Lone Ranger Chapter 58

58.

The view from the top is still the best. It would have been better if there was a narrator to explain it all. The blade had taken them from the tunnels to the wide platform jutting out of the pit. She had explained that was one of the few platforms for the dirigibles to land for maintenance. Lance when having understood their whereabouts saw the structures in a different light. They were indeed structures as mentioned before but they were made of a shining material like steel. Each of the structure jutted out in different angles and length were supported by the metal beams that held it to the main structure.

“We have to adapt to when the numbers grew. The current interiors are already overcrowded with the non-reparation of the redeemed souls we are constantly looking for space.” Blade stared at the structures. “The ship is only capable of processing so many and yet we are almost doubled in capacity. She bled with the extra leggings seen here.”

“They don’t look like an army,” Tonto remarked back.

“Those you saw are the discards. During the war, they will be the laborers to carry the pieces of machinery or at worse be the cannon fodder. Am I not right with the term?” Blade laughed and then sighed on her previous plight. She was after all once like them.

“They may be our army.” Blade turned to Lance. “We cannot underestimate their real strength.”

The trio stood there watching the dirigible anchored there. It was a small one at the length of sixty feet and a circumference of fifty feet with the twelve feet by six feet cabin below. It was used to cart the cargoes from the different levels in the pit. The workers there to supervise the unloading while others moved the unloaded into the storage. It was the Lance saw the huge metallic figure standing by the doorway. It had six limbs of four that were on the side of the body's chest. Its head was a rounded cover with a set of the antenna on the top. The lower limbs were powered by the double tracks.

“That was SEL-54 which was our friend until it was disabled. It now stands as a reminder of our better times.” Blade smiled “I used to see it lift four times its weight.”

“Why are we here?” Tonto asked as he was tired of the scenic view with the depressing news on the hopeless situation. Blade did not reply but she motioned to them the descending dirigible. It was a bigger one at twice the length and circumference. It held a wider cabin at over thirty feet with a width of fifteen. It held four gun ports. Lance readied his guns but the gun ports remained close. The craft landed and then its side door opened.

“Good day, Sirs. May we leave now?” It was Falstaff. “Lady Lilith disliked to wait too long like any ladies but they do make us do while they ready themselves.”

Lance laughed hard at that line. Their journey was short in distance but steep downwards they went. Soon they arrived at the platform below. It was not a true platform but more of a balcony with enough space for them to disembark. There was a Nephilim standing there hidden into the side of the pit. It was not seen unless one looked hard at it. Or was looking for it. He saw three of it all there and standing behind the fake structures.

“Those…” Lance voiced out but he held back his words when he saw the lady figure standing at the balcony. “Lady Simmons, I presume.”

The lady dressed in the Sunday outfit with the flared skirt smiled at the one named the Lone Ranger. She even held the small umbrella in her left hand. She swung the umbrella out and pressed the lever to release the canopy.

“I am but I am not the lady expecting you. Lucifer is inside with the others.” Lady Simmons replied. She then led them inside to meet the ones expecting them.

“Welcome in.” The figure was as described before. He was still dressed in the red shaded suit and the darker red sash around the waist. The tall figure held the two-prong trident in its right hand with the length above the tall figure. His scales covered forehead and cheeks to the neck with the two small slits on the protruding snort for the nose. His eyes which were the two blobs below the forehead with the iris in the eyes a vertical oblong design with green shades glared at Lance.

“I like your longhorns. Would it hurt if I break it?” Tonto cut in with his snide remarks. “I always wanted to know that.”

“Choir boy, you are well-coached by the best but that horn remains here.” Lucifer reached for the two curved longhorns that reached to the back of its head. “It’s one of my nurtured parts. It gave me the impression of being evil.”

Lance took back the command and looked at the assembled. He recognized Vlad there alongside Samael who was killed by Aamon. There was Lady Simmons with another lady dressed in the loose tunic and the wide waist belt that resembled some championship belt. There were also others that Lance could not recognize.

“I am not for words. I have a war coming with the one named the Devil.” Lucifer looked at Lance. “So are you in?”

“I ….: Lance uttered his reply but Tonto made his words clear to the other.

“I am not siding with you, Lucifer. In my world, you are the Devil.” Tonto stepped back to the exit. “I am leaving. And anyone trying to stop can go to Hades ……again.”

Lance looked at Tonto and held out his right arm to hold the later back. Tonto brushed the arm off and turned to the exit when Lucifer voiced out.

“Tonto or should I call you David Woods? That was your name when your father gave you and took you to a new home in England. You were an item in the county you stayed; the heathen kid on the block. You were a novelty then but you have a reputation as a brawler before you repented under devotion to the Creator. Then you migrated to the more colorful version. Your shaman learning did not stray you but enforced your belief.”

“Stop! No matter what you may say I am not joining you.” Tonto snapped hard on the reply.

“Stop? I think not. I am not here to stop your belief. I am asking you to right the mistakes in Hades.” Lucifer pleaded with Tonto. “I need allies like you to fight the Devil.”

“Do you want to know who really the Devil in here? The real power behind the Devil?” Lucifer taunted Lance and Tonto. “If you are the Lone Ranger then you will want to know.”

“I will not be part of this. I am leaving.” With that Tonto left them. He wanted to go back to the plains and find his way back. Lance stood back and glared at Lucifer.

“No, I want to know where my brother is. He matters to me more.” Lance replied. “And right now, you are the only one who knows where he is.”

Lance drew his guns and faced the assembled.

“Tell me or I will shoot.” Lance threatened them.

“Are you willing to shoot your brother?” The figure stepped out from behind Lucifer. “Hello, Lance.”