Not Just Another Fae (Vegas Fae Stories Book 4) (23 page)

I was about to ask who, but before I could utter the words, Charlie
went straight in through the door. I glanced over at Lucius and with a shrug,
followed him inside.

The place was huge. A cavernous hall with solid timbers of
wood as large as any I'd ever seen. Even in its current state, it was
impressive. The ceiling that hung several stories above was slanted upward toward
the middle, where a round vent was located. Ahead of us, in the center, was a
pit with a blazing fire. Next to it, was what was left of a raised throne, the
wood long dried out and crumbling. Most of the rest of the furniture was scrap,
but near the fire a few tables and chairs, still in one piece, could be found.
Sitting on one was Bernd.

"I was wondering when you would come," he said as
Charlie almost knocked him over in greeting. He patted the big dog's head
before turning back to me. "You have brought another."

"This is Lucius," I replied, smiling. "I
believe I may have mentioned him to you. As for my timing? I came when I was
needed, as you're so fond of saying." Then I walked over and gave him a
hug, relieved to have found him. "So you knew I was coming, did you?"

"I was confident Lucinda would find a way to ... Shall
we say... prod you in that direction."

"She did, and so did Alf."

"You met Ataulf, did you?" he asked.

"Let's just say he ran into the Garden Faeries and I
had to rescue him, as well."

"A story for another time," he said, sliding off
the chair. "Come. We must go. You took your time getting here and there is
still the other High Fae problem we must deal with. The portals have moved closer.
We must return to Hades if you wish to stop them before they reach Tartarus."

"How do you know about that?" I asked,
dumbfounded. The problems hadn’t even started till way after he'd left the
human plane.

"Although it may appear that this place has fallen
through the abyss of time, souls still pass through the gate. One hears things,
if one is willing to listen."

"I'm not even gonna ask," I replied with a
chuckle. I looked over at Gunnvor, who had been standing quietly behind us. "What
about you? Care to join us? No offense, but this doesn't seem like the greatest
place to spend eternity."

"The Norn themselves sent me here for a purpose,"
he replied. "I may not have been the greatest warrior in my past life, but
I shall not waver from the duty the Fates have entrusted me with in this one. I
thank you for the offer, but I must decline."

"As you wish." The Norn were the equivalent of the
Fates in Viking lore. Far be it from me to interfere with their judgement, once
known.

"Perhaps there is one thing you can do for me," he
said a moment later. He walked over to one of the tables and picked up what
looked like a longsword in a weathered leather scabbard. Pulling it out, he
walked back over to me and displayed it in both hands, the inscription, +VLFBERHT+,
clearly visible on the blade.

"This was passed down to me by my father," he
said. "I have no use for it here, and truth be told, such a blade does not
belong in this place. The Dwarf has told me tales of a great Fae. A Viking
warrior that still lives among you. While I cannot leave this place, perhaps
you could deliver it to him. As last of my line, I, Gunnvor Tryggvason, ask this
of you, so that it may be returned into the service for which it was forged."

"Of course," I replied, assuming he wanted it to
go to Siegfried, the Viking Fae. The Ulfberht was the most famous of all Viking
swords and he would be worthy of such a blade.

"Thank you," he said, placing it back in the
scabbard before handing it to me.

Suddenly feeling like a packhorse, I strapped it on my back
with my shield and other weapons. Taking the bident back from Lucius, I moved back
toward Bernd.

"You sure Hades is where we want to be?" I asked
the Dwarf, already knowing what he would say.

"We must wait at the river of fire," he said,
meaning the river Phlegethon that bordered Tartarus. "She will have to
appear there if she is to attempt to find the route to Tartarus. We must be
there when she arrives."

Once again, I wasn't even going to ask how he knew that. I
knew better than to even try. Besides, I hadn't a clue where to start, so going
back to Hades was as good a plan as any. I fired up the bident and watched as
the black swirling cloud appeared. As we stepped through, I realized that he'd
said she. How did he know that? Could there be someone else involved after all?

"Where are we now?" Lucius asked as the cloud
dissipated.

"This was Hades' palace," I replied.

"Why is it in such disrepair?" he asked, looking
at the aged remains of what was once a glorious palace. "It did not look
this way when I passed it on the road to the Fields."

"Maybe because you belonged here," I replied. "You
saw what you expected to see. We're outsiders now. Things are different."
I turned to Bernd. "So how did you end up in Helheim, anyway? Doesn’t seem
like the place for a Dwarf."

"It is not," Bernd replied. "I underestimated
Grerin's resolve; as well his abilities. Something I will not do in the future.
Like your own enemy, he has had much time to think. The spell he wrought was crafted
to send me to a place that none of our kind could ever leave. Fortunately, he
is not as wise as he would believe. While the spell prevented me from walking
out of the gates of Helheim, he did not account for the bident. As he
underestimated your daughter, he has also underestimated you. But the story can
wait for another time. We must set out for the river soon, if we are to stop
Marissa from obtaining the talisman."

"That's not going to be easy. We had to fight Harpies
and Chimeras just to make it to the Gate to Elysium. Getting there is going to
be a bitch. So, how do you know we're chasing a she anyway?"

"Gunnvor saw her," he explained. "He told me of
it. There was a noise like thunder from the bridge, and he ran to the tower to
investigate. He saw a great storm cloud with lightning, then a bright flash and
a Faerie materialized. A great whirlwind trailed behind her and Shades were
drawn inside before it collapsed. She stayed but a moment before the process
was repeated, and she was gone

"Any idea who she is?" I asked, remembering the glimpse
of wings from the bull-centaur's blood.

"That I do not know. But Gunnvor believes she was in great
distress. He saw weariness in her face, and pain as well. He also said that she
carried an amulet of silver, with a blood red stone. He believed it was the
talisman that brought her there. Red fire burst forth from it when she
disappeared. We must prevent her from reaching the river."

"I think I saw that stone in a portrait. Marissa was
wearing it on a necklace at the time. Another transportation spell then,"
I said. "Seems to be what she's best at. But why is a Faerie carrying it;
how do you know all this stuff anyway?"

"I am a Dwarf," he replied with a strange fire in
his eyes.

I'd seen that look before. Once. When I first met him. I'd
been my usual asshole self and questioned his allegiance. Let's just say I
never did that again.

"Grerin may have tried to condemn me to oblivion in the
Underworld, but he cannot take that away from me. Whatever spell Marissa's
compatriot used to bring the Talisman here, it was not perfect. I believe she
needed someone to guide the stone to Tartarus."

"For what it's worth, the Wizard that crafted it died after
he cast it. She doesn’t seem to have much luck in her choice of servants. All right
then, let's figure out our next move. Might as well get the party started.
Lucius, go upstairs and check the windows. Let me know what we're facing out
there. Hopefully, they haven't figured out we're here; so keep it low key."

He headed up the stairs as I talked to Charlie. Bernd was
quiet for the moment, lost in thought. Whatever had happened had changed him. He
no longer spoke in riddles. I knew that he'd been planning to fight Grerin's
Dwarves, of course. But around me he'd always played the counselor, or advisor.
Somehow, I think Grerin woke something up in him. Just a guess, but I think he
was going to regret that.

"There does not appear to be any safe exit,"
Lucius said a bit later, coming down the stairway. "Many creatures roam
the area around the palace. They do not seem particularly interested in this
place, if that is any consolation. But there are many more than I would like to
fight my way through."

"I figured that." Then I turned to Bernd. "Where
exactly do we have to go?"

"The entrance to Tartarus is said to be blocked,"
he replied. "There was once a bridge that led to the gate and the tower guarded
by the Fury, Tisiphone. That is where we must wait."

"You said once."

"The tower may still stand, but the bridge was destroyed
by Tisiphone herself during
The Fall
to prevent escape. Although the way
to the gate is closed, it is the narrowest point on the Phlegethon and the only
place where something could cross the river and survive long enough to bring
the talisman across."

"How could anyone cross a river of fire?" Lucius
asked.

"She needs only to live long enough to make sure the
talisman is on the other side."

"That's a pretty stupid plan," I said. "What's
she gonna do, throw it?"

"It may be that simple," he replied. "The
magic that guards that place is strong and prevents anyone from leaving. Nor
can one simply use magic to get in. But the jewel that powers the talisman is, in
truth, only a stone. Tartarus was made to keep souls in. With the Fury no
longer in the tower that guards the pit, the entrance is no longer guarded from
above. One needs only to get the talisman to the other side for someone to gain
access to it."

"That's still the dumbest idea I've ever heard."

"Legend has it the gate was made of adamantine,"
Lucius added. "No harder substance exists. Not even a stone can pass
through that."

"Unless they flew above it," I said, remembering
what Bernd said the Viking had seen. Then I realized what I was saying. "Oh
shit! That's what Gunnvor saw. She's using one of the Aurae! She must be under
a spell. I can't believe she'd do such a thing willingly. Without the Fury to
stop her, she could get high enough to cross it; or at least toss the stone into
the pit."

"You are right," Lucius remarked. "That is a
stupid plan."

"Sure it can," I replied. "Besides no one
ever said her followers were the brightest. We've kicked their ass every time.
But throw enough magic around and even they are bound to get it right eventually."

"I would not have put it so... eloquently. It is but
one possibility," Bernd added. "There may be another that we have not
thought of."

"What?" I replied. "Even if she had the key
to the gate, she'd never be able to use it? Not with the bridge down and the
way blocked. Marissa would know that. If she did have another way out of Tartarus,
she'd have used it already. No, it's just dumb enough to be something they'd
think of. Desperate measures and all that. Plus, we know she had captured and
experimented on Aurae's from the raid on the Mages place. We found their
remains. Either way, we need to get to the river. Every time she pops into
another Hell, she sends Demons back to the human plane. We've got to stop her
before she tries to cross it. Who knows what else this talisman will free if it
gets into Tartarus. Any ideas on how to get out of here?"

"We need a diversion," Lucius said.

"I will do it," said Charlie.

"Ok," I replied. "But before we go off
half-cocked again; any clue as to what we're going to be travelling through to
get there? I didn’t see a map around and the ones I looked at back home were
only guesses. The Keres seemed to think we should avoid the Plain of Judgement,
and I'm not keen on battling a horde of Harpies and Chimeras all the way there."

"You met with the Keres?" Bernd asked in surprise.

"He asked for her name," Charlie chimed in.

"Indeed," Bernd remarked, smiling again. "And
what was her name?"

"Oh for... Her name was Kyras, and yes, I forged an
alliance with her. Any other questions?"

Bernd just smiled. "An alliance with the granddaughter
of Nyx herself? You never cease to amaze me."

"You didn't tell me that part," said Lucius. "Are
they truly as horrendous as it is claimed?"

"If you mean the hideous looks and the gnashing fangs
and claws; then, yes, they can be. But like all Fae, that's just one side of them.
They're no different than us, really." I turned back to Bernd. "Can
we talk about something else now? Like how we're getting to the river?"

"We will take the least populated route," he
answered, drawing a finger through the dust on the floor. "North of the
plain where the Judges once sat. It will be best to avoid the areas where many
souls congregate." He pointed to a spot up from where he had drawn the
Plain of Judgement. Here the way is hilly and the trunks of long dead trees
will hide us from sight until we are close to Tartarus and the river. It should
be desolate there. Few souls have any desire to see that evil place."

"Works for me," I replied. " The Harpies
aren't great flyers, but they can haul ass in short hops. If Charlie heads out
first, he can lead them and the Chimeras away. Then we can make a dash for the forest.
We can wait for him there. I'd say we go in the morning but that's not gonna
work in this perpetual twilight. We can keep watch from an upstairs window and
be ready to leave when the time looks right. They've got to be less active
sometime."

"Agreed," he replied. "I would like to see
the place where you found Hades' armor as well. Perhaps there is something else
there that will be of use to us."

With that said, we headed upstairs to Hades' bedchamber and
the hidden room we had found there earlier.

"Are you looking for anything in particular?" I
asked as Bernd looked through the hidden closet.

"No," he replied as he put a helmet down. "Hades
had many weapons and articles of magic, but I doubt he would have left anything
useful behind when left to fight in the wars."

"There was a scythe," I said. "Made of
adamantine, or some other hard substance. But I gave it to Gaea."

"You gave it to her?"

"Yeah," I replied. "I figure that's the real
purpose she had me come here. It was a set up from the start. Probably figured
I'd do it; if for no other reason than to rescue you. But I think that's what
she really wanted. Whatever she's up to, she acted like she didn't care about
the problems the Demons were creating on the human plane."

"She would not want you to know if she did," he
said.

"Figured that. What I don't understand is why she
couldn’t just come here and get it herself."

"Ouranos would have noticed her presence," he
replied with a frown. "We are but pawns in the games the Gods play."
Then he looked up at me and the frown became a smile. "In your case,
perhaps a knight. Ouranos has underestimated you. Sword of Cronus, or not, he
still favors the dark Fae. That, at least, is good to know."

"Nothing like being underappreciated."

"Perhaps," he agreed. "But I doubt Gaea would
agree."

"Yeah," I said with a chuckle. "She called me
her hero."

"More than a knight then," he said with a laugh as
he turned for the doorway. "Come. There is nothing more for us here. Let
us plan our next move."

The Shades that had packed the rear of Hades' palace were
gone. A few Harpies and Chimera still roamed the area as we made ready to
leave.

"You ready?" I asked Charlie as we stood at the
front door. He was going out the window again. Since it was on the far side of
the palace, I figured that it would give us the best shot at drawing any
stragglers from the front. Lucius stood behind us, sword in hand.

"Do you have an extra sword?" Bernd asked as
Charlie headed up the stairway.

"You want a sword? Never thought I'd hear that from
you."

"It is true I was once bound to my oath as to dealings
with other races," he said. "But death has freed me from that pledge.
Give me a sword. I am reborn a Dwarf of old."

"You got it," I said as I pulled one of the swords
off my back and handed it to him.

He pulled it from its sheath and tested the edge before
swinging it a few times, then he balanced it on his palm. "One of yours,"
he remarked as he looked at the sheaf of wheat symbol on the pommel.

"Took it from Demeter's armory myself," I replied
as he sheathed it and placed it on his belt. It was almost as tall as he was,
but it seemed right on him. "How does it feel?"

"It has been many an age since I carried a weapon,"
he replied, patting the hilt. "But I find the weight... comforting, you
might say."

I chuckled a bit before nodding to Charlie at the top of the
stairs. He disappeared before I could turn back and grasp the door's handle.

There was a loud series of barks that faded quickly. I
waited a moment before flinging the door open, and then we were off, heading
for the hills, as it were. We almost made it halfway. They were waiting for us.
The group of Harpies that assaulted us came in from the side and all hell broke
loose.

Having a magic sword has its benefits, even if it isn’t as
powerful here as outside the Underworld. But even that doesn't help when ten
five-foot tall, Dodo birds with screaming human heads tackle you. Sure, I could
kill them, but more just kept coming. Bernd was holding his own and as soon as
I cut a few more in two, the tide turned. Between the three of us, even the few
dozen Harpies didn’t stand a chance. But it was the Chimeras I was worried
about.

As soon as I had pulled the sword of Cronus, the damn goat's
heads started bleating out a chorus. Not willing to wait for reinforcements, I
yelled at Bernd and grabbed Lucius. We sprinted the rest of the way and didn’t
stop until we were a few miles in. We'd lost them for the moment. Charlie
joined us a few minutes later, panting from the long run.

"They knew we were coming," he said.

"How many chased you?" I asked.

"Too many to count," he replied. "Not as many
as last time. Although it was almost enough."

"So it was an ambush?" Lucius remarked.

"Yeah," I replied. "But where are the rest?"