Chapter 169: Dad Talk

Chapter 169: Dad Talk

I looked upwards, eyes searching the skies. Somewhere up there, giant fish swam through the clouds. If I could tempt them down, maybe they would fight my enemies. Who was I kidding? The first thing theyd do was eat me.

Cheng landed in the middle of the arena, both his opponents out cold. He lifted Comfort out of the pool of blue liquid he was lying in and tried to carry him. The difference in size was too great, and Cheng too exhausted, so he had to drag the body out of the arena, back to the Palace. A trail of blue trickled behind them.

Unscathed rose to his knees, collapsed, and tried again. After a couple more aborted attempts, he got all the way up and followed.

There was a smattering of applause but most of the crowd were still confused about how Cheng had managed to defeat the two larger challengers and chatter was rife in all parts of the amphitheatre. A flash of light and Cheng appearing out of thin air was probably considered some kind of magic known only to the masters. The masters obviously already knew it had nothing to do with them.

Phil rose from his seat as 288 flew overhead and excused his way past the people seated in his row. He paused when he got to where I was sitting in the row behind.

Weve been summoned, he said.

I thought you could handle this one, I said.

Phil sighed. Do you really think they wont notice if you dont turn up? Im sure they have other, less polite ways to make you go.

He was right. But if they knew about the time-stop, what good would it do to walk willingly into the lions jaws?

A good leader would have seen this coming and have a contingency plan locked and loaded. A flappy-box camouflaged under a tarpaulin, ready for a quick getaway. A tunnel dug and hidden behind a picture of Rita Hayworth. Dorma was supposed to have a plan of his own, now would have been a perfect time for the cavalry to arrive. There was no bugle sound, no charge of heroes to the rescue.

You expected this to happen, right? said Phil.

I nodded. A mediocre leader knew when to keep his mouth shut. Lets go then. I stood up.

Jenny stood up at the same time and grabbed my arm, pulling me in for a kiss. Good luck. Then she sat down again.

Youre coming, too, minx.

Who me? said Jenny, like I was talking to some other minx.

Im coming, said Mandy, jumping to her feet.

You all are. I didnt see why I had to walk into the lions den alone.

They didnt invite us, said Claire.

Yeah, but I am. And Im the leader. Up, you fuckers.

Reluctantly, they all rose and grumbled their way down the rows towards the exit. I dont think it was the demons they were upset about. More likely they thought while I was off taking care of things theyd have a chance to sneak off to get in some rutting. Young people in love are disgusting.

Once we were out of the amphitheatre it became clear what would have happened if I had refused to accept the invitation. A line of war golems waited at the exit, ignoring us. But ignoring us in a very menacing manner.

288 flapped up to the head of the biggest one and exchanged some words out of earshot.

Whatever happens in there, I said to Claire, try to pick up anything Chengs Dad might be thinking. Hes going to have the most useful information.

I cant, said Claire. I tried before and I got nothing.

Like with me?

When he put it like that, it was hard to argue against.

Claire had her hands on her hips now. You would happily exterminate thousands for your own self-interest? Because youre just that important?

Yes. You had to hand it to him, he knew how to make his point.

Claire, of course, didnt know when to shut her trap. So youre going to murder them just like you murdered Chengs mother?

Biscuits face actually registered some emotion at the mention of his ex-wife. I cant say for sure which emotion it was, but there was definitely a shift in features.

Murder? There was no stealing of life with his mother. She gave herself to me freely, as those who watch below do so also.

Yo saying she wanted you to eat her? said Flossie. Defiance can be catching.

Biscuit paused, probably trying to work out what Flossie had said through her thick Brummie accent.

I was trapped in a world that could not sustain me. The man in the tower brought me there against my will, trapped me with no way home. The air was like poison. Each day I grew a little weaker and the only way to open the portal required more energy than I possessed.

He paused and turned as Cheng came out onto the balcony. He looked unharmed. Mandy flinched, wanting to run to him but resisting. You dont want to cause a scene in front of your prospective in-laws.

Biscuit put his arms on Chengs shoulders. Your mother offered me her life so that mine might continue, but she is with me still, in here. It would have been touching if hed touched his heart or maybe his head. But he placed his hand on his stomach, which was kind of uncomfortable.

The power of love, said Mr Biscuit, is a curious thing.

Makes one man weep, makes another one sing, said Flossie.

Biscuit nodded. Sage words. First time anyone ever said that about a Huey Lewis song.

This revelation about Chengs mother stymied us all, even Phil and David. If she had really given up her life of her own free will, did that mean Biscuit was the monster we had thought? Answer: yes. You dont eat people just because they say you can!

The man in the tower, I said, the one who summoned you, hes the one who sent us here. Do you hold a grudge against him?

Aye, said Biscuit, his mood growing more sombre. I would give much to have him within my grasp.

Then help us get back. We can send him to you. I had no idea if that was possible. Certainly Id be happy to try, but getting away from this doomed world was my first priority.

We have no need of your assistance. The man in the tower will be dealt with in time. We have plans in place to bring him and his world under our control. Such is the power of the Prophecy Machine.

This was the first time anyone had mentioned a Prophecy Machine. Before I could ask him about it, the third masternamed Cheeser by Mauricea yellow gelatinous blob proportioned like a snowman with large, black orbs for eyes, extended part of its body into a thin limb and threw it out like a whip.

The gelatinous limb curled around Phils body and then yanked him across the balcony straight into the jelly belly with a floop! sound.

It was so quick we had no time to react. Even if wed had the time, Im not sure what we could have done. Phil hung there, floating in yellow goo. His arms and legs flailed about but to no effect.

The body encasing Phil vibrated and Phil vibrated along with it. Then there was a climactic convulsion and he was ejected. He landed on the ground covered in slime and slid across the floor puking up goo.

Inside the now vacated body there was an object about the size of an index finger. It was throbbed with light, changing from one colour to another, although all colours were seen through the filter of Cheesers translucent body so they appeared to be different shades of mustard.

Interesting, said Biscuit as he bent down to peer into Cheesers stomach. I seem to recall this was one of the oddities we brought back from the third Darkholme. No one ever knew what it did. To think, it had power over time itself Quite interesting. He straightened up again. I dont know how it came to be in your possession, but no matter. It will be even more interesting to see how you will do without its aid.

Yes. Interesting. Not the word I would have used.