DARING DO AND THE COMPASS OF DISCORD

by De Writer

Chapter 20 Parade Unrest

Daring Do turned to Morail, winked, and remarked, “You were just wondering about those traps? I know the perfect test!”

Turning to the entrance, she called out, “Why not simply come down here, Onder? You will see for yourself what an amazing part your ancestors played in both this place and the start of the Nil Eya civilization!”

The light from the small entrance tunnel was blocked by the entry of a bulky being. There was a nearly silent “SHING!” That was followed by a loud squall of pain!

Daring Do quietly stepped over to the tall narrow stone that covered the trap's reset mechanism. She pulled the reset lever and there followed a squelching noise as the deadly blades retracted to their hidden pockets in the wall.

Smiling grimly, she pronounced, “Those ancient ones did first rate work! All three of the traps that he tripped worked perfectly, even after somewhere around two thousand to two thousand five hundred years!”

Morail snorted, “Subtle of them to trip two traps but have nothing happen until the third releases them all at once! I think that I need to take your Tomb Traps and Other Dangers, 406, Doctor Do.”

Daring Do cheerfully replied, “It is certainly a help in situations like this one! In my whole career I have only seen that type of set up once before.”

Outside, they heard a spattering of irregular small arms fire interspersed with the heavier bark of their MT84. It was firing single shots, some short two round bursts and once three at a time!

Daring Do led them out through a short door that opened to become a taller door when she heaved on an ancient lever. It opened into a high and wide corridor that would have been comfortable for zebras or other large herbivors. Meridian and Morail were covering all of the passage that they could see with mirror images taken as swiftly but carefully as they could.

Withers in the lead, Daring Do following, both had their rifles at the ready and pistols free in their holsters as they advanced towards the light at the end of the tunnel!

Withers joked, “At least we know that the light at the end of this tunnel is not an oncoming train!”

Morail pointed out dryly, “Depending on who won that fire fight, we might prefer an oncoming train!”

They heard the start of an MT engine, followed by a single shot from their MT84! That was followed almost instantly by a violent explosion! They nearly lost their footing to the ground shock of the blast!

Withers crawled to where he could see out through the entrance. Giggling, he stood up and waived the rest forward! They beheld what seemed to be the bizarrest sight possible! There was Honorly, the Discordian, standing in the back of their truck, holding the aiming and firing handles of their MT84!

There were several other Discordians from his camp with him, all armed. They were calmly cleaning their weapons, accounting for the sound of small arms fire. Among them was one, who though clearly also a Discordian, was no sort of antelope or other grazer.

Daring Do paused and made a bow of respect to them all, saying, “May the path of Chaos bring to your lives unexpected joys.”

As Honorly dismounted from their truck, he exclaimed, “Doctor Do! We were bringing you this fine friend of ours from up north and west of here. His folk raise fish that sell popularly, especially to Diamond Dogs!

“Besides that Hrowl is one of our Masters of Ancient Lores. You may wish to speak to him of this place and others scattered about here in the Southern Selene Mountains.”

Hrowl made a bow to Daring Do and said in excellent but accented Eland, “This is a wondrous Path of Chaos that has brought us together, Doctor Do. I have read with great interest all of your expedition reports.

“For now though, I must report that there were no survivors of the Zebra Confederation's current expedition, but for one that we have not accounted for. This lot were led by one Onder Otterhoof, who we have not yet found.”

Morail snickered and replied, “I fear that his Path of Chaos was ended here by none other than your ancestors! Those traps that Doctor Do's skill allowed us to avoid worked perfectly on him!”

The Hyena nodded his muzzle and gave a fang bearing grin as he replied, “They did? After all of these ages, what our ancestors built still functions?”

“They not only worked, they worked perfectly! Doctor Do has reset them and secured a safety catch so removing Onder's carcass should not be too difficult.

“Now though, you might want to watch things happening over in the Zebra Confederation. Nils is presiding over a big military parade. You know, lots of troops, tanks, mobile artillery, and such like hardware.” Sarcastically she added, “I love watching parades!”

Withers, looking at the parade route shown in Morail's mirror noticed, “Hum, the big fountain in that park over to one side is not working. It was recently, there is still some water in its basin.”

Morail gave a snort as she commented, “Very observant, Withers!”

They all watched as the lead marching bands passed the big, bunting draped and flag flying reviewing stand. Row after row of uniformed marching Zebra troops stamped past in an impressive show of marching skill. The first of the heavy armor rolled past, in rows of two, big guns slightly elevated! Artillery and caissons followed by Armored Personnel Carriers followed. The Parade had only about half passed the Reviewing stand when it suddenly went horribly wrong!

The wide paved street collapsed under the weapons and armor, crashing down with a huge splash into a water filled hole that expanded sideways, dragging the reviewing stand over to topple into the developing disaster! Like rows of dominoes falling, the cave in proceeded swiftly in both directions up and down the road! Heavy vehicles and weapons helplessly sliding down into the now vast and rapidly propagating cleft, rapidly filling with water!

Now that they were exposed, broken mains and sewers could be seen pouring their floods of water and worse into the ghastly tangle of troops and equipment!

Heroic troops dove into the tangled mass of wreckage to pull their leader, Nils Downitall, from where he had been plunged into the outfall of a large broken sewer line! Visibly still alive, he was carried away on a stretcher!

Honorly giggled as he watched the whole debacle and commented, “I must remind my many brethren not to really piss off Diamond Dogs!”

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

11432277
Wait, are you saying this story is part of a series? In that case, which one of your stories is the first one in this series?

[Bronzedragon]

Yay new chapter

[De Writer]

11735137
I have several tales in my Daring Do series. In order, they are Daring Do and the Adventure of the X'ibian Vase, Daring Do and the Gryphon's Quest, Friend and the Imperial Eggs, Daring Do and the Compass of Discord, and one that is just a loose fun bit, Daring Do and the Haunted Barn.
I hope that you enjoy them all.