tell her to follow protocol next time.” Isis says into the phone and hangs up.

“
Do you need something, Cole?” Naia inquires.

“
I’m going on a scouting mission to Duniya al Jinn and Hel has informed me that I need your help getting in.” I tell her.

“
I do not know if that is such a good idea…” Naia replies.

“
Please Naia! You’re the only way I can get to Horus to exact my revenge for what he’s done!” I beg.

“
Alright… but I am coming with you. I am not going abandon you on my home world.” Naia concedes.

“
Okay, let’s go. Natasha and Cheza are waiting for us back in Niflheim.” I tell her. Isis walks over and embraces Naia.

“
Be safe.” Isis says.

“
I will, Milady.” Naia replies while returning the hug.

Naia breaks away from Isis and I port the two of us to Niflheim.

“
Okay so when he gets back, you’ll hold him down and I’ll cut his balls off.” Cheza says in a malicious tone as I port in behind her.

“
Don’t you want to have kids?” Natasha asks to her right. Both of them are dressed in black leather, but now isn’t the time to appreciate it. I need to get out of here, but I still have about fifty seconds before I can.

“
Right… so we’ll restrain him, chain him to the bed, and hold him hostage until he pumps a baby into me… then I’ll cut his balls off.” Cheza replies.

“
What, am I not allowed to have any fun!?” Natasha asks.

“
Fine! We hold him hostage until he pumps a baby into you too!” Cheza responds.

“
No, I just want to sit on his face while you two are working on the whole baby thing!” Natasha explains.

“
Oh… yeah, that’s cool.” Cheza replies.

I back away slowly, naturally freaking out as I touch my right shoulder blade. Fuck Naia at this point; it’s everybody for themselves.

“
BRO! YOU HAVE TO HIDE ME!” I shout as I port into Reyna’s room.

“
What’s going on?” Jason asks whilst on top of Reyna.

“
NATASHA AND CHEZA ARE SCHEMING TO USE ME AS A BREEDING STUD BEFORE CASTRATING ME!” I scream.

“
What!? That’s terrible!” Jason exclaims while he continues pumping Reyna, completely taking away the concern for the situation that is present in his tone. “Where did you hear this?”

“
I ported in behind them while they were arguing about it so I got the fuck out of there, but I left Naia behind so they probably know I’m here!” I reply in a panic as Jason finally stops and stands up to talk to me.

“
Alright, why are they mad?” Jason asks.

“
Probably because I went to pick up Naia without their permission because they were taking too long!” I quickly spill.

“
The solution is simple bro! Quick, strip off all your clothes, jump in the bed, and pretend that Naia is a lying bitch and you’ve been here having a threesome with Reyna and I the whole time.” Jason tells me.

“…
GENIUS!” I announce as I rip off my jacket, shirt, before hopping around while trying to pull off the remaining leg of my pants.

“
The men we are in love with… are idiots.” Reyna says from door. I slowly turn around and see all four girls staring at us from the doorway.

“
Cole, put your clothes on this instant and port us to The Agency’s Seattle office. Natasha has requisitioned some equipment for us.” Cheza demands. Jason snaps his fingers and my clothes reappear on me.

“
Thanks bro.” I solemnly say and trudge toward them.

“
By the way, we were angry because we thought you had ditched us and gone on the scouting mission alone.” Cheza explains and I relax a little bit, knowing that my jewels are currently safe.

Naia, Cheza, and Natasha grab onto my arm and I port us to the armory in Seattle. Already prepared on the table are two sets of night/thermal vision goggles, a carbon fiber bodied M110 sniper rifle with a six-inch suppressor, and three ‘spotter’ scopes with a 50x zoom.