"Something we still need to do something about!" The Ancient One agreed, "But right now we must combine our thoughts. Those I wish to reach are very deep. For our thoughts to go there we will have to combine our wills."
The Ancient One's two companions held out their hands to him and again the light around him intensified. A beam of it shot down into the water disappearing. For several hours they remained there, motionless. Then, suddenly, a great tentacle broke the water with a big pad on its end. It came up, turned its back towards The Ancient One, and touched him. Suddenly two more tentacles rose and touched his two companions. "Good!" The Ancient One spoke aloud. "They realized there were three of us and three of them came! Yes, old friend, it is good to see you also! It has been many ages. I have had reports that the dark ones are feeding here, in the deep water, that it is too cold for some fish and they are sinking to the bottom and dying. Do you know where this is? Good! Good! Can you take me, and can your companions take my friends? Excellent! Yes, we will get on your backs. Come!" The Ancient One told his companions, "Get on their backs, just behind the point."
He descended into the water, found the great squid's body, and took up position.
"I'm getting vague thoughts from this one," his female companion thought to him as they descended. "Why can't we hear them?"
"Only the Elder is old enough," The Ancient One answered, "to be able to communicate with me. He is telling the others what to do. It is his daughter you are riding. The other one is her mate."
"Can't see much!" The Ancient One's male companion thought.
"Only as far as their energy field extends," The Ancient One answered.
Another hour passed and the bottom suddenly appeared, what little of it they could see in the glow from their hosts. But then everything seemed to light up. The bottom of the ocean was covered with slowly moving fish, and ahead of them a line of demons descended from the surface. Many of them were on the bottom drawing the life energy from the dying fish. Every once and a while several coming down from the surface would drop down and join the feeding.
"Notice what they're wearing?" The Ancient One remarked.
"They're priests!" his male companion moaned.
"They were!" The Ancient One answered. "Come on. I want to find the other end of this feeding chain."
The squids took them along the bottom and found the place where the demons were surfacing.
"All right," The Ancient One remarked, "Durga, you go up this end. Attack as many of them as you can before they realize what's going on and scatter. I'll attack those on the bottom, while The Ax Man goes after those coming down. If we break the chain and they scatter into the depths it may be days, even weeks before some of them find their way back to land!"
"It's choppin' time!" The Ax Man remarked.
Suddenly the spirits of six giant squids joined them. "Well!" The Ancient One remarked, "Looks like we've got some help! Let's go!"
The squids carrying his two companions shot off. The Ancient One dropped down into the feeding demons and the six squids with him. For several minutes there was a melee! Some of the demons actually stood and tried to fight! A bad mistake! But after a while those that remained shot off in all directions. A little while later the squids carrying his companions returned.
"I got quite a few of them!" The Ax Man announced with considerable joy. "I think I dispatched at least three of them to forever!"
"Me, too!" Durga put in.
"Well, that makes ten," The Ancient One added, "that won't be bothering anyone ever again! They were weak. They must be desperate to be feeding on this life energy. Apparently we've been doing more harm than we thought we've been doing!" He turned to the spirits of the squids surrounding him. "If you can," he remarked, "keep them from forming another chain. Attack them where they're weak, where the chain is drawn out. Don't attack the head." Each of the squids came forward and touched him then headed off.
"We need to spread the word about this!" The Ancient One remarked as they were being carried back to the surface. He shook his hand.
"What's the matter?" his female companion asked.
"One of them bit me!" The Ancient One answered. It'll probably bother for quite a while. But this was a good night's work! This was a very good night's work! The Minstrel did a good job of leading you while I was out of it. But it's good to be back into the fight!"
They surfaced and The Ancient One looked around. A light was passing overhead. "Perfect!" he said, "An airliner! Wherever it's going it'll give us a reference point home. Thank you, my friend!" he said carressing the giant squid one more time. He then lifted skyward and his companions followed.
"Some priests are gonna be unhappy tonight!" The Ax Man remarked, "They didn't get their din din!"
Everybody roared with laughter. They reached the airliner, went inside, found some empty seats, and enjoyed the ride, the passengers being completely unaware three others had joined them!

THE END

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