Ronald returned his monocle back nodding to Khyon his thanks “That's quite a family lineage.” I waved him off “I like you Ronald, but this wasn't bragging context, this was that another game “I show you mine, you show me yours.” If there is someone with a kink, desire, vengeance, or whatever against I might be near the bottom of that list. I prefer to do unto others before it's done to me, why all of you are in this, Khyon included.“ I raised my hand before he could protest “Oh, please. I'm not getting any prizes for my smarts but you were approached for this job and declined as a normal person, but “Hey Hákon I just got this super secret long-range Aether rifle, I'm testing it for our special forces. Actually, there is just one better model. Isn't it cool? I really shouldn't do this but I'll give you this one if you help me do a few chores.” How dumb do you think I am? Now either one of you start or I'm gone” I look at the three looking at each other, there was more distrust there than with me. Usually, I'm the most distrusted dung in the room, and more than not with good reason. I was somewhat surprised Santino was the one to go first. He spat into the fire “Yeah Anne and I are what you would call a relationship and mortal could not pull that off, her name is Ankh-ka-en-heru, but family and more familiar is Tat-kher-Het-Sekhmet Her Father was one of the children of Sekhmet, Maahes. She's the last survivor of that line. He gives one of his small half-smiles “I really should not be counted in such a prestigious company, but then I am apparently the only true God here, Greek and Romans knew me under my most famous names Pan and Faust. And there is the answer how can I be with Anne, no matter how much she hungers, I always have more to give, it is under my purview after all.” Khyon lifts one eyebrow “I have a feeling, don't know how, but that is somehow jab at the rest of us.” Santos just smiled “As for Elunara, her name is ...” I suddenly filled in “Elunara Nal' Seruth, and is thought to be one of the lost children of Lir from the Christian work Aided Chlainne Lir or “Children of Lir” but that is not true she is one of the children of the one of the first Fomorian king Ealdaha known under at least six more names, for this story is important that he sired among the others Bres, next king, but god know how many others under other names. He was killed in the duel against Surtr.” Khyon and Roland looked at me as a ghost “That might complicate things.” adds Roland. I shrug “Not really I want to see my dad dead too, today when we had that little fire incident we sorted it out.”

Khyon tilted his head “So you bonded around the wish to off your daddy, that's so sweet.” “It is. Now you two mundane assholes and Ronald your charm won't save you here. Neither of you has a reason to help, yet one is in the line of fire, and the other very, very, sneakily adds more literal bang for my buck, if I was stabbed in the front I likely wouldn't be hurt at all. What's your play? I mean it is obvious that Dwarves suffer more but Elves felt the sting too.” There is silence again, but this time it felt different, not distrustful but mournful. Ronald took his hat off like at the funeral “Only Torag's shrine shines in the depths, we tried to fight but..with our forces spread we were swept away. Two weeks away Torag's realm is attacked, it is vanquished together with all help we sent. Torag took shelter under the iron mountain, he is the only one that managed to retreat. We currently have no Paladins and Clerics left, they covered the retreat, and Irnall my kin is preparing for the final showdown under the iron mountain. Khyon looks at Ronald and bows “Convey the deepest regret from Elunkhái” Then he turns to me “We felt a disturbance in an unseen world, and sent special forces to investigate, when they did not return. It was not cause for immediate concern. The unseen world is dangerous. We were in the process of choosing a second reinforced expedition when the eternal fires of Desna and Ketephys were extinguished almost at the same time. Some of you might choose different words but we see ourselves as cautious people. We will not exit banging our shields if we don't know what we're banging them against. We fell into a defensive posture. Together with our gods. And decided to refrain from further action until we have more information.” I gave him a half grin “Information that will collect people like me.” He gave a half shrug “Hardly for free.” I smiled “Of course I will take a few items from our Drow raid, the rest is yours and our account is settled.” Khyon almost resignedly shakes his head “World can go to Hell, but you will be sure your cut is adequate.” I shrugged “World is not in Hell yet. However is it not much better to finally have it all in the open, to get rid of all skeletons in your closet?” Ronald looks both sides “Sorry boy it actually feels absolutely the same.” Santino finally catches on and chuckles, while I take a seat on the ground and look at the others “Exactly.” Khyon looks at me mildly frowning “I'm not following, all of this should've brought us closer together, showing how together we are stronger.” I raised a finger “I never said it will show that together we are stronger, just that it will bring us together. We sat on a bunch of secrets, defending them with blood. Making each other weaker, for absolutely nothing. All we have are dusty old skeletons clutching papyrus if we are shit out of luck and runes if we are lucky. So arrogant. Out of three of us, there is one God, a minor one, but God non less. So...Pan, any insight?” Santino shrugged “Nope. We are like any immortal, but since we were seemingly the first, power and opulence came naturally, as is ”dealing with threats”. But we got old and complacent. And threats got many and well organized. Then what we call the first fall began. Some adapted, like me. Enjoying hundreds of faces until I had to vanish. Even then not completely. But then we were many, Monotheism shrunk us, and killed many by not violence but simply forgetting. But this is something else.”

“Now when we stopped pounding in the chest as male apes maybe we should call girls out.” Ronald is tactful as always. I look at Santino “Well, you have a girl there go call them” He furrowed his nose “She doesn't like that term, by the way, it would seem you and Irish are sweet on each other” “We're just friends.” “I heard that one before.” I gave a half-growl “Fine but at least clean this shit up a bit.” Khyon snorted “Shit you're guilty of.” “Fucking either go pick up the girls or clean the room around the fire!” He just raised his hands in surrender and started to pick up burned pieces of burned wood. I moved through the tents until I got to Anne's and coughed a few times outside “Everyone decent inside.” Anne's voice comes behind the curtain “I'm always decent.” “I just played with three children, I'm not in the mood to play with more, if you want to discuss solutions with us, come to the fireplace, if not have a nice rest of the evening.” I turned on my heel and began to retrace my steps. Several seconds later I felt a presence on my left “Hey Red” “That's just her defense mechanism, monster or not she does have feelings.” I sighed “And being annoyed is my defense mechanism, is she coming?” “In a few minutes.” “Good.” “How did you solve that...manliness measuring contest?” “By being an even larger child than them, by the time they made sure baby have its pacifier. they forgot why they yelled at each other in the first place.” I feel she looks at me “And you absolutely acted, of course?” I half smiled as we rounded the last tent “I'm hurt you even have to ask?” I smelled her curls as she shook her head and bit my lip. Santino might be right, I was getting too sweet on this girl. Girl? Spirit? Goddess? In any case, I should come back to Earth, to me she was about as off-limits as Anne was, just for different reasons. We closed the fire and Santino raised his head “Anne...” “Is fashionably late.” She comes out one tent right of us, I roll my eyes, but we are at least all here. Five minutes later we sit around the fireplace. “O.K. now we all are here...” Ronald starts “...we need to figure out our next step.” Anne leans back “Not really.” We all look at her “Obviously now all are out in the open, why not just continue with the original plan.” Surprisingly Santino is the first to push back “Because secrecy served the purpose, without I doubt we would find volunteers. She gave one of her scented smiles, rather heady at that, I could swear I downed a cup of mead and smelled of honey and raisins.” Surprisingly I felt Helen almost deafening me with her scream. And the illusion vanished, I gave the handle an appreciatively gentle touch “Yeah, but now we don't need volunteers. We need a volunteer. The rest is just chaff, there dreaming of a big payday.” I would give much to have an expression on her face at that moment. Because of that mix of surprise and confusion, I never saw on her face, before or after. “I think my lady has me in mind, rightly. Being a borderline idiot, I will fit nicely with the rest of her plan.” She paused, obviously trying to see all my angles, but I just smiled “You were ready to propose it to be me before you find out I'm a step ahead, now you are weary. It doesn't work like that, you trust me or don't.” Anne shakes her head chuckling “I admit, you might play a court jester very well, so well that one forgets how dangerous you can be. Yes, you were my pick, and yes I admit you got one over on me. Shall we get into the finer points now?” She sits next to Santino and Elunara next to me. Was this coincidence or forming of new factions...or was I really so damaged Human being that I looked for an ulterior motive behind anything, even the damn fact that there are just so many places around fire and pair sitting together is nothing too strange, especially when now all was in the open...well all that was relevant...hopefully.

Santino opened “Well basics haven't changed, as the Hákons job, it's still a bank heist. Differences come from where and who. Hákon volunteered to be the man on the inside, we need a capable crew but are clueless about our real mission, time is of the essence but we can spare about two weeks for this, whoever the assassin, he or she, struck last time a week ago. So far they kept pretty iron-clad and hit a month's schedule, so unless they sniffed us out there is no reason for it to change. So a week passed, two for the crew, we'll have one more week to iron everything out and strike. However, once we light that fuse there is no coming back. Whoever is doing this is expecting some answer sooner or later, I'm counting on his eyes passing us because we are...well, nobodies. As Hákon so nicely put I'm the only clear deity here and a minor one at that, we have two half deities and two capable members of their race, in Khyons case probably more powerful than some of those with god blood in their veins. Still, for someone who did this for several millennia without significant opposition, we are seen as basic chaff. Something to be cleared of its boots when done with big boys and girls.” “Speaking of which...” As always Ronald waits politely until he's acknowledged by the speaker. “I'm not a member of that club, nor do I know how it works, have you approached any of them?” Santinos face sours and he takes off his hat and dusts his knees off from leftover dirt from his “sniper nest”. “Approached no, taken basic temperature of the room where I could yes, mostly because surprise is still our largest asset. I'm fortunate to have free movement between both Greek and Romans, also being pretty tight with Loki and all Christs.” Noticing the look on my face “It's metaphysics BS, Christ, the Man was only one but after the resurrection, Schism, Protestants, American religious awakening all of them have different reinterpretations of the Son and Holy Spirit, that resonates in our world. While all Christs are pretty chill with each other since they stand broadly for the same things, Holy Spirits are a bit more prickly. Think of it like this The Son is all dogma, ideas, reforms etc. but Holy Spirit is actual power, more it is divided less powerful each of them in turn is. But that aside, they are basically pacifists, they won't go quietly into the silent night but they won't go and look for him, Moses and Mohammed, who are thankfully one each support him. Still alone, even while they possess most of the active worshipers, that pacifist streak that their worshipers forget quite often is strong within them. Well your kind got Arts when one Christ was killed, and His Holy Spirit got a bit vengeful and went on his own we found him in Mount Vesuvius two weeks later and it was a hell of a fight but since genius fought on active lava flow we had no usable data to draw on. Still, the point is that he wounded whatever he fought, much harder than Elven War God, by examination we figured he basically skewered it with a Holy Spear, basically a piece of bronze imbued with lightning, and then slammed it one more time by Arts alone lightning strike straight to the dome and considering they fought on molten metal it probably hurt. The metal loses a lot of its properties at the melting point, but not all of it was molten, it was a pair of hits that would take me out. Nobody knows what happened next. But due to the pair of strikes whatever we fight was on one knee. They managed to get a cast. Holy Spirit was above him, spear still stuck in his opponent, to control him drawing his own Falcata to deliver we assume decapitation blow. However, while he preferred to keep things period authentic, whoever he fought had no such code. While padding was already burnt or actively on fire, he had, assumedly basket-hilted sword, not unlike your own he drew it in time for him to save his neck with the guard, likely not even drawing it all the way, just to protect the neck.” I mimicked the move, while not on the knee, I was still sitting. The disadvantage for sure but possible, there was still a bit in the scabbard about what would be the fastest way, then it dawned on me. Santino said “Period Appropriate” Whatever, or whoever this Holy Spirit was he'd likely had a shield with a Spear, He would use arts to keep at least a portion where they fought cool enough so his weapons don't melt, still for him to hold onto the spear and drew the sword, the shield had to go, big mistake. It's not like they had no protection on their upper legs but due to the shield most went to their lower legs with greaves, upper legs would be minimally protected after all that's where the shield was. I finished the imaginary move drawing the sword and instead of going up for the heart, neck, or head I stabbed in a push cut and drew back in a pull cut in the same wound. If the sword was shaving sharp and if he used as much might as he had left, it would get to the bone, but more importantly, he'd severed the artery. Still role-playing I grabbed the pretend spear in my chest. The enemy had the benefit of higher ground but he was bleeding, severely, and now I was controlling his longer weapon and had a longer sword. I blocked an imaginary cut, then another, and another...I had no reason to risk. My opponent was already dead if he doesn't let go of the spear. I imagine he did, standing up and wrenching the spear out of the wound, and in nearly the same move Enemy hurled it at Holy Spirit then lounge with my longer blade aiming for the throat. Santino raises his arm “He got him with the spear actually, right through the throat. Besides the knee cast nothing else to go on, some mortal physicians helped to narrow the physic. If Human, or Human-like then strong 6'7-6'9”, 400-420 pounds. Dwarf or Dwarf-like well above average at least 5'-5'2, same weight, Elven is near impossible to hide, the mere height would be between 8 and 9 feet and still being lighter than my counterparts. Orc or Half-Orc Physiologically makes the most sense. It would break the mold but not by much. Ghulrak Skulltaker was 7'4” and 510 when he was killed at the Battle of The Last Scream. 8 feet is imaginable.” I raised an eyebrow “But?” Santino glanced in the flames for a good 30 seconds “I don't have a thing to back this up but I think but I don't think this is another mortal. My bet is on the disgruntled half-deity or minor Deity.” “Of which you have two of first of the first kind and you and Red are second.” He shook his head, the first time that I saw with complete conviction. “Neither of you was disgruntled about being Half Deity if there was any dissatisfaction it was about having anything to do with Gods at all. Irish and I had our grievances with the system, but not of this nature. This...This is something else.”

Khyon shrugged “So in short we can't expect shit from gods.” Red's musical laughter chimed like a silver bell “Oh they will arrive to pick up the glory when the job is done.” Santino nodded grimly “We need to grab about 4 bastards ready to go with Hákon in some two weeks.” Khyon noticing all attention turned to the two of us and raises both eyebrows “I take offense that you'd think we'd associate with such lowlife.” Then he glances at me and I grumbled “But we might be able to get something done.” I look at others “Where is Drow's equipment? I assume you looted them?” Khyon casually tilts his head. “Piece of your part is mine since I don't know what deal you struck with our God of excess here.” I couldn't help but smile at the natural-born skinner in him. “You'll be well taken care of, especially if I find what I saw. I'll take two pieces, that burst hand crossbow and all ammo for its kind and a helm of that one I blew threw the chest.” He grins “Ah noticed that one? In such a short time, I'm impressed. So far I'm fine. Your friends?” “Pick of the horses, I'm not sure all of them will want an upgrade, after all, I wouldn't change a Girl for all of those showboats, but that's up to them.” Santino smoothly transitions “Two horses, you'll get one of ours to even the exchange, second, we'll keep for baggage. So you get most of the armor, two of their horses, and one of ours. I'd say a pretty good deal.” Khyon gives a half smile “Since it comes with a suicide mission attached, that remains to be seen, but if I survive, satisfactory.” I look at Santino “Just four, what about the rest?” He shrugged “As I said when I came from the hill and you were in the process of fainting we poked the bear. Those horses were trained to return to the main camp if something happen. We barely wrangled these four. I pray we don't have to fight two wars at once, but being a God myself I have a unique perspective on prayers, so I highly doubt ours will be taken too seriously.” “Awesome.” I stood up and look at the crew “Khyon show me to the loot and we can discuss prospective candidates for this little shitshow, Santino you are the man with the answers so you come with us so we can consult. Ronald and the girls go and pick horses for exchange. Girls you are getting riders, try to find something with muted colors although I think all of them are black, Ronald, pick one of ours that will go to Khyon.” Two groups separated and as soon out of earshot I looked at Santino “O.K. you're really dancing around this one, what fucking bank are we supposed to hit?” Santino followed Khyon “I danced around nothing, you never asked.” “I didn't ask blow, for a blow description of the fight in Mount Vesuvius yet I got it, currently I don't know if are we staying in the state or not the less alone city.” “You are not staying in the state, actually, you are visiting your old stomping grounds, you should be happy.” “I would be happy if you were talking about say, Oklahoma but you're not, you are talking about Louisiana and my “sea-dwelling” friends there and likely in a show of something really stupid.” Khyon took us to the new tent, it smelled of armor oil and odd herbal scents he lit three lamps inside and put out his torch showing booty on the ground. That shut me up for a second, Drow knew how to make pretty things, and despite both Red's and Anne's Art, my shoulder was still sore, likely poison. Khyon approached picked something from the ground and threw it to me, the size I expected at least a pound of weight, my of the hand measurement object in my hand couldn't be heavier than a third of a pound and my eyes did not lie. I held a full-head metal helmet. “Mithral?” he just nodded “This is at least by third lighter than your stuff, is it thinner?” He shook his head “Try asking your grave-digging friend but I doubt he knows, their blacksmith dies before giving their secrets, trust me I watched it.” I held in my hands mat black plate helmet with slightly odd eyeholes “To protect their eyes from the light, due to curvature they remain in the shadow while not impeding their vision too much. Round pipes in front lead to a separate chamber where your mouth and nose will be, they have various anti-gas measures, quite successful too, also it makes their voices disturbing to normal humans. They slightly went out of style with improvements in firearms. Still, they held their own all through the musket and one-shot era. Besides stealth and ergonomics, it is basically impossible to land a bullet on a flat surface, simply because they did not have one, in the chaos of the fight landing a perfect shot in the eye was basically it” I glanced at the neck hole “It's too narrow.” how to get it on He pointed on the part of sparse ornamental carving “Press there, hard, once it clicks rotate it backward 90 degrees.” It did take some power to push the button but once pressed it glided backward smoothly. front portion moved more forward creating an opening through which I was able to squeeze my head in. Once Khyon spoke again to my surprise I heard him perfectly “Same pipes that serve for breathing create an imitation of the elven ear inside with several hidden holes. Since it's anatomically built from Elven anatomy I wouldn't be surprised if you heard better now. Just slightly but slightly sometimes can save your life. Now just press that same button again.” I did and felt the helm closing, for one rather unnerving second I thought it will choke me but it just sealed most of my senses from outside. Only my eyes are in their own small compartment to peak at the world, two more chambers were for breathing and speech, and the last one for hearing I looked at Santos “Bloody hell! You look like a Grim Reaper.” “What are you talking about?” Well if I meant to soothe him that didn't help It even raised hair on my neck. Khyon tutted “Told you it meant to scare the enemy, and hell it scared me too.” The sentence was perfectly understandable but in an odd pitch-shifted tone that sounded like it came from the other side of the grave, it growled and screeched like nails on the glass suddenly falling in deep chilling bass. Deciding it was enough of talking I looked around I saw the mirror with disbelief I looked at Khyon. “Drow is a highly matriarchal society, it came from the leader, such a small contingent being led by a female is odd. Likely young freshly promoted and given what they thought easy assignment.” Forgetting my “non-talking” rule almost as I made it “Wait they are always led by a woman.” Khyon laughed but there was some odd sadness in that laughter “Yes and if you ever gonna remember to listen to me, if you find yourself with a team or solo against Drow carrying a whip similar to cat-o-nine-tails but all lashes are living snakes you run, even if you outnumber them, run. To hell with pride, when you are face to face with the full-fledged priestess of Lolth.” I looked at the mirror and figured out what disturbed Santino, the helmet was closed and it did look menacing as hell, especially with all my other duds. I was a leather-clad armored... thing but what was most disturbing from those holes in my helmet there was not even a light of the whites. Just two black holes, not unlike a skull. Khyon chimed in, “Same as everything meant to intimidate but this has a practical purpose, it protects the eyes, unless you shine a light directly into their eyes it won't hit their retinas. And yeah you do look badass as hell with all the rest.”

“Now this.” He gave me what seemed like a small wooden gun with some string attached. “It has a safety on, that's how it's meant to be worn. On the right, you'll find the lever move it for one position.” As I did small thing spring into life, springs, and cogs whirling unwinding a thing in a familiar crossbow shape just smaller. Khyon attached a piece of cardboard with the crudely drawn target. “O.K. since this is just practice we are not wasting chemical bolts just nice reusable steel ones. It has a magazine, that round long thing under it, it takes roughly a second in this mode from shot to shot, so slightly longer than an experienced slinger but as a plus it has 15 bolts and effective shot distance is roughly the same.” Losing a few I aimed and pressed what passed for a trigger, I accounted for a kick...which wasn't there, well it was but compared to Helen it might as well not be there, next 2 shots went better but the center eluded me. I was shooting from one side of the tent to another. With Helen, I would be able to put a few bullets through the same holes, I was certain. Khyon snickered “Annoying eh.” He held the same weapon and then shot into the middle, his second bolt split the first one. “Yeah, yeah I'm showing off. O.K. these are not bullets, they travel a fraction of the speed, so for start think of them like throwing knives, much more temperamental than bullets.” I swallowed frustration and thanked whatever God's staying alive and that I still had a helmet on. I took critique and I did improve, slowly but as Khyon said 15 is a hell of a lot of ammo, and last 4 I found my grove and while not splitting the bolts all four went into the center. Khyon laughed and unattached his magazine and showed me how to do it “Raiders usually wear three full so they cut time on loading, remember unless you don't have a chance don't discard an empty magazine, they don't grow on trees. Now move the lever to the final position and go to town” And I did. The first surprise was that this kick of three bolts fired almost simultaneously was comparable to a revolver. The second was that even though they fired so quickly moving was very noticeable. Only the first one found the center, surprisingly Khyon seemed pleased “That is O.K. Now just check how roughly you move to aim, look to the right and up, and try to find the rhythm so you move your arm in the opposite direction. Hitting black from the first is impressive, go on.” I wasted three more magazines but the third one all five in black. Khyon laughed, almost giddy, even Santino gave a small approving nod, which for him was equal to doing summersaults from joy. Khyon clapped me on the shoulder “You can take the helmet off now.” I forgot I even was wearing one. I pressed and the thing opened. Just when I felt fresh air on my forehead I noticed a difference “Yeah how good are these things now anyway?” Khyon surprisingly nods approvingly “In many cases, muskets hit harder than today's rifles, so if you find yourself against like two opponents it will hold bar unfortunate eyeshot. What killed them is the rate of fire it will stop 2-3 shots but now one guy can spout like 12 bullets with pair of revolvers now add he's wearing a rifle too. you are against 24 bullets in a first round. Like I said it will hold 2-3 bullets but everyone makes it a bit weaker. Most kills are not from bullet penetrating helm but several hitting it until it shatters, then your head is unprotected, good punch will do you in. That's why they now go with that mail mesh one you blasted in the bush carried. It won't protect them from bullets, but that close, they rarely worry about bullets and the double chain is very good against blades, even absorbing some punches.” I thought about it when I felt something from the bunch of loot I approached it until I was digging through and emerged with a fully closed handguard saber, I unsheathed it, no surprise it was midnight black and long, calvary saber long to keep it still light for foot fighting it was about third narrower than calvary sabers of the time, that was not only odd thing. Putting false edges was all the rage, but there was nothing false about the last third of the back of this saber. I, naturally fought with a saber, cutlass, basically anything with an edge but I never choose one willingly, it was more that having a blade is better than not having one. I heard the blade whisper to me then talking to Helen, I placed my hand on her “You agree.” warmth spread from the revolver. I turned to Khyon, but he just raised his hands “I don't know how you do that, but by happenstance, I know the name of the saber too, tell it to me and just return the backsword.” I looked at him, considering him this was a VERY generous offer. I felt by this little handling of the saber, it was better forged. Backsword was an excellent weapon, the best I had until now, but I didn't even pause “Segod” Khyon smiled and reached sighing “My backsword please.” We left the tent, saber around my waist, Hand Crossbow in its safety on form under it, and helmet hung on the back of the belt just where the enormous Bowie ended. I suddenly remembered why we had done all of this and looked at Santino “So your Majesty, no idea how to call the Deity, what we're stealing in Louisiana.” He looked at me with his usual amused look before he's gonna say something he knows I won't like “Oh nothing illegal in Louisiana, borders are a bit murky down there now, as to what. You will take an island.” Khyon and I shared a look and at the same moment answered “What!?”