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Hudson and Kaslur were waiting for us outside. Hudson was still in his leather jacket and blue jeans, but it was thicker looking than it had been, my guess was he had stuff on underneath it. He had a Colt 1911 in a holster on his leg that was hooked to a tactical belt on his waist, but his rifle wasn't the same one that I was used to. This one had a plastic stock, plastic magazine, a red dot like Issac's M4, a suppressor, a foregrip and flip up plastic sights. The other rifle on his back was one I knew because Barron had one on the train, the M14.

'What rifle is that?", I asked.

"Remington ACR 5.56", Hudson said, "it's my personal rifle, not my army issue FAL. I bought this because FAL's aren't cheap in the states and my bank account isn't exactly full."

"Is that a auto or a semi?", Kaslur asked as we started up a mountain trail next to the temple. For being a million year old skeleton, Kaslur was surprisingly quick on his feet.

"It's a Semi", Hudson said, "you can buy Automatics where I'm from, but I didn't want the hassle of the paperwork and all that bullshit."

"This is Japan too", Kaslur said, "I've lived here my entire life, how'd you get it into the country?"

"Carefully", Hudson said, "though all my firearms and ammo are here legally because I planed to be competition shooting, not saving the world from an army of demons."

Kaslur laughed, "sorry?"

"No sweat", Hudson replied, "just try not to make me angry or I'll brake you in half."

'Try it old man", Kaslur said.

"Who the fuck are you calling old?", Tyranny said as he jumped up on a boulder and helped Kaslur and Hudson up, "your a million years and Hudson is..what 30?"

"31", Hudson said, "my birthday was yesterday."

"Why didn't you say anything?", I asked as Tyranny helped me up the huge, slippery rock, "we could have done something."

"Does Master Otani even have the materials to bake a cake?", Kaslur asked as we came on a ridge, 'watch it here guys, ice is very slick."

"A pizza cake", I said, "Tyranny and I will go around, you guys want a lift?"

"Nah", Kaslur said, "we can handle it, find us a spot and set up, we'll meet you there."

Tyranny flared his wings, "I'll race you."

"Your on", I said jumping from the cliff. Tyranny and I flew around the ridge where Hudson and Kaslur were climbing. We found a small ridge which was the highest, and largest, point for miles that overlooked nothing but the clouds below it and the vast snow covered mountain range. It was like nothing I had ever seen before.

"Wow", I said, my breath freezing when it touched the air, "this...this is amazing. Where are we anyhow?"

"The Japanese Alps", Tyranny said, "I was born in a cave in one of these mountains somewhere."

"I thought western dragons laid eggs?", I said tilting my head to one side, "I also heard that the incubation process takes ten thousand years."

"Maybe in fiction", Tyranny said, "have you seen some of the Westerns at the temple? Most of us are still living with our parents, who are in their thirties, I'm one of the few that aren't. Weather you hatch or your born depends on your mother."

"I think Corey said something similar to that", I said.

'Corey?", Tyranny asked.

"A friend of mine from the Marine Corps", I said, "Hudson knows him."

"Ah", Tyranny said flaring his wings, "you set up here, I'mma go down range and make some snowmen to blow away."

I laughed, "Don't get killed, I would like to be a mother someday."

Tyranny kissed my cheek, "and I'd be happy to be a father as well."

He jumped over the side of the cliff as I started digging down into the snow. I had a decent sized trench built when I heard foot steps behind me and then felt snow on my back. I turned around to see Kaslur and Hudson standing on top of the ridge.

"Took ya long enough", I said as they dropped down.

"Where's Tyranny?", Kaslur asked.

"He went down range to make some snowmen", I said.

"For targets?", Kaslur asked.

"Mhmm", I said, "he should be back shortly. Get set up."

Hudson and Kaslur started setting up their sniper posts and their rifles as Tyranny came back.

'I built six evil snowmen about 15 hundred yards down range", Tyranny said, "well out of the range of most of our weapons, let's see how long it takes for us to hit 'em."

"I'll shoot first", Kaslur said taking his AK looking sniper rifle from his back, I wasn't exactly sure where he got it from, must have been in his pack and he put it together when I wasn't looking.

"What's the range?", Kaslur asked looking through the scope, "gimme an estimate."

"Roughly 1,550 yards", Tyranny said.

"1550 huh?", Kaslur muttered as he flipped the safety off.

"Weapons live", he said before letting a round off. I couldn't see where it landed, but Hudson did through the scope of his 14.

"Not quite", Hudson said, "you threw up snow about...looks like 8 feet to the right."

"That's way off", Kaslur said, "forgive me, been about 40 years since I touched this rifle."

"40 years?", Tyranny asked, "where has it been since then?"

"My rucksack", Kaslur said letting off another round.

"Little low", Hudson said, "try a two dot adjustment and see what happens."

Kaslur turned the dial on his scope two clicks. I zoomed in and watched through my Hud as the snowman's head came off.

"Blam headshot", Tyranny said.

"Did it really go that high?", Kaslur asked.

"Where were you aiming at?", Tyranny asked.

"Center mass and to the left to account for the wind and high for the drop", Kaslur answered.

"There must be some updraft downrange", Hudson said, "find another target and make the same aim and see what happens."

"Target just to the right", Kaslur said.

I watched through the head as the Snowman General's head popped like a grape.

"Target down", Tyranny said.

"Another headshot", Kaslur said, "yeah, there has to be some updraft down range. Why don't you take a shot Hudson? See what happens with your 14."

Hudson set his M14 on the snow ridge and adjusted the scope before letting a round off, I saw the 223 smack into the ice wall several feet from the target.

"Where were you aiming?", I asked.

"Center mass", Hudson said, "I didn't see where it went."

"It hit the Ice wall about 8 feet above it's head", Kaslur said, "if you were aiming center mass, then there is some serious draft down range."

"Lemme try again", Hudson said adjusting his rifle's position and firing another round. This time, the snowman caved in on itself.

"Center mass hit", I said, "I'd say I'm up, but my weapons won't reach that far."

"Your Dillon is .308", Tyranny said.

"Yes but it's also a rotating barrel chain gun designed to rip shit, not shoot precision."

Hudson sighed, "you know, it occurs to me, we've got a few good rifles and a few thousand rounds of ammunition. Kaslur, your brother has an army."

Kaslur sighed, "I know."

"I can't fight a war without resources", Hudson said, "You said these portals are all over the world? How do we get there, sure Tyranny and Emelia can fly, but could they carry us, plus our stuff and theirs? Unless they can, we need transport, a pretty sizable jet too because Emelia can barely fit in a Seahawk, she and Tyranny would make it to heavy to take off."

"They built a civilian helicopter a while back", Kaslur said, "about the size of a Russian Hind, a good all around craft, but it guzzles diesel fuel like no tomorrow, for what we will be doing, we need a fixed wing aircraft."

"I'll see if I can get us a CZ57 Avenger", Tyranny said.

"I've never heard of that", Hudson said, "and I've been in aviation for a long time."

"It's two, C-910 Pontoon's stuck together", Tyranny said, "a guy here in Japan, who knows Master Otani builds them. I'll see if I can convince him to build one for us."

"How long will that take?", I asked.

"About two weeks", Tyranny said, "it' might be a bit cramped inside, but it will be just the right size for our little gang."

"We might not have that long", Kaslur said, "my brother gets more powerful everyday, if he regenerates to the point where he gets his flesh and blood back, he may be un stoppable. Emelia, what did he look like the last time you saw him?"

"White bones, two legs, small wrist chains and black and red robe", I said.

Kaslur looked as if he were thinking, "it would appear he is not regenerating as fast as I thought. Never the less, we must gather our resources as soon as possible. Siazach draws power from the energy surrounding the portals, there are ten I know of, the quicker we close them, the more we cut him off and the weaker he'll become."

"Where exactly are they?", I asked.

"There is one in Russia", Kaslur said, "underneath a base built on top of a frozen mountain, which is being used by the Russian Air Force."

"That's a recipe for disaster", Hudson sighed, "next?"

"There's one in Great Britain, though that one will be easy to close because it's in the middle of no where, there's one in Southern Vietnam, close by a VC base."

"These are sounding more attractive by the minute", I sighed, "at least all we gotta do is pack them full of explosives and blow them to kingdom come."

"It's not that simple", Kaslur said.

'What do you mean?", I asked.

"All these portals connect to a dimension called Raykat", Kaslur began, "this dimension is for souls who do not belong in heaven, nor hell and they are highly un predictable. Some are incredibly passive, while others will attack you merely for making eye contact. Now, the portals that lead to this dimension are powered by stones that rest inside Raykat, to close them, not only must the Earth Stones be destroyed, but the stones in Raykat must be obliterated as well."

"And to do that we have to enter another dimension", Hudson sighed, "I don't know if that's a bad thing or not."

"If we start killing the spirits there and causing a lot of trouble", Kaslur said, "it could be. If were going to be waiting for two weeks for a jet, I'm going to take a little trip. Don't ask where, but, let me say that humans and dragons don't last very long in Raykat unless they have abilities far exceeding that of their normal counterparts. Hudson, you should be okay, but Emelia and Tyranny wouldn't last five minutes."

"So how do we help?", I asked, "what if you and Hudson get overrun? We can't come in after you."

"And the objects I plan on recovering will allow you to do just that", Kaslur said, "I'll explain when I get back."

"How long will you be gone?", I asked.

"About four days", Kaslur said, "until then...what do we need?"

"For starters", Hudson said, "what kind of firepower do we have to bring to take down these guys if they decide we looked at them funny?"

"Once I recover what I need", Kaslur said, "anything bigger than 22 will work just as well on them as it does on humans."

"Okay", I said, "so we need ammunition, explosives for the stones is a given, what else?"

'Body armor", Hudson said, grenades, flashbangs, claymores, SMG's, NV, winter and jungle gear for Russia and Vietnam... am I missing anything?"

"Fall, three color desert and Kryptic Typhoon print camouflage", Kaslur said, "Raykat is a strange dimension in it has three distinct biospheres. One is set to the fall time, always just before sunset and the temperature is always 50 degrees, so we'll want to dress warmly. This biosphere has the highest concentration of spirits, so we'll have to keep our guard up. The second is the desert, it's the middle of summer, mid day 24/7. It's very hot, so we'll need to take light equipment and just enough explosives and ammunition to get the stones and get out. The last one is an area, a large one, that I've taken to calling the Craig, a large, grassy rock that seems to be a high mountain."

"Seems?", I asked.

"the cloud cover around the cliffs is so heavy I can never see the bottom", Kaslur said, "it rains 24 seven and this area is populated exclusively by savage spirits that will tear your face off without the slightest provocation. In order for us to reach the stones, we will have to fight through them and they are extremely tough."

"How tough?", I asked.

"Mag dump from an M4 carbine at point blank range and they get back up", Kaslur said, "they don't go down unless you shoot them about 100 times, or nail them with a head shot."

"Head shots", Tyranny said shifting his position on the snow bank as a sharp gust of wind blew through us, "everyone's favorite way to kill."

Kaslur looked out over the mountains and sighed, "what do you think of death?"

"Who?", I asked.

"All of you", he said.

Hudson looked over the mountain, I couldn't see his eyes underneath his sunglasses.

"Honestly?", Hudson said, "death is my bitch, she gets me when I'm ready, not before.:

"What about you Tyranny?", Kaslur asked, 'how do you feel about death?"

"I'll find out in about two years", Tyranny sighed from his perch on the snow bank.

"You are dying?", Kaslur asked.

"No", he said, "my father is. He has a degenerative disease that's eating him alive."

Kaslur sighed, "I'm sorry."

Tyranny didn't answer.

"What about you Emelia?", Hudson asked.

"I flinched", I said, "death doesn't scare me. Not any more."

"Flinched?", Kaslur asked.

"Siazach killed everyone and everything I ever loved", I sighed, "the worst I did was flinch when I saw it. Death used to terrify me, not anymore."

Kaslur sighed, "I'm sorry, I blame myself."

"Why?", I asked.

"I should have killed him myself", Kaslur said, "the Bounty Hunters would not have been able to curse him and none of us would be in the mess."

"If you had killed him I wouldn't have met any of you", I said.

"If I had a face I'd smile", Kaslur said laughing, "but since I don't."

I grinned, "I'll do it for you."

There was a round of laughter.

"Anyway", Hudson said, "I think I might know how to get our hands on the munitions we need."

"How?", I asked.

"Tyranny", Hudson said, "can you get Emelia and I a plane? Just big enough to take us from here, to Iraq."

"Iraq?", I asked.

"Holland", Hudson said.