Luctor et Emergo (part two)
Melca watched with smug satisfaction as the Elflings abandoned ranks and stole all and anything they could get their hands upon.
She watched her lie as it grew and spread chaos and fear among those who prepared to defy the Doom that Creeps.
For nearly an hour chaos reigned. Fights broke out among the Giants and Demons and Animus. People abandoned their posts.
It would be a massacre when the Doom that Creeps arrived. Nothing would be able to stop the advance of the creature that would erase every life off the face of the Realms.
And then it would all start again. New races, new subjects and she'd be sure this time to bind them all to her will. She would be Queen and Mistress of all the Realms.
She was lost in the thoughts of her revenge and was brought back from her revelry by the sound of cheering.
"Back to your posts!" shouted a Giantess leading a group of persons arriving at the Pit. "The three Chosen are found; there is hope! Back to you posts! The moment of truth approaches."
The ranks that had fled began to regroup at the news and although there were many less now after so many had fled, the optimism of those who remained had swelled the ranks.
Melca cursed. Her plan was to cast Orion's body into the boiling lava at the bottom of the Pit along with the cursed ring and kill two birds with one stone. His body was weakening and she did not know how much longer he would last. Her soul was the only thing keeping it alive.
She was not ready to leave until she was certain that The Doom that Creeps would be victorious.
She would have to wait.
* * * * *
Esmeralda and Lady Ela stood at a bed in Haydeen’s guest quarters at the Pit where they had laid Haydeen so she might rest and recover. She was sleeping deeply and tranquilly, but Esmeralda was worried and concerned.
"You needn't fear Queen Melca, my dear," Lady Ela said trying to comfort Esmeralda. "She is confined to the Garden of Delights."
"She is quite capable of mischief without leaving the Garden of Delights, Lady Ela," Esmeralda replied. "I've seen her brainwash my friend Patrisa and I know she is capable of deception of the highest order. I just don't know whether I should help the others in stopping the Doom that Creeps or try to find out what her next move will be here."
"If indeed Melca is trying to influence the result of this battle," Ela said softly, "it would be wise to deter her efforts."
"Haydeen knows what happened," Esmeralda said watching the Elfling breathe evenly.
"Yes. And it nearly killed her," Lady Ela replied. The red panther headed Animus looked around the room thinking curiously. "This is the same room she was assigned when she arrived at the Pit. There are some signs of a struggle."
"What good is that?" Esmeralda asked looking at the room studying the strewn objects and in particular Haydeen’s bandolier which the Elfling Interrogator would never leave behind.
"I am a skilled Truthsayer as you very well know. I can put you into a trance so deep that you might be able to see the events that transpired in this room only a few hours ago. I have done it twice before with the master who taught me. I am quite confident I could place you into such a trance."
Esmeralda felt a little uneasy about being placed into a trance, but realizing it was perhaps the only way to find out what happened to Haydeen, she agreed.
"What must I do?" she asked Lady Ela.
"Take your boots off and sit down," she commanded. "You must relax as much as possible. The trance will not be deep enough for you to see unless you trust me completely. Coercing someone to tell the truth and seeing the truth itself as it happened are two different things entirely."
Esmeralda placed her bare feet in Lady Ela's lap and the Truthsayer did not touch them immediately.
She admired the pretty toes and soft soles and smiled. She touched them quickly and she manipulated the nerve endings in such a way that Esmeralda was suddenly unable to move.
"I didn't want you to feel uneasy and ticklish so I've immobilized you," Lady Ela said drawing her sharp nails up and down Esmeralda's soles getting no response whatsoever. You are safe from my tickling fingers, my dear. You can trust that at least this time I will not tickle you."
Esmeralda tried to relax as Lady Ela rubbed aromatic oils into Esmeralda's soles. She could not feel tickling but she could feel the sensuous rubbing on her feet and she wondered how she could relax with such contact on her soles.
Suddenly Lady Ela deliberately changed the rubbing for pressing certain points on the sole of her foot.
"You should start feeling sleepy now," Lady Ela said.
Before Esmeralda could reply she began to feel drowsiness wash over her like a wave.
"Fight it," Lady Ela said. "The more you hold out, the deeper the trance will be."
"Yes," Esmeralda replied sleepily.
"Keep your eyes on me," Lady Ela commanded. "Don't fall asleep."
Esmeralda's eye lids became heavy as lead and keeping them open was a major effort. They would close shut and she would open them with great difficulty. She focused on Lady Ela and she watched her lips move, but she could not understand what she was saying.
She finally could not fight any longer and she allowed the slumber to conquer her.
The second she had given up the battle was the moment she instantly awoke with her senses sharp as could be.
She was in the same room, but Lady Ela was no longer there. It was as if she were suspended in a sea of events that flashed by in the room. Most were not relevant and involved Demons running back and forth from the room. And then she was what she wanted to see.
Orion. A third eye. A torturous tickling session. A ring. And a jeweled scarab.
The images flashed by like ghosts in quick succession. But it was clear now. She knew what had happened. She knew what Melca was doing and finally, she realized what it was that she must do.
* * * * *
"A perfect fit," Peter the Peddler said examining each of the three Chosen in their white armor and the fourth in black armor.
Patrisa was surprised at how light and how natural the armor felt. She felt light as a feather and although she wore thick leather boots, she felt as if she was walking barefoot.
Laurannis at first did not think the man sized armor would fit her, but as she placed it on her body, they parts grew and adjusted to flow over her body. When she was finished, the armor covered her back and rump like perfectly crafted barding.
"The Maker certainly has the best taste," Peter said.
"Tell me what are we doing here instead preparing to face the Doom that Creeps?" Orion asked impatiently. He leaned heavily on a counter in the wagon and it was noticeable to all that he was weakening. His body, wherever it was, was indeed weakening.
"You know well enough that Peter's the best supplier of magic items among the Realms," Patrisa countered. "Now imagine that he had access to ALL the items and artifacts of the Realms."
Orion nodded grudgingly approving her reasoning. He tried to regain his posture in the black armor that had represented his body until now. The heroes looked at each other uneasily not knowing what to say.
The Peddler with his Dinosaur smile broke the silence.
"Yes indeed. I am Peter the Peddler and I am fully stocked,” he said loudly with a laugh. “I will start with you, the Scourge. I have the perfect item for you. I thought of you the second I saw it. There aren't many among the Realms who can wear them."
He dove into a chest and tossed magical items in all directions until he found what he was looking for.
"The Windy Wings of Swiftness," he said triumphantly holding up what appeared to be two pair of snow white feathered wings.
"What do they do?" Patrisa asked.
"As their name implies, they give you the speed to run faster than the wind. They are quite the artifact," Peter said. “Who wouldn’t want to run like the wind?”
"And why am I the only one who can use them?" Patrisa asked a little suspicious.
Peter smiled and turned to face Danea. He blew gently on the wings and they flapped gently in the air before attaching themselves to the heels of Danea's boots.
“Nice fit,” Danea said admiring the wings on her heels as they began to flap gently. Suddenly the Demon Mistress's eyes went wide with surprise and she gasped before bursting out in laughter.
"Get them off! They are tickling my soles! Even through the boots," Danea cried as she tried desperately to shake them off.
Peter reached down and touched them gently and they returned to his hands.
“If your feet are ticklish,” he explained, “I don’t think they are of much use to you.”
Patrisa nodded and took the wings in her hands. She blew gently on them and they attached themselves to her boots. They beat gently but Patrisa did not react.
“Thank you, Petey,” she said. “I’ll wear them with honor.”
Peter nodded and turned to Danea.
“As for you, Former Keeper of the Academy,” Peter said. “Although black leather has always favored you, I must say that you look stunning in white. The armor, the White Adder, it is all beautiful. What I have for you is the best complementary accessory.”
Again, Peter excitedly returned to the piles and piles of magic items until he found what he was looking for. It was a large white shield in the form of a turtle shell.
“This is the White Tortoise,” Peter explained as he helped Danea gear herself with it. “It has been companion to the White Adder on more than one occasion over the eras and it will serve you well on the field of battle.”
“Thank you, Peddler,” Danea said graciously admiring how light the shield was.
“Princess Laurannis of the Centaurs,” Peter said admiring her beauty and bowing briefly to honor the princess. “You and your Golden Lance are legend throughout the Realms. You have thrown it many a time with deadly precision. I have just the thing for you.”
He rummaged through the magic items until he found a small little mechanical man made of bronze about two inches tall.
“This is the Bronze Hammer Hand,” Peter said with pride. “It was thought to have been lost many eras ago, but it has finally appeared again.”
“What does it do?” Laurannis asked uneasily.
“Take your gauntlet off and touch it with your right index finger,” he said. “I am certain it will be a perfect fit.”
Laurannis obeyed and the little bronze artifact came to life with a series of whirls and buzzes. It grasped her finger and then its body began to grow extending itself up under her sleeve and moving up her arm.
Laurannis was ticklish on her arm and twisted in an unusual manner for a Centaur trying to escape the sensation. She cried out in laughter however as the strange sensation reached her arm pit.
“Not the armpit!” she gasped between the laughter.
It was for but a moment and she quickly recovered her poise. She looked down at her hand and it was clad in bronze. She opened and closed her hand slowly. She felt the power radiate there.
“The Hammer Hand has made your arm of solid bronze,” Peter said knocking on her arm gently to demonstrate that it was now made of metal. “You will be able to throw ten times the distance with much more power.”
“Thank you, Peddler,” Laurannis said. “It is a most appropriate artifact for me.”
“You are very welcome, Princess,” he said with a smile before turning to Orion.
“And to you, Shade,” Peter said wryly, “the most skeptical of all, I think. I have no object to peddle for you, but I have a piece of advice that if you take it might be more valuable than any of these objects here.”
Orion listened.
“There has been many a Shadow Mage who sent his soul to his shadow and all say that when the body died, so did the Shadow Mage,” Peter explained. “In part this is true and in part this is false. The Mage is dead, indeed, but so lives on the Shadow, a reflection of the Mage. The Shadow does not die, but it goes on reflecting what the Mage was.
“The Shadow must have a strong identity or it will simply dissipate and become a simple shadow,” he continued explaining. “You have a chance no other Shadow Mage has had before. You have the opportunity to recover your body, in fact. Not the magical representation of your body here, but your real flesh and blood body in your world.
“So ask yourself, Orion the Shade, who are you?” Peter asked as he studied the Shadow Mage intently. “If you have a good enough answer there is no reason for your soul to dissipate like dust to the wind when your body dies. When you fight on that field, ask yourself that question. And if you are lucky, you might be surprised by the answer.”
* * * * *
Patrisa, Laurannis and Orion followed far behind Danea and Dashiel and his Demon cadre.
They could see the Doom that Creeps quite well despite the distance. The creature was huge with its features now bloated in some sort of deformed monstrosity that now barely resembled a humanoid.
On its forehead shined the Eye of Doom.
The three heroes stared at the bright light intently and watched as the morning sun began to rise behind.
Orion was very weak and he had to be carried on Laurannis’s back onto the field.
“Will you be all right?” Patrisa asked concerned at the deteriorating state of her friend.
“Don’t be worried about me,” Orion said. “Worry about executing the plan. I am not a central part of the plan. Despite what Peter said, there is a great chance I won’t walk off this field. Let’s concern us with the task at hand.”
He turned to Laurannis.
"Do you have the range?" Orion asked the Centaur princess who caressed the wood of her magical lance.
"The range, yes," she said flexing her right arm. "With the Bronze Hammer Hand I will have more than enough range."
"And the aim?" Patrisa asked.
"I could skewer a grape at one thousand paces," Laurannis said. "My only concern is the irregular movement of the Doom that Creeps. My aim is true, but by the time my lance strikes, it is quite possible that the target will not be were it was only a mere second before."
"The Doom that Creeps will stay still long enough for you to do your part. Just prepare to throw on my command," Orion said to the Centaur. "And you, Patrisa, get ready to retrieve the gem."
Patrisa prepared to sprint while Laurannis took several steps back and prepared the sequence of movements that would propel her magical lance through the air.
"It will only be a matter of moments now," Orion said.
* * * * *
"Esmeralda!" the Gaintess shouted at the top of her lungs. The name rang throughout the Pit and the acoustics of the Pit carried her voice long and far and all heard the call.
In particular, Melca.
She was beginning to feel desperate. There was not much more she felt she could do to damage the efforts against the Doom that Creeps. But Esmeralda was favored by that deceiving Manling, Orion.
To harm her, was to harm him.
She watched as green robed spellcaster made her way through the crowd and stepped up to the red haired giantess who was apparently leading the Giantus forces.
Melca could not see her face, but she could see her smooth white hands make gestures as she spoke with the Giantess.
They finished after a few minutes and Esmeralda left the Giantus and walked towards the Spellcaster group that was assembling towards the outside rim of the Pit. She would have to cross at least a few hundred meters way alone. This was an opportunity too good to waste.
Melca in Orion's physical body approached Esmeralda from behind. He was donning spellcaster robes as well. It would not seem suspicious should a fellow spellcaster stop her on the way to discuss some urgent issue.
Melca prepared her third eye and she approached Esmeralda from behind. When she was a mere half a dozen steps behind her, she called out to her.
"Esmeralda!" she called, her third eye flaring and preparing to entrance the unsuspecting spell caster.
Esmeralda paused and turned and pulled back her hood. Their eyes locked and Melca instantly realized that she had been deceived.
She stared into the eyes of Ela, Lady of the Animus.
She cursed and before she could try to escape words of magic were spoken with practiced expertise.
Webs were cast around her tying Orion's arms firmly to her sides and before she could find the spellcaster more webs were cast around her third eye rendering her effectively powerless.
"I can't say it is a pleasure to meet you, Queen Melca," Esmeralda said approaching from behind wearing the robes of the Red Panther Clan and holding a web spinning spider artifact in her hand. "But I believe we will all fare better if we keep a close eye on you while this resolves."
Melca cursed bitterly.
* * * * *
"Doom that Creeps!" Danea cried hovering near what appeared to be the Doom that Creep's mouth. Lord Dashiel and his cadre of Demon warriors floated behind her watching carefully. "You are not welcome here. Turn away or you shall meet your demise at my hands and those of my brethren."
The huge mass of the Doom that Creeps seemed to chuckle and tremors could be felt through the ground all the way to the Pit.
"You dare threaten me?" the Doom that Creeps boomed. "I will savor your soul, poor deluded wench."
The Doom that Creeps' arm moved like lightning. The dark substance of the Doom that Creeps, the blackness that robbed souls, engulfed Danea and caressed her body like a lover. It was gentle, but deadly.
For most. But not Danea.
She drew the White Adder from within the blackness and dashed forward until she felt something solid. It was then that the White Adder struck with its venomous tip sinking deep into the substance of the Doom that Creeps.
A roar of agony was heard from the Doom that Creeps and all those from Dashiel's demon cadre until the last warrior and spell caster back in the Pit cheered.
"There is more where that came from," Danea said threateningly holding the White Adder before her.
"He can be defeated!" Dashiel shouted to his demon warriors. "Attack!"
"No, you fool!" Danea shouted as the Demon cadre attacked. "Not yet!"
Dashiel cut deep wounds into the Doom that Creeps with his powerful black sword, Midnight and the Doom that Creeps was taken aback by such ferocity.
"A soul for a scar," the Doom that Creeps growled as it reached out and touched the Demon warriors with speed and accuracy that stunned the warriors who tried futilely to dodge the darkness that engulfed them.
Danea could only act and try to make their sacrifice mean something. She cut and she hacked at the Doom that Creeps trying desperately to draw its attention away from her Demonus Brothers who one by one were dropping to the barren ground below souless.
The wounds she dealt were terrible, but the Doom that Creeps was no longer surprised and no longer impressed. He dealt with the Demon Warriors until he finally robbed the soul of the last hovering demon, the Demon Lord Dashiel.
His soulless and lifeless body crashed to the ground and Danea, the Demon Mistress who once could never weep, could not help but push back a tear from her eye as she continued to cut at her enemy. She was not sure if it was just her imagination, but it seemed the Doom that Creeps was shrinking with each of her devastating blows.
Perhaps there was hope to defeat the Doom that Creeps that way.
"Cut away," the Doom that Creeps said softly. It made no effort to try and take her soul. He recognized the armor would protect her and his efforts would be wasted. "I can steal a soul of those who have it ripe for the taking. For those who don't, I can stamp out the life."
Danea continued to cut into the blackness and her white armor was stained with black blood. She did not stop and had no intention of stopping until the Doom that Creeps was defeated.
It was then that a fist the size of a building was pulled back and thrown square into the center of her mass.
The White Adder snapped like a twig and a whooshing sound was heard as the White Tortoise Shield and her White Armor’s breastplate was smashed. Ribs cracked and wings were broken. The blow was powerful, concentrated and deadly.
Danea was hurled through the air like a white shooting star until she landed into the barren dust of the Demonus Realm kilometers away from the advancing Doom that Creeps.
Danea, as a shooting star, faded away into a large cloud of dust.
* * * * *
Esmeralda and Ela had exchanged robes again and they stood on the opposite rim of the Pit. As far away from the approach of the Doom that Creeps as possible. On the opposite side, fifty spellcasters mounted on Centaurs prepared for battle.
The Doom that Creeps could be seen approaching on the horizon and she could see Danea confronting it in battle. Cheers were sounded among those at the Pit as the battle began.
Melca scowled but did not say anything to her captors. In the pockets of her robes she slowly and very carefully pulled free the Golden Scarab. The edge of the scarab’s wings was sharp and Melca could feel it tear into the web material. It was a slow process but her captors were unaware and more intent upon the advance of the Doom that Creeps.
She’d have her vengeance yet.
* * * * *
"Now?" Laurannis asked as the Doom that Creeps lashed out at the Demonus Warriors.
"Patience. It's moving too fast," Orion said hoping with all his heart to properly identify the best possible moment to release the lance. They would have just one chance to get this right.
The last Demon warrior fell and Laurannis looked anxiously at Orion. She would have thrown it then, but she promised she would await his signal.
It was then that the Doom that Creeps lashed out at Danea. All became silent just before that moment. And then a sickly crashing sound was heard as the Doom that Creep's fist struck Danea head on.
"Oh my God," Patrisa said in shock.
"Now!" Orion shouted trying as hard as he could to concentrate on the task at hand and not on fate of his friend.
Laurannis was focused on her target and only barely saw what had happened to Danea.
"Be steady, be swift and be true," she said as she drew her bronze arm back and took several strong steps forward.
She released the spear with a heave that had all her power behind it.
It left her hands and it sped towards its target. It was a golden ray of light that shot through the air.
Laurannis's aim was true and the Eye of Doom was struck with such force that it was dislodged from its socket and cast out into the air.
"Your turn, Patrisa," Orion said mounting Laurannis. "It's up to you now."
Patrisa nodded and sprinted along the dusty ground in the direction of the Eye of Doom until she was soon too far to see.
* * * * *
Patrisa felt the wings on her boots push her forward with speed as great or greater than that of Laurannis and her Golden Lance. She felt the cool morning air on her face smiled as she saw the object she was meant to retrieve.
The Eye of Doom had fallen quite some distance from the Doom that Creeps. The creature was not half as large anymore but still it only required a few paces to reach the Eye of Doom. However, without the Eye’s powers, its movements were slow and sluggish and the distance that would take a moment’s thought to cover was taking many seconds more.
Patrisa dashed between the Doom that Creeps legs and much to its dismay, she reached the Eye of Doom first.
The Doom that Creeps roared in anger. It appeared more as a giant deformed elfling and less than the mountain it appeared to be.
“Is this what you want?” Patrisa asked mockingly.
The Doom that Creeps took several steps forward.
“Then come and get it,” Patrisa said as she sped away towards the Pit leaving a long and visible cloud of dust in her wake.
* * * * *
Orion and Laurannis rode out to where Danea had fallen fearing the worst. Her shield and her sword and been shattered and her breastplate had been dented out of shape. Blood and bruises were present on her face.
She wasn't breathing when Orion kneeled at her side to see if she lived.
He desperately unbuckled the once magnificent armor and the breastplate popped off like a lid on a pressurized kettle.
Danea gasped and breathed in relief. Her eyes flung open and she coughed.
"Remind me to thank Peter the Peddler when this is finished," she said weakly. "Had it not been for the White Tortoise Shield it would have been my ribs and lungs which would have shattered."
"Your ribs are still cracked and your wings are broken as well," Orion observed trying to lift her to her feet as the Doom that Creeps made a steady advance. “Your part is done here, Danea. We need to get you off the field.”
Orion took over to Laurannis and together they placed her on the Centaur’s back.
"Take her back to the Pit," Orion said. "Find her a safe place to recover. We can't stop the Doom that Creeps by ourselves. We need the others. We'll finish this back at the Pit."
"How will you get back?" Laurnnis asked. "It's still advancing at a frightful pace despite the damage that has been dealt to it."
Orion nodded. "I'll keep him interested. I have to run it."
"Are you up to it?" Laurnnis asked. "I haven’t seen you this weak."
"That was a one in a million shot, Laurannis," he said standing tall and straight. "The prospect of success has given me new energy. Now go, I'll be okay."
Laurannis galloped off with Danea on her back.
Orion’s posture failed and he felt another wave of weakness hit him. Something unnatural was keeping his body alive, but it was not going to last. He needed to make the best of the time that was still left.
Orion turned to see the Doom that Creeps and watched its wild and desperate advance. He poked his toe through the remains of Danea's armor and weapons seeing if anything could be recovered. It was at that moment that he saw a mere fifty meters away a black sword lying on the dusty ground.
He knew the sword as Midnight and the sword seemed to know him and call out to him.
He ran out to the field and took the sword in his hand. The shadows of the sword welcomed one of their own and Orion felt confident and revitalized.
"Come then, Doom that Creeps," he said at the advancing Goliath. "Come meet your doom."
* * * * *
Patrisa raced towards the Pit and noticed Esmeralda and Lady Ela standing over a tied individual. She rushed over to them. They were in the ideal position. The Doom that Creeps would have to cross the Pit or go around it. That was exactly what they wanted.
"Esmeralda," Patrisa said as she lifted a cloud of dust as she arrived. "Hold on to this for a while," she said as she handed over the gem.
Esmeralda held Melca's Gem in her hands remembering briefly the adventure they had gone through to get it in the first place.
"We'll protect it with our lives," Esmeralda said.
"And this? Orion's body?" Patrisa said gesturing to the spellcaster bound in webbing.
"It’s Queen Melca inside," Esmeralda said seriously. "We'll keep her from doing mischief."
Patrisa shook her head. "I'd tickle her silly, if we had the time. Perhaps afterwards. I'm off to help Orion and the rest. Good luck."
With that she sped off lifting another cloud of dust.
"It won't be long now," Lady Ela said. "With the Eye in our possession, the Doom that Creeps has lost much of it power. We now have a feasible opportunity to defeat it."
"Your efforts to defeat us are almost thwarted,” Esmeralda said to Queen Melca. “Once this is over, you will help us return to our world. What do you think of that, Melca?"
"Do you really want to know?" she said with a leering smile.
Esmeralda suddenly felt a chill and realized something was wrong.
Too late she realized that she had underestimated her enemy.
Melca had used an object to cut through the webbing and as the webbing fell to her sides, she directed it in Esmeralda's direction. It was the Golden Scarab. She pressed a large ruby on the back of the golden object and it instantly came to life and shot out at Esmeralda catching her square in the chest. She instantly fell to the ground unconscious.
"Esmeralda!" Lady Ela cried. She reached for a short dagger under her robes, but Melca was quick to remove the webbing from her Third Eye and it stared directly into Ela's eyes.
"You wouldn't need to use that, now would you?" Melca asked. “Better to drop it than risk hurting someone, don’t you think?”
Ela nodded her head slowly and dropped the dagger from her hands.
"Lady Ela," Melca said continuing. "Why don't you hand me the Eye of Doom? I am certain you agree that it would be safer with me."
She did as commanded and handed Melca the transparent gem.
"Good," she said. "This excitement makes you tired. Why don't you sleep?"
Ela instantly fell asleep and sank to the ground next to Esmeralda.
No one noticed. Everyone was focused on the approach of the Doom that Creeps.
"Excellent," Melca said to herself with satisfaction touching her gem lovingly and caressing it gently.
* * * * *
“Enough,” Ammé said ending her trance. “Queen Melca has gone too far. She has the Eye of Doom and intends to return it to the Doom that Creeps. If she does that, it will mean the end of all of us.”
The Dryads all looked at each other exchanging worried glances.
“Don’t you see?” Ammé asked. “Once the Doom that Creeps finishes at the Pit, what’s to stop it from visiting all the Realms? From visiting Fae!”
The Dryads looked at each other and nodded.
One of the older ones stepped forward.
“If it is Queen Melca’s wish that we perish in body and soul,” the Dryad said, “then so be it. We trust that in her infinite wisdom, all will be in the best interest of the Fae.”
“You fools!” Ammé shouted. “If you won’t support me, I’ll do it myself. I’ll tickle Melca out of the trance and away from the battlefield.”
She stepped forward fully intent upon digging her fingers into her queen’s ribs when magical roots sprung from the ground and wrapped around her legs keeping her motionless. She tried to free herself with her hands and they as well were entangled in the roots. The roots climbed up her face and cover her Third Eye and gagged her mouth.
She was trapped by a simple Dryad spell.
“You must be taught to respect your elders,” the Dryad said with the other Dryads nodding in approval. “When Queen Melca returns, she will decide your fate.”
Ammé pulled and tugged, but she realized she was not going anywhere.
She swallowed hard and wondered what would be worse.
Queen Melca defeated or Queen Melca triumphant.
She shook her head and realized neither was bound to benefit her in any way.
* * * * *
As the scarab touched Esmeralda, the whole world melted away. The ground, the sky, Melca, the Doom that Creeps… Everything simply disappeared.
She was in space surrounded by millions of stars. The only light came from that of the stars but there were so many that she could see as if she were in a well illuminated room.
The floor was of what appeared to be glass and above her she noticed that the above her the glass formed a pyramid that ending about five meters above her head.
"Welcome," said a voice from behind.
Esmeralda turned surprised by the sudden greeting.
It was a small, lithe and young woman with bronze tanned skin and dark black hair which flowed over to her shoulders and was held in place upon her head with a beautiful golden diadem. She wore the attire of what appeared to be an ancient Egyptian. She wore golden jewelry that adorned her neck, her wrists and her ankles. She wore a white linen tunic that was semi-transparent and showed off her shapely curves.
"I am Khepri," she said smiling.
"Where am I?" Esmeralda asked.
"You are inside one of the Golden Scarabs. At least your spirit is," she explained. "It is one of five scarabs that were made by the Maker to curse the enemies of Queen Melca."
Esmeralda frowned. "And who are you?" she asked.
"I am the first of the cursed because they were made in my honor,” Khepri explained. “The Scarab was a symbol that was associated with me when I walked the Realms as a tickler. I was an enemy of Queen Melca and she chose to confine me to the Scarabs were I would torment five of her other enemies for all eternity."
"You're a Manling," Esmeralda observed.
Khepri nodded. "I am."
"What forces you to torment your victims?" Esmeralda asked.
"Nothing,” Khepri said shrugging. “It is my nature to tickle and torment. That is what made me an enemy of Queen Melca."
Esmeralda frowned again.
"You are the last and I am quite pleased that you are so pretty. I like your green eyes very much. I do hope you are a ticklee who enjoys torturous tickling..."
Esmeralda's frown deepened.
"Well, that is a shame, really,” Khepri said sadly. “Eternity will be a bit more of a burden for you."
"I won't let you do this without a fight," Esmeralda declared.
"That is a nice thought," Khepri said with a smile. "I'd welcome a fight, but you'll find that you cannot touch me in any way."
Esmeralda reached out to touch Khepri, but for some reason she was unable to touch her. It was if a barrier existed between them.
"It wouldn't be much of a fight anyway," she said. "I control all in each of the Pyramids. Watch as I demonstrate."
She raised a hand and Esmeralda was whisked off her feet and held vertically spread eagle in the center of the pyramid. She was immobile and stretched out firmly.
Khepri pulled gently on Esmeralda's boot until it came free revealing her bare foot.
"Very pretty," Khepri complimented as she studied Esmeralda's naked foot. She gently scratched the sole and watched Esmeralda grunt as she tried to resist.
"I love those who try to hold it in," Khepri said with glee.
She was indeed a skilled tickler and she quickly found the most ticklish spots on her foot and within moments she had Esmeralda laughing helplessly at her faintest whim.
"Beautiful laughter," Khepri said. "I am so glad that you were chosen to be the last of the cursed. "I have a couple screamers in the other pyramids and I simply don't enjoy that as much."
Esmeralda could not stop laughing and she could not gasp enough breath to say anything to her tormentor.
Khepri suddenly paused and Esmeralda stopped laughing.
"We'll continue with the torso when you return," Khepri said casually as she stepped away.
"Where am I going?" Esmeralda asked panting faintly.
"Were you not told?" Khepri asked surprised. "The curse is meant to break your spirit and that of your friends and loved ones. You will return for while, but each visit back will be shorter and shorter until you never return and you are left as a sort of laughing and raving lunatic.
"I suggest you spend your time well. I'll be here waiting."
* * * * *
Esmeralda awoke to her surprise hogtied and on the ground next to a similarly hogtied and unconscious Lady Ela. Her ribs ached and she was short of breath so she assumed she had been laughing here in her physical form as well.
"I know how the Scarab works, so I took the precaution of tying you both up properly with some of Haydeen’s rope I had taken from her bandolier,” Melca said. “I am very skilled and no one has ever escaped my bondage. It is unfortunate for you that you didn't know how to tie me up properly."
Esmeralda pulled and tugged on her restraints but she realized Melca was correct. There was no way for her to break free of the cleverly tied ropes.
Esmeralda tried to cast a spell but she only utter words. There was no power behind them.
"The Golden Scarab protects you from physical and magical harm from the moment you are cursed," Melca said answering the unasked question. "But as a side effect you lose the ability to use magic and cast spells."
Esmeralda groaned.
"Give my regards to Khepri," Melca said mockingly. "She was always a thorn in my side when she was walking the Realms. More than you and that deceiving Orion, I can tell you."
"What do you gain by giving the Doom that Creeps victory?" Esmeralda asked angrily. "Everyone will die."
"A clean slate," Melca said shrugging. "A fresh start. Death to all my enemies. This has happened before. Only a few could recall it. The Elfling King was one. The Maker is another. Even Khepri can recall what happened. She was pulled from your world before the last visit of the Doom that Creeps."
Esmeralda found it so strange to see Orion's body speak, but Melca's spirit was unmistakably behind every thought and action.
"Why are you still here?” Esmeralda asked. “Why don't you rush out and give the Eeye to the Doom that Creeps yourself?"
"Because this body is fading and the strain will kill it," she replied. "Besides, I plan to cast this body into the Pit so we tie up all loose ends. I'll leave Lady Ela here for the Doom that Creeps and you, my dear, will be left for Khepri because even the Doom that Creeps will not be able to take your soul. It now belongs to Khepri."
Melca watched Doom that Creeps make its advance. It was smaller and becoming smaller as the battle raged on, but it would be big enough to come and receive the Eye of Doom.
Of that she was certain.
* * * * *
Orion ran and he ran as fast as he could. He could see that shadow of the Doom that Creeps over him as the morning sun began to creep up into the sky. He did his best to keep ahead of the shadow. So long as he was in the light, he knew he had a slight lead on the Doom that Creeps.
He could see the lines of mounted spell casters on Centaurs and even hear them casting spells as he approached. Just as he reached their ranks they released their spells.
Fireballs and lightning blasts and rays of all kinds were cast against the Doom the Creeps. The creature roared in anger and stopped in its tracks. Orion turned back to see the Doom that Creeps pound on the ground and try to crush the mounted spellcasters. Some he could stop, but the others dodged his efforts and continued hurling magic spells in his direction. Orion felt Laurannis gallop near him and she held her arm out to him so he would mount her.
They rushed to the edge of the Pit where Patrisa was waiting with Loanna and the Giants who waited with boulders and huge arrows for the Doom that Creeps.
"Here we will stand," Orion said as he saw the spell casters being scattered. They would pull away as their spells began to lose potency.
The Doom that Creeps was still huge but it was now less than half of its original size. Still gigantic, but the efforts of the spellcasters had not been in vain.
“Where is the Eye of Doom?" Orion asked.
"On the other side of the Pit with Esmeralda and Lady Ela," Patrisa answered.
Orion looked out on the other side of the wide mouth of the Pit and cursed.
"That is not Esmeralda," he said.
Patrisa looked back and saw Esmeralda and Ela on the ground and Melca standing over them in Orion's body.
"Melca! Curse her! I'll go and fix it," Patrisa said turning to run to the other side of the Pit.
"No, stay here with me," Orion said. "Light and Shadow, The Morning Beam and Midnight. These two weapons together might be able to finish off the Doom that Creeps."
"I'll go," Laurannis stated firmly.
"You're unarmed," Orion observed.
She stood briefly on her back legs and came down hard with her hooves striking the dust ground hard.
"What do you call these?" she asked.
"Go," Orion said nodding in agreement. "But be careful. Melca is very, very dangerous. Saying she is as dangerous as the Doom that Creeps is no exaggeration. Glamour or no glamour. Whatever you do, keep that Eye of Doom away. Nothing else matters. Not my body and not even Esmeralda. Do you understand?”
Laurannis nodded and began to gallop to the other side of the Pit.
Orion realized she’d take still a while, but he could not afford to let Patrisa go. The two swords together were the key. It was no coincidence that both swords had appeared.
Everything served a purpose.
* * * * *
Esmeralda watched the successful attack by the spell casters and smiled as they successfully were able to wear the Doom that Creeps down.
“It won’t matter,” Melca said. “The Doom that Creeps will continue its advance. Its hunger compels it forward.”
Esmeralda felt faint and then suddenly she went black.
She was back in the pyramid still spread eagle and still immobile.
"Back again," Khepri said. "I hope you had a pleasant time. The tides are variable and you can be gone a minute or an hour or a day. But any way they always bring you back to me."
She made a gesture and Esmeralda felt her ankles and wrists pulled together and her body moved until she was horizontal and at Khepri's level.
Khepri opened Esmeralda's robes and began to unbutton the tunic below with agile fingers.
"Queen Melca sends her regards," Esmeralda said suddenly watching for the reaction on Khepri's face.
"Did she?" Khepri said revealing no emotion as she bared Esmeralda's torso.
"You are quite a gem," she said tracing a finger between her breasts and down her torso until it slipped neatly into Esmeralda's navel. "Fit and quite stunning."
Esmeralda fought the tickling sensation as Khepri pricked at her navel.
"She means to destroy the Realms," Esmeralda insisted. "I can stop her."
Khepri placed her fingers on Esmeralda's sides and softly ran them up and down. Esmeralda struggled to keep from laughing at the light tickling but let out a sharp yelp as Khepri touched her sweet spot on her ribs.
Khepri smiled. "You can stop her and we'd still be cursed." She pressed a single finger into the soft spot in the ribs and Esmeralda lost all control. She laughed hard and heavily as Khepri touched the spot with just one fingertip.
"I do not control the tides," Khepri said. "You will come and go and it has nothing to do with me. I cannot help you."
"You could not tickle me," Esmeralda said as Khepri removed the finger from the tickle spot.
Khepri placed her fingernails under Esmeralda's breasts and tickled vigorously. Esmeralda burst out in laughter again.
"It is my nature," she said. "You cannot ask me to defy my nature."
"I just ask for a pause," Esmeralda said as Khepri pressed the robe up Esmeralda's arms to reveal her soft underarms. "I have a better chance against Melca if I am not tired out by all this tickling."
Khepri paused with her fingers on Esmeralda's bare underarms. Esmeralda twisted and twitched nervously, but the fingers did not tickle.
"It's a chance to get back at her or at least foil her plans," Esmeralda said rapidly trying to get out the words before the tickling commenced. "Wouldn't that be worth a pause? I mean, we have all eternity no matter what happens."
Khepri pondered Esmerlada's words.
"What would we do while you are here with me?" she asked. "You will still fade back and forth with the tides another five to six times at least. Each pause will be longer. I am a tickler by nature; your so called pause will only torment me."
"Tell me of Melca. Tell me what you know of her strengths and her weaknesses," Esmeralda suggested. "In the meantime you can tickle me softly. The kind of tickle that creates tension but doesn't wear me out."
Khepri touched Esmeralda's armpits gently with the tips of her fingernails is if she were tapping gently on a counter.
This made Esmeralda grunt and twist, but she could resist laughing.
"I am not used to such tickling," Khepri said, "But I will entertain you for the hope that you do spoil Queen Melca's plans.”
Esmeralda closed her eyes briefly and sighed in relief.
The tickler smiled down on her and said: “When it is done, make sure to tell Queen Melca that Khepri sends her regards."
* * * * *
The Doom that Creeps approached the edge of the Pit and at a sharp and loud battle cry from Loanna, the Giants launched their attack. Boulders were hurled by huge catapults and heavy bolts by gigantic ballista.
Being the excellent engineers they were, the Giants hit their target with great precision. With each blow the Doom that Creeps became smaller and smaller. He was now the size of a small tower, but still big enough to wreck havoc. It tore through the ranks and swiped at the engines of war destroying them and scattering Giants all around.
“Phase two!” King Thornwall cried from the sidelines as ropes with hooks were launched through the air and teams of Giants on all sides did their very best to try and immobilize the Doom that Creeps. The creature pulled on the ropes and hurled more than one team flying through the air to the fiery depths of the Pit.
But their intentions began to have their desired effect and the Doom that Creeps crashed to the ground. It could see the Eye of Doom on the other side of the Pit and it pressed on forward despite the efforts of the Giants. It crawled closer and closer to its objective.
“Now it is our turn,” Orion said drawing Midnight.
Patrisa nodded and drew the Morning Beam as well and the swords seems to antagonize each other.
“Black and White. Shadow and light,” Orion said to her. “Take it from above and I will take it from below.”
“Good luck,” she said to him.
“Good spirit,” he replied.
They ran out together to meet their enemy.
* * * * *
Esmeralda came to again.
“Khepri must be getting slack after all these years,” Melca said. “You should be a gibbering mass of laughter by now.”
“What did I miss?” Esmeralda asked.
“I am impressed with the organization you fools have somehow improvised on such short notice,” Melca said with a jealous hint of approval. “The Giantus have managed to slow the Doom that Creeps down. It is only now edging to the opposite rim of the Pit.”
“It won’t make it all the way here,” Esmeralda said confidently.
“Look,” Melca pointed out to Laurannis who approached galloping towards them at top speed. “Fate always provides what one needs. You need only have the eye to see opportunity!”
“Don’t look at her eyes, Laurannis!” Esmeralda struggled to shout aware that she was still too far off to hear.
“This should be amusing,” Melca said taking a handkerchief from Orion´s robe and using it to gag Esmeralda. She smiled and then stepped closer towards the advancing Centaur.
Esmeralda could do nothing but shout muffled warnings into the gag in vain.
“Psst!” a familiar voice said to her ear. “It’s us.”
She looked wildly side to side but saw nothing.
Then a faint yellow glow appeared.
It was the pixie Amber and where she was, Indigo was sure to be.
“We’ve been following you,” Amber explained with a whisper. “We can’t interfere with Queen Melca. She holds great power over all pixies, but we can help you now. We’ve been working on your binding for quite a while already. We’ve tried to be discreet but I think we almost have you free.”
Esmeralda nodded as well as she could with the gag still on while Amber disappeared behind to help Indigo. She watched Laurannis approach and saw her stop cold in her tracks.
That could not be good.
* * * * *
“How fortunate!” Melca said having frozen Laurannis in her place with her powerful Third Eye. “I see you have the Bronze Hammer Hand. There is something you and do for me, my dear. Something that would make me very, very happy. You’d like to make me happy, wouldn’t you?”
Laurannis nodded.
“Take this Gem and throw it across the Pit to the Doom that Creeps on the other side,” Melca said in a steady even voice as she placed the Eye of Doom in Laurannis’s bronze right hand. “You would do a great service to me and to all the Realms. You would make your kinsmen proud.”
“No!” Esmeralda shouted free from her bondage and dashing as fast as she could on the scene that might mean disaster.
“Do it!” Melca commanded. “Listen to my voice and only my voice. Do it and do it now!”
Esmeralda tackled Melca to the ground and eye contact was broken. But it was too late. Laurannis had already hurled the Eye of Doom across the Pit.
Laurannis stood stupefied watching the Eye fly towards their worst enemy.
“What have I done?” Laurannis asked in horror.
* * * * *
Orion and Patrisa hacked and slashed with their swords at the Doom that Creeps. The creature’s blows from time to time would catch one or the other, but the power behind them was nothing compared to the blow Danea was dealt and the magic armor protected them from the brunt of the attack.
Many Giants were not so fortunate and slowly the amount of ropes holding the Doom that Creeps began to dwindle, but so did the size of the creature. As Orion and Patrisa continued to attack it, its size shrank to that of a house. The both gained in confidence and it seemed there really was a chance for victory.
It was then that Orion caught a glimpse of the Eye of Doom being hurled over the Pit by none other than the person he had sent to retrieve it.
“Damn you, Melca!” he swore as he saw the trajectory was perfect and it would fall neatly into the Doom that Creeps’ open hand.
* * * * *
Lucil was helping Danea bandage up her ribs and brace the broken parts of her wings. Lucil had lost her Centaur partner in battle and had used all the magic she could. She thought she would be of better help aiding the wounded Danea on the side away from the battle.
“What’s going on there?” Danea asked looking back to the opposite rim of the Pit. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the Doom that Creeps and no one seemed to notice anything other than the battle being waged there.
Lucil’s better eyesight caught the details.
“It’s Orion,” she said. “In his body. He’s hailing Princess Laurannis and he is handing her the Eye of Doom. How can Orion be in two places at once?”
“He can’t,” Danea said uneasily standing up and gazing at Orion in the Black Armor fighting with the Doom that Creeps.
“Sit down,” Lucil said. “You mustn’t fight. You cannot fly and you shouldn’t even walk until a proper heals sees to your wounds.”
Danea’s face went pale white as she saw Laurannis cock her arm back and prepare to hurl the gem across the Pit.
“No!” she shouted as she pushed Lucil away and scrambled to the edge of the Pit. As she ran she felt her breathing painful and her entire body ached. She wondered if she would have the energy to do what she intended.
She reached the edge of the Pit and she leapt into the air and began to flap her damaged wings. She cried out in pain but forced them to flap and lift her haphazardly into the air.
She pushed hard, harder than she had ever pushed herself and as the gem left Laurannis’s hand she was clear on her way to intercept the course of the object. She desperately beat her wings knowing that a second too early of too late would mean disaster.
She strived with all her being and held her hands as far out as she could and with the tips of her fingers she grasped the Eye of Doom and pulled it close.
There was no more energy however to fly back to the edge or to a safer ledge near the sides. She closed her eyes and held the gem near her body and she plummeted to the fiery bottom of the Pit.
* * * * *
“Danea!” Orion shouted as he saw her fall to the bottom of the Pit and into the boiling molten lava below.
“Keep it going, Orion!” Patrisa shouted. “We can finish this here and now. If the Doom that Creeps reaches the edge it will the Eye from the bottom of the Pit.”
“You speak as if could not understand!” the Doom that Creeps snorted and winced as Patrisa cut away at his sides. “You will not stop me. Your blows are powerful, but the edge is but meters away.”
“Orion!” Patrisa shouted at the distracted Shade.
Orion nodded and turned to the task at hand. No matter how hard they continued to slash, it seemed the monster was correct. He would reach the edge no matter what and once slipped over into the Pit, they would have no way to stop him recovering the Eye.
But he had to try. He heaved and raised Midnight high. The shadows embraced him and brought the blade down hard and mercilessly upon the Doom that Creeps’ back. Black blood erupted and sprayed Orion.
The edge was but a few paces from the Doom that Creeps.
It was not looking good.
* * * * *
“I’ll kill you!” Laurannis said in fury raising her hooves and trampling on Melca despite Esmeralda’s protests.
“It’s Orion’s body!” Esmeralda insisted shouting. “There might be a way to save it!”
“I’ll crush the black soul of Melca out of it,” Laurannis said with her face flushed with anger and humiliation.
“That’s what she wants, Laurannis. Please, stop. Please listen to me,” Esmeralda pleaded.
Laurannis finally stopped her savage attack.
Esmeralda turned Orion’s body over and noticed that the Third Eye and another eye were swollen shut and by the looks of it several bones were broken. Melca smiled despite it all.
“The body will die and your shadowy hero will die as well,” she said through a broken mouth. The pain did not seem to bother her.
“No! You will not have your way,” Esmeralda said looking to Ela who had been freed by the pixies in the mean time. “Lady Ela will keep this body alive. Laurannis, keep and eye on her while I go for lady Ela. The third eye is swollen. She cannot enchant you again.”
Esmeralda dashed off for Ela.
Melca struggled to bring Orion’s broken body to its feet. She looked at Laurannis and smiled a twisted smile of hate and mockery.
“Poor, poor Danea,” Melca said looking up at Laurannis with the only good eye left. “A cruel death, I think. To be burnt alive.”
“Nothing less that would be fitting for a witch like you,” Laurannis said striking a hoof angrily on the ground.
Melca glanced at Esmeralda briefly who was talking urgently with Ela.
“Perhaps. But it matters not. You allow a Tenderfoot tell you what to do!” Melca said mockingly watching the reactions on Laurannis’s face. “Of all people a Tenderfoot! You, a Centaur Princess! A member of the Royal Calvary! The daughter of the great Lord Roland! What will people say? That when it was her opportunity to rise and make the hard choices, she allowed a Tenderfoot to tell her what to do?!”
“Silence, witch!” Laurannis hissed.
“And if I continue to say truths?” Melca hissed provocatively. “Will you ask your mistress if you may retaliate? Bah, what do you know of honor?”
Laurannis’s jaw was clenched hard and Melca could see the tension of battle and the humiliation of being enchanted had weakened her reason. All that was required was a little gentle push.
“Obeying a Tenderfoot,” Melca said derisively. “I’d rather die at the hands of a Giant. Perhaps I’ll crawl my way over there and see if any those brutes have honor. Or maybe even an Elfling. Certainly one of those has more courage and honor than a failed and broken poor excuse for a Centaur.”
Laurannis face flushed beet red and she could not control her anger. She turned and released a powerful kick with her hind legs that slammed into Orion’s mid section and sent his body flying over the edge of the Pit.
“No!” Esmeralda cried out desperately as she returned with Lady Ela and watched Orion’s body tumble over the side and fall to the bottom of the Pit.
All the way down, the only sound heard was Melca maniacal laughter.
* * * * *
Orion and Patrisa fought against time trying again and again to deter the Doom that Creeps’ slow but steady advance.
Orion saw Laurannis kick his body over the edge and cursed as he saw it descend into the molten lava. His body burned into nothingness.
He felt faint headed and dizzy and Midnight fell from his hands. His body was finally dead and so was he.
* * * * *
“What did you do?” Esmeralda asked with tears streaming down her cheeks.
“I’ve failed us all,” Laurannis said tearing off her plumed helmet and casting it to the ground. “I should have better pulled out her tongue. She manipulated me with her words without much more effort than when she manipulated with her Third Eye. I’ve failed and Danea is dead and now I’ve doomed Orion.”
The Centaur Princess fell to her knees and the scene of a proud centaur weeping and so crushed was more than Ela could bear and she turned away.
Esmeralda reached up and placed a kind hand on her friend’s shoulder.
“Help me get to the others,” Esmeralda said slowly and softly. “The tide approaches quickly. There may be something we can do yet. Can you do that?”
Laurannis nodded and lifted Esmeralda onto her back.
“You didn’t fail, Laurannis,” she said as they galloped to the far end of the Pit where the fate of the Realms was just moments away from being determined.
“If anyone failed it is I,” Esmeralda said bitterly. “She escaped me long before you arrived…”
* * * * *
“Orion!” Patrisa shouted at the top of her lungs as she desperately tried to stop the Doom that Creeps as it pulled its head over the edge.
Orion fell to his knees and used Midnight to hold him propped up.
He felt weaker and weaker. He realized that without a body how could there be a shadow.
“Orion!” Patrisa cried frantically at the top of her lungs. Her blows were not enough.
He was not Orion.
He realized that. Orion was a name of spellcaster who had died at the bottom of the Pit.
Orion, Shade, Shadow… they were just names. It was not who he was.
Who was he?
He looked into the polished blade of Midnight and saw a bronze face that wasn’t his.
Who was he?
That is what Peter the Peddler had asked. If he had an identity it was possible to survive.
He was not Orion. Not the Shade. Not a shadow.
He knew who he was. He was a student who had fallen asleep at his books and had begged a Fae Queen to take him back to the Realms. He wasn’t a spellcaster. He wasn’t a tickle warrior.
He was Jeremy. He was Jeremy and it was time for him to go home.
“Orion! Orion!” Patrisa screamed as she hacked and slashed at Doom that Creeps who heaved and pulled an arm over the edge.
“That’s not my name,” he said and he grasped Midnight tightly in his hands and rushed to the front where the Doom that Creeps was mere inches from tumbling over the edge.
“It’s too late,” Patrisa said in frustration as it pulled closer still. The Giants heaved and hoed as they puffed their faces red as they tried to hold the monster back.
“My name is Jeremy,” he said standing at the front opposite of Patrisa and facing the leering face of the Doom that Creeps.
“Whatever!” Patrisa shouted in frustration. “Are you going to do something or are you just going to stand there and watch us all die?”
“I know how to stop him,” Jeremy said.
“I’m sure you do, fool!” the Doom that Creeps mocked. “Seconds! I am but mere seconds away from victory!”
“Strike at the hollow of the Third Eye and say that word I told you not to say when I was around,” Jeremy said. “We strike together on three.”
The Doom that Creeps’ grin washed away and it heaved back instead of forward sensing that something was very wrong.
“One,” Jeremy said grasping Midnight tightly.
“Two,” he said taking several steps forward raising the blade as he watched Patrisa do the same.
“Three!” he shouted and the blade came down and hit the hollow of the eye at the exact same time Patrisa shouted “Krisha!” and together both blades crossed and struck the target.
The shadows of Midnight grew and tried to match the intensity of the light of the Morning Beam as they struck. Blinding light and darkness spread across the mouth of the Pit and none could see the outcome until both light and darkness faded away.
The Doom that Creeps had disappeared.
Or at least so it appeared until on the ground several meters away lay a mummified and dried up body of all that was left of the Doom that Creeps. Having lost all his energy, the Doom that Creeps’ hunger could only be satisfied by consuming itself.
Patrisa’s armor and hair were both drenched in black blood and she unsuccessfully tried to wipe it away form her eyes.
Through her impaired vision she saw Orion leaning heavily on Midnight.
“How did you know what to do, Orion?” Patrisa asked using Morning Beam as a crutch to aid her to stand. “Or should I call you Jeremy?”
She did not get a response.
She pulled off a glove and with her clean hand she cleared the blood away from her eyes.
“Orion?” she called seeing that the armor was motionless.
She limped tiredly over and touched him on the shoulder.
The black armor tumbled to the ground and fell off the bronze mannequin, like the shell off an egg.
Patrisa gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.
“Orion! Orion!” Esmeralda cried as she leaped off Laurannis’s back and ran towards the black armor.
Patrisa stopped her.
“He’s gone,” she said sadly to her protégé. “He’s gone.”
Esmeralda wept and buried her head in Patrisa’s arms.
“I’m sorry, Tenderfoot,” Patrisa said soothingly as she held her in her arms.
“I’m sorry.”
Next: “Conclusions”
Melca watched with smug satisfaction as the Elflings abandoned ranks and stole all and anything they could get their hands upon.
She watched her lie as it grew and spread chaos and fear among those who prepared to defy the Doom that Creeps.
For nearly an hour chaos reigned. Fights broke out among the Giants and Demons and Animus. People abandoned their posts.
It would be a massacre when the Doom that Creeps arrived. Nothing would be able to stop the advance of the creature that would erase every life off the face of the Realms.
And then it would all start again. New races, new subjects and she'd be sure this time to bind them all to her will. She would be Queen and Mistress of all the Realms.
She was lost in the thoughts of her revenge and was brought back from her revelry by the sound of cheering.
"Back to your posts!" shouted a Giantess leading a group of persons arriving at the Pit. "The three Chosen are found; there is hope! Back to you posts! The moment of truth approaches."
The ranks that had fled began to regroup at the news and although there were many less now after so many had fled, the optimism of those who remained had swelled the ranks.
Melca cursed. Her plan was to cast Orion's body into the boiling lava at the bottom of the Pit along with the cursed ring and kill two birds with one stone. His body was weakening and she did not know how much longer he would last. Her soul was the only thing keeping it alive.
She was not ready to leave until she was certain that The Doom that Creeps would be victorious.
She would have to wait.
* * * * *
Esmeralda and Lady Ela stood at a bed in Haydeen’s guest quarters at the Pit where they had laid Haydeen so she might rest and recover. She was sleeping deeply and tranquilly, but Esmeralda was worried and concerned.
"You needn't fear Queen Melca, my dear," Lady Ela said trying to comfort Esmeralda. "She is confined to the Garden of Delights."
"She is quite capable of mischief without leaving the Garden of Delights, Lady Ela," Esmeralda replied. "I've seen her brainwash my friend Patrisa and I know she is capable of deception of the highest order. I just don't know whether I should help the others in stopping the Doom that Creeps or try to find out what her next move will be here."
"If indeed Melca is trying to influence the result of this battle," Ela said softly, "it would be wise to deter her efforts."
"Haydeen knows what happened," Esmeralda said watching the Elfling breathe evenly.
"Yes. And it nearly killed her," Lady Ela replied. The red panther headed Animus looked around the room thinking curiously. "This is the same room she was assigned when she arrived at the Pit. There are some signs of a struggle."
"What good is that?" Esmeralda asked looking at the room studying the strewn objects and in particular Haydeen’s bandolier which the Elfling Interrogator would never leave behind.
"I am a skilled Truthsayer as you very well know. I can put you into a trance so deep that you might be able to see the events that transpired in this room only a few hours ago. I have done it twice before with the master who taught me. I am quite confident I could place you into such a trance."
Esmeralda felt a little uneasy about being placed into a trance, but realizing it was perhaps the only way to find out what happened to Haydeen, she agreed.
"What must I do?" she asked Lady Ela.
"Take your boots off and sit down," she commanded. "You must relax as much as possible. The trance will not be deep enough for you to see unless you trust me completely. Coercing someone to tell the truth and seeing the truth itself as it happened are two different things entirely."
Esmeralda placed her bare feet in Lady Ela's lap and the Truthsayer did not touch them immediately.
She admired the pretty toes and soft soles and smiled. She touched them quickly and she manipulated the nerve endings in such a way that Esmeralda was suddenly unable to move.
"I didn't want you to feel uneasy and ticklish so I've immobilized you," Lady Ela said drawing her sharp nails up and down Esmeralda's soles getting no response whatsoever. You are safe from my tickling fingers, my dear. You can trust that at least this time I will not tickle you."
Esmeralda tried to relax as Lady Ela rubbed aromatic oils into Esmeralda's soles. She could not feel tickling but she could feel the sensuous rubbing on her feet and she wondered how she could relax with such contact on her soles.
Suddenly Lady Ela deliberately changed the rubbing for pressing certain points on the sole of her foot.
"You should start feeling sleepy now," Lady Ela said.
Before Esmeralda could reply she began to feel drowsiness wash over her like a wave.
"Fight it," Lady Ela said. "The more you hold out, the deeper the trance will be."
"Yes," Esmeralda replied sleepily.
"Keep your eyes on me," Lady Ela commanded. "Don't fall asleep."
Esmeralda's eye lids became heavy as lead and keeping them open was a major effort. They would close shut and she would open them with great difficulty. She focused on Lady Ela and she watched her lips move, but she could not understand what she was saying.
She finally could not fight any longer and she allowed the slumber to conquer her.
The second she had given up the battle was the moment she instantly awoke with her senses sharp as could be.
She was in the same room, but Lady Ela was no longer there. It was as if she were suspended in a sea of events that flashed by in the room. Most were not relevant and involved Demons running back and forth from the room. And then she was what she wanted to see.
Orion. A third eye. A torturous tickling session. A ring. And a jeweled scarab.
The images flashed by like ghosts in quick succession. But it was clear now. She knew what had happened. She knew what Melca was doing and finally, she realized what it was that she must do.
* * * * *
"A perfect fit," Peter the Peddler said examining each of the three Chosen in their white armor and the fourth in black armor.
Patrisa was surprised at how light and how natural the armor felt. She felt light as a feather and although she wore thick leather boots, she felt as if she was walking barefoot.
Laurannis at first did not think the man sized armor would fit her, but as she placed it on her body, they parts grew and adjusted to flow over her body. When she was finished, the armor covered her back and rump like perfectly crafted barding.
"The Maker certainly has the best taste," Peter said.
"Tell me what are we doing here instead preparing to face the Doom that Creeps?" Orion asked impatiently. He leaned heavily on a counter in the wagon and it was noticeable to all that he was weakening. His body, wherever it was, was indeed weakening.
"You know well enough that Peter's the best supplier of magic items among the Realms," Patrisa countered. "Now imagine that he had access to ALL the items and artifacts of the Realms."
Orion nodded grudgingly approving her reasoning. He tried to regain his posture in the black armor that had represented his body until now. The heroes looked at each other uneasily not knowing what to say.
The Peddler with his Dinosaur smile broke the silence.
"Yes indeed. I am Peter the Peddler and I am fully stocked,” he said loudly with a laugh. “I will start with you, the Scourge. I have the perfect item for you. I thought of you the second I saw it. There aren't many among the Realms who can wear them."
He dove into a chest and tossed magical items in all directions until he found what he was looking for.
"The Windy Wings of Swiftness," he said triumphantly holding up what appeared to be two pair of snow white feathered wings.
"What do they do?" Patrisa asked.
"As their name implies, they give you the speed to run faster than the wind. They are quite the artifact," Peter said. “Who wouldn’t want to run like the wind?”
"And why am I the only one who can use them?" Patrisa asked a little suspicious.
Peter smiled and turned to face Danea. He blew gently on the wings and they flapped gently in the air before attaching themselves to the heels of Danea's boots.
“Nice fit,” Danea said admiring the wings on her heels as they began to flap gently. Suddenly the Demon Mistress's eyes went wide with surprise and she gasped before bursting out in laughter.
"Get them off! They are tickling my soles! Even through the boots," Danea cried as she tried desperately to shake them off.
Peter reached down and touched them gently and they returned to his hands.
“If your feet are ticklish,” he explained, “I don’t think they are of much use to you.”
Patrisa nodded and took the wings in her hands. She blew gently on them and they attached themselves to her boots. They beat gently but Patrisa did not react.
“Thank you, Petey,” she said. “I’ll wear them with honor.”
Peter nodded and turned to Danea.
“As for you, Former Keeper of the Academy,” Peter said. “Although black leather has always favored you, I must say that you look stunning in white. The armor, the White Adder, it is all beautiful. What I have for you is the best complementary accessory.”
Again, Peter excitedly returned to the piles and piles of magic items until he found what he was looking for. It was a large white shield in the form of a turtle shell.
“This is the White Tortoise,” Peter explained as he helped Danea gear herself with it. “It has been companion to the White Adder on more than one occasion over the eras and it will serve you well on the field of battle.”
“Thank you, Peddler,” Danea said graciously admiring how light the shield was.
“Princess Laurannis of the Centaurs,” Peter said admiring her beauty and bowing briefly to honor the princess. “You and your Golden Lance are legend throughout the Realms. You have thrown it many a time with deadly precision. I have just the thing for you.”
He rummaged through the magic items until he found a small little mechanical man made of bronze about two inches tall.
“This is the Bronze Hammer Hand,” Peter said with pride. “It was thought to have been lost many eras ago, but it has finally appeared again.”
“What does it do?” Laurannis asked uneasily.
“Take your gauntlet off and touch it with your right index finger,” he said. “I am certain it will be a perfect fit.”
Laurannis obeyed and the little bronze artifact came to life with a series of whirls and buzzes. It grasped her finger and then its body began to grow extending itself up under her sleeve and moving up her arm.
Laurannis was ticklish on her arm and twisted in an unusual manner for a Centaur trying to escape the sensation. She cried out in laughter however as the strange sensation reached her arm pit.
“Not the armpit!” she gasped between the laughter.
It was for but a moment and she quickly recovered her poise. She looked down at her hand and it was clad in bronze. She opened and closed her hand slowly. She felt the power radiate there.
“The Hammer Hand has made your arm of solid bronze,” Peter said knocking on her arm gently to demonstrate that it was now made of metal. “You will be able to throw ten times the distance with much more power.”
“Thank you, Peddler,” Laurannis said. “It is a most appropriate artifact for me.”
“You are very welcome, Princess,” he said with a smile before turning to Orion.
“And to you, Shade,” Peter said wryly, “the most skeptical of all, I think. I have no object to peddle for you, but I have a piece of advice that if you take it might be more valuable than any of these objects here.”
Orion listened.
“There has been many a Shadow Mage who sent his soul to his shadow and all say that when the body died, so did the Shadow Mage,” Peter explained. “In part this is true and in part this is false. The Mage is dead, indeed, but so lives on the Shadow, a reflection of the Mage. The Shadow does not die, but it goes on reflecting what the Mage was.
“The Shadow must have a strong identity or it will simply dissipate and become a simple shadow,” he continued explaining. “You have a chance no other Shadow Mage has had before. You have the opportunity to recover your body, in fact. Not the magical representation of your body here, but your real flesh and blood body in your world.
“So ask yourself, Orion the Shade, who are you?” Peter asked as he studied the Shadow Mage intently. “If you have a good enough answer there is no reason for your soul to dissipate like dust to the wind when your body dies. When you fight on that field, ask yourself that question. And if you are lucky, you might be surprised by the answer.”
* * * * *
Patrisa, Laurannis and Orion followed far behind Danea and Dashiel and his Demon cadre.
They could see the Doom that Creeps quite well despite the distance. The creature was huge with its features now bloated in some sort of deformed monstrosity that now barely resembled a humanoid.
On its forehead shined the Eye of Doom.
The three heroes stared at the bright light intently and watched as the morning sun began to rise behind.
Orion was very weak and he had to be carried on Laurannis’s back onto the field.
“Will you be all right?” Patrisa asked concerned at the deteriorating state of her friend.
“Don’t be worried about me,” Orion said. “Worry about executing the plan. I am not a central part of the plan. Despite what Peter said, there is a great chance I won’t walk off this field. Let’s concern us with the task at hand.”
He turned to Laurannis.
"Do you have the range?" Orion asked the Centaur princess who caressed the wood of her magical lance.
"The range, yes," she said flexing her right arm. "With the Bronze Hammer Hand I will have more than enough range."
"And the aim?" Patrisa asked.
"I could skewer a grape at one thousand paces," Laurannis said. "My only concern is the irregular movement of the Doom that Creeps. My aim is true, but by the time my lance strikes, it is quite possible that the target will not be were it was only a mere second before."
"The Doom that Creeps will stay still long enough for you to do your part. Just prepare to throw on my command," Orion said to the Centaur. "And you, Patrisa, get ready to retrieve the gem."
Patrisa prepared to sprint while Laurannis took several steps back and prepared the sequence of movements that would propel her magical lance through the air.
"It will only be a matter of moments now," Orion said.
* * * * *
"Esmeralda!" the Gaintess shouted at the top of her lungs. The name rang throughout the Pit and the acoustics of the Pit carried her voice long and far and all heard the call.
In particular, Melca.
She was beginning to feel desperate. There was not much more she felt she could do to damage the efforts against the Doom that Creeps. But Esmeralda was favored by that deceiving Manling, Orion.
To harm her, was to harm him.
She watched as green robed spellcaster made her way through the crowd and stepped up to the red haired giantess who was apparently leading the Giantus forces.
Melca could not see her face, but she could see her smooth white hands make gestures as she spoke with the Giantess.
They finished after a few minutes and Esmeralda left the Giantus and walked towards the Spellcaster group that was assembling towards the outside rim of the Pit. She would have to cross at least a few hundred meters way alone. This was an opportunity too good to waste.
Melca in Orion's physical body approached Esmeralda from behind. He was donning spellcaster robes as well. It would not seem suspicious should a fellow spellcaster stop her on the way to discuss some urgent issue.
Melca prepared her third eye and she approached Esmeralda from behind. When she was a mere half a dozen steps behind her, she called out to her.
"Esmeralda!" she called, her third eye flaring and preparing to entrance the unsuspecting spell caster.
Esmeralda paused and turned and pulled back her hood. Their eyes locked and Melca instantly realized that she had been deceived.
She stared into the eyes of Ela, Lady of the Animus.
She cursed and before she could try to escape words of magic were spoken with practiced expertise.
Webs were cast around her tying Orion's arms firmly to her sides and before she could find the spellcaster more webs were cast around her third eye rendering her effectively powerless.
"I can't say it is a pleasure to meet you, Queen Melca," Esmeralda said approaching from behind wearing the robes of the Red Panther Clan and holding a web spinning spider artifact in her hand. "But I believe we will all fare better if we keep a close eye on you while this resolves."
Melca cursed bitterly.
* * * * *
"Doom that Creeps!" Danea cried hovering near what appeared to be the Doom that Creep's mouth. Lord Dashiel and his cadre of Demon warriors floated behind her watching carefully. "You are not welcome here. Turn away or you shall meet your demise at my hands and those of my brethren."
The huge mass of the Doom that Creeps seemed to chuckle and tremors could be felt through the ground all the way to the Pit.
"You dare threaten me?" the Doom that Creeps boomed. "I will savor your soul, poor deluded wench."
The Doom that Creeps' arm moved like lightning. The dark substance of the Doom that Creeps, the blackness that robbed souls, engulfed Danea and caressed her body like a lover. It was gentle, but deadly.
For most. But not Danea.
She drew the White Adder from within the blackness and dashed forward until she felt something solid. It was then that the White Adder struck with its venomous tip sinking deep into the substance of the Doom that Creeps.
A roar of agony was heard from the Doom that Creeps and all those from Dashiel's demon cadre until the last warrior and spell caster back in the Pit cheered.
"There is more where that came from," Danea said threateningly holding the White Adder before her.
"He can be defeated!" Dashiel shouted to his demon warriors. "Attack!"
"No, you fool!" Danea shouted as the Demon cadre attacked. "Not yet!"
Dashiel cut deep wounds into the Doom that Creeps with his powerful black sword, Midnight and the Doom that Creeps was taken aback by such ferocity.
"A soul for a scar," the Doom that Creeps growled as it reached out and touched the Demon warriors with speed and accuracy that stunned the warriors who tried futilely to dodge the darkness that engulfed them.
Danea could only act and try to make their sacrifice mean something. She cut and she hacked at the Doom that Creeps trying desperately to draw its attention away from her Demonus Brothers who one by one were dropping to the barren ground below souless.
The wounds she dealt were terrible, but the Doom that Creeps was no longer surprised and no longer impressed. He dealt with the Demon Warriors until he finally robbed the soul of the last hovering demon, the Demon Lord Dashiel.
His soulless and lifeless body crashed to the ground and Danea, the Demon Mistress who once could never weep, could not help but push back a tear from her eye as she continued to cut at her enemy. She was not sure if it was just her imagination, but it seemed the Doom that Creeps was shrinking with each of her devastating blows.
Perhaps there was hope to defeat the Doom that Creeps that way.
"Cut away," the Doom that Creeps said softly. It made no effort to try and take her soul. He recognized the armor would protect her and his efforts would be wasted. "I can steal a soul of those who have it ripe for the taking. For those who don't, I can stamp out the life."
Danea continued to cut into the blackness and her white armor was stained with black blood. She did not stop and had no intention of stopping until the Doom that Creeps was defeated.
It was then that a fist the size of a building was pulled back and thrown square into the center of her mass.
The White Adder snapped like a twig and a whooshing sound was heard as the White Tortoise Shield and her White Armor’s breastplate was smashed. Ribs cracked and wings were broken. The blow was powerful, concentrated and deadly.
Danea was hurled through the air like a white shooting star until she landed into the barren dust of the Demonus Realm kilometers away from the advancing Doom that Creeps.
Danea, as a shooting star, faded away into a large cloud of dust.
* * * * *
Esmeralda and Ela had exchanged robes again and they stood on the opposite rim of the Pit. As far away from the approach of the Doom that Creeps as possible. On the opposite side, fifty spellcasters mounted on Centaurs prepared for battle.
The Doom that Creeps could be seen approaching on the horizon and she could see Danea confronting it in battle. Cheers were sounded among those at the Pit as the battle began.
Melca scowled but did not say anything to her captors. In the pockets of her robes she slowly and very carefully pulled free the Golden Scarab. The edge of the scarab’s wings was sharp and Melca could feel it tear into the web material. It was a slow process but her captors were unaware and more intent upon the advance of the Doom that Creeps.
She’d have her vengeance yet.
* * * * *
"Now?" Laurannis asked as the Doom that Creeps lashed out at the Demonus Warriors.
"Patience. It's moving too fast," Orion said hoping with all his heart to properly identify the best possible moment to release the lance. They would have just one chance to get this right.
The last Demon warrior fell and Laurannis looked anxiously at Orion. She would have thrown it then, but she promised she would await his signal.
It was then that the Doom that Creeps lashed out at Danea. All became silent just before that moment. And then a sickly crashing sound was heard as the Doom that Creep's fist struck Danea head on.
"Oh my God," Patrisa said in shock.
"Now!" Orion shouted trying as hard as he could to concentrate on the task at hand and not on fate of his friend.
Laurannis was focused on her target and only barely saw what had happened to Danea.
"Be steady, be swift and be true," she said as she drew her bronze arm back and took several strong steps forward.
She released the spear with a heave that had all her power behind it.
It left her hands and it sped towards its target. It was a golden ray of light that shot through the air.
Laurannis's aim was true and the Eye of Doom was struck with such force that it was dislodged from its socket and cast out into the air.
"Your turn, Patrisa," Orion said mounting Laurannis. "It's up to you now."
Patrisa nodded and sprinted along the dusty ground in the direction of the Eye of Doom until she was soon too far to see.
* * * * *
Patrisa felt the wings on her boots push her forward with speed as great or greater than that of Laurannis and her Golden Lance. She felt the cool morning air on her face smiled as she saw the object she was meant to retrieve.
The Eye of Doom had fallen quite some distance from the Doom that Creeps. The creature was not half as large anymore but still it only required a few paces to reach the Eye of Doom. However, without the Eye’s powers, its movements were slow and sluggish and the distance that would take a moment’s thought to cover was taking many seconds more.
Patrisa dashed between the Doom that Creeps legs and much to its dismay, she reached the Eye of Doom first.
The Doom that Creeps roared in anger. It appeared more as a giant deformed elfling and less than the mountain it appeared to be.
“Is this what you want?” Patrisa asked mockingly.
The Doom that Creeps took several steps forward.
“Then come and get it,” Patrisa said as she sped away towards the Pit leaving a long and visible cloud of dust in her wake.
* * * * *
Orion and Laurannis rode out to where Danea had fallen fearing the worst. Her shield and her sword and been shattered and her breastplate had been dented out of shape. Blood and bruises were present on her face.
She wasn't breathing when Orion kneeled at her side to see if she lived.
He desperately unbuckled the once magnificent armor and the breastplate popped off like a lid on a pressurized kettle.
Danea gasped and breathed in relief. Her eyes flung open and she coughed.
"Remind me to thank Peter the Peddler when this is finished," she said weakly. "Had it not been for the White Tortoise Shield it would have been my ribs and lungs which would have shattered."
"Your ribs are still cracked and your wings are broken as well," Orion observed trying to lift her to her feet as the Doom that Creeps made a steady advance. “Your part is done here, Danea. We need to get you off the field.”
Orion took over to Laurannis and together they placed her on the Centaur’s back.
"Take her back to the Pit," Orion said. "Find her a safe place to recover. We can't stop the Doom that Creeps by ourselves. We need the others. We'll finish this back at the Pit."
"How will you get back?" Laurnnis asked. "It's still advancing at a frightful pace despite the damage that has been dealt to it."
Orion nodded. "I'll keep him interested. I have to run it."
"Are you up to it?" Laurnnis asked. "I haven’t seen you this weak."
"That was a one in a million shot, Laurannis," he said standing tall and straight. "The prospect of success has given me new energy. Now go, I'll be okay."
Laurannis galloped off with Danea on her back.
Orion’s posture failed and he felt another wave of weakness hit him. Something unnatural was keeping his body alive, but it was not going to last. He needed to make the best of the time that was still left.
Orion turned to see the Doom that Creeps and watched its wild and desperate advance. He poked his toe through the remains of Danea's armor and weapons seeing if anything could be recovered. It was at that moment that he saw a mere fifty meters away a black sword lying on the dusty ground.
He knew the sword as Midnight and the sword seemed to know him and call out to him.
He ran out to the field and took the sword in his hand. The shadows of the sword welcomed one of their own and Orion felt confident and revitalized.
"Come then, Doom that Creeps," he said at the advancing Goliath. "Come meet your doom."
* * * * *
Patrisa raced towards the Pit and noticed Esmeralda and Lady Ela standing over a tied individual. She rushed over to them. They were in the ideal position. The Doom that Creeps would have to cross the Pit or go around it. That was exactly what they wanted.
"Esmeralda," Patrisa said as she lifted a cloud of dust as she arrived. "Hold on to this for a while," she said as she handed over the gem.
Esmeralda held Melca's Gem in her hands remembering briefly the adventure they had gone through to get it in the first place.
"We'll protect it with our lives," Esmeralda said.
"And this? Orion's body?" Patrisa said gesturing to the spellcaster bound in webbing.
"It’s Queen Melca inside," Esmeralda said seriously. "We'll keep her from doing mischief."
Patrisa shook her head. "I'd tickle her silly, if we had the time. Perhaps afterwards. I'm off to help Orion and the rest. Good luck."
With that she sped off lifting another cloud of dust.
"It won't be long now," Lady Ela said. "With the Eye in our possession, the Doom that Creeps has lost much of it power. We now have a feasible opportunity to defeat it."
"Your efforts to defeat us are almost thwarted,” Esmeralda said to Queen Melca. “Once this is over, you will help us return to our world. What do you think of that, Melca?"
"Do you really want to know?" she said with a leering smile.
Esmeralda suddenly felt a chill and realized something was wrong.
Too late she realized that she had underestimated her enemy.
Melca had used an object to cut through the webbing and as the webbing fell to her sides, she directed it in Esmeralda's direction. It was the Golden Scarab. She pressed a large ruby on the back of the golden object and it instantly came to life and shot out at Esmeralda catching her square in the chest. She instantly fell to the ground unconscious.
"Esmeralda!" Lady Ela cried. She reached for a short dagger under her robes, but Melca was quick to remove the webbing from her Third Eye and it stared directly into Ela's eyes.
"You wouldn't need to use that, now would you?" Melca asked. “Better to drop it than risk hurting someone, don’t you think?”
Ela nodded her head slowly and dropped the dagger from her hands.
"Lady Ela," Melca said continuing. "Why don't you hand me the Eye of Doom? I am certain you agree that it would be safer with me."
She did as commanded and handed Melca the transparent gem.
"Good," she said. "This excitement makes you tired. Why don't you sleep?"
Ela instantly fell asleep and sank to the ground next to Esmeralda.
No one noticed. Everyone was focused on the approach of the Doom that Creeps.
"Excellent," Melca said to herself with satisfaction touching her gem lovingly and caressing it gently.
* * * * *
“Enough,” Ammé said ending her trance. “Queen Melca has gone too far. She has the Eye of Doom and intends to return it to the Doom that Creeps. If she does that, it will mean the end of all of us.”
The Dryads all looked at each other exchanging worried glances.
“Don’t you see?” Ammé asked. “Once the Doom that Creeps finishes at the Pit, what’s to stop it from visiting all the Realms? From visiting Fae!”
The Dryads looked at each other and nodded.
One of the older ones stepped forward.
“If it is Queen Melca’s wish that we perish in body and soul,” the Dryad said, “then so be it. We trust that in her infinite wisdom, all will be in the best interest of the Fae.”
“You fools!” Ammé shouted. “If you won’t support me, I’ll do it myself. I’ll tickle Melca out of the trance and away from the battlefield.”
She stepped forward fully intent upon digging her fingers into her queen’s ribs when magical roots sprung from the ground and wrapped around her legs keeping her motionless. She tried to free herself with her hands and they as well were entangled in the roots. The roots climbed up her face and cover her Third Eye and gagged her mouth.
She was trapped by a simple Dryad spell.
“You must be taught to respect your elders,” the Dryad said with the other Dryads nodding in approval. “When Queen Melca returns, she will decide your fate.”
Ammé pulled and tugged, but she realized she was not going anywhere.
She swallowed hard and wondered what would be worse.
Queen Melca defeated or Queen Melca triumphant.
She shook her head and realized neither was bound to benefit her in any way.
* * * * *
As the scarab touched Esmeralda, the whole world melted away. The ground, the sky, Melca, the Doom that Creeps… Everything simply disappeared.
She was in space surrounded by millions of stars. The only light came from that of the stars but there were so many that she could see as if she were in a well illuminated room.
The floor was of what appeared to be glass and above her she noticed that the above her the glass formed a pyramid that ending about five meters above her head.
"Welcome," said a voice from behind.
Esmeralda turned surprised by the sudden greeting.
It was a small, lithe and young woman with bronze tanned skin and dark black hair which flowed over to her shoulders and was held in place upon her head with a beautiful golden diadem. She wore the attire of what appeared to be an ancient Egyptian. She wore golden jewelry that adorned her neck, her wrists and her ankles. She wore a white linen tunic that was semi-transparent and showed off her shapely curves.
"I am Khepri," she said smiling.
"Where am I?" Esmeralda asked.
"You are inside one of the Golden Scarabs. At least your spirit is," she explained. "It is one of five scarabs that were made by the Maker to curse the enemies of Queen Melca."
Esmeralda frowned. "And who are you?" she asked.
"I am the first of the cursed because they were made in my honor,” Khepri explained. “The Scarab was a symbol that was associated with me when I walked the Realms as a tickler. I was an enemy of Queen Melca and she chose to confine me to the Scarabs were I would torment five of her other enemies for all eternity."
"You're a Manling," Esmeralda observed.
Khepri nodded. "I am."
"What forces you to torment your victims?" Esmeralda asked.
"Nothing,” Khepri said shrugging. “It is my nature to tickle and torment. That is what made me an enemy of Queen Melca."
Esmeralda frowned again.
"You are the last and I am quite pleased that you are so pretty. I like your green eyes very much. I do hope you are a ticklee who enjoys torturous tickling..."
Esmeralda's frown deepened.
"Well, that is a shame, really,” Khepri said sadly. “Eternity will be a bit more of a burden for you."
"I won't let you do this without a fight," Esmeralda declared.
"That is a nice thought," Khepri said with a smile. "I'd welcome a fight, but you'll find that you cannot touch me in any way."
Esmeralda reached out to touch Khepri, but for some reason she was unable to touch her. It was if a barrier existed between them.
"It wouldn't be much of a fight anyway," she said. "I control all in each of the Pyramids. Watch as I demonstrate."
She raised a hand and Esmeralda was whisked off her feet and held vertically spread eagle in the center of the pyramid. She was immobile and stretched out firmly.
Khepri pulled gently on Esmeralda's boot until it came free revealing her bare foot.
"Very pretty," Khepri complimented as she studied Esmeralda's naked foot. She gently scratched the sole and watched Esmeralda grunt as she tried to resist.
"I love those who try to hold it in," Khepri said with glee.
She was indeed a skilled tickler and she quickly found the most ticklish spots on her foot and within moments she had Esmeralda laughing helplessly at her faintest whim.
"Beautiful laughter," Khepri said. "I am so glad that you were chosen to be the last of the cursed. "I have a couple screamers in the other pyramids and I simply don't enjoy that as much."
Esmeralda could not stop laughing and she could not gasp enough breath to say anything to her tormentor.
Khepri suddenly paused and Esmeralda stopped laughing.
"We'll continue with the torso when you return," Khepri said casually as she stepped away.
"Where am I going?" Esmeralda asked panting faintly.
"Were you not told?" Khepri asked surprised. "The curse is meant to break your spirit and that of your friends and loved ones. You will return for while, but each visit back will be shorter and shorter until you never return and you are left as a sort of laughing and raving lunatic.
"I suggest you spend your time well. I'll be here waiting."
* * * * *
Esmeralda awoke to her surprise hogtied and on the ground next to a similarly hogtied and unconscious Lady Ela. Her ribs ached and she was short of breath so she assumed she had been laughing here in her physical form as well.
"I know how the Scarab works, so I took the precaution of tying you both up properly with some of Haydeen’s rope I had taken from her bandolier,” Melca said. “I am very skilled and no one has ever escaped my bondage. It is unfortunate for you that you didn't know how to tie me up properly."
Esmeralda pulled and tugged on her restraints but she realized Melca was correct. There was no way for her to break free of the cleverly tied ropes.
Esmeralda tried to cast a spell but she only utter words. There was no power behind them.
"The Golden Scarab protects you from physical and magical harm from the moment you are cursed," Melca said answering the unasked question. "But as a side effect you lose the ability to use magic and cast spells."
Esmeralda groaned.
"Give my regards to Khepri," Melca said mockingly. "She was always a thorn in my side when she was walking the Realms. More than you and that deceiving Orion, I can tell you."
"What do you gain by giving the Doom that Creeps victory?" Esmeralda asked angrily. "Everyone will die."
"A clean slate," Melca said shrugging. "A fresh start. Death to all my enemies. This has happened before. Only a few could recall it. The Elfling King was one. The Maker is another. Even Khepri can recall what happened. She was pulled from your world before the last visit of the Doom that Creeps."
Esmeralda found it so strange to see Orion's body speak, but Melca's spirit was unmistakably behind every thought and action.
"Why are you still here?” Esmeralda asked. “Why don't you rush out and give the Eeye to the Doom that Creeps yourself?"
"Because this body is fading and the strain will kill it," she replied. "Besides, I plan to cast this body into the Pit so we tie up all loose ends. I'll leave Lady Ela here for the Doom that Creeps and you, my dear, will be left for Khepri because even the Doom that Creeps will not be able to take your soul. It now belongs to Khepri."
Melca watched Doom that Creeps make its advance. It was smaller and becoming smaller as the battle raged on, but it would be big enough to come and receive the Eye of Doom.
Of that she was certain.
* * * * *
Orion ran and he ran as fast as he could. He could see that shadow of the Doom that Creeps over him as the morning sun began to creep up into the sky. He did his best to keep ahead of the shadow. So long as he was in the light, he knew he had a slight lead on the Doom that Creeps.
He could see the lines of mounted spell casters on Centaurs and even hear them casting spells as he approached. Just as he reached their ranks they released their spells.
Fireballs and lightning blasts and rays of all kinds were cast against the Doom the Creeps. The creature roared in anger and stopped in its tracks. Orion turned back to see the Doom that Creeps pound on the ground and try to crush the mounted spellcasters. Some he could stop, but the others dodged his efforts and continued hurling magic spells in his direction. Orion felt Laurannis gallop near him and she held her arm out to him so he would mount her.
They rushed to the edge of the Pit where Patrisa was waiting with Loanna and the Giants who waited with boulders and huge arrows for the Doom that Creeps.
"Here we will stand," Orion said as he saw the spell casters being scattered. They would pull away as their spells began to lose potency.
The Doom that Creeps was still huge but it was now less than half of its original size. Still gigantic, but the efforts of the spellcasters had not been in vain.
“Where is the Eye of Doom?" Orion asked.
"On the other side of the Pit with Esmeralda and Lady Ela," Patrisa answered.
Orion looked out on the other side of the wide mouth of the Pit and cursed.
"That is not Esmeralda," he said.
Patrisa looked back and saw Esmeralda and Ela on the ground and Melca standing over them in Orion's body.
"Melca! Curse her! I'll go and fix it," Patrisa said turning to run to the other side of the Pit.
"No, stay here with me," Orion said. "Light and Shadow, The Morning Beam and Midnight. These two weapons together might be able to finish off the Doom that Creeps."
"I'll go," Laurannis stated firmly.
"You're unarmed," Orion observed.
She stood briefly on her back legs and came down hard with her hooves striking the dust ground hard.
"What do you call these?" she asked.
"Go," Orion said nodding in agreement. "But be careful. Melca is very, very dangerous. Saying she is as dangerous as the Doom that Creeps is no exaggeration. Glamour or no glamour. Whatever you do, keep that Eye of Doom away. Nothing else matters. Not my body and not even Esmeralda. Do you understand?”
Laurannis nodded and began to gallop to the other side of the Pit.
Orion realized she’d take still a while, but he could not afford to let Patrisa go. The two swords together were the key. It was no coincidence that both swords had appeared.
Everything served a purpose.
* * * * *
Esmeralda watched the successful attack by the spell casters and smiled as they successfully were able to wear the Doom that Creeps down.
“It won’t matter,” Melca said. “The Doom that Creeps will continue its advance. Its hunger compels it forward.”
Esmeralda felt faint and then suddenly she went black.
She was back in the pyramid still spread eagle and still immobile.
"Back again," Khepri said. "I hope you had a pleasant time. The tides are variable and you can be gone a minute or an hour or a day. But any way they always bring you back to me."
She made a gesture and Esmeralda felt her ankles and wrists pulled together and her body moved until she was horizontal and at Khepri's level.
Khepri opened Esmeralda's robes and began to unbutton the tunic below with agile fingers.
"Queen Melca sends her regards," Esmeralda said suddenly watching for the reaction on Khepri's face.
"Did she?" Khepri said revealing no emotion as she bared Esmeralda's torso.
"You are quite a gem," she said tracing a finger between her breasts and down her torso until it slipped neatly into Esmeralda's navel. "Fit and quite stunning."
Esmeralda fought the tickling sensation as Khepri pricked at her navel.
"She means to destroy the Realms," Esmeralda insisted. "I can stop her."
Khepri placed her fingers on Esmeralda's sides and softly ran them up and down. Esmeralda struggled to keep from laughing at the light tickling but let out a sharp yelp as Khepri touched her sweet spot on her ribs.
Khepri smiled. "You can stop her and we'd still be cursed." She pressed a single finger into the soft spot in the ribs and Esmeralda lost all control. She laughed hard and heavily as Khepri touched the spot with just one fingertip.
"I do not control the tides," Khepri said. "You will come and go and it has nothing to do with me. I cannot help you."
"You could not tickle me," Esmeralda said as Khepri removed the finger from the tickle spot.
Khepri placed her fingernails under Esmeralda's breasts and tickled vigorously. Esmeralda burst out in laughter again.
"It is my nature," she said. "You cannot ask me to defy my nature."
"I just ask for a pause," Esmeralda said as Khepri pressed the robe up Esmeralda's arms to reveal her soft underarms. "I have a better chance against Melca if I am not tired out by all this tickling."
Khepri paused with her fingers on Esmeralda's bare underarms. Esmeralda twisted and twitched nervously, but the fingers did not tickle.
"It's a chance to get back at her or at least foil her plans," Esmeralda said rapidly trying to get out the words before the tickling commenced. "Wouldn't that be worth a pause? I mean, we have all eternity no matter what happens."
Khepri pondered Esmerlada's words.
"What would we do while you are here with me?" she asked. "You will still fade back and forth with the tides another five to six times at least. Each pause will be longer. I am a tickler by nature; your so called pause will only torment me."
"Tell me of Melca. Tell me what you know of her strengths and her weaknesses," Esmeralda suggested. "In the meantime you can tickle me softly. The kind of tickle that creates tension but doesn't wear me out."
Khepri touched Esmeralda's armpits gently with the tips of her fingernails is if she were tapping gently on a counter.
This made Esmeralda grunt and twist, but she could resist laughing.
"I am not used to such tickling," Khepri said, "But I will entertain you for the hope that you do spoil Queen Melca's plans.”
Esmeralda closed her eyes briefly and sighed in relief.
The tickler smiled down on her and said: “When it is done, make sure to tell Queen Melca that Khepri sends her regards."
* * * * *
The Doom that Creeps approached the edge of the Pit and at a sharp and loud battle cry from Loanna, the Giants launched their attack. Boulders were hurled by huge catapults and heavy bolts by gigantic ballista.
Being the excellent engineers they were, the Giants hit their target with great precision. With each blow the Doom that Creeps became smaller and smaller. He was now the size of a small tower, but still big enough to wreck havoc. It tore through the ranks and swiped at the engines of war destroying them and scattering Giants all around.
“Phase two!” King Thornwall cried from the sidelines as ropes with hooks were launched through the air and teams of Giants on all sides did their very best to try and immobilize the Doom that Creeps. The creature pulled on the ropes and hurled more than one team flying through the air to the fiery depths of the Pit.
But their intentions began to have their desired effect and the Doom that Creeps crashed to the ground. It could see the Eye of Doom on the other side of the Pit and it pressed on forward despite the efforts of the Giants. It crawled closer and closer to its objective.
“Now it is our turn,” Orion said drawing Midnight.
Patrisa nodded and drew the Morning Beam as well and the swords seems to antagonize each other.
“Black and White. Shadow and light,” Orion said to her. “Take it from above and I will take it from below.”
“Good luck,” she said to him.
“Good spirit,” he replied.
They ran out together to meet their enemy.
* * * * *
Esmeralda came to again.
“Khepri must be getting slack after all these years,” Melca said. “You should be a gibbering mass of laughter by now.”
“What did I miss?” Esmeralda asked.
“I am impressed with the organization you fools have somehow improvised on such short notice,” Melca said with a jealous hint of approval. “The Giantus have managed to slow the Doom that Creeps down. It is only now edging to the opposite rim of the Pit.”
“It won’t make it all the way here,” Esmeralda said confidently.
“Look,” Melca pointed out to Laurannis who approached galloping towards them at top speed. “Fate always provides what one needs. You need only have the eye to see opportunity!”
“Don’t look at her eyes, Laurannis!” Esmeralda struggled to shout aware that she was still too far off to hear.
“This should be amusing,” Melca said taking a handkerchief from Orion´s robe and using it to gag Esmeralda. She smiled and then stepped closer towards the advancing Centaur.
Esmeralda could do nothing but shout muffled warnings into the gag in vain.
“Psst!” a familiar voice said to her ear. “It’s us.”
She looked wildly side to side but saw nothing.
Then a faint yellow glow appeared.
It was the pixie Amber and where she was, Indigo was sure to be.
“We’ve been following you,” Amber explained with a whisper. “We can’t interfere with Queen Melca. She holds great power over all pixies, but we can help you now. We’ve been working on your binding for quite a while already. We’ve tried to be discreet but I think we almost have you free.”
Esmeralda nodded as well as she could with the gag still on while Amber disappeared behind to help Indigo. She watched Laurannis approach and saw her stop cold in her tracks.
That could not be good.
* * * * *
“How fortunate!” Melca said having frozen Laurannis in her place with her powerful Third Eye. “I see you have the Bronze Hammer Hand. There is something you and do for me, my dear. Something that would make me very, very happy. You’d like to make me happy, wouldn’t you?”
Laurannis nodded.
“Take this Gem and throw it across the Pit to the Doom that Creeps on the other side,” Melca said in a steady even voice as she placed the Eye of Doom in Laurannis’s bronze right hand. “You would do a great service to me and to all the Realms. You would make your kinsmen proud.”
“No!” Esmeralda shouted free from her bondage and dashing as fast as she could on the scene that might mean disaster.
“Do it!” Melca commanded. “Listen to my voice and only my voice. Do it and do it now!”
Esmeralda tackled Melca to the ground and eye contact was broken. But it was too late. Laurannis had already hurled the Eye of Doom across the Pit.
Laurannis stood stupefied watching the Eye fly towards their worst enemy.
“What have I done?” Laurannis asked in horror.
* * * * *
Orion and Patrisa hacked and slashed with their swords at the Doom that Creeps. The creature’s blows from time to time would catch one or the other, but the power behind them was nothing compared to the blow Danea was dealt and the magic armor protected them from the brunt of the attack.
Many Giants were not so fortunate and slowly the amount of ropes holding the Doom that Creeps began to dwindle, but so did the size of the creature. As Orion and Patrisa continued to attack it, its size shrank to that of a house. The both gained in confidence and it seemed there really was a chance for victory.
It was then that Orion caught a glimpse of the Eye of Doom being hurled over the Pit by none other than the person he had sent to retrieve it.
“Damn you, Melca!” he swore as he saw the trajectory was perfect and it would fall neatly into the Doom that Creeps’ open hand.
* * * * *
Lucil was helping Danea bandage up her ribs and brace the broken parts of her wings. Lucil had lost her Centaur partner in battle and had used all the magic she could. She thought she would be of better help aiding the wounded Danea on the side away from the battle.
“What’s going on there?” Danea asked looking back to the opposite rim of the Pit. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the Doom that Creeps and no one seemed to notice anything other than the battle being waged there.
Lucil’s better eyesight caught the details.
“It’s Orion,” she said. “In his body. He’s hailing Princess Laurannis and he is handing her the Eye of Doom. How can Orion be in two places at once?”
“He can’t,” Danea said uneasily standing up and gazing at Orion in the Black Armor fighting with the Doom that Creeps.
“Sit down,” Lucil said. “You mustn’t fight. You cannot fly and you shouldn’t even walk until a proper heals sees to your wounds.”
Danea’s face went pale white as she saw Laurannis cock her arm back and prepare to hurl the gem across the Pit.
“No!” she shouted as she pushed Lucil away and scrambled to the edge of the Pit. As she ran she felt her breathing painful and her entire body ached. She wondered if she would have the energy to do what she intended.
She reached the edge of the Pit and she leapt into the air and began to flap her damaged wings. She cried out in pain but forced them to flap and lift her haphazardly into the air.
She pushed hard, harder than she had ever pushed herself and as the gem left Laurannis’s hand she was clear on her way to intercept the course of the object. She desperately beat her wings knowing that a second too early of too late would mean disaster.
She strived with all her being and held her hands as far out as she could and with the tips of her fingers she grasped the Eye of Doom and pulled it close.
There was no more energy however to fly back to the edge or to a safer ledge near the sides. She closed her eyes and held the gem near her body and she plummeted to the fiery bottom of the Pit.
* * * * *
“Danea!” Orion shouted as he saw her fall to the bottom of the Pit and into the boiling molten lava below.
“Keep it going, Orion!” Patrisa shouted. “We can finish this here and now. If the Doom that Creeps reaches the edge it will the Eye from the bottom of the Pit.”
“You speak as if could not understand!” the Doom that Creeps snorted and winced as Patrisa cut away at his sides. “You will not stop me. Your blows are powerful, but the edge is but meters away.”
“Orion!” Patrisa shouted at the distracted Shade.
Orion nodded and turned to the task at hand. No matter how hard they continued to slash, it seemed the monster was correct. He would reach the edge no matter what and once slipped over into the Pit, they would have no way to stop him recovering the Eye.
But he had to try. He heaved and raised Midnight high. The shadows embraced him and brought the blade down hard and mercilessly upon the Doom that Creeps’ back. Black blood erupted and sprayed Orion.
The edge was but a few paces from the Doom that Creeps.
It was not looking good.
* * * * *
“I’ll kill you!” Laurannis said in fury raising her hooves and trampling on Melca despite Esmeralda’s protests.
“It’s Orion’s body!” Esmeralda insisted shouting. “There might be a way to save it!”
“I’ll crush the black soul of Melca out of it,” Laurannis said with her face flushed with anger and humiliation.
“That’s what she wants, Laurannis. Please, stop. Please listen to me,” Esmeralda pleaded.
Laurannis finally stopped her savage attack.
Esmeralda turned Orion’s body over and noticed that the Third Eye and another eye were swollen shut and by the looks of it several bones were broken. Melca smiled despite it all.
“The body will die and your shadowy hero will die as well,” she said through a broken mouth. The pain did not seem to bother her.
“No! You will not have your way,” Esmeralda said looking to Ela who had been freed by the pixies in the mean time. “Lady Ela will keep this body alive. Laurannis, keep and eye on her while I go for lady Ela. The third eye is swollen. She cannot enchant you again.”
Esmeralda dashed off for Ela.
Melca struggled to bring Orion’s broken body to its feet. She looked at Laurannis and smiled a twisted smile of hate and mockery.
“Poor, poor Danea,” Melca said looking up at Laurannis with the only good eye left. “A cruel death, I think. To be burnt alive.”
“Nothing less that would be fitting for a witch like you,” Laurannis said striking a hoof angrily on the ground.
Melca glanced at Esmeralda briefly who was talking urgently with Ela.
“Perhaps. But it matters not. You allow a Tenderfoot tell you what to do!” Melca said mockingly watching the reactions on Laurannis’s face. “Of all people a Tenderfoot! You, a Centaur Princess! A member of the Royal Calvary! The daughter of the great Lord Roland! What will people say? That when it was her opportunity to rise and make the hard choices, she allowed a Tenderfoot to tell her what to do?!”
“Silence, witch!” Laurannis hissed.
“And if I continue to say truths?” Melca hissed provocatively. “Will you ask your mistress if you may retaliate? Bah, what do you know of honor?”
Laurannis’s jaw was clenched hard and Melca could see the tension of battle and the humiliation of being enchanted had weakened her reason. All that was required was a little gentle push.
“Obeying a Tenderfoot,” Melca said derisively. “I’d rather die at the hands of a Giant. Perhaps I’ll crawl my way over there and see if any those brutes have honor. Or maybe even an Elfling. Certainly one of those has more courage and honor than a failed and broken poor excuse for a Centaur.”
Laurannis face flushed beet red and she could not control her anger. She turned and released a powerful kick with her hind legs that slammed into Orion’s mid section and sent his body flying over the edge of the Pit.
“No!” Esmeralda cried out desperately as she returned with Lady Ela and watched Orion’s body tumble over the side and fall to the bottom of the Pit.
All the way down, the only sound heard was Melca maniacal laughter.
* * * * *
Orion and Patrisa fought against time trying again and again to deter the Doom that Creeps’ slow but steady advance.
Orion saw Laurannis kick his body over the edge and cursed as he saw it descend into the molten lava. His body burned into nothingness.
He felt faint headed and dizzy and Midnight fell from his hands. His body was finally dead and so was he.
* * * * *
“What did you do?” Esmeralda asked with tears streaming down her cheeks.
“I’ve failed us all,” Laurannis said tearing off her plumed helmet and casting it to the ground. “I should have better pulled out her tongue. She manipulated me with her words without much more effort than when she manipulated with her Third Eye. I’ve failed and Danea is dead and now I’ve doomed Orion.”
The Centaur Princess fell to her knees and the scene of a proud centaur weeping and so crushed was more than Ela could bear and she turned away.
Esmeralda reached up and placed a kind hand on her friend’s shoulder.
“Help me get to the others,” Esmeralda said slowly and softly. “The tide approaches quickly. There may be something we can do yet. Can you do that?”
Laurannis nodded and lifted Esmeralda onto her back.
“You didn’t fail, Laurannis,” she said as they galloped to the far end of the Pit where the fate of the Realms was just moments away from being determined.
“If anyone failed it is I,” Esmeralda said bitterly. “She escaped me long before you arrived…”
* * * * *
“Orion!” Patrisa shouted at the top of her lungs as she desperately tried to stop the Doom that Creeps as it pulled its head over the edge.
Orion fell to his knees and used Midnight to hold him propped up.
He felt weaker and weaker. He realized that without a body how could there be a shadow.
“Orion!” Patrisa cried frantically at the top of her lungs. Her blows were not enough.
He was not Orion.
He realized that. Orion was a name of spellcaster who had died at the bottom of the Pit.
Orion, Shade, Shadow… they were just names. It was not who he was.
Who was he?
He looked into the polished blade of Midnight and saw a bronze face that wasn’t his.
Who was he?
That is what Peter the Peddler had asked. If he had an identity it was possible to survive.
He was not Orion. Not the Shade. Not a shadow.
He knew who he was. He was a student who had fallen asleep at his books and had begged a Fae Queen to take him back to the Realms. He wasn’t a spellcaster. He wasn’t a tickle warrior.
He was Jeremy. He was Jeremy and it was time for him to go home.
“Orion! Orion!” Patrisa screamed as she hacked and slashed at Doom that Creeps who heaved and pulled an arm over the edge.
“That’s not my name,” he said and he grasped Midnight tightly in his hands and rushed to the front where the Doom that Creeps was mere inches from tumbling over the edge.
“It’s too late,” Patrisa said in frustration as it pulled closer still. The Giants heaved and hoed as they puffed their faces red as they tried to hold the monster back.
“My name is Jeremy,” he said standing at the front opposite of Patrisa and facing the leering face of the Doom that Creeps.
“Whatever!” Patrisa shouted in frustration. “Are you going to do something or are you just going to stand there and watch us all die?”
“I know how to stop him,” Jeremy said.
“I’m sure you do, fool!” the Doom that Creeps mocked. “Seconds! I am but mere seconds away from victory!”
“Strike at the hollow of the Third Eye and say that word I told you not to say when I was around,” Jeremy said. “We strike together on three.”
The Doom that Creeps’ grin washed away and it heaved back instead of forward sensing that something was very wrong.
“One,” Jeremy said grasping Midnight tightly.
“Two,” he said taking several steps forward raising the blade as he watched Patrisa do the same.
“Three!” he shouted and the blade came down and hit the hollow of the eye at the exact same time Patrisa shouted “Krisha!” and together both blades crossed and struck the target.
The shadows of Midnight grew and tried to match the intensity of the light of the Morning Beam as they struck. Blinding light and darkness spread across the mouth of the Pit and none could see the outcome until both light and darkness faded away.
The Doom that Creeps had disappeared.
Or at least so it appeared until on the ground several meters away lay a mummified and dried up body of all that was left of the Doom that Creeps. Having lost all his energy, the Doom that Creeps’ hunger could only be satisfied by consuming itself.
Patrisa’s armor and hair were both drenched in black blood and she unsuccessfully tried to wipe it away form her eyes.
Through her impaired vision she saw Orion leaning heavily on Midnight.
“How did you know what to do, Orion?” Patrisa asked using Morning Beam as a crutch to aid her to stand. “Or should I call you Jeremy?”
She did not get a response.
She pulled off a glove and with her clean hand she cleared the blood away from her eyes.
“Orion?” she called seeing that the armor was motionless.
She limped tiredly over and touched him on the shoulder.
The black armor tumbled to the ground and fell off the bronze mannequin, like the shell off an egg.
Patrisa gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.
“Orion! Orion!” Esmeralda cried as she leaped off Laurannis’s back and ran towards the black armor.
Patrisa stopped her.
“He’s gone,” she said sadly to her protégé. “He’s gone.”
Esmeralda wept and buried her head in Patrisa’s arms.
“I’m sorry, Tenderfoot,” Patrisa said soothingly as she held her in her arms.
“I’m sorry.”
Next: “Conclusions”
