* * * PARTHIA – FBI * * *

Jerry checked the room for bugs; the rabbit girl Claire had been very accommodating in finding them a remote conference room. The commander who had consistently bungled his assignment with the girl was looking at him with a faintly contemptuous look. The admiral was maintaining a fine poker face.

Markowitz barked irritably, “What do you find so strange commander? Walker is using cutting edge tech, and looking for bugs is standard. We need to know when we’re secure.”

“We’re in a dungeon sir. Dungeons don’t need bugs,” explained Meadows.

“What do you know about dungeons commander? We’ve been studying them at the paranormal division. They are severely limited. Their actual beings are restricted to some kind of magical gem in the furthest part of their dwelling,” pontificated Markowitz.

“They are considerably more than that, they have a – a domain. And they know exactly what happens in that domain,” Meadows tried again.

“Possibly, but we have a white noise generator. And with such a big dungeon, it’ll never be able to pick up on what we are saying. Let’s get started.”

Meadows exchanged a look of resignation with Jo and Forrester. “Very well sir, what is so important that we have to meet now, before we return to a more secure location?”

“I felt it to be in our interest to warn you that somehow we have been compromised. Whoever is involved with Ms Silvestre knows of our objectives. So we will have to improvise.” Markowitz paused looking worried, “What have you found so far?”

Admiral Forrester looked grim, “Ms Silvestre has somehow become the ruler of a powerful trading empire. She’s known as the pirate’s bane. She has at least two patrol boats and a destroyer. They are armed with missiles and powerful lasers. The destroyer, through use of storage magics can fly off four VTOL jet bombers. They are surprisingly manoeuvrable and effective. They allowed captain Esteban and me to fly one. And this was outside the dungeon. Further they have lightweight man portable lasers, though they claim they are short of ammo.”

Markowitz looked unimpressed. “Very little of that will be important. This planet, if it isn’t some elaborate hoax perpetuated by the dungeon, is primitive. No danger to us especially considering the size of the portals.”

Jerry forced himself to remain silent. He was starting to wonder just how secure they were. The commander had made a good point about the dungeon. Then he remembered what the corporal had reported about the portal that was used by trucks in Florida.

Meadows stirred, “Mary – Ms Silvestre is not hostile to our interests. I’m sure we could come to some agreement. But, we do have to be careful. She does have – sympathisers – in some unexpected places. And Blue Lagoon and Wonderland, err, Mock Turtle, are the two most powerful dungeons currently on Earth.”

Jerry opened his mouth, closed it and looked at Markowitz. Gathering his resolution he said, “We are aware of three dungeons in the US, Dinosaur Caves on Maui. Alligator Haven under the city of New York, and Frank Goodyear’s Bet Your Life dungeon in Oregon. None of them seem dangerous, there was Winter Wolf in Bismark but the army killed it. The Australians have Drop Bear, which also doesn’t seem threatening. Why are you worried about dungeons?”

The military contingent shared an exasperated look, obviously asking for patience in dealing with civilians. “Blue Lagoon has access to magically enhanced weaponry and systems we can’t as yet match. We’re lots bigger but we can’t access it freely. We know it’s on Earth, almost certainly somewhere in the seas off Hawaii. All I can say is – be cautious when treating with Ms Silvestre,” explained admiral Forrester.

Markowitz snorted in disdain, “You military folk are always so cautious. Silvestre is only a teenager, we just have to be wary of her allies. Admittedly our original plans have been stymied by the security breach but we’ll just have to adapt.”

The military contingent shared another look and sat back as the intelligence agents wound the meeting up.

* * * FRAGATTA – MARY * * *

It was time. Mary dismissed her human avatar and called forth her dolphin form. Slowly at first she started swimming towards the interloper. She gained speed steadily. Behind her on the island she felt the Earth delegations arrive on Fragatta. Her other me arrived with them and remained near the portal, ready to return to Parthia.

She was now dashing through the waves; it was exhilarating. Time for the broadcast and the challenge.

« HOI! Get off my world Fatagn! Stop polluting my oceans you useless excuse for a God. Go back home while you still can. »

Well beyond Blue Lagoon’s limits the waters of the ocean swirled and roiled as a massive something rose to the surface. Fatagn the Slothful took after his progenitor, standing waist deep in the ocean, the visible part had a vaguely humanoid form that seemed to shift minutely from time to time. The long narrow wings on his back snapped open in an apparent attempt to look even bigger that he was. The octopus-like head with a face that seemed to consist of a mass of feelers or tentacles seemed agitated.

« I AM FATAGN. ONE OF THE GREATER GODS. BOW DOWN TO ME LITTLE GODDESS AND FEED ME YOUR FOLLOWERS AS SACRIFICES. »

« And I am the MOTHER OF MONSTERS! And this is MY world. »

By now Mary was moving faster than any dolphin should be capable of. She left the ocean in a flattish ark and rammed into Fatagn’s chest knocking him over. Even as they disappeared under the surface of the ocean Mary embraced her octopus avatar and tore mercilessly into her opponent.

« WHAAT! NO! – I am a greater god! – You planetaries can’t attack us! – NOOO! – PLEASE! »

An extremely surprised Mary dragged the carcass of Fatagn the Slothfull into her sector of the gods plain where she found the other gods of Fragatta. They looked as surprised as she felt. Mary looked at them, “But he was so weak! He died so easily.” Mary lifted one shoulder as she absorbed part of the deceased god’s divine aura. “Oh well, take what you want. There really isn’t much.”

« you have slain one of the greater gods. There is a vacancy in the Gardens of Paradise. Do you wish to join the greater gods – Yes/no? »

« NO! Beep no! Why was he so weak Bluey? »

« no worshipers »

Mary exchanged glances with the members of her court. They all felt stronger now, even her. “I have to go impress my visitors. I will return after they leave. We have decisions to make.”

Mary focused on her visitors. She noted her followers were all getting back on their feet. They all seemed to share an inward almost ecstatic look. The visitors seemed to be coming out of a trance. ‘Oh dear, good chance the cat’s out of the bag as far as Jo is concerned. Sea humans are mine! And now she should realize it. At least the bonus at bein’ in on a god killin’ should soften the blow.’ Mary grinned to herself, ‘All those nice seals they were countin’ on... Hee!’

Still grinning she manifested her avatar at the rear of the group near the portal to Parthia.

* * * FRAGATTA – COMMANDER MEADOWS * * *

Meadows shook himself out of the trance he had fallen into after the two Gods voices had entered his head. And yes, he knew that they were gods. The System was emphatic on that point. He didn’t know what to make of the – killing – he had somehow witnessed. That they had all witnessed. The locals were getting to their feet looking ecstatic. Jo was also rising to her feet, however she looked stunned.

As for that somewhat bombastic fellow they had met on Parthia, master bard Dardadus of the Golden Voice was scribbling furiously in his leather bound notebook. The biro looked incongruous in his scarred hands.

He felt a tad heavier than he had on Parthia. He suspected the local gravity was a shade higher than Earth’s. The sky was sparkling with multiple sources of light that were visible even though it was day.

That Cthulhu lookalike had been killed with horrible ease by that dolphin octopus shapeshifting Mother of Monsters goddess the locals worshiped. He wasn’t sorry either, not after that sacrifices crack. He stole a look at Jo; she seemed to be recovering nicely. He’d have to ask her about it, but only after they were out of this multi-world dungeon.

* * *

Meadows was sharing the big display window with some civilians, they had been introduced as representatives of Earth’s Adventurer’s Guild. From their accents he suspected they were from New Jersey. Not that he was paying much attention to them as the view through the lookout port was both beautiful and frightening in its implications.

The world below was rather bland and uninteresting compared with Earth, but the collection of massive satellites beaming down sunlight showed the aliens complete mastery of the planet’s orbitals. Then there was the huge moon, or more accurately, twin planet they were approaching. According to the droning bored sounding commentary by one of the aliens, here they were bombarding it with meteorites consisting of frozen gasses.

Meadows found it amusing that Markowitz had ceased trying to dominate everything. Even so he did pity the man his space sickness. Being weightless was very convincing.