Monsters, Part VII

[Joe]

PROLOGUE

The little otaku - as Odin always called him - had a new strategy all worked out.
Otaku meant literally translated in Adantai Nerd and in Odin’s dictionary all cowards were nerds.
However, now Tryad had discovered this new power of how to devour another, he moved out to devour a few beings here and there and also had found some new foes to release who could attempt for him to get all those criminals off to oblivion.
While checking the library his cozy little estate in the Supreme Hell had, he learnt about the existence of the Ancient Asylum.
During the First War, Ancient Daemons had erected this place to put Eternals there of which they didn’t know how to deactivate ‘um and the Daemon in charge was a man named Falcon.
If Falcon and his orderlies didn’t break the Eternal, the Petite Minions did, because they didn’t only eat your flesh, they also devoured your soul.
And Tryad plotted to let a few of those criminals die in it when he couldn’t win.
He also had learnt about something else.
This was something the Eternals had been using as weapon in the legendary war.
This weapon was called Daemons in a Bottle.
And Tryad only had to dig up one of them to get all of his foes out of the way, that’s how powerful this weapon was.

However, that wasn’t an issue yet, because Tryad had arranged something else this time.
He had returned the Hezai - the vampires who believed that the ultimate form of existing lay in obtaining your beast-form - some meteor monsters - known as the Yankun - that traveled from galaxy to galaxy inside meteors and the cursed emperor of the City of Gold.
The latter was meant to keep Azranan busy for a while, so he could make Lusitan believe that the whore was the traitor amongst them.
The chief was gonna get it this time and if and when he did survive the shit Tryad was planning to cause, he was gonna see Azranan as the traitor.
Azranan had to go, too, because it had been his bond with Hassan that had gotten the Absolute moving the last time to travel to the Forbidden Realm and rescue Blind.

Tryad left the estate to make a few last arrangements.
There was one last being he needed to return to these worlds, because the little otaku was certain that he would not fail him when it concerned getting Smiley to a next life, forever.
1

The elf didn’t get it.
He’d tried already a million times, but still didn’t get any insight into the near-future while he was convinced that something was brewing.
“Maybe eating something will help, elf,” Odin said, strolling into the meditation-chamber.
“I doubt it, friend,” Zeng’ze snorted, “And besides, I’m not hungry.”
“It would be better when you ate a little more, elf,” Odin noted, easing his ass down on the mat.
And instead of saying what he wanted to say, he backed away when the elf began to gaze and everything around him started to petrify.
“The time is not at hand, yet,” Zeng’ze said in the Foullander-tongue, “But, Black Diamond shall be resurrected and he will awaken me and my people so we can petrify these worlds.”
“And let me guess, asshole,” Odin grunted, “Your name’s Pandemon, the ruler of the sleeping Mammon-angels, isn’t it ?”
“Indeed, that is my name,” Pandemon confirmed, “But, mind you, that only my angels are resting in the caves, I am watching and searching for the perfect being to merge to my flesh.”
“All the beings you tried to merge with before, expired, fuckface,” Odin stated, “What makes you think that you will find someone who can survive being grown to you now ?”
“Because I sense his existence,” Pandemon replied, “His powers shall become mine to use and contort…”
He left his host while Zeng’ze leant on his hand to prevent that he fell.
“Concrete,” The elf swallowed and eyeballed Odin.
“That was very enlightening, elf,” Odin noted, “Someone using you as conduit just told me that Dimensional War V will erupt.”
“You’re joking, are you not, friend ?” Zeng’ze snorted.
“I wish I was, elf,” Odin replied, “You channeled Pandemon, the ruler of the stone-angels and secret weapon of the Foullanders.”
“That’s quite unsettling, friend,” Zeng’ze noted, “Because nobody knows how to defeat the Mammon-angels and praises their lucky Eternals that Emperor Black Diamond didn’t awaken them in DW III.”
“It is, elf,” Odin nodded, “Tho it just occurred to me that I have been sensing that there was something you wanted to tell me after we dealt with the little otaku the last time.
You wanted to tell me about these trances, did you not ?”
“Yes, I did, friend,” Zeng’ze stated, “But as you may have noticed, I find it very difficult to talk about things.
It does not mean that I do not trust you or anything, I simply do not know where to start.”
‘There’s that haughty slur in his voice again,’ Odin noted in his mind’s voice, ‘He always gets that when he’s nervous, scared or insecure.’
And he remembered that one meeting which was the beginning of their friendship.

Zeng’ze hadn’t been exactly pleased when Odin returned and told him that Maran had barked that he had no time to waste with followers who hated any part of themselves.
And being like, totally depressed, he hung on the couch and hardly heard anything of what Odin told him about Maran’s orders.
“Hey, elf,” Odin began, smirking, “you shouldn’t sink into a deep depression.
Why don’t you try to see your birdwings as the best part of yourself or others ?”
“Do not be an idiot, friend,” Zeng’ze snorted, “How can I ever learn to appreciate these sails in myself or others ?”
“I can try to change your mind, elf,” Odin grinned.
“Do not even consider it, friend,” Zeng’ze barked, “If you do, you shall have more than a sore mouth.”
“Geez, I didn’t know you were that frustrated about banging with guys,” Odin snorted, “Gimme a break, elf, everybody is banging each other around here.
Why are you being such a prude ?”
“I am not a prude, Odin,” Zeng’ze grunted, “I just have the civilization all of you lack.
Getting into some action solely for the deed is decadent and uncivilized, because you got to - at least - like your bed-partner and I have not decided yet whether or not I like you enough to sleep with you.”
“Civilization,” Odin snorted, “You sure are something else, elf.
But, let me give you some friendly advise, anyway.
You’re kinda haughty and if you don’t want to be harassed by the other Masters, I would do something about it.
Start with changing your speech, because that’s like, soooooo arrogant and will make you hot to piss against.”
“Why are you giving me this advise, friend ?” Zeng’ze demanded, frowning.
“Because I like you, elf,” Odin shrugged it off, “You sure are something else.
However, Maran made me in charge of the Masters - you included - and knowing their dispositions, I also know that they’re a bunch of cowards.
They already started to bully Hades, who’s the only one beneath you in rank, by the way, and I don’t want to see them move up to you.
So, don’t be an ass and listen to me when I tell you that you have to try your best more to fit in.”
Zeng’ze nodded and sighed forlorn.
“What’s on your mind, elf ?” Odin inquired.
“I hate this world, friend,” Zeng’ze replied, “I hate all the cruelty here and to be honest, I’m scared to death of everyone here.”
Odin rose and went to sit on the couch beside the elf.
“Don’t worry, elf,” he said, closing his arm around his shoulders, “I’ll do my best to protect and help you whenever I can.”
He kissed Zeng’ze on the temple and the elf’s mind filled with images.
“You,” he started, “You created the Universe as it is currently.
You are the one beings call the All-father.
You have an innerdrive to protect your creations.”
“H-how,” Odin stammered, “How did you fuckin’ learn that, elf ?”
“Visions, friend,” Zeng’ze replied, “And Maran gave you the Cards of Creation, he took from you after the mess with the Dark Asheng, back, did he not ?”
“He did, elf,” Odin nodded, “But, he forbade me to ever use them again.
Because I really screwed up when I created the Asheng.
They were too free and five of them started to plot to take over this Universe.
Maran punished me by taking the Cards and ordered me to do whatever it took to stop them.
Ultimately, they all were confined and that is when Maran returned me to his soul.”
“He could not stand it that your creations were free, Odin,” Zeng’ze said.
“But, what did I know, elf ?” Odin snorted, “Maran only barked to me to get to work and never told me that he sought slaves.”
“You know, Odin,” Zeng’ze started, “You are alright and I would appreciate it if you helped me with fitting in.”
“In that case, elf,” Odin began as he rose, “You make something to drink for us while I hop next door to my estate to get some books which’ll help you adapt your speech.”
“Alright, friend,” Baruti nodded.
And so, while Odin went to fetch the books, Zeng’ze made some tea.

“What’s on your mind, friend ?” Zeng’ze shook Odin back to the present.
“I was just thinking about the time when I started to help you with fitting in better, elf,” Odin replied, “Because it occurred to me that you start to sound quite haughty whenever you’re nervous or scared.”
He moved closer and put his arm around the elf’s shoulders,
“But, I don’t bite, elf,” he stated, “I would die for you, you know that.”
“I know, friend,” Zeng’ze nodded, “And I would perish for you, too.
You’re a great friend, Odin.”
“So, are you, elf,” Odin stated, “And like I said before, I don’t bite or anything and am pretty good at filling in blanks, so when there’s something you want to tell me the next time, just start somewhere.”
“I’ll remember it, friend,” Zeng’ze said, “And I’ll try to be more open.
But, why did you drop by ?
I’m sure you had a reason.”
“Indeed, I have,” Odin confirmed, “I know why your psychics got screwed up, elf.
The little otaku discovered the only reason why Ancient Daemons and Eternals called it a truce and teamed up.
He went to find Elfaran.”
“Elfaran ?” Zeng’ze demanded, feeling completely crushed, “You mean that damned organist who was growing so powerful that he started to form a serious threat to both Ancient Daemons and Eternals ?”
“The One and Only, elf,” Odin confirmed, “And I remember that back when he first formed a threat to all of us that he also screwed up your psychics.
And my time-traveling ability.”
“I sense that you already had a word with Halo and Fuma about this,” Zeng’ze started, “What did they tell you ?”
“Fuma also kept falling into a black hole whenever he dove into time,” Odin replied, “And Halo’s psychics aren’t working tiptop, either.”
“I loathe to admit it, friend,” Zeng’ze grunted, “But, we’re gonna need Raddan’s powers if we want to do something permanent about Elfaran again.
He’s the one who offed him together with Arrinyr.”
“I’ll make it a direct order, elf,” Odin said, “But, first we need to find out somehow what else is going on, because I felt that the little otaku is gonna make shit blow up on multiple places at once again.”
“If he keeps this up, friend,” Zeng’ze began, “He’s gonna awaken Astaroth soon.
I sensed before my psychics were fucked up that his slumber became less deep.”
“Only the holder of the Evil Seed can awaken him, elf,” Odin stated, “It would be the first confirmation of what you and I already have felt.”
“Then it would be logical to assume that Blind’s the holder of the Other Seed, friend,” Zeng’ze noted, “Knowing that he’s obsessed with killing him.”
Odin nodded, tho he would keep this info to himself.
Because if Astaran found out about this, the piss-Advisor surely wouldn’t hesitate to aid that little otaku.
And the last thing Odin felt like facing was an opponent that already was so difficult to halt, to become unbeatable.
2

After years of searching, the three archeologists had finally found it.
The City of Gold.
It hovered above a lake and tho the legend told that it had been submerged, the crew was visibly pleased to discover that they didn’t need to take the plunge.
The city used to be the home of the cursed emperor Joch in the Realm of Angkh.
The legend also told that Joch had been confined by the Angkh-gods inside a temple of gold and had a curse placed upon his flesh.
The story was incomplete, but now Derek and his team had found the city, they were certain to learn the rest of the tale.
The crew entered the Grand Palace which was the biggest temple ever built by the lost Ancient Angkh-elves.
Everything was of gold, also all of the furniture, and Derek went to sit in one of the two thrones to get a better feel of this place.
“Derek, I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Louise said, “This place could be boobytrapped.”
“I feel that you can better get the hell out of that throne, Derek,” Zach stated.
And on that moment, a ghost appeared and materialized in front of Derek.
“D’you like it to sit in my throne ?” the elfin-man demanded, “If the answer is yes, you should also take the attached curse.”
“Which curse ?” Derek demanded, frowning.
“This place wasn’t built because I got a thrill out of living surrounded by solid gold,” the man barked in reply, “It was necessary if I wanted to survive.
But, experience it yourself, because I’m passing my curse on to you.”
He gestured and vanished.
The three archeologists hauled ass right after.
Derek left his backpack behind in his panic and he, too, was asking himself what the elfin-man had meant with His Curse.
3

Hassan noticed that Azranan was way too quiet while they were having a get-together with rice in the kitchen of the palace in the middle of the night as they did more often, because they both had a rice-addiction for life.
“What’s the matter, my boy ?” The Absolute demanded.
“I was thinking about what Augus told me the last time I saw him,” Azranan replied, “He asked me how the search for my father was proceeding and when I told him all the details, he noted that Hiroshi was dead.
He died in captivity of the Mayas and added to it that he knew what sort of man he was and never could be the one I’m in search of.”
“Why was that ?” Hassan frowned.
“He said that Hiroshi was a calm and gentle man,” Azranan stated, “That he didn’t have a thing with rice, had no rant-modes or arrogance-attacks and didn’t have the birthmark I have on my arm, either.
He even advised me to find a man who does have all of that, because he felt that whoever my father is, kind of sort of cloned himself.
I don’t look like mother and when Augus sketched Hiroshi for me, I discovered that I don’t look like him, either.
I’ve been searching for the wrong man all this time.”
“I could’ve told you ages ago already that this was the case, my boy,” Hassan noted.
“Why didn’t you say anything ?” Azranan demanded.
“Because I cannot tell who the one is you do seek, my boy,” Hassan replied, “However, I sense that Augus is right about your father having cloned himself, but you’re the only one I know who has crushing rant-modes.”
“You must be elated about that one, Hassan,” Azranan snorted, “But, whenever it concerns my search for my father, the stud is most-helpful.
He won’t tell me why, but he does keep his eyes and ears perked for me.
He can be pretty cool.”
“Augus was adopted himself,” Hassan explained, “But, he never learnt anything about his biological parents, so that’s why he’s helping you now with finding your father.”
“I find the stud difficult to follow at times,” Azranan sighed, “He can be so cool, but there also are times that I just wish he would go to hell.”
“I share your opinion, my boy,” Hassan said, “Even for psychics he’s quite impossible to see thru and that’s what concerns me, you never know when he’s up to something and whether it’s good or bad.”
“He’s smarter than he looks,” Azranan noted, “And way too unpredictable for my taste.”
“He is,” Hassan agreed, “And I find his obsession for you very unhealthy, my boy.”
“Are you worried ?” Azranan inquired.
“Sometimes I am, my boy,” Hassan replied, “If I were you, I would think twice about who you decide to drive a little wild.”
“The stud won’t touch me, Hassan,” Azranan said, “He’s just blowing smoke.”
‘I’m not too certain about that one, my boy,’ Hassan noted in his mind’s voice, ‘The stud seldom blows smoke.
He’s a war-rat and plans his revenge carefully to execute a strategy that’ll blow you away.’
Hassan sensed it that the stud was up to something once more, tho up until now he failed to define what it exactly was.
However, Hassan wouldn’t be the only one that would feel crushed, dumbfounded and on the very verge of panic when the stud did move to exact his revenge on Azranan for everything he was doing now.
4

While we were having breakfast, we heard the windows of the neighbors shatter.
“Dave’s practicing again,” Equinox noted, dryly, “It would save them a lot of cash if Lora and Arthur weren’t so overly-possessive of their war-room.”
“I’ll bet that Lora also knows someone who’s able to replace the windows for a nice, soft price,” I said, “She fixed the new gals down the street up with all of her connections, too.”
I was talking about the two new mindfuckers, Salt and Deirdre, who moved here three months ago.
Salt had been on the Practicing Show to prove that she was a superior.
She could do the double - if not triple - whammy Decay of Purity.
It was a trick to die for, tho she told no one - not even Deirdre - how it was done.
“Dave’s practicing brings to mind another subject, tho,” I began, “I’ve been thinking about the psycho-bomb and concluded that it can be done.”
“In your dreams, Black eyes,” Equinox snorted.
“C’mon, we’ll go to the basement and I’ll show you a theory Lora and I worked out,” I said and slid off the barstool.
Equinox followed me downstairs, telling me over and over again that the psycho-bomb was fiction, that it couldn’t be done, just like the psycho-gun.
He had one helluva surprise coming, because Lora and I really were on a roll last night while he was out with Richard.

I used some good old-fashioned porcelain statues of which I put down about fifty.
“Black eyes, is this theory of yours safe ?” Equinox inquired, a little concerned.
“Absolutely,” I replied, “But watch this.”
I focused on my hands, concentrated the psycho-strength between them and released it.
Bits and pieces of all of the statues were blown off - A thing which continued until I recalled the psycho-strength.
“Psycho-drops,” Equinox squeaked, “Hubba, hubba, Black eyes.”
“It just struck us,” I explained, “I mean, we figured that you had to focus on something to be able to control it.
It’s the same principle as psycho-cards.”
“I see,” Equinox said with a slight hiss, “And I feel that you mentioned psycho-cards, because you two also have a few theories on the Death Joker.”
“And the psycho-gun,” I stated, “Let’s make a deal.
Leave Lora and myself to figure out what’s been termed : Fictional while you use your foul, conniving genius to figure out the ones we see on the Practicing Show.”
“Richard doesn’t find my genius foul and conniving, Black eyes,” Equinox sniffed.
“He hasn’t been living with you for more than five decades now, has he ?” I smirked.
“Well, no, not yet,” Equinox snorted.
“I’ll bet you 200 bucks that he’ll talk about your genius on the same way as I do when he lives with you for more than a year,” I said.
“You wanna get rid of me, don’t you ?” Equinox noted, “But, alright, the bet is on.”
“We’ll talk about this again when you’re actually living with him,” I nodded.
“But, seriously, Black eyes,” Equinox began, “Richard has mentioned that we start living together, but I’m kind of nervous about it.”
“Equinox, there’s nothing to be nervous about,” I stated, “He’s your soul-partner and you’ll be wasting a shitload of words with him, provided that you quickly kill off the little enthusiasm he has.”
“You’re right, as always,” Equinox grinned while we went back upstairs, “Thanks, Black eyes, I feel a lot better now.”
I nodded and we both got ready to go to work while we finished our coffee.
5

From his office near the garbage-dumpster, Dan strolled to his car to go home.
He’d been working late again and wondered why the management of the dump always neglected their bookkeeping until it was time for the annual taxes.
He heard a rustling sound in the trash-heap behind him and turned around to see what it was.
The motion had ceased, but instead he heard a snake-like hiss and a groan.
Dan shrieked when he was grabbed by two gray claws from behind and was bitten in the neck.
He didn’t see who or what, but did feel how he was drained of his blood and was eaten while he drifted between life and death.
6

Feeling both boredom and depression, Grace and I hung behind our desks.
For once there was nothing to do on this small precinct.
“The Blue Twins,” Smiley smirked as he walked in with Blind.
“Blue we sure are,” Grace stated, “There’s shit to do right now.”
“At least the silly human and I got a weird case, darlin’,” Blind said, “Interested in hearing about it ?”
“Hell, why not ?” Grace shrugged it off, “Let’s hear it, fellas.”
“We’re chasing after corpses,” Smiley told, “We find ‘um as dead as doornails in the old Sierra Park that was closed two months ago to make space for the new residential zone.
However, our stiffs hang around in the morgue for a while and exactly seventeen hours after they’ve been buried, they literally blast their way out of their graves to go up in smoke.”
“And there’s nothing the victims have in common ?” I demanded.
“If they have, we didn’t learn about it, yet, hero,” Smiley replied, “We’re certain, tho, that all the victims share something, but right now we’re like, totally clueless on what this thing is.”
“Sorry to cut in,” May interrupted, “But, the Depressed Twins have nothing else to do, so check this one out for me.
A triple homicide in a five star hotel.”
She gave us the address and Grace and I moved out to see what this was all about.
7

In his shape as warrior, Azranan walked thru the corridors of Death’s Pyramid toward the chamber wherein Death’s Fire slumbered inside a chalice.
The moment he entered, the Fire ignited.
“What is it you seek to tell me ?” Azranan demanded, drawing nearer.
The flames shot out of the chalice and became two fiery hands which parted to create a mirror in which Azranan could review what he needed to see.
‘The Curse you gave life to left the Temple of Gold,’ the Fire stated in an eerie double whisper, ‘He passed it on to a human.’
Azranan beheld what happened between Joch and Derek and clenched his fist.
“That - shit,” he grunted thru gritted teeth, “He shall pay.
He had to bear the curse himself for all eternity and it was not meant to be passed on to another being.”
‘Seek out who the one is who received the curse, for cannot reveal this to you, child,’ The Fire said.
“I shall learn,” Azranan groaned, “And shall kill Joch’s soul before I go find the one who bears the curse now.
But, I sank the City of Gold to the bottom of the lake, who resurfaced it ?”
‘It is thee who acts out of jealousy and unfounded hatred,’ The Fire stated.
“The unknown foe,” Azranan sighed, “Thanks for telling me this, Fire.
I have to go before the Ther Han causes misery to others.”
He turned on his heels and left the pyramid to squeeze the info of who had received the curse out of Joch, so he could halt Ther Han - the Demon-child - before he caused misfortune and suffering to others.
8

Fuma threw a glance at his deactivated body before turning his head back at the window to continue looking at the stars.
He was elated about the fact that he no longer was a prisoner inside his own Eternal flesh and always could wander around in spirit.
He thought about how things had been going the last few years and how him and Odin often had trained together.
In a few years time, he finally had begun to learn to understand his own powers, because he discovered that he had inherited a lot of them from his father.
He even had learnt to use the Eternal-dragon in combat while that had been one of dragon-shapes he never had controlled before.
There still was enough left he needed to learn about his heritage and abilities as Eternal, but was grateful that finally had the chance to learn to use them properly since all the Superiors ever wanted was him to suppress all of them.
Being the only Eternal in a clan sure was - huh, huh - frustrating.

Fuma slid thru the wall and went for a walk in his spiritual form.
Maybe a breath of fresh air would fix the shit he was having with his time-traveling ability lately.
9

Lusitan went about his every day chores in and around the house while ignoring the headache he already had since he woke up this morning.
It was a strange kind of headache.
It was like the one he had when his psychics still were being controlled by Kajar.
He dropped the cleaning-cloth on the table in the living room when a strange green soap-like bubble caught his attention.
It floated eerily in front of him and his eyes followed it to be able to look at what was inside.
A world.
A spooky, old forest.
“So, you can see the Realm of the Lost,” Tryad began, having taken on Azranan’s likeness and resemblance.
“Azranan ?” Lusitan demanded, “What’re you doing here ?
I thought you’d gone to Tenui ?”
“Don’t believe everything I tell you, chief,” Tryad stated with Azranan’s voice, “I’m an excellent liar.
After all, I can even deceive Absolutes.”
“You don’t feel like your usual self,” Lusitan noted, “What’s up with you ?”
“I’m bored, chief,” Tryad replied, “I feel like toying some with someone, anyone.
And to break the boredom, I came up with this game. I get you lost in the world I just revealed to you and will watch try to get out of it.
Your time will be limited, because you got to find your way out before your body expires.”
“You’re mad !” Lusitan barked, “How can you come up with such a cruel game ?!”
“Because I’m the unknown foe, chief,” Tryad snorted, making a kissing gesture, “Break my boredom and Get Lost !”
Lusitan was dragged into the bubble which burst and Tryad watched the chief’s body crash and enter the state of dying before he vanished to get around to causing his other shit.
He still had a lot of shit to cause, after all.
Too many beings needed to expire.
10

With his mind adrift, Shrink stared at what was left of Dan Lowell.
The stiff-sniffer, Archangel, suspected that vampires who also were meat-eaters, were the culprits, but much more he couldn’t tell them.
“What’re you thinking, Shrinkie ?” Reeves inquired, “A monk for your thoughts on this.”
“I’m having a certain feeling about this case,” Shrink replied, “But, it feels too far-fetched to think of all of this all as a legend having come to this time and turning out to be real.”
“Which legend are you talking about ?” Reeves asked.
“In the third century of the Haz Mayal calendar - that’s ages ago - there lived a race of vampires known as the Hezai,” Shrink told, “They drank blood and ate meat to feed the beast within themselves.
The legend tells that they believed that the ultimate form of existing lay in transforming into a beast.”
“That’s a cool legend, Shrinkie,” Reeves said, “But, what happened to them ?”
“They were wiped out by the Sleeping God, Fuma, when they had traveled to one of the Forbidden Realms,” Shrink stated, “According to the legend, he spread Hell and Death and completely wiped them out.
It was then, the Hell-dragon’s soul awoke and chose Fuma as its host.”
“That is soooo awesome, Shrinkie,” Reeves snorted.
“Yeah, Shrinkie obviously paid attention in history-class,” Archangel noted.
“Why are you guys always calling me Shrinkie ?” Shrink sniffed.
“Because we love you pretty bald little head,” Reeves grinned and gave Shrinkie a kiss on his scalp.
Shrink sighed when Archangel did the same.
“I heard that kissing a monk brings good luck,” Archangel said, “And Joan and I really need some with the getting kids-thing.”
“Wouldn’t fortune-cookies be better ?” Shrink inquired.
“Fortune-cookies, how enchanting,” Archangel smirked, “I’ll get some, Shrinkie, but in the meantime, I’ll just keep kissing every monk I see.”
“I’m the only monk,” Shrink noted.
“Exactly, that’s why I’m kissing you,” Archangel grinned.
“Joy,” Shrink snorted and sighed a second time.
These guys were way too twisted for him, actually.
11

The three murder-victims were business-men.
Two lay with a bullet in their hearts in the sitting room while the last lay in the bathroom.
The crimescene itself was pretty clean, there wasn’t the abundance of blood and other gore as you get to see with some other cases.
“Silencers were used to kill all three of them,” Python stated, “I sensed three weapons of the same type and what I also sensed is that you’re looking for three beings - who most likely are women - and also are related to each other.”
“Three female shit-killers ?” Grace demanded, “That’s a hot case we got.”
“That’s your opinion, not mine,” Python snorted, “They are the most boring stiffs I’ve sensed.
I mean, I, at least, had suspected that these guys had put up a fight and not that they were completely surprised like they were now.”
“Not all stiffs have an interesting fast-action story, Python,” I noted.
“Yeah, I know,” Python sniffed, “And this case is a typical example of why folks think that stiff-sensers have a boring job.”
And as it turned out a bit later, Dave and his lab-rats felt the same, because the killers had left no traces whatsoever.
12

What was the curse the elf in the Grand Palace had told him he bore now ? Derek wondered.
He’d returned to Earth’s World, Tampa Peters, this morning and hadn’t felt anything yet which made him think that he had been cursed.
He didn’t feel sick and misfortune hadn’t befallen him, either.
Derek shrugged, kicked off his slippers and crept into his comfy bed.
He looked at the nightsky thru the window like he always did before going to sleep while pondering the Emperor’s words some more.
Suddenly, a sharp pain struck his stomach.
Derek gasped for breath and intuitively, rolled up to a ball.
What the fuck was the matter ?
Was this incredible pain, the curse ?
The skin under his hands began to bubble.
And Derek looked down with horror when his stomach was torn open.
Two claws came stretching out of the wound.
A monster - a non-entity - lived inside of him and now he was a witness to its birth.
The demon-child slithered out like a worm and lunged up on the right side of the bed to draw strength from its host.
He looked like a devil-child with hands with long claw-like fingers and his lower-body was black like he was a ghost or non-entity.
Ther Han vanished once it had drained and killed its host.
He was free now, because there was no gold around to stop him and he was sure that the one who had given him life was unaware of his release, too.
13

When he found his liege’s serpent-body abandoned in the crimson sea, the bird knew that he had to be with his brother and so, he went to the old shrine and flew thru the corridor with the silver orbs to reach Chisisi-Akil’s chamber right after sunrise.
And when he entered, My Friend didn’t know what to think when he found a serpent and a cat both snoring their adenoids out.
The serpent had all the blankets while the cat had evanesced the pillows.
‘Geez, I never wanted to believe that they are related,’ the bird snorted in his mind’s voice, ‘But, seeing them like that sure forces me to change that belief.’
But, he started to smirk on his own bird-way when a very naughty idea plopped into his little bird-mind.
My Friend cleared his throat and started to sing.
Eblis-Fateh and Chisisi-Akil were rudely awoken by the unbearable agony My Friend called singing.
The panic both Outsiders experienced within was great.
The cat’s fur stood on end as he hissed viciously at My Friend while the serpent felt his scales kind of crack as he used his tail to wrap it around the bird’s beak and silence him.
“T-that,” Chisisi-Akil began, slightly stuttering, “That was worse than the Great Catastrophe.”
“It always is, brother,” Eblis-Fateh noted and reeled the bird in, “And what was the occasion this time, my friend ?
I doubt you were feeling happy, watching us rest.”
“I was feeling naughty, actually, Fabled One,” The bird grinned.
“Naughty ?” Eblis-Fateh snorted as he restored his form, “You are not getting any wine gums for a week for the petite disaster you caused a moment ago.”
“A-a week ?” The bird sulked.
“Next time it’ll be a month, my friend,” Eblis-Fateh noted.
“Bleeh, bully !” the bird shrieked, “It is time I go find myself a better liege.
One that does not bully me around all the time !”
“Let me help you on your way of finding one, my friend,” Eblis-Fateh said and gestured to open the balcony-doors, “There is the exit.”
“I am going to complain to the Demon-birds’ Rights Organization !” the bird screeched as he flew out, “I am sure that they will agree with me that I have a big bully with a fat tail as liege !”
“Enlighten me,” Chisisi-Akil started as he restored his form, “Because I obviously missed something.
What just happened here a moment ago ?”
“My friend tried to terminate us both with his ‘bird-singing’ and he just left to lodge a complaint with the Demon-birds’ Rights Organization,” Eblis-Fateh explained, “And before I forget, he also is going to find a different liege.”
“Aha,” Chisisi-Akil nodded, “And you are not concerned about this liege-thing ?”
“No, I am not, brother,” Eblis-Fateh replied, “Because we had this chat before.
He always comes back after a while, telling me that he shall settle with the bully, because all the Birds’ Rights Organization had to offer was even bigger bullies as new lieges.”
He got out of bed and started to haul himself back into his robes.
“Say,” Chisisi-Akil started while he got robes, too, “Who showed you how to get into these robes ?”
“Nobody, I figured it out myself, brother,” Eblis-Fateh replied, “Who showed
you ?”
“Fateen-Zuberi did,” Chisisi-Akil stated, “I used to hate these robes, tho I have grown rather fond of them, because at least - ”
“They are warm,” Eblis-Fateh finished.
“Indeed, brother,” Chisisi-Akil snorted, “But, I am going to grab a bite to eat.
Are you joining me ?”
“Are you talking about eating that rabbit-food of yours, Chisisi-Akil ?” Eblis-Fateh inquired.
“Yes, you know I do not eat anything else, these days,” Chisisi-Akil replied.
“In that case, I will pass,” Eblis-Fateh sniffed, “I prefer a non-entity for breakfast.
Be seeing you, brother.”
He transformed and flew out to go catch his breakfast.
While Chisisi-Akil chuckled.
“It is time that I go catch some breakfast, too,” he muttered to himself, “And there are ninety-nine little convicts waiting for me in Tehfat’s prison.”
He transformed, too, and flew out to visit death-row in Tehfat’s jail.
Reconciling with his brother had gotten Chisisi-Akil to think a lot about the nature he had been given and even tho he didn’t know, either, which reasons the Giant could have had when he dreamt about soul-eaters, he agreed with Eblis-Fateh that there indeed, was a reason behind their creation.
Chisisi-Akil had decided to start eating again when Eblis-Fateh complained about his breath one night.
It was so bad that he felt on the verge of fainting and Chisisi-Akil realized that he was heading for another craze.
And he decided to go eat something before he went off to cause a massacre somewhere again.
He gave it some thought and recalled that his brother had a preference for wicked souls like demons, convicts and non-entities.
Chisisi-Akil knew where to find the convicts.
Death-row in Tehfat’s jail.
The first time he devoured a few, his judges made him feel the pain, but in a trance he invoked himself he went to meet them in their courthouse and demanded with a bark if they preferred him to cause a bloodbath somewhere again over stealing the souls of beings who had been sentenced to death, anyway.
His judges obviously had never looked at it from that perspective, because they were quiet for about fifteen minutes before they told him that it was alright to steal souls as long as it were convicts.
Chisisi-Akil had left their court without wasting another word and quickly discovered that Fatima didn’t smell it that he had begun to eat again.
She sniffed out mortals from a mile’s distance, but didn’t smell the convicts.
Which was one concern less for him, because he had been worried about Fatima’s response.
He knew that she wouldn’t approve and he didn’t feel like getting into an argument with her, either.
Tho the only thing Chisisi-Akil worried about currently was how he was going to tell his brother what he had done to fix his breath.
Chisisi-Akil had already opened up a lot and also had become more honest, but he had been lying and telling half-truths so much the last few million years that he found it difficult change this habit.
He didn’t know that there was no need to tell Eblis-Fateh anything, because that snake already knew and only was pretending that he didn’t notice the change in his brother’s breath.
There never would be a need to reveal anything, because Eblis-Fateh was patient and was unnoted to Chisisi-Akil himself, guiding him down the road of self-acceptance.
14

Lusitan scrambled back to his feet and looked around in the World of the Lost.
It was one, big dark forest and the chief gritted his teeth when he discovered that his psychics had been completely jammed.
He also was unable to reach his criminals.
Tho he decided to head north and as he walked, he thought about how he’d gotten here.
‘So, Azranan’s the traitor,’ Lusitan grunted in his mind’s voice, ‘He’s the one who caused all that shit the last time, too, and only allowed himself to get scattered, so he wouldn’t be suspected.
I’m gonna kill him if I manage to get out of this world alive, somehow.’
Azranan was gonna be sorry if the chief got his hands on him, because Lusitan only got more pissed when he also thought about the fact that he had spent altogether about 2/3 of his adult-life in jail for him.
Tho it all made sense when he thought about Azranan’s character.
That guy was so private that it almost was suspicious.
He never told anything about himself or hobbies and Lusitan felt that Azranan took caution around everyone, almost as if they could be one of his enemies.
The chief first thought that the past had been the cause, tho now he concluded that it hadn’t been the past, at all.
Because Azranan actually was a foe and plotted to destroy them all.
15

Smiley stared at the guy who lay in the Sierra Park between the tall grass and shook his head when the craziest thought plopped into his mind.
“What’s up, silly human ?” Blind demanded.
“I look at that guy and I hear music, an organ,” Smiley replied, “And something tells me that these deaths somehow have to do with this melody.”
“Who’s playing it then, angel ?” Blind asked.
“That’s just it, I don’t know,” Smiley stated, “I sense something, Blind.
And whoever’s playing is way superior to us.”
“Indeed, the Power of Sound requires a great deal of strength to master,” Blind nodded, “But, who would have such an ability ?”
“Dunno,” Smiley snorted, “However, we can go have a word with Mikey, you know how spiritual he is and all that E.T and spiritual stuff greatly interests him.
He might know something.”
“Ow, Jonathan, you’re so wonderful !” Blind shrieked, leaping with joy, “You’re never clueless, are you ?”
“Nope,” Smiley grinned, “And I guess we’re also lucky, because Mike got even more fascinated by all that spiritual shit ever since Blakey and I walked around with that Life-reverser.”
“I heard Jez was hit, too, angel,” Blind noted.
“Yeah, but we didn’t know that until the chief told us,” Smiley sniffed, “Blakey and I thought for a while that we were the only two.
I’m glad the chief and Fharlan came along, because Blakey already was thinking about sacrificing yours truly.”
“But, you’re my fave silly human to see !” Blind hissed, “I would be totally lost without you, Jonathan !
I’m appalled, eeeh !”
“It’s only Blakey, Ashara,” Smiley laughed, “You don’t really think that he truly would’ve sacrificed me, do you ?
I still had my best weapon to use against him, after all.”
“Oh, yes, your smile,” Blind sniffed, “Which reminds me of something that plopped into my refined fairy-mind, angel.
It told me that you were being punished for making me get in drag and get killed by the unrefined tramp, Charo.”
“The Spirits wouldn’t punish me for doing something like that, Blind,” Smiley smirked, “In contrary, they even encourage it, because seeing you behave bitchy is awesome.”
“Puh !” Blind snorted, “I’m going back to the van, silly human, before I get tempted to do something totally unrefined to you and your smile.”
He went back to the van and after Smiley had gotten the preliminary report from the lab-crew he moved to van, too, in order to find what Blind was up to now.
16

While having dinner with Odin, Halo couldn’t get the fact that his psychics had been jammed again off his mind and got a very concerning premonition about all of this.
“Halo,” Odin started, snapping his fingers in front of the guy’s eyes, “I already told you that Zeng’ze and I are trying to figure out what’s going on before it actually blows up, didn’t I ?”
“You did,” Halo nodded, “We oughta be glad that you and Zeng’ze are around now, I suppose.
But, don’t you have a single clue on who this foe we have is ?”
“Not a single one, Halo,” Odin lied, “However, my hunch is that the one who’s trying to kill all of you holds a great deal of knowledge about many lost evils and also holds the ability to bring them back to this mortal coil when he decides to use them.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he even brought the Ancient Asylum back to this world.”
“What’s the Ancient Asylum ?” Halo frowned.
“A place - a sort of prison - for Eternals,” Odin explained, “In the First War, we brought many Eternals there, so their minds and Forces would be cracked and devoured by the Petite Minions.
I only know of one who ever escaped from that place and we’re still clueless on how he managed to do it.”
“Who was he ?” Halo asked.
“His name was Sheran, but he was born from a union between an Eternal and Immortal,” Odin stated, “He had Eternal powers and Immortal flesh.
He also was great warrior, just like his father.
What was his name again ?
Yes, Usan, the Eternal who had Time and Wind as Force-symbols.”
“Those two don’t make Eternals,” Halo noted.
“The Shapeless One created all of the Eternals we battled in the First War,” Odin explained, “And he could break all laws there are for creating Eternals, because he derived their Eternal Existence directly from the Universal Balance, giving them to hold a part of it, so he was free to give them any two Force symbols he found suitable and felt would be useful.”
“Fascinating,” Halo snorted, “But, when the war ended, where did the Shapeless One’s Eternals flee to ?”
“They didn’t flee, they were confined,” Odin stated, “The Shapeless One and the last Eternals were imprisoned in the Kylia Underground which was built after the capital Zephere was destroyed.
Cursed Gems are the only things which will be able to break the seal.
However, if he wants to, I’m certain that he’ll manage to find Emperor of the Spirit Gems, tho I seriously doubt that he’ll find the Shard.
That particular gem is not from these worlds and is believed to have gotten lost.
And on top of that, he’ll also need to find someone who holds the lost Hate Transformations, so he can use its power, but there’s no one I know of who has this ability.”
“Hate Transformations ? The Shard ?” Halo frowned, “What’re you talking
about ?”
“Hate Transformations come to you when you suppress an incredible amount of hatred and never give into it,” Odin told, “You transform your suppressed feelings of hate into beast-forms.
These Hate-beasts are stronger than dragons, because they use the power of rage and madness in combat.
There are a few stories about these Hate-beasts, but I personally find it nearly impossible to believe that anyone can not hate someone that tormented him and never allow himself to even think : I hate you.
You know what I mean, Halo ?”
“Uh-huh, I do,” Halo nodded, “I find it impossible, too.
A part of me still is afraid of Bern, but I do hate him with all of my being.
I mean, in my own head, I feel kind of free to think this.”
“I get your drift and it’s always act and consequence,” Odin said, “It’s illogical to love and respect someone when he mutilated the living shit out of you.
And that’s my point exactly. You get the Hate Transformations when you don’t allow yourself to feel what you feel and force yourself to respect your tormentor.”
“Because your hate has to go somewhere,” Halo stated, “And when suppressed, it takes on the form of a beast.”
“Exactly,” Odin nodded.
Later, Odin also told Halo something about the Shard and where it came from.
It, indeed, was not from these worlds, because it came from a dimension which existed outside the general time-stream, in one of the many forgotten or lost ones.
17

Even Jake came out of her office when Eve came to pick up May from the station with James.
He was eight now and it had become clear that he was a hypnotizer, because he continuously was trying to hypnotize animals into coming home with him.
“Eve, how’s it hangin’ ?” Jake inquired.
“Okay,” Eve replied, “Provided that I ain’t busy with returning all the animals he hypnotized to their owners.”
“The joys of modern parenthood,” Jake snorted, “Sally went on a course, because she hardly can control he ability as ice-creator.”
“Be glad that she ain’t a spark shocker like moi,” Eve noted, “Before I learnt to really control my ability, I wrecked an X number of TV’s.”
“And I can’t live a day without my tube !” Jake shrieked, “I’ll die when I can’t watch.”
Jake wasn’t the only one with this addiction.
But, as his mothers left with James, all dog-owners - myself included - were holding their dogs my their collars to prevent that they would be going after that kid.
“Guys, I’ve got a second case for you both,” Jake said.
“Fill us in,” Grace said, “We’ll do anything to not to get bored again.”
“32nd pushed this case our way, because they think that this shit-killer lives in our district,” Jake explained, “A materializer is going out and when they’re dead, he makes ‘em look like a card from the twenty-two Major Arcanum.”
“Sounds intriguing,” I said.
“Bro, you lay ‘um, too,” Grace began, “I’ll go borrow a deck from Shade and you can see if it’s possible to sketch a profile without having read the file or having seen his work.”
“Okay,” I nodded.
Grace took the file from Jake and borrowed a deck from Shade.
It would astound both of us later, how accurate the Tarot’s profile would turn out to be.
The cards were right about everything, especially when it concerned the shit-killer’s character and disposition.
18

Jez managed to get into the Temple of the Superiors unseen and snuck to Fuma’s chamber.
He found the locked door and dematerialized to materialize again on the other side.
‘What’s the matter, Jez ?’ Fuma demanded, sitting on the edge of the bed beside his body.
“It’s Lusitan, we found him, dying, in his residence,” Jez replied, “He isn’t around anymore and we failed to discover what happened to him.
H’dae, Maze and myself are convinced that no one died and that this wasn’t caused by his Heart-power, either.
We also lost all spiritual contact with him.”
“I think I know which Forbidden Realm he was sent to, Jez,” Fuma said, “I can’t dive into time for you to be certain, but if the chief truly is there, it’s no miracle that he cannot be reached.”
“Where do you think he is ?” Jez frowned.
“The World of the Lost,” Fuma replied, “I’ll go there first to check if he’s there.
If he isn’t, I’ll check the other realms even tho I find the chance of him being in one of the other Forbidden Realms very slim.”
“Who do you think sent him there ?” Jez asked.
“Our foe and I hope that Lusitan saw something and also that he remembers it, because knowing a name will make kicking this foe’s ass a lot easier,” Fuma stated.
“I’m hoping with you,” Jez sighed, “Because not knowing who to look at as the enemy is more than frustrating.”
Fuma agreed with Jez, because frustrating it was.
This knowing that the one you would entrust your life to in combat actually was out to get you to a next state of being.
19

Bored shitless Alex toyed with his rope with Hans toyed with equal boredom with an explosive apple that also had a pin.
“I’m soooo bored,” Alex sighed.
“Yeah, I feel like blowing this whole place up just to break this boredom somewhat,” Hans said.
And then, incredible speed, Tim stormed out of his office and took the apple and the worm away from the fellas.
“Don’t think about doing what you did last month,” he barked, “We still have to go to vice-squat if we wanna use the cans.”
“Tim, that was an accident,” Hans said, smothered, “The pin fell out.”
“Fell out ?” Tim mocked, “Are you sure that you weren’t feeling bored when you decided to blow up our cans ?”
“Perhaps a tidbit,” Hans managed to get out.
“A tidbit,” Tim snorted, “Hell, at least I’ve got a case for you both to end this boredom.”
“I want my worm back first,” Alex sulked, “He’s crying, I can hear him.”
“You’ll get your toys back when you’re leaving,” Tim said, “But now your case.
Two men, George Fletcher and Ted Perkins, have gone up in the proverbial smoke.
They were seen entering their residences in the company of this man, Derek Fowles.”
He gave Hans a PC-photo who showed it to Alex, too.
“However, Mr. Fowles was found dead in his flat two days ago,” Tim concluded.
“Dead ?” Alex frowned, “Is he undead now ?”
“Nope, he still is dead,” Tim replied, “He didn’t get his balls kicked back, either.
Mr. Fowles’ stomach had been ripped open like he had given birth to something and it appears that he’s doing all he can to let people believe that he still is dead, because he hasn’t contacted any of his next of kin or friends.
And hasn’t been to the hall of records, either.”
“Sounds to me like someone’s posing as him,” Hans noted and held up his hand, “We’ll take the case.
But, I want my apple back now.”
Tim sighed, tho he gave the kids their toys back and the file of their case.
Sometimes, however, he felt more like a teacher in a kindergarten class than he did a captain of a police-department, because these guys could be so unbelievably childish about their toys.
20

Lusitan didn’t have a clue about how long he’d been walking north already, but eventually, he got too tired to walk on and decided to make camp in an open space in the forest.
“Without the backup of your criminals, you aren’t as good as you thought you were with getting out of shit, are you, chief ?” Tryad inquired, leaning against a big old tree while bearing Azranan’s likeness and resemblance.
“Azranan,” Lusitan began, “just tell me one thing.
Why are you doing this ?”
“Because nobody missed me during that final week,” Tryad replied with a bark, “Life just went on, I could hear it continue as it always did.
It was then, that I realized that nobody cared, even not you, chief.”
“I did care,” Lusitan sighed, “But, nobody believed me.
They called me hysterical and told me to shut up, because I was insane.”
“I don’t believe you,” Tryad snorted, “You could’ve gone to the ravine and could have gotten me out.
But you didn’t and waited for the elf to do something and get me to those gypsies.”
“I was unconscious,” Lusitan stated, “Now I know which power I possess, but back then I was completely clueless on what I was feeling.”
“You deserted me !” Tryad shrieked, “You left me to die !”
“I never deserted you !” Lusitan barked, “I’m the only one who ever fought against Kajar.
Everybody else thought of him as a saint !”
“I don’t believe you,” Tryad snorted, “You’re just saying this now, because you’re feeling guilty.
Well, atone with your soul, Lusitan, and rot away forever in this world !”
Tryad vanished and Lusitan sighed long and forlorn.
So, that’s what this was all about.
The past.
And crazily enough, a part of him understood Azranan’s feelings, because it was true that there wasn’t anyone who had missed him.
While he was unconscious, Lusitan had had his dad and moms who worried about him, but nobody even wondered what had happened to Azranan until he was already gone for three months.
And even then, nobody bothered to find him, all because he had killed a john in the chusin’gai.

[Joe]

21

With Zeng’ze having left a short while ago to visit the commune in Heaven’s Gate, Astaran had felt free to pull some shit.
He actually liked it that Tryad had shown up to cause all that trouble, because it granted him the freedom to cause some of his own.
Astaran always had done everything to make the elf feel miserable and wouldn’t dream to pull the stunts he pulled on Odin, knowing that the latter was way above him in rank.
However, Astaran got a few looters together at his estate and the shabby-looking guys listened to what the Advisor wanted them to do this time.
“The elf’s away again on business,” Astaran said, “So, I want the five of you to ransack his place and this time focus on the magic-lab.
I want to see that piss-elf sweat when he needs to make some kind of brew and the ingredients and equipment are unusable.”
“Why don’t we just set the friggin’ place ablaze, huh ?” the leader of the looters demanded, “Hell, that worked great before.”
“The elf’s unpredictable,” Astaran opposed, “When he’s confronted with the past he might get blow a fuze on one helluva way and end this Universe with that damned Chant of Death.”
“The elf’s an iceberg,” the looter snorted, “He won’t use that chant, ever.”
“No fire,” Astaran said, “Just wreck the friggin’ place, alright ?”
“Yeah, okay,” The looter shrugged.
“Get moving before he returns,” Astaran barked while the paid the fellas.
The fellas nodded and moved out do their latest job.
Feeling content, Astaran sank his ass down on the settee and eyeballed the door when Faruz strolled into the sitting room.
“I just saw looters leave,” Faruz began, “You didn’t send them out again, did
you ?”
“Actually, I did, Faruz,” Astaran smirked, “I have this hobby, you see ?
How long will it take me to drive the piss-elf out of the first Grand Hell a second time.
First time was easy, I had plenty of weapons, but I would like to see Maran get the piss-elf back on His Way again.”
“I think you’re pushing it, Astaran,” Faruz said, “I mean, the first time it was okay, because he was seriously thinking about deserting us.
And if he had joined the Shapeless One, we would’ve had some real shit, but now - I think you’re going too far.
Why don’t you pull some shit on Lord Odin instead ?
Now, he still can be halted and forced into loyalty.”
“He’s second to Maran, asshole !” Astaran shrieked, “If I pull any stunts on him, Maran’s gonna have my balls for breakfast and my Eternal Existence for lunch.”
“I could go murder that little human he’s been wooing,” Faruz noted, “I’m certain that Maran won’t do us anything, knowing that he’s one of the five signs for his undoing.”
“Hands off the human, Faruz,” Astaran snorted, “He’s got lucent-powers and we’re Ancient Daemons, so they hurt us a lot.”
“True,” Faruz nodded, “And he also knows how to use them.
Alright, you go on with harassing the piss-elf, I’ll just go see if Raddan already is back then from his petite trip to the Truth Tower.
Astaroth is slumbering, we think he might awaken.”
“Make sure that he stays asleep, Faruz,” Astaran moaned, “We don’t want to find out what Temptation is up to.”
Faruz nodded and because him and the others didn’t feel like finding out, either, what the dragon was up to, Raddan had gone to the tower to discover what the fuck was going on with Astaroth.
22

On the yard of a horse-riding school, one of the co-owners had been discovered near the haystack.
And Shrink avoided looking as much as he could at Cynthia Andrews since her body had been heinously mutilated..
But, Reeves kept his mouth shut when Shrinkie went over to the horse who stood in his stable close to the haystack.
“You saw what happened last night, didn’t you ?” He asked.
The stallion remained quiet.
“Show me what you saw,” Shrink said, “And I’ll erase the memory for you.”
He laid his hand on the horse’s forehead and closed his eyes.
And saw what the stallion had seen.
He witnessed Cynthia say goodnight to all of the horses and while she was petting the stallion, there was a rustle in the haystack.
A gray ape-like monster with claws leapt out of the haystack and bit Cynthia to blind and paralyze her.
When she was down, two other vampires also emerged.
The three of them drank Cynthia’s blood and feasted on her flesh.
They were the Hezai without a doubt.

But, Shrink erased the memory from the stallion’s mind and returned to Reeves.
“What’s far-fetched is the case here,” He said.
“Those vamps ?” Reeves frowned.
“Definitely,” Shrink nodded, “I think it’s best when I go to Haz Mayal and go have a word with Avrad about these vamps.
I’m sure that he knows what we should do to halt them.”
“Let me go with you, Shrinkie,” Reeves said, “I’m dying to see where you used to live.”
“Sure, come along,” Shrinkie shrugged, “Don’t expect anything spectacular, tho.
I mean, it’s only a commune like there are so many in Haz Mayal.”
“I promised Archangel that I would help him with the kissing monks-thing,” Reeves noted, “So him and Joan will have their wish granted and where you’re going there happen to be a lot of monks I can kiss for him.”
“The trip to the barber is optional, Reeves,” Shrink snorted, “A lot of monks still have their hair.”
“Why did you decide to get rid of it all ?” Reeves asked.
“I adored my sensei and wanted to be just like him,” Shrink replied, “I was raised by the monks since I was four, because my folks left me behind on the kindergarten I was on and he was a teacher there.
Jo’no waited with me for my folks until way passed midnight, but when they still hadn’t come at three AM, he knew that they never were coming for me and took me with him to the commune.”
“Shit, Shrink,” Reeves sighed, “I didn’t know that you’d been ditched.
I’m really sorry.”
“I’m over that now, okay ?” Shrink sniffed, “Jo’no was a dream-father to me and the other orphans who lived in the commune in my days.
We all were very lucky to have found such a great home and I’m not the only one who wanted to be like Jo’no and decided to become a monk just like he is.”
Reeves nodded, he completely understood what Shrinkie was saying and concluded that he probably would’ve done the same if he’d been in the monk’s shoes.
23

Azuas, the monk in charge of the commune in Heaven’s Gate awaited Zeng’ze in the gardens, so they could talk without being disturbed.
Azuas knew what this visit was all about and didn’t want the other monks to get concerned about Elfaran’s return to these worlds.
“I’m glad you could see me, friend,” Zeng’ze said, “With my psychics jammed, I cannot tell what Elfaran wants this time.”
“He’s seeking out one being,” Azuas explained, “He’s hearing the Calling, too, but doesn’t know what to make of it and up until this point, the wrong beings surrendered to the melody.”
“Did you sense who he’s beckoning, friend ?” Zeng’ze asked.
“I’m still trying to figure that out for you,” Azuas replied, “Everything I sense is too vague to be useful to you.”
“And what will he do once he has the one he seeks ?” Zeng’ze demanded, “Do you think that he’ll become a threat to all of us once more, friend ?”
“I’m convinced of that,” Azuas stated, “He shan’t stop once he has what he wants, because as always, he’ll want more.”
“I suppose we have no choice than to let Raddan do something about him again,” Zeng’ze sighed, “I better go to inform Odin.
Thanks for the help, friend.”
“You’re welcome,” Azuas said, “But, do expect to find a mess when you get home.”
“I know, friend,” Zeng’ze smirked, “Astaran is so predictable, I would like to see the look on that piss-Advisor’s face when he discovers what the house is gonna do to those looters he sent there.”
“You didn’t - ?” Azuas asked, smothered.
“Hearing a rant-mode of that spicey criminal a few years ago gave me the idea, friend,” Zeng’ze replied, “I wish my psychics hadn’t been jammed or were a fly on the wall there now.”
“And I wish I had a crystal ball,” Azuas grinned, “Are you staying for tea ?”
“I’d like to, friend,” Zeng’ze nodded, “We want them to have a little time to find the surprise I left for them.”
“This way, then,” Azuas said as he rose to lead the way.
And the two of them took some time with finishing their tea to make sure that the looters found the surprise Zeng’ze had left for them.
The elf knew what Astaran was hoping to achieve and being fed up with returning home and finding his estate completely ransacked, he had reached the decision that it was time that the piss-Advisor stopped finding looters willing to enter the house.
24

Azranan materialized with the entrance of the Grand Palace in his shape as warrior and looked up at the enormous building.
‘If the unknown foe really is the one who got this palace back to the surface,’ he started in silence, ‘how the hell did he manage to do it ?
Back then, I let the water drag the palace to the bottom of the lake, but how did he get it to rise again ?’
He shrugged it off and decided to ponder that question later, because he now had more important matters to attend to.

Joch watched Azranan search the palace and call him while leaning back against the wall in his ghost-shape.
‘Well, well, well,’ he grunted in his mind’s voice, ‘The whore of the Absolutes has returned hither.
You converse with gods as if you’re one of them, but I do not dread a prostitute.’
“Your thoughts betrayed your hideout, Joch,” Azranan said, standing in front of him, “Did you honestly think that I wouldn’t know what you’re up to ?”
“Get out of my face, whore,” Joch snorted, “You make me sick.”
“I’ll show you what’s truly sick,” Azranan barked and forced Joch to materialize.

Joch yanked a rod off the wall to attack the warrior.
Azranan leapt away gestured to summon his throwing-stars or Doom-sickles which bore this name because they had the shape of crescent moons.
“I cursed the day you came into my life !” Joch yelled, “You murdered our gods and gave me Ther Han.
It was a mere girl who died by my hand !
How could you punish me so severely for her death ?!”
“Because she also had a right to live,” Azranan stated, “While you have not.”
He threw his sickles at Joch.
They seared around the emperor and crashed him with severe injuries.
Azranan put his booted foot down on Joch’s chest and looked down at him with arrogance and disgust.
“To who did you give Ther Han ?” He demanded.
“To a human,” Joch gurgled, “He came to this palace with two others and took a seat in my throne.
He left his backpack behind when he fled after I’d given him the - Demon-child.”
“You don’t even deserve it to exist, or die an honorable death,” Azranan grunted.
With terror in his eyes, Joch watched Azranan raise his foot.
It came down hard on the elf’s face, crushing his skull and soul to mere splinters.
Calmly, Azranan turned away from the remains and went to find the backpack he’d been told about.
He learnt the human’s name and took a gate back to Earth’s World to destroy Ther Han.
25

Deirdre Adams was the Tarot-killer’s third card.
She looked like the Hanged Man from the 22 Major Arcanum and had been tied by her ankle to a pole in the middle of her living room.
The Hanged Man means that one surrenders to a higher force and changes his or her life with it.
It’s a very good card to get, especially when things aren’t going too dandy in your spiritual or daily life.
Death is a good card, too, by the way, tho it’s often associated with real death.
It means transformation, changes and has nothing to do with starting a next life.
Only laymen think that this is the case and it’s stupid.
Victim No 2 had been dolled up as the aforementioned card and Grace had blurted in the presence of the new coroner Bob, that the resemblance between the two was striking.
Then, we found out how bitchy Bob was and also that he didn’t have a sense of humor, at all, either.

“Just say it, Grace,” Bob snapped, “Sluice your sexistic remarks and be done with it.”
“Fuck off, Bob,” Grace snorted, “I wasn’t even thinking anything.”
“Oh, sure,” Bob mocked, “You were thinking : Nice legs this broad has or something else incredibly oversexed.”
“Now you mention it,” Grace began, “She, indeed, has very nice legs.”
“Yeah, and ?” Bob demanded, “Aren’t you gonna mention her chest ?
I know you like ‘um big.”
“Yeah, and her boobs are great, too,” Grace agreed, smirking, “But, I didn’t know that you’d eyes for that, Bob.”
“I’m an extra-piece lover,” Bob barked, “I ain’t blind.”
“You skipped the line where they handed out sense of humor, didn’t you ?” Grace snorted.
“I have a sense of humor,” Bob opposed, “I’m just serious about my work, that’s all.”
“You oughta try to smile some more,” Grace said, “It doesn’t hurt, Bob, and your soul won’t shatter, either.”
Grace was right, but Bob clearly didn’t believe her.
He obviously was afraid that his face was gonna crack or something when he curled the corners of his mouth.
26

Once arrived in the World of the Lost, Fuma picked up an enormous amount of spiritual energy up north and realized that he had been correct about Lusitan being here.
Tho as he headed north, Fuma wondered who had sent the chief here.
The only ones who knew about the existence of this world were Tryad and himself.
And Tryad had heard about it from him.
Fuma shook his head and dismissed all thoughts of Tryad being behind the chief’s current shit.
He refused to believe it.
Because if he couldn’t even trust his own soul-partner who else was left he could completely trust ?
27

After he had grabbed some breakfast, Eblis-Fateh went to the Dead Gates.
He went to the old palace and as he strode thru the corridors, his mind drifted off to the time where him and Chisisi-Akil had really talked for the first time, despite of the orders their creators had given him.

Eblis-Fateh had waited until Chisisi-Akil was asleep before he got out of bed and went to the balcony to think about the things his brother had told him.
“Why have you not terminated him, Eblis-Fateh ?” A ghostly face made of stars demanded as it revealed itself to the Perfect Outsider.
Eblis-Fateh recognized the being as an Asura and got down on his knees out of respect for one of his creators.
“My brother had a point,” he stated, “He is all that I ever shall have.”
“You are creating laws you do not need,” the Asura barked, “Because you are meant to replace Chisisi-Akil, not become his comrade.”
“But, I am his Equal,” Eblis-Fateh noted, “And in a way, we need each other.
To feel complete.”
“Do not believe what he tells you,” the Asura snorted, “You do not need anyone to feel complete since you already are perfect.
Terminate your brother, instead of creating new laws you do not need.”
The ghost vanished while Eblis-Fateh rose and went back inside.

Chisisi-Akil still was asleep and Eblis-Fateh thought about the words spoken by the Asura as he watched his brother rest.
‘Are our wills that powerful ?’ he wondered in silence, ‘And are we truly creating new laws ?
If that is the case, we should even be able to destroy our creators without needing to awaken the Giant.
If I only can get him to trust me and follow my lead.’
He chuckled softly and slyly and pulled up a chair to silently watch his brother sleep.
After twenty minutes, Chisisi-Akil started to feel watched and awoke to find out who was watching him.
“Why are you watching me, brother ?” He demanded.
“I have been thinking about the things you said and thought,” Eblis-Fateh replied, “And reached the conclusion that you are correct.
About everything.”
“About everything ?” Chisisi-Akil frowned.
“Yes, everything, brother,” Eblis-Fateh nodded, “Our culture, indeed, is savage and cruel.
It should be changed.”
“And did you have ideas ?” Chisisi-Akil inquired.
“I have,” Eblis-Fateh replied, “I was thinking that when I grant enough wishes, I can move the others into doing the same.
If they only start to see what you and I have, then it shall be possible to change this culture and defy the Asura.
However, this shall take some time.
Getting the others to open their eyes will not be easy, tho I feel that it is possible to get them to see things my way.”
“I cannot believe that you agree with me,” Chisisi-Akil snorted.
“I already am awake for a long time, brother,” Eblis-Fateh stated, “I have been thinking about the dreams and desires you have and realized that what you seek is not all that insane, actually.
Recreating the Dead Gates might not be as impossible as we think it is if and when we can get the other Outsiders to open their eyes, too, and join us.”
“I cannot believe that you want to aid me,” Chisisi-Akil said, shaking his head, “Until last night, you still wanted my existence-core.”
“I was a fool and obeyed our creators, brother,” Eblis-Fateh stated and went to sit on the edge of the bed, “But, allow me to aid you now.”
“I will,” Chisisi-Akil nodded.
“Good,” Eblis-Fateh said, “And leave everything to me.
I shall protect you against the others until they have opened their eyes, too, and are ready to join you and me.”
“That sounds like a dream, brother,” Chisisi-Akil nodded.

‘Indeed, it did, my brother,’ Eblis-Fateh thought upon returning to the present, ‘Tho back then, you did not trust me and continued to get in my way, because you believed that I was not trying, at all, to change our culture.’
He entered the library and pulled up a chair.
Tho he knew now where he had gone astray and was doing things differently now by informing his brother of what he exactly had in mind and for which reasons.
“Fabled One !” the bird hollered, “I searched half of the Eternal-stream for you !”
Eblis-Fateh watched the bird land on his shoulder.
“And why were you searching for me, my friend ?” the Outsider demanded, “Can you not find a better liege ?”
“No, all the Birds’ Rights Organization has to offer are even bigger bullies than you can be at times,” the bird replied, “So, I think I will keep you, Fabled One.”
“Charmed, my friend,” Eblis-Fateh hissed, like a serpent.
“I hate it when you do that, Fabled One,” the bird snorted and climbed up on the Outsider’s head and tucked at his ear, “When you make it so obvious that you are a snake.”
“I cannot deny my nature, my friend,” Eblis-Fateh grinned, “You are what you are, after all.”
“That brings me to something I wanted to discuss with you, Fabled One,” the bird began, “I feel that I should be allowed to sing whenever I feel like it.”
“You shall be allowed to sing once the Giant is awake and you have wished for a better set of vocal-chords, my friend,” Eblis-Fateh stated, “But, as long as you do not sound like a nightingale yet, I want you to zip it up.”
“But, but, but,” the bird stammered, “When will that be ?
I do not know when the time is at hand to restore the Giant, Fabled One.”
“But, I do, my friend,” Eblis-Fateh chuckled, serpent-like, “It shall be after Baruti has returned home, has dealt with the Eternals and last foe of the general-stream and prepares to face my comrades and myself.
After my defeat, the telepath-barrier shall disappear and the Sahan will move.
Azranan will become the new Emperor of The Depth and then, the time shall arrive to recover the six orbs which are going to restore the Giant.”
“Sounds good, but - ” the bird snorted, “But, you are not serious about being defeated, are you ?
I mean, I know you. How can you be defeated, Fabled One ?”
“I am a part of the chain-reaction, my friend,” Eblis-Fateh explained, “I shall have to perish with the others if I want Baruti, his comrades and my brother to awaken the Giant.”
“And you are okay with that ?” the bird demanded, sliding down the Outsider’s shoulder to his lap, “I thought we were pals, Fabled One ?”
“I am prepared to be defeated, my friend,” Eblis-Fateh replied, “Because I want you and Kala to live in a perfect Universe.
However, this Universe can only be created when I perish with the other Perfect Outsiders.”
Saying nothing, the bird rolled up on the Outsider’s lap.
He had forgotten that his new liege’s demise was a part of his plan, and now dreaded the thought, because he had grown so attached to him.
When he came up with this strategy, he had felt nothing for the Perfect Outsider, tho now he felt that he was leading his pal to his nemesis.
28

Hearing the strangest sounds out on the front-lawn and not trusting his psychics this time, Astaran went outside to find out what was going on.
His jaw crashed to the ground when he saw that the five looters were looking - Yeah, different now.
They had become creepy combo-animals.
Frog-goose, hare-weasel, duck-squirrel, pigeon-horse and badger-tortoise.
“The piss-elf was expecting us,” the leader of the gang more or less neighed, “Because he set up a trap in the corridor leading to the magic-lab.”
“And then this weird light began to shine, moo !” the badger-tortoise looter continued, “And before we really knew what had happened, we already had changed into these creatures.”
“And what do you assholes expect me to do ?” Astaran inquired, “I can’t change you back, fellas.”
“Give a command or something to that piss-elf, I don’t care !” the leader shrieked, “Just let him change us all back.”
“Knowing the elf, he won’t do it,” Astaran said, “After all, you did break into his place when this happened, didn’t you ?
Hell, I’ll see you combo-animals around somewhere.”
He went back inside and closed the frontdoor behind him, leaving the looters behind dumbfounded.
The fellas just couldn’t believe it that Astaran would just abandon them after all those centuries of loyal service and concluded that what they had heard about him was correct, after all.
He was a piss-Advisor, indeed.
29

Shrink hardly recognized the place when he entered the commune grounds with Reeves.
It looked just like it did when he left, but the vibes of the place had changed.
He sensed terror and fear now and asked himself what had happened.
“O’ano, long time no see,” Lua’kan greeted him with a light embrace.
“Indeed, it’s been too long,” Shrink nodded, returning the embrace, “But, what happened here ?”
“It’s the oni,” Lua’kan whispered in Salanx.
“The oni ?” Shrink demanded in the same tongue, “Who’s the oni ?”
“That young god, O’ano,” Lua’kan stated, “Avrad discovered his secret and he’s been terrorizing all of us ever since.”
“I don’t follow,” Shrink snorted, “What happened here ?”
“We learnt that he’s evil,” Lua’kan explained, “We also discovered that it wasn’t his partner who’s the bad seed, it’s Tryad.”
“He’s the Mask of Appearances, the greenery at his ankles,” Shrink swallowed, “All this time, we thought Tryad had been captured and enchanted by Fuma while it was the other way around.”
“Exactly,” Lua’kan nodded, “We all have been blind fools, O’ano.”
“Where’s Avrad ?” Shrink demanded, “I need to speak with him this instant.”
“I’m afraid he’s unavailable,” Lua’kan sighed, “He’s been drifting between this life and the next since the oni attacked him.
Jo’no’s with him, go speak with him about this situation.”
“I will,” Shrink nodded and moved.
While Lua’kan faced Reeves.
“Come,” he said, “my kitchen is open, even tho we’re having a few problems here.”
“I know, my Salanx and ears are perfect,” Reeves noted.
“Then, you’re aware of what’s going on here, good,” Lua’kan nodded, “I’ll tell you what happened while I serve you some tea.”
“Thanks,” Reeves said and went with Lua’kan to the kitchen where the kitchen-monk served him a glass of tea and told him about what Tryad had done to Avrad before he split to cause all of the other shit that was currently going on.
30

Grace and Belle had invited Equinox and myself over to initiate their new house.
They had moved to a bigger place for a lot of reasons.
One of them was that they needed a room for Andy, the six year old kid they were gonna adopt officially, shortly.
And after dinner, Grace accompanied me while I walked the captain.
He’d been drinking a lot, because the water at a stranger’s house always tasted better and he’d told me more than once that he really needed to look up a tree.
And so, we went for a walk around the block.
“You know, Warlock was ecstatic,” Grace noted, “When the adoption-agency gave their okay, he immediately moved his ass to tell his pals about Andy.
When he’s enthusiastic about something, he wants these worlds to know about it.”
“He reminds me of you then,” I said, “You have the same.”
“I have ?” Grace snorted, “Bro, you’re biased.
But, how’s Dave ? I heard that he’s terminally ill.”
Dave was a friend of us both.
“It ain’t looking good, at all,” I replied, “He’s worried the most about his daughter, Micki-Joel.
The way it looks now, she’ll probably end up inside an orphanage.”
The teen gender-bender was quite a tomboy and a pack of trouble and Dave’s relatives didn’t want a brat like her around.
Which was total bullshit in my opinion, because I thought she was okay just as she was.
I’d already discussed the possibility of taking her in with Equinox, tho he refused to raise somebody else’s kid.
He found himself a little too old for those things which was total bullshit, too, because we’re only four years apart and I didn’t feel too old for those things, yet.
“Bro, maybe Belle and I can take her in, if she wants it,” Grace said, “I mean, to let her spend her days inside an orphanage just because she wants to be herself isn’t really fair on her, is it ?”
“It isn’t,” I agreed and looked around when a strange kind of uneasiness filled my soul.
“What’s up ?” Grace demanded.
“Something’s up with Blind,” I replied, “Take care of the captain, I’m outa here.”
I split and Grace looked down at the captain.
“Let’s go, captain,” she sighed, “Let’s go home, my tits and I are still far from understanding how this thing with keepers and guardian-beings work.”
‘Me and my couch don’t understand it, either,’ the captain noted, ‘I think I gotta sleep on it a lot to learn, tho.’
“When you figure it out, let me know about it, because my darlin’s are like totally clueless,” Grace snorted and as she returned to the house, she ignored the premonition she got of something big that was about to explode when Blind got killed.
31

Raddan half-and-half expected something when Lord Odin called him to his estate and the little Dark Priest found Zeng’ze there, too.
“What’s the matter, friend ?” Zeng’ze inquired, “Are you having troubles with the conscience you don’t have ?”
“No, I haven’t,” Raddan replied, “Lord Odin dragged me away from a great service.
It had all these nice young girls.”
“The girls are extremely lucky then, friend,” Zeng’ze hissed, “I mean, knowing you murder them.
It’s typical, tho, because I heard of plenty of other priests that also are child-killers.”
“Go to hell, you fuck-elf,” Raddan snorted, “It’s not like your private life can be called normal.”
“There’s shit wrong with my private life, Raddan,” Zeng’ze opposed, “At least all my partners are adults and give their consent to being hurt some.”
“You’re so sick, elf,” Raddan snorted.
“I hope you become a eunuch priest one day, friend,” Zeng’ze smirked, “It would mean one threat less for this Universe’s girls.”
“That’s enough, fellas,” Odin intervened after having observed it for a bit, “Sit on the remarks, both of you.”
“The piss-elf started it,” Raddan snorted, “Why don’t you tell him to shut up, huh ?
Or do you want to keep him on your side, because you’re afraid he’ll dissect your fave little human to woo.”
“Raddan,” Odin started, “if you don’t put an Eternal in it, I’m gonna speed up time and make a eunuch of you now.
I’ll give your manhood to the elf, so he can use it in some whatever-potion.”
“Just feed it to the Hounds of Lhann, Odin,” Zeng’ze said, “I really wouldn’t know what to do with the Manhood of Jackasses.”
Raddan gritted his teeth and was visibly pissed.
“Let’s just get to the point now,” Odin began, smirking, “Tryad brought the Hezai and them meteor-creatures to this mortal coil.”
“Is that little human of yours safe ?” Raddan inquired with a sneer.
“Put the Book of the Fuckin’ Universe in it, Raddan,” Odin grunted, “Don’t forget your rank.”
“Ex-cuse me for mentioning the human, Lord Odin,” Raddan snorted, “You’re getting touchier by the day about him.
You truly are in love, aren’t you ?”
“One more remark and I’ll inform Maran of your grave disloyalty the next time I meet him,” Odin noted, leaning closer to look the little priest in the eyes, “And do you, honest to your balls, want to find out what daddy Maran does when he gets off his ass ?
It’s quite painful, you know ?”
“No, I don’t,” Raddan replied, being afraid of this pain Odin had mentioned.
“Then shut up, Raddan,” Odin said, “However, to get back to the point, Zeng’ze and I already decided to solve the shit with the Hezai and meteor-creatures.
And we got you here for a different reason.
The little otaku also returned the organist, Elfaran, to this Cosmos, he already has resumed with collecting the bodies and souls of those who can hear The Calling.”
“I’m gonna kick his ass again !” Raddan barked, “It’ll be over my dead body if he ever wins !”
He got up and stormed out.
“That priest is so predictable,” Odin said, “I’ll bet he’s looking forward to having Elfaran all to himself, knowing he had to share him with Arrinyr the last time.”
“He’s gonna have to share him again, friend,” Zeng’ze noted, “I think it’ll be with one of those criminals.”
“Your spicey friend or one of those guys who backed you up with the minions ?” Odin inquired.
“I think it’ll be the pessimistic one, friend,” Zeng’ze replied, “My spicey friend is busy elsewhere currently with halting one of his own creations.”
“Does he truly hold the Power of Creation, elf ?” Odin frowned, “How did he learn it ?”
“One of the deaths he died taught him this skill, friend,” Zeng’ze stated, “It truly is amazing what beings can learn thru death, isn’t it ?”
“It sure is,” Odin nodded, “He could become Death Itself once he has died all the deaths that exist.
But, of course, you don’t wish this for anyone, tho to me it sounds like he’s well on his way already when he already holds the Power of Creation.”
“Well, my friend,” Zeng’ze began, “he already is almost there.
The only death he hasn’t died yet is one caused by a Deadly Weapon.
And if he challenges the Dancer and wins after this, he’ll be Death Itself.”
“The way on which I hear it, we both only have Death left to die,” Odin noted, “You know I died all of them, too, in my incarnations.”
“But if you face your final death, friend,” Zeng’ze said, “It’ll be your nemesis.
Anti-time will turn you into a grand puzzle nobody in this Cosmos can make.”
“Maran called me Alpha and Omega, elf,” Odin shrugged, “And being the Beginning and the End, I have no other weakness beside Time.
Which reminds me, why is the only weakness you have this Book of Blood ?
I mean, it sounds as creepy to me as your potions can be sometimes.”
“The Book of Blood contains Anti-existence, friend,” Zeng’ze explained, “And Anti-existence is the only power that can destroy Hell, like Time can destroy Death.”
“I see,” Odin nodded, “And nearly all of my powers are based on Death on some way, like yours are based on Hell.
It all is about the Core you hold.”
“Exactly, friend,” Zeng’ze confirmed, “With Astaran’s Core being Psychic, he’s weak against any attack that’ll invade the core of his ability.
You have the inherited weakness you get with your race and a personal weakness you have based on the abilities you possess.”
“You should be called Second to Maran, elf,” Odin noted, “I mean, you can tell me a thing or two about creation and shit.
Where did you learn all of this about Nemesis-keys, anyway ?”
“I learnt it when I started to research the Forces Eternals have, friend,” Zeng’ze stated, “When I discovered what their Force was all about, I also learnt to understand what it is the Ancient Daemons hold.
Their Core is comparable to a Force, but while Eternals hold a part of the Universal Balance, Ancient Daemons all hold a part of the negative time-void.
This gives them their Final-attack.
When you use it, you actually destroy the part of the time-void you hold within.
That’s why your Final-attack kills you after you have used it.”
“That’s why it isn’t likely that you’ll ever see an Ancient Daemon use this ace,” Odin noted, “I mean, we all know that it leads to death.
But the lower-class daemons don’t have a Final-attack.”
“But, they have, friend,” Zeng’ze opposed, “They have the Death-wire.
However, since the lower-class daemons are immortal - because they don’t hold a part of the time-void - using this attack won’t always lead to death.”
“I never knew this, elf,” Odin noted.
“All my knowledge comes from books and experience on the battlefield, friend,” Zeng’ze said, “But, hell, we should get going now.”
“Yeah,” Odin nodded, “We can always continue our chat later.”
They moved out, being ready for a battle with these meteor-monsters and the Hezai before they made mountains of victims.
They also expected to meet Lusitan’s criminals and they were looking forward to being joined by them in combat, because they perhaps were somewhat inexperienced, but definitely were great warriors.
32

This melody, it kept returning.
It didn’t matter whether Smiley was looking at a corpse or was resting or meditating.
He kept hearing the organ-music.
Tho now the moons were full outside, he heard it clearer than before.
And as if hypnotized, he got out of bed and moved to the back verandah to look at the night-sky.
In the middle moon, he saw a being sit behind an enormous organ.
He had the lower-body of a serpent and was playing the melody he was already hearing since he got this case.
‘There aren’t many who can hear the Calling,’ the organist stated, ‘Tell me what you feel, human, when you hear this music.’
‘Pain,’ Smiley replied, telepathically, ‘It’s like I’ll expire when I don’t surrender to the melody.’
‘Come to me,’ the organist chuckled, ‘The pain will go away when you come to me.
I’ve been Calling - You… ’
‘Me ?’ Smiley asked.
‘Yes, you,’ Elfaran confirmed, ‘The wrong beings responded to The Calling I sent into this Universe -
Especially for you, human…’
Smiley went to banister.
Mike saw his dad move his ass and was too late with halting him, because he’d already jumped down.
Mike didn’t look down, because he didn’t want to see Johnno lay on the parking lot.
If he had looked, tho, he would’ve seen that Smiley had vanished before he ever hit the street.
32

While hiding in the darkest corner of his flat together with his cats, Blind heard the vampires and that other man ravage his place while searching for him.
And he remembered what had occurred before he went into hiding with the cats in the kitchen-closet.
He had awoken when he heard his cats hiss and found himself looking at a guy who sure looked like Blake, holding a Deadly Dagger to his throat.
And there were four Hezai in his company, ready to feast on his flesh.
One of them was holding one of his cats, threatening to kill her and all fuzes just blew with Ashara.
He drenched the entire flat in complete and utter darkness and had grabbed all five of his cats to haul ass.
And then, he discovered that the way out had been sealed and his powers had been weakened too much to be useful in combat.
His best option was to hide and that’s when he remembered the petite storage-basement and decided to hide in it.

Running down the gallery to Blind’s flat, I heard the racket inside.
The frontdoor had been sealed shut, so I focused all of my psycho-strength on the window to shatter the glass and enter.
And I was more than crushed when I suddenly was kind of sort of looking at myself.
“Who are you ?!” I demanded, trying to pick up Blind’s vibes.
“The enemy, isn’t that obvious ?” Tryad replied, “I knew you’d come here, tho.”
I gritted my teeth and attacked the guy with all of shit-tricks I knew.
Tryad split and told the beast-vamps to attack before he dematerialized.

What happened next still is kind of blurred, till this very date.
All I remember of it was seeing them charge at me and this feeling of utter powerlessness befell me when nothing seemed effective against them.
At a certain point, I was grabbed and felt my arms get twisted behind my back and saw Blind’s cats split thru the broken window.
“So, they even turned against you,” Blind noted while he also was brought to the hall by another vamp, “Stupid of you to use them to get rid of me.”
“That wasn’t me, Blind,” I stated, “It was our foe.”
“He’s right,” one of the beast-vamps said, “Our employer feels it’ll be in his own best interest when you start to distrust and suspect each other.”
“I suppose that your employer doesn’t happen to have a name, does he ?” I grunted.
“Everyone,” the Hezai mocked and squatted in front of me, “Say, you know it in your soul, don’t you, that you’re his keeper ?
Would you be willing to trade your life for his ?”
“Yes, I would,” I replied without a second thought.
“Fascinating,” the Hezai snorted, “I see that the Universal Laws of Keepers still apply in this day and age.”
He knew more than I did, because even tho I felt these laws, I didn’t have the foggiest idea on how or why.
I felt the fangs on the beast-vamp that held me in my left neck.
“Let Blind go,” I swallowed, “I want to see him walk out of here before I give you my life.”
“Escort him to the door,” the Hezai said as he rose and looked down at me, “He’ll live, friend.”
I saw Blind look back as he was escorted to the frontdoor.
And felt the fangs dig into my flesh.
I was forced out of my body and in a spiritual form witnessed how Blind was murdered, too.
“Our orders were to kill you both,” the Hezai said to our deceased bodies, “And we have a habit of executing our orders correctly.”
This white ball of light left Blind’s flesh and went to the guy who had taken on my likeness.
He took the ball and shattered it like glass.
The shards shot away in opposite directions.
“At last,” Tryad chuckled, “my arch-enemy no longer is.
I finally have been freed of him.”
He dematerialized and I didn’t stick around to watch how our bodies were devoured by these beast-vamps.
Instead, I took Blind’s soul and split with him into the spirit-void, hoping that I would bump into someone, anyone there who would be able to revive a murdered soul or could tell me how to do it.
34

The headlights of Dune’s 18-wheeler snaked over the road ahead.
It was long after midnight and Dune wanted to get to the pitstop as soon as he could, because he didn’t like it to sleep on unguarded parking-lots.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a man appeared in his headlights.
Dune stood on his brakes, but couldn’t prevent that he hit the man.
“Stupid prick,” Dune mumbled as he got out, “I hope that he isn’t too badly injured.”
He looked under the truck.
But to his astonishment saw no one.
Dune shook his head, rubbed his eyes and looked a second time.
He never could have been dreaming.
A groan behind him, made him turn around.
And he choked when he saw a monster one only sees in his worst nightmares.
It was a horned beast with a sharp-featured head and it looked like it had decomposed to certain degree, because a part of his bones and muscles were visible thru the dark-brown fur.
“The oldest trick never fails,” The beast noted, taking in what Dune had on flesh on his bones.
“Oldest trick ?” Dune swallowed, being crushed a second time, because the monster spoke in high English.
“You hit an illusion, friend,” the monster smirked with a lot of fangs, “Cheerio, let’s feast.”
He whistled his mates and there was nothing Dune could do to prevent that he was yum-yummed up by these articulate creatures.
35

The seventeen hours were up.
Lou’s body felt it even as he lay in his coffin six feet under.
He felt a strange kind of energy surge thru him as he heard the Calling.
And used this power to blow the lid off his coffin.
Richard and Anton - who were delving graves a little further away - weren’t astounded or even in the least bit surprised when Lou climbed out of his grave and dematerialized when he reached the graveyard’s gates.
“There goes another one,” Anton noted, dryly, “He’s already the fourth that splits on us.”
“We better review our company-policies,” Richard said, “The stiffs obviously are discontent with the services.”
“Indeed,” Anton agreed, “They would’ve stayed put otherwise.”
“Tho I wonder,” Richard began, “If the same will happen to Johnno.
Equinox told me that he was buried on Red Hill this afternoon.”
“I think so,” Anton replied, “But, the thing I’m curious about is where they’re going.”
Richard was asking himself the same question.
He already was an undertaker for years, but never had experienced anything quite like this whole thing ever before.
36

Card No 3 looked like the magician.
A card which depicted a man who got power from the heavens and changed it into earthly strength.
But Grace who already was in a bad mood, because there had been three recent deaths of folks she knew, got even more pissed when she laid eyes on Bob.
She pitied his trainee, Jane, however, because she was well-aware of the fact how cranky he was.
Smiley had been found in the old Sierra Park as dead as a fuckin’ doornail and Blind and Blake were found last night in the Sha’razi’s flat.
The cats were found unharmed on the fire-escape and had been taken in by Blind’s landlord.
“Make it fast,” Grace said to the stiff-sniffers, “I’m not in the mood for long stories, right now.”
“I understand,” Jane nodded, “The guy’s name is Hugh Perkins and I assume that the rest of scene is self-explanatory.”
“It is,” Grace nodded while the lab-boys lay Hugh’s body on a gurney.
One of the guy’s hands dropped alongside of it and Grace noticed burns on the inside of his right hand.
“Bob, did you see this ?” She demanded.
“See what ?” Bob asked.
“He’s a fireworker who clearly used his ability before he died,” Grace stated, “You should’ve seen this first, asswipe.”
Fireworkers were fellas who can create sort of fireworks between their hands and cause another to end up walking around burnt.
“I let Jane do the examination,” Bob said.
“Don’t blame it on your trainee, Bob,” Grace barked, “You should’ve checked her work.
If she’d been born all-knowing, she wouldn’t have had the shit of having to work with you.”
“I’m easier for Jane than I am for you,” Bob noted, “I hate the smell of your ass, Officer Dobbson.”
“Go tell that to the cat,” Grace snorted, “And it wouldn’t harm you when you were a little more professional.
We work with folks we dislike a lot more than you do, Bob.
Grow up.”
She barged out telling the crew to fax her the report, because she had a few housecalls to make, but needed to gain some composure first and which better way was there than to rearrange a few suspects while she made confessing easier for them ?
37

Lusitan awoke when someone gently laid a hand on his shoulder and tore his eyes open to find out who it was.
It was His Huh-huhness.
“Fuma, how’d you find me ?” Lusitan demanded while sitting up straight.
“Lucky guess,” Fuma replied, “I’m here to get you back to your body, everyone’s worried.”
“I discovered that Azranan’s the traitor,” Lusitan stated, “He did this, because he feels that I deserted him when he needed someone, desperately.”
“I refuse to believe you, chief,” Fuma said, “The kiddo would never do this to you.
If he were to hold a grudge, he would’ve challenged you for a Duel of Honor.
You must’ve seen someone else.”
“It was him, Fuma,” Lusitan opposed, “He knew things only he could know about those last days.
He even knew that life went on even tho he was being tortured to death and also knew that no one missed him.”
Fuma looked away, finding this difficult to stomach.
“We never once thanked him, either,” Lusitan stated, “He got Jez, H’dae, Blind and myself out of the basement by talking “business” with Kajar and Hassan.
Due to him, we weren’t driven over the edge of total insanity.
But never we honored him for these deeds.”
“And I suppose he feels it’s too late now,” Fuma sighed, “But, I don’t get it, chief.
Why would he have bothered then to prevent Blind’s murder ?
It would’ve been easier to simply let him get killed by Augus.
And why did he bother to get Kajar out of your life ?
I mean, he was well on his way with leading you to your nemesis.”
“I don’t get it, either,” Lusitan snorted, “Maybe he’s been plotting this all along and decided that there was a better way to exact his revenge on all of us.”
“That is, indeed, what I thought, chief,” Tryad said, appearing in Azranan’s warrior-shape, “You never can repay the debts you all have made to me, anyway.
And I want you all to suffer as much as I did.
So die, assholes !”
He gestured and the World of the Lost began to fall apart.
“The time you had to get out of here, just was limited further,” Tryad concluded, “Because if you don’t find the gate soon, you’ll be swallowed by the anti-matter and shall be lost for all eternity.”
The little otaku vanished and Fuma and Lusitan got up to run like shit !
This world was coming to end around them and they - indeed - only had a short while to get out of here.
38

After she’d seen victims seven, eight and nine of the first case, Grace decided to look up yippie-Halo.
However, His Yippieness was looking slightly mad when he opened the door to let Grace inside.
“Welcome, Grace,” he smiled, somewhat deranged, “Don’t watch the mess.”
“I won’t,” Grace said and strolled into the living room.
All the closets were open and their contents lay scattered across the floor.
“Man, it’s a pig-sty !” She shrieked.
“The sergeant, right ?” She made a stab at it.
“Yeah, and sometimes I hate that dog,” Halo grunted, “He was alone for fifteen minutes and when I came back that piss-ant had figured out all the locks.”
“Where is that piss-ant ?” Grace inquired.
“Under the kitchen-table feeling guilty as shit,” Halo replied, “I chewed him out and he moved there ponder his deeds.
But, the worst part is that I feel terrible, too, because I yelled at him.”
“I’ll help you with cleaning up,” Grace decided, knowing exactly how good animals were with emotional extortion.
“It’s appreciated, Grace,” Halo said, “Because I really didn’t know where to begin.”
Grace helped His Yippieness with cleaning everything up and Halo learnt why he never wanted to move.
He was a junk-collector, too, and had space left by the time they were finished.
A little bit later, Halo made them something to drink and took the photos of the first three business-men.

“The killers are three young women,” he stated, “Somehow it feels like they’ve been programmed, tho they also are alive.
They were produced and programmed solely to execute commands given to them by a third party.”
“We’re looking for real broads here ?” Grace smirked, “Are their knockers big ?”
“C-cup, at least !” Halo shrieked, “And don’t go thru any trouble trying to crack this case, because I sense that it’ll come to a very unexpected end with a visitor.”
“A visitor ?” Grace frowned, “ Who is it ?”
“You know him well,” Halo grinned, “And you what, Grace ? Because he’ll come to you, you’ll get the chance to make him feel what he did to you.”
“Halo, you completely lost me,” Grace snorted.
“Snake would say that it’s one of his brilliant plans.” Halo grinned some more, “But, don’t worry about Blake, Smiley and Blind, they’ll be alright.”
“I miss my other half like crazy,” Grace snorted, “I sure hope you’re right, Halo.”
“I’m always right, Grace,” Halo stated a fact, “And my fave Ancient Daemon to see is around, too.
He’ll get everyone back and Blake will learn what a keeper is.”
“Well, what is it ?” Grace inquired, “I made a deal with the captain, we would tell each other when either one of us figured it out.”
“It’s a commitment of the soul,” Halo replied and explained to Grace what keepers were.
Not so long ago, Odin had explained it to him which had resulted in the fact that His Shit-riddleness also understood what it exactly was that was between Maze and Jez.
Maze was Jez’s keeper.
In Forgotten Times, all beings who held an unique ability had had a keeper, because without one, none of them would have managed to survive.
39

Not knowing what to think of this case, Gold and Moon stared at Steve Hogan’s remains.
He already was the third truckdriver who was found half-eaten on the 334 Interstate.
Dune Marshak had been the first and his truck had been recovered 2 miles further down the Interstate squashed like a tin-can.
“I wish I could tell you guys where to go in order to find these culprits,” Adrian said, “But, I’m not picking up any vibes about who or what could’ve done this.”
“Maybe we’re dealing with monsters here,” Moon snorted, “And if so, they must be strong, because of what they did to Mr. Marshak’s truck.”
“But, what kind of monsters d’you think we’re looking for then ?” Gold inquired, “Escapees from the Dangerous Species Reserve in Droye or something that has just arrived here ?”
“I wish I knew the answer to that question, Gold,” Moon sighed, “I honestly don’t have the foggiest idea on where to start searching.”
“I think it’s safe for us to rule out anything remotely humanoid,” Gold said, “And definitely focus on the monsters-thing.
Wouldn’t you agree, Adrian ?”
“I do,” Adrian nodded, “And when I sensed Dune’s remains, I got the clear feeling that he saw something which made him stop the truck and get out.
He wasn’t dragged out of the vehicle, he got out because there was something going on outside the truck.”
“This case is getting weirder all the time,” Moon sniffed, “Let’s just go see if we can locate Mr. Hogan’s truck and next make our housecall, Gold.”
Gold agreed and they had a look around, hoping that they would find the truck Mr. Hogan had been in.
After about an hour, they found the truck yanked into five pieces on the other side of the ravine which gave Gold and Moon the strong feeling that they weren’t simply searching for one monster, but a whole flock of them.
In which they were right.
40

Avrad lay on his bed in his chamber.
His wounds had been dressed, tho he wasn’t recovering, his condition was only getting worse.
“He saw what Tryad was planning and attempted to halt him,” Jo’no stated when he laid eyes on Shrink, “Tryad attacked and would’ve killed him if Crysal and Lua’kan hadn’t managed to get Avrad out of the chamber.”
“What did he do to him ?” Shrink demanded, looking at the wounds.
“He was attacked from within, we could barely prevent that the oni devoured him,” Jo’no replied, “Tryad is a formidable opponent, we’ll never be able to defeat him with the powers we possess.
He already threatened Avrad before, but we hadn’t foreseen that he actually would execute them.”
“He wanted to devour Avrad ?” Shrink demanded.
“The oni is a soul-eater, O’ano,” Jo’no stated, “He scares the living shit out of all of us and threatens to devour us all whenever we lay down to rest.
He continues to invade our dreams and is making all of our lives nearly impossible.”
“I think I know who can aid Avrad,” Shrink said, “That elf amongst the Ancient Daemons might also know a way to keep Tryad out of your dreams.”
“It’s madness to ask an Ancient Oni for aid, O’ano !” Jo’no shrieked.
“It would be under normal circumstances,” Shrink nodded, “But, they have long-ceased.
I’ll journey to the first Grand Hell and will ask for his aid. This death is not worthy for Avrad.”
“Take Crysal with you,” Jo’no said, “And don’t worry about your friend, he’ll be fine here.”
“I know,” Shrink snorted and turned to fetch Crysal before he took a gate to the first Grand Hell to ask for Zeng’ze’s assistance.
He couldn’t and wouldn’t let the chief-monk expire as a result of something Tryad had done to him and Shrink also hoped that Zeng’ze knew of a way which would prevent that Tryad threatened the others whenever they slept.
41

The little otaku was looking more diabolical than before as he strolled thru the stone-grove being in search of something.
With Blind’s death, he had gained the upperhand, because the only one he felt could ever halt him was gone.
His powers had been shattered and his soul murdered.
“You really think that you’ve won now, haven’t you ?” A man with the shadow of dragon demanded, taking on form.
“Yes, I have won, indeed,” Tryad hissed, “My arch-enemy no longer is, after all.”
“You shan’t have won, boy, until you face him on the top of the Truth Tower and defeat him there,” the man stated, “Only then, the Eternal Battle between the two of you shall be decided.”
“What the fuck are you talking about ?” Tryad barked.
“You’re merely proving your own dark heart now, boy,” the man replied, “You shall not be called evil by me, until the Trigram of Damnation appears to you.
Only when it does I shall know who you are and until then, all the misery you cause will be undone.”
“You’re the first to doubt my nature,” Tryad noted, “Who are you ?”
“I am your keeper, boy,” The man stated.
“My keeper ?” Tryad snorted, “I don’t have a keeper, asshole.”
“You have me, boy,” the man said, “You already awoke me once with the darkness in your innermost being.
And know this, you can only awaken me three times before the Age of Truth has begun.
When the third time arrives, I shall destroy you.”
“Destroy me ?” Tryad mocked, “Who the fuck do you think you are for threatening me ?
You don’t hold any power over me, nor can you give me any commands.”
“I shall awaken again, boy, to take your Eternal Existence from you,” the man said, “And I shall awaken the third time to kill you.
Because until the time is there for you to make the journey to the top of my tower, you shall always be defeated.
This is not your Era yet…”
He dematerialized and Tryad shrugged it off.
That Ancient Daemon was full of shit.
Who would be able to defeat him now ?
Zeng’ze ?
Would Odin be able to resurrect Blind ?
He had created more shit than those criminals and a few Ancient Daemons could handle and was certain that Fuma and Lusitan were gonna go down under in the World of the Lost.
He was convinced of his victory this time and didn’t take the man’s words seriously.
Tho he would have, if he had known that this particular Ancient Daemon was Astaroth.

[Joe]

42

Seth led Derek into his condo.
They’d met at the bowling-alley and once they started talking, had discovered that they had a lot more common interests like chess and yachting.
Derek had challenged Seth for a match of chess which was accepted, because Seth wanted to find out how good Derek was.
“Can I offer you a soda, Derek ?” Seth inquired.
“Leave the chess,” Derek groaned, “And leave the soda.”
Seth backed away when Derek began to transform.
“Are you a shape shifter ?” He swallowed.
“No, I am Ther Han, an evil who was created in ancient times to serve as one man’s curse,” The demon-child replied, having taken on his true form.
“One man’s curse ?” Seth demanded.
“My Father shall not find me as I have learnt to take on many forms,” Ther Han stated.
“I hope that whoever he is, that he will find you,” Seth noted and made a dash for the door.
Tho he was grabbed and felt the Demon-child tear thru his soul as he took both body and spirit to himself and renewed himself by doing so.
43

After having been awake most of the night, Seth got out of bed when the silver dragons started to fly over Aleron and sank his ass down in a chair.
Even tho Khalid and Rashidi had been keeping it quiet, the rumor had begun to spread that Khalid wanted that a mortal with the power to control the beasts, came here to restore order.
Because since Baruti had been captured by Maran, who the Outsiders always called the stranger, the riots began.
Frequently, the Consciousnesses living in Aleron-city divided in two or more groups and fought each other and destroyed houses and stores.
Nobody knew why they were fighting and it always began out of the blue.
When Baruti still lived here, the Consciousnesses never fought, because he had the mysterious ability to ease conflicts and make the desire to fight abandon folks.
He kept peace in Aleron, because he also had a mysterious power of knowing what it was the Consciousnesses wanted.
He gave them what they sought and also taught them to share their good fortune with others.
He left Aleron voluntarily when the stranger terminated hundreds of Guides and Overseers and captured a Creative Consciousness.
Khalid was against it, but gave his consent when Baruti insisted and knowing how stubborn his Equal was, he gave his okay and told Baruti to be careful.
But, after he left, everything changed.
The Consciousnesses started fighting and everybody was clueless on what it was they wanted.
All emotions and feelings were unnamed in the Outsider civilization and that the Outsiders of Aleron had learnt to define their emotions as positive or negative had been entirely due to Rashidi who always had been different and wiser than the other Outsiders.

Tho Baruti’s capture had not only brought great misfortune to everybody living in this part of the Universe, it also had been a great personal loss for Khalid.
Because Baruti had been the emperor’s partner or Equal as Outsiders called it.
An Equal, tho, was much more than a partner.
He was beside a lover, also a father, brother and best friend.
According to Outsider-beliefs, you only got one Equal as long as you existed and because the majority of Outsiders lived alone, you were considered extremely lucky if you ever met him.

However, the events of the past had changed Rashidi and he also had begun to see the mortals as an inferior species which only brought pain and misery.
Once Baruti no longer was there, worlds began to isolate themselves and sealed all gates to cut off all contact with others.
Because shortly after his capture, tragedy befell the world of Kylia Fayrouz, an empire which lay just beyond the Eternal Gates.
The three year old son of the emperor and empress was abducted by another stranger from the general-stream and while all the rulers wanted was to find their son, another empire exploited the fact that Kylia Fayrouz’ guard was down.
In a short, but heavy war, Kylia Fayrouz was destroyed and her sister empire, Tehfat, sealed all gates, so nobody could ever unpleasantly surprise them again like this.
All other empires panicked and frantically began to follow Tehfat’s example.
Khalid tried to reason with them by telling them that instead of retreating they had to do something to halt these mortals.
But, all they barked at the negotiation-table was that they weren’t cold and emotionless like the Outsiders were and cared about their people.
Khalid told them that he did care about his own people, too, and that this was why he proposed to do something to halt the mortals that kept visiting the Eternal-stream.
He was not believed and all empires went their own way.

The peace Baruti had created in this part of the Cosmos became a threatening silence.
Each empire suspected something at any time and was ready to strike back whenever this was necessary.
Moons passed and Baruti became a legend.
Everybody remembered or had heard the stories about what he had done for the beings in the eternal-stream, but nobody attempted to continue his work.
They gave up before they even had tried.

‘In the beginning, thousands of beings gathered with our mosques every day to pray for Baruti’s return,’ Seth recalled in his mind’s voice as he returned to reality, ‘Tho as time past, the number grew less and less and that is when Baruti became a legend of prosperous times, so long ago.’
He looked over his shoulder to check if his Equal still was asleep.
‘Aswad wants to believe that Baruti was terminated by the stranger,’ he noted in silence, ‘While I want to believe that Baruti still is alive and shall return to Aleron one day to perform his miracles like he used to.
Because when you think about it, the 6,000 Moons Baruti was by Khalid’s side and practically ruled the Eternal-stream, were the best in the histories of all eras.’
And when he remembered those times, he simultaneously also recalled one of the many attempts he had made to terminate Baruti and had witnessed one of his famous trances.

Seth had watched Baruti retire to a meditation-chamber some time after dinner, to meditate and get some rest.
And knowing that this was the perfect time to waste him, Seth quietly followed Baruti and patiently awaited his chance.
He thought that Baruti hadn’t noticed anything and was deep in meditation when he snuck into the chamber with an Anti-existence Card in hand.
These Cards could terminate anyone who didn’t have a nemesis-key decided by Destiny and knowing that Baruti didn’t have such a key, Seth knew that he could be terminated by them.

Tho Baruti had sensed Seth’s presence and only pretended to be meditating.
He felt the Trusted One raise the Card and on the moment he threw it at his back, Baruti dematerialized and take on new form to his left.
“I already knew that you were going to try this days ago, Seth,” Baruti noted, “You shall never succeed in terminating me.”
“You think you are so great, do you not ?” Seth demanded with a bark, “Khalid and the eras may worship you, but you are hated by the Overseers and Trusted Ones.”
“Because I changed the laws ?” Baruti inquired, “Made all of you re-evolve yourselves ?
Why, look around you, Seth.
Existence got better for most beings.”
“It became more difficult for us, Baruti,” Seth stated, “Because everybody around here is expected to be like you, these days.
We are not mind-readers, nor can we think of solutions for the mortals’ petty problems.
We cannot even walk the streets of any era anymore since you came along without beings asking us about the Great Baruti.
We cannot compete with your greatness.”
“I never asked any one of you to compete with me, Seth,” Baruti said, “All I asked for was little support.”
“Which you do not get because the way on which you ask for support requires that we recreate ourselves first !” Seth fumed, “That is insane and unreasonable, Baruti.”
The word “Insane” unlocked a previously sealed door and Baruti found himself staring at a red-haired elf wearing a straight-jacket inside a padded cell somewhere.
He had lost his mind, was suffering greatly under the horrors inside his head and nobody knew how to aid him.
And Seth backed away somewhat when Baruti slipped into a trance and mist-birds flew out of his sleeves.
“I lay resting somewhere beyond the All-gates,” the elder man said in a tongue Seth didn’t speak very well, “And I am waiting for him to find the comrades.
Of which one hosts the Lenmear Gems.”
“Lenmear Gems ?” Seth frowned, “What is your name ?”
“My name is Visha,” the elder replied, “His new comrades all will be mortals.
One is a host to the last of the Silver Gems, another will command the legendary Luminaire.”
“Luminaire ?” Seth demanded, “You mean : One of the Light-beings in the general-stream ?
The one the mortals summon to purify wicked beings ?”
“Indeed, that is the one I meant,” Visha confirmed, “He has a strange nickname, but his powers shall be extremely useful to us.”
He left his host and Seth reached out to catch Baruti before he fell out of a reflex.

“Did it happen again ?” Baruti swallowed, his throat feeling dry and body completely drained.
“It did, Baruti,” Seth nodded, “You channeled a man who called himself Visha.
He spoke Rahni.”
“Rahni ?” Baruti frowned, “Was that not spoken beyond the All-gates ?”
“Indeed, it was, Baruti,” Seth confirmed, “I have been beyond the All-gates and speak it a little, but what the elder said sounded strange to me.”
“What do you mean with ; Strange, Seth ?” Baruti demanded.
“Never mind, Baruti,” Seth replied, “Just let me call a servant so he can get you some tea.”
He planted Baruti down on a chair and had left to get him something to drink.

“Those famous trances,” Seth snorted under his breath, “He scared the living daylights out of everyone when he started to speak in foreign tongues again and strange things started to happen like mist-birds flying out of his sleeves and such.”
Seth’s personal freakiest experience with Baruti’s trances had been when he channeled some kind of fiend and all the lights in all of Aleron went out.
All you heard was howling and the demand for artifacts older and more powerful.
And if that could not be done, the creature wanted someone he called, Rabon.
It took hours before the electricity-network had been fixed and Seth still asked himself who that being was Baruti had channeled back then.
44

Someone had brought Blind and myself to an intense blue world.
It felt like having ended up inside some sort of dream when I took Blind over my shoulder and walked down a landroad which eventually led me a petite cottage.
It was a home to an elfin-man and his daughter and the man offered me to come inside and rest.
I sensed it was okay and accepted the offer, but in the morning, the man had gone up in smoke and only the daughter was left.
“Father is a keeper, too,” Lisa noted, “He takes his task seriously.”
“Stupid question,” I began, “Where the hell are we ?
And can you explain to me what keepers are ?”
“This is the realm all murdered keepers go to,” Lisa replied, “You get the chance here to return and resume your task.”
“There’s not much point in returning when Blind can’t be brought back,” I snorted.
“And that’s where you’re wrong,” Lisa opposed, “Keepers commit their lives to the one they were born to protect and as long as the keeper is alive, the possessor can be revived.”
“This sounds almost preposterous,” I noted, “I don’t mind protecting the silly Sha’razi’s ass, but having been born to protect him ?
That sounds awfully farfetched.
I live in the 23rd century, y’know ?”
“I live in the 357, Blue Ages,” Lisa stated, “The era where I’m from, beings remember the importance of the Universal Laws and don’t completely ignore them.”
“What - ” I started, a little dumbfounded, “What’s it like in your time ?”
“It’s a mess, we’re having some shit,” Lisa replied, “However, which era you’re from doesn’t matter.
What does matter, tho, is that you accept the task you were born with.”
“Alright,” I nodded, “I am the silly Sha’razi’s keeper. What the fuck am I supposed to do ?
I’m only a mindfucker, it’s virtually impossible to keep him alive whenever this foe we have tries to have him zapped.”
“Listen to me,” Lisa began, “The keeper-thing works two ways.
As long as one is alive, the other never can be truly killed.
And because you’re still alive, you can revive him, like he would be able to do for you, too.
Keepers and Possessors hold two Life-cores and in order to do something permanent about them, you’ll have to kill both of them simultaneously.”
“A Possessor ?” I frowned, “Is that what Blind is ?”
“Yep,” Lisa nodded, “One day, Blind will determine who rules this Cosmos depending on whether he wins or loses the Final Duel.”
“And when will this Final Duel be fought ?” I demanded.
“I’m not from your time-stream, so I won’t be able to tell you when or where,” Lisa replied, “However, I can tell you that it is possible for you to protect Blind until this time arrives.
Father has been a keeper for centuries now, he changed forms many times and each time gained new abilities which he could use to protect the Possessor with.
You won’t stay a mere mindfucker forever.”
“That could become very interesting then, this life as keeper,” I mumbled, more to myself than to Lisa, “I wonder if Blind will grow stronger, too.”
“Of course he will,” Lisa said, “Because these confrontations with his foe each time will awaken his own latent abilities.
The Reisei-dragon slumbers inside of him.”
“The Ultimate Divine-dragon ?” I snorted, “Incredible.
But, tell me something, if I were to go to Blind now, would I be able to revive
him ?”
“Yep, you would,” Lisa nodded.
I got up and burnt rubber to Blind’s room.
There was no time like the present to find out if I was any good as keeper.
And concluded that I had some talent or whatever when I pressed my hands against Blind’s chest and successfully brought him back.
“Silly Neanderthal,” Blind hissed, softly, “Where are we ?”
“In the world of the keepers, Blind,” I replied, “I think you’re stuck to me, because Lisa just told me what a keeper exactly is.”
“How cozy,” Blind giggled.
I suppose it kind of was, but once Blind was able to get up again, we let Lisa explain to us in detail how the keepers-thing worked and also came with up with something to prevent that this foe made us believe that one was trying to kill the other.
45

After he’d locked up his estate, Zeng’ze headed for the gate to Earth’s World and do something radical about those Yankun.
These fellas had been wiped out by his fellow-demons before and the elf figured that kicking monster-ass was gonna be significantly easier than kicking an Eternal’s ass.
And he half-and-half hoped that they would leave something rare behind he could use in his potions since those minions had refreshed his supply of the more common things.
He stepped into the gate and literally bumped into Shrink and Crysal who wanted to go the other way.
“I just was on my way to you,” Shrink noted.
“What for, friend ?” Zeng’ze demanded.
“I’ve got a key-word for you, Tryad,” Shrink replied and also explained what had happened to Avrad.
“Can you undo what he did ?” Shrink inquired once he was finished.
“Yes, I think I can,” Zeng’ze nodded, “Alright, friend, that monk’s condition sounds critical and battles can wait.
Take me to him and I’ll do what I can.”
“I’m most-grateful,” Shrink said, “Or is there a but attached to it ?”
“No buts,” Zeng’ze replied, “There’s a new very popular saying in the Grand Hells.
If Odin can go woo a little human, we sure as shit can do something right every once in a while, too.”
“I’ll bet he flies off the monk whenever he hears this,” Shrink snorted.
“Actually, he flies off the monk whenever we tell him to go woo that little human of his,” Zeng’ze smirked while they went into the direction of the gate to Haz Mayal, “We still think that he’s gone slightly mad.
I mean, we already know him for ages and never once saw him treat anyone like he does the human ever before.”
“You can’t be serious,” Shrink sniffed.
“But, I am, friend,” Zeng’ze stated, “Lord Odin is heavy into wooing humans these days and has become quite courteous.”
Crysal watched a faceless man draw near and bow when he saw the elf.
“Walk on, friend,” Zeng’ze said.
“Yes, of course, Master Zeng’ze,” The faceless man nodded and hurried on.
“What is he ?” Crysal demanded.
“An Underling,” Zeng’ze replied, “They’re the slaves in all of the Grand Hells, friend.
They’re at the very bottom of the social-ladder here.
They’re disposed of as soon as they cease pleasing the Masters.”
“The Masters ?” Shrink demanded.
“I’m one of the Masters, friend,” Zeng’ze stated, “Lord Odin is another.
One’s social status matters greatly here.
And those Underlings wound up at the very bottom.
You shouldn’t feel sorry for them, because they don’t have a habit of existing very long.”
“You’re talking about another living being here,” Shrink barked, “How can you treat another without an ounce of respect ?
Don’t you have any feelings, at all ?”
“Give me a break, my appalled friend,” Zeng’ze snorted, “When you feel something here, and your fellow Daemons learn about it, you quickly become popular to piss against.
This is not the cozy little commune you came from, friend.
This is a world where you have to survive, not live.”
“How can you go thru life without ever feeling anything ?” Shrink demanded, “You must be really sick in your head when you don’t give a damn about another living being.
Those Underlings didn’t ask to be born or created at the bottom of this social-ladder, they were just put there.”
“I can’t change the system, friend,” Zeng’ze barked, “It always has been like this and it’s not up to me the change the ways of a world.
I have to live and survive here and will do whatever it takes.
And I don’t have time to worry about those damned Underlings !”
“Shrink,” Crysal began, “knock it off.
You can’t choose where you’re born or created and the elf is right.
If you have your own shit, you can’t worry about something you cannot change anyway.”
“I seriously doubt that the piss-elf ever had any shit,” Shrink grunted, “He’s such an iceberg that his life must be extremely easy here.”
“Don’t piss me off, friend,” Zeng’ze hissed, “You’ll end up in the Land of the Severed when you do.”
Shrink ground his teeth.
“He’s sorry,” Crysal said, “Don’t blame him, he’s always been one to judge quickly, that’s why Avrad sent him out into the world, so he could learn to look at things from different perspectives before passing any kind of judgment.”
Zeng’ze nodded and felt that Crysal was a lot wiser than Shrink who still had a lot to learn about life.
46

Hans and Alex got an unexpected break in their case.
Seth’s girlfriend, Lony, had seen the whole thing.
She’d seen Derek transform and also had witnessed how Seth had disappeared.
Lony had been on the attic at the time and Ther Han hadn’t noticed her, otherwise she would’ve have been left alive to tell the whole story to the cops.
However, Seth’s disappearance proved to Hans and Alex that Ther Han easily made friends.
He knew exactly what these guys liked to talk about, because witnesses had stated that he’d been talking with George about sketching animals in the zoo and with Ted he’d been talking about racing and cars.
Ther Han was a mind-reader.
Tho from Lony, the guys learnt what Ther Han had told Seth about his origin.
He had been created in Ancient Times to serve as one man’s curse and also had mentioned something about his Father.

Alex, Hans and his two new dogs - both Rottweilers - had gone to a coffee-house later to grab a bite and ponder this case some more.
Mr. Apple had Don and Leon since 2 years. He got them from the shelter after he was told that these two dogs couldn’t be left alone.
Together, they completely wrecked a place and when they were separated, they drove everybody mad with their whining and barking.
This hardly was a problem for Hans, because he took ‘em with him everywhere he went, anyway, so they were never alone.
“Alex, I’ve an idea,” Hans started, “let’s go have a word with Vibes.
He’s heavy into that ancient shit and maybe he’s heard or read something about this Ther Han.”
“We’ve got shit to go on,” Alex nodded, “So, let’s give it a try.”
“Don’t doubt the dealer,” Hans said, “You might not be able to win blackjack or stud-poker from him, but he knows his stuff.”
And because he was home now, enjoying his day off, Alex and Hans went to the cabin to find out if Vibes perhaps knew something about Ther Han.

Once arrived, Vibes listened to what he was told and nodded to himself.
“This brings to mind the curse of the Angkh-emperor Joch,” Vibes said, “These elves have one of the oldest civilizations of these worlds.”
“What’s his story ?” Hans asked.
“In their golden years, so around the year 300 on their calendar, there lived an emperor known as Joch,” Vibes told, “He was a pretty content man, tho he only had daughters while he needed a son to replace him as emperor.”
“Pretty chauvinistic,” Alex snorted, “I guess he would freak when he learnt that since Belle only women made it to president.”
“The Angkh-elves were terrible, Alex,” Vibes stated, “Because in those days, women were only good to be their husbands’ slaves and to bear children.”
“Why did they treat women so shitty ?” Alex frowned, “I mean, everybody’s equal.
Gender shouldn’t even be an issue.”
“It was in those days,” Vibes said, “And the Angkh-elves were particularly bad.”
“I see,” Alex nodded, “I’ve got a clearer picture now, so do go on with the story, Vibes.”
“Okay, so like I said, Joch only had daughters,” Vibes continued, “And when his wife delivered the 14th girl, he got frustrated - and who knows what got into him - when he strangled the baby.”
“That’s sickening,” Hans snorted, disgustedly, “It wouldn’t matter to me.”
“Joch was a selfish asshole who only thought about his precious throne,” Vibes said, “However, the girl’s death was avenged by a traveling Sha’razi-warrior, according to the legend.
He challenged the Angkh-gods for a battle and won with ease even tho his only weapon was a murasame which he materialized in his hand.
He took over control and created Ther Han from the remains of the defeated gods.
These remains are also referred to as The Lap of the Gods by some, because allegedly he merged the cores of the gods’ souls to give life to the Demon-child.
Once he had created Ther Han, he went to see Joch and dragged him out of his palace to publicly humiliate him by giving him the Demon-child.
He told Joch that he was expecting a son now, but when this child was born it would kill him and also that living surrounded by solid gold would prevent the child’s birth.
He appointed Joch’s wife as the new empress and also resurrected her murdered daughter.
The wife let her people built the City of Gold and ordered her ex to move in.
However, the warrior was not content, yet.
He let Joch sweat for years and one night sank the city to the bottom of the lake.
As Joch went down, he swore that either living or dead he would pass the Demon-child on to anyone who went to sit in his throne.
Tho it’s also said that when this happens that the warrior will emerge once more to destroy his own creation.”
“D’you think that he’ll show up now or that he already is dead ?” Hans demanded, “Lony heard him say to Seth that he was certain that his Father wouldn’t find him now.”
“I don’t know, Hans,” Vibes replied, “I told it to you guys as it’s written in the books.”
Hans and Alex crossed looks and both sensed that when they found Ther Han that they simultaneously would also find the warrior.
47

In the precinct hung a typical graveyard-mood, because folks had been wasted and cases were dead-stuck.
Moon and Gold’s moods were the worst, because their case was all about informing next of kin and they hadn’t gotten a thing wiser while already seven truck-drivers had been killed.
Grace came in as close second to Gold and Moon, because her case with this Tarot-killer didn’t seem to be making any progress, either.
And Mike hung around a lot on the precinct ever since his daddy was killed.
He was attending the police-academy and his teachers understood that he wanted to get to the bottom of the case with Elfaran since Smiley had kicked the bucket.
“Psychics have been jammed,” Gold snorted, “Or terribly screwed up and all they can tell us that this Calling is the cause.
What is this shit Calling ?”
“If you figure it out, let me know,” Pelz said, “Snake and I have been hearing the same from the psychics we consulted.”
“Even Halo’s psychics had been jammed,” Grace noted, “That he was able to tell me as much as he did about those three female shit-killers was entirely because they’re so transparent.
He didn’t know anything about the Tarot-jerk.”
“We oughta put our cases on hold some,” Moon suggested, “Just until this shit Calling is gone.”
“Johnno mentioned to me more than once before he jumped that he kept hearing that melody,” Mike said, “It reminded him of a church-organ.
And I’ve been doing a little surfing on the ‘Net and discovered some very interesting facts about this Calling.”
“What did you dig up ?” Moon demanded.
“The one who’s spreading The Calling is not Ancient Daemon, nor Eternal,” Mike told, “His origin is unknown, but in the days of the First War, he also was around and drew beings to him with this melody.
He was growing so powerful that the Ancient Daemons and Eternals called it a truce and worked together to put an end to him.”
“And he returned to this age ?” Gold snorted, “That sounds kind of unlikely to me, Mike.”
“Not to me, Gold,” Mike said, “I mean, my daddy and the others have a foe out there and when you consider the fact that he has power over life and death, even the unlikely can be brought to this age.”
“Mike has a point,” Grace nodded, “I mean, who would’ve thought, either, that Blake and Smiley would be hit with a Life-reverser ?
That’s an ancient curse, too.
It hasn’t been used since Deadly Weapons were forged.”
“Grace has a point,” Snake agreed, “And until a few decades ago, we also thought of Ancient Daemons as mere legends.
Times obviously changed now.”
The other villains nodded, because Grace, Snake and Mike all had damned good points there.
Times clearly had changed, dramatically, and in silence the villains concluded that knowing more about ancient myths and legends would certainly work in their benefit on future weird cases.

48

The three ladies had been conceived in test-tubes 13, 15 and 18 years ago.
They didn’t know better or their parents were Doctor Maxime Williams and Lord Perceval Abrahams.
From a very early age they had been taught to follow and obey orders and never really learnt to think for themselves, because Maxime did all of the thinking for them.
They didn’t know that they’d been created and that their loyalty was continuously tested.
And their latest test was to kill business-men and strip them of all the cash they had on them.
The teenagers didn’t like to lure the men to hotels and shoot them, but they didn’t know how to live on their own and therefore had concluded that it was best to stay with their creators.
And Doctor Williams and Lord Abrahams needed cash - a lot of it - to finance their next project.
They planned to create three guys next who were gonna be more loyal and efficient than the girls were.
49

Maze, Jez and Fharlan were quiet while H’dae had a word with the green-pals in his garden about the current situation.
They felt that something else was going on currently, beside all of the shit that was blowing up and getting way out of hand and H’dae had decided to ask his green-pals if they knew something about it.
“That’s clear,” H’dae nodded to a few shrubs who had filled him in on what they had heard from other shrubs, “Thanks, I know what to do now.”
He turned to face the criminals.
“And, hunk ?” Maze inquired.
“I just heard that Odin is gonna do something about those Hezai and Raddan is gonna kick some ass with the one who plays that organ,” H’dae stated, “And here’s the plan :
I’ll go join Odin and lend him a hand with those vamps while Jez looks up Raddan.
I want Maze to find that elf, Zeng’ze, to do something permanent about those meteor-monsters while I want Fharlan to stick around and keep an eye on the chief’s condition.”
“Alright,” Fharlan nodded, “I wish there was more I could do, tho.”
“Fuma already went after Lusitan into the World of the Lost,” Jez stated, “And we don’t care how you do it as long as the chief’s body stays alive, his spirit has better chances of returning.”
“Indeed, it has,” Fharlan agreed, “I’ll make him undead, if that’s what it takes, tho I don’t think it’ll come to that.”
The other guys didn’t think it would get that far, either, but shortly after, they all moved to do what they had agreed upon doing.
50

Andy was a little bit nervous about living with Grace, Belle and Warlock permanently, despite the fact that he already had stayed holidays and weekends.
And while Belle showed Andy around in the new house, Grace and Warlock hung out in the living room, both smoking thin cigars.
Warlock looked a lot like his mother.
“Hey, mom,” Warlock started, “you took a new kid with mom Belle, may I have a dog now ?”
“Yeah, sure, Warlock,” Grace replied.
“I heard that a lot of new dogs were brought to the Callan Shelter last week,” Warlock said, lighting a new thin cigar, “Danny went there and came home with four dogs and a cat when he went to check it out.”
“Warlock, try to stick to one dog,” Grace snorted, “We already have so many animals.”
“Mom, you came home with five cats last month,” Warlock noted, “May I come home with two dogs when I can’t choose ?”
“When you’re emotionally extorted, you’ll mean,” Grace said, “Well, alright.”
“Thanks, mom,” Warlock grinned and materialized a box of thin cigars which he tossed at Grace, “Here, your fave brand.”
With a glass of lemonade, Andy strolled into the living room with Belle.
“Andy, I’m gonna go to the shelter to get a dog,” Warlock said as he rose, “Wanna come with me ?”
“Yeah,” Andy nodded, “May I have a cat then, momma Belle ?”
“Sure, go ahead,” Belle consented.
“Thanks,” Andy smiled and went with Warlock to the shelter to get a cat and a dog.
“Grace, I get the feeling that they’re gonna come home with more than two animals,” Belle noted as she dropped her butt down on the couch.
“Actually, I have the same feeling,” Grace said, “But, I guess that’s what you get when you let kids go to a shelter alone.”
“We’re worthless parents,” Belle sighed, “I mean, we’re everything except for strict with our kids..”
“Hell, Warlock turned out okay.” Grace noted.
“He materializes bazookas with Cryo-blast bullets,” Belle snorted, “He threatens to wipe the entire school away when shit doesn’t go his way.
And you call that ; O-kay ?”
“I do,” Grace smirked, “Because he’s doing everything I would do, but never got the chance for.”
“Grace,” Belle started, “I’m gonna start out on dinner, because our discussion about parenthood doesn’t quite go as anticipated.”
She got up and went to the kitchen.
“Hell ,what’s wrong with a kid who knows how to defend, huh ?” Grace demanded, following Belle to the kitchen, “What the fuck are we mutants for when we never can use our ability to create a nice little war ?”
“Grace, there’s world-peace,” Belle snorted.
“Not in daily life,” Grace stated, “And sometimes, you have to force others to respect you otherwise you’ll be treated like shit.
Ain’t I right ?”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Belle nodded, “Sometimes you have no choice, I suppose.”
And while cooking, they had a very interesting conversation about respect.
Tho Andy and Warlock came home with four older dogs and three very sad-looking kittens.
They were emotionally blackmailed.
51

Second and third degree burns covered Gareth Holden’s face and throat.
Hugh Perkins had fought for his life, using all the skills he had.
But, he inevitably had lost, because Gareth could withstand any degree of pain.
He dematerialized Hugh’s heart, just like he’d done with the others.
Gareth was a little twisted upstairs.
Because he felt a sick and twisted connection with his deck of Tarot-cards and felt the undeniable urge to bring the twenty-two Major Arcana to life, as it were.
To get into the homes of others, he pretended to be a door-to-door salesman who sold all sorts of mystical artifacts.
Many were interested, tho only a select few got to see who and what he truly was.
Gareth had to see the resemblance between the potential buyer and one of his cards.
And only when he did so, the card was brought to reality by him.
52

Jeff and Sean were married since a year and Jeff didn’t know the first thing about why his companion had been attacked and Sean never told him.
Jeff assumed that it was random, just like it had been with him.
He’d been beaten up badly and wound up inside a wheelchair himself after a six punks were thru with him.
It was robbery which got way out of hand.
However, Sean and Jeff had set up a pretty successful business together and Sean hadn’t been, at all, elated when business brought them to Tampa Peters, tho he concealed this well for Jeff.
He avidly prayed that he wouldn’t meet any of the foes he’d made here and wouldn’t get another load of their wrath.

To celebrate the success of the deal Sean and Jeff had gone to Omar’s Heaven, a diner / danceclub where folks only came to socialize and talk, not to cruise.
And after the had dinner, the guys had a cup of coffee to digest everything.
“You’re unusually quiet since we arrived here,” Jeff noted, “Is something bothering you ?”
“It’s nothing,” Sean replied, “I just hate this city, that’s all.
And now there’s this shit with business-men getting shot and knowing what we do for a living, it sure concerns me.”
“Sean, all the murdered men could walk,” Jeff snorted, “We’re business-men on wheels, remember ?”
“How can I possibly forget that, Jeff ?” Sean demanded, “My back and what’s left of my legs are still giving me hell every day.”
He looked aside when three teenagers joined them at their table.
“New in town ?” Maxime inquired.
“Not so new,” Sean replied, “Better be on your way, ladies, we aren’t interested in a date.”
“They’ll only end up getting killed, anyway,” Susan blurted, “Let’s just leave ‘em alone.”
“Wait,” Sean barked, “Sit back down. What’s up with the killing ?”
“It’s a command, we have to follow. We don’t understand it ourselves, either,” Danielle explained, “We have to find business-men, zap and strip ‘em of their cash.
We don’t agree, but we haven’t got anything to say about this.”
“You can leave,” Sean said.
“Where do we run to ?” Maxime demanded, “We have nowhere to go, man.”
“You have us,” Sean stated, “Let us help you.”
“You’re serious about this ?” Susan inquired.
“We sure are,” Jeff nodded, “If you girls really want out, you can come with us right now.”
“And we will,” Maxime also spoke for the other two.
She had a good intuition and sensed that these guys would help them get out of the situation they now were living in.
And was correct.
53

The World of Lost was rapidly coming apart behind them, tho the fellas couldn’t find the gate out of this realm and they were getting increasingly worried as they ran out of directions they could run into.
“The longer I think about it, chief, the more convinced I get of that guy not being Azranan,” Fuma said, “I mean, he was furious and Azranan doesn’t behave that way he did when he’s mad.
He gets arrogant and icy calm.”
“If it wasn’t Azranan, then who was it ?” Lusitan demanded.
“Maybe our foe ?” Fuma guessed, “And besides, it doesn’t make sense, chief.
Why would he save you first from Kajar if he planned to destroy you ?”
“And it’s easy to suspect him,” Lusitan nodded.
“His disposition, indeed, raises questions,” Fuma began, “But, just because he prefers to keep to himself doesn’t make him evil.
He reminds me of Jewel eye, he’s pretty private, too.”
“True, he is,” Lusitan agreed, “And we don’t think of Jewel eye as the enemy, either.”
The fellas ran south-east when the land ahead crumbled.
“So, what’s your plan, chief ?” Fuma inquired, “Are you still planning to get Azranan ?”
“No, I don’t,” Lusitan replied, “I did start thinking about everything in the past, tho.
In particular about all he’s done for us.
We should show him our gratitude, now. It’s a little late, but he should know that we are grateful.”
“Better late than never, chief,” Fuma noted and got a bad feeling about it being too late for them when the world collapsed around them and there were no places left to run to.
The realm disappeared into non-existentness and took both fellas with it in its fall.
54

The organist was known as Elfaran.
In the days of the First War, he posed a threat to both Ancient Daemons and Eternals, because the melody he played captured both races and many others.
The Calling could not be ignored and whenever one heard it, they followed the Organist into Death.
He claimed their souls to strengthen the force inside the deadly melody he played.
And also claimed their bodies.
For he needed those, too.
But, Elfaran grew powerful and began to pose a serious threat to everyone.
And so, the Ancient Daemons and Eternals called it a temporary truce and teamed up to put an end to the organist once and for all.
While Maran appointed Raddan to journey to Elfaran’s Realm, the Shapeless One ordered one of the Elite Five, Arrinyr, to join the Dark Priest.
They moved out with a strategy Trenkar, another member of the Elite, had given them.
It was flawless and proved the Eternal’s brilliance.
Arrinyr’s force-symbols were Death, Hell & Life

After a long journey to Elfaran’s lair, they finally encountered the organist himself.
And the battle was long and exhausting.
Raddan and Arrinyr both needed all the skills and abilities they held to be able to defeat the musician.
Tho ultimately, they emerged victorious, mainly because Arrinyr proved his own diabolical character.
He spread Fire and Hell in the Realm, allowing Raddan to exorcise the melody and release the souls Elfaran had already captured.
The melody lost its strength.
And Elfaran was rendered powerless without his music.
His organ was smashed to pieces and his soul wound up being scattered throughout the Universe.
The danger was gone with the organist’s demise.
And a short while later the truce was called off and the war resumed.

However, Tryad had found a record of the organist in the basement of the estate he lived in whenever he caused shit and decided to bring him back to this mortal coil.
He also had learnt about the Hezai, the meteor-monsters and the World of the Lost.
He already knew about Azranan’s history with the Angkh-elves and decided that getting the city he submerged ages ago back to the surface and releasing Ther Han would give him enough to do.
In the meantime, he would go out to hunt the chief and would make him believe that he was that whore.
Azranan would never know, because he was too busy with finding and halting Ther Han, after all.
He wanted Azranan dead and when he couldn’t accomplish that, he desired to see him end up alone again, being hated and suspected by the other criminals.
Tho he made one huge mistake.
Azranan never showed his rage.
Because it was exactly like Fuma had stated, he grew icy calm and fatally arrogant.
And the guy’s arrogance was unique and extremely difficult to copy.
55

The day-moons were setting above the old palace when the dark serpent descended on the balcony adjoining the library and returned to his original form.
Eblis-Fateh eased his ass down on the banister and thought about the things he had beheld when he altered the streams for the grandmaster and his comrades.
The bird had already changed a lot, tho the Outsider had been changing a few other things here and there to ensure that Blind was going to win the Final Duel at the top of the Truth Tower.
‘You are evil, Tryad,’ he chuckled in his mind’s voice, ‘But, not stupid.
However, a few major mistakes here and there and listening to the wrong beings, never harmed anyone.
Especially when it shall lead to your nemesis.’
When he saw in the streams that Astaroth was Tryad’s keeper, the Outsider got a few ideas when he also discovered who and what that dragon-shadow Astaroth had was.
Temptation was not just a name, it described the dragon’s nature.
And so, he slipped into Astaroth’s dreams.

Asking himself where the fuck he had been taken to, Astaroth looked around in the magnificent garden.
And he was ready for a battle when he saw a serpent slither into his direction.
“Who the shit are you ?” the Ancient daemon demanded, “Did you bring me
here ?”
“Indeed, I did,” Eblis-Fateh replied, “Because I beheld your future, my comrade, and it is very concerning, to say the very least.”
“Concerning ?” Astaroth snorted, “I’m on the proverbial wrong team here, so how can you be concerned about me ?”
“Because I am on the wrong team, too, my comrade,” Eblis-Fateh stated, lunging up in front of the Ancient Daemon, “Should you and your lord be defeated, I am destined to meet my own nemesis, too.
Because, my dear friend, our existences have been linked together when my brother altered the streams.”
“Alright,” Astaroth grunted, “you’ve got my attention now.
What is it you want ?”
“I seek to live, my comrade,” Eblis-Fateh hissed, “Tho in order to survive, you and your shadow-friend have to live, too, so I have a few ideas to ensure that you will not be terminated.”
“I’m listening,” Astaroth nodded.
“It has come to my attention that you are the keeper of the Face of Evil,” Eblis-Fateh started, “His name is Tryad, is it not ?
But, anyways, I also picked up here and there that he one of these days is going to start some trouble which shall terminate you and your shadow-friend, because he believes that you - as his keeper - will only stand in his way of terminating his arch-enemy.”
“Indeed, that is what he believes,” Astaroth noted, “Temptation felt that he didn’t believe me when I told him that I was there to halt him, but the notice concerned him enough to get him to start thinking about including me in his next shit and see to it that I kick the Eternal together with all of his other foes.”
“Yes, that is what I have heard, too,” Eblis-Fateh nodded, “And here is what you can do to prevent your demise.
Let Temptation advise and guide him.
Give Tryad ideas to make him believe that you are on his team.
This way, he shall start to depend on your shadow-friend and will not think anymore about terminating you.
While you - as his keeper - can halt him when he crosses the proverbial line.”
“And even when I do, he shall not kill me, because he needs Temptation,” Astaroth chuckled.
“Exactly,” Eblis-Fateh hissed, “I will be seeing you, my comrade.”
“Yeah, I hope I will,” Astaroth snorted as the serpent slithered away and he was sent back to his sleeping body inside the Truth tower.

The day-moons had completely disappeared behind the horizon, in the present time.
‘By giving Astaroth a petite push into the right direction, Tryad shall start to make gross mistakes,’ Eblis-Fateh thought, ‘He will do exactly the wrong things, shall be defeated over and over again, because for all of the trouble he still shall cause, my brother already has arranged a solution.’
He looked to his left when he sensed a presence and found his brother, taking on shape.
“Did you arrange it ?” Chisisi-Akil demanded.
“I did, brother,” Eblis-Fateh nodded.
“I sure hope that this will prevent Tryad from causing trouble which cannot be solved,” Chisisi-Akil sighed.
“I am hoping with you, brother, tho I cannot give you any guarantees,” Eblis-Fateh said, “Tryad is an unpredictable opponent, because his thoughts cannot be read.
All you feel when you try is jealousy, hatred and a determination to decimate all of his foes.”
“Well, brother,” Chisisi-Akil started, easing his down on the banister to Eblis-Fateh’s right, “At least, the grandmaster is not alone in this, because we will do whatever we can ensure a good outcome.”
Eblis-Fateh confirmed it with a nod.
And the brothers didn’t care how many times they had to alter and manipulate the streams of Time, Space and Destiny, because they desired to see the elf’s wish granted of returning to Aleron one day.
56

While the teens rested in the other room, Jeff and Sean discussed the situation the sisters were in.
“Sean, we have to go see the cops who’re on this case,” Jeff began, “So, we can explain this things to them.”
“One of us has to stick around and keep an eye on those girls, so they won’t split,” Sean stated.
“Why don’t you talk to them while I keep an eye on things here ?” Jeff proposed, “After all, you’ve been a cop yourself and know a lot better what to say than I do.”
“I don’t know,” Sean sighed.
“Just talk to them, Sean,” Jeff persisted, “You know the system, I don’t.
Go talk to the guys on this case. What’re you afraid of, huh ?”
“The guys on this case aren’t on my list of fave people to see,” Sean barked, “I didn’t quit my job being on good terms with them.”
“Just bury the hatchet for a while for the girls’ sakes,” Jeff said, “I don’t want to see them end up in jail.”
Actually, when Sean thought about it, he didn’t want that to happen, either.
He truly had changed and therefore decided to push his fear aside and go to that precinct to talk to Grace and Blake about their case.
57

Purely by coincidence, Hans encountered Derek Fowles or Ther Han.
They’d met in a pizza-place and talked for a while about dogs and hacking.
After an hour or so, Ther Han suggested to continue their talk at Hans’s place and that’s when he was certain.
Hans accepted and took Ther Han to his cabin.
However, Ther Han expected Hans to be an easy victim just like the others when he entered.
Tho he nearly choked when he entered the living room and the Sha’razi-warrior turned the swivel-chair he sat in, into the Demon-child’s direction.
“I searched everywhere for you, Ther Han,” Azranan said, stuck up, “And you’ve been doing well, I see.”
“Father,” Ther Han suffocated and genuflected as his true form was revealed.
“You didn’t think I would let you roam these worlds, did you ?” Azranan demanded as he rose, “I created you as curse for one man, not as curse to an entire world.”
“Pardon my nature, Father,” Ther Han quivered, “Tho I am a demon and seek to plague others.”

Hans felt the strong urge to kneel, too, and breath- and speechless watched Ther Han quiver with fear having been found by his Father.

“Ther Han is Sha’razi for Demon-child,” Azranan began, “And what do you think my people do to demons, even when they are children ?”
“Father, I crave of you to grant me my existence,” Ther Han cried so heartbreakingly that Hans almost felt sorry for him, “I am your creation and you never taught me right from wrong.
You only showed me evil.”
“I created you from the Dust of Gods,” Azranan stated, “They did not know anything else than evil of the heart.
Let’s play, Ther Han.
Let’s play my Game of Death.”
“No,” Ther Han sobbed, “don’t sent me back to dust.
Please, Father.”
Azranan laid his hand on Ther Han’s forehead.
His soul was torn in two like a metal sheet.
And all the men - Derek included - were forced out and granted a new physical form.
Tho Hans really needed to sit down when Azranan destroyed Ther Han on the same way as he had created it.
With the sweet Flame of Life called Death’s Fire.
“He was not meant to live, gentlemen,” Azranan said to the guys, “His sole purpose was to bring misfortune to one man alone who deserved it.”
He vanished.
Hans and the others couldn’t believe their eyes and once they had regained their speech, they hadn’t ceased talking about this yet for a long time to come.
58

Worrying about Lusitan, Charmer sat on the front-porch and watched the suns set behind the mountains.
‘Lusitan sure reminds me of my sister now,’ he sighed in his mind’s voice, ‘Shera was extremely good in getting herself into shit, too.
He already has her foresight and I hate to admit that he also has her ability to get into trouble.
Shera, you can be proud of yourself, your strongest features were passed on to Lusitan.’
He got up and went for a walk.
Sometimes it hurt his heart to see how much Lusitan looked like his sister and that was because Shera was dead.
She had been murdered with a Deadly Dagger shortly after she’d met and married the man of her dreams.
Deadly weapons were manufactured in factories in the Underworld from the skins of serpents that were bred for their poison in the lower-levels of these factories.
When they had reached the Underworld age of a year, they were skinned and these skins were used to coat the hilt of whips, blades and maces.
The poison ran thru the leather or steel while the scales protected the holder.
However, when he got injured himself, then the poison would also kill him.
Wielding Deadly Weapons wasn’t entirely without risk, but those who were desperate to kill an immortal were more than willing to take the chance.
59

When they laid eyes on the witch-doc, the monks got out of his way while Shrink and Crysal led Zeng’ze to Avrad’s chamber.
“Can you cure him ?” Jo’no demanded while Zeng’ze examined the chief-monk.
“Yes, friend, I can,” Zeng’ze nodded, “Can I use the kitchen for half an hour ?”
“Sure, go ahead,” Jo’no replied, “Let Crysal take you there.”
“This way please,” Crysal said and escorted the elf to the kitchen.
“Are you sure he can be trusted ?” Jo’no asked once Zeng’ze had left the chamber.
“Yes, he can,” Shrink nodded, “And he’s the only one who can do anything for Avrad right now.
But, where’s Reeves ?”
“He went with Lua’kan to the orphanage,” Jo’no replied, “He was curious about where you grew up.”
“I see,” Shrink sniffed.
“O’ano, you have a great friend there,” Jo’no stated, “I’m telling you, he would do anything for you if you got into shit.”
“I think he’s only in it for my crystal ball,” Shrink snorted, pointing at his scalp.
“If it’s so, he surely would do anything, O’ano,” Jo'no grinned, “Your crystal ball means a lot to him.”
Shrink just nodded.
And a short bit later, Zeng’ze returned with a potion he’d concocted in the kitchen.
The monks kept their eyes on him and what he did when the witch-doc removed the bandages and carefully treated the wounds with the potion.
The wounds healed under their eyes and Avrad was pulled back into his flesh.
“The oni,” the chief-monk mumbled, “Where’s the oni ?”
“Don’t strain yourself,” Zeng’ze said, “We have the situation under control.
We’re gonna do something about the oni, friend, don’t worry.”
Avrad sighed and closed his eyes to sink into a restless sleep.

“Just let him rest now,” Zeng’ze said to Jo’no, “He’ll be up again tomorrow.”
“Great, thank you,” Jo’no nodded as he left the chamber with the others to let Avrad sleep, “But, I don’t know if Shrink mentioned it.
The Dreamwalker’s been terrorizing us when we rest, is there anything we can do to keep him out of dreams ?”
“I can’t give you a five-minute solution for this problem, friend,” Zeng’ze replied, “Learning to withstand and oppose Dreamwalkers requires years of training and meditation.
You can visit the commune in Heaven’s Gate, the monks there might be willing to lend a few books to you about how to keep Dreamwalkers out of your sleep.
Just tell them that I sent you and I’m sure that they’ll help you.”
“I’ll journey there,” Jo’no nodded, “Thanks for the advise.”
“You’re welcome, friend,” Zeng’ze said, “I better get going, I’ve some ass to kick.”
He moved out to meet Maze and get into combat with those meteor-monsters while Jo’no left to go to Heaven’s Gate.
And once Shrinkie was certain that Avrad would be okay, he looked up Reeves and took a gate home.
Reeves, however, had been amusing himself splendidly, because he’d been kissing a lot of monks on Archangel’s behalf, so that wish him and Joan had would come true.

[Joe]

60

Knowing that the Hezai could be found on the Mindfields of Xara where they had their base in the cavern, Odin exited the gate which had brought him to Earth’s World and walked on the take the next gate which would take him to the Mindfields.
“Hey, Odin !” H’dae hollered, “Mind of I joined you in this battle ?”
“By all means, do join me,” Odin smirked, “There’s enough for both of us, after all.”
“Let’s go, then,” H’dae snorted.
The wind blew H’dae’s hair out of his neck and a mark in the guy’s neck caught the Ancient Daemon’s attention.
“Odin, this is no time to fool around,” H’dae noted when Odin took a better look at the mark.
“You got a nice ass, but you’re the last and the youngest,” Odin said, “You’re the Lost fuckin’ Son.”
“Lost son ?” H’dae frowned, “I heard that one before.
Who am I ?”
“I don’t fuckin’ believe this,” Odin snorted, “I was told he died.
Let’s go kick some ass.”
He opened the gate and hopped thru it being followed by H’dae who asked his himself what Odin knew he friggin’ didn’t about his parents and origin.
He seemed to know all the stinkin’ details and the fact he wouldn’t reveal ‘um, sure annoyed him shitless at times like these.

Raddan exited the gate which had brought him to the Self-side of a Forgotten Dimension known as Choir Musica and was a little astounded when he was met by Jez.
“My will and your ability to exorcise will do the trick, I’d wager,” Jez noted.
“The last time I worked with Arrinyr,” Raddan said, “I never seem to have that shit all to myself.”
“That’s Destiny, Raddan,” Jez smirked, “Let’s move and exorcise the music.”
Raddan nodded, agreeing, and went to Elfaran’s lair together with Jez.

Maze already hung around on the high-way where a few folks had been murdered for a while and jumped when he was tapped on the shoulder.
“I won’t dissect you, friend,” Zeng’ze snorted.
“I hadn’t expected you, hunk,” Maze gasped, “But, when you’re not here to take me apart, then I assume that you’re here to kick some monster-ass.”
“Exactly, that’s why I’m here, friend,” Zeng’ze nodded, “You and H’dae did a great job on the minions, by the way.”
“Could you use a lot of them, hunk ?” Maze grinned.
“Yes, I could, friend, they were in perfect condition,” Zeng’ze replied, “The monsters’ lair can be found further south, tho.
Shall we move ?”
“Yeah, let’s move, hunk,” Maze nodded and descended down into the ravine to go south where the meteor-monsters had their lair.

Lusitan and Fuma were falling.
Falling into an infinite blackness with a silvery / white fog.
The mist was all that remained of the World of the Lost.
There was nothing else left.
Because this realm was called Non-existentness.

When H’dae and Odin neared the caves, they were met by the Hezai.
There were hundreds of them.
All of them had taken on their monster-shapes.
But, H’dae and Odin were ready to face them.
H’dae called up the form of the Darkness-dragon while Odin changed into the Death-dragon.
The eyes of a Hezai met Odin’s and beast-vamp instantly dropped down dead with a shredded body and soul.
Horns first, the Darkness-dragon charged at a group of beasts.
An aura of Darkness was covering his body.
And when the vamps came in contact with it, they were torn apart.

Raddan and Jez stormed into the organist’s lair and Jez fought for breath when he saw the enormous church-organ.

It had been made entirely of corpses.
And Jez could see the captured souls - including Smiley’s - in the flames of the candles which stood on and around the organ.
Elfaran heard the fellas barge into his chamber and changed the melody. Raddan and Jez felt it yank at their souls.
Jez focused on the candles and forced his Iron Will on the flames to quench them while Raddan positioned his hands and forced his own will upon the organ.
The organ began to shake like it had been caught by a violent tremor.
Elfaran released the souls of non-entities he’d captured inside his diabolical music.
They became music notes which changed into roaring monstrous tigers that charged at the fellas.
Raddan touched his forehead with two fingers and summoned a single token.
“Annihilation !” He barked and gestured.
The tigers all were sliced in two with their noses.
Elfaran felt that his melody was losing power.
Tho he continued to play.
Jez disintegrated the non-entities’ innermost beings and focused back on the murder-victims.
The faces of each and every one of them were revealed inside new white flames and left the organist’s chamber.
Raddan broke thru the barrier Elfaran had drawn up and yanked the little organist off the bench.

With a blue flame burning in his hand to illuminate his path, Azranan walked thru non-existentness.
The mist solidified under his feet as he searched this realm for Lusitan and Fuma.
When he neared the two, the guys felt that they stopped falling.
And when they looked up, they found Azranan stand on the ledge above them.
“Why would I seek to destroy you, chief, when I already read in your aura that you suffered as much as I did ?” The elf demanded as he reached down to hoist him up on the ledge he stood.
“I don’t know what I was thinking, kid,” Lusitan sighed as he took Azranan’s hand.
“Everything I did in the past, I did of choice,” Azranan stated, “I knew our foes better than you all did and that’s why I used my body and soul as means of negotiation for your release from the basement.”
“I’m sorry for having doubted you, kid,” Lusitan said while Azranan also hoisted Fuma up.
“You’re forgiven, chief,” Azranan sighed, “Let me take both of you out of here.
I know the way, follow me.”
And feeling guilty as hell about ever thinking that Azranan was the enemy in their midst, Lusitan followed the warrior out of non-existentness together with Fuma.

Zeng’ze had already warned Maze for these meteor-monsters’ illusions.
And knew that he couldn’t believe what his eyes perceived.
However, Maze discovered now what the little yippie-clown had meant when he told him about having seen the elf scratch at Blind in mime a few years ago.
Because now he was seeing it himself.
Zeng’ze scratched at the batch that charged at him.
And bleeding heavily, the monsters were thrown back and Maze saw how their souls were detonated like explosives.

Maze was besieged by another group.
He felt their fangs sink into his flesh.
And blew them all away when he transformed into the massive Thunder-dragon.
The electricity crept over the dragon’s body as he stormed at the creatures.

Zeng’ze was impressed when he saw these creatures go down under in no time when they were attacked with Thunder-breath and sharp, electrocuting thunder-claws.
From the corner of his eyes, the elf saw some other monsters approach.
He called a single character to his hand and gestured in the direction of the beasts.
The monsters’ eyes perceived nothing and their ears heard a single note.
Before their bodies and souls fell apart like dry sand.
This - indeed - was easier than kicking some Eternal’s balls behind his eyes.

The Hezai were practically powerless against the combined might of the Death and Darkness dragons.
They were rapidly decreasing in number, because each attack they launched, they wound up with less of them left.
The two dragons charged at the last Hezai.
The Wind of Darkness started to blow.
And from it emerged the fiery Messengers of Death.
They obeyed the commands of the dragons.
And there wasn’t anything the Hezai could do when the ghouls tore thru their bodies and decayed their souls until there was absolutely nothing left of them.

Raddan grabbed the sides of Elfaran’s head and forced him to look Jez in the eyes.
“Behold non-existentness,” the Dark Priest hissed, eerily, “Behold your undoing.”
Elfaran tried to look away when he felt Jez’s Iron Will press upon his being.
He was being petrified and crushed.
All of his powers were taken away from him and shattered before he was dragged into oblivion.
And began to fall into the infinite depth for all eternity.

Fharlan let out a relieved sigh when he sensed that the chief returned to his body.
He also saw His Huh-huhness as ghost and Azranan take on form.
“I knew you would you have something to do with this ending, kid,” Fharlan said, “Something tells me that you’re his keeper.”
“Flattering, Fharlan,” Azranan snorted, “But you give me more honor than I deserve.”
He turned on his heels and left.
“What’s eating him ?” Fharlan frowned.
“I think he’s - huh, huh - depressed,” Fuma replied.
“What happened ?” Fharlan demanded, “Was it something I said ?”
“No, it was me,” Lusitan stated, “It’s time, fellas, that we start to show him our gratitude and stop taking it for granted that he steps in to make wrongs right.”
Fharlan and Fuma agreed, because it was high time that they started to show him that it was appreciated everything he already had meant and done for them.
61

Arrived at Suzanna Watkins’ house, Grace got to hear some very good news.
Miss Watkins still was amongst the living, because she was a voyager.
She decided to let him kill her old body and to build herself a new one once he was gone which she did when he finally had fucked off.
“He pretended to a door-to-door salesman,” Suzanna told, “He sold, among others Tarot cards and crystal-balls.
But once he was inside, he dematerialized my old body’s heart and dolled it up as the Empress,”
She looked aside at all the junk he’d left behind,
“My old body disappears once I’ve built myself a new one,”
“I know, this always happens,” Grace said, “But, what did he look like ?
D’you remember ?”
“He didn’t give any names,” Suzanna replied, “But, I’d say that he had a typical mutant-build.
He was about 6-4, fairly muscled - not like you - but he obviously had been working out.
Black curls, green eyes and there was something else, he had burns in his face and throat that were healing.
In my opinion, they were about a week old.”
Suzanna had an excellent memory and about an hour later, Grace left the residence.
She decided to look up yippie-Halo a second time in order to find out if the thing she had in mind to get this shit-killer to a next life could be done and when she had to do it.
62

There still were a few folks who needed to be brought back to this mortal coil.
Tho Odin actually was trying to postpone the inevitable when he strolled over the highway in Earth’s world.
“Just go make your damned puzzles, friend,” Zeng’ze snorted, walking up to his left.
“No point in postponing it,” Raddan added, walking up his right.
“You’ve got a point,” Odin nodded, “But why was I created with this shit-ability, anyway ?
Can either of you answer that question for me ?”
“You can try asking Maran himself, friend,” Zeng’ze replied, “After all, he gave you life.”
“True,” Odin agreed, “Hell, let’s get to work.”
He clapped his hands once hard to call up the dark life-light.
And allowed the ball to float away.
When the light spread, the departed criminals were returned to this world, Blind and myself included.
“Ow ! Silly human !” Blind shrieked when he laid eyes on Smiley, “I didn’t know that you were dead, too !”
“To be honest, Ashara, I don’t even recall how it happened,” Smiley stated, “It was better than the bullet, ‘cause it worked.”
“Oh, Jonathan, I would die without you !” Blind hissed and turned to face me, “I would die without you, too, angel.”
“I know, Blind,” I said, a little smothered, because he was squeezing the life out of me, “Ashara, I need air to breathe.
Please, just let me use a tidbit of oxygen, huh ?”
“Sorry, doll,” Blind giggled.

The three Ancient Daemons nodded to each other and walked away to go back home to the first Grand Hell.
“If Blind truly is the holder of the Other Face,” Raddan began, “I think we’re gonna have a lot of shit with killing him.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, friend,” Zeng’ze snorted, “I don’t remember that Zepheres was such a fairy before he was scattered.”
“Then, why is Tryad so desperate to destroy him ?” Raddan demanded, “He feels something.
You cannot deny that there’s something about him, either, elf.”
“Raddan has a point,” Odin noted, “I mean, we’re practically certain that Tryad holds the Face of Evil and the legend states that he would seek to bring nothing else than harm to the other Seed.”
“But the legend also states that a Dark elf would be his keeper,” Zeng’ze noted, “And who’s protecting Ashara now ?
A mere human.”
“A very able human,” Odin said, “He knows his power and forms don’t mean much in this era.
Beings change often.”
“Go woo your little human, Odin,” Zeng’ze snorted, “I’m not buying this for one minute.”
Odin gritted his teeth when Raddan told him something similar before he dove thru the gate.
Sometimes, he just hated these guys.
62

Life went on as it always did for Azranan.
He took care of Denji, he made sure that Augus wouldn’t reclaim Blind and continued to go back to Hassan, because he knew that he couldn’t break the bond and better could exploit it, so the Absolute would cease trying to find further confirmation of the chief being the one who would bring the Being’s undoing one day.
However, sometimes he wondered what he all did it for when folks were always having doubts about his nature.
He was used to being alone and had needed to learn fast to hide everything for others.
Because as soon as the enemy discovered that he had a weakness, it immediately was used against him.
Sitting at the kitchen-table, Azranan refilled his wineglass and took a sip to get a grip on his emotions.
When he revealed what he felt and thought in the past, he ended up being mocked and tortured.
And now he’d ceased revealing it, it was no good, either.
At times like these, he sure felt lonely.
He hadn’t cried in years and this mess just hurt too much.
It was more than he could handle, because he already felt so emotionally screwed up.

Lusitan took on form in the hall and heard Azranan cry in the kitchen.
“Azranan, I’m sorry,” the chief apologized, laying his hand on the guy’s shoulder, “It was wrong to doubt you.”
“What do you want from me, Lusitan ?” Azranan demanded, feverishly trying to get a grip on himself, “What were you thinking when I rejoined you ?
That I would just forget everything and would open up to all of you while you all have been avoiding me when I still was addicted and hooking ?”
“I wasn’t thinking anything, Azranan,” Lusitan replied, “I know we should’ve been there for you, too, after you did what you did to get us out of the basement.
We were being spoiled brats and tried to forget our own misery by picking up daily life again.”
“Was I a part of that misery ?!” Azranan barked, “Is that why you all avoided me ?
Why nobody bothered to miss me until I already was gone for three months ?!
That hurt, Lusitan.
I thought you cared !”
“I - ” Lusitan started, searching for words, “I don’t know.”
“Well, I do know, Lusitan !” Azranan yelled, “My life was a mess back then and now I’ve rejoined you all, it’s a mess again.
I could’ve left you there in the void, but I didn’t because I cared again.
About you and Fuma.
Why do I bother getting you out of shit every time when you still avoid me and think of me as the enemy whenever shit gets screwy ?”
“Fuma also told me that it was wrong to suspect you,” Lusitan said, “He stated that you should be given time and also should be allowed to be private.”
“I have a life to sort out !” Azranan fumed, “I’m not the perfect Child of fuckin’ Abundance everybody would like me to be.
I want a little space to be able to pick up the pieces of whatever life I have left after everything that stinkin’ happened !”
“I never asked you to be perfect, Azranan,” Lusitan stated, “All I am asking you is to give us a chance to make up for deserting you and repaying you for everything you have done for us.”
“I never demanded that anyone got down on his fuckin’ knees for me !” Azranan shrieked, “The one thing I do demand is that you’ll leave me in peace and stop having doubts about my nature, because I prefer to be private !
I need time to get over the fact that each one of you, except for Maze, started to ignore me after I had killed that john.
Which was an act of self -defense, by the way, because if I hadn’t killed him, he would have killed me, instead !”
“An act of self-defense ?” Lusitan swallowed, “But, I was told differently.
That you had killed him, because you were drunk.”
“My john was drunk and stoned,” Azranan stated, “I was perfectly clear and if you had had the guts to step up to me and ask me about it, instead of listening to the rumors and talk, you probably wouldn’t have gotten the hell out of my way if you saw me on the other side of the street.
You gravely disappointed me, Lusitan, because I thought that you were a friend, tho you turned out to be like everybody else.”
“And Maze,” Lusitan started, “He didn’t disappoint you, because he stayed friendly, that’s why you still hang out with him often.”
“At least, he always has been a true friend, chief,” Azranan stated, “And in contrary to you, he listens first before he forms any kind of judgment.
I know I can confide things to him without being judged and labeled while that isn’t possible with you, because you already have formed an opinion before you have learnt all the facts.”
And Lusitan listened while Azranan spilled his guts about everything that had happened in the past.
Not only about the way on which him and the other five behaved after the murder, but also about everything else.
All the little things that had occurred bothered him, too, and Lusitan discovered that all Azranan ever wanted when he got him, Blind, H’dae and Jez out of the basement was that someone would start to care about him, too, if it only was a little.

When Azranan was finished, Lusitan sank his ass down in a chair and lit a butt.
“So tell me,” he began while he exhaled, “what can I do to become a better leader ?
You seem to know exactly where I go astray.”
“You should learn to listen with you heart, instead of your mind, chief,” Azranan replied, “Your mind’s full with prejudice and you should start to ask why beings do the things they do first before you form any kind of judgment.”
“Alright, I’ll try,” Lusitan nodded, “And I would appreciate it when you want to be my teacher and kick my ass when I’m led by my mind again.”
When Azranan only nodded, Lusitan realized that he was going to have to change his whole way of thinking 180 degrees if he ever wanted to reach a point where Azranan trusted him enough to reveal what went on inside his mind and heart.
And regaining Azranan’s trust was going to take a lot of time, because too many things had happened in the past that made him conclude that everybody could become your enemy.
The arrival of the unknown foe had to teach them to trust each other even tho he tried to make them believe otherwise.
It was the ultimate test for Lusitan to see if was any good as leader and was able to continue to trust his criminals when it appeared that one of them was the enemy.
63

When Grace thought that she’d to ask Pelz to serve as bait once more, Shade volunteered for the job.
She was more suitable, because she was familiar with all that mystical shit.
Gracie also consulted yippie-Halo who told her exactly which house to rent, in which district and when Gareth was gonna show up.
Shade recognized Gareth mostly by the burns in his face and showed interest in what he had to sell.
Gareth was eager to come inside because he saw in Shade the Hierophant.
He opened his suitcase on the dining table and showed Shade a deck of Lenormand cards.
“You can predict your own and other people’s future with these,” he said, “They’re very accurate if you’ve got the feel for them.”
“Feel ?” Shade frowned, tho she knew exactly what Gareth was talking about.
“Yeah, feel,” Gareth nodded, “You got to buy a deck that speaks to you, as it were.”
Shade jerked back and drew up a shield when Gareth reached for her chest to dematerialize her heart.
He walked up against a barrier and was thrown backward.
Grace came out of the kitchen.
She grabbed, cuffed his hands behind his back and hauled him up by his ankles.
“You walked into a trap, asshole,” Shade sneered, “Because we’re Officers Willhoite and Dobbson.
You’re under arrest for four first degree murder which means that you have no rights.”
“And all that in one breath,” Grace noted, eyeballing the shit-killer, “And, pal, we see a striking resemblance between you and the Temperance.”
“What ?” Gareth gulped, turning red in the face.
“We want you to materialize your shit, fuckface,” Shade said, “And we’ll do our thing on you.”
“Now, do it, jackass !” Grace barked, shaping a hyper-glove with her free hand.
Gareth was too polite to refuse.
Thus, the ladies dolled him up after Shade had blown up his heart using her ability as superior exploder before they handed him over to the stiff-sniffers’ office, so they could have loads of fun figuring out what had made this particular shit-killer tick.
64

For the second time, Tryad had lost.
All the shit he’d caused had been solved by a few criminals and those Ancient Daemons.
And the little otaku left the Supreme Hell and headed for the gate back to Haz Mayal to return to his body.
Tho halfway, he was met by someone he rather didn’t see.
“What do you want now, elf ?” Tryad barked.
“You met Astaroth, did you not, friend ?” Zeng’ze demanded.
“You mean that asshole with the weird shadow ?” Tryad snorted, “He oughta be locked away inside a mental asylum, in my opinion.”
“Astaroth speaks in riddles, friend,” Zeng’ze said, “Tho he always speaks the truth.
Awaken him again and your Eternal Existence will be lost to him.
And you can devour a million beings, tho you never shall be able to oppose and defeat your own keeper.”
“And why’s that, elf ?” Tryad mocked, “Because he’s my keeper ?
I have no one.”
“But you do, friend,” Zeng’ze opposed, “The legends state that the keeper of the Evil Seed would halt him when he went too far.
He would only get three chances to quit and when he would not, the keeper would destroy him, so he could await resurrection together with Lord Odin and the Slave-driver.”
“That’s the most-interesting bullshit I ever heard till this date,” Tryad smirked, “Dammit, elf, you actually manage to amuse me now.”
“I’m glad I can amuse you some, friend,” Zeng’ze noted, “And I’m about to amuse you even more.”
“You are, aren’t you ?” Tryad grinned, “Show me what you’ve got, elf.”
“It’s not what I’ve got that counts, friend,” Zeng’ze said, “It’s what you have there.
It’s time you lose again what you took from the foes.”
Tryad looked at his ankles and swallowed loudly when the greenery at his ankles became a green mist which engulfed him.
It formed a hand which squeezed the Eternal juice right out of him and yanked out all of the abilities he had gained with devouring the souls of the defeated foes and destroyed them.
“One day, you’ll pay, elf !” Tryad yelled and watched Zeng’ze walk away, “I’ll find some way to kill you !
I swear it to you !
You have a high place on my shitlist !”
Zeng’ze turned back to face the little otaku.
“Go ahead, friend,” he hissed, “Make my day and find another nemesis-key.
But, I’m telling you that the first Eternal who can get me to explore a different realm still has to be created.”
“I’ll get you yet, piss-elf !” Tryad fumed, “The next time, I’m gonna include you on the list of assholes to have murdered !”
“I think I’m feeling slightly intimidated by this threat, friend,” Zeng’ze noted, “I better do something to defend myself.”
He began to hum a slightly insane sounding melody and materialized one of the Dark Cards of Sound.
Tryad felt how the tune gripped his mind in tore it two and when Zeng’ze threw the card at him his spirit was slashed up in ten pieces.
The piss-elf watched it all disappear and realized that Tryad was gonna be forced to lay low for the next couple of years, because he definitely was gonna need some time to regenerate himself.
Tho Zeng’ze realized that he had to figure out how to permanently deactivate Tryad and shrugged when he concluded that it never could be as difficult as defeating the Elite had been and also decided to dive into the library later.
However, as he checked the books, he would discover that defeating Tryad was more difficult than asking for the proverbial moon, because Eternals with a double Life Force and negative abilities like this soul-eating and draining skill he had never had fought in the First War.
Drannar had never given existence to Eternals like the little otaku.
65

Blind, Smiley and I had started back at work a few days ago, but Grace was more than surprised - kind of crushed, actually - when Sean turned out to be her unexpected visitor.
It hadn’t been arranged or set up, but everybody either moved or looked away when the non-mutant rode into the precinct.
“Sean, what’re you doing here ?” Grace demanded.
“I need to talk to you and Blake,” Sean, replied, swallowing audibly, “It’s about your case.”
“Let’s go to room 5,” I said, “We don’t want others to get infected with typical non-mutant diseases and shit.”
“Please, go on ahead,” Grace snorted, “You know the way.”
She eyeballed me,
“You never know what non-mutants walk around with these days.”
“Could be deadly,” I noted.
“You guys better be careful with that non-mutant,” Jill sneered in Sean’s direction, “He might walk around with a non-mutant parasite.
They’re fatal for mutants and dimensioners.”
“I wanna see my kids grow up,” Grace snorted, “Smiley, wanna step in for me ?
My tits might die and men are more resistant to those typical non-mutant germs he carries with him.”
“Sure, gorgeous, I get paid overtime and danger-cash,” Smiley nodded, “Go watch your kids grow up.
Blake and myself will handle this non-mutant.”
“Thanks, you’re a life-saver, Smiley,” Grace said.
You won’t believe how good it felt to make him feel what he’d done to us all those months.

However, we followed Sean to room 5 who got visibly concerned when I closed the door behind us.
“You do have balls, don’t you, to come to this precinct all alone,” Smiley demanded.
“You better believe me when I tell you that it was everything except for easy,” Sean stated.
“We believe you, Sean,” I said, “Taking into consideration all we’ve done to you.”
“You were the one that broke my back,” Sean noted, “Don’t think I was too unconscious to not to notice it.”
“I also broke your legs. On eight places, ” I shrugged, “But, how’s Jeff ?
We know that you’re married since a year.”
“He got married on April 29th of the last year, hero,” Smiley said, “And even set up a business with this Jeff guy who met Sean when he still was recovering from our little get-together in the rehab-center in Jackson City.”
Up until now, Sean half-and-half thought that it all was bluff when we told him that we’d be keeping our eyes on him, tho he just had learnt otherwise a minute ago.
“I didn’t come here to tell you that I was gonna open my mouth,” he sweat, “My life’s dear to me.
At least, whatever life I still have left.”
“At least you still have something, Blue eyes,” Smiley noted, snidely, “The initial plan was to kill you.”
“You better praise your lucky stars that we didn’t, Sean,” I said.
“I do,” Sean nodded, trying hard to conceal that he was trembling, “However, I came here to tell you that Jeff and I met your three female killers and took them in with us.
They’re mere teenagers and we want guardianship over the youngest two.”
“Tell us what you know, pretty boy,” Smiley smirked, “We’ll see what we’ll do after we’ve listened to your story.”
While watching every single move we made, Sean told us the whole story.
It was obvious that each gesture reminded him of something that had occurred in that torture-chamber.
“Jeff and I honestly believe and feel that when presented with the choice, that they won’t kill again,” he concluded, fighting to maintain his grip on reality and not to be carried away by the flashbacks, “They were executing a command, after all.”
“We’ll let APB’s go out on Lord Abrahams and Dr Williams,” I decided, “If they’re the brains, they’re the culprits.”
“They are,” Sean sighed, “Tho I’ve realized now that what you both did wasn’t only a punishment, but also a lesson.
I never would’ve rethought my ways without it.”
“That’s good for you, Sean,” I said, patronizing, “But what’s your point ?”
“I’m apologizing for the things I said about you, Blake,” Sean replied, “I never should’ve stooped so low.
It was revenge for what happened back in that condo in Sea City.”
“I knew that, Sean,” I snorted, “When the whole thing started, I already sensed that this was about that particular incident.”
“And you were lucky that Azranan had told Blake to let keep your manhood,” Smiley began as we went into Sean’s direction, “He wanted to fix you, did you know ?”
“I know,” Sean sweat, watching us squat to his left and right, “James had to be born.
How is he ?”
“Very happy and still has his manhood, too, Blue eyes,” Smiley smirked, “Unfortunately, yours ended up inside a coffeemug.”
“It’s time you leave,” I said, “Your apology isn’t accepted, nor will what you said ever be forgiven.
Better come to terms with the fact that you can never cease fearing us, Sean.”
“Falsely accusing someone of abuse is a serious crime,” Smiley stated, “And let us give you a piece of friendly advise to which you’ll listen when the rest of your body is dear to you.”
“Which is ?” Sean gulped.
“If you’re wise, you’ll try to disappear out of all of our lives and will never show your face in this city ever again,” Smiley replied, getting brakes off Sean’s wheelchair, “After all, our lifespan is a lot longer than yours is, Sean.
Now, get out.”
Sean nodded and quietly left.
“I don’t think he’ll ever turn up here ever again, Smiley,” I said, “He’ll come up with some nice-sounding excuse for not having to do business in this city, either, in the future.”
“We’re wasting words, hero,” Smiley nodded, “He’ll fear us till his dying-day.”
“Good,” I grunted, “I hope that he’ll relive those few hours till the day he expires.”
“I hope the same, hero,” Smiley agreed, “Say, are you sleeping alone tonight ?”
“Yep, because Equinox is staying with Richard,” I replied, “I dreamt that they’ll get hitched soon and I’m keeping an eye open for a flat I can get totally hysterical on.”
“I can have you a flat within a few days, hero,” Smiley noted as we left room 5, “You know how good I am with moving, don’t you ?”
“Uh-huh,” I nodded, “It has to have at least five rooms, tho.
I mean, Azranan and Micki-Joel both need a room and I want some space for guests, too.”
“You sure are picky, hero,” Smiley grinned, “But, it can be arranged.
I wouldn’t be a master-mover, if I couldn’t arrange something like that.”
True, he wouldn’t be.
But once we had rejoined the others, we talked and laughed about the whole thing with Sean.
It was clear that he hadn’t liked it much, either, to be treated as inferior piece of shit.
66

Astaran went about his daily routine and busied himself with tidying up his estate while he tried to discover if there perhaps was another way to badger that piss-elf.
“One of these days you’re gonna have a very serious accident, friend,” Zeng’ze scared the crap out of him.
The advisor hastily turned himself around and found the elf stand behind him with his arms crossed.
“You have to remain loyal to Maran, elf,” Astaran stated, toying with the leaf of the pot-plant standing beside him on the table, “And you’re pursuing the path of freedom once more and are taking Odin with you this time.”
“You already tasted and experienced the existence of freedom, friend,” Zeng’ze said, “And chose to be loyal while Odin never had a choice.
He existed already once before, tho the first time he also led the life of slave.”
“Him tasting freedom will lead to him deserting Maran, elf !” Astaran barked, “You cannot expect of me to do nothing while you show him the other life !”
“I can do as I please, friend,” Zeng’ze stated, “Because I have nothing to lose anymore.
You and Faruz made sure that I lost everything and it’ll be over my proverbial dead body when I allow you take it away from Odin.”
“Is this revenge ?” Astaran demanded, “Are you seeking to destroy us all, because we took everything away from you ?”
“I’ll let you be the judge of that, my psychic friend,” Zeng’ze replied, “However, I’m warning you.
Thwart me and you’ll be more than sorry.”
He turned on his heels to leave and Astaran quickly looked aside when the pot-plant beside him became a green-demon that attacked him.
After quite a struggle, he got the plant back in his pot and reached the conclusion that it was better when he left the piss-elf and Odin in peace and didn’t try anything.
Because this time he won the battle with the plant, he wasn’t all that sure if he also could win when Zeng’ze got creepy with everything in the house and perhaps even the estate itself.
67

Chisisi-Akil rolled a silver-weed cigarette and after he lit it, he lay down beside his brother on the bed.
“Want a hit ?” He inquired.
“No, it gives me bad dreams,” Eblis-Fateh snorted, petting the bird who lay rolled up and sound asleep on his stomach, “My friend is so cute when he is asleep, is he not ?”
“I also think he is cute when he is not singing,” Chisisi-Akil noted, “Say, when did you discover that he is such a terrible singer, anyway ?”
“I think it was shortly after he evolved from little snake into this demon-bird,” Eblis-Fateh told, “In the morning, when I was getting robed, he always sat on the foot-end of the bed.
He was humming, but suddenly started to sing.
I felt my existence-core shatter along with the windows.”
“You appeared very calm when you silenced him a while ago,” Chisisi-Akil said, taking a drag of his cigarette.
“I already had an XX number of experiences with My Friend expressing his “happy-thoughts,” brother,” Eblis-Fateh stated.
“I see,” Chisisi-Akil snorted, “But, did he ever tell you where the Asura got him from ?”
“He is very private,” Eblis-Fateh replied, “All he ever said to me when I asked him about his home-era, was that it was completely different from the Dead Gates.”
“Odd,” Chisisi-Akil sniffed, “For a bird to be so private, I mean.”
“Sometimes, I think he is more than a bird, brother,” Eblis-Fateh noted, “He knows things I did not teach him and whenever he is having thoughts, I hear this inaudible mumbling.
And what is more, I noticed recently, that he always is avoiding mirrors and other things which show his reflection.”
“Maybe he hates his form as demon-bird,” Chisisi-Akil noted.
“I am certain that he does not, brother,” Eblis-Fateh opposed, “Because whenever he is talking about himself, he appears to be very content with his form.
After all, he has this Demon-birds’ Rights Organization.”
“You are right,” Chisisi-Akil nodded and frowned, “But, now you are talking about that bird and reflections, I am reminded of something.
Elham and Dirayad had exactly the same with avoiding mirrors and everything when they still were with me.
I always thought that they were shy or something.”
“And they had been sent to you by the Asura, too ?” Eblis-Fateh demanded.
“I do not know,” Chisisi-Akil replied, “I do not remember when, but they suddenly were there.
I always assumed that they were mortals and they never made me wiser.
They did have strange abilities for mere mortals, tho.
Elham holds the ability to find any key, even in the lost streams of time, while Dirayad knows a lot about silver curses and spells.”
“That - indeed - is unusual for mortals,” Eblis-Fateh agreed, “And what about Amal ?”
“Amal,” Chisisi-Akil chuckled, “I can write a book about her, brother.
But, I know exactly when she came to me.
As a soul-light when I already had build Barrani.”
He laid his head on his brother’s shoulder and petted the bird.
“I am glad, tho, that we are on speaking terms again,” he noted, “Because I missed these conversations.”
“So did I, Chisisi-Akil,” Eblis-Fateh said and chuckled on his serpent-way.
“What is so funny, you snake ?” Chisisi-Akil snorted.
“Oh, it just came to mind that how much you have calmed down, my brother,” Eblis-Fateh grinned, “Because you used to be such a predator who was quite - Threatening when he grew hungry in his sleep.”
“What are you talking about ?” Chisisi-Akil frowned.
“Never you mind, you cat,” Eblis-Fateh snorted, “Let us just say that you going to bed with an empty stomach was not always - Pleasant.”
And no matter how Chisisi-Akil tried, he couldn’t get his brother to tell him what he exactly meant with this.
All Eblis-Fateh told him was that Chisisi-Akil’s behavior when he was asleep proved that he was a true predator, after all.
68

Halo was mindlessly channel-surfing from one home-shopping program to test-transmissions when he felt a certain someone materialize beside him on the couch.
“Fascinating offer,” Odin noted while Ashra made tracks to the kitchen where the sergeant was trying to open the fridge with his dog-power.
“Yeah, I can’t find the off button,” Halo snorted, “But what brought you here, anyway ?”
“I was told to go woo my little human, so that’s what I’m doing now,” Odin replied, “D’you feel like going some place ?”
“There’s a street-carnival in the Dorena-district, currently,” Halo replied.
“And the Light Festival started in Mathar,” Odin sniffed, “Feel like being tormented by one of Hope Reviva’s speeches ?”
“Can you guarantee me that my dog will lose his interest in locks when I force him to listen ?” Halo inquired.
“I’ve seen those speeches do stranger things to beings,” Odin began, “So, it might be possible, Halo.”
“Let’s go, then,” Halo grinned, got his ass off the couch and whistled the sergeant and Ashra.
The fellas moved out to take a gate to Arizna’s capital, Mathar, and have a good time at the Light Festival.
The sergeant didn’t lose his interest in locks, however, when he heard Empress Hope Reviva, hold one of her endless speeches.
He only grew more interested in them, all to break his boredom.
Hope Reviva was the empress of the Sky Realm, the world Arizna protected and the Light Festivals were held every year to honor the Arizians for their devoted protection to the Sky Realm and the Air Spirits.

69

Richard and Equinox had the same thing in mind and without needing to waste any words, they went to their fave graveyard.
It had last been used in 1524 and was the oldest cemetary in this city.
“Great, huh ?” Richard asked.
“Yeah,” Equinox nodded, “But, I just realized that you must’ve decided to become a gothic vampire right here.”
“I did, actually,” Richard confirmed, “The guys on my old high-school dumped me here to spent the night for a bet we had closed.
They thought that I was just kidding when I claimed that sleeping on graveyards gave me the best night-rests.
However, here I saw the ghost of this sub-vampire and looking at his outfit concluded that this was the style I’d been looking for all of my life.
I used the cash I won to create the new me.”
“I don’t think I would’ve asked you to dance with me when you still had been kind of sort of like, normal, get my drift ?” Equinox noted, searching his pockets simultaneously with Richard who was searching his own.
“No need to say it, as always, because I get your drift,” Richard said.
“What’re you looking for ?” Equinox inquired.
“The ring,” Richard replied, “I wanted to propose to you.”
“I wanted to do the same,” Equinox stated.
They accepted each other’s proposals, tho, and sealed their engagement with a kiss.
70

The new case Shrink and Reeves got assigned was totally different from the first.
It concerned the murders on handsome young men who were turned into glass and next dolled up in the cutest ballerina-costumes.
This crazy most-certainly was a superior glass-maker, because he controlled his ability on an exceptional way and the crimescene was squeaky clean, too.
There were no traces of Denzel Baker having fought or even had resisted him.
He’d let his killer into his residence, too.
“I would say,” Shrinkie began, “that this man, woman or gender bender has an obsession for ballet.”
“What I would also say is that Mr. Baker knew his killer,” Python added.
“I hadn’t gotten around to that yet,” Shrinkie nodded, “But, in theory, you could be right.”
“In theory, I’m always right,” Python noted, “But, Denzel died quick and clean.
He probably never knew what hit him.”
“It sure looks like it,” Reeves agreed, “Let’s go take a look around the house, Shrinkie.
Maybe we’ll find something which’ll tell us how they got acquainted.”
Shrink nodded and had a look around, too.
Denzel was an everyday guy who was heavy into collecting anything about synth and house trance.
They found multitudes of CD’s, rare limited editions of early releases and a magazine called Collectors United [Unlimited].
In the back-section they saw contact-ads placed by other collectors and correctly assumed that Denzel had either placed an ad himself or had responded to one and that was how he met the one who had killed him.
71

A week ago, Smiley had found the neatest flat on the eighth floor of an apartment building in the Callan district and with Smiley and a few friends I’d begun with fixing the place up.
And finally, I could be totally selfish and have it all my taste : Green.
Hell, at least my sty and the living room were in that color, the three extra-rooms were left empty and the kitchen was in blue.
Azranan and his outfit already had made plans for their room, but they still needed to vote to decide which plan was gonna be executed in the end.
Micki-Joel would get another room.
I first had asked Dave about taking his daughter in and when he said it was alright, I asked Micki-Joel about it.
She was elated about the fact that she didn’t need to go to an orphanage, but figured that I would be just as strict with her as her dad was.
She would learn as soon as she’d moved in that I only forbid things when I have a damned good reason for doing so.
I did things on the same way with Damon and it worked fine, so I saw no reason why it wouldn’t work with Micki-Joel, either.

However, after having spent the afternoon in the flat and came home, the captain bounced to his couch, stopped dead in his tracks and bounced right back to the hall.
‘There’s a guy asleep on my couch,’ He snorted, appalled.
“A guy ?” I frowned and moved to check it out.
There, indeed, was a guy asleep on the captain’s couch.
It was Frank, one of the informers who worked on the boulevard in the Buena district.
But, because he looked pretty exhausted, I let him sleep.
I lay a blanket over him and went to the kitchen with the captain right behind me, sulking about the fact that his couch had been confiscated by another and that he couldn’t stand it.
It was not fair.
That couch was almost the Couch of all Couches.
That couch was all he had to rest up on after a long day.
While that was total bullshit, actually, because beside his couch he also had a basket, the box from the new washing-machine, he usually fought over with the cats, and his spinach-green pillow bed.

“Shut your dog-yap,” I barked after having listened to his list of complaints for an hour, “The world doesn’t come to an end when you have to sleep elsewhere for once.”
‘But, that’s my couch,’ the captain stated, ‘Why didn’t he choose the other one ?’
“Your couch probably was more comfortable,” I replied, “But, you’ll be walking on a leash for a week if you wake him to get your couch back.”
Visibly depressed, he left to take a nap on the less-good other couch.
“Home already ?” Equinox asked when he came home from the mall.
“Yeah, we decided to call it quits for the day,” I stated, “But, did Frank tell you why he’s here ?”
“He only told me that something happened to Maurice, whoever that may be,” Equinox replied, “I found him sitting on the gallery before I left to go to the mall.
He looked like shit, so I told him to come inside and cleaned up his act before asking him anything.”
“Maurice is the guy he’s living with since six months or so,” I said.
“And I wonder what happened to Frank,” Equinox sniffed, “I mean, he looked like he was attacked by a monster.”
“A monster ?” I demanded.
“Yeah, a monster,” Equinox nodded, “When I found him, he looked as pale as a sheet and had scratches and bite marks on his face, neck and arms.
I let him get into my clothes, because he was wearing rags, Black eyes.”
“What is this year ?” I snorted, “The year of the monsters ?”
“Black eyes, tell me what you mean,” Equinox smirked, liking the sound of this.
I told him about all the monster-cases which had come in recently and Equinox fully agreed with me that some years just have it.
72

Sitting on the frontporch of his residence, Lusitan looked up at the stars.
The shit he’d been in recently, still bothered him a lot and he hoped to find some answers about who and why while gazing up at the heavens.
“Lusitan, the heavens don’t hold all of the answers,” Dana noted, easing her ass beside him on the banister.
“Why not, mom ?” Lusitan demanded, “What kind of leader am I when I suspect one of my own men of being a traitor ?”
“Lusitan, just follow your heart,” Dana said, “It’ll guide you thru the Maze of Destiny.
Your heart is the only thing you can trust, don’t let yourself be guided by your mind, it’ll only lead you to false truths, as you have discovered yourself.”
She laid her hand on the chief’s shoulder,
“And you’re a good leader, Lusitan,” she stated, “You’re not all-knowing and it’s alright to make mistakes.”
“Again, I allowed myself to be led by the talk there was about Azranan in the past,” Lusitan sighed, “How can it be that one person has so much shit and that not a soul attempts to aid him ?”
“You know, Lusitan,” Dana began, “I feel that history repeated itself.
His father probably went thru the same.
Even tho you don’t want it, you also pass the negative things on to your children.
Azranan didn’t only inherit Kaiser, his ability to cast illusions and his psycho-strength.
He also inherited his father’s past.
I feel that whoever this man is, also is assumed to have been murdered and just like his son, now lives somewhere away from all of his foes.”
“You think his father still is alive ?” Lusitan demanded.
“I do,” Dana nodded, “And I saw in the stars, that he will find him.
They have the same foes and Azranan won’t know the man’s name until they all are gone.
You can see those things - except for names, unfortunately - when you draw someone’s horoscope and look in the house of the parents.
Adantai-charts reveal those things better and clearer than Sha’razi-charts do.”
“Is Azranan a true Sha’razi ?” Lusitan asked.
“No, he’s half-Adantai,” Dana replied, “Only they can learn to travel into the Forbidden Realms, Sha’razi can never master this skill.
Whether we like it or not, Lusitan, the Adantai are superior to us.
We have attained a high spiritual-level, tho they exceed us by far.”
“It - of course - explains why Azranan, as only one of my criminals, can travel the Forbidden Realms and holds Forbidden Dances,” Lusitan said, “Fuma holds a few, too, but he is an Adantai, so nobody raised any questions about how or why.”
“Azranan received the best of two races,” Dana noted, “That made him the Child of Abundance.”
Lusitan nodded as all of Azranan’s abilities finally made some sense to him.
He never really had understood them before, but if Azranan’s father truly was an Adantai, all of the things he was able to do made perfect sense.
73

Jayce invited Tyrone into his house.
They’d met via an ad in Collectors United [Unlimited] wherein Jayce had asked for someone to visit antique-shows and auctions with, because he was alone with this interest and liked to share it with someone.
“It’s good to meet you, Tyrone,” Jayce said as he lead the way to the living room.
“It’s good to finally meet you, too,” Tyrone stated, “And you’re as handsome as I had imagined you would be.”
“Tyrone, I didn’t place that ad looking for a fuck-buddy,” Jayce barked.
“Look,” Tyrone started, “I wasn’t looking for a bed-partner, either.
I mean, I just wanna act out this jerk-off I’ve been using lately.”
And he turned Jayce’s heart into glass by just pointing at it.
Jayce collapsed.
Tyrone unzipped his sporting-bag and hauled Jayce in his fave light-purple ballerina-costume before posing him in a nice position.

Tyrone was a superior glass-maker.
And it was true what he’d told Jayce about this being a fantasy.
Tyrone Wilson was a bored-shitless rich boy who got crazy of having everything handed to him on a silver platter.
It drove him berserk.
He was only 23 and never had done a single useful thing in his entire life.
But - he felt - he was being useful now as shit-killer.
74

To the captain’s grave dismay, Frank slept for a day and a half on his couch and when Frank finally got up, that childish dog took it right back to never leave it again unless it was replaced.
However, because Frank was famished, we went to the kitchen where I made a solid meal for him.
“This is great,” he said, “I was starved.”
“You must’ve been,” I nodded, “But, tell me, what happened to Maurice ?”
“I don’t know where to begin,” Frank noted.
“Just start somewhere,” I said.
“Alright,” Frank nodded, “It started shortly after we moved into the floor we rent from two Veyas.
The first night, I began to have the most bizarre dreams about Maurice being eaten by this plant-monster.
I didn’t tell Maurice or anyone else about ‘em, because they were just way too off for words.
But, the day before yesterday, those dreams realized.
Eno and Orman had left that morning to go on a business-trip when at night that monster came thru our sitting room floor and attacked Maurice.
I tried to help him, but the monster escaped.”
“Technically speaking,” I began, “Maurice is only missing and that ain’t my department.
But, a colleague of mine can will help you out.”
I wrote Hans’s number down for him on a writing-pad.
“Thanks,” Frank said, “And is it too much to ask if I can stay her a little longer ?
I mean, I’m kind of sort of terrified of going back now, after what happened to Maurice.”
“Sure, no problem,” I replied, “However, move to the guest-room.
It beats the couch and the captain is so childish about it.”
“When Maurice is back, I’ll take him to the boutique where he works,” Frank snorted, “I’ll make it up to him that I slept on his couch.”
He got up to give Hans a ring.
Frank was a nice guy, like a lot of other beings I knew, actually.
If you’re open and friendly toward others, it most likely is bound to come back to you.
And when it doesn’t, that’s the other person’s shit then.
At least you’ve had the right attitude.
75

After having read all about a Tyrone in Jayce’s diary, Reeves and Shrink coughed up a plan.
Shrinkie looked like he wouldn’t be able to pull any mean stunts or had any powers, so he went to place a few ads in Collectors United [Unlimited] to get Tyrone out in open.
They were correct in assuming that Tyrone would be scared off by Reeves’ eyes.
Reeves was a galaxian and his brilliant all purple eyes startled a lot of folks.
Anyway, they rented a flat and made it look like Shrink was heavy into anything about the movies.
And Shrink had lost count of how many blokes he already had spoken with on the phone when he finally received a call from a bloke called : Tyrone.
Shrinkie arranged a meeting in the flat for two days later.

Tyrone followed Shrink to the sitting room after he’d been invited inside.
“You’re as handsome as I had imagined you would be,” Tyrone said.
“Meaning ?” Shrink demanded.
“That you’re suitable to be the star in a jerk-off I’ve been using,” Tyrone replied.
And pointed at Shrink’s heart.
But nothing happened.
What the shit - ?
“You see, that’s always been a jerk-off of mine,” Shrink began, “To steal a glass-maker’s ability.”
“Are you an absorber ?” Tyrone swallowed.
“No, I’m an Ayani-monk,” Shrink stated, “And stealing another’s abilities is one of the first things you learn in the commune.”
“What’re you gonna do now ?” Tyrone sniveled.
“I’m gonna turn you into glass now,” Shrinkie smirked, “And before I forget, I’m Officer O’ano and you have no rights anymore, Tyrone.”
He turned Tyrone into glass.
But, him and Reeves weren’t finished, yet.
They hauled Tyrone into the pink ballerina costume which actually had been meant for Shrink.
But pink wasn’t really Shrinkie’s color, anyway.

“The stiff-sensers are gonna die when they see him, Shrink,” Reeves said while they posed Tyrone.
“Yeah, they will,” Shrink nodded, “They’re gonna have as much fun with figuring out what makes him tick as they had with the snake and Tarot-killer.”
Reeves agreed and cracked up when he discovered that Shrink had forgotten to turn a certain part of Tyrone’s body into glass.
“Shrink, you shame me,” He choked.
“Oops, sorry,” Shrink managed to get out and posed Tyrone’s trouser-snake in an upward position before he turned that into glass, too.
“Shrink, you rogue,” Reeves sobbed.
“I was merely executing what you had in mind, too, Reeves,” Shrink smirked.
And cracking up, they called the morgue a bit later.
76

Eno and Orman had just returned home from their business-trip when Hans dropped by to see them.
“How can we help you, Officer Baez ?” Eno inquired, blandly.
“One of your tenants on the first floor, Maurice, was swallowed by a plant four days ago,” Hans replied, “And I was wondering - ”
“That’ll be Erkie !” Eno shrieked, turning to face Orman, “I thought you’d locked his cage before we left ?”
“I’m certain that I had,” Orman stated.
“He broke out again,” Eno sighed, “Erkie has a habit of getting overly enthusiastic whenever he likes someone.
Follow me.”
Hans followed the guys to the back of the house and saw that they had more pets.
But, one cage was open and Erkie was nowhere to be seen.
“Erkie,” Eno called, “Come out.
We have a treat for you.”
And Erkie literally came dropping out of the ceiling.
He had two heads and three dozen tentacles which served many purposes.
Tho his behavior reminded Hans a lot of a merry little puppy.
“What’ve you done, Erkie ?” Eno demanded, strictly.
Erkie dropped both his heads and spit Maurice out.
Maurice was okay, only he eyed kind of slippery.
“I’m sorry, Maurice,” Orman apologized while he helped the guy up, “Erkie didn’t mean bad, tho.”
“I know, he liked me,” Maurice said, “He has a funny way of showing it. In my opinion.”
“That’s common on Zoria where he comes from,” Orman explained, “When they really like someone, they swallow the other to spit him out again after a while.”
“I’m glad that Frank doesn’t do that,” Maurice blurted.
“I’m glad that Eno doesn’t do it, either,” Orman snorted and watched his companion conclude Erkie’s lecture.
“And if you escape one more time while we’re out,” Eno barked, “You can forget your walks in the park for at least, a year.”
Feeling very bad about himself now, Erkie slithered back into his cage and closed the door behind him.
“Accept our apologies,” Eno said to Maurice, “And to make up for the scare Erkie gave you, you and Frank don’t have pay any rent for the next six months.”
“I know something better,” Maurice began, “Why don’t you tell us about your pets, so we even can take care of them when you’re away.”
“That’s perfect,” Eno nodded, “And forget the rent for as long as you live here.”
Hans smiled and nodded to himself.
He just loved it when cases had endings like this case had now.

[Joe]

77

Last week, I’d moved into the dream-flat and yesterday Equinox and Richard got hitched.
It was a great wedding and Equinox sure looked happy.
Fourteen of the 31 cats had decided to move out with yours truly as did my old super-childish couch-hanger.
However, I’d expected that Ruben would have been elated about me finally leaving, but instead he completely crushed me when he came to say ta-ta and actually gave me a purr when I petted him.

The captain had gone with Frank and Maurice to the boutique where Maurice worked and after lunch, Halo and I went to the living room to have coffee.
“Sean gave me a ring this morning,” Halo said, having the cookie-jar beside him because he felt that after something salt came something sweet.
“What did he want ?” I asked.
“He asked me to have a word with you about burying the past and all,” Halo replied, “But, I told him no.
I mean, he really insulted me, too, when I heard what he said about our friendship.”
“I think he was jealous of it, Halo,” I said, “I mean, when you aren’t burying me under your shit-riddles, I love having you around.”
“Blake,” Halo grinned on his little slimeball-way, “you love my riddles.
Don’t try to deny that you don’t find a certain thrill in racking your brain while attempting to crack ‘um.”
“I hope that you’ll meet yourself some day soon, Halo,” I smirked, “Then, I’m gonna say the same thing to you.”
“I already have the same with Odin,” Halo began, “Which reminds me of a shit-riddle he gave me a while ago.”
“What kind of riddle did he give you, then ?” I inquired, suddenly feeling very exhilarated.
“He told me that some time before I meet a crazy mage, I’ll get another changing-accident,” Halo replied, “I know I’m gonna meet Sal Lutan, but I don’t have a clue about what he could’ve meant with this other changing-accident.”
“I don’t have a clue, either, Halo,” I smirked, even tho I knew exactly what Odin had been talking about.
I had dreamt about that particular mission in quite a number of details and also had reviewed how bitchy Halo would become, because Odin would see a few details himself, too, and also would go tease him with it.
“Blake, you’re lying,” Halo snorted, “I can tell.
What did Odin mean with this changing-accident, huh ?”
“I don’t have the foggiest idea,” I grinned, “Maybe you can try courting Odin some and pry a few details lose from him.
You can also try quitting popping shit-riddles with me and I might have a dream or two that’ll give you some answers.”
“I wanna hate you now, you know that ?” Halo sniffed, “Because you know just as well as I do that I’m bad with courting and can’t stop popping shit-riddles, either.”
“That’s too bad, then, Halo,” I teased, “I guess time will have to give you all of the answers then.”
“I am going to change the subject now,” Halo wheezed, “Before I get tempted to bury you under one million riddles and kill you with it.
So, when is Micki-Joel moving in ?”
“I hope soon,” I replied, “I’m still arguing with Dave’s relatives about everything he owned.
His ex-wife is the biggest problem.
Micki-Joel is Dave’s only heir and she won’t let me adopt her unless she gets everything valuable Dave had.
Those relatives really piss me off, because Micki-Joel herself can go to hell for her part and the other relatives feel the same, but they all want Dave’s possessions.
They don’t consider Micki-Joel’s feelings for even a split second.”
“It’ll be alright in the end,” Halo said, “Micki-Joel will move in here.”
“I hope so, Halo,” I sighed, “They tucked her away inside a boarding-school until all the legal affairs have been settled.
Azranan and I are her only visitors.”
Never before, I had met such cold-hearted people.
They didn’t give jackshit about Micki-Joel and figured that I only wanted to adopt her for the same reasons as they had.
If it were up to me, they could have it all, but there were a few things of emotional value Micki-Joel wanted to have and in my opinion, she had a right to those things.
However, the relatives disagreed and continued to treat Micki-Joel as some sort of prize that could be won.
78

Atom took his time with preparing each young man, just like he did with choosing them.
He knocked the guy out cold first and next used his ability as spark shocker to electrocute him.
Meters and Meters of gray bandage were used to make him look like a mummy.
And when Atom was finished, his mouth curled into a smile.
You could really see that he’d put a lot effort into this.
He was gonna be famous as the mummy-killer.
And the mere thought got him all gooey inside !
What was more, he figured himself for a complete genius.
He’d seen and analyzed many serial-killers and had concluded that being the mummy-killer would make him the most-original murderer of this century.
79

Mike felt that something pleasant awaited him when he came into the kitchen and discovered that Smiley had ordered Seradon-takeaway for breakfast.
“Ah, there you are, Mikey,” Smiley said, “Ease your ass down, if you want.”
“May I attack this or is it only meant to look at ?” Mike inquired.
“You may attack,” Smiley replied.
Mike took a box of rice and found a ring inside.
“How about it, Mikey ?” Johnno asked, “Feel like taking the plunge ?”
“Any time,” Mike nodded, “Perhaps I’ll learn to resist your smile when we’re married.”
“That’s why Jan also accepted when I popped the question to her,” Smiley noted, “However, she never learnt to resist my smile.
And by the way, congrats that you got thru the police-academy and I already spoke with Jake for you.
She gave her okay about you starting out at 21st next year.
You no longer will be a protégé there.”
“Really ?” Mike demanded, “You’ve been quite busy, I hear.”
“Yup, I have,” Smiley confirmed, “I wanted to have all things settled before I popped the question to you.”
“Awesome, totally awesome,” Mike smiled, “And I already know who I want to work with, Roz.
She’s the only one I know of who can appreciate the beauty of warfare like I can.”
“I don’t think she’ll be elated, either, when you materialize S-mines and other artillery in the bathroom just because your shower turned friggin’ cold, Mikey,” Smiley noted.
“We’ll find out next year, won’t we ?” Mike snorted, “I think that the two of us can add a whole new dimension to Interrogation 21st Precinct Style, tho.”
Smiley didn’t doubt that.
After all Mikey was his son and him and Blind had managed perfectly to also add this extra-dimension.
If Mikey had anything of his daddy’s creativity, interrogating suspects was gonna be hot.
80

Micki-Joel was living with me since a month and a half.
After a long legal battle, her mother had finally allowed me to adopt her.
However, Micki-Joel’s mom and the other relatives left with everything valuable Dave had owned and Micki-Joel had been left with nothing, except for her own personal things.
She wanted out that boarding-school so badly that she ultimately had agreed to anything, because she was fed up with everything.
However, the two of us got along just fine and after a few days, I began to see the real Micki-Joel.
It started with a small request if she could redo her room.
Okay, I said and helped her with changing it.
She was a huge Voyager 608 fan and we redid her sty completely in the style of her No 1 fave sci-fi series.
Dave - I later heard - used to tell her to stay away from boys’ things like that and always demanded that she behaved like a real lady.
Tho it didn’t bother me that she preferred boys’ over girls’ things and let her go her way.
I didn’t forbid her to smoke, either, when I saw her look kind of tantalizing at my cigarettes.
After a pack, I learnt that she was already smoking secretly for a year.
And my other kids, Azranan and his outfit got along fine with her, too.
Micki-Joel often went out to do shit with Azranan like going to carnivals, the amusement park or the movies, etc.
And her being with him definitely set my mind at ease, knowing that he was responsible enough to stay out of trouble.
And wouldn’t get into any stupid or foolish shit.

Being busy in the kitchen, I heard Micki-Joel come home from school, early.
She slammed the frontdoor shut and barged in.
“Look at what Bart did,” She barked, pointing at an incredible shiner.
“Come here, I’ll fix it,” I said, “By the way, how’s Bart ?”
“I gave him shit, right up his ass, bud,” Micki-Joel replied while I healed her, “First I get kicked out of the girls’ lockerrooms, ‘cause I ain’t a real broad to them.
I shrugged, changed to my guy’s body and thought : Hell, I’ll just go change with the fellas, then.
And then, Bart started, too.
He said that I ain’t a real bloke, either.
The others began to break up and nearly cashed out when Bart pissed right over my sporting-clothes.
The trainer chose Bart’s side when I kicked his balls right up his buttcanal.
I hate this school, bud, they’ve been doing nothing but badger me since day 2.”
“And which one is it,” I began,” Were you expelled or does the principal want to see me ?”
“Both,” Micki-Joel stated, “Are you pissed ?”
“Not at you,” I replied, “I’ll go have a nice chat with that principal of yours and we’ll find you a different school.
Just clean up the groceries for me.”
“Okay, bud,” Micki-Joel smirked, “Have fun.”
This principal - just like Bart - would be fine after 2, 3 weeks in a hospital.
He’d stated that this school wasn’t gender-divided and that’s why Micki-Joel had gone there.
The contrary was obviously the case and as a result, I divided him for running a hellhole where taunting was alright.
81

Regurgitating and with the smell of decomposing spirit-matter in his nose, Aswad awoke and went to sit up straight to drink some water.
There was an era known as The Dumpster where you only could find mountains of corpses.
Back when Aleron fought the war with Thabit, many Alronians had been captured, half-terminated and left between the corpses one would find there.
Aswad had been to The Dumpster innumerable times to find Outsiders and get them back to Aleron, but thousands of years later, the smell of decomposing spirit-matter still was in his nose.
In the Eternal-stream, a body decomposed relatively fast and quickly was consumed by time while the soul - which was called ; Spirit-matter - took forever to decompose and smelled worse than a million rotting stiffs and the Universe’s biggest garbage dump did together.
During wars and in other disputes, many beings were murdered and dumped there, tho only a handful were brave enough to journey to The Dumpster to retrieve them.
Aswad had been one of the few, tho he still smelled the rotting spirit-matter every single day.

“Did you dream about The Dumpster again ?” Seth inquired.
“I did, Seth,” Aswad sighed, “I am going out to get a breath of fresh air.”
Seth nodded and once Aswad had gotten into his clothes he left their chamber to go for a flight around the proverbial block which usually was to either the floating gardens or the spires.
‘Baruti had trances and everybody always was concerned about him,’ Seth grunted in his mind’s voice, ‘Aswad still has the smell and nobody gives a damn while he did a lot for Aleron, too, back in the war we fought with Thabit.’
Seth knew that Aswad still had bad dreams about the things he had seen on The Dumpster.
Because not all beings had been terminated on a clean way and most of them had been heinously mutilated.
And holding someone’s arm or leg suddenly when he was searching for fellow Outsiders, had left more than an impression with the Trusted One.
It had burnt a mark into Aswad’s very soul.
82

The 15-year-old Madeline Johnson had been found dolled up like some season-queen behind Breston’s Mall on 67th Boulevard.
And the guys who discovered her had first thought that she was asleep or unconscious.
“I’ve a kid-sister of this girl’s age,” Fujiko noted while sensing Madeline’s remains, “Tho Madeline died of a cardiac arrest caused by some self-concocted poison.
For further details, you guys will have to wait for the results of the blood-tests.”
“The way on which I see it now, he wanted to keep it clean,” Grace noted, “He wanted her to die beautiful, as it were.”
“She has no injuries and wasn’t sexually assaulted, either,” Fujiko stated, “My guess is that she knew her killer.”
“That narrows down the list of suspects, significantly,” I said, “We’ll only have to find out who she knew then.”
“My idea, exactly,” Grace agreed.
Tho before we moved to look into that, we first went to break the news to Madeline’s dads.
83

Odin hung on the couch, in the living room of his estate and actually wasn’t doing or thinking nothing when Zeng’ze honored him with a visit.
“What’s the matter, Odin ?” the elf smirked, “Did your little human didn’t want to be wooed anymore ?”
“No, he went away to the first Key Island in Earth’s World to assist the cops there with catching a shit-killer,” Odin sighed, “According to Halo, he prefers to zap single mothers.
How’s Tryad ? Have you seen him, recently ?”
“Yep, he’s gonna be harmless for a few years again,” Zeng’ze replied, easing his ass down in an armchair, “However, I came across something rather important.
I never faced Eternals with a double Life Force who also were soul-eaters in combat during the First War, so it’ll take a while to figure out how he can be halted for good.”
“Try to figure it out before there are fatalities which cannot be reversed,” Odin said.
“I’m planning to go to the library later to look into it, friend,” Zeng’ze nodded, “However, I also paid a visit to Astaran, he will no longer file detailed reports to Maran of what you’re doing.
Maran only sensed that you’re trying out the other existence and are seeing a human.
Now Astaran will cease filing reports, he shan’t learn any more details.”
“My debts to you continue to pile up, elf,” Odin noted, taking a drag of his butt, “When will you stop being so damned kind to me ?”
“I want you to have and keep what I lost, friend,” Zeng’ze stated, “If you can hold on to this other existence, your debt to me - as you called it - has been paid off.”
“I still wish you would allow me to live in your life as you do in mine, elf,” Odin said, “And would tell me what I can do for you to help you with finding and keeping your personal happiness.”
“It’s the thought that counts, friend,” Zeng’ze shrugged as he rose, “I better go to the library and see what I can dig up about permanently deactivating that little otaku.”
Odin watched the elf leave the estate and let out a forlorn sigh.
As only one, he knew why Zeng’ze was addicted.
Everybody else thought that he used opium to be able to see thru all of his enemies and review events ahead or the Mists of Time, as he always called it himself.
It was merely side-effect and not the main-reason.
He - in fact - was trying escape from the memories of the tragedies he had been thru in his life.
84

Rocco had been hired to replace Bob at the stiff-sensers’ office, because Bob had been canned by Archangel for incompetence.
He failed to sense and see things which actually weren’t even missed by trainees and his reports usually were incomplete, because he skipped tests and everything to save himself work.
Tho the whole atmosphere at the office definitely improved when Bob left and Rocco arrive shortly after.
Anyway, Rocco was assigned to a case where young men were found near the river, bandaged like mummies.
Holler and Martinez were on this case, too, and they also found it all rather twisted and even a little bizarre.
“Are you involved with anyone, Rocco ?” Holler asked.
“Yeah,” Rocco nodded, “I live with an interdimensional bounty hunter, Leknaat.
We sometimes don’t see each other for years, but it keeps our affair kind of new, I suppose.”
“Unusual name, Leknaat,” Martinez noted.
“She’s from Westfare, 7th Galaxy,” Rocco said, “We met when I was there on a holiday and she was relaxing for a bit in a night-club.
Somehow, we started talking and dancing and there was the familiar spark.”
“I met T.C in the mall,” Holler recalled, “She was so preoccupied by the things she still had to do that day that she also wanted to split with my groceries.”
“How long are you with her now ?” Rocco asked.
“Almost sixteen years,” Holler replied, “How long are you with Leknaat ?”
“A little over a quarter of a century,” Rocco stated, “Martinez, are you involved or happily single ?”
“Involved,” Martinez sniffed, “My 24th anniversary with Carlos is coming up soon.”

“Tell us how you two met,” Rocco said, “You heard our stories, too.”
“It was shortly after mom and I fled from the Azure Land,” Martinez told, “Carlos was the youngest son of my mom’s employer.
We were just friends for years, because I was kind of screwed up, but eventually this friendship evolved and we became partners.”
“Had a bad youth ?” Rocco inquired.
“Yeah, I have, pop was a tyrant,” Martinez stated, “And before I shed skins, I didn’t even dare to wear short sleeves, because my arms were so badly scarred.”
“We understood him, tho, when he said that he didn’t like to shower with the other guys, because he had so many scars,” Holler noted, “Sean could get pretty bitchy about it, too, because we usually made comments about the fact that Blue eyes never joined the guys.”
“I heard those stories,” Rocco grinned, “Wasn’t it so that he also said once that he knew that he was gorgeous or something ?”
“Yeah, he did,” Holler smirked, “And he sure felt pissed against when we all broke up and told him that we wouldn’t ever go commit a murder for him or anything.”
Rocco could crack up about it, too, but later did get around to telling the guys about the young man’s cause of death.
He’d been electrocuted by a spark shocker before he was bandaged like a mummy.
He also had been knocked out cold before his electrocution.
But because the guy had no ID on him whatsoever, Holler and Martinez went to the missing persons department to find out if he perhaps had been reported missing by someone.
85

Having decided to find out if Zeng’ze already had discovered something about permanently deactivating Tryad, Odin went to the library at the other side of the city.
A mountain of books about Eternals could be found here and they also provided hints on where to learn more details and everything.
“Have you already found something, elf ?” Odin asked while he pulled up a chair.
“Only that Eternals with a double Life-force are not able to devour another, friend,” Zeng’ze replied, “Normally, their Force won’t permit it, but I haven’t learnt yet how it comes that he’s able to devour another being.”
“It must be the evil in his soul or something, elf,” Odin said.
“You could be right, friend,” Zeng’ze nodded, “And the monks in Haz Mayal called him the oni.
Which reminds me of what that one monk barked to me when I told him about the Underlings.”
“What did he bark, then ?” Odin demanded.
“He thought of me as cold and callous when I told him about their purpose, friend,” Zeng’ze snorted.
“And what was your response to that, elf ?” Odin inquired, “Did you tell him why you don’t care ?”
“No, I didn’t, friend,” Zeng’ze replied, “Because I felt that an immortal can never understand the inner desire an Eternal can feel to die.
This life isn’t fair on them, but what could I possibly do to change it ?”
“You could’ve been honest with him, elf,” Odin stated, “Now, he thinks you’re a true Ancient Daemon that’s all-evil.
Showing a little of what you feel won’t harm you.”
“I don’t want to show anything anymore, ever again, Odin !” Zeng’ze fumed, “Because when the others found out that I felt something and had a partner, they had him murdered before they moved their fuckin’ asses to also kill my animals and burn my estate !
In a mere three days the little life I had came to a brutal end, leaving me with nothing other than memories Trenkar used to make my spiritual life a living hell !”
“I know, elf,” Odin nodded, taking a drag of his cigarette, “It’s one of the reasons why you got addicted.”
“I began to seek solace in opium to kill the echoes of the screams, friend,” Zeng’ze opposed, “Screams of Eternals that were devoured by their own powers, screams of their victims -
Screams of the whole goddamned First War, Maran - with not so many words - had commanded me to win with as little assistance as possible.
You had whole battalions to assist you while I always was alone, because Maran did not attach any value to my existence.
I wish he had taken it back and had stuck it up his goddamned ass, because I don’t want this kind of life which is nothing more than plain day-to-day survival !”
He stormed out and Odin let out a sigh when he heard the library’s frontdoor slam shut.
He had suspected it, but never had thought that his best friend would admit that he cursed his whole existence and wanted to leave this realm of existence forever.
The elf was undefeatable in combat, but had been defeated miserably by life.
There was nothing left he wanted to live for, because everything he did have at one point in his life had been taken away from him.

When Astaran found out about the elf’s relationship with Yashuo, he also discovered that he was seriously considering to desert the Ancient Daemons and join Drannar and his Eternals in their battle against Maran.
Astaran immediately informed Maran who told the Advisor to do everything he could to keep that piss-elf on their team.
Astaran got a few diabolical ideas and probed the elf’s mind in order to learn what he had discovered about deactivating Eternals with a material Force.
He learnt details and together with Faruz came up with something to get Yashuo off to a next life.
After a successful attack launched by the Commander, Yashuo was eaten alive by his own Force.
Zeng’ze was there with him the whole time and tried to ease his pain.
It were the longest five hours of his whole existence, because he wanted to aid Yashuo, but didn’t know what Faruz had done to him.

But after his partner’s death, Astaran and Faruz decided that the elf hadn’t had enough yet.
They set his estate ablaze and when Zeng’ze returned he found the house engulfed in flames.
He didn’t mind the material things, but all his animals died in the fire.
Faruz and Astaran were having a hell of a time cracking up about it all and Faruz casually inquired whether or not this incident tempted the elf to have a taste of something else - like fried chicken or something - and stop eating that stupid rabbit-food.
With his usual “friend” added to it, Zeng’ze had barked that the first meat he ever would consider eating was fried Ancient Daemon and had left the first Grand Hell.
He was gone for months and in the meantime Odin saw to it that the estate was rebuilt.

After a few serious threats - and the execution of them - from Maran’s side, the elf returned to the first Grand Hell.
When Odin saw Zeng’ze again after almost eight months, he hardly recognized him.
The elf had begun to seek solace in opium and because he skipped eating most of the time, he wasn’t even a fraction of the man he was before, anymore.
And the shit didn’t stop here.
Because while Odin was sent to fight Eternals in one of the dimensions, the Shapeless One gave life to the Elite and ordered Trenkar to take out that elf.

Knowing that he never could defeat the elf in combat, Trenkar played it differently.
He attacked the elf’s mind and drove him completely insane using his memories as most-powerful weapon.
When Astaran sought Maran’s advise once more, he was told to lock the elf away and forget about him.
Maran himself sealed the powers Zeng’ze had learnt to use while existing as elf, so the others could book him a room in a mental asylum.
He was forgotten by the others, except by Odin who learnt the news when he returned from war.

He traveled to Heaven’s Gate and sought the monks’ advise about how to drive Trenkar out of Zeng’ze’s mind.
They agreed to aid him and found the cure.
Trenkar was driven out of the elf’s mind, tho Odin saw he had been broken.
Tho Zeng’ze swore to Odin to take out all members of the Elite, including the piss-Eternal called : Trenkar.
His inner rage broke the new seal on his abilities and the elf studied to gain other powers.

Since then, Odin found it kind of terrifying to watch the elf engage in combat, because losing no longer existed in his dictionary.
And he achieved what nobody held for possible.
He defeated Trenkar after a battle which lasted for days.
It started in Zephere - Kylia’s capital - and ultimately ended in the Lands of Zoel.
The Shapeless One was crushed and was still considering his other options when Maran ordered the elf to decide the war in their favor and get rid of those Eternals once and for all.
And as soon as possible.
Zeng’ze found a seal and lured the Shapeless One and his Eternals to a shrine known as the Kylia Underground, to seal them there forever.

Maran was content, tho the elf had long-ceased caring about his feelings or anything else and had been trying to learn how he could die without Maran or anyone else getting him back to this world.
86

Feeling quite dumbfounded, Blind and Smiley watched how the victim was hoisted out of the ravine.
Up close, they saw that her body had been exposed to extreme heat and that her eyes had popped as a result.
“What’re we dealing with here ?” Smiley mumbled, “A superior flame-creator ?”
“Of course, we aren’t dealing with them, silly human,” Blind hissed, “We’re looking at the work of a dimensioner here.”
“I thought we had agreed that you would only be a fair Sha’razi and not a clever one, Ashara ?” Smiley noted.
“I was just guessing, dummy,” Blind giggled, gesturing totally refined, “Even blondes like me can do some guess-work sometimes.”
“I suppose, it’s alright then,” Smiley began, “Tho I really hope for you that your soul-partner’s an Exxegran with your refined attitude.”
“I’m hoping with you, Jonathan,” Blind stated, “I don’t like the macho-types.
They’re such - such - Brutes.”
“Thanks a lot, Blind,” Smiley snorted.
“Here, Blind, have a fortune-cookie,” Archangel said, giving him one, “Maybe it’ll tell you when you two will meet.”
Mad Archangel never left home without a few to give away since Shrinkie had advised to read those, instead of kissing a monk’s head.
Blind broke open the cookie to read his fortune.
“There’ll be a thunder-storm before you’ll find the sun in your life,” he read aloud, “What does that mean ?”
“A thunder-storm mostly indicates a mistake you’ll make or trouble you’ll get into,” Archangel explained, “So maybe you’ll find your soul-partner after you’ve had this trouble or made this mistake.”
“Give me another cookie, darlin’,” Blind giggled, “I want to know if the sun in my life is an Exxegran.”
“Here you go, Blind,” Archangel nodded, handing him another.
Blind eagerly broke it open and his chin crashed.
“Heh ?” he snorted, “Listen to this : Too much knowledge blinds the viewer.
Never there are times this should be forgotten.”
“So, Ashara,” Smiley choked, “There’s your answer, you can’t know, yet.”
“Incredible,” Blind sniffed.
Even Archangel agreed with Ashara, because he’d gotten the same answer himself, too, a few times.
Those fortune-cookies were just plain amazing at times.
87

Shortly after roll call when Grace and I had returned to our desks, my darlin’ twin pushed a book under my nose.
In silence I read the title on the cover ; Season Queens and Princesses.
“Grace, aren’t you a little too old to get that read to you ?” I inquired.
“I missed my entire youth in Moriz, bro,” Grace stated, somewhat theatrical, “I want to catch up on everything I’ve missed.”
“Go practice your voices,” I snorted.
“My brother doesn’t seem to understand me, at all,” Grace said, sounding like a rich English bitch, “All he does is patronize me and my boobs and doesn’t give me an ounce of respect.”
“Grace, you can’t expect any respect when you dream of seeing me sink as low as moron for a case,” I noted.
“I think you’d do great as total imbecile, bro,” Grace smirked, “You would finally be yourself then.”
“Thanks a lot, Grace,” I snorted, “Say, what’s up with the book ?”
“Yeah, the book,” Grace nodded, “Belle’s sister let her daughter stay with us for the week.
Susan’s going on a business-trip and Cindy can’t come along this time.
Anyway, while unpacking Cindy’s suitcase, I found this book.
Doesn’t it look like something - like a certain corpse - we saw the day before yesterday ?”
“Madeline Johnson,” I replied.
“That’s the Queen of Spring,” Grace stated, “And the Princess of the same season is mentioned next.”
“Say,” I began, “d’you think our guy’s a daddy ?”
“Yup, I do,” Grace nodded, “I also think that he has one or more daughters and holds a job where he meets plenty of girls.”
“And what could’ve caused him to snap his twig ?” I frowned, “A recent divorce ?”
“Worse,” Grace replied, “I think he can’t accept it that his ex took the kids.”
“He could - of course - find it difficult to stomach that he suddenly became a part-time father,” I said, “He murders other girls, pretends that they’re his daughters and makes himself believe that he’s taking revenge on his ex by doing this.
However, he conceals it by making the girls look like the figures from this little book.”
“It would explain why Madeline wasn’t assaulted,” Grace noted.
Indeed, it did and we decided to go to the high-school Madeline was on to have a word with her classmates and teachers again.
Nobody there fit the profile, tho one of Madeline’s friends did mention that she was training with someone who’d promised to turn her into a champion gymnast.
88

After Hassan and Azranan had lunched together, they went for a walk thru the southern gardens of the Isae’ran palace.
“I heard about the shit that hit the Saran a short while ago, my boy,” Hassan broke the silence between them, “What would you have done if Lusitan hadn’t figured out that it wasn’t you ?”
“I wouldn’t have come to you, Hassan,” Azranan stated, sharply, “I think I would’ve left with Denji and would’ve started traveling again.”
“It is logical that they have doubts about you and toy with the thought of the traitor being you,” Hassan noted, “You’re being so private that it raises questions with your friends about your nature.”
“But, I would never betray them !” Azranan shrieked.
“I know that, but they don’t,” Hassan snorted, “You are doing this yourself, my boy.
You oughta be yourself more, because as you are is more than okay.”
“What is there to tell, huh ?” Azranan demanded, “That you’re my lover, perhaps ? That I’m into the kinky shit ?
I know how the others think about those things and I want to avoid all discussions and confrontations.”
“There’s a lot more to you than those two things,” Hassan stated, “Why aren’t you the energetic person you are with me ?
Talking about what interests you and how you think and feel about things, won’t make them hate you or anything.”
“Whenever I did that in past, I was mocked and tortured,” Azranan noted, “The less the others know about me, the better.”
“Don’t you see, my boy ?” Hassan demanded, “You’re still treating everyone around you as a potential enemy.”
“Go to fuckin’ hell !” Azranan fumed, “I wish you were dead.
Count on getting a Deadly Dagger in your chest one of these nights, Hassan.”
“You’re begging for a certain Deadly Accident yourself, my boy,” Hassan noted and grabbed Azranan’s arm when he wanted to walk away, “This discussion hasn’t been concluded, yet.”
“It has,” Azranan opposed, “Let go of my arm.”
Hassan let Azranan go and watched him storm back inside to get something to drink.
The urge was strong to beat some reason into that guy, but the Absolute went for a walk instead to get his grip on his temper back.
Violence was no solution, there had to be another way to get thru to Azranan that Lusitan and the others weren’t his enemies and get him to quit treating them as such.
The past had made Azranan extremely cautious.
89

Garth came downstairs for roll call with a look on his face which told us that he successfully had spoken with Chelsea, the police spokeswoman, and the press.
It concerned the case of the mummy-killer.
It was crystal-clear that he was trying to make a name for himself, because under the right heel of the last three victims there was stamp that read ; Made In Mummy Land.
And because nobody felt like encouraging him, Garth and Chelsea had talked to the press about this case.
“The press-rats weren’t happy,” Garth began, “But, we convinced them that it’s better to keep the lid on this case.”
“Something ain’t clear to me, Garth,” Brenda said, “How can you tell press-rats to back off ?
In my time that was impossible.”
Brenda came from the 20th century .
She had followed a time-traveler here and initially had wanted to return to her own time, tho once she learnt about the differences between her own and this era, decided that she liked it better here and chose to stay.
“It was impossible here, too, until a new law was made in 2210,” Garth explained, “Snake and Banana Pelz assisted the Federal Judges with designing this, because they were fully aware of much the media can ruin on a crimescene for a few hot shots.
Now, they’re living under our laws.
When we tell ‘em to stay quiet about a case or a part of it, they have to listen otherwise they’ll be spending between two and six years inside a workcamp.”
“They also have to leave the families of murder-victims and so on alone now,” Jill continued, “They can’t chase folks around anymore or camp out in backyards like they used, either.”
“They’ll have to wait for a press-conference nowadays,” Garth concluded.
“That’s great,” Brenda nodded, “I mean, the press sure was plague at times.”
True, they used to be, tho this was thing of the past now.
We could do our work better without them hanging around to screw shit up and the families and / or victims were left in peace since this law was instated.
Privacy-rights weigh heavier than a red-hot story, after all.
90

Way passed midnight, Zeng’ze returned to his estate.
He’d left the first Grand Hell for a while and called himself an idiot for having revealed which thoughts were crossing his mind.
He went to his meditation-chamber, mixed some good opium with a few other things, sat down on the mat and lit the pipe.
‘If I only weren’t Eternal,’ he sighed in his mind’s voice as he let the smoke fill his lungs,
‘Then, I could’ve expired and left this whole depressing existence behind me.
When I had lost my mind, life was quite simple - Come to think of it.
Whenever the madness struck, they barged in and doped me up.
That was okay,
…I guess.
That black cottonwool was quite relaxing and peaceful.
However, -
I’d like to skip the part before they spaced me out.
Because hearing the screams was less enjoyable.
Oh, Death.
Sweet, sweet Death.
Why don’t you exist for everyone, hmm ?
There’s an elf with an Eternal Existence out there who would love to meet you, friend.
Come take me away to any place but this world.
You must know the perfect Hereafter for me.
I’ll bet you do, my charming and irresistible friend.
I would like a place where there’s nothing.
Oh, yes, something like Oblivion.
That is - indeed - what I had in mind.
Any Oblivion would be fine -
I promise I shall not complain.
As long as I get the nothingness where I don’t have to be me anymore -
Where I don’t have to be anything else other than - Dead…’

Zeng’ze closed his eyes and got lost in the visions about dying for good and going to a place where he could be nothing.
And the worst part to it all was that he thought he was alone with this feeling.
While there are millions who feel the same way.
You didn’t need to be Eternal for this.
Because anyone could get defeated by life one way or the other.
And because Zeng’ze didn’t talk about his feelings, he didn’t know that another who felt exactly the same as he did was closer than he thought.
Because Azranan also was seriously toying with the thought of dying and even considered using his right to expire.
He didn’t talk about this feeling, either, because he also was afraid of being called crazy and stupid for having a death-wish.
Responses like ; “Don’t be silly, tomorrow everything will be better,” invoke silence, because for depressed beings there is no tomorrow and often make them feel even worse, because they don’t want a new day.
They seek an end since there only is that black pit from which they feel they never can get out of ever again.
One shouldn’t try to cheer them up, what one can do is listen and be there without trying to put their feelings and thoughts into perspective.
91

H’dae and Jez strolled past the chief’s residence on their way to Maze’s house and watched him go about his daily business with taking out the trash, picking up the mail and more of those typical everyday things.
“Look at him, Jez,” H'dae began, “No matter when you see Lusitan, he’s always smiling.”
“I think that smile of his kind of grew onto his face,” Jez snorted.
“And I’ll bet that the world’ll come to end when he ever quits,” H’dae mumbled more to himself than to Jez.
“If he ever does quit, I sense it’s because he’ll be crushed by some news,” Jez grinned.
“What sort of news would that be then, Jez ?” H’dae inquired, “A word about his youngest daughter who eloped with that General of the Black Order ?
Or will he be completely crushed by something else ?”
“I think it’ll be something else that’ll crush him,” Jez replied, “After all, Smiling Chief Lusitan already foresaw that Ninda is gonna pop up again one of these days.”
“Jez, this gets me soooo curious,” H’dae smirked, “I mean, I lack the imagination to picture the scene in which the chief’s smile crumbles.”
Jez lacked the imagination, too, but something told him that he was gonna be around when the chief quit smiling and he sure felt privileged that he would be around to see it happen.
92

The dope quickly was losing its effect and Zeng’ze felt that he began to fall again like he always did after a trip.
And half-realizing that he was in for a hard landing back in reality again, the elf tried to escape for a short while longer.
Tho suddenly, his wrist was grabbed hard and he was hoisted up to be taken some place.
He was planted down on a chair and opened his eyes inside a marble gallery with statues and paintings.
While his eyes focused, he first vaguely saw the dark serpent he had met twice already before the creature transformed into a man who pulled up chair beside him and sat down.
“I-I know you, friend,” Zeng’ze stammered somewhat, “I met you and that other man in that old city.”
“Indeed, you did, elf,” Eblis-Fateh nodded, “And we are not your enemies.
Because my brother and I seek to aid you and your comrades, but most of all, aid you.”
“Me ?” Zeng’ze flushed, “Why would anyone bother aiding a piss-elf ?”
“Maran really broke you, I hear,” Eblis-Fateh said, “But, no matter what he says, you are still who you were back in Aleron.
You are wiser now and less naïve, tho your nature has not changed.”
“I am not who I was anymore, friend,” Zeng’ze opposed, “I became the Eternal-slayer.
If Khalid were to find out that I am a murderer, he would not want to be my Equal anymore.”
“You survived, elf,” Eblis-Fateh stated, “You had no choice but to obey orders.
I know that Khalid would be proud if he were to see how you learnt to adapt to this new life.”
“Adapt,” Zeng’ze snorted, “I became a wreck, friend.
I feel so miserable that I do not know what to do anymore.”
“You already made a fine start with getting out, elf,” Eblis-Fateh noted, “You already opened up to Odin.
And if you were to tell him everything - and I mean everything - he will try to support and aid you on any way he possibly can.
Trust him and let him teach you how to build up a new existence.”
“Talk to Odin ?” Zeng’ze sniffed, “He has barely begun with getting his own existence sorted out, friend.
I cannot bother him.”
“Listen to me, my comrade,” Eblis-Fateh began, curving his arm around the elf’s shoulders, “Friendship works two ways.
You love and respect Odin and want to do whatever you can to support and help him.
And Odin feels exactly the same for you, he shall not run away when you tell him what is on your heart and mind.
He will feel empathy and shall think with you to find a way out.”
“I do not love Odin, friend,” Zeng’ze noted, “I mean, I like him a lot, but I would never sleep with him or anything.”
“Love can be interpreted on many different ways, elf,” Eblis-Fateh stated, “It is not always sexual and you can feel the same for beings like Odin as you do for your animals.”
‘I thought I had learnt to name all emotions while living with the mortals,’ Zeng’ze thought, ‘Tho it turns out that I still do not understand everything.’
“And it is alright not to understand everything, my friend,” Eblis-Fateh read the elf’s mind, “As long as you are willing to learn to understand what you do not know yet, that is.”
“You are right,” Zeng’ze agreed, “So, teach me, friend.
Teach me to name what I cannot yet.”
Eblis-Fateh nodded and told the elf what he needed and wanted to know.
Zeng’ze got wiser.
About his current life and his feelings for Odin.
And by the time he returned to his body, he had some idea of how to get out of this deep, dark pit he felt he was trapped inside.
93

We had been correct about the next girl being the Princess of Spring, because she was found three days later.
Estelle Sorvino had died on the same way as Madeline and looked just as pretty.
“I wish we could go see Halo now,” Grace sighed, “He always is so wonderful with giving us all the details we need.”
“Yeah, he is,” I agreed, “It’s unfortunate that he’s away to the First Key Island.”
“I do have the results of the tests we ran in the lab on Madeline,” Fujiko said, “I was right about it being self-concocted.
It’s completely tasteless and my professional guess is that he put it in the girl’s drink.”
“Then, she must’ve been at his house,” Grace decided, “And who would she trust enough to go home with ?”
“A teacher, friend or trainer,” I replied.
“Teacher,” Grace nodded to herself, “Whoever he is, he must have a smooth chat.
Let’s go make our housecall, perhaps my tits will come up with useful ideas later.”
I agreed and sure hoped that they would, because seeing all the Queens and Princesses in the book wasn’t our definition of cool or anything.
94

No 2 was dragged out of the lake and looked exactly like the previous victim whose identity still hadn’t been ascertained due to severe mutilations to the skull.
It was impossible to ever reconstruct her face.
“Sometimes,” Blind muttered to himself, being elsewhere with his thoughts, “I get the feeling that all the papers in those cookies are blank until someone receives ‘um.”
“That’s what Joan also thinks,” Archangel noted, “I mean, you know how long we’re already trying to make a kid.
We’d pretty much given up, but last week Joan had a cookie which said : There’s a star at your dark horizon.
And you’ll never guess, this morning she found out that she’s pregnant.”
“You’re finally gonna be dad Archangel ?” Johnno smiled, “Congrats.”
“I hope we’ll have a daughter,” Archangel said, “But, a son also is fine as long as the kid is healthy.”
“Let’s find out, doll,” Blind decided, getting four coins from his billfold.
“What’re you planning to do ?” Archangel frowned.
“This is some Sha’razi fortune-reading, angel,” Blind explained, “You just have to flip the coins and I’ll be able to tell you whether Joan Sweetheart is having a boy or girl.”
“Alright,” Archangel nodded and flipped the coins.
“Three times tails,” Blind said, “It’s a girl, sugar.”
“That would be too good to be true,” Archangel snorted, smiling tho, “Joan would be in heaven.
I would, too, by the way.”
“Good shit does come true often, darlin’,” Blind hissed, “And now, tell us about the corpse of which my silly human thought had been zapped by a superior flame-creator.”
“Give me a break, Ashara,” Smiley snorted, “It was a logical first guess.”
“Well, my initial guess was a dimensioner, doll,” Blind hissed, “I don’t think about silly humans when I see something like that.”
“That’s because you and I were raised in totally different cultures, Blind,” Smiley stated, “I was brought up by the humans, you know ?”
“Jonathan, you shock me ! Eeeeh !” Blind shrieked, “I always thought that you’d been raised by bi-sex perverts, making me get in drag and everything.
Puh !”
“I think they were human, Blind,” Smiley noted, “As far as the General could be called one, I mean.”
“The General ?” Archangel frowned.
“Yeah, we all referred to my old man by his rank,” Smiley replied, “It weren’t only the kids who did this, because mom did it, too.
She was just as afraid of him as we all were.”
“Say no more, Smiley,” Archangel said, “I know what you mean now, my old man was like that, too.
Being a colonel really bent his mind, too.”
They talked a bit more about regimes at home before Archangel got around to telling the stiff’s story.
It was a guy in his mid-thirties.
He had water in what was left of his lungs from which Archangel concluded that he most-likely had been surprised while taking a dip in the lake.
But he, just like the woman, couldn’t be ID’ed, either, due to severe mutilations of the skull.
95

Feeling more than plain worried, Odin entered the elf’s estate and knowing where to find Zeng’ze, he moved his ass to the meditation-chamber.
The elf still was out cold and Odin was shocked to see that elf had lost even more weight while he already was a walking pack of bones.
Zeng’ze tried to force his eyes to open when he felt that a pillow was put under his head and a blanket was laid over him.
“Odin, I don’t need someone to watch me,” he noted, “I’m Eternal, I can’t go jump off a cliff or anything.”
“That’s not why I’m here, elf,” Odin snorted, “I guess, I was just concerned about you.
I mean, after what you barked to me yesterday I just figured that you might want someone around.”
“Sweet of you, Odin,” Zeng’ze noted under his breath.
“Look, elf,” Odin started, “I figured that we were best friends long enough to share personal shit with each other.
Why didn’t you tell me that you’re depressed and have a death-wish ?”
“I suppose I thought that was something between me and the echoes, friend,” Zeng’ze mocked, “Kind of like a special bomb-gift from life of which you have to figure out first how to stop the timer before you can get rid of it.”
“If you would just talk to me, I could help you with figuring that out,” Odin mildly barked, “Dammit, elf, I hate it that you’re keeping me on a distance.
I care about you, I wish I could get that thru to you.”
“I know how you feel, friend,” Zeng’ze sighed and decided to tell Odin everything, “I simply didn’t want to bother you with my shit.
When this feeling started, I thought it would pass after a few days.
Tho days became weeks, months and years.
Millennia later, I’m still feeling it and believe me, I have tried everything to stop the echoes and get rid of this desire for oblivion.”
“Is this,” Odin began, “Is this a result of what Trenkar did back then ?”
“No, this began when the war started,” Zeng’ze replied, “I’ve always been haunted by the deactivated Eternals and the victims they made.
Trenkar only made this worse.
He turned the good memories I had of Yashuo and my animals into bad ones by replacing them with their final moments.
He called them ; My Victims.”
“You never made any victims in your life, elf,” Odin said.
“But, I did, friend,” Zeng’ze opposed, “I deactivated thousands of Eternals and took the animals with me to this world even tho I knew how the other Ancient Daemons felt about them.”
“You executed orders, elf,” Odin stated, “Maran left you with no other choice.
And when it concerns your animals, you couldn’t have known about the shit Astaran would pull.
They left me in peace while I had animals, too.”
“I suppose I did think that, friend,” Zeng’ze nodded.
“I would have thought exactly the same if I had been you, elf,” Odin said, “I found it difficult to stomach, too, when I discovered what this system of ranks and classes is all about.
To me it never mattered what your rank was, I just liked you for who you are.”
“You cannot be serious, Odin,” Zeng’ze snorted.
“Elf, I wouldn’t know what to do without you,” Odin stated, “I respect and love you, because I feel that you’re the only one that’s being friendly for who I am, not because I am one of the highest in rank.”
“It is sweet of you to say something like this, friend,” Zeng’ze noted.
“I’m not trying to be sweet, elf,” Odin said, “I’m being honest.
If you were to die on me, I would quit this life, too.
But, I don’t want you lead a life that has lost all quality, so let me try to help you with picking up the pieces and build something new, alright ?”
“Very well, friend,” Zeng’ze nodded, “I gladly accept your help, because it’s true that I’m not getting anywhere on my own.”
And Odin listened while Zeng’ze told him everything that went on inside his heart and mind.
He learnt to understand hopeless situations a lot better and what drove beings into this corner of desperation.
And for the first time, Zeng’ze actually completely opened up to someone other than his Equal and discovered that Odin didn’t get up and leave.
Because it was exactly like Eblis-Fateh had told him, Odin felt empathy and wanted to help Zeng’ze on any way he could to make his life worth while living, too.

[Joe]

96

Holler and Martinez had hoped that keeping the lid on this case would discourage the mummy-killer enough to make him decide to quit.
However, he did didn’t, because two days later yet another victim was found near the river.
He’d been bandaged and had the stamp under his right heel.
Rocco sat down on his haunches to sense the guy, expecting that he was dead.
But when he sensed the chest-area, he discovered that the guy was still alive.
“Does anyone have a knife ?” he demanded, “This bloke is still with us.”
Holler had a pocket-knife and cut loose the bandages around the guy’s head and throat.
“We fought,” the guy moaned, “He said that his name was Atom when I cruised him in Centurion’s.”
“Shh, don’t strain yourself,” Holler said, pressing his hands against the guy’s chest, “Let me restore you first.
Then, you talk.”
And while Holler healed the guy, Rocco got some clothes for him from the car he’d picked up from the launderette on his way to work.
And Rick gladly exchanged his mummy-suit for slacks and a T-shirt even tho they were a size too big for him.
“Thanks, dudes,” Rick said.
“You’re welcome,” Rocco nodded, “And you can keep the clothes, I won’t miss ‘em.”
“I’ll return ‘em clean to you,” Rick stated.
“Rick,” Holler began, “you said that his name was Atom and that you two
fought ?”
“Yeah,” Rick nodded, “It was after we’d hopped in the saddle when I heard him reach for something.
And when I looked aside, I saw him reach for one of those oh-so-solid indestructible book-standards.
I didn’t feel like getting my brains bashed in yet, so we fought.
I don’t know exactly what happened next, but at a certain point, he grabbed my throat and sent his power as spark shocker thru me.
I managed to absorb most of it, but blacked out somehow.
I’m a class B absorber, by the way.”
“D’you think that you’ve defused him ?” Martinez inquired.
“I think so,” Rick replied, “I mean, I could be wrong, but I think I attacked the core of his ability when he attempted to electrocute me which would mean, of course, that I’ve successfully defused him for good.”
“Excellent,” Holler nodded, “And do you remember where he lived ?”
“I think somewhere in the Sierra district, but that’s all pretty blurred,” Rick stated.
“Near Centurion’s or further away ?” Holler tried.
“I really don’t remember, I’m sorry,” Rick apologized.
“Maybe it’ll come back when you’ve rested,” Holler said, “We’ll give you a ride home.”
“Thanks. I’m here for work, tho, I live in a hotel currently,” Rick noted, facing Martinez, “Say, would it be rude to ask if I could touch your wings ?
I mean, I’ve dreamed about that since I was a kid.”
“Sure, go ahead,” Martinez nodded.
Rick slid his hand over the feathers and found them softer than they looked they would be.
One of Rick’s childhood dreams had been fulfilled which made all the shit he had last night a lot better all of a sudden, because without this shit, he never would’ve met Martinez.
97

The latest school had looked okay, but after three days the shit about Micki-Joel being a gender-bender started all over again.
So, after two weeks, I got her out of that hellhole, informing her teacher - with my eyes - that Micki-Joel wouldn’t be back after the weekend.
So, we were back to the dining-table with the folders about schools she hadn’t been to yet.
“Isn’t there one shit-school where it won’t matter, bud ?” Micki-Joel sighed.
“There must be one,” I replied, “And when we’re out of pig-sties, we’ll go see if there is a nice private-school you can go to.”
“At least you understand me, bud,” Micki-Joel noted, “Dad always told me that I had to learn to behave and that I shouldn’t let the badgering get to me.
What did he know anyway ?
Being a gender-bender is fuckin’ hard in this age, especially at school.”
“I know and that’s why we’re gonna keep on searching until we find a school you like,” I said, “But, something else, what would you like for your fourteenth birth-day ?”
“Anything of Voyager 608,” Micki-Joel stated, “The new card-series is out now.”
“And what would you like to eat ?” I asked, “Going out also is an option, by the way.”
“You sure spoil me, bud,” Micki-Joel grinned, “However, I’d like to eat in Fort Rock’s Space Restaurant.”
“Okay,” I nodded, “Anything I forgot ?”
“Yeah, who I’d like to have on my party,” Micki-Joel stated, “And that’ll be Azranan and the bud with the cash, you.”
“Any other friends ?” I inquired.
“No, my bestest buds all live in one house,” Micki-Joel smiled.
I didn’t understand why Dave always had these fights with Micki-Joel, because now she lived here, I never had any fights or the riots he had often with her.
However, in my view, you get riots and rebellion when you try to squeeze someone into a harness that doesn’t fit.
And that was exactly what Dave and everybody else had always tried to do, to change her into someone she didn’t want to be.
98

When Jez and H’dae arrived at Maze’s house, they found him in the living room studying gate-charts.
“Maze, what’re you doing ?” H’dae inquired.
“Trying to figure out how it’s possible that one house can exist on exactly the same location in two worlds, hunk,” Maze replied and turned the two maps upside down to show them to H’dae,
“You see, in Earth’s World exists an estate and in the Black Lands it stands on exactly the same coordinates.”
“It’s possible when that house actually is one big gate, Maze,” Jez stated, “I heard that more worlds are linked together this way and that there stands something on both places that acts as generator.”
“But, here’s my point, hunk,” Maze began, “I checked it out and when you travel from Earth’s World to the Black Lands, you end up on a bazaar, but when you take the gate in the estate in the Black Lands back, you end up in the house in Earth’s World.”
“It’s a Frozen Path,” Jez explained, “Someone created this route probably already ages ago to prevent that it won’t be easy to find them while they can find you without breaking a decahedron.”
“Who lived in that house, hunk ?” Maze demanded, “When I came there, it was abandoned and looked like it already had been for ages while the Black Land estate looked inhabited.
This doesn’t make a whole helluva lotta sense to me.
I mean, from here to there, I had to go thru a mirror and ended up on this bazaar and when I wanted to go back, I needed to walk thru this doorway - kind of like a portal - and ended up back in the basement with the mirror I first had stepped thru.”
“Maze, you sure have been busy, haven’t you ?” H’dae snorted.
“I have been ever since I began to have those dreams about the house on Fox Road, hunk,” Maze stated, “I keep seeing a history that was repeated over and over again, until one guy intervened.”
“One guy ?” Jez frowned, “Maze, are you dreaming about something Azranan
did ?”
“Yeah,” Maze nodded, “The dream always ends with two women who sit crying in a corner of the basement and Azranan asking the man who’s there, too, for a dance.
He dances the Tango of Death with him, hunks.”
“T-Tango of Death ?” Jez suffocated, needing to sit down, badly, “A real Forbidden Dance ?”
“Uh-huh,” Maze confirmed, “And the hunk sure dances it well, too.
I also see him restore both women, materialize gold for them and allow them to escape from the house.”
“The one you oughta talk to, instead of us, is Azranan, Maze,” H’dae said, “If he truly did intervene in the thing you dreamt about, he’ll be able to tell you everything.”
“I was planning to as soon as he returns from Isae’ran,” Maze agreed.
“What’s his business in Isae’ran this time ?” Jez frowned.
“He told me that he wanted to find out if perhaps Hassan or one of the other Absolutes has been causing our recent shit,” Maze explained, “He had a damned good point when he mentioned that the Absolutes have only benefits when he ends up alone again and without him around, Hassan and Kajar will be able to cease control over Lusitan’s psychics once more.”
“So true,” Jez nodded.
“I’m being very impolite, hunks,” Maze noted while he rose from the couch, “Have a seat and I’ll make you something to drink.”
“Haven’t you guys ever asked yourselves why Hassan came to rescue Blind ?” Jez demanded as they moved to the kitchen.
“Maybe Azranan asked him to, Jez,” H’dae replied.
“Nobody asked him, H’dae, I’m certain of it,” Jez said, “I have the feeling that Azranan’s been doing more than just plain preventing that Hassan and Kajar control the chief’s psychics once more.”
“Well, hunk, that’s none of our business now, is it ?” Maze stated, “Azranan is entitled to his own life and privacy and we shouldn’t even be discussing this.”
H’dae frowned while Jez was rather speechless.
He got the feeling that Maze was covering for Azranan for some reason, but failed to fill in a single detail about why he was doing this.
Maze, indeed, was covering for Azranan after he had told him the truth about him and Hassan.
Maze understood everything after Azranan had explained the whole situation to him and had proposed to cover for him when the situation demanded it.
99

From her mothers, Grace and I learnt that Estelle was the kind of person who had too many hobbies and too little time to do it all in.
They let us have a look around in her room so we could see it for ourselves.
Grace looked at what Estelle had in her bookcase and took out a photo-album.
“She’s just Equinox, Blake,” she started, looking at the pictures, “There really is nothing that didn’t interest her.
And lookee here, Coach Vince Buchholz, trainer of future champion gymnasts.”
“Didn’t Madeline train with him, too ?” I tried to recall.
“Yep, she did,” Grace nodded, “And look at Mr. Buchholz’s eyes, I’d say that he’s a superior mindfucker.”
“Indeed, he sure looks like one,” I agreed, “And he’s wearing a wedding-ring on that photo.”
“Let’s ask Estelle’s mothers about him,” Grace said.
I nodded and we went to have word with them.
However, they told us that Mr. Buchholz was a wonderful man.
He had five daughters himself and had been devastated when his wife left the state with the teenagers.
Mr. Buchholz fit the profile so perfectly that it was almost unbelievable.
And we decided to visit the sporting-school to get a better insight into Mr. Buchholz’s behavior.
100

Khalid and the other Trusted Ones had already started out on breakfast when Seth also joined.
“So, Seth,” Asim started, “Where is your Equal ?”
“Where Aswad went to is a private matter and between Equals,” Seth mildly barked, “And, as you know, matters between Equals are never discussed with strangers.”
He sat down and poured himself a glass of tea.
“You sure are touchy this morning, Seth,” Hamadi noted, “Did you and Aswad have a disagreement or something ?”
Seth grunted in reply and took a sip of his tea.
“I say they fought,” Bashir smirked, “I do not know about what, but I am sure they had a fight.”
“We should let your Equal loose on Seth, Ziyad,” Asim grinned, “He probably can sniff what we do not know.”
“Here, Hamadi,” Ziyad whistled, “Here, boy.”
Hamadi moved his chair closer to Ziyad’s.
“What is it, Ziyad ?” He inquired.
“Go sniff Seth, boy,” Ziyad grinned, “And tell us what he refuses to reveal to us.”
“Okay, Ziyad,” Hamadi snorted, got up and went into Seth’s direction.
Tho he stopped dead in his tracks when Seth put an Anti-existence Card to the Outsider’s throat.
“Do not forget what I used to do for a living, Hamadi,” Seth said, “So, if you are wise you shall keep your mad-dog attacks to either yourself or save them for others who are amused by them.”

From where he was sitting, at the end of the table, Khalid watched Hamadi shrug and go back to his chair.
‘Seth is the only one Hamadi has the deepest respect for,’ the Outsider noted in his mind’s voice, ‘Because Seth was an assassin during the war with Thabit and can bring back any target’s existence-core, even when they have fled into the spiritual realms.
Hamadi is one of Baruti’s pupils.
Well, he is better known as the Mad Dog of Aleron, because his enthusiasm and nose are both quite extraordinary.
His Equal, Ziyad, also was a pupil of Baruti.
He maintains the floating gardens here in Aleron, but sometimes also is called ; Hamadi’s owner.’
He looked from Bashir at Asim who were still teasing Seth,
‘And that are two of Baruti’s other pupils,’ he snorted, ‘They are absolutely brilliant with machines and other technology.
Asim designed various useful devices while Bashir possesses the ability to render magical artifacts completely useless.
Bashir’s Equal also is Baruti’s last pupil.
Masud is a sound-healer and a very good one at that, too.
Asim’s Equal is not a pupil of Baruti which has led to plenty of conflicts between Asim and Fadil.
But all five pupils have something unique, perhaps even extraordinary.
Baruti held the ability to see things in beings nobody else did.’
He took a sip of his tea and thought back at those old days.

Sitting on a stool on the balcony next to his chamber, Baruti pondered the proverbial Universe like he did almost every night.
“You have become a busy man, Baruti,” Khalid noted, pulling up a stool for himself, “I mean, I hardly see you these days.”
“That is because I want to solve the eras’ problems, Khalid,” Baruti stated, “The beings trust me now and I do not want to disappoint them.”
“I know, Baruti,” Khalid nodded, “You mean well, but if you go on like this, you will have a breakdown, because there just are too many problems to solve in this Universe.”
“What are you suggesting, Khalid ?” Baruti demanded, sharply, “That I start to ignore and forget what I am told ?”
“No, I am not, Baruti,” Khalid snorted, “What I am suggesting is that you get some help.
Pupils, who you train to see this Universe as you do.
They may just have their own views, too, and will be able to advise you a lot better than I can.”
“Pupils,” Baruti nodded to himself, “But, nobody here has a new view on things.
Do not take offense, Khalid, but their take on things is often old.”
“Then, why not choose a few Creative Consciousnesses ?” Khalid inquired, “If you are the one to evolve them, they shall be individuals - Like you.”
“I may just do that, Khalid,” Baruti said, “I think I will visit the blue void in the morning.
I may find a Consciousness with unknown potentials.”

‘He first found Asim,’ Khalid thought as he returned to reality, ‘The other four followed later.’
And even tho Khalid had reversed most of the changes Baruti had brought, he was aware of the fact that the five pupils till this very date remained loyal to their mentor and his teachings.
And he had this premonition that when they had certainty about his plan to get a mortal beast-commander here, to Aleron, they were not going to agree with him.
101

It was the middle of the night in Isae’ran and while Hassan was asleep in his chamber upstairs, Azranan sat behind the bar downstairs with a glass of white Tenui wine.
He was certain now that none of the Absolutes were behind the shit they’d had and was like, completely clueless on who it could be then.
He also thought about the discussion he’d had with Hassan.
Hassan hadn’t let this afternoon’s thing rest which had resulted in a second major fight.
Azranan knew it in his heart that his partner was right, but found it more than difficult to open up more to others.
It had felt like he been about to get executed when he followed Blake’s advise about telling one of the criminals his reasons for not wanting to return to Haz’arc and what his business was in Isae’ran every time, so that they wouldn’t look at him anymore the next time shit blew up.
Blake also noted that Maze was the best guy to confide these two things to, because he was the most open-minded and trustworthy criminal Lusitan had.
He had been right, because even tho Azranan already liked Maze a lot, he discovered that Maze was the kind of guy that needed only half a sentence to get someone’s drift and immediately suggested to ease the suspicions of the others and kill off all questions about Azranan’s business in Isae’ran each time.

“What’re you having ?” Dyson inquired, eyeballing Azranan’s glass, “I think I’ll take rum.”
He pulled up a barstool and poured himself a glass of Zarem rum.
“Dyson, if you’re hungry, I rather not have you around,” Azranan noted, “I mean, knowing what you did to me in the past.”
“I just ate, alright ?” Dyson said, “But what’re you doing up at this hour ? Is Hassan too dead to be revived at this point ?”
“You’d wish, Dyson,” Azranan snorted, “I didn’t know I needed a reason, tho, to be able to get a glass of wine in the middle of the night.”
“Normal beings don’t,” Dyson began, patronizing , “However, you can’t classified as normal, know what I’m talking about ?”
“My sexual preferences have nothing to do with this, Dyson,” Azranan stated, haughty, “And besides, it did enable me to survive.”
“I think you’re sick, at least a little bend,” Dyson sneered.
“We have something in common then,” Azranan noted, taking a sip of his wine, “However, I kind of like myself.
I mean, at least I don’t eat the flesh off living beings like you do, Dyson.”
“Hell, I’m an Absolute, you’re only the whore,” Dyson smirked.
“You’re only half an Absolute, Dyson,” Azranan grinned, leaning closer, “After all, without your brother, you’re practically powerless.”
“Not as powerless as you’d like me to be, whore,” Dyson said.
“If I were in charge here, Dyson,” Azranan began, “I would turn you into a woman and would let you walk around with a demon like Ther Han.
The only difference would be that solid gold wouldn’t suffice in preventing its birth.”
“I have to admit, you’re sick enough to make a great Absolute,” Dyson laughed, “You gotta have a twisted mind and that’s exactly what you’ve got.”
“Jealous, because my mind’s sicker than yours, Lady Dyson ?” Azranan inquired.
“No, just astounded, whore,” Dyson replied, “But I just want you to know that your secret’s save with me.
I won’t tell anyone what you actually prefer to do in bed.”
“You bring tears to my eyes, all three of them, Dyson,” Azranan mocked, “I’m deeply touched by the fact that you can be trusted with secrets.”
And all Dyson saw were the elf’s eyes.
He fell off his barstool and expired of the elf’s Death-gaze.
“I wanted to have a drink alone,” Azranan said to the corpse, “I hadn’t invited you, Lady Dyson.”
He refilled his glass, lit another butt and coolly finished his drink before he went to get some shut eye.
102

When Zeng’ze was up to it, Odin escorted the elf to the kitchen, planted his ass on a chair and made a glass of tea for him, so he would have something on his stomach and later made a glass for himself, too.
“I know this sounds kind of strange, elf,” Odin started, “But, I’m glad that you finally let me into your life.
Maybe we can find a way out together now.”
“Do you think such a way exists, friend ?” Zeng’ze inquired.
“If it doesn’t, I’ll create a whole new Universe where it will exist, elf,” Odin replied.
“Oh, yes,” Zeng’ze grinned, “The legendary All-father.
Created half of this Universe using the Cards of Light and Darkness.”
“Knock it off, elf,” Odin snorted, “I still am feeling a little pissed about that Creation-shit.
I mean, all Maran created was the Negative Time-void and the Supreme Hell.
He left the rest up to fuckin’ me.
Alright, he completed the Grand Hells, but my name ain’t mentioned anywhere in our Book of the Stinkin’ Universe.”
“At least I know who you are, friend,” Zeng’ze said, “Without me, you would’ve been all alone with your memories of the Very Dawn of Creation.”
“I thought you had given teasing me with this shit up when I found myself a little human to woo, elf ?” Odin demanded.
“It would be unhealthy for your mind when I quit, friend,” Zeng’ze smirked, “Trust me, I know what I’m talking about when it concerns these mental-things.”
“You’re a witch-doc,” Odin noted, “You see every corpse as friggin’ surprise-gift or whatever, because you can get totally excited about what you might find.
How the fuckin’ shit do you expect me to trust your word, elf ?”
“Because I see every corpse as surprise-gift, friend,” Zeng’ze smirked, “Which reminds me, you and H’dae didn’t leave much to check when it concerned those Hezai.
I found more usable ingredients in the Yankun Maze and I wasted.”
“We engaged in dragon-forms, elf,” Odin snorted, “So it’s no miracle that there wasn’t much left.
But, H’dae belongs to the Hated Ones, I recognized the birthmark in his neck.”
“Hated Ones, friend ?” Zeng’ze demanded, “If you’re correct, it will be better for him when we keep our mouths shut.
After all, should the mercenaries learn about his survival he’s dead meat.”
“I think that’s why his adoptive parents are remaining silent, too, elf,” Odin said, “As long as he doesn’t remember or know anything, he’ll be fine.”
“Indeed, friend, he will,” Zeng’ze agreed, “I did have some strange visions last night, tho.”
“What were they about, elf ?” Odin demanded.
“About Tryad’s next plot,” Zeng’ze stated, “He plotted create some shit in different worlds this time, so the warriors would be separated.
I don’t remember many details, but I clearly saw something with Drachmar who still is feeling quite upset about the fact that you appointed Na’ir as keeper of the Core of the Universe and gave him the Dark World.”
“Na’ir was wiser,” Odin snorted, “I sensed that he would be able to control the Core of the Universe better than Drachmar ever could.”
“He does, friend,” Zeng’ze nodded.
“What else did you see ?” Odin inquired.
“Don’t remember, friend,” Zeng’ze replied, “However, I do think I’m gonna have a word with a certain Absolute later.
He needs to do something for me, because I do not desire to see that future become a reality.”
“Which future did you review then, elf ?” Odin frowned.
“Just let me take care of this, friend,” Zeng’ze stated, “When I get a little creepy with him, I’m sure that I can persuade him talk to someone else for me.
Or rather, talk him out of it.”
Odin nodded and concluded that Zeng’ze would tell him what he had reviewed when the time was right.
He was correct, but wouldn’t find out until he already had returned in his original form why the elf hadn’t told him who he was planning to have a chat with.
103

Somewhat pissed and frustrated, Holler let Martinez pick him up outside Centurion’s.
Again, he hadn’t found this Atom he was looking for.
“Better luck tomorrow, man,” Martinez said while Holler got into the landrover.
“I get the feeling that he quit, because Rick defused him,” Holler noted.
“He won’t quit,” Martinez opposed, “Because he wants his name mentioned in the papers.
I’ll drop you off at home.”
“Thanks,” Holler sighed, “Maybe we oughta drop by the stiff-sniffers’ office and ask Archangel for a fortune-cookie.”
“Check the dash,” Martinez said.
Holler checked and found a cookie.
“What the - ?” he started, “Are you Psychic Angel next to a Hysterical one, too, all of a sudden ?”
“No, but you’re rather predictable,” Martinez snorted, “So before I went to pick you up, I stopped by the stiff-sensers’ office and asked Archangel for a cookie for you.”
“You’re amazing, at times, Martinez,” Holler said and broke it open to read his fortune.
“Change of scenery will improve your luck,” he read, “Try wearing Lapis Lazuli to change your fortune.”
“That’s clear,” Martinez nodded, “We’ll go to a different joint and you get yourself a Lapis Lazuli charm.”
Holler agreed and while Martinez drove him home, they decided which joint would be the best place to hang out next in order to find this Atom or the mummy-killer.
104

Like every night, Lyle walked his dogs past the ravine and partly by the lake.
He didn’t find it strange that both his cat-dogs stayed far away from the water.
They were cat-dogs, after all, and they hated water which presented a certain familiar battle when they had to be bathed.
Behind Lyle’s back, there was a trail in the lake’s surface like something was following him.
And when Lyle was about to walk away from the lake, the monster emerged.
It was a being which was Arachnoid for about 2/3, her back and part of her lower-body looked like it carried eggs.
Bluish/ white with a scarlet-red pulsating core or heart inside.
Lyle petrified as the creature came out of the water, sort of dragging herself onto the bank with hairy crab-like legs.

The cat-dogs ran away.
Lyle was grabbed by the jaws of the creature and his body was set ablaze by the poison she injected into him as she disappeared with the remains back into the water.
The smoking, somewhat bloody trail, she left behind, lead back to the grottos at the bottom of the ravine.
105

We’d been checking out two schools this afternoon, but Micki-Joel hadn’t liked either of them, because on both she was gonna be the only gender-bender in her class.
So, after we’d been to the last hellhole, we went to grab a bite in the snackbar two blocks further.
We ordered and found an empty table near the window.
“I’m tellin’ ya, bud,” Micki-Joel began, “There ain’t no place for me anywhere.”
“This is a big city,” I opposed, “Stay optimistic, we’ll find something.”
“Bud, you’re too optimistic,” Micki-Joel snorted, “But, give me your wallet, I wanna get something else.”
I gave her my billfold and watched her walk up to the counter.
“Blake, what’re you doing here ?” Grace demanded, “I thought that we’d be checking out Buchholz this afternoon ?”
When I looked aside, I found that Grace had the excellent company of her youngest, Andy.
“It completely slipped my mind,” I replied, “I’ve been checking out pig-sties with Micki-Joel.”
“Any luck ?” Grace inquired, pulling up two extra-chairs for Andy and herself.
“Nope, they’re all alike till now,” I sighed.
“I’ll ask around, too,” Grace said, “Maybe my darlin’s will hear something.”
“Gracie !” Micki-Joel shrieked, “What’s your biz here ?”
“Came to find my date,” Grace replied, “I was supposed to go out with Blake this afternoon.”
“Where to ?” Micki-Joel smirked.
“We’re after a shit-killer,” Grace replied, “He murders girls of your age.”
“Maybe he lost it when his own daughters all started out on puberty at once,” Micki-Joel blurted and looked at Andy,
“C’mon, kid,” she grinned, “My bud’s wallet still is my possession, let’s go strip him.”
She took Andy’s hand and went to order for him at the counter.
“Now, she’s gone,” Grace began, “have you figured out what she wants for her fourteenth ?”
“Anything of Voyager 608,” I stated.
“Bob’s in the import-business,” Grace said, “I’ll ask him what’s available.”
“I thought he was in the donation-business ?” I noted.
“That’s a second profession,” Grace snorted, “But, did you know that Bob and I were about the only two patients who actually cracked jokes ?
The rest all was so fuckin’ serious.”
“You get that when you’ve only got yourself to be concerned about,” I said.
“Yeah, true,” Grace agreed, “Tho we sure cheered the place up.
I mean, after I left with Warlock, the staff went : Do come again.
We really hope that you two will be back soon.”
We decided to have a bite together and postponed our visit to Buchholz till the next day.
106

Atom was pissed, frustrated.
He was the most original killer of all time and there wasn’t a word about him or his work in the press.
He had attempted to be more original by introducing the Made In Mummy Land stamp, tho that didn’t work, either.
Atom, however, wasn’t just your average crazy.
He was a criminologist who’d specialized in analyzing the minds and work of shit-killers.
The thought that he’d go down in history with all the other hot killers gave him a great thrill.
He wanted to be more than some unknown PhD and becoming the mummy-killer would’ve given him ever-lasting fame, he’d figured.

However, something had gotten totally fucked when he cruised Rick.
The class B absorber had disabled his ability as spark shocker.
Rick had attacked the core of Atom’s ability and had defused him for good, because he had destroyed the very foundation of the creep’s ability in the struggle for his life.
Now, Atom had to play it differently.
He still knocked them out cold first, but strangled them with a bandage later.
Tho Atom should’ve known that the cops would see right thru him.
But, he didn’t because he figured himself smarter than the next asshole.
While he - in fact - wasn’t, because any moron, with or without a badge - would see straight thru Atom Struthers PhD.
107

Taishakuten just couldn’t shake the dream he was having about an angry mob and folks being executed on the top of the steps he remembered as the Eastside.
And after a time that felt like an eternity, Taishakuten finally managed to awaken and sat up in bed to take a sip of water.
Tho he almost dropped his glass when he found the elf stand beside his bed as if he had been observing him.
“I never had thought that I would find you with these beings, friend,” Zeng’ze said.
“How long did you already know ?” Taishakuten demanded, sounding somewhat smothered.
“Long enough to know that if and when Hassan listens that he’ll only listen to you, friend,” Zeng’ze replied, “And that’s why I came here, you have to make him listen to you.”
“Is this about the Dreamwalker ?” Taishakuten asked.
“Indeed, it is, friend,” Zeng’ze nodded, “Tell him about the true plot the Dreamwalker has and warn him for Augus, because he shall listen to him one day soon.”
“Can it be prevented ?” Taishakuten inquired.
“The first event can, when you try your best, friend, and get Hassan to listen to you,” Zeng’ze stated, “I don’t know the outcome of the second event.
Tho I felt that the key he seeks to undo this betrayal will be found when he teams up with the one he attempted to murder, ages ago.”
“Alright,” Taishakuten nodded.
“You disappoint me, friend,” Zeng’ze snorted, reading into the Absolute’s mind, “You became evil yourself, I didn’t allow you to split so you could end up like this.”
“I made the decision that I no longer wanted to be one of the hunted,” Taishakuten stated, “And I felt that becoming an Absolute was the only way to achieve this.”
“You became as evil as the ones you and your people hated,” Zeng’ze said, “How could you sink so low as to torment a child ?
You make me sick and you better give it everything you have to make Hassan wiser about the Dreamwalker when you do not want to see me here again.”
He dematerialized and Taishakuten suppressed the urge to throw up of fear.
It was true that when the mob flew into a frenzy, the elf had been waiting for him and had allowed him to escape the city.
That was why he still was alive today.
But because Taishakuten never wanted to see the elf again, he decided to do everything he could to make Hassan wiser about the whole phenomenon called : Dreamwalkers, so he - on his turn - could halt any plan Kajar possibly could be planning to execute.
108

Buchholz watched the new girl, Tina, practice on the bridge in the sporting-school.
She was perfect.
As the Queen of Winter.
All the girls trusted him, so it wouldn’t be difficult to get her to come over to his place for a drink.
It was how he’d done it with the mindfucker, Madeline, and later, Estelle.
And Buchholz, indeed, was taking revenge on his ex by committing these murders.
He hated her for having left the state with his daughters.
He didn’t want to believe that she left, because she was offered the job of her dreams in New Boston.
And she hadn’t meant a word of it when she said that he always could come to visit the girls whenever he wanted.
No, no, she was making him pay for having been such a lousy companion.

However, while moving into the penthouse, he found a book his girls used to read a lot ; Season Queen and Princesses.
That was the ideal cover-up for the revenge-murders he had in mind.
He concocted the poison, made the dresses and executed what he had in mind.
First he got Madeline, next had been Estelle and Tina would be the third to pay for what his ex had done, according to Buchholz’s warped state of mind.
109

With the book he had bought on the bazaar a while ago in the Dawn Age, Eblis-Fateh sank his robed ass down in the armchair near the balcony of the library.
The story went that DeRuna and his companion, Trevor, had seen the entire Cosmos and even had been to the Twelve-chain.
The gate already was closed for at least three-thousand Moons and according to DeRuna one of the eras known as Sunyun was at war with three sisters who were descendants of some man who arose first and captured his fellow-Prophets inside cocoons and sent them drifting into the Universe.
DeRuna and Trevor never learnt many details, because they were kicked out of Sunyun, tho what they had discovered was that the majority of beings there were either half or complete cyborgs - Half-man / half-machine.
Allegedly, the three sisters were half-cyborg, too, because they had the upper-bodies of women and the lower-part of spiders.

“It would be great to see everything DeRuna and Trevor saw,” Eblis-Fateh noted under his breath, “Sometimes, I envy the grandmaster and his comrades, because they shall see this entire Universe.”
The Moons’ light changed and gave him a shadow.
The Outsider looked aside at the floor when the wailing got louder.
“If I could release you all right here and now,” he mumbled, “I would do so in a heartbeat, tho I cannot and you all have to be patient and wait for the day it is time for the grandmaster and his comrades to defeat the last Perfect Outsiders.
Because when I let my brother defeat me, you all shall be released.”
He raised his hand to close the drapes, but stopped and frowned when the wailing suddenly ceased.
“The child, take care of my child,” He heard a woman’s voice behind him.
“Your child ?” Eblis-Fateh demanded as he rose and found a Silver Ghost sit on the edge of the table.
“My son,” the woman replied, “I was with child when I joined my sister and the others to cast the Silver Curse on the Dead Gates.
I delivered my son in one of the Dead Gates’ sub-eras and ran for Moons for Ghazi-Dahr.
Until I was captured by him.”
“And what happened to your son, my lady ?” Eblis-Fateh frowned.
“I told him to run,” the woman replied, “And heard the mortals whisper that he was found by Emperor Tehuti while he was in search of you to request your aid.”
“My comrades spread the rumor that I shall only give aid to those who return my lost nemesis-keys to me,” Eblis-Fateh stated, “They were aware of the fact that some fool was going to believe this story and was going to find them for us.
Elder Mahmoud lost the two keys which sealed me inside the crimson sea and I cannot be released without them.”
“Emperor Tehuti is one of those fools,” the woman noted, “He is in search of the keys, being under the assumption that you shall aid him with destroying Aleron once he has found and returned them to you.”
“Destroy Aleron ?” Eblis-Fateh chuckled, “How can anyone be so foolish as to think that half-complete Outsiders are on my proverbial menu ?
But, tell me, my lady, your son is with Emperor Tehuti, is he not ?”
“He is,” the woman replied, “And I saw in your future that you have different plans once you have been released, tho I would be grateful if you gave this “aid” and help my son.”
Eblis-Fateh eased his ass down on the back of the armchair and processed what he had been told.
“You know, my lady,” he started after ten minutes, “Going to Thabit might just enable me and my brother to rid the Eternal-stream of the last predators.”
“I do not follow,” The woman snorted.
“Just leave it to me, my lady,” Eblis-Fateh replied, “Those scripts my brother wrote might just be what I need to execute this plan and enable your son to find a better existence, too.”
“But, those scripts state you are wicked,” the woman said, “How can they work in your benefit if my son will be scared of you ?”
“He will learn quickly that he has nothing to fear, my lady,” Eblis-Fateh stated, “While everybody else shall be afraid to face me.”
The woman was clueless on the plans the Perfect Outsider had, tho something told her that whatever he was up to, it was alright.
And it was, because with Chisisi-Akil’s backup, Eblis-Fateh could be all-evil - scare the living shit out of Tehuti - and meanwhile casually lead the last Perfect Outsiders to their nemesis.
110

Moon turned kind of pale around her pretty little nose when she heard Blind and Smiley interrogate a suspect for Alita and Kobain.
She was about to pass out, tho, when the two mentioned above came hauling ass over to us, crawling on hands and knees.
“That guy is suspected of 28 rapes and murders,” Alita began as he hauled herself up on a deskchair,
“We shouldn’t feel sorry for him.
But we do !”
“Stonewalling in their presence gives you something that exceeds the most-extreme of Interrogation 21st Precinct Style, baby,” Kobain noted.
“What are they doing in there ?” Moon asked, somewhat smothered.
“Jonathan hauled that guy up by his ankles,” Kobain stated, “And that refined Sha’razi spliced him in two when he just grabbed the guy’s crotch.”
“We could almost hear that guy’s soul tear, too,” Alita added.
Moon passed out.
I hauled her back in her chair and Shauna got the smelling-salt.
She wasn’t the only one who couldn’t quite stomach what the silly human and fair Sha’razi had to offer.

Looking pretty shabby, Blind and Smiley strolled in some time later.
“Kobain, Alita,” Blind started, “Mr. Keighley would like to confess now.”
“Is he still alright to - You know, see ?” Alita inquired.
“He’s in perfect shape,” Smiley smirked, “Ashara healed him after he told us that he wanted to talk.”
“We’ll go lend an ear then,” Kobain decided and moved to room 11 with Alita to listen to what the little suspect had to say.
The Bizarre Pals had a seat and impatiently waited for the villains’ reaction.
Which came when they began to laugh quite warped.
“I pieced him back together,” Ashara noted, dryly, “But, Jonathan - nor myself - are very good at making puzzles.”
Grace and I immediately went to take a looksee with a few other villains and discovered that Mr. Keighley had been put back together all wrong.
He had his legs where his arms had to be and a hand was where his nose belonged.
The Sinister Pals had truly created a whole new lifeform from an existing one which was quite - Stunning.
111

For Holler, Martinez and Rocco it was clear now that Atom was at his wits’ end.
He wanted his name in the paper desperately, because the latest guy had other than the bandages and stamp, also a king’s mask.
“He’s getting very, very desperate,” Martinez noted.
“He is,” Holler agreed.
“Let’s go to Mackie’s Joint,” Martinez proposed, “You got your Lapis Lazuli charm now and you might get lucky tonight.”
“What’re you guys talking about ?” Rocco frowned.
“We read one of Mad Archangel’s fortune-cookies,” Holler replied, “We’re following the advise we got from it.”
“I also heard the fellas from 32nd talk about it,” Rocco noted, “And they’ve changed our chief’s nickname to Mad Fortune Archangel now.”
Archangel was giving cookies to almost everyone he worked with these days.
What he was also doing was to tell everyone who was interested about the baby.
According to him, kissing a monk’s head had really worked miracles and he also credited Reeves for kissing all those monks at the commune in Haz Mayal.
Archangel recommended anyone who had a wish they really wanted granted to kiss Shrinkie’s scalp, because that monk was able to perform miracles.
Needless to say that Shrink was ecstatic when other cops and stiff-sniffers suddenly started to kiss him, too.
Shrinkie’s popularity went thru the proverbial roof all of sudden, tho he felt kind of flattered that he had such a huge fan-club nowadays.
112

Blind and Smiley looked down into the ravine while the crew had already left a while ago.
“Maybe, Jonathan,” Blind started, “we should go see Lusitan and ask if he had any visions about this case.
After all, it’s three victims later now and we’re not a thing wiser.
We’re still clueless.”
“Unfortunately,” Smiley sighed, “But, I wanted to ask you something, Blind.
Do you feeling like being my best man at my wedding ?”
“Me ?” Blind demanded, feeling quite astounded, “Silly human, can’t you think of anyone better to ask than some stupid Sha’razi ?”
“That stupid Sha’razi happens to be my best friend, Blind,” Smiley stated, “And I can’t think of anyone else.
Please, say you’ll do it.”
He smiled.
“Alright, I’ll do it, silly,” Blind returned the smile, “But, don’t ask to me to doll up, okay ?”
“That actually is what I wanted to ask you next, Ashara,” Smiley smirked, “Show up in something short, tight and lime-green for this very special occasion ?”
“Silly human, I - I want to hate you now,” Blind hissed, “You exploit every situation just to see me in drag, don’t you ?”
“That’s only because you’re so cute and convincing, Blind,” Smiley grinned, “Please ?
It would be the best wedding-gift you could bring along.
You ass in gift-wrapped in something green.”
“Alright, angel,” Blind nodded, feeling kind of cornered, “I’ve seriously begun to feel the desire to see you as Jane now, tho.”
“Blind, you don’t want to see Jane, ever,” Smiley opposed, “You were right in assuming that she’s a near-death experience.”
“Ask me to doll up one more time after this and I’ll demand to see Jane later,” Blind giggled.
“This’ll be the last time I ask, promise,” Smiley snorted.
Even tho Blind nodded, he wondered how long Smiley would be able to stick to that promise.
It was the only promise he failed to keep, because he just loved it to see Ashara run around in drag.
113

Buchholz had told Tina that he saw in her a future champion gymnast and invited her over to his penthouse so they could discuss her career in greater detail.
Tina hadn’t seen any danger, so she accepted the invitation.
“How d’you like this place ?” Buchholz asked while he showed the young lady around.
“It’s very spacious and light here, Vince,” Tina replied, “It’s a great place.”
“I’m glad you like it, Tina,” Buchholz said, “D’you want a soda ?”
“Sure,” Tina nodded, “A coke, if you’ve got it.”
“I have,” Buchholz stated and told Tina to make herself comfortable in the sitting room while he got her a drink.
Tina made herself comfy on the settee and shook her head when she vaguely saw the ghosts of two girls her own age.
“Here’s your coke,” Buchholz said, handing her the glass.
“Thanks,” Tina nodded.
“Tina,” Estelle started, “don’t drink that.”
Tina stared at her glass.
“The wrong brand ?” Buchholz inquired.
“It’s okay,” Tina replied and took a petite sip, “But, there’s too much bubbles in it.
I’m gonna let that go away first.”
Buchholz didn’t think much of it.
Until he - only from the corner of his eyes - saw the ghosts of Madeline and Estelle.
“Watch out !” Madeline shrieked.
But it was too late.
Before Tina even could get up, she’d been knocked out cold with an ashtray.
114

Dyson had been revived by the machine, but Hassan still was curious about why Azranan had killed him in the first place.
And so, he decided to ask while they were having breakfast in the kitchen the next morning.
“Say, my boy,” Hassan began, “did Dyson just catch you in a bad mood or was it something he did last night ?”
“I wanted to have a drink alone and he invited himself,” Azranan replied, “And you know how I feel about uninvited guests, Hassan.
They have to go.”
“You’re so difficult at times, my boy,” Hassan sighed, wiping his hand down his face.
“Aren’t you ?” Azranan inquired, “Listen up, Hassan, as long as I’m here I want to be treated as guest, not as trash or lust-object and that’s how he looked at me.
And should anyone ever try something when I haven’t started it, you can count on it that their manhood is lost to them.
The same goes for you, by the way.”
“Something tells me that your foul mood has something - like everything - to do with last night,” Hassan noted.
“I’m not in a foul mood, at all,” Azranan snorted.
“You could’ve fooled me, my boy,” Hassan said, “But, have you thought about what I said ?”
“I did,” Azranan nodded, “And concluded that you do have a point.
I’ll try to quit seeing everyone as a potential foe, alright ?”
“Alright,” Hassan said, “Not everyone is your enemy, after all.
And Lusitan is trying to make amends, tho you have to give him the chance to do so.”
“Yeah, I should,” Azranan agreed, “But, you know what it is, Hassan ?”
“Tell me, my boy,” Hassan nodded.
“Ever since I know Zeng’ze, I know what true friendship is all about,” Azranan stated, “He’s just there and never judges or anything.
When I’m feeling down or miserable, I can count on him popping up to lend an ear or just be there.
We can be silent an entire evening and simply enjoy the company.”
“And now you’ve begun to expect the same of others, too,” Hassan said, “You want the same quality - as it were - from others as he gives you.”
“Exactly,” Azranan confirmed, “I never have to be afraid that he deserts me or anything, because I know that he’ll always be there.
I want everybody to be the friend he is and only Maze and Blake have met these demands up until now.”
“But that’s only because you gave them both a chance, my boy,” Hassan noted, “It’s alright to be cautious, tho you have to give others the same chances as you’ve been giving them.”
Azranan nodded and reached the conclusion that Lusitan wasn’t the only one that needed to change.
He needed to change himself, too.
He had to leave the past behind him and quit letting it blur his vision on the present.

[Joe]

115

The monster, indeed, was a dimensioner.
It was an Arachnad, an escapee from a dimension of which the portal had been sealed by warlocks dimensional decades ago.
But, the World of Ga’yenne had more hideous inhabitants than this creature.
And most of them looked like mutated relatives of insects living in these worlds and cosmos.
The nameless Arachnad had somehow succeeded in escaping Ga’yenne and nobody knew how she had achieved this.
But beside the how, the what she was doing here was far more important.
She carried around eggs to start a plague of her own kind in this world.
And these eggs were about to hatch due to sufficient blood-consumption.
Anyone seeking to remove this dimensioner had to make haste, because it only took a mere eight days before the larvae were adults and ready to produce offspring themselves.
116

This was a little bizarre, I concluded when I saw the grinning little slimeball’s reflection in the soap-water while I was doing the dishes.
‘I know this is weird,’ Halo stated, ‘But I failed to reach you otherwise.’
‘You could’ve tried to dial my personal number, Halo,’ I noted.
‘My telepathy got a little screwed,’ Halo said, ‘I get that when I do a lot of mind-probes.’
‘Yeah, true,’ I nodded, ‘What’s up, Halo ?’
‘It’s about your case,’ Halo replied, ‘You gotta make tracks to Buchholz’s place.
He’s about to murder another girl. He knocked this one out cold.’
‘I’m already gone,’ I said.
And left the dishes for what they were.
I gave Grace a ring and we decided to meet in front of Buchholz’s frontdoor.
If it was up to us, there wasn’t gonna be a victim No 3.
117

The fair Sha’razi and silly human were more surprised than jolted when Lusitan dropped into Blind’s living room in the company of his other criminals.
The two were discussing Smiley’s upcoming wedding to Mikey and especially about what the pervert would like to see Ashura attend the reception in.
“Chief, angels,” Blind started, “This afternoon, the silly human and I were discussing the option of talking to you about our case.”
“H’dae heard about it from his green-pals,” Lusitan explained, “They also told him that the Arachnad’s eggs hatched this morning, so we came up with a basic strategy before we moved our asses.”
“We’re gonna cut ‘em down to size, hunks,” Maze added.
“And what’s the plan ?” Johnno asked, smiling at the chief.
“You also have a very nice smile,” Lusitan noted, melting for it visibly, “No matter how often I see you smile, I keep finding it truly charming.”
“Thanks, chief,” Johnno smiled some more, “I like your smile, too.”

“They’re gonna turn this smiling thing into a contest, hunks,” Maze noted to the others, “To prove that they both have to ability to melt anyone.”
“Yeah,” Fharlan nodded, “And you know what I also think, fellas ?”
“What were you thinking, Fharlan ?” H’dae asked.
“I see the chief’s smile crumble,” Fharlan replied.
“I already foresaw that it would, Fharlan,” Jez grinned, “And I’m gonna be one of the privileged to be around to see it with my own three eyes when it happens.”
“You are so lucky, hunk,” Maze snorted, “I wish I could be around, too.”
“I’m gonna take a lot of mind-pictures, Maze,” Jez smirked, “And I’m gonna show ‘em to all of you later.”
The criminals liked the sound of that.
A lot.
However, a bit later, Lusitan got around to explaining the basic strategy and they improved it before they moved out to kick some monster-ass.
They had to wipe out the Arachnad and all the larvae, because when they didn’t, this creature still could become a plague.
118

Since Khalid had sent Rashidi to find a suitable mortal Kazemde could give the ability of beast-commander, he had been hearing a lot about them, tho none of the mortals Rashidi had observed up until now had been able to develop this skill.
“What have you got to report, Rashidi ?” Khalid demanded when he saw the Trusted One enter the throneroom.
“I sense I have found a suitable mortal, Khalid,” Rashidi replied, “He wields mysterious Blue Powers and granting him with the ability as beast-commander shall make him undefeatable.”
“I heard doubt in your voice, Rashidi,” Khalid noted.
“I sensed more than his Blue Powers,” Rashidi stated, “I also sensed that he has other latent abilities, granting him with this skill might awaken these powers within him which can turn him into formidable and deadly opponent, Khalid.”
“Which latent abilities did you sense within him, Rashidi ?” Khalid inquired.
“Cosmic powers, Khalid,” Rashidi explained, “Granting him with an extra-ability could awaken the various Cosmic powers he holds within which shall make him more powerful than all the Outsiders of Aleron are together.
Shall even make him mightier than Baruti, because he could not bend Time, Space & Destiny without the Staff of Time.
This mortal would be able to do this without breaking a Thabitan.”
“Baruti was the mightiest Outsider that ever lived in Aleron,” Khalid stated, “Like all Outsiders the only weakness he had was Time, he was captured because the stranger used the Time-essence against him and as long as this mortal you spoke of cannot control this essence, Baruti cannot be defeated.”
“You should not doubt my senses, Khalid,” Rashidi said, “Why do you not sent Aswad and Seth to observe this mortal themselves ?
I am convinced that they shall tell you exactly the same.
This mortal has not been limited like the rest of them were at the Dawn of their Creation.”
“All mortals were limited and reduced to imbeciles, Rashidi,” Khalid snorted, “This was done by the one they call the Slave-driver.
Complete mortals do not exist.”
“They do exist, Khalid,” Rashidi persisted, “But, let Aswad and Seth observe him.”
“Alright, alright, you win, Rashidi,” Khalid sighed, quite annoyed, “And while I send them to observe that inferior species, you should continue your search for Baruti.
He is somewhere with the mortals, he does not belong there.”
“Very well,” Rashidi nodded and left the palace to return to the general time-stream while Khalid called two other Trusted Ones over to him.
He gave Aswad and Seth the order to observe the mortal Rashidi had been watching even tho he was convinced that Rashidi was wrong and this inferior species had been limited like they all had been.
119

The Lapis Lazuli charm worked, because in Mackie’s Joint, Holler was cruised by Atom.
They’d danced for a bit before they decided upon better activities in Atom’s bed.
Atom didn’t have the foggiest idea about who he had cruised and kind of thought of him as an ordinary victim when Holler deliberately closed his eyes after the action.
Holler heard and sensed it when Atom reached for the book-standard and looked aside.
“Atom, catch,” He snorted and began to scream.
Atom was smacked against the wall.
He’d cruised the wrong guy now.
“If you already figured this for a surprise,” Holler started as he got over, “Then, you haven’t heard the latest yet.”
“Latest ?” Atom swallowed.
“Yup, I’m Officer Karadzic,” Holler replied, “And I’m gonna kill you, because I know that you’re the friggin’ mummy-killer.
I was on your case.”
“So you kept it quiet,” Atom nodded, “You saw right thru it all, didn’t you ?”
“I did,” Holler confirmed and brought his mouth closer to Atom’s ear.
“Bye, Atom,” He whispered.
The sonic-waves blew up the shit-killer’s brains.
The eyes popped out of their sockets and his nose started to bleed.
“I gotta tell T.C about the sonic whisper actually working,” Holler muttered to himself while he got back into his clothes, “This fictional shit-trick finally has been learnt now.”
And it had been a genuine pleasure to try it out on such a shit-killer.
120

Grace and I met in front of the apartment building and while dashing up the stairs, discussed the plan.
“I’ll go in first,” I said, “So you can sneak in and find that girl.”
“Okay,” Grace nodded, “He is a superior and we don’t know which shit-tricks he has mastered.”
I kicked open the door and met Buchholz in the foyer.
“You were at the school last week,” He noted.
“Right, I was, I’m a cop,” I stated, “And that last girl better be alive, Buchholz.”
“Tina oughta be dead by now,” Buchholz said, crossing his arms in front of his chest, “And so are you, by the way, ‘cause I’m a superior.”
“No, you’re joking,” I mocked, “Have you mastered the psycho-attack or something ?”
“I’ve mastered something better,” Buchholz stated and summoned the double whammy psycho-gun.
He controlled his psycho-strength on such a way that he could transform his left forearms into a psycho-weapon.
Buchholz charged the gun and fired.
I dove away and summoned a deck of psycho-cards which I threw at him.

Grace saw her chance and quickly shot passed us to search for Tina.
She checked all the rooms of the penthouse, looking for the latest girl.

“Well met,” Buchholz noted as he got up, “But, I’ve got more tricks.”
“Show ‘em, asshole,” I barked.
And was smacked against the wall by a psycho-hurricane.
I countered with psycho-fire which blasted away the settee Buchholz dove behind.

Grace found a hatch in the ceiling and pulled down the ladder to climb up.
Bound and gagged, she found Tina.
She healed the girl’s head wound and untied her.

With a shit-eating grin, Buchholz watched me summon a single card.
“I see you’re tired,” He smirked.
“In contrary,” I opposed and threw the Death Joker at him.
The card became a flame that went straight into his Plexus Solaris.
All of his energy was drawn out of him in a matter of seconds.
This was the super-whammy and believed to be fictional, Death Joker.
You could transform psycho-energy into an instant death-sentence.

Buchholz collapsed and I saw Grace come over with Tina.
She was okay and while Grace brought her home, I hung around to wait for the stiff-sniffers to come an’ collect Buchholz’s corpse.
121

Lusitan and his daring criminals had gone to the ravine and the fellas awaited the chief’s orders.
“Both the Arachnad and the larvae aren’t as silly as they look,” Lusitan began, “They expect someone to arrive to come to destroy them, so prepare for a true battle.
Maze, Jez, you two go in first.”
“Okay, hunk,” Maze nodded.
They slid down the side of the ravine to enter the cave-system via the bottom-entrance.
“H’dae, Fharlan,” Lusitan continued, “Enter via the hills.”
“Sure, sure,” Fharlan mumbled, “Let’s go, my petite rosebud.”
“Sucking up to me won’t make me quit cracking up about your pathetic garden, Fharlan,” H’dae noted as the went to the hills to enter the lair there.
“It’s worth trying, isn’t it ?” Fharlan snorted.
“Blind, Smiley,” Lusitan said, “You two confront the Arachnad herself.
I’ll take a plunge into the lake, knowing neither of you can swim.”
Blind and Smiley nodded and moved.
And while the chief moved his ass, too, he was met by his only missing criminal.
“Chief, you can’t leave us out of this, now,” Azranan grinned, “I mean, I think my spicey can sneak in somewhere.”
“I wanted to be selfish and keep the spicey all to myself,” Lusitan snorted, “Let’s go, kid.”
“I’ll forgive you this time, chief,” Azranan smirked, “Because spicey makes you selfish, knowing that it’s soooooo - Spicey.”
Lusitan snorted a second time and took the plunge into the lake with Azranan.

Walking thru the shaft, Maze and Jez heard the larvae approach.
Their slithering sounded somewhat like crumpling plastic.
The guys saw the dirty-green / orange larvae flock.
They stopped to look at them for a second and then leapt at them to kill.
Jez glued himself to the wall, near the ceiling.
Maze summoned his Slasher to his hand.
“Power Storm !” He yelled.
His body was engulfed with the purple force he’d called upon.
And he threw the blade at the Larvae.
One larva was sliced in two from between its eyes.
A next was cut in the middle of its body.
Jez focused and used his Iron Will to let the attack continue.
Rapidly, all the larvae were divided in two, four or more pieces.

H’dae and Fharlan observed the nearing kiddies.
“H’dae, my little spring-leaf,” Fharlan began, “may I do the honeurs ?”
“Sure, go ahead,” H’dae nodded and shrugged.
Fharlan sank to the ground to sit on his haunches.
“C’mon,” he groaned, putting his fists down on the stone, “Come to daddy.”
The larvae inched closer and leapt up to destroy him.
“Torment Attack !!!” he shrieked.
In an instant, the hearts were ripped out of the larvae’s bodies and throbbed on violently in mid-air.
Fharlan slowly opened his fists and released sharp red crystal shards.
They shot straight thru their hearts, blowing away everything.

Blind and Smiley had found the mistress of this cave-system.
Their attack-plan was ready for execution.
And screeching the Arachnad, emerged from her cocoon-web, shooting poisonous silk threads at the fellas.
Psycho-shards destroyed the Arachnad’s cocoon-web and Blind called upon a white light.
Smiley searched his soul and found another purifying power.
And he summoned the blue light to this world.

Lusitan and Azranan had transformed into mermen to be able to breathe under-water.
They knew that somewhere there had to be more larvae.
Because insects seldom are as silly as they look.
They always leave eggs on a different location to prevent extinction when the majority is wiped out.

Jez and Maze had found more larvae and Maze was allowing Jez to use his powers.
With incredible force, Jez threw his Demon-dagger at the flock.
The eyes of the horned demon-skull on the hilt lit up yellow and the consciousness inside snickered maliciously when it stuck itself into the ground.
There first was single wave of Evil Light.
But more waves were emanated rapidly, one after another.
The larvae were skinned a bit more with each wave that swept over them.
Their feelers were last to be wiped away.

Fharlan stepped back when H’dae eyeballed the new group of larvae.
Flora started to whisper.
Louder and louder.
“Eat plant-shit !” H’dae barked.
Each bit of moss in the shaft transformed into a green-demon.
They pulled themselves loose from the ground and walls and hissing, viciously, besieged the larvae.
H’dae and Fharlan watched how the green-demons devoured the larvae till there was nothing left them.
Not even their spirits.

Lusitan and Azranan found what they’d been searching for.
The larvae squirmed at the deepest point of the lake.
And with the bugs in mad pursuit of both criminals, the fellas swam away.
The folks near the lake were kind of sort of astonished when two mermen climbed up on the river-bank.
And were crushed when they saw the larvae which had followed them.
Tho they all backed away when the grass began to glow gold.
And flowers in the same color began to bloom.
Azranan trapped the bugs with his stare.
He seemed to freeze them in time.
The flowers started to rock gently from left to right.
And the felt, but unheard, Song of Gold completely disintegrated the Arachnad’s last larvae.

The Arachnad felt blue snow burn on her scales and saw petite snow-angels descend upon her.
“If you have any good in you, your soul will live to reincarnate in a different, less harmful, form,” Blind stated and let the snow-angels go their way.
They invaded the Arachnad’s innermost being while the blue snow decayed her flesh swiftly.
However, there was no good inside this monster, because by the time it stopped snowing and the angels vanished, there was absolutely nothing left of her.
122

Micki-Joel sank herself deeper into the couch when I bored her for the zillionth time about how the late Buchholz had been able to summon a psycho-gun.
“I think you’re boring me like this, bud, because I bore you every week with the details of the latest Voyager 608 episode,” She noted.
“I don’t find that boring,” I opposed, “I mean, I don’t watch, because I’m waiting for you to tell me all about it.”
“Yeah, sure,” Micki-Joel snorted, “don’t go tellin’ me little white lies, bud.”
“I ain’t tellin’ ya white lies, at all,” I stated, “When you tell it to me it’s better than watching.
But, how d’you like your new pig-sty anyway ?”
“It has verrry nice girls, bud,” Micki-Joel smirked, “And being a gender bender doesn’t cause any shit, because they are a lot of them on this school and they have their own locker rooms,”
She gestured,
“You have : Girls, Boys and Gender Benders.
Cool, huh ?”
“Yeah,” I nodded, “That’s very cool.”
“But, thanks for being so patient with me, bud,” Micki-Joel said, “Dad would’ve kicked my ass to a reformatory.”
She gave me a big hug,
“I wish I’d been born with you as pop.”
If I were honest, I wished that she’d been born as my daughter, too.
However, the being who grants wishes, sure granted mine when it first sent me Damon, then Azranan and his outfit and now Micki-Joel.
The best daughter anyone could ever wish for.
123

Keeping his presence undetected, Chisisi-Akil appeared in the library and quietly observed his brother read the bird a story from the book.
“The Sahan controlled everything on the thirty islands Trevor and I visited,” Eblis-Fateh read to My Friend who lay comfortably on his lap, “When we first arrived, we didn’t understand why folks here were so submissive and terrified, because these Sahan lived in a magnificent palace at the northern border of the All-gates and never mingled with the commoners.
However, we quickly learnt to understand when the dolphins emerged and crashed their massive bodies against one of the islands and threw the fairies of the clan who lived there into the depth, so they could devour them.
Later, we were told that Lord Rishni is a superior mind-reader and telepath who knows what all beings are thinking and feeling.
When he feels displeased, he summons the winged dolphins to punish the ones who displease him.”
“Is that really true, Fabled One ?” The bird inquired, looking up.
“It is, my friend,” Eblis-Fateh replied, “Before the All-gates were sealed, many fled from those eras, because they could not live under the regime the Sahan had created there.
The two queens the Amurra-clan had also fled with their people.
Where they disappeared to is unknown.”
“I was just about to ask you where they went, Fabled One,” the bird sniffed, “But, what do you think ?
Do you think that they went to the Eternal-stream ?”
“I really would not know, my friend,” Eblis-Fateh replied.
“You do not know much, do you, Fabled One ?” The bird grinned.
“I know more than you do, you little tone-deaf pipsqueak,” Eblis-Fateh snorted, “And when I sing, I do not create a second Great Catastrophe on my own.”
“At least, I am not singing old songs I learnt from mortals I devoured, Fabled One,” The bird noted.
“What ?” Eblis-Fateh frowned.
But then the song My Friend was talking about plopped back into his mind.
“Thanks a lot, my friend,” he snorted, “I had forgotten it, at last, but you just made me remember.”
“Come on,” the bird smirked, climbing up to the Outsider’s shoulder, “Humor me and sing me that song.”
“No, not today, my friend,” Eblis-Fateh grinned, “I am not going to give you that pleasure.”
“But, I want to hear it again, Fabled One,” the bird said, “I have not heard it in ages.”
Eblis-Fateh zipped it up and didn’t respond.
“Let me put it differently, Fabled One,” the bird began, “If you do not sing March to the Sun, I will.”
“Alright, alright, you win, my friend,” Eblis-Fateh choked and gave the bird his way by singing March to the Sun in the old Outsider-dialect.
My Friend didn’t stop grinning the entire time, because he knew when and how Eblis-Fateh had learnt that stupid song he wasn’t going to forget in a million more years.
124

Mike and Smiley had gotten married and during the reception, Smiley was hanging out on strategic places to be able to drool all over Blind’s lime-green ass.
“He’s standing behind you again, Blind,” Jan grinned.
“Yeah, I know, darlin’,” Blind snorted, “And the pervert won’t talk to me, because he can’t see my bun-buns then.”
“Let’s trade places,” Jan proposed, smirking, “To see what he’ll do.”
Also smirking, Blind swapped places with Jan and they both cracked up when Smiley moved to get his view back.

“And now I’m seeing who I married,” Mike snorted.
“But, look at that, Mikey,” Smiley slobbered, “Look really good at that perfect dream-ass.”
Mike looked and they were moving together when he saw with his own eyes how cute Blind’s ass was.
And lime-green suddenly was his fave color, too.
When he thought about it, yellow was kind of uninteresting.
125

Maze wasn’t the only one who was having these strange dreams about the house in Earth’s World.
Another was having the same dreams and decided to find out what the hell they meant by going to the estate.
He was already having these dreams for a month and felt that there had to be a reason for them.
Joss took the stairs down to the basement and taking heed, pushed open the door.
He felt his breath get knocked out of him when he laid eyes on the tall dressing-mirror he’d seen in all those dreams.

Joss looked around in the basement, searching for anything that could tell him what had happened here in the past.
And didn’t notice a man who came stepping out of the mirror.
He snuck up behind Joss and knocked him unconscious.
The guy collapsed against the wall and the man leant over to pick Joss up.
“You shall be able to revive our Lordship,” he said under his breath, “And then, we shall make the man with the brats pay for killing him.”
He took Joss over his shoulder and disappeared back into the mirror.
Phase 1 of the strategy had been completed successfully.
126

More asleep than awake, Micki-Joel stumbled into the kitchen to show me how she’d been spending her night.
“Look, bud,” she began, laying a scrapbook down in front of me on the table, “I was watching the Anime Channel last night and decided that it’s exactly the style I’d like to draw in.”
She showed me some great sketches she’d made in the scrapbook.
“What d’you think, bud ?” she asked, “Do I have talent or it better to quit ?”
“I always said that you’ve got talent,” I replied, “And this is very good.”
“Maybe you can help me out with the hands,” Micki-Joel said, pulling up a chair, “I find ‘um really hard to draw.”
“It’s a trick you must know,” I stated, getting up to fetch a pencil and the drawing-pad I always used for designing tattoos.
“Look, hands are like mittens,” I explained, showing her what I meant, “You always draw the fingers last.
See ? Try it.”
“Alright, bud,” Micki-Joel nodded, “You make it look so easy.”
“And it is,” I noted, “Drawing is mostly about tricks.”
“I see,” Micki-Joel said, “I would really like to find work in the comics-biz, bud.
I mean, drawing cutey girls in distress has a cool ring to it.”
She drew a full-breasted broad and the monster that devoured her came out of my pen.
Needless to say that the two of us amused ourselves splendidly with this doodling.
127

Maze told Azranan to have a seat behind the kitchen-table so he could join him for breakfast.
“Maze, what did you want to see me about ?” Azranan asked, “I mean, I sense that you have a reason this time.”
“I’ve been having few dreams, hunk,” Maze replied, “And you appeared in ‘um, too, next to these two crying women and a man.
Yeah, there also was big mirror there in that basement.”
“The gate to the Black Lands,” Azranan said, “The two crying women of your dream were the only two left after he’d scattered the others.
When I arrived in that house, I found a massacre and heard crying and screaming in the basement.
I went to check it out and found Lord Alcane there.
The women had tried to escape via the mirror, but he was blocking the way to it.
I asked him for the Tango of Death and when he expired, I restored the last two women, gave ‘em gold and allowed them to flee from the house.
I couldn’t revive the others, because their innermost beings had been completely scattered.”
“What sort of place was it, hunk ?” Maze demanded.
“I’m not sure, Maze,” Azranan stated, “I mean, when I found the house I only found this massacre.
I never picked up any names, either, except for the name of Lord Alcane.”
“How did you find it, hunk ?” Maze frowned, “Did someone tell you about it ?”
“I dreamt about the house and it took me forever to find it,” Azranan told, “I wish I had found it sooner, tho, because then the other women still would’ve been alive.”
“I sense we should go to the Black Lands, hunk,” Maze said, “I mean, I’m certain that something’s going on and that’s why I’ve been having these dreams now.”
“I’ll go with you,” Azranan decided, “I’ve been there before and know my way around.”
“Thanks, hunk,” Maze nodded, “Maybe your spicey can sneak in again somewhere.”
“I certainly hope so, Maze,” Azranan grinned, “Maybe we can add your spicey to it, too.”
“We’ll get Hunk Spicey then,” Maze smirked.
“Oooow, hot !” Azranan blurted.
Maze agreed, but they finished breakfast before filling in the chief on where they were going and moving out to the Black Lands.
128

Doc Al Eden examined the man who’d been brought into the ER by another bloke who’d left once he knew that the guy was in good hands.
The man had no ID on him whatsoever and suffered from multiple stab-wounds in the chest and stomach.
While the nurse was getting a bionics-surgeon, Eden discovered that the man had had a serious accident before.
Because a third of his organs had been replaced with bionic artificial organs or bio-parts in more common terms.
Shaking his head, the bionics-surgeon looked at the damage.
“Al, someone definitely tried to zap him twice,” Foster stated, “Call the cops and we’ll prep him for OR.”
Eden nodded and moved to make a call.
Tho he hoped that the guy would survive and wondered what he had done to get this done to him.
However, his gut told Eden that the mystery guy had done nothing wrong and was a victim of someone else here.
In which he was right.
129

Thinking about his last chat with Azranan, Hassan worked on Kafra’s dream-machine.
“Why’re you so quiet, Hassan ?” Kafra inquired, “Did you eat your last Exxegran or something ?”
“I’m worried, Kafra,” Hassan replied, “I sense Kajar’s rage whenever Azranan comes here and he feels the strong desire to attempt torture the answers out of him again.
It concerns me, greatly.
I mean, Kajar’s obsessed with my boy’s answers while Augus is obsessed with his favors.”
“I understand your concerns,” Kafra said, “But, what do you think Kajar is planning to do, then ?
Did you have any visions about it ?”
“Only vaguely,” Hassan sighed, “I saw him talk with a Dreamwalker frequently in the past.
Sometimes, I get the feeling that he’s behind the shit my boy had, because him ending up alone, indeed, would be very convenient for him.”
“True, it would be,” Kafra agreed, “I know Kajar’s tricks pretty well, tho.
And I find it unlikely that he would go thru all that trouble to get Azranan to end up alone some.
I find him more the type who would give Augus the command to abduct him and get him here to the palace.
That man’s got no emotions whatsoever and he probably would repeat that final week a little worse to get the answers he seeks.”
“That’ll be over my dead body, Kafra !” Hassan barked, “I swore to protect Azranan again like I used to and if anything happens, it’ll be good shit.
I want his life to get better, because he’s had enough shit.”
“Hearing you voice those words, Hassan,” Kafra began, “suddenly gives me the strong feeling that it is possible to break your chain.”
“I certainly hope so, Kafra,” Hassan sighed, “Because I want to find some way to make each one of the crimes I committed right again.
I haven’t figured out how, yet, but I have been thinking that perhaps doing something useful with my abilities would be a fine start.”
“I think so, too,” Kafra said, “I heard the Spirits whisper that Odin also is giving it everything he has and you and him might make a fine team.
Maybe the two of you could team up and go crack shit together.”
“We could,” Hassan nodded, “And he’s an old war-rat like me, so we could even amuse ourselves some.”
“And it would also give Lusitan the opportunity to get used to you,” Kafra noted, “If he gets to know you a little, he might accept it easier that you and Azranan are partners.”
“I don’t think he’ll ever accept it, Kafra,” Hassan opposed, “I did murder Solstice or at least, I tried to kill him.”
“Did Fuma ever get wiser about the things you sense whenever you’re in the Forbidden Temple ?” Kafra inquired.
“No, he didn’t,” Hassan replied, “He felt that someone was screwing with his time-traveling ability, because he didn’t get a thing wiser, either, which led him to conclude that something - indeed - happened nobody knows about.”
“So, you two think that Solstice was resurrected or something ?” Kafra demanded.
“Yeah, we do,” Hassan nodded, “Something happened after I left the temple.
He couldn’t possibly have survived the attack, because the old timer wasn’t even recognizable anymore by the time my temper eased.
But why would someone want to resurrect such a cold and callous man ?
I can’t think of anyone that would do it.”
“I can’t, either,” Kafra stated, “However, I can imagine why someone would resurrect him.
It has to be a being that either doesn’t know him as a cold and callous man or someone that’s just like him.”
“I find the first ‘why’ you gave somehow the most-likely,” Hassan said, “I didn’t believe my ears, either, when he dropped his mask and all that garbage started to come from his mouth.”
Kafra agreed, because she found the first option the most-likely, too.
She had heard the Spirits whisper that everybody thought the proverbial worlds of the old timer and also had picked up that nobody knew the real Solstice.
Kafra had the ability to hear what the Spirits were whispering which was a skill Hassan had taught her to develop to the full.
It was kind of odd, but even tho Hassan had captured her together with Taishakuten, they had grown to become close friends.
Kafra wasn’t behind on anything that was happening out there in these worlds, because Hassan kept her updated on everything that was going on and changing out there.
130

Now, the villains at the precinct were also finding out that the captain had spring-feelings - like Equinox and cats also have ‘um - only ten times or so more destructive.
From the locker rooms, he came storming up the stairs for the fifth time, turned over an X-number of desks and ran down the new guy, all on his way to his basket in which he finally lost complete consciousness.
Snake helped the new guy back to his feet.
“What ran me down ?” the bloke demanded, “It feels like I’ve been run over by an 18-wheeler.”
“The Station’s mascot,” Snake replied, “A rather large - “
“Make it fat !” I corrected him.
“He’s burnt all those calories now, Blake,” Snake noted and turned back at the guy, “So, like I was saying before the interruption : A rather large dog with spring in his head.”
“If it’s a dog, I can forgive him,” the guy said, “I’m Cyanide, the poisoner from 35th.”
“Nice to have you here,” Snake nodded, “But is Cyanide your real or a nickname ?”
“A nickname,” Cyanide replied, “Lovingly given to me by my moms.”
Poisoners - like paralyzers - weren’t mutants according to the government department which had come up with the shit like armored mutants, vanishers, etc.
It beats me what they thought these guys did were, actually.
Maybe dimensioners or galaxians ?
Those civil servants are mad, I tell ya, for feeling the need to label everyone and everything.
131

In the end that shit-killer had lost the mind-battle from His Yippieness and he became able to tell the cops on this case everything from A to Z about this sicko.
He’d been busted and accidentally executed in his flat.
However, ever since he was home again, Halo had these visions about a guy calling for help.
He told that he was in the Black Lands and that a mirror was the gate to it.
Dyne knew right away what Joss was talking about and told Halo exactly where to go in order to find this mirror-gate.
Thus, Halo dropped his animals off with Blake and went to the estate.

“Hi, hunk,” Maze greeted him cheery when he entered the basement, “Lusitan told us to wait for you, because you’d be joining us.”
“Us ?” Halo frowned and then noticed Azranan, “Hi, kid.”
“Hi, Halo,” Azranan nodded, “While Maze and I journeyed here, we concluded that you might be able to tell us the beginning of the story I only know the end of.”
“To be honest, I haven’t had a single vision about this history yet,” Halo noted, “I only have had these visions about Joss.
He told me more than once that they - whoever they are - need him to resurrect their fallen Lord.”
“I suddenly get the sick feeling that one of those women was pregnant of Alcane,” Azranan snorted, “And that Joss is the son she bore.”
“He - of course - would have an unique heritage, hunks,” Maze stated, “And perhaps even a new skill like the ability to revive a fallen one.”
“The only way to find out, I guess, is to hop thru the mirror,” Halo said, “Shall we go ?”
Azranan and Maze nodded and the three of them went thru the mirror.

The gate brought them to the edge of a city and they could hear that there was bazaar nearby.
And Halo felt something rather physical ; Maze’s and Azranan’s hands on his ass.
“Guys, d’you mind ?” Halo grinned.
“Maze told me that you have a nice ass, Halo,” Azranan smirked, “And he was right.”
“I told you, hunk,” Maze grinned behind Halo’s back, “I’m never wrong about someone’s backside, y’know ?”
“True, so true,” Azranan nodded, “I kind of understand what Odin finds so spicey about it now, too.”
“Fellas, I don’t talk with my ass,” Halo noted, “I would prefer that when you talk about me you do it where my face is.”
“You could’ve fooled me, Halo,” Maze laughed.
“Me, too,” Azranan said, “I really thought that what I heard you voice a minute ago came from that totally spicey backside you have.”
“You Sha’razi are incorrigible,” Halo snorted.
“We’re criminals, hunk,” Maze stated a fact.
Azranan agreed using His Obsessedness’ huh, huh and Halo concluded that these guys - indeed - were nothing more than a bunch of criminals who also happened to have a few awesome abilities.
But hell, these worlds could’ve been off worse.
132

Later than usual, because the mess my couch-potato made had needed to be cleaned up first, Garth moved to the front to start out on roll call.
“Okay, item 1,” he began, “It took nearly a year and a half, but again bodyparts are found on the ruined hospital’s premises.”
“What is it this time ?” Reeves inquired.
“As usual, almost everything from various races,” Garth stated, “However, since the latest parts were discovered before they had begun to completely decompose more tests were possible this time.
According to the lab, these folks were medically dissected.”
“That’s so sick,” Reeves snorted, disgustedly.
“I still need two volunteers for this case,” Garth stated, “Does anyone want to attempt to get to the bottom of this case after five years ?”
“Smiley and I will take it, silly,” Blind replied, “Because now mention this medical thing, I think I know what’s going on.”
“Can you drop us - A clue ?” Garth tried.
“Of course, I can, darlin’,” Blind hissed, “I think that we’re dealing with Asfarati here.
The clan we fought the civil war with was lazy, but I heard on travels that not all of them were that way.
There also were quite a number of scientists amongst them and they were driven out of various clans for their cruel experiments on all kinds of beings.”
“This case keeps getting sicker all the time,” Reeves sniffed.
“Indeed, it is,” Garth agreed, “But now, item 2.
A man, estimated to be so between 45 and 50 was brought to Eastern General last night.
He was stabbed about 30 times in the chest and stomach.
He’s still alive, but comatose.
His physicians already established that he was in an abusive relationship, because he has plenty of old injuries.
Who wants to find out who he is and what happened to him ?”
“Jill and myself will do that,” Shade said, “For starters, Jill and I understand his situation and secondly, Jill’s psychics will surely aid us with learning who he is and everything.”
“Great, thanks,” Garth nodded, “And my last item.
A crazy who kills his victims to make ‘em look like characters from fairytales.”
“My tits love fairytales !” Grace shrieked, “We’ll take it !”
“Blake, you’re in trouble,” Garth noted.
“I know,” I sighed, “Her tits sure are childish sometimes.”
Grace looked aside at me as if saying ; You haven’t heard the last of this yet, bro.
And, indeed, I hadn’t.
133

The Black Lands was an enormous world with multitudes of cities, great forests and everything else you can find in most of the worlds.
On the bazaar, the fellas had learnt that a Black Lander Duke recently had taken someone to the harbor city of Borand which lay south-west of the Sleepless City and Halo knew that this someone had to be Joss.
“Just outside the Sleepless City you can find the estate that also exists on Fox Road, hunks,” Maze said, “I’ve been inside the other estate and it looked inhabited by folks of great wealth and status.”
“That’s odd,” Azranan snorted, “When I was there a thirty years ago, the place was deserted.”
“And what were you doing there, hunk ?” Maze asked.
“Searching for other possible survivors or victims,” Azranan replied, “Say, Halo, what do you think of all of this ?”
“I think the dukes retreated to regroup,” Halo replied, “After all, when Alcane was killed, they were left without a leader and needed to decide what they were supposed to do next.
I sense that the dukes wielded a great deal of power around here before Alcane was defeated.”
“But, who’s running the show now ?” Azranan frowned, “I mean, if you’re right about them having had a lot of power in the old days, who’s ruling the Black Lands in this age ?
Someone must be keeping order, I don’t see any anarchy anywhere.”
“I think nobody knows that Alcane is dead, kid,” Halo stated, “And that this is the reason why things continued as they always have.”
“The hunk has a damned good point,” Maze agreed, “And as explanation it sounds more than logical to me.
And when you look at things from that way, it’s rather urgent that Alcane is revived, soon.
After all, they don’t want anyone to find out about his defeat.”
“It is more than logical,” Azranan nodded, “However, I sure hope that we’ll get to that house before Joss has revived Alcane.
I mean, he was a decahedron of an opponent to defeat.”
“You can always ask him for another dance, hunk,” Maze said.
“Tango of Death, perhaps ?” Halo grinned.
“You can’t ask someone for the same dance twice, Halo,” Azranan replied, “That’s the unwritten law about Forbidden Dances.
If and when he’s revived, I’m gonna have to ask him for a different dance or find some other way to kick his ass.”
“I don’t dig that, kid,” Halo began, “Why can’t you ask someone for the same dance twice and why can’t you refuse when you’re asked for one ?”
“Forbidden Dances have everything to do with honor, Halo,” Azranan explained, “And it is possible to refuse a dance, but when you do you’ll live in disgrace and as coward forever.
And when your honor is lost to you, there isn’t much point in living on.”
“Honor is greatly valued in a lot of cultures, Halo,” Maze continued, “The Sha’razi attach a great deal of value to it, too, and we aren’t the only race who do this.
Other clans take it even further than we do, because they believe that you’re better off dead when honor is lost to you.”
“The Exxegrans are a culture who believe this,” Azranan added, “They value it more than life itself.”
Halo nodded as he began to understand how various races felt and thought about certain things.
And he certainly found the things he was told more than enlightening.
134

What Zeng’ze hadn’t learnt yet about Tryad was something rather important.
More important than figuring out how an Eternal with a double Life-force was able to devour others.
It was how Tryad managed to regenerate so quickly.
In order to recover quickly, the little otaku drained and killed forests.
He absorbed all the green energies he found in woods to recover from any injury which had been brought to his spiritual form.
Tho while he went to drain a forest somewhere and also had devoured a few beings here and there again, a new plot had started to brew.
And Hassan was correct when he told Kafra that he had sensed that Kajar had frequent meetings with the Dreamwalker.
Tryad had been whispering a few ideas Kajar certainly would be able to use when he wanted to get the answers out of Azranan.
Currently Kajar was working on a certain something with Augus to abduct the whore and force the answers out of him with the language of torture.
Because Augus had one very effective weapon.
This was an ability to knock someone out cold and let him remain in this condition for at least an hour, known as a mind-hammer.
Kajar and Augus plotted to get Hassan out of the way by sending him on business somewhere far away.
But, they forgot about Taishakuten and more importantly his fear for the elf.
The plan they were working on now would not be executed, because Taishakuten would intervene and get Hassan to listen to him, so he could be one step ahead of Kajar.

[Joe]

135

Eden waited in the hall for the cops to arrive and was visibly pleased when he saw Jill.
They had met when they were in the same therapy-group, because Eden - like Jill - had a past and the two had been friends ever since.
“Al, how’re you ?” Jill asked after she had introduced Shade to him.
“Fine, and you ?” Eden inquired.
“Okay,” Jill replied, “And what have you learnt till now about the mystery man ?”
“Next to old fractures and a serious accident, we also discovered that he’s deaf,” Eden stated, “We haven’t been able to figure out whether or not he speaks the telepathic language, because he doesn’t respond, at all, while I’m convinced that he feels it when someone’s talking to him.”
“What he born deaf or did he become it ?” Shade demanded.
“He became deaf, we estimate it was so around 15 years ago,” Eden replied, “Around the same time he had that first accident.
We feel that a man battered him, because most bio-parts were too severely damaged for a woman to be able to do it.”
“Yeah,” Jill nodded, closing her eyes, “This was a man’s work.”
“Men are such - Creatures at times,” Shade grunted.
“I hear that you’ve had your shit with ‘em, too,” Eden noted.
“Yeah, my ex was a designer-dope addict,” Shade stated, “One night, he came home, stoned and drunk.
He first murdered my dog, next my three year old son and then turned at me.
However, I lived to be a witness at his execution.
What about you, Al ?”
“My ex was heavy into the fist-work,” Eden told, “Anyway, one night, it got way out of hand, he went totally mad and tried to bash my brains in with a hammer.
If the neighbors below us hadn’t heard it and hadn’t intervened, I wouldn’t have been standing here now.”
“You never want another relationship after you’ve been thru that,” Shade sighed.
“I certainly don’t,” Eden snorted, “Once was enough for me.”
“For me, too,” Shade said, “I mean, I seem to attract addicts.
The second guy I was sort of seeing was an addict, too, and I called it quits before the whole mess would start all over again.”
Eden and Jill understood Shade completely.
These three people had their pasts in common and they would do everything they could to find the one who’d been the nightmare of the deaf man.
136

The hospital had been ruined after an earthquake eight years ago and never had been rebuilt or cleaned up.
It had remained ruins, because shortly after folks began to find bodyparts on these grounds and this place became a crimescene.
And Blind and Smiley had gone to the ruined hospital to see if they could find anything which would give ’em ideas on where to start looking for the culprits.
“There’s one thing I don’t understand, Blind,” Smiley began, “What are these Asfarati researching ?”
“I don’t have a clue, silly human,” Blind replied, “If we knew that, we already would be a lot wiser.
But, they dissect and experiment on a wide variety of beings which made me think that they’re trying to find the answer to a certain question.”
“If I were an Asfarati-scientist,” Smiley muttered to himself, “Which answer would I be trying to find ?”
Blind kept his mouth shut while Smiley pondered that question as he walked around some on the premises.
“You know, Blind,” the silly human began, turning to face him, “If I were a scientist, I would try to find the key to laborers who’ll never need to rest or eat.
You mentioned at the station that Asfarati are a lazy bunch, so I would try to find workers.”
“Indeed,” Blind nodded, “If they manage to create these workers, they can sit back and relax all day.”
And together they checked out the premises in order to find out if they could learn where the Asfarati had their lair and how they could get into it.
136

The pretty dress the fairy-godmother had materialized for Cinderella was gone, because the gender bender now was man clothed in rags.
In the story, the wicked step-mother was superior blocker who was able to undo what others did in a blink of the eye.
There was good ending, tho, otherwise it wouldn’t be a fairytale.
When Cinderella was confronted with her step-mother’s ability, everybody at the ball was shocked at first.
Because she suddenly was a he dressed in rags.
Snickering, the evil bitch told the prince that Cinderella was a gender bender and never would be able to bear him any children.
The fair prince had shrugged and had told the woman that he already knew because he was a psychic.
He knew Cinderella’s whole life-story and sentenced the step-mother and both her daughters to clean up dirt for the rest of their lives.
Cinderella and the prince got hitched and lived happily ever after with a shitload of adopted kids.
These orphans had two dads and a mom, because the prince was bi and didn’t mind, at all, to share a sack with another man.

“My boomboo’s are in tears,” Grace sniffed, “They hate terrible endings.”
“Grace, get a grip on your tits,” I snorted, “They were also weeping when we found Peter Pan.”

And Peter Pan was an inferior voyager.
He took Wendy and her brothers to Never Never Land, because the little lady had stolen his old body and Peter wasn’t able to build himself a new one.
Once in Peter’s world, Wendy gave the guy his body back and Tinkerbell who was an armored mutant in fairy-shape, got so jealous that she began with attempting to get Wendy to a next life.
There happened all the usual shit, but in the end the Lost Boys were the heroes, because they figured out Tink’s weakspot and used it to blackmail her into rescuing Wendy when she was captured by the mean old Captain Hook.
Tink rescued Wendy and cashed out, because the psychic - Schmee - probed Tink’s mind and informed Hook of the fairy’s weakspot.
However, Wendy was so grateful that she revived Tink and the Lost Boys - a batch of flame-creators - besieged the ship and sank it with Hook and his crew aboard to the bottom of the ocean using their ability.

“May the coroner get in a few words ?” Python tried, “Like Cinderella’s cause of death ?”
“Sure,” Grace nodded, “But, my darlin’s don’t want to hear this.”
She shielded her boomboo’s, so they wouldn’t hear what the stiff-sniffer had to tell.
“Cinderella was strangled !” Python yelled, so Gracie’s boobs had to hear it all, “It looks to me like the killer forced ‘im to change from a woman to man !
There also was a struggle, because he - among others - has four broken ribs !”
“You’re such a sadist,” Grace snorted.
“I know,” Python smirked, “You get that when you hang around and sense stiffs for a long time.”
“Huh ? What, my darlin’s ?” Grace murmured, eyeballing her chest and nodded before she looked up again, “My tits suggest that we’re looking for an armored mutant here.”
“Make it an armored mutant / materializer,” Python said, “He left his finger-prints and vibes all over the victim and crimescene.”
“That’s pretty unusual,” Grace stated, “I’ll bet that the Feds have a record on him.”
“Let’s check it out,” I proposed.
We crossed looks and wordless decided to pick up some junkfood underway.
We were kind of famished, having missed out on lunch.
And digging thru Feds’ files always was less boring when you were doing something else, like eating.
137

The CD-player in the sitting room played techno-trance music while the elf turned the room upside down searching for a book he knew he had about weakening and breaking dreamwalking abilities.
He’d had more visions about the little otaku and had reached the conclusion that when Tryad lost this skill, he wouldn’t be able to cause any more shit.
“What’re you - huh, huh - searching for, elf ?” Fuma inquired, as he took on form.
“A book, friend,” Zeng’ze replied, “Say, what’re you doing here ?”
“I suppose it’s just a social-call, elf,” Fuma shrugged, “I mean, father and I talked a lot since we had the first shit with the unknown foe and I guess I wanted to tell you that you were right and he is a different man now he’s thinking for himself.
But, there’s one thing father couldn’t explain to me.
About how this loyalty to Maran works.
Is it correct for me to assume that his loyalty was a sort of brainway ?”
“It is, friend,” Zeng’ze nodded, “Let me tell you one fact about Maran.
He feels that anyone who cannot obey him is useless and has to be destroyed.
So, all Ancient Daemons don’t even dare to have a single thought of their own.
And Maran’s cruelty is extreme, I experienced it myself more than once when I had deserted him and was dragged into the Negative Time-void innumerable times.”
“Father mentioned that he got off his ass then,” Fuma said, “What did he mean with that ?”
“Maran always stays put in his throne, except for when he’s gravely displeased,” Zeng’ze explained, “Then he gets off his ass and reaches out to mutilate the living shit out of you before he throws you out of the void leaving you the message that the next time he has to get up again, he won’t be so kind.”
“And it’s logical that folks fear this next time and also do everything to prevent it from happening,” Fuma nodded.
“Indeed, friend, they do,” Zeng’ze confirmed, “Because Maran getting off his ass, is one experience you can live without.”
He poured Fuma a glass of ice-tea and gave him the glass before taking one himself, too.
“It sounds like a - huh, huh - nightmare,” Fuma noted, lighting a butt from the pack on the table, “But has father ceased fearing this punishment now or
something ?”
“No, friend, he still fears it,” Zeng’ze replied, “However, as the years have passed here, in the first Grand Hell, he began to see what I already know forever, that this whole system of ranks and classes stinks.
He never had much shit with the system because he’s one of the highest in rank, being second to Maran.
Folks always bow for Lord Odin.”
“And where are you in this order ?” Fuma inquired.
“The only one beneath me is Hades, friend,” Zeng’ze stated, “So, I’m practically at the bottom.”
“Come to think of it, in Lusitan’s army there are no ranks, like there are here,” Fuma said, “I mean, the chief’s in charge, but we’re all equal and any ideas or suggestions that come from the others are valued, too.”
“Just like the Eternals,” Zeng’ze noted, planting his ass down in an armchair, “Drannar only was in charge because he was wiser, tho he never acted superior or anything.
The others affectionately referred to him as “old man.”
“Old man ?” Fuma snorted, “What he old or something ?”
“No, he was shapeless,” Zeng’ze stated, “However, he found the form of old man the most comfortable, I guess.
I remember Yashuo - one of the Eternals - telling me that he tried a shitload of forms before he decided that the old man shape was the best.
And those criminals were already waiting for it when he barked to Kill that piss-elf ! and burst out in coughing, because he didn’t have the breath to blow a fuze.”
“You make it sound like they were folks like you and me,” Fuma noted, “In the books you only read that they tried to dominate this Universe and didn’t shun any means.”
“The books are wrong, friend,” Zeng’ze snorted, “Because Drannar was a conscientious man.
He wasn’t evil-evil like Maran and I even seriously considered deserting Maran at a certain point and join the Eternals when I learnt how they treated each other and other living beings.”
“Why didn’t you ?” Fuma asked.
“Maran persuaded me that it was better when I remained loyal, friend,” Zeng’ze sighed, “But, that’s one chapter of my life I do not wish to discuss.”
“I understand, elf,” Fuma nodded, “Just let me ask you a question then.
I heard from Blind that you seek Maran’s fall.
Is that why you all of us together ?”
“Yes, I did get all of you together for that reason, friend,” Zeng’ze replied, “I heard, felt and saw all the wrongs in this part of the Universe and realized that the only way to change it is by defeating Maran.
All of you together can change the whole ways of this Cosmos.”
“Are you certain about that, elf ?” Fuma demanded, “I mean, you are giving us an incredible task and I don’t know if we ever can live up to your expectations.”
“I have no expectations of each one of you, my friend,” Zeng’ze opposed, “Each one of you will grow more powerful and by the time the Age of Truth arrives, you will be ready to oppose and defeat Maran.”
“It sounds like you have been to futures not yet known to anyone,” Fuma noted, “Do you have the ability to travel the streams of Time, Space and Destiny or something ?”
Zeng’ze shook his head and declined Fuma and answer.
Time was going to have to reveal to Fuma and the other criminals who he truly was, because only then they would be ready to understand about the greater beings which existed beyond the general time-stream.
138

For the night, the fellas had booked into a hotel and while Halo slept in another room, Maze and Azranan shared a sack.
“Know, Maze,” Azranan began when they were having smoke after some spicey activities, “now, we’re on this mission, I’m getting increasingly curious about what the house on Fox Road actually was.
I mean, it was protected by a Death-barrier, so the women couldn’t get out.”
“I think the damsels were prisoners, hunk,” Maze said, “And that they were kind of heavy into sacrificing them, until shit got out of hand somehow.”
“Reminds me of the Sha’harphaza and the Hael’zan,” Azranan noted, “They were quite heavy into sacrificing beings, too.
Especially maidens.”
“Yeah,” Maze nodded, “Which reminds me, I covered your ass with Jez, hunk.
I’m glad you told me, because now I knew what to say.”
“Arigato, Maze,” Azranan said, “I’m glad now that I told you, too.
I mean, when Black eyes advised me to tell you about Hassan and my prefs, I wasn’t at all sure you would understand.”
“Hunk, I’m decadent and I’ve tried it all,” Maze grinned, “Neither side of the SM appealed to me, but at least I tried it myself.
Just let me know when I’ve to cover for you again and I’ll cough something up again.”
“Maze, you’re the best,” Azranan smiled, “Black eyes was right, you have a terrific personality.”
“You flatter me, hunk,” Maze snorted, “But what did you learn while you were with Hassan ?”
“Hassan - nor the others - had anything to do with the last shit,” Azranan stated, “Hassan hadn’t even hoped that I would end up alone again.”
“I have been thinking a lot about this foe we have, hunk,” Maze began, “And got the strong feeling that he’s acting on his own.
We’re all in his way, because the only one he truly seeks to kill is Blind.”
“You’re right, Maze,” Azranan nodded, “And if the chief had believed that I was the one that sent him to the World of the Lost, he would’ve kicked me out of his army.
However, kicking me out would not have led to me deserting Blind.
I would have continued to aid him, tho I would have thought twice about aiding Lusitan ever again.”
“If he had kicked you out, Jez and I would have left, too, hunk,” Maze noted, “After all, you are a worthy criminal and if the chief is led by stupid biases, he isn’t a very good leader.”
“Are you serious about having left, too, Maze ?” Azranan demanded, feeling quite crushed.
“Yeah, I am, hunk,” Maze replied, “Because I also have been thinking a lot about the past, already since you returned and concluded that instead of turning their backs, folks should have reached out to help you.
I found it strange that nobody undertook any action to find your mother after she escaped her execution.
It was like they didn’t care, because it only was you or something.”
It felt good to Azranan to hear that someone had cared in the past and had felt the same as he did.
He always found the way on which he was treated more than unfair, too, and was glad that there also was another who had seen it all and felt the same way as he did.
139

Having quietly watched his brother and the bird talk and laugh, Chisisi-Akil had left again before he was noticed by his brother.
That jealousy had surfaced again.
It always piled up until it became a sudden barely controllable rage again.
Things had been stacking up the last few months and he decided to leave before his exploded and attempted to terminate Eblis-Fateh or - at least - say things he was going to regret later.
He returned to the nomad-camp to get away from everything.
Abdul welcomed him with open arms and when night fell he asked the Outsider why he had come to visit.
“I sense a great deal of negativity around you,” Abdul began, “It’s the reason why you came here, isn’t it ?”
“No, it is not,” Chisisi-Akil lied, “I simply felt like getting away from the Silver Ghosts for a while.”
“Now, don’t lie to me,” Abdul snorted, “Just tell me what is bothering you.”
“My brother is who is bothering me !” Chisisi-Akil barked, “He can pop up in any place and as long as beings do not notice his shadow, they socialize with him.
We have been out a few times and as always, folks just came up to talk with him.
He introduced me, that damned bird of his and in his company we both were accepted while beings always look at me distrusting in the beginning and chase that bird away.
But, because we are his friends, we suddenly are alright !
And last week simply did it, because the light in a nightclub we had gone to, suddenly changed and my brother got a shadow.
The wailing was terrible and folks backed away, because they realized that he is a soul-eater.
Tho he completely reassured them by telling them that mortals were not on his menu and he stuck to demons and non-entities.
And guess what ?!
Suddenly, folks thought it was cool that he is a goddamned predator !
Do you believe that ?
I do not !
I did not believe my ears when some folks started asking him if he felt like adding mothers-in-law, employers and other pains to his menu, because they were quite terrible and delicious, too !
Why is it being fully accepted that he is a predator while I still am trying to prove that I want to do what is right, too ?!
And when I think about it, I only want to terminate him !”
“Jealousy is a very poor advisor, my friend,” Abdul noted.
“Jealousy ?” Chisisi-Akil frowned, “What are you talking about ?”
“You’re jealous of your brother and want what he has,” Abdul explained, “Have you ever asked him how he gets folks to accept him as easily as they do ?”
“No, I did not,” Chisisi-Akil grunted, “Because I know it is his wicked charm.
That serpent always has been able to move the masses.”
“You don’t know your brother, at all, the way on which I hear it,” Abdul said, “Because you assume way too much, Chisisi-Akil, and know very little for a fact.”
“I have my psychics, Abdul,” Chisisi-Akil noted.
“No, you don’t,” Abdul opposed, “You have the ability to hear and feel the suffering in the Eternal-stream.
It isn’t the same as a psychic-ability, because if it had been, you would have known that your brother is trying to help you, but you won’t let him.”
“How is he trying to help me, then, Abdul ?” Chisisi-Akil demanded.
“By openly admitting that he is a soul-eater, he is telling others that not all of them are beings to be feared,” Abdul stated, “He knows that once the chain-reaction is complete and you defeated him, you’ll be alone and he’s trying to make you accepted so you won’t be alone once he’s gone.”
Not knowing what to say, Chisisi-Akil looked at his lap and toyed with the hem of his sleeve.
“He knows who you once were, Chisisi-Akil,” Abdul continued, “He also knows who you’ve become and he’s trying to get the Eternal-stream to see it, too.
And once he’s gone, nobody will be afraid of you anymore, because they knew your brother and got to know you, too.”
“But, why would he do it ?” Chisisi-Akil mumbled, “All I did was destroy the empire he build and write those scripts.
He has got more reasons to hate than to love me, when you think about it.”
“Why don’t you ask him ?” Abdul inquired, “Instead of being blinded by this jealousy.
I’m sure that he’ll give you a straight answer.”
‘As soon as I collect the courage, I will,’ Chisisi-Akil thought, ‘He is my younger brother, but time and time again, he is proving to be wiser than I am.’
Chisisi-Akil felt like an idiot and fool.
And once more was confronted with the fact how badly he knew his brother who did know him thru and thru and still had Chisisi-Akil’s best interest heart.
140

Lusitan waited in the courtyard of Codan’s Temple for his other criminals to show up.
There was some shit he got wind of and it all was best handled by a party.
“Fellas, nice you’re here,” Lusitan said when he laid eyes on his criminals, “Say, where the fuck is Fharlan ?”
“Away, to Babylon with Jewel eye,” H’dae replied.
“I see,” Lusitan sniffed, “Dammit, I’d kind of counted on him this time.”
“You can’t count on Fharlan, chief,” Jez stated a fact, “He’s always been unpredictable. When are you gonna learn this at last ?”
“When he no longer is a criminal,” Lusitan replied, “Alright, we’ll just have to do without him.”
“Can my huh, huh be of assistance ?” Fuma inquired, taking on form in the courtyard, “I’ve been out chasing them - huh, huh - boats, but I can also chase other things like women, nice guys and, of course, huh, huh’s and boats.”
“Great, just great,” Lusitan smiled.
“Take that smile in, H’dae,” Jez whispered, leaning closer to the Plant Spirit, “This is gonna be one of the last times that you’ll see him smile with so much self-confidence.”
“I’m absorbing it, Jez,” H’dae whispered back, “I mean, my green-pals told me the same about his smile being bound to crumble soon.”
“Can I have your attention ?” Lusitan inquired.
“Yes, of course, chief,” Jez smirked like a moron.
“Fuma and I were just discussing it,” Lusitan snorted, “He’ll go to the Black Lands to join Halo, Maze and Azranan while you and H’dae will come with me.
Blind and Smiley found out that Asfarati-scientists have built an underground lab beneath a ruined hospital.”
“Chief, we’ll gladly go with you,” H’dae smirked, too, like totally stupid, “I mean, it would be our pleasure.”
“I think I missed something,” Lusitan began, “Why’re you two so overly-eager to come with me now ?”
“It’s nothing, chief,” Jez grinned, “We’re just so grateful that we’re your criminals now.”
“We just kind of realized how grateful we are, in fact,” H’dae added, “I mean, without your smile, our lives sure would be kind of sort of totally, boring.”
‘They’ve gone friggin’ mad,’ Lusitan snorted in his mind’s voice, watching H’dae and Jez do a lot of facial gymnastics, ‘They’ve completely lost it and I wonder what happened.’
He would find out soon enough why those two were behaving so strangely, because he would be totally crushed by some news he would learn from an enemy.
141

As you know, the captain normally was very possessive of his couch, but with the sergeant, he always was willing to share.
And being couch-potatoes together, they lay squeezed on it.
Halo had brought the sergeant, his five cats and the ferret here before he left.
However, my eyes and Micki-Joel’s were drawn to the sergeant when a green yippie-demon materialized near the lock-wizard.
Neither of us quite knew what to make of the baby-dragon’s sudden appearance.
“Yippie-sergeant,” he called, “Wake up, yippie-sergeant.”
“What’s up, bud ?” Micki-Joel asked, “Is there anything he can do for you ?”
“Yippie-yeah,” the little fella replied, “He yippie-knows where yippie-Halo yippie-went and yippie-Slocky - the yippie-keeper of yippie-hell - told little old yippie-me to yippie-go yippie-help yippie-Halo and his yippie-friends.
Yippie-only I yippie-forgot to yippie-ask where yippie-exactly the yippie-gate is.”
It was cute how he stretched the “Y” of the yippies.
“Yippie-Halo told me where he was going before he left,” I said, “I can take you to the gate, if you want.”
“Yippie-tastic,” the little guy smiled, “Then, I yippie-don’t have to yippie-wake the yippie-sergeant.”
“We’re always in heaven wherever he sleeps, bud,” Micki-Joel noted, mumbling to me.
Indeed, we were, because when he was dreaming about picking locks, he wasn’t actually doing it.
Tho while I took the little fella to the gate, he told me that his name was Drik and he talked and talked about this being his first time away from yippie-hell to do something really important.
Slocky had sent him to go after Halo and the criminals, because he knew a lot about the goings on in the Black Lands.
142

Kajar and Augus who were in the process of planning Azranan’s abduction as soon as he returned from his mission, were up against the ceiling when Hassan barged into the conference room of the palace.
“I was told you have spoken with a Dreamwalker, Kajar,” He barked.
“Indeed, I have,” Kajar confirmed, “And the plan he gave me had merit.
The whore’s afraid of torture and when I put him thru enough of it, he’ll most-likely will reveal what he saw in Death’s Core.”
“You will never lay another finger on my boy,” Hassan grunted, “You hear me ?!
If you touch him, I’ll find some way to annihilate you.”
“If you continue to protect him, he’ll never talk !” Kajar barked, “And our rein can never be completed, either !”
“I don’t give a rat’s ass about completing our rein, Kajar !” Hassan fumed, “You’re fuckin’ obsessed !”
“Of course, I’m obsessed !” Kajar yelled, “I wish I had known this, then I never would’ve accepted you as host !”
“I wish I hadn’t followed your visions !” Hassan stated, “You should’ve remained confined in the Hollow Mountain forever !”
“Without me, you never would’ve met the whore !” Kajar noted, “You’re relenting fast, Hassan.
It already began when you first met him and you set out to save him each friggin’ time !
He already could’ve talked ages ago, if you had just let me go my way !”
“Come to terms with that fact, Kajar,” Hassan said, “It was a mistake to join you back then, but I do not intend to make the same stinkin’ mistake twice !”
Kajar ground his teeth and stormed out while Hassan turned to face Augus.
“And you, Augus,” he started, “If I ever hear a word about you teaming up with Kajar to execute one of his mad plans again, your Absolutes will be fed to the poodle.
I’m certain he’ll find them a feast.”
“You can’t forbid me anything, Hassan,” Augus snorted.
“I can even forbid you to wipe your ass, Augus,” Hassan noted, “Because I am certain that you do not want another bad experience with my psycho-strength.
It took you 3 months to recover, I believe.
I can triple that time when you piss me off again.”
Augus ground his teeth and stormed out while Hassan sank his ass down on a chair.
He felt the eyes of the Spirits watching him every day and hoped that he was doing it right now.
All Hassan knew was how it shouldn’t be done, but he didn’t really know how to do things right and figured that doing the opposite was the best course of action.
143

Shade switched off the PC after she had let it compare the deaf man’s photo with all the missing in this country and had come up with zero results.
“Maybe we could try to find the bionics-surgeon who infitted all the bio-parts after the first accident,” Jill said, “After all, it doesn’t happen every day that someone needs to have a third of his organs replaced.”
“True,” Shade nodded, “But, sometimes I doubt whether or not it was wise to take this case.
I mean, knowing that you still have shit with your own past and everything.”
“I only have shit with the end-results, Shade,” Jill stated, “Why did mom and dad have twelve kids ?
To wreck ‘em ?
If Ronny hadn’t split and hadn’t talked, we probably would’ve wound up being beaten to death.”
Jill’s parents both had been inside a camp and were of opinion that since they hadn’t had a youth, their kids didn’t deserve one, either.
They had twelve kids and each and everyone of them were mistreated and abused.
This lasted for years, until Ronny - the oldest - ran away from home and told a teacher from school about the situation.
The teacher went to the cops and all the kids were adopted by the same family while their parents were sentenced to a life-long prison-sentence.
Tho the hardest thing for Jill to swallow was the fact that she never could have any kids, she’d been abused by her father since she was a year.
And her dearest wish was to have a kid she could spoil rotten and give everything she hadn’t received herself and Jill had found an incredible amount of reluctance with adoption-agencies to let her adopt a baby.
It wasn’t the fact that she would be a single mother, it was the fact that she had a past with extreme abuse.
About 25 % of the camp-survivors became monsters for their children.
This varied by either telling their kids about the regime inside - mental cruelty - or abuse - physical cruelty.
And 25 % doesn’t seem much, but for the victims it means scars for life.
144

Blind had thought that his closet still was pretty tidy since he’d cleaned it up six months ago.
But now he looked into it - searching for sponges he knew he’d tossed in a while ago, he discovered that the things inside kind of fell out to attack him once more.
“What did you do ?!” he barked to the closet, “Eat it ?! Like you do everything fuckin’ else I throw in ?!”
He slammed the door shut, tho it fell out of its hinges, instead.
“Nice place you got here, Blind,” Lusitan said, “It’s just like my own, only tidy for the public eye.”
“I think there’s a petite monster inside, darlin’, that multiplies things and creates junk when the door’s closed,” Blind said.
“Interesting theory,” Jez sniffed.
“C’mon, angels, I’ll make you some herbal tea,” Blind snorted and led the way to the kitchen where the criminals had a seat at the table.
“Sorry, it took me so long to get here,” Lusitan said, “But, there’s also some shit in the Black Lands.
Fuma went there to assist Maze, Azranan and Halo.”
“You frustrated the decahedrons out of me, chief,” Blind hissed, “I mean, I only decide to clean the windows and start talking to closets when I’m kind of fucked up.”
“And knowing you, that’ll happen so around once per week,” H’dae blurted.
“I’m refined, doll,” Blind stated, “I’m not anti-social, y’know ?
I want to keep this flat tidy.
This ain’t a hotel-room or old flat I can kicked out of, after all.”
“Yeah, right,” Jez nodded, “Hell, whenever H’dae and I get fucked up, we go to Zeal and scare the living shit out of those stupid archeologists.”
“So, that’s why Zeal still looks so good,” Lusitan noted, “You two have been maintaining it.”
“We don’t know why, tho,” H’dae sniffed, “I mean, we lived the worst parts of our lives there.”
“But, there’s something that keeps drawing us back,”” Jez stated, “We think it’s Kajar’s hell pit that makes us return.
I mean, whenever I go there, I walk past his old temple and think about entering, but I never can go inside.”
“That makes two of us,” H’dae said, “I can’t go inside, either.
Azranan sure was sight for sore eyes every day in the basement.
He came to bring food, water and healed the wounds.
And one day, he came downstairs with the keys to the shackles, I didn’t believe my ears when he told me that he’d arranged it that I could leave and go home.”
“He did exactly the same for me,” Jez recalled, “I heard him have words with Kajar upstairs, he was barking that he only wanted to do business with Hassan.
I didn’t see him for two days, but then he came downstairs with the keys.”
“He came downstairs with those keys four times, angels,” Blind stated.
“He did,” Lusitan nodded, “And I know the perfect way to show our appreciation.”
“How, chief ?” H’dae demanded.
“The perfect way would’ve been if he’d been around for the Event of the Century,” Jez mumbled, grinning, “However, Destiny has decided that he has to be elsewhere.”
“Jez, if you don’t quit talking to yourself, I’m gonna kick your ass back to Haz’arc,” Lusitan snorted.
“I’m shutting up already, chief,” Jez smirked, “I don’t want to miss this - Battle with the Asfarati.”
“I think this Iron Will thing you have got to you,” Lusitan sniffed, “It drove you a little nuts, apparently.”
“Say,” Blind began, “what did you have in mind, chief ?”
“Oh, yeah, Azranan,” Lusitan nodded, “Why don’t we surprise him and take him to the place where they serve anything with his lifetime addiction ?
It’s the least we can do, next to aiding him with his mission.”
“I’m sure he’ll love it, darlin’ !” Blind shrieked, “I just know he will ! Eeeeeh !”
“Blind knows him best,” H’dae said, “We’ll treat him, for a change.”
Jez also agreed.
Azranan had a lifetime addiction for anything with rice and going to a joint where they had it all, would surely be greatly appreciated by him.
145

Grace and I were being treated.
Because we were paged out of our sacks at 3:45 AM to take a looksee at the latest fairytale.
Joy (!)
The Big bad wolf blew us our of our beds, instead of blowing down the houses of the three li’l pigs (!)
Looking all shabby, like he’d encountered the wolf’s devastating breath himself, Python met us on the crimescene.
“The wolf was supposed to wreck the three little piggies and not my entire night-rest,” He noted, sarcastic.
“Don’t tell me that the genius reviver didn’t survive, either,” Grace said, “I - nor my tits - can handle that on this hour.”
“He didn’t,” Python stated, “He, too, was zapped.”

The big bad wolf was a mutant-beast / exploder who huffed and puffed down the houses of the first two pigs.
It was a tale about mutant-beasts with a second ability, by the way.
However, the third little piggy was a straight A student / reviver.
He brought his brothers back to life and let them live with him in a house he’d built from self-designed, indestructible bio-bricks.
The wolf huffed and puffed, but the house didn’t come down.
Like crazies, the pigs began to pray to the gods when the wolf started to live in the front-garden and their supplies threatened to run out.
Their prayers were heard and the gods sent the keeper of yippie-hell to fetch the wolf.
He took the wolf with him to his world where he could huff and puff all he wanted and cool the place down, simultaneously.
According to the story, the wolf cooled yippie-hell down enough that only the mines remained a hot place and the rest became kind of pleasant to live in.
Since the wolf arrived and started to huff and puff, the keeper and his aides, didn’t need to go for strolls anymore to cool off.

The story was a lot nicer than the reality Grace and I got to review, tho.
The four guys had their fronts cut open from throat to abdomen and it had been done by a serrated knife.
“I wish we could go see Halo now,” Grace sighed.
“Maybe we oughta look up another psychic,” I said, “We can’t wait forever for those Feds to finally dig up the file and fax it to us.”
“My tits agree and so do I,” Grace nodded.
We had found something while checking the files of the Feds, but the profile and case-history we found was incomplete.
The guys we spoke with on the phone had told us that they would fax the complete file, but that already was five days ago and Grace and I didn’t feel like waiting forever and see all the fairytales this sicko planned to create realize.
Tho we decided to pay a visit to Susan, the psychic, at a better hour and not in the middle of the night.
146

Black Landers stopped to look when they saw His Huh-huhness walk thru the streets of Salaam on his way to Halo and the fellas.
He heard them murmur that it was the Sleeping God and also heard them ask each other what his business was in their world.
Tho he ignored the murmurs and staring and walked on.
He knew why they behaved like they did.
They knew that he’d wiped out the Hezai in Ancient Times and the Black Landers hadn’t been too thrilled about it, because the Hezai were their best partners when it concerned slave-trading.
The Black Landers’ economy had balanced on the fringe of collapse for a while before they restored it by going into the weapons-trade business.
Fuma exited the city of Salaam via the east-side and thought about what he’d learnt about Lord Alcane on a time-trip.

Alcane and the Dukes were powerful beings and they had made the Black Lands as great as it was.
Tho Alcane desired more.
He sought to make it as powerful as the Underworld was and to gain this might, he came up with a plan.
He abducted the daughters of rulers of other worlds and held them prisoner in the house on Fox Road.
A Death-barrier kept the maidens inside and unwelcome guests out.
Alcane felt no desire to explore Earth’s World further and created the mirror as gate between the house and the Black Lands.
However, nothing went as planned.
Alcane and the Dukes had thought that once they had the maidens, the rulers would do their bidding and give them full control over their worlds.
But, instead, a war erupted between the Black Landers and the Forces of the other dimensions.
Alcane flew into a rage when the war was decided in the favor of the opponents.
Black Lander troops were far outnumbered and found it impossible to emerge victorious.
All gates to the Black Lands were sealed, except for the one which led to the house on Fox Road, because no one knew it existed, and the Black Landers were left to rot away.

Alcane was furious.
Those fathers felt nothing for their daughters.
And being in a diabolical mood, Alcane went to the house.
They were useless to him now he’d lost the war, so they better could be disposed of.
On his own, he massacred all the maidens, except for two who fled to the basement, knowing that the mirror was there.
They felt that it was easier to escape Alcane’s rage in the Black Lands than it was inside the estate.
They were right, but Alcane beat them to the gate and on the moment, he also wanted to scatter them, Azranan barged into the basement.
Alcane was crushed to see that an outsider had gotten thru the Death-barrier, but had no time to ponder how he could’ve gotten thru, because he was asked for the Tango of Death.
Alcane had too much honor and attached too much value to it to refuse.
And so, he danced with the warrior.
And lost his life.

Once Alcane was no more, Azranan turned into the direction of the women.
He told them his name, healed their wounds and also materialized some gold for them, so they would be able to start a new life.
Both women felt eternal gratitude and shortly after left the house to start a life away from Alcane.
But while Azranan went to the Black Lands to check if there were more damsels in distress, the women stayed in Earth’s World.
They lived pretty isolated and had very little contact with others.
They both were pretty content, but then the oldest of the two discovered that she was expecting.
The child’s father was Alcane.
The women discussed it and decided that the child deserved a fair chance and shouldn’t be reproached what its father had done to them.
Joss was born a few months later and shortly after, his mother died unexpectedly.
The other maiden was devastated by her best friend’s sudden death, tho she tried to give Joss the best life she possibly could give him.
Tho this was more than she could handle after everything she already had been thru and she, too, departed when Joss was a year.

When she was found, the cops also found the kid and took him with them out of the house.
Joss was adopted by great people, but didn’t remember anything of his mother and her best friend.
Until he began to have dreams about the house on Fox Road.
It were dreams similar to the ones Maze had, tho Joss saw even more.
He also saw Alcane’s right arm and confidante, the Duke, who told him that he had the ability to revive his murdered father.
Joss always refused, but his curiosity about what had happened, grew.
And thus, he started to search for the house and after a month found it.
Now, Joss was in the estate being threatened with torture and death when he didn’t use his heritage to revive Lord Alcane.
Joss wasn’t impressed and felt that death was better than the resurrection of such a sicko.
Just like in the dreams, he refused to cooperate.
And had spent his time useful by trying to reach Halo via the psychic-void.
He had heard spirits whisper that His Yippieness would be able to help him on some way and Joss had decided that it was worth trying.

“Hello, yippie-guy,” Drikie said, landing with his full yippie-pounds on Fuma’s shoulder, “I yippie-didn’t yippie-know that you were yippie-awake.”
“Do we - huh, huh - know each other ?” Fuma frowned.
“I yippie-know yippie-you,” Drikie smiled, “You’re the yippie-guy who yippie-dreams of yippie-boats.”
“Right, my name’s Fuma,” the guy nodded, “And you are - Other than pretty
heavy ?”
“Drik,” the yippie-demon grinned, “I’m the yippie-head yippie-bookkeeper in yippie-hell and yippie-love to yippie-eat lots of yippie-candy when I’m yippie-working.”
“I see,” Fuma snorted, “So, what’re you - huh, huh - doing here, Drik ?”
“Yippie-trying to yippie-find yippie-Halo,” Drikie replied, “Yippie-Slocky told little old yippie-me to yippie-go yippie-help yippie-him with yippie-rescuing yippie-Joss.”
“Our mission is one and the same then,” Fuma noted, “I’m also here to find Halo and rescue Joss.”
“Then, I yippie-can yippie-stay yippie-put on your yippie-shoulder, yippie-guy,” Drikie grinned.
“Huh, huh, huh,” Fuma grinned.
And so, while Drikie tested the yippie-shoulder to find out if it was yippie-A-okay, they went to the Sleepless City where Fuma knew Halo and the others were waiting for him and Drik.
147

On his way back home from the mall, Odin cut thru the park and frowned when he saw a few strange combo-animals sit with the pond.
‘What the hell are those ?’ he snorted in his mind’s voice as he observed the strange creatures, ‘This is the first time I ever see animals like them in any Grand Hell.’
And he was trying to figure out where they could’ve come from when Raddan cut thru the park himself.
“The creepy elf created those combo-animals,” he stated, “They were looters before the house surprised them some and changed them into what you’re seeing now.”
“And,” Odin started, “how’s Astaran ?”
“Fine, the creepy elf didn’t touch him this time,” Raddan snorted, “My guess is that he just wanted to scare off these looters and all possible future ones.”
“Probably,” Odin nodded, “I wonder which ingredients he used to create this, tho.
He should’ve been sitting on the throne in Maran’s place at the Dawn of Creation, because his imagination sure is lively.”
“I’m glad he isn’t,” Raddan sniffed and started to grin, “Say, why aren’t you with your little human ?
Did he get fed up with being wooed or something ?”
“No, but I am growing increasingly fed up with you, Raddan,” Odin replied, “How long are you still planning to crack up about that little human-shit ?
Just let me know, so I can arrange a permanent throat-paralysis for you.”
“I better get going,” Raddan said, “I have a sermon to prepare.”
He hurried along and Odin hoped that Zeng’ze one day soon would get creepy with Raddan so he would give this wooing little humans shit up, because he was really tired of it.
He was already hearing the same jokes for almost 50 Grand Hell years and was bored shitless with them by now.
At least when the elf said it, he didn’t mean it as harassment or anything and he didn’t say it all the time, either.
148

Donald Cullen was the guy who had found the deaf man wrapped in a carpet in the park.
He had called the hospital this morning to ask how the man was doing and after the nurse had told him, she also mentioned to him that Shade and Jill were looking for him.
“I was here, going home with my daughter of four,” Donald told as they walked thru the park to the place where he had found the deaf man, “It was quite strange, because my daughter kept telling me since we entered the park, that someone was calling her for help.
She’s very spiritual and I asked her if she knew where the calling came from.
At first she didn’t know, but suddenly - when we neared the shrubbery - she started to point in that direction and told me that the calling came from there.
I went to check it out and first only saw the carpet.
But next I heard that guy moan and without thinking got him out of it and used my vanishing-skill to get him to the hospital.
Once I knew that he was in good hands, I burnt rubber back to the park, because my daughter still was there.”
“So, that’s why you left in a hurry,” Shade nodded, “The folks in the hospital already found it rather suspicious.”
“I had a good reason to split,” Donald snorted, “However, my daughter later told me that she felt that man’s name is Sylphid.
Is she right ?”
“We don’t know,” Jill replied, “We failed to learn his identity.
But, now I hear his name, I’m getting some visions.
Don’t disturb me.”
She walked to the exact place where Sylphid had been left behind.

After a crappy youth in several orphanages, Sylphid met Willis as a teen.
Willis was a lot older and introduced him to his pals who all were unemployed musicians just like Willis was himself.
He had become an electrician to earn a living anyhow.
Sylphid’s luck in that area was a lot better, because after a sound-director heard a demo of his music, he wanted to hear more and later asked him to make themes for sci-fi flicks.
Willis’ guts churned with envy when it didn’t stay with one soundtrack.
Sylphid was also asked to compose music for other movies and video-games.
Tho Willis concealed his jealousy and popped the question.
And the beating began about a week after they’d gotten hitched.
Sylphid learnt that he was no match for Willis, because he didn’t only use his fists, but also fought with his psycho-strength.
And Sylphid thought that he deserved it.
Willis always seemed to have a reason and told him that all husbands punished their partners like this.
Sylphid didn’t talk about it and made up the familiar excuses for black eyes, broken bones and other injuries.
He fell off the stairs, hit his eye on the corner of the open closet-door, slipped in the bathroom and more of those excuses.
Sylphid didn’t even consider to leave, because Willis threatened to kill him if he ever split.

Sylphid had his work and poured his heart and soul into it while the domestic situation just kept getting worse.
He had no friends and didn’t talk to his colleagues an awful lot, either.
However, Willis began to grow tired of Sylphid after ten years of marriage and started to think about ways to get rid of him.
He didn’t want to beat him to death at home, because he didn’t feel like being executed.
It had to look like an accident, he ultimately decided.
And on a Tuesday morning when Sylphid was waiting for the shuttle-train to go to the studios, Willis showed up and pushed him in front of the approaching train with his will.
Sylphid survived mostly due to modern technology.
He told everyone that he’d had a blackout and not that he felt that Willis was near and was the one who’d pushed him.
Tho Sylphid’s career was over when he got complications that irrevocably damaged his hearing.
Willis played the role of the loving husband while Sylphid was recuperating and continued this façade until his partner could go home.
Then, the beatings resumed, worse than before.
And one night, when Willis had beaten his partner thru the whole flat once more and had taken him to bed by way of apology, Sylphid looked aside at his partner and felt nothing but disgust and hatred for him.
And concluded that no matter what, that this couldn’t continue.

So, he snuck out of bed, got into his clothes and ran after 27 years of marriage and beatings, leaving everything behind.
He ran from Angel Ville, Arizia, to Tampa Peters, Floriz, and managed to built up a new life.
He learnt sign-language, to speech-read and telepathy.
He found a new job as custodian on a high-school and was astounded about how thoughtful the students and teachers were.
They quickly made it a habit to face him when they were talking to him and to speak clearly without murmuring.
Sylphid was content.
He enjoyed coming home, knowing that there was no one around who would have a reason to beat the shit out of him and even got himself a cat which was something Willis had never allowed.
But, just when he thought that Willis couldn’t and wouldn’t find him anymore, he learnt otherwise.
After six years, Willis turned out to be his unexpected early morning visitor.
He said that he was sorry about everything that had happened and also that he wanted to talk about it.
Sylphid let him inside and when the door was closed, Willis floored him with a psycho-fist.
It started all over again.
And got even worse.
Because Willis wanted his partner dead and stabbed him 41 times in the chest and stomach.
And damaged the bio-parts to be certain that Sylphid would expire.
Once he was thru, he rolled him in the living room carpet and dumped him in the park.

Jill threw up.
“You okay ?” Shade demanded, hurrying over with Donald, “What did you see ?”
“That guy was a monster, Shade,” Jill coughed, wiping her mouth clean with a hanky, “He searched for six years and planned this murder carefully.
He returned home, cool as shit, after he had dumped him here.”
“Where can we find him ?” Shade grunted.
“Angel Ville,” Jill replied, “But, Sylphid also has a cat.
And he’s been alone since the attack.”
“If you also saw where Sylphid lives, we can call the Animal Care Department,” Shade said.
“I saw where,” Jill stated.
“And I can arrange two tickets for you on the last-minute flight to Angel Ville,” Donald said, “I work with GC Inc intergalactic travel agency.”
“Thanks, Donald,” Jill sighed.
“No need to thank me,” Donald snorted, “I like to do what’s right.”
And this was right and after Shade had called the Animal Care Department for Sylphid’s cat, they went with Donald to the shuttle-port where he got them on an immediate flight to Angel Ville, so Jill and Shade could show Willis that there were beings who were lethal when they were more than fucked up like, furious.
149

Halo, Azranan and Maze sat on the terrace of a coffee house in the Sleepless City, while they waited for Drikie an Fuma.
“Say, Maze,” Halo began, “Why’re you still single ?
You’re a good catch for any guy or gal.”
“I’m one of Augus’ Boys, hunk,” Maze replied, “And a lot beings are afraid of us, because we have these powers nobody else has.
I have been married, tho my wife split when she was pregnant.
She left a note saying that she didn’t want her kids to grow up with one of Augus’ Boys as father.”
“That’s pretty short-sighted,” Halo noted, “I mean, I wouldn’t mind as long as your character is okay, which it is, by the way.”
“Thanks, hunk,” Maze snorted, “There’s always been a lot of shit in our clan about us, tho.
A lot of them are afraid of us, because we’re the most-powerful and proved it often in battle, too.
However, I heard that my wife had twins and I was pretty amazed, because I’m one of a twin myself.”
“What happened to your twin ?” Halo asked.
“She died shortly after our birth, hunk,” Maze replied, “Pop always said that it came as a complete surprise, because she wasn’t sick or anything.
She suddenly zipped out of here.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Halo sighed.
“Yeah, but death is a part of life, hunk,” Maze stated, “And even tho pop was sad about her passing, he did accept it.”
“It would’ve been weird when he hadn’t been,” Azranan noted.
“Indeed, it would’ve been,” Halo agreed, “But, I’m not afraid to die, ‘bout you, guys ?”
“Me, neither, hunk,” Maze replied.
“Death is the trip of a lifetime,” Azranan grinned, “I died a shitload of deaths already and only find certain paths to death, scary.”
“I think that’s what most beings fear,” Halo said, “Not death itself, but the road that leads to it.”
“I think that’s what nearly all beings fear,” Azranan noted, “The path to death, not death itself.”
Halo and Maze agreed with Azranan, because he was right.
Death itself was nothing to be afraid of, after all.
“Yippie-Azranan !” Drikie shrieked, fluttering over, “Yippie-many yippie-hi’s !”
“Hey, Drikie,” Azranan smiled, “How’ve you been, little buddy ?”
“Yippie-doing yippie-fine,” Drikie replied.
“You two know each other, hunk ?” Maze demanded.
“We certainly do,” Azranan replied, “He was a tremendous yippie-help when I was looking for someone of my outfit.
Drikie has all these wonderful yippie-friends who helped me search.”
“He yippie-has a yippie-A-okay yippie-shoulder,” Drikie stated and went over to Maze to check his shoulder out some, “The yippie-guy has a yippie -nice yippie-shoulder, yippie-too.”
“He can’t remember my name,” Fuma grinned, “On the way here, he kept calling me yippie-guy.”
“You have a yippie-difficult yippie-name, yippie-guy,” Drikie noted, “I yippie-don’t have enough yippie-intelligence to yippie-remember it.”
“I wasn’t complaining, Drik,” Fuma said as he pulled up a chair, “I mean, I don’t mind when you find yippie-guy easier to remember.”
“And, yippie-guy,” Halo began, “what brought you here, anyway ?”
“Alcane was yippie-revived by yippie-Joss,” Fuma replied, “I felt it on my way here that Joss gave in to the demand when they actually began to torture him a lot.”
“Poor yippie-Joss,” Drikie sighed.
“Yeah, I feel sorry for him, too, little fella,” Maze said.
“But that means that we’ll have to kick Alcane’s ass,” Azranan grunted, “And we better come up with some kind of half-baked strategy if we want to defeat him.
He’s a formidable opponent.”
“A - huh, huh - song would be nice and easy,” Fuma noted.
“Ow, pu-lease,” Azranan snorted, “Your singing sounds like pure torment for both body and soul.”
“Kiddo, I’m a - huh, huh - shower-talent,” Fuma smirked.
“The only times when I’m a star is when I have the headset on,” Halo grinned, “What about you, Maze ?”
“Headset and shower only, hunk,” Maze replied, “I wouldn’t ever try to turn singing into a career.”
“The kiddo over there can sing,” Fuma noted, “Have you guys ever heard him ?”
“Nope,” Halo sniffed.
“I haven’t, either, hunk,” Maze replied.
“Yippie-I yippie-have,” Drikie stated, “He yippie-sang me a yippie-nice yippie-lullaby in yippie-Sha’razi.
I was yippie-asleep in yippie-ten yippie-minutes.”
“So was my outfit,” Azranan noted.
But, they came up with a half-baked strategy to defeat Alcane again, rescue Joss and also get passed the Skull dragons which guarded the estate’s grounds now.
Getting passed them was no problem provided that they had some bait, but the criminals decided to wait with telling his Yippieness that they wanted him to be the bait until they had arrived at the estate.
150

The Asfarati weren’t only lazy and convenient, they also held some of the greatest scientists.
However, they had no dimension of origin and lived as nomads.
One group went to Zeal and lived with the Sha’razi-clan for a while.
That was until Ryu discovered that they were breaking nearly all clan-laws.
They were doing experiments on living beings.
Cyclops had begun to complain that their crops weren’t growing and those that did grow bore the strangest fruits.
There were more of those kinds of complaints, also about animals behaving weird, sort of scared.
Ryu first thought that the humans they were in war with had something to do with these things.
That was, until he went to the chusin’gai actually to get his son out of a boy-brothel and overheard a conversation between two sleazes of which one was an Asfarati-scientist.
He stated that him and a few others had begun experimenting with finding the way to crops that never withered and bore more fruits than they normally did.
He also told something about another experiment concerning animals.
They sought to increase their endurance, so they could be used for more hard labor.

Ryu gritted his teeth and left the brothel, having decided that the matter with these Asfarati was more important than Yasha was.
He had a word with the judges about what he’d learnt and they unanimously decided that the Asfarati had to leave the clan.
However, when this was announced, the Asfarati didn’t agree and picked up their weapons to fight the decision.
Ryu beheld the two wars with pain in his heart.
There already was a war raging outside the city and now there also was a civil war.
This thing with the Asfarati had be decided quickly without any more casualties.
He gave it some thought and ultimately decided that His Evilness would be able to do something when he was rewarded.
And so, early in the morning, he woke Yasha up, grabbed him by the back of his neck and took him to the Moon Temple.
Augus who wasn’t of the rise n’ shine type, like many others were, met the clan-leader with the entrance of the temple and eyeballing Yasha, demanded what Ryu wanted from him at this hour.
Ryu explained to him that he wanted the Asfarati out of his clan fast and also that when he made that happen, Yasha was all his for as long as he wanted.
Augus liked the sound of that and agreed to do it.
And it’s unknown how His Evilness accomplished it, but when the sun had risen, all the Asfarati were gone - Had seemed to have gone up in smoke.
And Yasha was with Augus for a month.
Agito’s father had heard about the deal and moved to get Yasha out of the labyrinth.
It took him effort, but after a battle, Augus saw things from the father’s point of view and let Yasha leave.

The civil war was over and life resumed as it always had.
They lived from day to day and always were expecting another attack executed by the humans.
However, the Asfarati scientists who - in fact - had been the cause of this civil war had left when it began and had joined a group of other scientists who had been kicked out of another clan also for experimenting on living beings.
They combined what they had learnt and came with the ultimate idea of creating workers who needed no rest and no food.
They traveled thru many worlds and six years ago, stumbled across the ruined hospital.
They discovered that there were a few levels underground which still were in tact and renovated it so it would make a suitable lab and home for an entire clan.
And when they were ready, the experiments began.
They moved out to find suitable beings to experiment on and also exploited the occasions when beings entered the hospital’s grounds for some reason.

Their leader was Erana and she was the one the chief and his criminals had to defeat if they wanted this whole thing with the experiments to stop.
Tho Erana had a few aces and also a few surprises for, especially the chief.
And that was all because she’d been in the area when a certain something occurred in Zeal.

[Joe]

151

Peace had kind of sort of returned to the Isae’ran palace once Hassan was thru with reorganizing the place.
Quite relaxed he sat at the bar later with a drink and was reminded of another incident when Dyson pulled up a barstool to have Zarem rum himself.
“You’ll never learn, will you ?” He inquired.
“What’re you talking about ?” Dyson demanded.
“You invite yourself,” Hassan replied, “And you’re lucky that I’m not like my boy.
He would’ve killed you.”
“I know,” Dyson snorted, “I think I just caught the whore on a bad time.
Say, were you dead or something ?”
“Nope, I was alive, but asleep,” Hassan stated, “I always miss something, tho, when I live to either talk to him or go to sleep after the action.”
“I kind of miss something, too, I suppose,” Dyson shrugged it off, “I mean, I always found it all rather bizarre when I lived to hear him tell me that the action’s kind of good when I ain’t hungry or anything.”
“You’re sick, Dyson,” Hassan snorted, “You’re the only one of all Absolutes who actually devours beings when they’re still alive.
Even Augus prefers that they’re dead before he eats ‘um.”
“Back home it was the normal way to go about things for twins,” Dyson stated, “Shora devours the soul, I take the flesh.
This way we both maintain our mental and physical strength.”
He smirked to show Hassan his saw-edged fangs,
“And I’m the half who takes the flesh, Hassan.”
“I’m either getting old or I’m relenting,” Hassan began, “Tho I find your way of existing rather morbid, Dyson.”
“I have the same opinion about your lifestyle,” Dyson noted, “I mean, you’re partly responsible for the helpers that boy of yours has, still have a twisted, passionate relationship with him and also have a wife and two sons, with a third underway, in Milama.
And whenever you’re with them, you aren’t an Absolute, but just any father.”
“I would like it when you left my wife out of this,” Hassan grunted, “She’s an Exxegran and when it comes out I’m an Absolute, she - nor the kids - will have a life left.
And what’s so bizarre about being married, Dyson ?
You never once heard me say that I was exclusively an extra-piece lover.”
“Guess you didn’t,” Dyson sniffed, taking a sip of his rum, “But, do you treat your boys on the same way as you did Azranan when he was young ?
If so, I feel kind of sorry for them.”
“Whatever Azranan and I got into was done by mutual consent, Dyson,” Hassan stated, “And my sons have an everyday father.
I don’t beat the crap out of my kids like my old man did with me and my brothers.”
“Isn’t it difficult at times to live two such completely different lives ?” Dyson frowned, “I would find it extremely tough.”
“No, I have no problems with it, at all,” Hassan replied, “When I come home, my wife and sons are glad to see me - they think I’m a business-man - but, when I’m here, I feel kind of free.
When someone annoys me here, I can use my psycho-strength to give him a toss, should I do this back in Milama I’ll have twenty exorcists on my back who’ll perform some cuckoo rite or exorcism to get the demon who gave me this ability, out of my soul.
Exxegrans are pretty limited and abilities like psycho-strength and psychics are seen as things given to you by demons.”
“Is that why Blondie never wants to go home ?” Dyson asked, “I mean, he is an Exxegran and has a psychic-ability.”
“It’s one of his reasons,” Hassan nodded, “If he were free to go home, he also has to change his nature.
Fruits aren’t accepted and should it be discovered that he lives without one of the foundations of the Exxegran-religion, he’ll probably be forced into committing honorable suicide.”
“Will he get it back ?” Dyson inquired, “Can’t he re-earn it on some way ?”
“He’ll only get it back when Augus expires, he’s the one who tore it out of his innermost being,” Hassan stated, “And when he’s dead, Blind will also get his privilege to expire returned to him.
Augus stole that from him a long time ago, so his torment would last longer and Blind wouldn’t be able to split.”
“What else did His Evilness steal ?” Dyson asked.
“I don’t know, Dyson,” Hassan shrugged, “He turned stealing into a hobby and I really wouldn’t know what else he took from others.”
Dyson watched Hassan refill his wineglass and wondered if Hassan knew so much about the Exxegrans because he lived with them or was one of them.
He always avoided answering questions about his race and about how his own youth had been.
The only thing Hassan ever said to him about it was that it was stank, until he blew a fuze and murdered them all with a lumber-ax.
152

Which idiot murders and dolls the victims up as characters from fairytales ?
Dan O’Connell was such an idiot.
He loved fairytales and murder.
Both were an addition.
He was also wanted in Indione and Arken for committing the same crimes, tho whenever it got too hot for his taste, he split.
And Sunny Floriz was next on his list.
He’d been to Jackson and Sea City, but hadn’t liked it there.
Tampa Peters was more his taste.
It had plenty of parks and those he needed for dumping his victims.

He, too, always tried to zap ‘em on a way that it could fit the story, tho this wasn’t always possible.
And sometimes his sadism got the better of him, then he murdered them on a savage way like he had done with the wolf and the three little pigs.
Dan hated that story.

He found his stars about everywhere.
His gut-instinct told him who were suitable and it hadn’t been wrong a single time till this date.
Currently he was working on Sleeping Beauty, but hadn’t found the poisoner yet who could be the wicked witch.
He already had seen the galaxian who could play the part of the noble prince.
He’d followed the purple-eyed dude home from the mall this afternoon and only had to find a suitable time to waste him.
Sleeping Beauty he already had zapped and he was keeping her in his freezer.
This young lady was beautiful and a barrier-maker, just like the innocent princess in the story.
153

The criminals had reached the estate and Halo was astounded that it, indeed, was identical to the house on Fox Road.
However, they didn’t see the skull-dragons anywhere, tho they knew that they would become visible as soon as they set foot on the premises.
“The best way would be to send ‘um back to the Mindfields of Xara, hunks,” Maze said, “After all, that is their dimension of origin.”
“To accomplish that, we’ll only need some - huh, huh - bait,” Fuma smirked.
“And it has to be someone - Tasty,” Azranan grinned, “Someone who looks kind of easy to digest.”
Only Halo felt spoken to.
And all the criminals were eyeballing him.
“Why do I have to be the bait ?” His Yippieness demanded, “How can you be so sure that they’ll see me as bite to eat, huh ?
What am I saying ?
I don’t wanna be seen as bite to eat, let one of you criminals go in.”
“We’re already gonna send ‘um back to the Mindfields, hunk,” Maze said, “And only you’re left as suitable bait.”
“You fellas are way too criminal for words,” Halo snorted, “Using a little human - Odin’s fave little human - as bait.”
“Good luck, hunk,” Maze laughed, watching Halo enter the gardens, “Azranan and Fuma can get you back should something go wrong.”
“Yeah, you never know what these dragons will do,” Azranan blurted, “They might have a petrify-stare or something.”
“Thanks, fuckin’ thanks for all the comfort,” Halo said, sarcastic, “I feel a lot more relaxed about being fuckin’ bait now, guys.”
He turned on his heels and headed for the southern gardens while the criminals moved there, too, in order to be ready to send the Skull-dragons back to the Mindfields.

Sensing the presence of the trespasser, the Skull-dragons became visible and moved their asses over to the southern gardens where they felt yippie-Halo was.
He - indeed - was a mighty tasty bite to eat for any dragon.
When Halo laid eyes on the approaching flock, he ran like shit !
The flock went after their snack, but came to a screeching halt when Fuma, Azranan and Maze materialized.
They’d been completely surrounded and Azranan’s stare froze them in their movement.
Fuma threw a ball of white light up into the sky while Maze released a purple force.
When the two powers merged they became a sky-gate which emanated a blinding light and dragged all of the dragons into it to drop them off in their own world, the Mindfields of Xara.

“On - huh, huh - second thought,” Fuma began, “I don’t think that yippie-Halo’s are all that easy to digest, after all.”
“I give you a heartburn,” Halo hissed, pretty bitchy, “But, then next time, I won’t be bait anymore, fellas.
This was only once.”
“Halo, go into therapy with Blind,” Azranan grinned, “He got used to being bait now, too.”
“Provided that his silly human makes an appearance as Jane,” Halo noted, “I saw her in visions, fellas.
You don’t want to see her, ever.”
“How d’you look as girl, Your huh-huhness ?” Maze inquired.
“You’ll appreciate the vale, Maze,” Fuma blurted.
“I hope that I’ll live to see that, hunk,” Maze laughed, “I also hope to find out what Azranan looks like as girl.”
“Maze, I have a nice face, but I’m totally unconvincing,” Azranan stated.
“I don’t believe you, hunk,” Maze snorted.
“I was a hooker once to earn a living,” Azranan said, “And there were a few johns who wanted to see me in drag.”
“Some johns sure are weird, hunk,” Maze sniffed.
“I’ve had stranger requests,” Azranan noted, “Dressing up as broad was one of the more “normal” things they could ask of me.”
“Some men are so twisted,” Halo snorted, “I heard from Blind that he also got some totally off requests.”
“I think some men are aliens,” Azranan said, “But, this does remind me of something else, tho.
How did you get your nickname ?”
“A soldier gave it to me,” Halo replied, “When the army liberated The Lab, the soldier who came to take off the cuffs told me what his business was there and next asked my name.
When I didn’t answer, he called me Halo, because he said he sensed something that was strangely soothing.
Everybody else followed in his footsteps and called me Halo, too.”
“What’s your real name, hunk ?” Maze frowned.
“Brian,” Halo replied.
“I like Halo better, hunk,” Maze said, “I mean, Brian is nice, but Halo just describes all of you.”
“What’s your real name, Maze ?” Fuma asked, “I don’t think anyone had foresight when you were called Maze.”
“Naz’aran,” Maze stated, “I became Maze after that looooong, hot incident with Jez at the chief’s place.”
“Oooow, spicey,” Azranan, Fuma and Halo grinned.
Once the criminals were thru breaking up about nicknames and incidents, they coughed up a plan to kick Alcane’s ass.
Azranan was gonna confront Alcane alone a second time while the rest was gonna do something about those dukes who supported and aided him.
154

After having visited the last forest Tryad had drained and having borrowed a few books from the library in Heaven’s Gate, Zeng’ze had returned to his estate.
He just didn’t dig it.
How could an Eternal with a double Life-force also be able to drain forests and devour others ?
Normally only Eternals with some kind of Doom-force were able to devour and the ones who could drain always were Eternals who had Hell in their Force-symbols.
“Are you already getting wiser, elf ?” Odin inquired as he strolled into the lab.
“No, friend, I’m only getting more baffled,” Zeng’ze replied, “I’m completely clueless about how he gained all these powers, Odin.”
“That’s the first time,” Odin noted, “You never were clueless before.”
“I am now, friend,” Zeng’ze stated, “I’m trying to figure out how I can deactivate him and trap him inside his Eternal flesh, because as long as I cannot achieve this simultaneously, he’ll just split into the spirit-realms, drain a few forests, devour a few beings to replenish his lost energy and power.”
“I wish that Raddan hadn’t lost our Book of the Universe, elf,” Odin snorted, “I’m sure that it would’ve made us wiser about who and what that little otaku is.”
“He’s the Face of Evil, friend, I’m convinced of it, now,” Zeng’ze said, “After all, he awoke Astaroth and there’s only one being who can achieve that before the Age of Truth has begun.”
“You’re right,” Odin nodded, “But you gotta figure out some kind of shit-trick to use on that little otaku, Zeng’ze.
I mean, this last shit already was worse than the first and I’m certain that he’ll do anything - even the extreme - in order to emerge victorious.”
“It isn’t like I’m sitting on my ass, relaxing all day now, is it, friend ?” Zeng’ze demanded, “I’m doing all I can here, but even my ability has its limits.”
“I know,” Odin nodded, “And you reviewed the same events as I did.
I’m so worried, elf, about the two of us not being able to do anything to assist those criminals with changing the outcomes.”
“Look, Odin, if there’s one being in the world who seeks to prevent the shit which awaits Halo, it’s this piss-elf,” Zeng’ze noted, “I’ve been thru that hell and certainly don’t wish it to someone like him.”
“If Tryad actually executes this future-plot, elf,” Odin began, “And you haven’t learnt yet how to deactivate and trap his spirit, you gotta give it all you have to make that little otaku suffer.”
“He’ll suffer, friend,” Zeng’ze stated, “Trust me.”
Odin nodded, because he did.
He knew how Zeng’ze felt about those things and knew that when the event they both had seen for Halo couldn’t be prevented, that Tryad was gonna feel more pain and agony than he ever had felt before in his whole life.
Trenkar also had felt a lot of it himself before he finally was deactivated.
155

Willis had returned to his flat in Angel Ville and had picked up his daily routine as if nothing ever had happened.
He thought that Sylphid was dead and figured that his murder would remain unsolved forever.
Tho he realized otherwise when Shade used her ability as superior exploder to detonate the lock on the front door and let herself and Jill inside.
Calm as shit, Willis moved to meet both of them in the hall and was knocked off his block by Jill who shot something in his neck to block his psycho-strength while he still was down.
“We’re Officers Willhoite and O’Brien,” Shade barked, “And you’re charged with the two attempts to murder and battering of Sylphid Keller.”
“We’re also telling you that you have no rights anymore,” Jill added.
“How - how did you manage to knock me off my block ?” Willis swallowed.
“I’m a Thai-boxer, Mr. Ashton,” Jill replied and turned Willis on his back to cuff his wrists behind it before her and Shade hauled him up and took him to the kitchen where they tied him to a chair and blind-folded him.

He didn’t know what to think, tho, when he heard Jill rummage thru the kitchen-drawer.
“A pizza-cutter !” the psychic shrieked, “Nice for ears, but not what we need.”
A meatfork was only good for piercing and it wasn’t what she needed, either.
A meatknife was exactly what she’d been looking for.
“I’ll tell you what we want from you, Mr. Ashton,” Jill began, running the knife across Willis’s throat, “We want you to confess in all details you remember how you battered Sylphid for 27 years and also attempted to murder him twice.”
“The shuttle-train was an accident,” Willis opposed, “I was no where near him that morning.”
“Don’t lie to me, asshole !” Jill fumed and cut open Willis’s T-shirt, “I’m a psychic and I’m gonna find out if you’re walking around with any bio-parts yourself when you don’t fuckin’ talk to us !”
“She’s serious, Mr. Ashton,” Shade noted, “I would be wise and just talk, if I were you.”
Willis felt Jill cut him lightly with the knife.
And nodded.
He was afraid of pain and made a full confession of everything he had done in nearly thirty years of marriage and recently which Shade recorded on a pocket CD-recorder.
Once he was thru confessing, the ladies murdered him, slowly, making him feel a lot of agony.
They left the CD near the body and wiped out all of their tracks before they returned home.
It would take almost two weeks before Willis finally was found and the cops in Angel Ville would do nothing with this murder after having heard the confession they found on the CD.
156

The boy of about eight, sat in a poorly lit room.
He had been tied with his wrists to chair and heard murmurs outside.
“Don’t come inside,” he silently prayed, “Please, don’t come inside.
I’m not here, you know ?
Because I’m in the wall.”
Creaking, the door opened and the kid counted the footsteps to find out how many men were coming down the stairs.
“Are you ready to give up the name of the demons who gave you your abilities ?” An older man demanded as he shone the light of the oil-lamp in the kid’s face.
“I’m not keeping any demons with me,” the boy replied, “I-I think I was born with this power.”
“Nonsense, child !” the elder barked, “You’re a demon yourself that is why you can’t give any names !”
He faced the other men,
“Prepare him,” he said, “We’ll exorcise him again.”
“He’s a tough one, elder,” one of the men noted, “It’s been two months and he hasn’t given us any names, yet.”
The kid heard the men prepare for the actual exorcism.

Hassan awoke with a jolt when he hit his head on the edge of the nightstand as he fell out of bed.
Rubbing his forehead, he leant back against the side of the bed and reached for the glass of water on the nightstand.
‘They attempted to drive the demons out with fire,’ he recalled in silence, ‘I don’t even remember how many times I kicked the friggin’ bucket that night.
The next day my old man stopped by to ask how things were going.
He wasn’t even shocked to see what I looked like, he just said I sheltered a lot of demons and cool as freakin’ shit left again.
Without me.’
He pulled up his knees and locked his arms around his legs.
‘After three months, I’d been exorcized,’ he snorted, ‘Yeah, sure.
I only followed the advise of the others hiding in the walls to give a few names and hide these abilities.’
Hassan had thought that things would get better once he was back home.
Tho they didn’t, because he became an outcast and was degraded to slave by his parents and eighteen brothers who all were older.
His father stated that only hard labor would keep all future demons away and had the youngest do all the work, including his job in the mines.
And when he came home in the evening, he had to do the chores of his mother and brothers, too.
If he slept for an hour it was long, because the laundry usually kept him busy till sunrise and then it was time again to get to work in the mines.
Hassan knew that he’d screwed up and that acquiring the Death-half was one of his biggest mistakes, but if there was one thing he knew for sure was that he never was going to let his kids go thru the shit he had gone thru with those exorcists.
“If the Spirits are listening,” he mumbled, “I hope that they hear this plea letting my kids be born and grow up without extra-abilities.”
Every time Hassan dreamt about the past, he prayed for the same thing, because he knew that when you were an ordinary being, you never were going to have any problems with exorcists in the Exxegran-clan.
157

Blind, Jez, H’dae and Lusitan entered the hospital’s grounds.
“Give me a sec to find the entrance,” Jez said and summoned the meaning of his full name.
The gray light swept over the grounds and completely blew away the ruins to reveal the entrance to the lower-levels.
“Awesome, Jez,” Lusitan smirked, “Let’s go kick ass.”
“Yeah,” Jez grinned, eyeballing H’dae, “We’re really close to the Event of the Century now, H’dae.”
“I can’t wait,” H’dae snorted.
They entered the lair and found an entire empire underground complete with houses, stores and a lot of labs.
The criminals walked thru the main-street and halfway were met by the clan-leader, Erana.
“Whatta team has come to defeat me,” she mocked, “We’ve got a refined queen, a Plant Spirit with a critical myself, an iron-willed pessimist and no, - The Emperor’s Bastard.”
“Moi ?” Lusitan demanded, still smiling with lots of self-confidence at this point.
“You didn’t think that you’d received your Quiran-powers thru the wind, did
you ?” Erana smirked, “I was in the area when your daddy adopted you when he still had four wives instead of five.
The old charmer.”
Lusitan’s smile crumbled.
And the world, indeed, came to an end.
At least, the underground empire began to fall apart.
And the ground beneath their feet cracked.
Two platforms began to drop down into the depth below.

On one stood the chief - who was no longer smiling, because he was crushed - with his men.
The other carried Erana who transformed into a white beast.
A giant gorilla with crab-scissors, instead of hands on which she leant.
H’dae, Jez and Blind dematerialized as Lusitan clenched his fist.
“Congratulations,” the chief grunted, “You’re the first who succeeded in crushing me.
Now, prepare to pay the price !”
He hit his left fist against the palm of his right hand and changed into a massive golden flying gargoyle.

He evaded Erana’s attack with the scissors and called a brilliant golden light between his hands.
Erana leapt onto the platform Lusitan had been standing on and tried to crash him from the air.
The chief flew backward and released the light.
The power seared at Erana like a blast from a cannon.
And completely blew her off the face of these worlds.

Lusitan flew up to escape the collapse of the empire.
And when he was with the exit, he turned to look down.
Everything had disappeared into the great depth and he sensed that there were no Asfarati left who would be able to start this shit all over again.
158

Halo and the criminals had decided to attack from four different sides to have the advantage from an attack on all sides and the scattering of the dukes.
Halo pulled the sleeve of his sweater over his fist and broke the window before he climbed inside thru it to be met by a group of Dukes.
“So, you’re the one Joss has been calling,” one of the dukes said, “We thought he was calling a spirit since Halo is so unusual for a mere human.”
“I’ll give you halo up your ass,” Halo barked and floored the first duke with a lucent-bomb which exploded in the man’s face.
The other dukes charged.
Halo grabbed the fist of the guy who wanted to knock him off his block and punched him in the gut before sending him into oblivion with a lucent-knife that went straight thru his soul.

Maze was met in the kitchen by a second group of dukes.
He blocked the strike from a duke’s blade with his Slasher and kicked him away.
From the corner of his eye, he saw two dukes combine their powers and release a dark force.
Maze narrowed his eyes and exhaled in Scatter-breath in the direction of the force and the dukes who were blown away completely by it.
The last duke attempted to split, but Maze grabbed him by the back of his neck and threw him against the kitchen-counter.

The last dukes had stayed with Alcane to aid him with defeating Azranan while others had moved to the east-side.
But, they never got the chance.
Because on the moment the warrior dressed in black entered, they felt how their innermost beings were scattered and crashed to the floor.
Alcane watched their bodies decompose and turned his head to face Azranan.
“Is it Destiny or something else which makes our paths cross each time ?” He demanded.
“It’s Destiny, Alcane,” Azranan replied.
“I can be assured,” Alcane said, “You cannot ask me for another Tango since I already have danced it with you before.”
“It’s the Tango of Death, I can no longer ask you for,” Azranan stated, “However, I can ask you for another Dance.”
He grabbed Alcane’s wrist and pulled him closer,
“Let’s dance, Alcane,” he whispered with his breath against the man’s mouth, “Let’s dance the Tango of Despair.”
“I honestly thought that the Tango of Death was the only Forbidden Dance you held,” Alcane sighed.
“I’m the Child of Abundance, Alcane,” Azranan stated a fact, “I hold mountains of everything.
This includes Forbidden Dances.”
He kissed the man on the mouth,
“Will you dance ?” he whispered, “And allow me to make you feel what you did to those maidens thirty years ago ?”
“If you lose, their fate shall be yours,” Alcane said, “Alright, I’ll dance.”

His Huh-huhness had entered via the east-side’s library and was met by other dukes.
He blocked their dark-attacks and yanked a few thick books out of the book-cases with his will.
The books were set ablaze and sent flying at the dukes who evaded and destroyed them as they charged at Fuma.
And Fuma watched them approach.
He waited until they were a little closer and started to write a word in Adantai-characters in the air.
The characters merged, making the sound of the cocking of the hammer of a gun.
Before they became a black monster-face.
The dukes instantly froze when the monster opened its maw.
And inhaled.
The dukes felt how their souls were sucked out of their physical forms and annihilated.

The Tango of Despair was a dance with a lot of drums.
Alcane and Azranan had entered a sub-world and Alcane saw blue glass-like bubbles rise up from the darkness beneath his feet and burst each time he heard the drums.
And despair and pain began to fill his soul.

Halo was grabbed from behind by a duke he hadn’t seen was near while he fought with the last of the group and felt how his arms were twisted behind his back.
The duke he’d been fighting with drew a Deadly Dagger and put it under Halo’s chin.
“You fought well,” the man began, “But, unfortunately for you, the show’s over now.”
“You must be shittin’ me,” Halo mocked and spit the duke in the face with acid and gave the other a headbutt before he quickly turned to blow him away.
The duke who got the acid spit at him, stumbled backward and dropped the dagger.
Halo picked it up and charged it with lucent-power.
And the duke was still trying to restore his flesh when the dagger flew out of Halo’s hand and ended up in the Black Lander’s heart.

Maze watched the final duke take on the form of a lesser demon and put his foot down hard, to slip into something more comfortable himself.
He changed into his tank-form - Half-man, half-machine.
Maze evaded the duke’s attacks with fireballs and charged at him.
With a spin-turn, he crashed the lesser demon and doubled back to crush his skull and spirit.

Alcane’s knees buckled as the bursting bubbles seemed to crack his soul.
Tho admitting that he had been defeated a second time by the same opponent, was not an option yet.
He had too much pride.
Too much honor to be able to admit that his opponent had grown more powerful than him and had the ability to defeat him as often as he needed to.
Alcane felt Azranan’s hand in the small of his back as he was drawn closer.
“Do you feel it, Alcane ?” the warrior demanded in a whisper, “The despair and pain you brought upon those maidens ?”
Alcane wanted to answer.
Tho his eyes met Azranan’s.
He had no pupils and irises anymore, they were white with a bluish glow.
And they went straight thru his.
To mutilate the living shit out of his being.
Alcane cried out in agony and anguish when he experienced himself what he had done to those maidens.
This pain was too much to bear.
It was too intense.
And too much for one being to handle.
The power inside Azranan’s eyes went even further.
As it went on mutilating his innermost being, it also attacked his body.
His flesh began to tear.
And he started to bleed from a hundred stab-wounds which had been caused from within.

Azranan stepped back and watched Alcane sink to his knees.
“Don’t leave me here to suffer for all eternity,” Alcane pleaded, “Let me expire.”
“No, Alcane,” Azranan said, “I shall leave you here in this world forever.
Because should anyone want to return you to this mortal coil ever again, they shan’t find you, because I’m the only one who knows where it is.
I’m not going to dance with you a third time, even tho I could ask you for a hundred Forbidden Dances…”
He turned on his heels to leave the sub-world.
He heard Alcane beg and plead to let him expire behind him, but didn’t respond to it.
That he had danced with the same foe twice already was more than enough for him and this eternal suffering in a world only Azranan knew existed was the perfect punishment for him.
159

Chisisi-Akil strolled into the old shrine and went straight to the library to talk with his brother.
Tho the library was deserted, except for the bird who sat on the back of the armchair near the balcony.
“Where is your liege ?” The Outsider demanded.
“My liege dematerialized and returned to his body in the crimson sea, Supreme One,” the bird replied, “You know his time always is limited.”
“I do,” Chisisi-Akil nodded, “But, now my brother is gone I am wondering where you will go.
Because you cannot come with me to the shrine.”
“I think I will go to the grandmaster, Supreme One,” the bird said, “He gave me my very own bird-bed which is very comfortable for a measly little demon-bird like yours truly.
Be seeing you.”
He flew out of the shrine while Chisisi-Akil decided to go home, too.

However, when he entered the lounge, he was met by someone he rather didn’t see.
“We hardly see you these days, Chisisi-Akil,” Fatima noted, standing in the doorway leading to the chambers where the Outsider had a room, too.
“And you - of course - are asking yourself if I am up to something,” Chisisi-Akil said.
“Are you ?” Fatima frowned.
“Yes, I currently am in the process of checking out the eras so I will know in which order to conquer them,” Chisisi-Akil mocked, “Once I have the Giant, it should be easy, I would wager.”
He pushed her out of the way and retired to his chamber.
While a scowl split the Silver Ghost’s forehead.
‘Chisisi-Akil is acting very strangely the last few Moons,’ Fatima noted in her mind’s voice while scratching her jaw, ‘I do not smell any mortals in his breath, but otherwise I surely would have thought that he had started to hunt again.’
Fatima still didn’t trust Chisisi-Akil one bit.
She wasn’t giving him any chances to prove himself, either, because she still was of opinion that predators couldn’t be trusted.
And actually, on a lot of ways, Fatima and Chisisi-Akil were alike, because the Perfect Outsider wasn’t one that easily trusted others, either.
160

When the chief rejoined his criminals, they were still trying to quit cracking up.
“So, that was the Event of the Century you kept mumbling about,” Lusitan snorted, “You knew this, didn’t you, Jez ?”
“Yes, because I had a few visions about it,” Jez replied, drying his eyes, “It definitely was worth the wait, tho.”
“I’m gonna ask dad about this adoption as soon as we get home,” Lusitan said, “Adopted.
Why the hell was I named Lusitan Jr. then ?”
“I don’t know, angel,” Blind stated, “Maybe Azranan knows something.”
“He probably does,” H’dae mumbled to himself, “But, knowing him, he probably won’t be able to reveal anything until the time’s right.”
“I’ve had it !” Lusitan shrieked, “I’m fed up with a bunch of criminals who keep talking to themselves !
I’m retiring as chief, right here and now !”
He turned and marched off the hospital grounds.
“Darlin’, wait up !” Blind hissed, hurrying after the chief, “I don’t talk to myself.
I only talk to closets.”
“I’ve had it, Blind,” Lusitan sniffed, “I had a permanent smile tho that was completely crushed when some Asfarati went to tell me that I was adopted and next I find out that this half-baked psycho called Jez Arjan has been waiting for this to happen, because he has been talking about the Event of the fuckin’ Century to himself.
You criminals are getting way too weird for me.
I’m still quitting.”
“Chief,” H’dae began, “think positive.
Jez was allowed to look forward to the day your smile crumbled because you and Maze did pull that stunt on him.”
“He doesn’t even remember most of it,” Lusitan noted, “All he knows is what we told him about it.”
“I can fill in the details myself when you tell me that I was a decahedron, chief,” Jez snorted.
“And you were,” Lusitan smirked, “Maze and I really saw an entirely different side of you, Jez.”
“Ow, pu-lease,” Jez sniffed, “It was the booze.
However, because you and Maze exploited that particular situation, I was allowed to look forward to the Event of the Century - The crumbling of your Eternal Smile.”
“Which isn’t so eternal anymore now, Jez,” Lusitan said, “Humph, adopted.
Emperor’s Bastard.
Whose bastard am I ?”
The criminals honestly didn’t have a clue, even Jez didn’t get any insight into it.
Tho the fellas did decide that bastard in this case wasn’t meant as child born out of wedlock.
It had sounded more like the late Erana had meant it as child from parents who both belonged to a different race.
In a lot of dimensions mixed-race kids often were referred to as bastards, too, because their blood wasn’t pure, as they called it.
161

In the dungeon, Halo and the fellas found Joss more dead than alive.
But, Azranan quickly healed him and they took him upstairs to the kitchen where Maze made something to drink for him, so he would feel better soon.
“Thanks for coming here,” Joss said, “I didn’t want to revive Alcane, but when the dukes started out on the heavier torture with breaking bones and everything, I gave in.”
“We understand,” Halo stated, “And it’s okay, Azranan became His Fatalness for a bit again and asked him for another dance.”
“I hope he’s gone for good now,” Joss sighed.
“He is, Joss,” Azranan said, “He’s in a world of my own creation and I’m the only one who knows where to find it.
However, Alcane and dukes are have expired which means that you’re the new Lord of this world.”
“Me ?” Joss swallowed, “What’re you supposed to do as Lord ?”
“Change the Black Lands, hunk,” Maze replied, “Turn it into a place like Tai Azur or the Land of Droye.
At least, make it a world that doesn’t need to have sealed gates anymore.”
“I’m certain that you’ll find plenty of support amongst the other Black Landers,” Halo added, “I mean, not many wanted this world to gain power with fear.
Most of ‘em want peace.”
Joss nodded and got a few great ideas on how he could turn the Black Lands into a world folks liked to come to.
And all of his ideas would be a tremendous success, too.
The New Black Lands was gonna be a great dimension.
162

Dan followed Reeves home to his flat.
He also had found the poisoner who could play the part of the wicked witch now and the noble prince was the last one he needed for this fairytale.
Tho Dan figured Reeves for some kind of stupid moron when he found the front door unlocked.
He changed his mind, however, when he found Reeves relaxing on the couch with Grace and myself.
Susan had been a fantastic help.
She’d even probed Dan’s mind for us to be able to tell us all about his weakspot.
“You may play your own part as prince, mate,” Reeves smirked, “Because I don’t think I’m very suitable for it.”
Dan wanted to turn around and split when Marty jumped on his back.
He grabbed Dan’s throat and used his ability as exploder to zap him.

“That was a piece of cake,” Marty noted.
“Yup, it was,” Reeves agreed, “And we didn’t even need to lift a finger.”
“We have to call the morgue, tho,” Grace said.
“Don’t be so lazy,” I snorted, “You can’t have everything done for you by others.”
“But, my tits and I are a little down,” Grace sniffed, “My darlin’s tell me that you won’t be telling us any nice fairytales anymore now.”
“Grow up,” I said, eyeballing Gracie’s chest, “You’re too old for this shit, ladies.”
“Don’t belittle my tits,” Grace snorted, “They have a lot of catching up to do.”
And she moved her adolescent tits over to the phone to give the morgue a ring.
163

Sylphid had been staying in a strange kind of dream-void, pondering whether or not he wanted to go back to his body.
A part of him wanted to go back, because he had a cat to take care of, but the other didn’t want to return, because it was afraid of Willis.
“It’s okay to go - huh, huh - back now,” Fuma said, meeting the man in the void, “Those two cops who have been talking to you have gotten him out of your life forever.”
“You must think of me as some kind of incredible wimp,” Sylphid noted, “Or, at least, a little stupid, for living with Willis for 27 years.”
“I don’t think you’re a wimp or stupid,” Fuma stated, “I know all about how easy it is to end up as underdog.
I’ve been one myself, too, and you would say that it couldn’t happen to someone like me, because I’m an Eternal.”
“The biggest humiliation of all was when he wanted to make up, apologize,” Sylphid said, “On those times, I hated him the most.”
“That’s because you felt that he only did it to make himself feel better,” Fuma stated, “You know, that doc, Eden, and those two cops know exactly how you feel.
They’ll even be able to help get closure to that part of your life.
Three decades is a long time to be battered, but it is possible to give it a place.”
“I find that difficult to believe since I’ve been confronted with the consequences every single day,” Sylphid stated, “Don’t know if you’ve noticed, but my body is deaf as a result of ending up under the wheels of a shuttle-train.”
“I can restore that,” Fuma said, “But can only do it when you’re back in your body.
After all, I’m an Eternal with a superior healing-ability.”
“What’s your favorite music ?” Sylphid asked, smiling.
“Traditional Adantai-chants,” Fuma replied, “And yours ?”
“Anything,” Sylphid replied, “Music kind of was my whole life before.”
“I can make it your life again,” Fuma nodded and was Sylphid’s escort back to his flesh.

Eden backed away some when his soul’s eyes saw Sylphid return to his body and watched Fuma appear in the room as ghost.
He restored Sylphid’s hearing and told him to take - huh, huh - care of himself before he vanished.
“My cat,” Sylphid began a little insecure when he saw Eden, “What happened to the cat ?”
“Animal Care Department took him to a temporary home,” Eden replied, “As soon as you’re up and about again you can go pick him up.”
“Great,” Sylphid nodded, “I was practically sure that I saw him disappear under the settee in the den.”
“Sylphid,” Eden began, easing his ass down on the edge of the bed, “I live in a warehouse with other folks like you and I and was wondering if you felt like moving in, too.
I mean, Willis is dead, Jill told me that her and Shade made him pay for everything he did, but if you still feel unsafe, the warehouse is open.”
“I’d like that,” Sylphid nodded, “Provided that my cat also is welcome.”
“Always,” Eden snorted.
“Can you turn on the radio for me ?” Sylphid asked, “I’d like to hear what’s on.”
“Yeah, no problem,” Eden nodded and turned on the radio.
In fifteen years, the music sure had changed, tho it sounded better than it ever had before now Sylphid could hear it again and he never would forget who had done this for him, either.
164

With a nice-sounding excuse, Blind got Azranan to come with him to Warnon City in the Land of Droye.
Azranan was clueless about what Blind had planned.
Tho he started to get ideas when they entered the joint where they served everything with rice and saw the chief and his other criminals wait for him and Blind at a table for eight.
“Have a seat, kid,” Lusitan said, having the smile back on his face.
“Can I ask one question ?” Azranan inquired while he pulled up a chair, “What did I do to deserve this ?”
“I think we’re showing our gratitude because you came down with the shackle-keys four times, kid,” Jez replied.
“You don’t need to thank me for that,” Azranan snorted, “I just wanted to help you guys and happened to know how to get you out.”
“We know how you talked business with Hassan,” H’dae noted.
“Big fuckin’ deal,” Azranan shrugged, “I just had what he wanted and he had something I wanted, the keys.
It was a fair trade.”
The waiter served the criminals the menu-charts.
“They really serve anything with rice here,” Azranan grinned, quite mad, “I’m gonna remember this day forever, fellas.”
“And he’s the reason why I’m still the chief,” Lusitan said to Jez, “He doesn’t talk to himself and doesn’t look forward to seeing my smile crumble, either.”
“What - What happened ?” Azranan demanded.
“The chief found out that he was adopted, angel,” Blind explained, “He’s the Emperor’s Bastard now.”
“Oh, yeah,” Azranan smirked, “I saw that in Death’s Fire.
That was sooooo spicey !”
“Spicey ?” Lusitan frowned, “Can you give me one - Hint ?”
“Sorry, chief,” Azranan snorted, “This is another answer I cannot reveal, yet.”
“Ow, great,” Lusitan sighed, “I had all my hope on you, kid, because dad - nor my moms - wanted to tell me anything.”
They had told him that keeping the details about his adoption a secret was for his own protection.
But while the criminals had a terrific evening, Azranan had the time of his life being in a place where they had everything with his lifetime addiction.
EPILOGUE

Time for the final chapter.
Madeline Johnson and Estelle Sorvino both were sent back by the Guardian.
The same thing happened to some of the victims of that ballerina-idiot, the Tarot-wacko, the mummy-moron and the three gals + that totally off storyteller.
And speaking of these three young ladies, Sean and Jeff are great guardians and they are really helping them with realizing all of their dreams and everything.

And Sylphid moved into the warehouse - with his cat, of course - and really likes it to live with others who also find that one bad relationship is enough to last you a lifetime.
He has more friends now than he ever had before and still sees Jill and Shade a lot, too.
He also is back into composing music and dedicated one album to everyone who aided him.
Most of the numbers are for Fuma, tho, because he gave him his hearing back.
Sylphid feels that he now has nothing left to wish for.
His dreams came true and his nightmare went away.

Most of the victims of the Hezai were sent back, too.
After the last battle, they finally are truly extinct now.
Avrad fully recovered and he doesn’t even think about thwarting the little otaku a second time.
But, speaking of Tryad, the last I heard he was up to something else once more.
However, we all know what he’s trying to do, we kind of sort of started to trust each other even more and don’t believe what we get to behold anymore, either, when we see Tryad having likeness of one of us.

And before I forget, Joan had a daughter, exactly like Blind had predicted, and Archangel and Joan are probably the proudest parents any where.
After more than ten-some years even their wish came true.

And now, I’ve nothing left to tell, so I’ll just close this episode like you do any other with the final words of :

THE END