Whistlestop (38 page)

“
Well, unfortunately, she
is not available right now.”

“
Bartok is a male, so the
same things that work for my brothers and I are a good option.
Surround him with lots of pretty faces and give him too much to
drink.”

“
Thank you, Pythius,”
Linger smiled. “I only wish your namesake uncle had your
sense.”

Instantly, Brad found himself back in
the banquet hall. He was still trembling and breathing too fast
after his experience on Paranaxis. His uniform was impeccably clean
with no sign of the blood that had been soaking his trouser legs,
shoes and socks only seconds earlier. He looked around nervously
but could not find Linger anywhere. He closed his eyes and tried to
convince himself it had been a nightmare. After a few moments, he
could feel his breathing slowing and the sound of rushing blood no
longer pounded in his ears. A hand touched his and his eyes shot
open, expecting the worst. A young woman was asking him to dance.
He was about to tell her to leave when he noticed something oddly
familiar about her. He took her hand and she led him onto the dance
floor where he held one of her hands and put his other hand in the
small of her back. They joined the festive crowd and twirled around
the room. She was very pretty, but clearly much too young for this
crowd. He wondered if she was the daughter of one of his ministers
and what the crowd would think of him dancing with such a child.
“Young lady, I must admit you are quite beautiful, but you are a
bit young for such an event. Does your father know you are
here?”

“
It’s good to see you
again, Mr. Lincoln,” Lilian said. “Congratulations on your new
job.”

Brad recognized her face and tried to
push her away, but he could not control his body. They continued to
dance with the crowd. “Lilian, this isn’t possible. I saw you a few
days ago and you were a young child. Now you are almost a woman.
Who are you really?”

“
Minutes ago, you witnessed
the deaths of thousands of innocent men on a planet in another
realm and now you are here dancing with me. That isn’t possible
either, is it?”

His voice started to break and tears
welled in his eyes again, “I’m sorry Lilian. I didn’t want that to
happen, but there was nothing I could do.”

She squeezed his hand very hard and
said, “Don’t be afraid and don’t cry in front of your loyal
subjects, Mr. Lincoln. No one will hold you accountable for the
actions of you-know-who. My poppy and I will not judge you for
that, I swear.” She leaned forward and lightly touched her lips to
his. “Brad, at least try to look happy, okay?” He nodded
sheepishly. “Please understand that no one else here can see me as
I am. Everyone here sees what they want to see. Your concubines see
me as their rival, some hot voluptuous bombshell they cannot
compete with. Your ministers see me as the wives of other
ministers, casually ingratiating myself to power. Even you-know-who
cannot see Lilian Lynnette Iron-heart. If he’s looking at all, he
sees some cheap floozy out for her own chance for fame.”

“
Why don’t you say his
name?”

“
Do you remember the titan
that swallowed you-know-who’s family and took them
away?”

“
How could I forget that? I
still have nightmares about that night.”

“
Some words are magical.
They can act as a psychic leash, controlling the acts of another.
When I say his name, he can see me and act. The next time I say
that name, it will be on my terms. I will summon him.”

“
Why are you here,
Lilian?”

“
Mainly because of what
happened on Paranaxis,” she began. “It was a vile crime but it was
not your fault. Those poor souls have been released and they are
okay. They do not blame you. Secondly, the war is at hand.
Tomorrow, your army will fold to Earth to fight my father’s army.
Your real father will be there, fighting side by side with
mine.”

“
My real father. . .” Brad
sighed.

“
His name is Montrose, and
yes, he is an ogre. But he is also a poet and makes pretty good
whisky. You both have suffered terribly since your mother was
butchered. Tomorrow that all ends, either when both of you die, or
when you-know-who’s reign comes to an end. That result may well be
up to you.”

“
Lilian, you have to stop
the battle! I saw what those monsters can do. Those soldiers could
not stop them. The beasts are all powerful. Our fathers will die
needlessly. Please stop it!”

“
Bradley Lincoln, there are
some things that even my great grandfather and his brother do not
know.” She kissed his cheek again. “I know you’ll make the right
choices then. Good night.” Brad was standing alone in the center of
the dance floor. He looked around for her, but she was nowhere to
be seen. Seeing her opportunity, another one of the concubines took
his hands and began to dance with him.

Jeremy Davis Iron-heart III sounded
the alarm when the army of the Empire of Axis folded onto the
Kansas plains. An hour later, the two armies formed on opposite
sides of an area of open fields at least a mile across, where four
small homesteads sat deserted. As the sun began to cross the
horizon behind the imperial forces, an intensely bright light
flashed for a second near one of the farmhouses. After it faded,
the soldiers could see two men shaking hands in that spot. They
both walked inside one of the farmhouses for a few minutes. When
they exited again, one headed toward each of the forces. “What is
going on down there?” Jerry wondered.

“
I think it’s Poppy?” the
younger Jeremy suggested. The imperial forces launched a large
spray of rockets toward the other army, and they began to disperse
for cover. Almost immediately, the lone figure walking toward the
imperial lines raised his arms and all the rockets disappeared.
“Yeah, it’s definitely Poppy.” He hurried over to the white dragon
and said, “Emmanuel, go say hello and offer him a ride.” The dragon
jumped up into the air and flew toward the approaching figure. A
few seconds later, they could see the dragon land and prostrate
itself in front of the man, who then stroked its head and the two
continued walking toward the front line. Sadie Truth rushed from
the front line and headed toward the two.

The elder Jeremy Davis Iron-heart
stood next to his son and clapped him on the back. “This has to be
good news, Son.”

“
I don’t understand, Dad. I
didn’t think He got involved in human affairs.”

“
Linger and his children
are blatantly interfering now. The rules have to change or else
evil wins.”

“
Do you think He is going
to stop the war?”

“
I don’t know.”

A mile away, the Emperor of the
Universe stood on his front line, flanked by his generals and
wondering the same things. Linger was pacing back and forth in
front of them, mumbling angrily under his breath. One of the
generals said, “Milord, should we fire again?”

“
No, I think not,” Brad
replied and Linger stopped pacing and glowered at him. “Clearly, we
are intended to hear what the approaching person has to say. I
personally don’t want to waste all of our weapons before the battle
has begun.” Linger half-smiled and went back to his pacing and
grumbling. When the approaching man was one hundred yards away,
Linger pushed his way through the line of soldiers and disappeared.
Several bodyguards formed a gauntlet around Brad as the man reached
the line. The man stopped and raised his hands. “What do you
want?”

“
I want you to reconsider
this battle,” Luce replied.

“
The force across the way
is comprised of traitors to the empire, stranger. What would you
have us do with them?”

“
Brad, you cannot possibly
understand what is happening here. Have my son come
forward!”

“
How do you know my name,
and who is your son?” Brad asked.

Linger pushed past the line and walked
up to his father, staring angrily. “Father, this is not your
affair! I control this universe, not you!” Thousands of demons
pushed through the ranks of soldiers, forming a new front line. My
children and I will destroy those vile mortals and I will sit on
the throne of power!”

“
I’m afraid not, Linger,”
his father retorted. “This was all a mistake. Why don’t you and
your sons return with me to the Lower Realm? This silly game is at
an end.”

Across the field, Emmanuel Peace
reached the front lines and immediately walked over to the elder
Jeremy Iron-heart and embraced him. “Jeremy, it’s good to see you
again.”

Jeremy blushed slightly and looked
down. “Thank you, Dad. I’m sorry we didn’t visit you more
often.”

“
Or once.”

“
Yes, or once. If you don’t
mind my asking, why are you here?”

“
Obviously, He is here to
stop the war and end this madness,” Sadie interjected.

“
That would be great, but I
don’t think my brother or I have the power to stop Linger anymore,”
Emmanuel admitted.

“
That’s crazy!” the elder
Jeremy scoffed. “You’re the King of the Angels and you can’t stop
one demon?”

Manny shrugged and replied, “Frankly,
the story is difficult for Luce and me to believe as well, but we
have it on good authority that we would likely die along with you
in this battle.”

“
Then why are you here,
Dad?” Sadie asked.

On the other front line, Linger
screamed, “This is no game! There is no power that can match mine,
you old fool.”

Luce looked down and sighed heavily,
saying, “You’ve become a real disappointment to me, Linger. Would
you at least agree not to use advanced weapons against the other
side?”

“
Why should I?” he spat
back.

Luce put his hand on Linger’s shoulder
and smiled, but Linger quickly pushed the hand away. Luce sighed
again and said, “Son, I think you just said there was no power
greater than yours. If that is true, then a fair fight will still
leave you victorious. I had no idea you were so enamored with these
mortals that you would cheat so!”

Linger was hyperventilating and red in
the face with anger and hysteria. He thought of striking his father
dead, but then noticed the terrified looks on the demons nearby. He
choked back his ire and tried to slow his breathing, and after a
few moments was able to force a smile. “Father, that seems a
reasonable compromise, if you will then leave here and permit me to
attack.”

“
Swear it on the Lower
Realm for me, Son.”

Linger’s eyes began to glow red, but
then he forced his body to be calm again. “Father, I swear on my
honor as a son of the Lower Realm not to use advanced weaponry on
the enemy.” Instantly, all the tanks, rifles, rocket launchers,
grenades, and other weapons morphed into swords, shields, bows and
arrows, battle axes, catapults and armored horses. “Anything
else?”

Luce hugged his son and kissed his
cheek, though Linger pushed back to get away. Instantly, Luce was
gone. A huge roar erupted from Linger’s army and they began to move
across the plain to attack.

Manny smiled and said, “Well, time to
go,” and turned to walk away.

Sadie shouted after him, “Dad, where
are you going? What are we supposed to do?”

Manny walked over to Jerry and hugged
him, saying, “You have done a wonderful job raising Jeremy and
Lilian. Please know that they love you very much and so do I.” He
patted his cheek and then motioned to the whole group and shouted,
“I have faith in all of you.” He smiled as he faded quickly
away.

Jerry pulled his sword and motioned
for the army to engage the enemy. Immediately, the trolls and ogres
rushed to the front and charged. The rest of the army began to rush
forward toward their destiny.

Moments later, archers on both sides
began to launch volleys toward their adversaries. Sadie and Linger
used their powers to destroy the arrows midflight. The dragons
jumped into the air with sprite and elf archers on their backs.
Jerry was now running as fast as he could, trying desperately to
catch up to Lydia and his son, now twenty yards ahead of him and
accelerating toward the battle. The trolls and ogres were
approaching the demons now, both sides approaching a small
farmhouse in the center of the battlefield. The white dragon was
now flying directly toward the house with Archimedes just behind
him. Arrows were everywhere and the dragons looped and spun in the
air to avoid being struck.

Jerry’s heart was pounding in his
chest. He was terrified that his family would die here. They were
the ones Linger wanted most of all. He realized only Lilian would
be left alive to grieve for them, but she would be alone and
helpless to save the universe then. The dreams of Winterpast would
die along with the last knights. The first demons were less than
fifty feet from the farmhouse when the front door opened and Lilian
Iron-heart stepped out into the midst of war. Jerry felt nauseous
and wanted to die now rather than see those monsters kill his
little girl. He did not know what to do. In desperation, he jumped
forward. Instead of falling and tumbling to the ground, he shot
forward faster than humanly possible and landed five feet past her
just as a demon swung his axe to strike. Jerry blocked the blow
with his sword. He jumped again, landing on the demon’s head and
slammed the hilt of his weapons down on its head, causing it to
slump to the ground. Jerry jumped back into position to protect her
as dozens more demons approached. He could hear the trolls just
entering the area when a deep boom filled the air, deafening him. A
massive sphere of light shot through him from behind, eventually
enveloping both armies.