Sunday, August 28, 2011

Like a bat outta hell.

We went to report what we had discovered to Hachiman. Only Hachiman tranformed himself before my eyes into a face I thought I'd never see again...into the very being of the very much alive and well Manannán mac Lir. He apologized for the earlier deception but explained it had been most necessary for him to use this elaborate ruse for reasons he could not fully go into at the moment. What he did stress is that we needed to hurry out of Mag Mell and send word to Odin and the Aesir, and we needed to do this before the Henchmen of Hades could contact Hades themselves.

The race was on. The Henchmen of Hades versus yours truly and Nate. Both of us racing to get out of Mag Mell as quickly as possible. We passed the same detachment of Fianna and I fairly screamed at them in Gaelic to stop and detain the Greeks that would be right behind us. They were a bit confused but indicated the understood my order and would comply.

When we exited Mag Mell, Derrick was already engaged in combat, the Chain of Lugh in one hand, a massive pistol in the other, firing into the air behind us at a shadowy, flying figure that Nate called a "Shinobi", which I knew was another name for ninja, but I also knew these were celestial beings and no mere mortal band of assassins. They were literally creatures of darkness, creatures of night.

Derrick landed a lucky shot and the creature dissipated into nothingness. I whipped out my smartphone and quickly dialed Gunnar's cellular number and the words fairly tumbled forth...."Oh my gods!! Manannán mac Lir is still alive, we just saw them unearth the real Loki in Mag Mell, and Hachiman seems to be missing, and Derrick just took out a feckin' Shinobi at the Cliffs of Moher."

I could hear the squeal of brakes over the phone and Laurel yelling "What the hell!!" before Gunnar yelled "call you right back!!" and the call dropped.

Mere seconds later, there was a huge flash of lightning at the Cliffs of Moher and before Nate and I stood the towering figure of Odin, the Norse All Father, and a rather sheepish looking Gunnar, having been carried along like a precocious child.
He released Gunnar, whirled round and bounded off the Cliffs of Moher, bound for Mag Mell. Gunnar quickly followed in after.

"Well, Derrick, looks like we're headed back in...", I said apologetically.

Derrick smiled weakly, then grimaced, shrugged, and turned slowly around to face the crowd of utterly shocked tourists and local Irish residents....

...while Nate and I followed on Gunnar's heels back over the cliffs and on our way back into Mag Mell.

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