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March of the Tin Soldiers

A white stone skull castle resting on black sand with a moat of lava that connects with rivers of lava that geysers at random intervals stands as the palace of a ten foot tall komodo dragon, a megalania really in humanoid form, black scaled with beads white as bone forming what looks like a skeleton who looks out one of the eye sockets as suits of full plate armor like knights going off to war made of tin and encrusted with runes with glowing eyes coming out of its helmet. Golgotha sits on a throne of bone in a manner most bored as he has seen this display a thousand times before and truth be told there is nothing new or interesting about them since he built them so long ago. He rises from his throne and walks further into the Star Skull Citadel to a chamber that reeks of spilled blood and shattered souls.

In his mind Golgotha is the great Draco Rex or Dragon King destined to rule all but always there has been one to thwart his schemes, a male never far from his mind that he longs to destroy. Fourteen fair maidens hang naked from the ceiling, impaled on iron hooks rusty from all the blood they have been immersed in over the centuries that Golgotha has employed them to suspend female flesh over his scrying chamber to prepare them for disembowelment at the hands of the room's master. With ritualistic precision seven elves and seven dwarves are torn open so that their heart's blood drains into the sickening pool below.

Rising like a specter from the sanguine ichor is the ghostly holographic image of Konrad the Conqueror, the savage unicorn paladin that has plagued Golgotha's scheme since a time before even the false dragon himself can remember. Then the stallion is cut down by a wicked dragon blade that Golgotha has never seen before. The black bladed katana with a dragon hilt that projects an aura of pure evil alights its eyes and speaks to the dread necromancer.

"Find me, Draco Rex, bind me to thy unholy service and I shall bring you the power you desire and more. Bathe my tail in the purity of hated foe's heart's blood and quench my thirst for death and desolation and I shall serve you faithfully for eternity. I will help you take all of Theorhetika as your rightful property. Dragon of darkness I beckon thee, claim me for thy own!"

"Interesting," Golgotha muses as the vision fades and he is left alone with his dying victims. "I need to find this sword. Any chance I can garner to rid myself with this self-righteous thorn of a unicorn needs to be explored." He takes out a chalice made from the skull of a dwarf, dips it in the blood and takes a deep draught. "Yes, I need to do some research and find this weapon of wickedness."

"Ah, the Devil Dragon Sword!" A voice calls from behind Golgotha and when he turns around to look at who would dare intrude he finds an impossible long serpentine body, white scaled with a black underbelly, the head is that of a dragon featuring curling black horns and solid red eyes. A red frill traverses its back the entire length of its body as it displays a hood to Golgotha the inside of which is the color of night. "Long has it been lost to those who would bring eternal darkness to our world. Would you dare to seek my liege?"

"Aye, Linnorma," Golgotha says with confidence to his consort with a dark and sinister smile. "If it will rid me of that accursed Konrad..."

"That will be the very least it can do, my lord." Linnorma promises in a sinisterly sibilant voice. "The idiot savant sultan of chaos created it a long time ago in one of his more lucid moments as a toy long forgotten by now. Since then it has passed through many hands. Mostly villains like yourself but a few foolish heroes have tried to wield it thinking they could redeem it." Golgotha gives a queer glance at this but she continues. "Only to have it seal their doom and steal their souls."

"Where was it last seen?" Golgotha asks with a sinister smile.

"A powerful servant of the puppet proxy Dagon wielded it on a world of little significance," Linnorma replies. "It was lost when he fell, dropping into a volcano where the hero who slain him hoped it would be undone it would swallow it for all eternity."

"Somehow, I doubt such a fell tool could be destroyed that easily." Golgotha speculates. "What world was this? And by what manner might I visit this backwater planet and by some happenstance claim such a prize as the Devil Dragon Sword?"

"It's ignorant inhabitants call it Earth, my liege," Linnorma informs her master. "I know of very few ways of getting there. It's coordinates have been lost officially. Or at least the galaxy gate codex of its location is a well guarded secret. But there are other ways."

"Dream manipulation perhaps?" Golgotha asks facetiously to which Linnorma nods. "Do we even know if there is still a functioning gateway generator in existence there?"

"The Olympics, Nordics, Heliopolans and Judaeo all established themselves there." Linnorma relates. "I know their gates still exist in some form."

"Find me a fool," Golgotha orders, "One we can manipulate into dialing a gate we control so I may visit this Earth and find the artifact I seek."

"I hear and obey, my master," Linnorma says with great reverence and a secret sinister smile on her muzzle as she watches Golgotha stomp out of the chamber. "Now did he leave me anyone I can eat?"

Meanwhile, back on Earth, an entourage of six furs, a rabbit, a bull, a goat, a tora inu, a cheetah and a grizzly bear, are in a neon drenched nightclub in Devillage, on the South Jersey coastline. The club is called Disco Inferno and is situated on the boardwalk on a pier stretching out to sea and built so that at its lowest point there is a pit encased in reinforced glass that allows folks to view the ocean floor. Culture Club blares from the speakers with the song "Storm Keeper" currently playing. Various furs are dancing all around the club as sharks and other fish swim by the glass in the pit.

John Henry Smith, sometimes call Spartacus by his fans in the underground fighting circuit is a tower of power at a commanding six foot ten inches with deep black fur covering the bull from head to foot and piercing brown eyes that scan the scene almost constantly. Tonight he is dressed as if he just stepped off the set of Miami Vice with pastel blue pants, a neon pink shirt and a pastel purple jacket. A white belt girds his waist with white slippers over his hooves.

Janine Hussein is hanging on John's arm, the cheetah girl has dyed her hair pink tonight to contrast her blue eyes but otherwise looks like most any other queen cheetah. She is wearing a pastel purple leotard with pastel pink sleeves, neon pink leg warmers, neon purple dancing shoes and a neon purple headband. The leotard is very tight on her, so tight that if you look close enough, her nips and camel toe can be seen through the fabric.

Ivan Tesla is seated at the same table as John and Janine, the goat has a glass of vodka in his hand and toasting John on his latest successful bout. Red is the order of the day in Ivan's attire which contrasts his white fur, gray eyes, black hair and goatee sharply with shoes, socks, pants, belt, shirt and jacket straight out of Hawaii 5-0 with a checkered black and white tie completing the ensemble. He fiddles with a smart phone in ways that amuses everyone on his side of the table including John.

Lorelei Jones is seated on Ivan's other side, the pink bunny with blonde hair and blue eyes a little pouty at not being the center of attention. At eight inches over four feet tall she is the shortest one at the table as Ivan is five-ten but she is resplendent and looks the most glamorous in a golden zebra dress that shimmers in the flashing lights of the club, patent gold dancing shoes and earrings to match. She is giggling to cover her feelings as she watches Ivan make a fool of himself.

Sakura Yamaha is probably the most conservative in the group with a black and white sailor suit with bell bottom trousers, white rings at the cuffs and collar with a red shirt and a red kerchief somewhat clashing with her tiger dog fur. She idly plays with her pink hair as her black eyes scan the club for trouble worriedly. The foolishness around her annoys her as she stretches her five foot-seven inch frame against the grizzly standing behind her lovingly.

Michael O'Connor nuzzles Sakura and kiss her forehead as he allows her to muss up his moss green hair, which looks kinda weird as his fur is russet brown. He is only an inch shorter than John but he looks bulkier due his frame as is probably the loudest dresser of the six with purple pants and shirt to match, green shoes, belt and tie with an orange and black tiger patterned jacket. Mossy Green eyes gather visual data for his brain to process as he divides his attention between the three girls.

The bear and the bitch kiss passionately which causes the bunny and the cheetah to glower at their dates expectantly. Ivan is too busy with his phone to notice Lori and John is just smirking as he looks around expectantly for something else. Michael escorts Sakura out of her chair and the crimson Chinese dragons on her upper arms, thighs and back almost seem to wink mockingly at the other girls as the bear is the only one willing to give his date a good time on the dance floor.

"John!" Janine whines. "Come on! Let's get out on the floor!"

"We'll get on the floor when I feel like it, woman!" John thunders back. "Where is that damn waiter? I need a beer!"

"Wasn't there one at the table earlier?" Ivan jokes in a Russian accent, "oh, wait, Mike is a bear."

"I have half a mind to just get up and join Mike and Saki," Lorelei grouses as she gives Ivan a slap and then looks at Janine. "I just got a wicked idea, genie, wanna hear?"

"I'm all ears," Janine replies once she has sit besides Lorelei; occupying the seat Sakura vacated.

"You think we can shame John and Ivan into being less a couple of wallflowers if we started dancing sexy around Mike?" Lorelei asks in a whisper.

"I doubt it, but I think I'd like to give it a shot." Janine replies.

The song changes to "Rhythm of the Night" by El Debarge as Lori and Jeanie slink away from the table to join the bear and the bitch on the dance floor. Lorelei is a little more aggressive in her dancing than Janine who looks over her shoulder expecting John at least to come join them but he never does. Sakura looks askance at the pair as she has her legs wrapped around Michael's waist as part of the dance routine they are performing.

Lorelei already has a "friends with benefits" relationship with Michael which annoys Sakura somewhat but Lorelei is very bi and there have times when Sakura has found Lorelei naked in Michael's bedroom waiting for him on numerous occasions and the silver tongued rabbit has charmed the clothes off of the sensitive tora inu with her near constant heat inducing strange desires in the dog girl. Sakura keeps telling herself she's straight, no matter how many times she and Lore have played together. The fact that every time they have, Mike caught them, watching at first but at Lori's urging he always joins them, much to Saki's delight and relief.

Ivan is an inventor and though Lorelei loves him dearly, he is often too caught up in his work to pay much attention to her. Lorelei doesn't know much about what kinds of prototypes Ivan makes as he does all he can to avoid talking about it. But whatever Ivan does it's quite lucrative as Lorelei now takes to the stage when she wants to instead of as a means of generating income, although the fact that when she does put on a show she always draws a crowd turns her on and that means that it will always be profitable.

At the table, John gets a call from his promoter, Don Kink, a sleazy rat that secretly tapes every time John gets it on with anyone and sells the footage on the side. By trade John is a boxer, Mike is his bodyguard, Janine is his maid and Sakura is his spiritual advisor. John invests in Ivan's crackpot ideas that somehow always manage to pan out in one way or another.

Don is calling about a secret tournament with a $10 million purse with fights taking place all over the metropolis. What Don fails to mention is that each fight is against a monster that the company bankrolling the tourney has created and the money is really just an incentive to get a bunch of fools to commit themselves to competing. Nobody in the know expects the fighters to actually survive and since John has been something of a problem child for Don lately he thought this would be a perfect way to get rid of him.

The fact that this is going to be a pay per view special entices John, who loves to be in the spotlight, so he accepts and even consents to have Mike included as well without consulting the bear on his opinion on the matter. Even if he has to face Mike in the finals and claim his prize, John is confident that when push comes to shove, he can take the bear. In fact he catches Janine dancing with Michael and decides that a beat down is in order to teach his subordinate just where his place is.

Janine will never admit it but she kind of has a crush on Mike, and has fantasies of being alone and naked with him in the shower among other places. Lorelei has told Janine how attentive Michael is as a lover, a sharp contrast to John who expects Janine to pleasure him every time they are together. What Janine is unaware of, and in some ways John isn't really aware of it himself, is that John has no real feelings for her other than empty pleasure of ownership.

After Lorelei almost pants Michael, Janine goes back to their table and finds John and Ivan discreetly making out. While she makes no noise to disturb Ivan and John she does back away to grab Lorelei for a meeting in the lady's room. Janine is on the verge of freaking out insensibly as she relates what she saw to Lorelei.

"How long ago did you see this?" Lorelei asks angrily.

"Not five minutes ago," Janine states as they hear the familiar giggle of Sakura.

"I think the coast is clear," Sakura says to someone as Janine starts to discreetly look out.

"Don't even bother," Lorelei harshly whispers to Janine with a smirk on her muzzle, "I know who the Jap slut is bringing in."

"Who?" Janine asks in a bewildered whisper.

"You can't guess?" Lori asks lowly in Jeanie's ear and when the cheetah doesn't change her look of utter confusion Lori sighs and shakes her head before revealing: "Mike, you dumb pussy! It's a classic move, do I need to tell you why?"

"I can guess that!" Janine whispers back harshly with a look of annoyance on her face.

"Can't you wait to go home?!" Lori roars which causes Saki to shriek but nothing else is heard except the sound of footsteps going out. Janine gives her a look. "Oh, hush, after what you just saw did you really wanna hear them go at it?"

"At least with them I know I'd be hearing proper fucking." Janine counters.

"You've never done it with another girl?" Lorelei asks.

"Don't even suggest it, Lori!" Janine thunders. "It's not how things should be. A woman gets pleasure by pleasing a man!" Lorelei gives Janine a bored, annoyed look. "What?"

"Are you still in high school?" Lorelei growls. "Or did your father beat you as a child?"

"That's none of your business." Janine counters.

"Janine," Lorelei starts but a murderous look from Janine stops her.

Back on Theorhetika, Linnorma gets wind of this exchange, since Lorelei dabbles in a few things to make her act seem more authentic and at times more edgy. Linnorma coils herself and uses the blood pool to monitor the situation. With her senses sent a million miles away through space and time Linnorma watches and hears all Lorelei says and does.

All six of them share a house on the beach in Devillage that features a stage for Lorelei to practice on and a ritual space for Sakura to practice her abilities. Although the two share similar interests they almost never are in the same area at the same time. When the six get home in three vehicles, Ivan drives a Honda Element, John drives a Hummer and Mike rides a Harley, Janine needs to use the walk-in shower as Sakura goes to meditate in the shrine she has set up dedicated to the kami of Japan.

On the ride home, neither Janine nor Lorelei would talk to their boyfriends, due to the mode of transportation it was too noisy for Mike and Saki to converse. John decides to go a few rounds with the heavy bag in the gym while Ivan surfs the net. As Lorelei joins Sakura in the shrine, Michael goes out to the beach and starts to go through katas that Sakura showed him.

As Mike goes through the motions of fighting imaginary monsters on the beach something washes up on the beach. At first Mike doesn't give it much mind as horseshoe crabs are common enough around here during the summer. It's only when it gets closer and he realizes the crab is about the size of a car that he starts to notice it.

It flings darts at him from its tail that Mike instinctively dodges. When it starts to charge him, Michael wonders internally what is this and goes through some of the legends he has heard over the years. Eye stalks emerge from its shell to look at him hungrily and Mike says to himself: "Fuck folklore, this fucker is something out of science fiction!"

Mike is not too far off in his assumption as the mutant crab is actually a bio-horror constructed by Vicious Organisms Invented Daily incorporated. VOID labs is the main sponsor of the tournament John entered himself and Michael into and this is one of their preliminary bouts. Of course Mike knows none of this but he still bares his claws and rushes into battle.

The giant grab spins and hits Mike with its tail which injects a poison into him as it partially rears up to reveal nasty claws and a boring mouth drill. Mike roars in anger at the thing which makes it more than a little hesitant at getting any closer to him. Unfortunately for the monster, Mike himself is under no such compulsion.

Bleeding, and slightly battered but unbowed Mike surges forward to attack using his natural weapons. After one slash, however, the creature brings a claw down on top of him, effectively braining him. While in a daze the monster hits him again with its tail and knocks him down.

A remote camera is capturing all this on film for posterity and the betting pool has already begun with more than a few wagers being placed that Michael O'Connor will become the first victim of the rampaging monsters. Unfortunately for the gamblers, that last hit knocked something into place in Mike's head, and there are places in Mike's head nobody wants to see activated if they want to live. There is a reason bears are respected as being hard to kill and Mike is one bear than can be a crazy son of a bitch when his back's to the wall.

"That tears it!" Michael growls at full volume, "No more teddy bear, you thought the claws were out before, now you get to see how good I really use them!"

The bio-horror has no comprehension as to what Mike just head but the folks at VOID Lads are looking at each other and giving themselves the "WTF?" look as they and those subscribers that paid for the pay per view live feed can hear Michael clearly on their TVs and monitors. Back in his office Don Kink has almost shit himself as he knows all too well what happens when Mike gets THAT look in his eye and says the phrase he just uttered: it's psycho time. Discreetly, Don places a bet with a bookie that Mike not only survives but utterly murders the mutant freak trying to kill him.

"Jack!" Ivan yells in sheer terror as he runs into the gym. "We got problems, man, there's a mutant horseshoe crab on the beach and it's attacking Mike!"

"When did this happen?" John asks with a twinge of concern in his voice.

"Just now," Ivan reports nervously. "And Mike is fucking taking a beating!"

"Are you recording this?" John asks calmly.

"Probably, why?" Ivan counter inquires.

"Make sure it's available to post on our U-View account," John orders. "Because you know how Mike gets when he gets battered."

"Oh, God!" Ivan says with a hand over his muzzle. "Mike's about to go psycho!"

"Yup, but break out those special rifles you've been working on," John requests. "I think we may need them."

Ivan goes to his workshop to prepare his prototype energy weapon, what he jokingly refers to as his atomic disintegrator, as John turns on the television and switches the channel to live feed from the house security cameras. On the screen Michael is slashing the monster with gusto, as if this were some weird mash-up of a cheesy sci-fi flick on the dangers of nuclear radiation and a slasher genre horror movie. John just shakes his head and calls a bookie to put a bet on this fight: Michael O'Connor to kick ass.

Out on the beach Michael is acting like his namesake, the archangel of war, and raking the monster with his claws. One of the claws has already been ripped off and the thing is actually starting to retreat. Unfortunately for it, Mike is rather pissed off so letting it retreat, while probably the smart thing to do, isn't exactly in his mind as long term thinking for him right this second is unavailable.

As impossible as this might seem, Mike actually manages to wrestle the monster to the ground, effectively on its back as he gets his berserker thing going on. When the heart of the monster is unceremoniously ripped out and the thing goes limp; then Mike starts to calm down. He spends a moment just kneeling there, breathing in and out until he can see straight again and the realization of what just happened dawns on him.

"Holy shit!" Mike yells as he leaps off of the thing. "Damn! I just killed another one! Where the fuck did this one come from? I gotta talk to Ivan." Then he walks back into the house and yells: "Yo, Ivan! Where are ye, bro!"

"In my workshop, as usual, Mike," Ivan says over the intercom, having seen Mike in the security cameras and is now starting to believe the crazy stories Jack has been telling him about Mike.

"Well, get whatever examining doo-hickey you got in there and get out on the beach," Mike orders, "I just massacred some monster and I'd like to know what it is."

"I saw you on the cameras, Mike," Ivan radios back. "I don't wanna go anywhere near that thing!"

"I thought you were a goat," Mike goads, "You sound more like a sheep now. It's dead, Ivan, you can go out and look at it."

"I got plenty of footage while you were taking it apart, thank you very much," Ivan calls back. "Besides the cops are en route to pick the thing up. Feds more than likely."

"This is going on U-View isn't it?" Mike asks facetiously but doesn't wait for an answer. "I'm going to take a shower."

Mike walks into the showers and starts to lather up his fur with Janine still there soaking her fur under one of the other shower heads. The bear doesn't see the cheetah in here but she sees him. Lorelei is pestering Sakura, this much Jeanie knows as John is busy in the gym and Ivan is in his workshop so miss kitty is damn sure she has the teddy bear all to herself.

Janine gets behind Michael, as sneakily as she can manage but with him as distracted as he is with thoughts of what he just went through, she could have sashayed up to him in full view and he still wouldn't have a clue as she touches him; helping him wash his groin. Mike reaches back to see who is groping him and catches a glimpse of golden brown fur, a kind of contrast to his own russet brown and shakes his head ruefully. John will try to kill him if he finds out that Mike fucked Jean but right now, some pussy is pretty much what he realizes he needs right now.

Wet kitty hand paws squeeze ursine scrotum until his prick comes out to play as the paws of the bear grope cheetah tittys. Unbeknownst to either of them, Ivan has cameras in the showers that only he and Jack know about, mostly so John can do masturbation videos and they can edit them later. So while the cameras are rolling Mike shoves his schlong into her pussy and kneads her boobs much to Janine's delight.

In the shrine Lorelei is meditating as Sakura lights incense and does a little bit of housekeeping as part of her devotion to the kami she prays to as part of her faith. While in her meditative trance, Lori draws the attention of Linnorma on Rhetorika who zeroes in on her spirit. Phantom images of her frustrations surround her astral body as she tries to sort out and deal with her feelings.

Linnorma stalks Lorelei with great interest both as someone to manipulate to open up the portal that will allow her Lord and Master to go to Earth and claim the devil dragon sword but also as a potential snack. Lorelei is dealing with her own head and doesn't notice the draconic serpent beginning to encircle her in astral space. Back in the real world it looks like Lori is beginning to nod off but in reality her astral self has just noticed Linnorma and has to deal with her so returning her body in the real world is just not a priority.

Sakura senses something off in the chamber and it is centered on Lorelei which sort of skeeves her out. As she approaches the rabbit the dark feeling gets stronger and she realizes something is interacting with Lorelei and this makes the bitch even more concerned for her friend because as much as she feels awkward when they play she does not wish anything bad on the other. Sakura is not exactly a priestess but she is steeped enough in the knowledge of the occult to perform an exorcism.

John visits Ivan in the computer room and notices the commotion in the shower room. His eyes glower at the screen as he sees Janine get the kind of sexual attention he had never thought to give her even when he did fuck her. In essence Mike is giving Jeanie a better experience than Jack could ever give her due to his lack of practice and frankly he usually is only going through the motions when he gets the urge to do Jean.

"What the fuck is this?" John asks Ivan indicating the camera in the showers.

"You never did Jan like that?" Ivan asks in counter inquiry.

"Bitches are just cum rags," John says with disdain. "I get the urge to do her but then I come to my senses as soon as I shove my cock in her pussy. Even her tail hole ain't that tight."

"Not as tight as mine?" Ivan asks sarcastically.

"No," John says angrily. "I am going to kill him for this."

"And how do you plan on confronting him?" Ivan challenges and John gives him a look. "Who knows about all the cameras?"

"Shit, I don't want anyone knowing about those cameras except you and me!" John shouts in anger and dismay.

Ivan looks at him condescendingly which causes him to back off and go to bed alone as the goat keeps surfing the web until he turns in. A half hour later Janine and Lorelei join their mates and get totally ignored in the case of Jean and has her boobs groped in the case of Lori. Michael joins Sakura in the shrine a minute after Lori leaves and finds Saki on edge.

Sakura hugs her boyfriend as soon as he enters the room and demands he hold her. Mike just complies and nuzzles her lovingly. They retire to their room after they stand there for five minutes just holding one another.

"What happened?" Mike asks in a concerned tone.

"Lori tranced before you came in," Saki states. "Something dark was interacting with her astrally"

"Anything we need to be concerned about?" Mike inquires now very concerned about what is going on.

"Probably," Sakura replies opens the door to their room and they enter. "How was your day post club?"

"I fought something weird on the beach," Michael replies and Sakura gives him an inquiring look as they undress. "A car sized horseshoe crab came out of the surf and picked a fight."

"Well the fact we are getting undressed right now," Sakura starts to say and sees a big bruise on Michael's stomach. "That looks nasty."

"I got hit there," Mike admits. "Hurts like hell."

"Can we still play?" Saki asks.

"Yeah, it's healing but not hurting now." Michael replies as Sakura licks his scrotum. "Are you especially horny tonight?"

"Maybe," Sakura answers with a giggle as she tries to get him excited. "How badly did it hurt you?"

"I got half beaten to death," Michael reports as he fingers Sakura's crotch. "I think it had some sort of paralytic poison in its tail."

"It had something," Sakura says as she looks over where he got pierced while groping his crotch. "I wonder if it was recorded? I know Ivan has a crazy security program for the house."

"I'm sure it was," Michael states. "Ivan has a U-View channel. He already confirmed that the fight is going up eventually."

Sakura laughs and collapses on the bed they share and spreads her legs as she smiles at him. Michael smirks and rubs the tip of his cock on the lips of her labia as Sakura looks at him and shakes her head. Mike then lowers his muzzle to lick and suckle her breasts as he takes her.

Linnorma is actually afraid of Sakura and Michael as she can see how they could tag team and really destroy Golgotha's plans. She sees the escalating lovelessness of Lorelei's relationship and downloads the information that the bunny will need to activate the gate which just so happens to be in their town as a part of a traveling exhibit. In fact she also puts in a post hypnotic suggestion for to visit the location and activate it so that when she awakes the next morning she goes through her email looking for an offer of employment she knows she received of performing at the science museum that the gate is in related to archaeology.

The Nikolai Tesla museum of pseudo-science is very proud of its exhibits that display items of questionable scientific value and the acquisition of a recently unearthed gate and want to celebrate it in style. Lorelei Jones performing a science fiction themed show is a priority and initially Lori thought the offer was ludicrous at best and potentially damaging to her reputation at worst. But after spending a night alone with Ivan beside her and having a really weird she gets into the mood and mindset to give it a shot.

As part of agreeing to do the act, Lorelei gets to see the new exhibit before it officially goes on display. Ivan, Sakura and Michael tag along for fun but John and Janine are meeting with Don Kink over the new contract and so they can tape a segment with Janine of having her escape from an extreme situation for extra money from the networks. Unfortunately for them Don Kink also has plans for them to get embroiled in the situation he's involved in, betting that neither one will survive the onslaught of the monster he has set up for them to face. John is all set for a cage match against his opponent when Don Kink springs his trap.

Janine finds herself trapped in a maze with a quartet of monsters that resemble huge lumps of flesh colored red, orange, blue and green. The arena is set up like the Pac-Man game with dots of light on the floor that turn off when she runs over them. Electrified walls spring up randomly to try and kill the cheetah if she touches them but fortunately for her the same thing happens to the monsters if they touch it which gives her a plan of survival.

An octopus mantis creature steps into the ring to face John and try to eviscerate him with its claws as John tries to box his way of out trouble. John takes one look at the thing he is going to fight and yells a curse to Don Kink as it's obvious that he's been set up. Don Kink just laughs over the intercom and brags about he's going to profit from his death and asks him to be more entertaining than Mike was when he won his bout.

Don Kink is in his office watching both Janine and John simultaneously and is disappointed by what he sees. Janine has figured out she can slide under a forming electricity wall to kill a monster ghost thing coming after her. Every monster Janine sends after ends up getting killed the same way as Janine is quite nimble and while she acts the silly dumb floozy at times she is still smart enough to trick the monsters into slamming into the death walls meant for her and disengage them once they drop into foul smelling pools of slime and eventually Don just runs out of monsters to throw at her.

John on the other hand has a harder time surviving his encounter as he does his best to avoid the thing trapped in an electrified cage with him. Truth be told, John is scared shitless but he does his best not to show it as the thing gets closer and closer to him. But as much as the thing freaks him out there is no two was about how this is going to end: one of them has to die.

The monster is covered in a green exoskeleton in the general shape of an octopus but having the compound eyes of a mantis and while the arms of the thing look like an octopus on top they feature the serration of mantis claws on the underside. It wraps arms around John's legs and pulls him down to the canvas floor and launches himself at the creature's head.

Once he lands on top of the thing, John starts to punch it as hard and often as he can. At first his fist bounce of its armor but with repeated blows he manages to beat his way into the brain case no matter how nasty he gets cut. The fact that losing means dying gives a real incentive to keep at it and do his best not to lose.

At the museum Lorelei manages to charm her way to being able to actually touch the machine which allows her to activate it. The machine itself is a ring that suspends itself in a pyramidal frame without a visible means for allowing it to levitate like it does with a podium of crystals set before her. Manipulating the crystals attunes the gate to Rhetorika causes the pyramid to fill with amber energy and once finished an army of enchanted armors made of tin march out armed with halberds that shoot bolts of energy from the spear point.

Linnorma flies out and Golgotha himself marches with his own army and declares the museum as his domain. Furs run in panic as security guards draw their pistols and start shooting. Bullets just bounce off the armor of the tin soldiers and they in turn get cut down.

Michael and Sakura look at each other and decide to retreat as there are a hundred of them and two of them. Ivan is staring at them like deer in the headlights of a semi bearing down on it which prompts Mike to punch him in the stomach to get him to double over and thus be easier to be carried out. Lorelei shrieks and starts running as she just freaks out.

The four friends beat out of the general area as fast as possible and go home to find Janine trying to give first aid to John who is cut up like nothing else. John glares at Mike as Sakura helps Janine and Lorelei turns on the news. Unsurprisingly the big topic is the takeover at the museum by terrorists.

"What did you do?" John asks with great annoyance of nobody in particular.

"I...I don't know," Lorelei says. "I felt compelled to touch the crystals in a particular way and it just turned on."

"Was this related to that trance you had last night?" Sakura asks to which Lorelei just nods. "I think you were contacted by something from another world or dimension."

"So, what now?" Ivan asks.

"For one thing," Mike says grimly, "We need to take down those things. Whoever this Golgotha character is, I doubt he will be satisfied with just the museum."

"And you're gonna stop 'em?" John asks jokingly. "These ain't the monsters you keep telling us you've taken out, Mike."

"John!" Janine yells as she whaps John upside the head. "Based on what we faced today if Mike has even a small clue on how to beat those things, he might be our only hope!"

"I think I can hack into the museum's security," Ivan says as he types on his laptop. "I'm in! Checking security cameras now...whoa! Who's that guy?" He patches the scene into the TV's video feed showing a unicorn in a bondage harness and a large metal shield as well as a big sword.

"My name is Konrad," the unicorn says as he walks in from the outside. "And I need your help."