“Snakes are just wingless dragons,” I pointed out.
“No, my sweet La-la, they are not,” Re declared. “Snakes crawl on their bellies and have thin, creepy tongues. The only thing they have in common with dragons are their slit eyes and their scales.”
“I've felt a connection to the Nagas,” I reminded him.
“Those are magical snake-demigods,” Re said. “Much different.”
“Okay, honey, whatever you have to tell yourself.” I gave his shoulder a pat.”
“Will you help Amaterasu, Godhunter?” Sakuya nearly screeched.
“Yes, Sakuya,” I said gently as I patted her shoulder. “We'll help you.”
“Thank you,” she sobbed and fell onto the hill in relief. “She's like a mother to me. I could not bear to lose her.”
“We'll find her, Sakuya.” I sat beside her. “One way or another.”
“Do you know the way into Meido?” Odin asked as he sat across from us.
“There's a gate in Japan.” She nodded. “In Mount Osore.”
“Mount Fear,” Odin translated for us.
“When did you learn Japanese?” I asked Odin in surprise.
“I didn't,” he said with a grin. “I know the mountain; it's one of Japan's three most holy places.”
“That's right.” Sakuya was calming now that we had agreed to help. “It's technically an active volcano, but it won't erupt. A temple is built in its caldera; on the shores of a lake that connects to the Underworld river.”
“The lake actually touches the god territory?” I asked in shock.
“It's a direct path through the Aether; like the Celts and Fey have made.” Sakuya said and then grimaced. “Souls take another path, but Lake Usori is the only way the living can reach Meido.”
“A volcanic lake?” Toby asked with concern. “Won't the water be tainted?”
“It's highly acidic, but we should be fine if we wear wetsuits,” Sakuya said.
“This is looking to be quite the undertaking,” Sam noted.
“Navigating the lake is only the beginning.” Sakuya started pulling out scrolls. “To reach Enma, we'll have to cover treacherous ground.” She pointed at horrible pictures painted on the scrolls. “Souls are tested in between every trial; it's a way for the kings to collect evidence on the life that was lived.”
“Kings?” I lifted my brows. “That's another connection to Hades. Kings judge souls there too.”
“Yes; lots of connections.” Sakuya rolled her eyes. “Can we move past the connections now?”
“Sorry,” I mumbled.
“Vhat ze hell is happening zere?” Kirill pointed to a picture where a man was being attacked by a feline creature and a woman was in a lake, a snake wrapped around her body.
“That is the test of lust and sexuality.” Sakuya's finger skimmed the Japanese writing. “Men are tested by a cat who bites their penises; the amount of damage determines the amount that they have sinned.”
“The amount of damage?” Ted nearly screeched.
“Is everything okay up here?” Ty asked as he came over and set a tray of drinks down on a flat-topped boulder between our hill-chairs. “I thought you might want some refreshments.”
“We're fine,” I said. “And thank you; I think we can all use a drink right about now.”
“There are fucking dick-biting cats in the Japanese Hell!” Ted shouted at Ty.
“What?” Ty's eyes went wide.
“It's Japanese Buddhist Hell,” Sakuya corrected. “Not Shinto.”
“I thought Buddhists were supposed to be peaceful?” Ty asked with horror.
“They are”—Sakuya smirked and pointed to the pictures—“and this is why. Every sin is judged, and the Buddhists are very critical. They even count the killing of bugs.
“Bugs?” I widened my eyes at her. “Even cockroaches?”
“Yes; all life is precious.” She laughed. “Souls must pay for every killing. The trials ensure that each type of sin is dissected and judged so that the soul is punished or rewarded appropriately.”
“No wonder they're such nice people,” Sam huffed. “I'd be a vegetarian saint too.”
“You think this is bad?” Sakuya lifted a brow. “This is only Meido. If you wind up in one of the Hells, you could experience anything from being buried in excrement to being thrown in molten metal. There's even a Hell called The Flaming Cock.”
“J-man Christ!” Sam swore. “What the fuck is wrong with those people? Why do they have to go straight for the dick?”
“It's not that kind of cock.” Sakuya giggled. “It's a giant rooster that breathes fire.”
“Okay; that's just ridiculous,” Sam settled down.
“Tell that to the people being chased by a giant, fire-breathing rooster,” Trevor said.
“Can we get back to the dick-biting cats?” Ty asked.
“I'd rather not.” Ted grimaced.
“The cats are for the men, but women get snakes,” Sakuya said. “A giant snake slithers into a woman's vagina and the depth they are able to achieve determines the woman's sexual sins.”
“That's it!” Ty threw up his hands and turned around. “I'm out! No penis cats or vagina snakes for me, thank you.”
Chapter Forty-Three
After researching the various landscapes we'd have to cross, we concluded that only those of us with flying capabilities should go into Meido. We'd have to cover a lot of ground and it would be far better to fly over this particular ground than walk it. That dwindled our number and prompted us to call in Azrael and Ira. Death would get to go to Hell, after all.
Azrael was overjoyed to get out of our territory. Ira; not so much.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Ira huffed. “I'm not going into Meido to rescue some woman I barely know.”
“Ira, you're Famine, for fuck's sake,” Sam huffed. “Grow some anorexic balls.”
“My balls are just fine,” Ira growled. “And I'd like to keep them right where they are. Did you hear about the cats?”
“What is with you angels and the cats of Meido?” Sakuya chuckled.
“I'm not too thrilled about the pussy-snake either,” I huffed under my breath. “As much as I
