![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tikificTitle: The Laughing Demons (Mythklok, Chapter 63)
Author: tikistitch
Rating: PG-13
Summary: A demon hunt!
Warnings: Demon killing
Notes: Notes after the jump.
Last time: We had an inscrutable warning about Wotan, delivered by his dead son, Baldr, who, we found out, was also Ganesh's first love. So, there's that. Also, Raziel found out Charles's not-daughter Ashleigh is plotting to be famous. Well, there's a big surprise. And Ganesh is going to work professionally on Pickles's stage fright. Using voodoo! Oh, and everybody decided to go to Valhalla for some old fashioned demon-killin'! Yee-haw!
Many years ago....
Ganesh led his parents through the grounds of what would some day soon be his new residence, in the shadow of the Himalayas.
Nothing he had shown Shiva and Parvati so far had pleased them.
But he was not discouraged. It seemed nothing he had ever done, nor would ever do, would please Shiva and Parvati.
"it is far too small," huffed Shiva at one point.
"It is precisely as big as I require," Ganesh told him.
"What about your consorts? My heirs?" demanded Shiva.
"Certainly, my brother, Lord Skanda, has already acquired sufficient consorts for the both of us," Ganesh told him.
Shiva and Parvati exchanged an inscrutable glance.
They did this sometimes.
"But what about you, my son?" asked Parvati. "It is not good that one should remain alone."
Ganesh regarded his mother. Finally he shrugged and told her, "It is not a matter I have given much thought up until now."
After they had left, Ganesh stood for a while out by the site of what was to be a reflecting pool. It had not been filled in with water yet, of course, as construction was still going on, so it was more chaotic and dusty than a place of meditation. He brought out a cigarette. His mother was right, of course. It was not good to remain alone. Had he perhaps found a companion? The events of the past few months had been delightful, but confusing. Perhaps that was the way it was supposed to feel?
Suddenly, Ganesh gasped. He sat down, hard, on a bench, wincing from the stabbing pain in his chest. He slowly unclasped his hands from over his heart, genuinely expecting to see blood. But there was nothing there. He gazed at his palms in wonder. What could have happened?
Many miles away, a riotous drunken party had turned to blood. And screams.
One voice sounded above the wailing. The god, Wotan. "Hoor! Where are you! What have you done?"
An old man stumbled blindly through the underbrush. He paused a moment, gasping for breath. And then he was on his hands and knees, heaving.
And then, finally, the retching was over. He sat back on his haunches, wiping his mouth on a sleeve.
But he was not an old blind man any more.
A little spider sprang out of a web and landed on the man's broad shoulders.
"What did you make me do? What did you just make me do, Loki?"
"Nothing more than what needed to be done, Skanda dear," the spider whispered to him. "Now. Take a little spidery advice?"
"Yes?"
"Run!" sang the little spider, merrily swinging back to the trees.
The present day....
"It may take them some time to get used to this," Ganesh told Raziel. He playfully poked Elias with his trunk.
"Aw, they'll be fine," said Raziel. "Hey, kids, your Uncle Ganesha is here!"
"Yabb! Yeem!" hailed Elias, upon being set on the floor. His redheaded cousin trundled up, and the two boys stood staring up in wonder.
"An Dada an Lelefun!" Elias helpfully explained.
Liam gawped, and then waved his arms to be picked up, and Ganesh gamely hefted the boy upside-down. Liam shrieked with laughter. Truly, all was right with the world.
Raziel looked down to see the toddler standing huddled to her body. "Aren't you gonna go say Namaste, Abby?" she asked. The girl only glared.
Ganesh returned Liam to earth, and the two little boys ran off to investigate whatever deviltry Liam had been up to. "It may take her some time," Ganesh told Raziel.
"Eh. It's just your uncle wearing his godly elephant head. What's the big deal?" Raziel asked, now lifting Abby so she could have a better look. Ganesh reached out his trunk, and Abby poked at it tentatively, but continued to glower. Then she said something to her mother in Common Angelic.
"Stuck, did she say?" asked Ganesh.
"Yeah. I think she thinks...." Raziel began.
Ganesh tilted his elephant ears in puzzlement. Then he transformed back to his human head. Abby squealed and waved her arms at him. Ganesh embraced her, and she happily stroked his hair. "Pwetty," she said.
"She thought you were stuck being bald, and she was sad for you," Raziel concluded, grinning.
Ganesh frowned a human frown. He felt a hand tugging on his pants leg.
"Yaaaaab!" Liam called up. "Boo hab monstah!" He and his cousin held up some grotesque, grinning plastic action figures for her inspection.
"Oooo," agreed Abby, suddenly wriggling to be put down. Ganesh set the girl back down to terra firma, and the three ran off.
"Hrm," said Ganesh. "Upstaged by a piece of plastic."
"They're really cool plastic toys!" Raziel told him. “So, you happy to get your tusks back?"
"Yes. I can't rightly explain it, but it feels as if something has been put to rights." He considered. "I'm not fully used to it though! I keep snagging my ears on low doorways!"
"Ah, you should try having wings," Raziel grinned.
"My kinsmen," said Elias.
"What is it?" said Abby, as Pretty Pretty Princess made short work of a monster.
"I have spoken with Nana Tzaphky," Elias told them.
“Oh!” said Abby.
“How I miss Nana Tzaphky!” moped Liam.
“She wished to convey a warning regarding your father,” Elias told them seriously. Liam and Abby glanced at each other, and then gripped hands.
“What did Nana Tzaphky say?” Abby asked Elias.
“She told me that you must do one thing. Now listen closely.”
“You shure I gahta come?” moaned Pickles as they gathered outside Mordhaus.
“Come on Pickles, this will be AWESOME!” Nathan insisted. “Don't you wanna get out in the fresh air and stab some FUCKING DEMONS?”
“Naw,” grumbled Pickles.
“This ams be nice,” Skwisgaar noted. “See my dads.”
Pickles looked at Skwisgaar in surprise, but the guitarist only huddled over his Gibson. “An' where da feck is Toki, anyway?”
“Toki's knitting,” said Charles, who had just walked up.
“WUT?”
Charles shrugged. “The Norns are getting a little bored, so I decided, anything that helps.”
“Why do dey gahta be here anyway?” Pickles griped. “Dey're da ones who messed us up.”
“We ams da ones who messed us up,” Skwisgaar allowed into his guitar.
Pickles glared, but then turned his attentions to the last member of the band to arrive. “Yer bringing yer TOYS, Murderface?”
“Yeah, Murderface, that's frankly a little weird,” Nathan agreed.
“For your informatschion,” the bassist informed them, dropping his metal figure-filled duffle bag on the ground, “I am going to schpend the day on the invitation of Lady Razschiel recreating the Crimean War.”
“Ja, you ams playings a two year olds,” Skwisgaar snickered.
“Lady Abigail isch an aschpirant war gamer!”
“I ams heards she ams beats your ass on da Battles of Balls Run!” Skwisgaar said.
“Sche had a head schtart,” Murderface grumbled.
“Uh, guys, are we all ready?” Charles asked.
“Yeah, I wanna fucking get outta here and go hit some fucking demons with some fucking swords!”
“I heard Wotan wanted to do bow hunting,” Charles told Nathan.
“What, you mean...?” asked Nathan. Skwisgaar mimed a bow and arrow. Nathan regarded his manager. The dude was all in camo. He always looked a bit out of place when he wasn't wearing the tie, Nathan thought. “Oh, uh, shit. Sorry dude. Is that cool?”
Charles sighed, his mind ripe with the thought of cigarettes. Just one sweet puff on a Marlboro. “Yeah. Whatever. Let's just say, by the end of the day, I'll be in the mood to kill something.”
Near the stables, Wotan was overseeing a merry chaos of horses being outfitted for the hunt.
He watched as, howling with laughter, Elias took of running after one of the bigger beasts.
“GANESHA!” called Wotan. Elias ignored him.
“Boon!” shouted Charles.
The boy froze in his tracks.
“You come back here now!” added Charles.
Elias cheerfully reversed course, running up laughing.
“Ganesh is taller, and this one is stickier,” Charles explained to Wotan, hefting his son.
“Damn,” said Wotan. He grabbed Elias from Charles. “He reminds me so much of his father, when he was a little one.”
“Understandable,” Charles laughed. “I get 'em mixed up too.”
“An hosie an big an wun!” Elias explained to Wotan.
“Will you like to go on a hunt with us today?” Wotan asked the child. “We'll ride horses all day long!”
“Hosies!” repeated the boy.
“Raziel told you...?” Charles began.
“About my son's message. Yes. You can mention him by name. I promise I won't shrivel up.”
“It wasn't very helpful,” Charles apologized.
“Well, he mightn't been let say everything. There's rules. Although, what the blazes Baldr's doing up there with Shiva riding around Brahma's garden, I have no fucking clue.”
“Nobukkin koo?” asked Elias.
“You're a sharp one!” laughed Wotan, putting him down with a pat to the rump. “Now Liam?” The little redhead ran up. “You stay with your cousin. Mind! You both stay out of the path of running horses!”
“Hosies!” laughed Elias again, as Liam grabbed his little hand and they went running off.
“Do you ever...?” asked Charles.
“No. That's one mistake I haven't made. With that red hair, he calls to mind our Tyr.” Wotan smiled wistfully. “But now that you've met him,” he said, more quietly, “He does remind me more than a bit of Skwisgaar.
“Yeah, it's pretty striking.”
“I know my son now well enough to know them apart.”
“Wotan. Did you know about Baldr and Ganesh?”
Wotan looked over to him, and to Charles' surprise, started to laugh. “Everyone knew! Except those two idiots. Was plain as the nose on my face, first time they laid eyes on each other, as children.” He shook his head. “Maybe you won't see this yet, but you always have hope, when there's two people that you love....” Wotan smiled and started to lecture. “Now, that's why I've said, my little Abby makes a match for yours! He's a bit flighty, that boy, and she offers him some grounding.”
“Flighty? He's just a baby, Wotan.”
“Bit flighty though,” insisted Wotan with a smile.
“OK. Yeah. A little.” Charles frowned. “But, Wotan, Baldr? I don't wanna harp on this. But I just have a feeling.... It's important.”
“What's done is done,” sighed Wotan. The god thought for a long moment, rubbing his short beard. “I will tell you one thing, though I'm sure I've mentioned it before. Something that troubled me then, and troubles me now. Old Hoor was blind as a bat. I don't know how the hell he managed to strike my son with that arrow, and then, right through the heart.”
“Was it magicked?”
“No, no, believe me. It was just an arrow. It was just a crazy one in a million shot. And, as you know-”
“I've heard a hundred stories, all conflicting.”
“Well, there's probably as many as there were people at the party. All of Asgard was there that evening! Anyway, Hoor fled as soon as it was clear what happened. By the time we found him, some hours later, he was dead, by his own hand. Or so I'm told. Obviously, I was in no condition....”
“So, a blind guy shoots Baldr straight through the heart, and then runs away and eludes every fucking hunter in Asgard?”
Wotan nodded. “Some of the old stories, I know they sound strange to modern ears....”
“I'm older than you, Wotan.” The king nodded sadly. “And Baldr....”
“Yes?”
“He was married, wasn't he?”
“That's correct.” Wotan looked sharply at Charles. “Why do I feel like a witness under cross examination?”
“I'm a lawyer. You know that.”
“I'd hate to be on the other side of the aisle from you in a courtroom. Baldr was married, to Nanna.”
“Did she know about him and Ganesh?”
“Good question. But I don't know the answer. And she died soon after as well.”
“A lot of immortals dying. But you said Baldr's feelings for Ganesh were obvious?”
“Well, remember, marriage was regarded a bit differently back then. If she knew, and I can't say whether she did, I don't know whether she would have been jealous, as you are implying.”
“I'm implying nothing. Baldr had a warning, and he gave it to me.”
“Well, you are a frequent guest of Great Brahma's. I appreciate your concern, my friend. But would it be possible to continue this conversation later in the day, when we are mounted and enjoying the fresh air?”
“I'm sorry, Wotan.”
Sariel felt the large hand envelope his shoulder. “Do not be sorry, old friend. I think perhaps my son did have a reason for seeking you out. But first, I have many guests today, and I would like to see that they are properly outfitted.”
Charles nodded and let Wotan lead him towards the stables, where the chaos was only multiplied.
“Ganesha!” shouted Wotan, this time addressing the correct party. “Have you gotten those boys settled with their mounts.”
Charles smiled. As he had expected, Nathan looked like the single happiest human being on the planet, already saddled up on a tremendous horse, the both of them raring to go.
Skwisgaar looked like he had been born atop the gorgeous pure white horse.
And Pickles looked like he was about to be sick. He stood on the ground, looking green, holding a bridle.
“If you are at all unsure,” Ganesh was telling him, “You are quite welcome to ride with me.”
“Well, you might want to rethink that one, Ganesha!” Wotan told him. “I have a surprise for you!” Ganesh glanced at Charles who shrugged. Wotan whistled, and a servant brought forth a horse.
It was a striking animal: jet black – so black in fact, it looked blue. The nostrils snorted smoke when it breathed. And the hooves kicked up small sparks as they hit the ground.
Ganesh gawped. “He's absolutely gorgeous, Uncle.”
The horse, which, oddly, almost appeared to understand, neither and shook its raven mane.
“Part demon," Wotan told him. "Your Uncle Phanuel sent that one up.”
“He's my Uncle Phanuel now?” asked Ganesh, a skeptical look in his eyes.
“Well, he's my Uncle Phanuel!” Charles allowed.
Ganesh looked the horse up and down. “He needs saddling.”
“Why don't you see to it then?” Wotan signaled for a servant with a saddle.
Charles studied the horse. It was a gorgeous beast, but what struck him most were the eyes. It looked … shrewd?
It was casually watching Ganesh approach now with the saddle. “All right you,” he was saying softly, in his best horse whisperer voice. “Why don't you stand right here and we'll-” Quite suddenly, Ganesh was staring at a saddle sprawled on the ground. The horse looked at him sweetly, from six feet to the left of where it had been standing.
Ignoring the chuckling around him – as now everyone in the area had stopped to watch – Ganesh bent over and retrieved the saddle. “Perhaps we did not get off on the right foot,” he told the horse. “Or the right hoof. I am going to be your rider today, and I just need you to hold steady for a moment while I-” But alas, the saddle once again settled on empty air, as the horse was now six feet behind where he had been standing.
“What say you to this?” asked Ganesh, putting down the saddle. “Perhaps we'll try a pass without the saddle? Would you like that better?” The horse grinned a horse grin at him. Carefully grasping the bridle, Ganesh leapt gracefully to the horse's back.
And ended up seated rather roughly on his ass on the ground, as the horse was now located in a place that was not at all where he had started out.
People were now openly laughing. “You gonna quit FUCKING AROUND so we can get going?” asked Nathan, who was up on horseback himself. Ganesh sent him a glare.
“Wait! Boon!” called Charles, as his toddler was now running towards the demon horse.
“Cawwot?” inquired Elias, who held up a crispy little vegetable for the horse. The demon horse snorted smoke and sniffed at the root. He then took a very delicate bite, and chewed contentedly. And then he favored the toddler with a sloppy horse smooch.
Ganesh, who was still sitting on the ground, frowned over at his son. Seeming to decide something, he rose and strode over to his son, who he picked up and (to the boy's amusement) tucked rather casually under an arm. Then he went to a servant and grabbed the man's bunch of carrots.
He then walked back to the horse, and placed Elias on the ground a few feet in front of it. He handed the child a carrot, which the little boy gleefully held up. And then he grabbed up the saddle, and faced the horse with a challenging look.
The horse stepped forward to eat the carrot, and Ganesh was able to toss the saddle on his back. Wotan then sent Liam over with more carrots, and while the two cousins fed him, Ganesh saddled the horse.
“Are we through clowning around so we can go?” asked Wotan. He suddenly looked at his feet, where Geri and Freki the wolves were pawing, obviously eager to get started. “What the devil's become of that lazy Bagheera? RAZIEL!” he called, walking towards the house.
“What's the matter now?” she called from the porch. “We're setting up the Crimean war!”
“Where is that good for nothing tiger?”
“Let me look!” she called. Raziel went back inside, letting the screen door bang after her. “Kitty?” she called.
“LADY RAZSCHIEL!” came William Murderface's voice. He was pinned to a couch, with several tons of Siberian tiger contentedly purring on top of him. “He'sch going to eat me!”
“Bagheera! You bad kitty cat!” Raziel scolded. “Your daddy wants you for hunting!”
The tiger blinked at her and yawned.
“Go on! Scat! You can play with William later!”
“Bad kiddy!” giggled Abby, who was standing beside her mother.
Bagheera gave an annoyed tiger look, but then rose and majestically padded out the door.
“Here we go,” said Raziel, yanking William Murderface abruptly to his feet. “You can help us finish setting up,” she said, indicating battleship-sized dining room table already crammed with small metal figures. “Do you mind terribly if Abby plays the Ottoman Empire? She seems to have her heart set on it.”
“Yattaman!” chirped Abby.
“That will be fine,” allowed Murderface, somewhat ineffectively brushing off a coating of white fur. “Asch I plan to play the Russchian Empire!”
“Ah, well, I guess that leaves me with the stupid European powers,” Raziel commented, looking over the game board.
“Mama! Bwitish naby fwotiwwa!” Abby pointed out.
“Huh? Yeah. Sea power is not my specialty. Maybe I'll call your Uncle Poseidon for some tips, huh?” she said, playfully tugging on the girl's dark topknot.
“Ashva!” said Ganesh.
“Asba!” agreed Elias, who was mounted in front of Ganesh.
The horse slowed somewhat, thought it appeared grudging.
“You're callin' him 'Horse?'” laughed Charles.
“Mmmm. He should consider himself fortunate I don't call him something else,” Ganesh grumbled. Ashva appeared to glower, and then cantered away.
“Is your kid gonna be OK riding on that DEMON HORSE?” asked Nathan, pulling alongside Charles.
“Believe me, the kid is fine,” Charles told him. “It's Ganesh's ego that might get bruised.”
“That horse is KIND OF AN ASSHOLE.”
“I dunno. I think he has character,” Charles smiled.
“Is Boon really gonna hunt demons? Wotan's got 'em little tiny ass bows and arrows and shit!”
“Oh, I doubt it. I think Wotan's being overly optimistic. So. You used to go hunting with your dad, Nathan?”
“Oh, hell yeah! I mean, not when I was a baby and all. That would have pissed him off. But, yeah, we still go hunting and fishing and it's pretty cool.”
“You could invite him up some time,” Charles suggested.
Nathan's eyes went wide. “You mean, TO VALHALLA?”
“Sure. Why not? Wotan invited my dad along.”
“Oh, yeah, Jacque! Where the fuck is that guy?” wondered Nathan.
“I dunno, actually. He said something came up, but he was kinda vague.”
“Are you disappointed?”
Charles shrugged.
“ARE YOU DISAPPOINTED?” Nathan repeated.
“Well,” said Charles. “If you put it that way. OK. Yeah.”
“It will be GREAT! You'll see. We'll fuck with some demons....”
“Look, have you seen these Laughing Demons before?”
“No, what's the big deal?”
“Dey ams da demons assholes!” Skwisgaar laughed, coming up alongside them.
“Waddya mean?” Nathan asked. “Aren't all demons assholes? I mean, isn't that the point?” But Charles was reigning in and pointing ahead. Wotan had circled around and was signaling for a halt. The riders came to a stop, except for Ganesh and Elias, as Ashva had evidently decided to take a refreshing victory lap around the party before halting.
“Uh, Ganesh?” said Charles upon hearing the god swear in a fascinating mixture of Hindi, English, and Common Angelic. “You realize you just told that horse to suck your angelic dick?”
“I will tell him a lot worse,” the god muttered darkly. Charles could have sworn he saw Ashva grin a horse grin.
“We have a herd of Laughing Demons right up ahead,” Wotan announced, as Liam gestured excitedly. “That's right, lad, we'll get your bow out!”
“Don't we gotta KEEP QUIET and SNEAK UP ON THEM?” Nathan wondered at terrific volume.
“Won't be necessary. You'll see why,” laughed the god as he dismounted.
“Is it too late fer me t' play wit' little metal men like Murderface an' Raz,” grumbled Pickles.
“Come on Pickles quit BEING A BABY!” urged Nathan, dismounting and pulling out his quiver. “This will be awesome!”
“Yeh? Like dose swamp demons?”
Skwisgaar allowed a “Pfft,” and then accompanied Nathan. Charles rode up alongside Pickles. “You not gonna go chasin' demons, chief?”
“Uh, I think I might sit out this first round,” smiling Charles, sitting annoyingly sideways up on his horse. Pickles squinted at him. He looked like he was trying to get a good view of something.
Pickles awkwardly slid off his horse and trailed after Nathan and Skwisgaar. It felt a lot better to be back on earth. He jumped up on a fallen tree for a view. There were indeed beasts of some kind herded in the field up ahead. He looked down, and noticed Liam and and Elias both had their cute little bows and arrows. They seemed to be conferring with each other, Liam gesturing this way and that. What the hell, were they talking about Sesame Street? Weird.
Nathan strode within bowcasting distance of a demon. He grinned and notched an arrow. The demon looked up and gazed at him with a jaundiced eye.
Nathan let fly. The arrow hurled towards its target....
And caught air.
Nathan blinked. There was nothing there any more. He felt something twitch between his shoulder blades. He spun around.
The demon was in back of him. And now it was rolling back on its haunches, making a terrible cackle. And then it's demon buddies were doing the same.
They were laughing at him.
Pickles found himself grinning.
“FUCK YOU!” howled Nathan. He had another arrow ready, but this one too, found its mark well after the target had relocated through time and space. Skwisgaar had tried his hand as well, achieving similar results. And at each failure, and howling and cackling only increased.
“THESE GUYS ARE ASSHOLES!” Nathan wailed to Wotan. “They won't fucking stay put!”
Just then, tiny Elias was striding out to the middle of the field, little bow in his hand, monstrous wolves at his side. He walked boldly right up to a demon in mid-chuckle, and pointed an arrow right at it.
The demon pointed at him and laughed louder.
But suddenly, his cousin Liam appeared beside the demon and stomped down very hard on it's hoof, his little shoes lighting up very brightly. The demon howled again, but this time in pain and surprise, pitching back and opening it's mouth very widely.
Elias, who had not budged and inch, fixed his aim and let an arrow fly straight into the creature's yawning mouth. The demon fell backwards, now choking, and the wolves tackled it.
Liam now unsheathed a tiny sword, and with a yell accompanied by one swift stroke, had the beast beheaded.
“Whoa,” said Nathan. "Those are badass little dudes."
The other demons had ceased their cackling and now, en masse, fled the pasture, leaving only the corpse of their dearly departed companion.
“Now, that's using your noggin!” Wotan boomed, coming out to look at the slain beast. “Teamwork! That's what it takes!” he said, proudly patting his tiny son on his curly head.
From atop his fallen tree, Pickles looked over to his side. Charles had come to stand beside him on the fallen tree. “Dood, yer kid's a demon hunter!" the drummer told him.
“Yeah. I know.... I....” Charles was patting his empty jacket pockets.
Pickles grinned and handed him something. Charles looked at him questioningly. “Ain't tobacco,” Pickles told him.
"WOTAN!" said Nathan, as the king supervised dealing with the day's first blood.
"We'll have some delicious barbecue for you tonight, lad!" Wotan told the singer.
"Those Laughing Demons," Nathan told him. "They're abusive! I feel DEHUMANIZED!"
"Well, as it happens, I have an idea about that. And, I could use your help!"
"Yeah, really?" asked Nathan.
“Whatever is going on?” asked Ganesh as he rode up to where Pickles and Charles were conferring over a very dodgy smoke.
Charles looked up from where he was sitting, his back against the log. “Our baby. Our little baby, Ganesh.”
“Pickles?” inquired Ganesh.
“It ain't a cigarette,” Pickles confessed.
"He's tasted blood, Ganesh!" Charles babbled.
“Do you wish me to return Boon home?” Ganesh asked.
“He's fated to become a cold-hearted assassin!” Charles wailed. “A soulless killer!”
“Er, well, I wouldn't....” Ganesh began.
“DADA!” came the cry. Elias came running up to Charles, little tears on his cheeks, his elbow raised up. “An got da owie!” he explained.
“You got an owie?” asked Charles. “He scraped his elbow!”
“Well,” grinned Ganesh, "you are the qualified medical professional."
“We need a Bandaid!” Charles demanded.
“Bandaid, stat,” said Ganesh, shuffling through his bag. “Here is a sterile wipe. And, do you require Lightning McQueen, Buzz Lightyear, or Nemo?”
“Gimme Lightning McQueen. You better save Nemo for in case Nathan gets a boo-boo,” Charles told him. He spread on the little plaster. “OK?” he asked the patient. “Better?”
Elias blinked at him.
“Oh,” said Charles, giving the wound a little kiss. “OK, better now?"
“Tank oo, Dada,” said the boy.
“Boonie bedder?” asked Liam, as he breathlessly ran up.
Elias held up his Bandaid. “Ooo, Cahs!” whistled Liam appreciatively. They thereupon barreled off on some other important toddler business.
“Soooo,” said Ganesh. “You were saying? Regarding our soulless assassin?”
Charles looked at the cigarette poking out of his mouth. He took it out and regarded it for a moment, and then handed it off to Pickles. “Uh. I think maybe this shit is a bit too strong for me.”
“Shure, dood,” grinned Pickles, grabbing it back.
"That waschn't a fair move!"
"Abby is deploying her railroads! The Crimean war was won on the basis of industrialization!" Raziel declared.
"I am being undermined," declared Murderface.
"Da Tsar an dooche!" declared Abby, her blue eyes barely peeking above the heavily laden table.
"Hey, at least you got the Russian Empire," Raziel told him. "You could be stuck with the British army!" She held up a little metal soldier, and then carefully set him down on the edge of the table. But then there was a vey loud thump outside, causing the table to shake, and the officer of the British Army toppled to the floor.
Then there was another, slightly bigger thump. And then another. And another. As if something very big were coming ever closer.
"Ah, crap. I know what at is," said Raziel, going to tug a sword down from the wall. "Here!" she said, flipping something to Murderface. "You take this and follow me!"
Murderface looked down at the object, confused. It was a cell phone. He hastened after Lady Raziel. What he saw, slowly but surely nearing the halls of Valhalla, almost made him lose his lunch, as well as his dinner, and probably several other meals.
"Yeah, it's one of those idiot Hill Demons," grumbled Raziel. "They don't have the sense to stay up in the mountains this time of year." As she spoke, the mighty beast uprooted an ancient oak tree and tossed it away like it was a child's toy.
"Hey, I liked that tree! Asshole!" yelled Raziel.
"Uh, schould we call for help, Lady Razsch?" inquired Murderface.
"Naw, we're fine. Got my cell phone?"
"Uh. Yeah?"
"Cool! Now get ... This one!" And so saying, Raziel posed dramatically, sword in hand.
"Uh. I'm schorry? You want me to take your picschture?"
"Of course! I wanna text cute pictures of me fighting the demon to Wotan! He loves it when I slay demons!"
Murderface looked at the monstrous horror bearing down on them, and the cheerily oblivious angel. "OK," he muttered, his voice slightly strangled. He held up the cell phone and clicked.
"Great! Dramatic shot!" said Raziel. "And this one. Oh, and a sexy shot!" She stood, doing her best Bette Grable imitation. "What's the matter? Too cheesy, ya think?"
Murderface didn't reply this time, but simply pointed mutely.
"Deemin, Mummy!" said Abby.
Raziel turned. The Hill Demon was nearly drooling down the back of her shirt. And Hill Demon drool is particularly icky. "Aw, shit," she muttered. And very suddenly, there was a flash of steel, and the demon lay sprawled on the ground, minus a head. "And you better not have dripped spit on me!" she warned. "This is dry clean only!"
"Lady Razsch?"
"Hmmmm?" Raziel looked up. But this time, it was not a monster, two human sized figures approaching. "Jacque! You're a bit late for the hunt-! Oh!"
"This lady," said Jacque, indicating the stunning goddess on his arm, "had some things I think you might want to hear."
"I presume I am welcome here?" asked Parvati.
"You're family. Of course," said Raziel, nodding towards Valhalla. She led them inside.
Abby grabbed Murderface's hand. "Thisch temporary pausche in the game doesch not mean I am conscheding defeat!" he told her.
"Ha!" replied the Ottoman Empire.
Wotan had a map unfolded on the ground, and the hunting party gathered around him. "According to my ravens, our quarry have made off in this direction. This trail here leads to a dead end canyon. I believe we can flush them into the canyon, and then we'd have an easier time picking them off."
"How are we gonna FLUSH THEM?" asked Nathan.
"That is where you come in, friend Nathan! You will ride out here behind the herd with Skwisgaar, Ganesh, and the dogs."
"And what do I do?" asked Nathan.
"Ain't it obvious, Nathans? You ams yells at dems," Skwisgaar chuckled.
"What? Seriously, I dunno if I wanna do that. Those things made me feel DEVALUED AS A HUMAN!"
"So, therefore, Nathan, this will be your opportunity to, er, validate your feelings!" suggested Ganesh.
"Is that shrink talk or something?" Nathan asked suspiciously.
"Yeh, he means tell 'em dey're douches," Pickles explained.
"I dunno. Will is be VALIDATING? I mean, seriously, Ganesh, I know you're a smart dude, but I have serious questions about your professional qualifications here. I mean, I don't see any banana stickers."
"No," answered Ganesh, digging into a pocket, "but I do have a Finding Nemo Bandaid!"
Nathan stared in wonder. "OK. What else?" he asked.
"Er," said Ganesh, digging deeper, "An Existential Despair Meal toy from Dimmu Burger?"
"Ooo, Amon Amarth," approved Nathan.
"And, er, a spork!"
"Those things are useful!" declared Nathan, snatching up the plastic utensil. "All right," he allowed, "I guess that will do."
As the party readied to leave, Wotan asked, "You will be able to control that horse, Ganesh?"
"Of course I can control the horse," Ganesh grumbled. "It's a horse."
"Wotan," said Charles, pointing to an area in the canyon depicted on the map, "what does this marking mean?"
"Oh, that's leftover magic from when that bastard Lucifer tried to launch an invasion. They came through here and it never quite sealed up right."
"You mean the border with the Dreaming is frayed?"
"Well, that's one way to put it, I suppose," Wotan said.
"You think that's a good idea? Going in there? With all the trouble in the Dreamtime?"
"We'll be fine! We're here with a veritable army, Sariel! What could possibly go wrong?" the king laughed, striding away to confer with the mounted riders.
"You're asking me?" said Charles, looking worriedly at the map.
Elias came running up, the white tiger behind him. He squatted down and pointed to the marked off area of the map. "An kitty an maddick!" he told his father.
"Kitty said.... What?" Charles asked him. He looked at Bagheera, who switched his tail.
"Sariel!" Charles looked up. "You're watching Boon?"
"Yeah. You got a handle on that horse?"
"Of course I can handle this beast! Why does everyone insist on asking? Ashva! Not that way, this way!"
Charles grinned as Ganesh hastened off more or less with the other riders, hooves sparking dramatically on the ground.
Raziel sat down a teapot and began to pour.
"No offense, darlin', but you got anything stronger than a motherfucking chamomile?” inquired Jacque.
“Maybe when we're done here,” Raziel told him. “I know where Wotan keeps the whiskey.”
“Now you're talkin',” grinned Jacque, lighting up a cigar.
“I have never spoken of these things with anyone before. Not even your husband,” said Parvati, taking a teacup.
“Why did you pick me, Parvati? We haven't exactly been buddies lately.”
“Jacque tells me Sariel received a warning? From Baldr?”
“True,” said Raziel, sitting back. “So. Did you know about your son and Baldr?”
Parvati looked pained. “Ganesha admired Baldr. You realize your husband tends to … idealize his son?”
“And you're sorta fussy about who Ganesha dates,” said Raziel, blowing on her tea.
“You don't realize how young they were. Ganesha, especially. But that isn't why I'm here.”
“Just tell her the way you did me. And then we can get on to the Scotch,” urged Jacque.
“Long ago, I was close to your husband's first wife.”
“Yeah. Freyja. She's cool,” said Raziel.
“I wrote her that I was concerned about my boys. So, Wotan began to watch over them. For Ganesha, he became a second father. Perhaps too much like a first father, as far as Shiva was concerned. And Wotan, because of the kind of man he is, never questioned this. Not to this very day.”
“So, Ganesha isn't Shiva's son?”
Parvati laughed. Her laugh was glorious. Like everything about her. But Raziel merely frowned. “Is that what Wotan thinks?” Parvati asked.
“Let's just say, it's come up,” Raziel allowed.
“There was never a doubt in my mind. Not for a single moment. They are too much alike, though neither could admit it.”
“Then what.... Oh, fuck!”
“First, please understand this: Ganesh shares one of my gifts. All living things have surrounding them a magical field. He and I: we can see this. Not all gods have this power. It is in fact a bit rare."
“So, you can tell when someone's human. Or, half human?”
“Yes.”
Raziel put her teacup down and leaned forward. “So. Skanda's father was human?”
Raziel noticed that although the grievous injury she had bourne in the terrible dream had not affected Parvati in real life,the goddess's hand was shaking. “He was human," she said.
“Was human?”
“When I was with him.”
“You guys all set?”
“We ams set. Ams we set, Ganoshes?”
Ganesh regarded his mount. “Are we set?” he inquired. The horse tossed its head in a playful manner. Ganesh nodded to Skwisgaar, who told Nathan. “We ams sets! HITS IT!”
Nathan glowered, glancing around. He clenched his fists.
“YOU MAKE ME FEEL INVALIDATED!” he howled.
Suddenly, there were confused demon heads popping up out of the underbrush.
“YOU NEGATIVELY AFFECT MY SELF ESTEEM!” growled Nathan.
The demons looked around appearing nervous.
“And you are all just GENERAL DOUCHEBAGS!”
”Get going!” Skwisgaar yelled at Geri and Freki, who took off, barking and howling.
Skwisgaar and Ganesh took off next, riding hard after the wolves.
“Whoa,” said Nathan. “That felt empowering!” And then he ran to leap on his Thunderhorse and give chase.
"Are you bored, Verdamdi?" asked Urd.
"Darling. I think I have never in fact been so filled with ennui!" sighed Verdandi.
"Sweetie, have you been reading the thesaurus again?" asked Urd over her martini. "Because, that is entirely tiresome.
"Not as tiresome as seeing your face across the bar from me day after day," snorted Verdandi.
The two witches sneered at each other. But then went back to their cocktails. Fighting was just too tacky.
"Sisters!" said Skuld as she and Toki came into the room.
"Oh, is it that time again?" said Urd, smoothing her blonde beehive and reaching into her purse for a truly wicked looking pair of scissors.
"Snipping the Threads of Fate, we must," muttered Verdandi, who actually had just the trace of a smile on her face. She retrieved a rather startlingly sharp and shiny pair of scissors from the folds in her gown.
"Toki was showing me his Vogue pattern book!" gushed Skuld. "Here we have, the Cardigan of Fate!" she said, holding up a sweater.
"Oh," said Verdandi. "That is actually rather darling."
"It ams like da ones Kate wore to her after wedding parties," Toki explained.
"Kate!" cooed Verdandi, hugging the sweater.
"And, the Fair Isle gloves of Fate," announced Skuld.
"These are actually very practical, darling!" allowed Urd, pulling them on. She frowned down at the cigarette in her mouth, and then made a very comical attempt at trying to grab it out of her mouth without removing the gloves.
"Ands da shrug," said Toki.
"The Shrug of Fate?" asked Verdandi.
"Nah, we ams runned out of da Yarn of Fates, so dat one ams lamb's wool."
"But it's very soft," noted Verdandi.
As Wotan had promised, demons had started spilling into the canyon. "We'll pick out a couple of juicy buggers for the barbecue, and then let the rest run off. Though I don't think they're gonna be laughing so hard!" Wotan told Charles. The Norse god grabbed his bow and, taking his little curly-haired son by the hand, went to get into position.
From his own vantage point up on the wall of the canyon, Charles regarded the demons below. He looked back at his own boy. "You stay close, all right? There's going to be a lot of big things running around!"
"Yes Dada!" said Elias solemnly.
Charles frowned. Much as he had never cared for hunting, he found he liked it much less when his son engaged in it. But there was Wotan, and all his crazy shit about being a man and fathers and sons. Charles had to agree with Pickles: he would have preferred to stay back at Valhalla watching little Abby clobber Murderface at wargaming. He blinked, scanning the canyon wall, and wondered for a moment where Pickles may have gotten to.
He heard hoofbeats. Ganesh, Charles reflected, seemed to totally dig this macho hunting shit, which was weird, as Ganesh usually couldn't be bothered about places that lacked cute boy waiters serving tiki drinks.
Speaking of which, the riders had made their way to the canyon, Ganesh riding hard at the heels of a particularly large and "juicy" demon. Ashva, for whatever reason, seemed actually to be cooperating in the matter.
The Laughing Demon suddenly turned on it's heel, emitted a harsh cackle, and then pulled the annoying stunt of seemingly teleporting 20 feet to the left. It reappeared, braying like a hyena, but suddenly ceased laughing, looking around in confusion.
Ganesh and Ashva had just appeared directly behind it, Ganesh with an arrow notched and pointed right at the demon's heart.
Charles had to grin as the bow twanged. As Wotan had said, not laughing so hard now.
“Ganesh- BOON!”
Charles spun around in a panic at the sound of Wotan shouting his child's name. The boy was no longer seated in back of him. Heart in his throat, Charles scanned the canyon floor. But Elias wasn't running underfoot this time. Instead, he had somehow gotten himself to the other side of the canyon. Bagheera had chosen this moment to take a hidden pathway off into the hills, and the child was pattering after him.
Charles was down on the canyon floor nearly in one bound. He was about to take out his wings when Ganesh and his jet black mount were quite suddenly in front of him, the horse snorting steam.
"Boon!" Charles yelled, pointing.
"I see him. We've got him!" Ganesh shouted, and then he was away, through the chaos at the canyon floor with astounding ease.
Charles felt a hand grip his shoulder. Wotan was at his side.
"That's one cool fucking horse," muttered Charles.
Elias was running happily up the pathway when he felt himself suddenly grabbed and swung upwards. He was delighted to find himself sitting up on the big pretty horsie with daddy. "Dada!" he squealed.
"Elias! Don't you ever do that again! You scared the life out of us!" his daddy was scolding.
"Kitty!" Elias told his daddy, gesturing upwards
"A pleasant day to you, Shri Ganesha," commented Bagheera from his perch overhead on a tree branch. "We have some matters of import to discuss, I think," said the white tiger, contentedly licking his paw.
Author: tikistitch
Rating: PG-13
Summary: A demon hunt!
Warnings: Demon killing
Notes: Notes after the jump.
Last time: We had an inscrutable warning about Wotan, delivered by his dead son, Baldr, who, we found out, was also Ganesh's first love. So, there's that. Also, Raziel found out Charles's not-daughter Ashleigh is plotting to be famous. Well, there's a big surprise. And Ganesh is going to work professionally on Pickles's stage fright. Using voodoo! Oh, and everybody decided to go to Valhalla for some old fashioned demon-killin'! Yee-haw!
Many years ago....
Ganesh led his parents through the grounds of what would some day soon be his new residence, in the shadow of the Himalayas.
Nothing he had shown Shiva and Parvati so far had pleased them.
But he was not discouraged. It seemed nothing he had ever done, nor would ever do, would please Shiva and Parvati.
"it is far too small," huffed Shiva at one point.
"It is precisely as big as I require," Ganesh told him.
"What about your consorts? My heirs?" demanded Shiva.
"Certainly, my brother, Lord Skanda, has already acquired sufficient consorts for the both of us," Ganesh told him.
Shiva and Parvati exchanged an inscrutable glance.
They did this sometimes.
"But what about you, my son?" asked Parvati. "It is not good that one should remain alone."
Ganesh regarded his mother. Finally he shrugged and told her, "It is not a matter I have given much thought up until now."
After they had left, Ganesh stood for a while out by the site of what was to be a reflecting pool. It had not been filled in with water yet, of course, as construction was still going on, so it was more chaotic and dusty than a place of meditation. He brought out a cigarette. His mother was right, of course. It was not good to remain alone. Had he perhaps found a companion? The events of the past few months had been delightful, but confusing. Perhaps that was the way it was supposed to feel?
Suddenly, Ganesh gasped. He sat down, hard, on a bench, wincing from the stabbing pain in his chest. He slowly unclasped his hands from over his heart, genuinely expecting to see blood. But there was nothing there. He gazed at his palms in wonder. What could have happened?
Many miles away, a riotous drunken party had turned to blood. And screams.
One voice sounded above the wailing. The god, Wotan. "Hoor! Where are you! What have you done?"
An old man stumbled blindly through the underbrush. He paused a moment, gasping for breath. And then he was on his hands and knees, heaving.
And then, finally, the retching was over. He sat back on his haunches, wiping his mouth on a sleeve.
But he was not an old blind man any more.
A little spider sprang out of a web and landed on the man's broad shoulders.
"What did you make me do? What did you just make me do, Loki?"
"Nothing more than what needed to be done, Skanda dear," the spider whispered to him. "Now. Take a little spidery advice?"
"Yes?"
"Run!" sang the little spider, merrily swinging back to the trees.
The present day....
"It may take them some time to get used to this," Ganesh told Raziel. He playfully poked Elias with his trunk.
"Aw, they'll be fine," said Raziel. "Hey, kids, your Uncle Ganesha is here!"
"Yabb! Yeem!" hailed Elias, upon being set on the floor. His redheaded cousin trundled up, and the two boys stood staring up in wonder.
"An Dada an Lelefun!" Elias helpfully explained.
Liam gawped, and then waved his arms to be picked up, and Ganesh gamely hefted the boy upside-down. Liam shrieked with laughter. Truly, all was right with the world.
Raziel looked down to see the toddler standing huddled to her body. "Aren't you gonna go say Namaste, Abby?" she asked. The girl only glared.
Ganesh returned Liam to earth, and the two little boys ran off to investigate whatever deviltry Liam had been up to. "It may take her some time," Ganesh told Raziel.
"Eh. It's just your uncle wearing his godly elephant head. What's the big deal?" Raziel asked, now lifting Abby so she could have a better look. Ganesh reached out his trunk, and Abby poked at it tentatively, but continued to glower. Then she said something to her mother in Common Angelic.
"Stuck, did she say?" asked Ganesh.
"Yeah. I think she thinks...." Raziel began.
Ganesh tilted his elephant ears in puzzlement. Then he transformed back to his human head. Abby squealed and waved her arms at him. Ganesh embraced her, and she happily stroked his hair. "Pwetty," she said.
"She thought you were stuck being bald, and she was sad for you," Raziel concluded, grinning.
Ganesh frowned a human frown. He felt a hand tugging on his pants leg.
"Yaaaaab!" Liam called up. "Boo hab monstah!" He and his cousin held up some grotesque, grinning plastic action figures for her inspection.
"Oooo," agreed Abby, suddenly wriggling to be put down. Ganesh set the girl back down to terra firma, and the three ran off.
"Hrm," said Ganesh. "Upstaged by a piece of plastic."
"They're really cool plastic toys!" Raziel told him. “So, you happy to get your tusks back?"
"Yes. I can't rightly explain it, but it feels as if something has been put to rights." He considered. "I'm not fully used to it though! I keep snagging my ears on low doorways!"
"Ah, you should try having wings," Raziel grinned.
"My kinsmen," said Elias.
"What is it?" said Abby, as Pretty Pretty Princess made short work of a monster.
"I have spoken with Nana Tzaphky," Elias told them.
“Oh!” said Abby.
“How I miss Nana Tzaphky!” moped Liam.
“She wished to convey a warning regarding your father,” Elias told them seriously. Liam and Abby glanced at each other, and then gripped hands.
“What did Nana Tzaphky say?” Abby asked Elias.
“She told me that you must do one thing. Now listen closely.”
“You shure I gahta come?” moaned Pickles as they gathered outside Mordhaus.
“Come on Pickles, this will be AWESOME!” Nathan insisted. “Don't you wanna get out in the fresh air and stab some FUCKING DEMONS?”
“Naw,” grumbled Pickles.
“This ams be nice,” Skwisgaar noted. “See my dads.”
Pickles looked at Skwisgaar in surprise, but the guitarist only huddled over his Gibson. “An' where da feck is Toki, anyway?”
“Toki's knitting,” said Charles, who had just walked up.
“WUT?”
Charles shrugged. “The Norns are getting a little bored, so I decided, anything that helps.”
“Why do dey gahta be here anyway?” Pickles griped. “Dey're da ones who messed us up.”
“We ams da ones who messed us up,” Skwisgaar allowed into his guitar.
Pickles glared, but then turned his attentions to the last member of the band to arrive. “Yer bringing yer TOYS, Murderface?”
“Yeah, Murderface, that's frankly a little weird,” Nathan agreed.
“For your informatschion,” the bassist informed them, dropping his metal figure-filled duffle bag on the ground, “I am going to schpend the day on the invitation of Lady Razschiel recreating the Crimean War.”
“Ja, you ams playings a two year olds,” Skwisgaar snickered.
“Lady Abigail isch an aschpirant war gamer!”
“I ams heards she ams beats your ass on da Battles of Balls Run!” Skwisgaar said.
“Sche had a head schtart,” Murderface grumbled.
“Uh, guys, are we all ready?” Charles asked.
“Yeah, I wanna fucking get outta here and go hit some fucking demons with some fucking swords!”
“I heard Wotan wanted to do bow hunting,” Charles told Nathan.
“What, you mean...?” asked Nathan. Skwisgaar mimed a bow and arrow. Nathan regarded his manager. The dude was all in camo. He always looked a bit out of place when he wasn't wearing the tie, Nathan thought. “Oh, uh, shit. Sorry dude. Is that cool?”
Charles sighed, his mind ripe with the thought of cigarettes. Just one sweet puff on a Marlboro. “Yeah. Whatever. Let's just say, by the end of the day, I'll be in the mood to kill something.”
Near the stables, Wotan was overseeing a merry chaos of horses being outfitted for the hunt.
He watched as, howling with laughter, Elias took of running after one of the bigger beasts.
“GANESHA!” called Wotan. Elias ignored him.
“Boon!” shouted Charles.
The boy froze in his tracks.
“You come back here now!” added Charles.
Elias cheerfully reversed course, running up laughing.
“Ganesh is taller, and this one is stickier,” Charles explained to Wotan, hefting his son.
“Damn,” said Wotan. He grabbed Elias from Charles. “He reminds me so much of his father, when he was a little one.”
“Understandable,” Charles laughed. “I get 'em mixed up too.”
“An hosie an big an wun!” Elias explained to Wotan.
“Will you like to go on a hunt with us today?” Wotan asked the child. “We'll ride horses all day long!”
“Hosies!” repeated the boy.
“Raziel told you...?” Charles began.
“About my son's message. Yes. You can mention him by name. I promise I won't shrivel up.”
“It wasn't very helpful,” Charles apologized.
“Well, he mightn't been let say everything. There's rules. Although, what the blazes Baldr's doing up there with Shiva riding around Brahma's garden, I have no fucking clue.”
“Nobukkin koo?” asked Elias.
“You're a sharp one!” laughed Wotan, putting him down with a pat to the rump. “Now Liam?” The little redhead ran up. “You stay with your cousin. Mind! You both stay out of the path of running horses!”
“Hosies!” laughed Elias again, as Liam grabbed his little hand and they went running off.
“Do you ever...?” asked Charles.
“No. That's one mistake I haven't made. With that red hair, he calls to mind our Tyr.” Wotan smiled wistfully. “But now that you've met him,” he said, more quietly, “He does remind me more than a bit of Skwisgaar.
“Yeah, it's pretty striking.”
“I know my son now well enough to know them apart.”
“Wotan. Did you know about Baldr and Ganesh?”
Wotan looked over to him, and to Charles' surprise, started to laugh. “Everyone knew! Except those two idiots. Was plain as the nose on my face, first time they laid eyes on each other, as children.” He shook his head. “Maybe you won't see this yet, but you always have hope, when there's two people that you love....” Wotan smiled and started to lecture. “Now, that's why I've said, my little Abby makes a match for yours! He's a bit flighty, that boy, and she offers him some grounding.”
“Flighty? He's just a baby, Wotan.”
“Bit flighty though,” insisted Wotan with a smile.
“OK. Yeah. A little.” Charles frowned. “But, Wotan, Baldr? I don't wanna harp on this. But I just have a feeling.... It's important.”
“What's done is done,” sighed Wotan. The god thought for a long moment, rubbing his short beard. “I will tell you one thing, though I'm sure I've mentioned it before. Something that troubled me then, and troubles me now. Old Hoor was blind as a bat. I don't know how the hell he managed to strike my son with that arrow, and then, right through the heart.”
“Was it magicked?”
“No, no, believe me. It was just an arrow. It was just a crazy one in a million shot. And, as you know-”
“I've heard a hundred stories, all conflicting.”
“Well, there's probably as many as there were people at the party. All of Asgard was there that evening! Anyway, Hoor fled as soon as it was clear what happened. By the time we found him, some hours later, he was dead, by his own hand. Or so I'm told. Obviously, I was in no condition....”
“So, a blind guy shoots Baldr straight through the heart, and then runs away and eludes every fucking hunter in Asgard?”
Wotan nodded. “Some of the old stories, I know they sound strange to modern ears....”
“I'm older than you, Wotan.” The king nodded sadly. “And Baldr....”
“Yes?”
“He was married, wasn't he?”
“That's correct.” Wotan looked sharply at Charles. “Why do I feel like a witness under cross examination?”
“I'm a lawyer. You know that.”
“I'd hate to be on the other side of the aisle from you in a courtroom. Baldr was married, to Nanna.”
“Did she know about him and Ganesh?”
“Good question. But I don't know the answer. And she died soon after as well.”
“A lot of immortals dying. But you said Baldr's feelings for Ganesh were obvious?”
“Well, remember, marriage was regarded a bit differently back then. If she knew, and I can't say whether she did, I don't know whether she would have been jealous, as you are implying.”
“I'm implying nothing. Baldr had a warning, and he gave it to me.”
“Well, you are a frequent guest of Great Brahma's. I appreciate your concern, my friend. But would it be possible to continue this conversation later in the day, when we are mounted and enjoying the fresh air?”
“I'm sorry, Wotan.”
Sariel felt the large hand envelope his shoulder. “Do not be sorry, old friend. I think perhaps my son did have a reason for seeking you out. But first, I have many guests today, and I would like to see that they are properly outfitted.”
Charles nodded and let Wotan lead him towards the stables, where the chaos was only multiplied.
“Ganesha!” shouted Wotan, this time addressing the correct party. “Have you gotten those boys settled with their mounts.”
Charles smiled. As he had expected, Nathan looked like the single happiest human being on the planet, already saddled up on a tremendous horse, the both of them raring to go.
Skwisgaar looked like he had been born atop the gorgeous pure white horse.
And Pickles looked like he was about to be sick. He stood on the ground, looking green, holding a bridle.
“If you are at all unsure,” Ganesh was telling him, “You are quite welcome to ride with me.”
“Well, you might want to rethink that one, Ganesha!” Wotan told him. “I have a surprise for you!” Ganesh glanced at Charles who shrugged. Wotan whistled, and a servant brought forth a horse.
It was a striking animal: jet black – so black in fact, it looked blue. The nostrils snorted smoke when it breathed. And the hooves kicked up small sparks as they hit the ground.
Ganesh gawped. “He's absolutely gorgeous, Uncle.”
The horse, which, oddly, almost appeared to understand, neither and shook its raven mane.
“Part demon," Wotan told him. "Your Uncle Phanuel sent that one up.”
“He's my Uncle Phanuel now?” asked Ganesh, a skeptical look in his eyes.
“Well, he's my Uncle Phanuel!” Charles allowed.
Ganesh looked the horse up and down. “He needs saddling.”
“Why don't you see to it then?” Wotan signaled for a servant with a saddle.
Charles studied the horse. It was a gorgeous beast, but what struck him most were the eyes. It looked … shrewd?
It was casually watching Ganesh approach now with the saddle. “All right you,” he was saying softly, in his best horse whisperer voice. “Why don't you stand right here and we'll-” Quite suddenly, Ganesh was staring at a saddle sprawled on the ground. The horse looked at him sweetly, from six feet to the left of where it had been standing.
Ignoring the chuckling around him – as now everyone in the area had stopped to watch – Ganesh bent over and retrieved the saddle. “Perhaps we did not get off on the right foot,” he told the horse. “Or the right hoof. I am going to be your rider today, and I just need you to hold steady for a moment while I-” But alas, the saddle once again settled on empty air, as the horse was now six feet behind where he had been standing.
“What say you to this?” asked Ganesh, putting down the saddle. “Perhaps we'll try a pass without the saddle? Would you like that better?” The horse grinned a horse grin at him. Carefully grasping the bridle, Ganesh leapt gracefully to the horse's back.
And ended up seated rather roughly on his ass on the ground, as the horse was now located in a place that was not at all where he had started out.
People were now openly laughing. “You gonna quit FUCKING AROUND so we can get going?” asked Nathan, who was up on horseback himself. Ganesh sent him a glare.
“Wait! Boon!” called Charles, as his toddler was now running towards the demon horse.
“Cawwot?” inquired Elias, who held up a crispy little vegetable for the horse. The demon horse snorted smoke and sniffed at the root. He then took a very delicate bite, and chewed contentedly. And then he favored the toddler with a sloppy horse smooch.
Ganesh, who was still sitting on the ground, frowned over at his son. Seeming to decide something, he rose and strode over to his son, who he picked up and (to the boy's amusement) tucked rather casually under an arm. Then he went to a servant and grabbed the man's bunch of carrots.
He then walked back to the horse, and placed Elias on the ground a few feet in front of it. He handed the child a carrot, which the little boy gleefully held up. And then he grabbed up the saddle, and faced the horse with a challenging look.
The horse stepped forward to eat the carrot, and Ganesh was able to toss the saddle on his back. Wotan then sent Liam over with more carrots, and while the two cousins fed him, Ganesh saddled the horse.
“Are we through clowning around so we can go?” asked Wotan. He suddenly looked at his feet, where Geri and Freki the wolves were pawing, obviously eager to get started. “What the devil's become of that lazy Bagheera? RAZIEL!” he called, walking towards the house.
“What's the matter now?” she called from the porch. “We're setting up the Crimean war!”
“Where is that good for nothing tiger?”
“Let me look!” she called. Raziel went back inside, letting the screen door bang after her. “Kitty?” she called.
“LADY RAZSCHIEL!” came William Murderface's voice. He was pinned to a couch, with several tons of Siberian tiger contentedly purring on top of him. “He'sch going to eat me!”
“Bagheera! You bad kitty cat!” Raziel scolded. “Your daddy wants you for hunting!”
The tiger blinked at her and yawned.
“Go on! Scat! You can play with William later!”
“Bad kiddy!” giggled Abby, who was standing beside her mother.
Bagheera gave an annoyed tiger look, but then rose and majestically padded out the door.
“Here we go,” said Raziel, yanking William Murderface abruptly to his feet. “You can help us finish setting up,” she said, indicating battleship-sized dining room table already crammed with small metal figures. “Do you mind terribly if Abby plays the Ottoman Empire? She seems to have her heart set on it.”
“Yattaman!” chirped Abby.
“That will be fine,” allowed Murderface, somewhat ineffectively brushing off a coating of white fur. “Asch I plan to play the Russchian Empire!”
“Ah, well, I guess that leaves me with the stupid European powers,” Raziel commented, looking over the game board.
“Mama! Bwitish naby fwotiwwa!” Abby pointed out.
“Huh? Yeah. Sea power is not my specialty. Maybe I'll call your Uncle Poseidon for some tips, huh?” she said, playfully tugging on the girl's dark topknot.
“Ashva!” said Ganesh.
“Asba!” agreed Elias, who was mounted in front of Ganesh.
The horse slowed somewhat, thought it appeared grudging.
“You're callin' him 'Horse?'” laughed Charles.
“Mmmm. He should consider himself fortunate I don't call him something else,” Ganesh grumbled. Ashva appeared to glower, and then cantered away.
“Is your kid gonna be OK riding on that DEMON HORSE?” asked Nathan, pulling alongside Charles.
“Believe me, the kid is fine,” Charles told him. “It's Ganesh's ego that might get bruised.”
“That horse is KIND OF AN ASSHOLE.”
“I dunno. I think he has character,” Charles smiled.
“Is Boon really gonna hunt demons? Wotan's got 'em little tiny ass bows and arrows and shit!”
“Oh, I doubt it. I think Wotan's being overly optimistic. So. You used to go hunting with your dad, Nathan?”
“Oh, hell yeah! I mean, not when I was a baby and all. That would have pissed him off. But, yeah, we still go hunting and fishing and it's pretty cool.”
“You could invite him up some time,” Charles suggested.
Nathan's eyes went wide. “You mean, TO VALHALLA?”
“Sure. Why not? Wotan invited my dad along.”
“Oh, yeah, Jacque! Where the fuck is that guy?” wondered Nathan.
“I dunno, actually. He said something came up, but he was kinda vague.”
“Are you disappointed?”
Charles shrugged.
“ARE YOU DISAPPOINTED?” Nathan repeated.
“Well,” said Charles. “If you put it that way. OK. Yeah.”
“It will be GREAT! You'll see. We'll fuck with some demons....”
“Look, have you seen these Laughing Demons before?”
“No, what's the big deal?”
“Dey ams da demons assholes!” Skwisgaar laughed, coming up alongside them.
“Waddya mean?” Nathan asked. “Aren't all demons assholes? I mean, isn't that the point?” But Charles was reigning in and pointing ahead. Wotan had circled around and was signaling for a halt. The riders came to a stop, except for Ganesh and Elias, as Ashva had evidently decided to take a refreshing victory lap around the party before halting.
“Uh, Ganesh?” said Charles upon hearing the god swear in a fascinating mixture of Hindi, English, and Common Angelic. “You realize you just told that horse to suck your angelic dick?”
“I will tell him a lot worse,” the god muttered darkly. Charles could have sworn he saw Ashva grin a horse grin.
“We have a herd of Laughing Demons right up ahead,” Wotan announced, as Liam gestured excitedly. “That's right, lad, we'll get your bow out!”
“Don't we gotta KEEP QUIET and SNEAK UP ON THEM?” Nathan wondered at terrific volume.
“Won't be necessary. You'll see why,” laughed the god as he dismounted.
“Is it too late fer me t' play wit' little metal men like Murderface an' Raz,” grumbled Pickles.
“Come on Pickles quit BEING A BABY!” urged Nathan, dismounting and pulling out his quiver. “This will be awesome!”
“Yeh? Like dose swamp demons?”
Skwisgaar allowed a “Pfft,” and then accompanied Nathan. Charles rode up alongside Pickles. “You not gonna go chasin' demons, chief?”
“Uh, I think I might sit out this first round,” smiling Charles, sitting annoyingly sideways up on his horse. Pickles squinted at him. He looked like he was trying to get a good view of something.
Pickles awkwardly slid off his horse and trailed after Nathan and Skwisgaar. It felt a lot better to be back on earth. He jumped up on a fallen tree for a view. There were indeed beasts of some kind herded in the field up ahead. He looked down, and noticed Liam and and Elias both had their cute little bows and arrows. They seemed to be conferring with each other, Liam gesturing this way and that. What the hell, were they talking about Sesame Street? Weird.
Nathan strode within bowcasting distance of a demon. He grinned and notched an arrow. The demon looked up and gazed at him with a jaundiced eye.
Nathan let fly. The arrow hurled towards its target....
And caught air.
Nathan blinked. There was nothing there any more. He felt something twitch between his shoulder blades. He spun around.
The demon was in back of him. And now it was rolling back on its haunches, making a terrible cackle. And then it's demon buddies were doing the same.
They were laughing at him.
Pickles found himself grinning.
“FUCK YOU!” howled Nathan. He had another arrow ready, but this one too, found its mark well after the target had relocated through time and space. Skwisgaar had tried his hand as well, achieving similar results. And at each failure, and howling and cackling only increased.
“THESE GUYS ARE ASSHOLES!” Nathan wailed to Wotan. “They won't fucking stay put!”
Just then, tiny Elias was striding out to the middle of the field, little bow in his hand, monstrous wolves at his side. He walked boldly right up to a demon in mid-chuckle, and pointed an arrow right at it.
The demon pointed at him and laughed louder.
But suddenly, his cousin Liam appeared beside the demon and stomped down very hard on it's hoof, his little shoes lighting up very brightly. The demon howled again, but this time in pain and surprise, pitching back and opening it's mouth very widely.
Elias, who had not budged and inch, fixed his aim and let an arrow fly straight into the creature's yawning mouth. The demon fell backwards, now choking, and the wolves tackled it.
Liam now unsheathed a tiny sword, and with a yell accompanied by one swift stroke, had the beast beheaded.
“Whoa,” said Nathan. "Those are badass little dudes."
The other demons had ceased their cackling and now, en masse, fled the pasture, leaving only the corpse of their dearly departed companion.
“Now, that's using your noggin!” Wotan boomed, coming out to look at the slain beast. “Teamwork! That's what it takes!” he said, proudly patting his tiny son on his curly head.
From atop his fallen tree, Pickles looked over to his side. Charles had come to stand beside him on the fallen tree. “Dood, yer kid's a demon hunter!" the drummer told him.
“Yeah. I know.... I....” Charles was patting his empty jacket pockets.
Pickles grinned and handed him something. Charles looked at him questioningly. “Ain't tobacco,” Pickles told him.
"WOTAN!" said Nathan, as the king supervised dealing with the day's first blood.
"We'll have some delicious barbecue for you tonight, lad!" Wotan told the singer.
"Those Laughing Demons," Nathan told him. "They're abusive! I feel DEHUMANIZED!"
"Well, as it happens, I have an idea about that. And, I could use your help!"
"Yeah, really?" asked Nathan.
“Whatever is going on?” asked Ganesh as he rode up to where Pickles and Charles were conferring over a very dodgy smoke.
Charles looked up from where he was sitting, his back against the log. “Our baby. Our little baby, Ganesh.”
“Pickles?” inquired Ganesh.
“It ain't a cigarette,” Pickles confessed.
"He's tasted blood, Ganesh!" Charles babbled.
“Do you wish me to return Boon home?” Ganesh asked.
“He's fated to become a cold-hearted assassin!” Charles wailed. “A soulless killer!”
“Er, well, I wouldn't....” Ganesh began.
“DADA!” came the cry. Elias came running up to Charles, little tears on his cheeks, his elbow raised up. “An got da owie!” he explained.
“You got an owie?” asked Charles. “He scraped his elbow!”
“Well,” grinned Ganesh, "you are the qualified medical professional."
“We need a Bandaid!” Charles demanded.
“Bandaid, stat,” said Ganesh, shuffling through his bag. “Here is a sterile wipe. And, do you require Lightning McQueen, Buzz Lightyear, or Nemo?”
“Gimme Lightning McQueen. You better save Nemo for in case Nathan gets a boo-boo,” Charles told him. He spread on the little plaster. “OK?” he asked the patient. “Better?”
Elias blinked at him.
“Oh,” said Charles, giving the wound a little kiss. “OK, better now?"
“Tank oo, Dada,” said the boy.
“Boonie bedder?” asked Liam, as he breathlessly ran up.
Elias held up his Bandaid. “Ooo, Cahs!” whistled Liam appreciatively. They thereupon barreled off on some other important toddler business.
“Soooo,” said Ganesh. “You were saying? Regarding our soulless assassin?”
Charles looked at the cigarette poking out of his mouth. He took it out and regarded it for a moment, and then handed it off to Pickles. “Uh. I think maybe this shit is a bit too strong for me.”
“Shure, dood,” grinned Pickles, grabbing it back.
"That waschn't a fair move!"
"Abby is deploying her railroads! The Crimean war was won on the basis of industrialization!" Raziel declared.
"I am being undermined," declared Murderface.
"Da Tsar an dooche!" declared Abby, her blue eyes barely peeking above the heavily laden table.
"Hey, at least you got the Russian Empire," Raziel told him. "You could be stuck with the British army!" She held up a little metal soldier, and then carefully set him down on the edge of the table. But then there was a vey loud thump outside, causing the table to shake, and the officer of the British Army toppled to the floor.
Then there was another, slightly bigger thump. And then another. And another. As if something very big were coming ever closer.
"Ah, crap. I know what at is," said Raziel, going to tug a sword down from the wall. "Here!" she said, flipping something to Murderface. "You take this and follow me!"
Murderface looked down at the object, confused. It was a cell phone. He hastened after Lady Raziel. What he saw, slowly but surely nearing the halls of Valhalla, almost made him lose his lunch, as well as his dinner, and probably several other meals.
"Yeah, it's one of those idiot Hill Demons," grumbled Raziel. "They don't have the sense to stay up in the mountains this time of year." As she spoke, the mighty beast uprooted an ancient oak tree and tossed it away like it was a child's toy.
"Hey, I liked that tree! Asshole!" yelled Raziel.
"Uh, schould we call for help, Lady Razsch?" inquired Murderface.
"Naw, we're fine. Got my cell phone?"
"Uh. Yeah?"
"Cool! Now get ... This one!" And so saying, Raziel posed dramatically, sword in hand.
"Uh. I'm schorry? You want me to take your picschture?"
"Of course! I wanna text cute pictures of me fighting the demon to Wotan! He loves it when I slay demons!"
Murderface looked at the monstrous horror bearing down on them, and the cheerily oblivious angel. "OK," he muttered, his voice slightly strangled. He held up the cell phone and clicked.
"Great! Dramatic shot!" said Raziel. "And this one. Oh, and a sexy shot!" She stood, doing her best Bette Grable imitation. "What's the matter? Too cheesy, ya think?"
Murderface didn't reply this time, but simply pointed mutely.
"Deemin, Mummy!" said Abby.
Raziel turned. The Hill Demon was nearly drooling down the back of her shirt. And Hill Demon drool is particularly icky. "Aw, shit," she muttered. And very suddenly, there was a flash of steel, and the demon lay sprawled on the ground, minus a head. "And you better not have dripped spit on me!" she warned. "This is dry clean only!"
"Lady Razsch?"
"Hmmmm?" Raziel looked up. But this time, it was not a monster, two human sized figures approaching. "Jacque! You're a bit late for the hunt-! Oh!"
"This lady," said Jacque, indicating the stunning goddess on his arm, "had some things I think you might want to hear."
"I presume I am welcome here?" asked Parvati.
"You're family. Of course," said Raziel, nodding towards Valhalla. She led them inside.
Abby grabbed Murderface's hand. "Thisch temporary pausche in the game doesch not mean I am conscheding defeat!" he told her.
"Ha!" replied the Ottoman Empire.
Wotan had a map unfolded on the ground, and the hunting party gathered around him. "According to my ravens, our quarry have made off in this direction. This trail here leads to a dead end canyon. I believe we can flush them into the canyon, and then we'd have an easier time picking them off."
"How are we gonna FLUSH THEM?" asked Nathan.
"That is where you come in, friend Nathan! You will ride out here behind the herd with Skwisgaar, Ganesh, and the dogs."
"And what do I do?" asked Nathan.
"Ain't it obvious, Nathans? You ams yells at dems," Skwisgaar chuckled.
"What? Seriously, I dunno if I wanna do that. Those things made me feel DEVALUED AS A HUMAN!"
"So, therefore, Nathan, this will be your opportunity to, er, validate your feelings!" suggested Ganesh.
"Is that shrink talk or something?" Nathan asked suspiciously.
"Yeh, he means tell 'em dey're douches," Pickles explained.
"I dunno. Will is be VALIDATING? I mean, seriously, Ganesh, I know you're a smart dude, but I have serious questions about your professional qualifications here. I mean, I don't see any banana stickers."
"No," answered Ganesh, digging into a pocket, "but I do have a Finding Nemo Bandaid!"
Nathan stared in wonder. "OK. What else?" he asked.
"Er," said Ganesh, digging deeper, "An Existential Despair Meal toy from Dimmu Burger?"
"Ooo, Amon Amarth," approved Nathan.
"And, er, a spork!"
"Those things are useful!" declared Nathan, snatching up the plastic utensil. "All right," he allowed, "I guess that will do."
As the party readied to leave, Wotan asked, "You will be able to control that horse, Ganesh?"
"Of course I can control the horse," Ganesh grumbled. "It's a horse."
"Wotan," said Charles, pointing to an area in the canyon depicted on the map, "what does this marking mean?"
"Oh, that's leftover magic from when that bastard Lucifer tried to launch an invasion. They came through here and it never quite sealed up right."
"You mean the border with the Dreaming is frayed?"
"Well, that's one way to put it, I suppose," Wotan said.
"You think that's a good idea? Going in there? With all the trouble in the Dreamtime?"
"We'll be fine! We're here with a veritable army, Sariel! What could possibly go wrong?" the king laughed, striding away to confer with the mounted riders.
"You're asking me?" said Charles, looking worriedly at the map.
Elias came running up, the white tiger behind him. He squatted down and pointed to the marked off area of the map. "An kitty an maddick!" he told his father.
"Kitty said.... What?" Charles asked him. He looked at Bagheera, who switched his tail.
"Sariel!" Charles looked up. "You're watching Boon?"
"Yeah. You got a handle on that horse?"
"Of course I can handle this beast! Why does everyone insist on asking? Ashva! Not that way, this way!"
Charles grinned as Ganesh hastened off more or less with the other riders, hooves sparking dramatically on the ground.
Raziel sat down a teapot and began to pour.
"No offense, darlin', but you got anything stronger than a motherfucking chamomile?” inquired Jacque.
“Maybe when we're done here,” Raziel told him. “I know where Wotan keeps the whiskey.”
“Now you're talkin',” grinned Jacque, lighting up a cigar.
“I have never spoken of these things with anyone before. Not even your husband,” said Parvati, taking a teacup.
“Why did you pick me, Parvati? We haven't exactly been buddies lately.”
“Jacque tells me Sariel received a warning? From Baldr?”
“True,” said Raziel, sitting back. “So. Did you know about your son and Baldr?”
Parvati looked pained. “Ganesha admired Baldr. You realize your husband tends to … idealize his son?”
“And you're sorta fussy about who Ganesha dates,” said Raziel, blowing on her tea.
“You don't realize how young they were. Ganesha, especially. But that isn't why I'm here.”
“Just tell her the way you did me. And then we can get on to the Scotch,” urged Jacque.
“Long ago, I was close to your husband's first wife.”
“Yeah. Freyja. She's cool,” said Raziel.
“I wrote her that I was concerned about my boys. So, Wotan began to watch over them. For Ganesha, he became a second father. Perhaps too much like a first father, as far as Shiva was concerned. And Wotan, because of the kind of man he is, never questioned this. Not to this very day.”
“So, Ganesha isn't Shiva's son?”
Parvati laughed. Her laugh was glorious. Like everything about her. But Raziel merely frowned. “Is that what Wotan thinks?” Parvati asked.
“Let's just say, it's come up,” Raziel allowed.
“There was never a doubt in my mind. Not for a single moment. They are too much alike, though neither could admit it.”
“Then what.... Oh, fuck!”
“First, please understand this: Ganesh shares one of my gifts. All living things have surrounding them a magical field. He and I: we can see this. Not all gods have this power. It is in fact a bit rare."
“So, you can tell when someone's human. Or, half human?”
“Yes.”
Raziel put her teacup down and leaned forward. “So. Skanda's father was human?”
Raziel noticed that although the grievous injury she had bourne in the terrible dream had not affected Parvati in real life,the goddess's hand was shaking. “He was human," she said.
“Was human?”
“When I was with him.”
“You guys all set?”
“We ams set. Ams we set, Ganoshes?”
Ganesh regarded his mount. “Are we set?” he inquired. The horse tossed its head in a playful manner. Ganesh nodded to Skwisgaar, who told Nathan. “We ams sets! HITS IT!”
Nathan glowered, glancing around. He clenched his fists.
“YOU MAKE ME FEEL INVALIDATED!” he howled.
Suddenly, there were confused demon heads popping up out of the underbrush.
“YOU NEGATIVELY AFFECT MY SELF ESTEEM!” growled Nathan.
The demons looked around appearing nervous.
“And you are all just GENERAL DOUCHEBAGS!”
”Get going!” Skwisgaar yelled at Geri and Freki, who took off, barking and howling.
Skwisgaar and Ganesh took off next, riding hard after the wolves.
“Whoa,” said Nathan. “That felt empowering!” And then he ran to leap on his Thunderhorse and give chase.
"Are you bored, Verdamdi?" asked Urd.
"Darling. I think I have never in fact been so filled with ennui!" sighed Verdandi.
"Sweetie, have you been reading the thesaurus again?" asked Urd over her martini. "Because, that is entirely tiresome.
"Not as tiresome as seeing your face across the bar from me day after day," snorted Verdandi.
The two witches sneered at each other. But then went back to their cocktails. Fighting was just too tacky.
"Sisters!" said Skuld as she and Toki came into the room.
"Oh, is it that time again?" said Urd, smoothing her blonde beehive and reaching into her purse for a truly wicked looking pair of scissors.
"Snipping the Threads of Fate, we must," muttered Verdandi, who actually had just the trace of a smile on her face. She retrieved a rather startlingly sharp and shiny pair of scissors from the folds in her gown.
"Toki was showing me his Vogue pattern book!" gushed Skuld. "Here we have, the Cardigan of Fate!" she said, holding up a sweater.
"Oh," said Verdandi. "That is actually rather darling."
"It ams like da ones Kate wore to her after wedding parties," Toki explained.
"Kate!" cooed Verdandi, hugging the sweater.
"And, the Fair Isle gloves of Fate," announced Skuld.
"These are actually very practical, darling!" allowed Urd, pulling them on. She frowned down at the cigarette in her mouth, and then made a very comical attempt at trying to grab it out of her mouth without removing the gloves.
"Ands da shrug," said Toki.
"The Shrug of Fate?" asked Verdandi.
"Nah, we ams runned out of da Yarn of Fates, so dat one ams lamb's wool."
"But it's very soft," noted Verdandi.
As Wotan had promised, demons had started spilling into the canyon. "We'll pick out a couple of juicy buggers for the barbecue, and then let the rest run off. Though I don't think they're gonna be laughing so hard!" Wotan told Charles. The Norse god grabbed his bow and, taking his little curly-haired son by the hand, went to get into position.
From his own vantage point up on the wall of the canyon, Charles regarded the demons below. He looked back at his own boy. "You stay close, all right? There's going to be a lot of big things running around!"
"Yes Dada!" said Elias solemnly.
Charles frowned. Much as he had never cared for hunting, he found he liked it much less when his son engaged in it. But there was Wotan, and all his crazy shit about being a man and fathers and sons. Charles had to agree with Pickles: he would have preferred to stay back at Valhalla watching little Abby clobber Murderface at wargaming. He blinked, scanning the canyon wall, and wondered for a moment where Pickles may have gotten to.
He heard hoofbeats. Ganesh, Charles reflected, seemed to totally dig this macho hunting shit, which was weird, as Ganesh usually couldn't be bothered about places that lacked cute boy waiters serving tiki drinks.
Speaking of which, the riders had made their way to the canyon, Ganesh riding hard at the heels of a particularly large and "juicy" demon. Ashva, for whatever reason, seemed actually to be cooperating in the matter.
The Laughing Demon suddenly turned on it's heel, emitted a harsh cackle, and then pulled the annoying stunt of seemingly teleporting 20 feet to the left. It reappeared, braying like a hyena, but suddenly ceased laughing, looking around in confusion.
Ganesh and Ashva had just appeared directly behind it, Ganesh with an arrow notched and pointed right at the demon's heart.
Charles had to grin as the bow twanged. As Wotan had said, not laughing so hard now.
“Ganesh- BOON!”
Charles spun around in a panic at the sound of Wotan shouting his child's name. The boy was no longer seated in back of him. Heart in his throat, Charles scanned the canyon floor. But Elias wasn't running underfoot this time. Instead, he had somehow gotten himself to the other side of the canyon. Bagheera had chosen this moment to take a hidden pathway off into the hills, and the child was pattering after him.
Charles was down on the canyon floor nearly in one bound. He was about to take out his wings when Ganesh and his jet black mount were quite suddenly in front of him, the horse snorting steam.
"Boon!" Charles yelled, pointing.
"I see him. We've got him!" Ganesh shouted, and then he was away, through the chaos at the canyon floor with astounding ease.
Charles felt a hand grip his shoulder. Wotan was at his side.
"That's one cool fucking horse," muttered Charles.
Elias was running happily up the pathway when he felt himself suddenly grabbed and swung upwards. He was delighted to find himself sitting up on the big pretty horsie with daddy. "Dada!" he squealed.
"Elias! Don't you ever do that again! You scared the life out of us!" his daddy was scolding.
"Kitty!" Elias told his daddy, gesturing upwards
"A pleasant day to you, Shri Ganesha," commented Bagheera from his perch overhead on a tree branch. "We have some matters of import to discuss, I think," said the white tiger, contentedly licking his paw.
