The Dark World part.14

      Pan and Lucy sit atop a rock, arms around each other’s red scaled waists enjoying this moment of peace long deserved from their arduous trek over the last few days. Behind them Big Bad walks around the camp site, which had been teleported in by Rhoan using what to Big Bad looked like some sort of technology. Rhoan had explained to him the night before that they had to set up this camp site rather than go back his castle because it was underground and Rhulan needed to be high in the air to scry for Fira. Of course he had to then explain to Big Bad that, that meant tracking her.  

 

    This entire time Rhulan has been inside the tent bent over a map of this region of Dark World provided by Rhoan with a crystal dangling on a string over it chanting words of power under her breath, eyes closed, focusing. So far she has found nothing.

 

   Rhoan looks over to Hollia standing behind her and out the tent to the two myth-shifters staring at the landscape.

 

   “Well,” says Rhoan, “As much as I would love to stick around and keep this up I have to inform you that tomorrow is the royal inspection. The Empress herself will be arriving to this world and I have to be there to meet her. We will be meeting at the palace of the Queen of Thorns.”

 

   He spies Hollia’s confused look, “Well, yes” he continues, “I suppose you wouldn’t know any thing about such matters. In any case,”

 

   He looks down at Rhulan, his sister, whom he hadn’t seen in two millennia, focusing her attention on the task at hand. He sighs, “I will stay and aid you until tomorrow then, my affairs are already in order. The usurpers of my kingdom are gone now, so I suppose all that is left is to wait until tomorrow and greet the Empress upon arrival. I’ll stick around until then, but Fira or no Fira I have no choice but to leave by dawn.”

 

  Rhulan never breaks her focus from the scrying other than the say, “She is near the surface, that demon conceals herself just below the aether. She will emerge soon I can feel it, and when she does there will be no way for her to run from me.”

 

   Rhoan nods in agreement with this unspoken arrangement as Hollia walks out of the tent. She had been watching the two myth-shifters for some time, with a look of concentration and concern upon her face.

 

     She approached the seated lover, “Excuse me, but may I ask you a question?”

 

    Lucy turned around her red eyes showing a longing, a home sickness as she saw the human like person before her.

 

   “The thing is,” says Hollia, “Last night you guys said you were shifters right? Like shape shifters who go between human form and this…er…demonic, or demon like, something or another form; I forget how you worded it. Its just we’re safe right here. So why don’t you guys turn back? Not that there is anything wrong with the whole demon thing. Its just…”

 

   “We can’t”, the voice of Big Bad interrupts from behind her, “As much as we’d love to, something about this place prevents us from returning to our human forms. In our world if you stay transformed for a year you become locked in it. But here it looks like we’re stuck for no reason.”

 

   “The demon energy,” states Rhoan from the tent entrance, “The sun in this place is actually a giant ball of demonic energy, no doubt its preventing your transformation. Which would mean…hmmm,” he thinks for a moment, “you said your transformation was a genetic trick, something science cooked up. However I can sense magic in your forms, which means what ever transformed you wasn’t just some genetic modifier but had a kick of magic potion in it. So yes, then you would be subject to mystical energy.”

 

   “If that’s the case,” states Hollia happily, “I can give them back their human form just as easily as I could allow a Lycanthrope to become human again despite it being night time.”

 

   “What?” asks Pan, who had been eyeing the two during their conversation.

 

   “Oh,” says Hollia, “I told you didn’t I, or maybe Miss Rhulan told you, I’m a white magician, my specialty is holy magic. I can easily cure injuries, ailments, and cast out evil spirits. But I am really good now at the high level stuff, like lifting curses, even partially. I mean I could probably make you totally human again if it was just magic.”

 

    She puts her finger to lip for a moment thinking, “but this is also genetic, so it’s natural in a way, I could no more remove it than remove someone’s specialty. But I could stop an outside source from adversely affecting your powers.”

 

    “Okay,” says Lucy cautiously, “I’m not certain what you’re talking about, but I get the feeling you mean you can help us right?”

 

   “yep,” states Hollia with a broad smile, “But I need all three of you to agree. It’s a rule we white magicians go by.”

 

   Pan, Lucy, and Big-Bad look at each other, and with a shrug and a shared thought, they assumed they were all thinking, “why not, might as well give her a shot”, they agreed.

 

   With a white glowing aura and an un-natural white glowing wind, like flowing light that seemed to burn the very air of this world Hollia chanted words that caused sparks to appear in the air as the glow enveloped the three shifters. It only took a moment, and the only word they could hear through the hum of the spell and the crackle in the air was “detoxification”.

 

 

    After the glow and the odd embers had gone away, Hollia was a bit concerned at the odd sight of the embers, a look that the three mistook for concern over the fact they were still in their transformed states.

 

   “What went wrong?” asked Big-Bad speaking for the group.

 

   “hmm?” responded Hollia, “oh, nothing the spell went perfect, I blocked the energy locking your transformation. You can now turn back at will.”

 

   “You looked a little concerned.” offered up Lucy.

 

   “Oh, yeah.” said Hollia, “its just those little sparks shouldn’t have happened.”

 

  “Holy energy burns the air here.” stated Rhoan nonchalantly, “it is a demon world after all.”

 

    “Hold up.” states Rhoan, hand raised to the air. With a clap of his hands a black trunk floats from the pile of supplies by the side of the tent, “in here you will find cloths. The magic inside here will measure you and weave fabric onto your bodies. Cloths to replace those shredded rags you are wearing, cloths befitting those in the company of gods and…those like gods. Cloths mind you that will change when you change so as not to be destroyed made from shifter-cloth. It’s a clothing worn of course by shape shifters who do alter themselves to resemble cloths. Essentially proud shape shifters.”

 

    The three excused themselves behind some curtains Rhoan had also set up for them and reverted to their human shapes.

 

   Pan emerged a youthful man with shoulder length black hair wearing what looked to be a black biker’s outfit, “cool” was all he had to say as Lucy too stepped out in a shorter black leather top and vest with daisy dukes black denim shorts and calf boots.

 

   Big-Bad now a strong military man with short crew cut hair, was a bit reluctant to emerge as the cloth, reacting to his mind had woven a soldiers uniform around his body.

 

   Rhoan raised an eye brow at this sight, “well that’s a first. But as I said, now you look more dignified and better suited to travel with us to the homes of nobility.” They knew it to be true, Rhoan and the others had stated so the day before, that in order to get home they would need to confront Fira, and if not her seek out a noble and use their portal. Rhoan’s own means of travel between Earths is controlled by the Empress so he has no portal in his castle like the other nobles linking back to their own Earth.

 

    Their conversation is interrupted by a blue vortex opening up in front of them. As quick as bolt of lighting Rhulan dashes from the tent screaming, “Now!” she flies through the portal with everyone else in tow.

 

 

    Stepping through the portal Rhoan recognizes the space they are in as the throne room of the Queen of Thorns, in fact she is sitting stunned looking up through a gaping hole in her ceiling. In the time it took them to follow Rhulan, she had already begun fighting Fira. Rhoan touches the side of his face remembering his sister’s slipper slap from before and how insanely fast she has become.

 

   Mere fractions of a second before Fira had been speaking with The Queen of Thorns when she was impacted in the face and sent flying through the ceiling. Now above in the Fira doesn’t have time to speak as Rhulan strikes her face again with an upper cut sending her higher into the air. She vanishes, reappearing next to her, with her knee in Fira’s midsection. With a mighty thrust of his fists clenched together Rhulan struck the back of Fira’s head sending her flying to the ground like a comet. As Rhulan flew down in pursuit from the odd cloud of purple fog that had appeared in the crater purple spiral spikes flew up at Rhulan, who dodged them as she dove down.

 

    With a wave of her hand Rhulan summoned a gust of wind to blow away the purple smoke revealing Fira on the ground, a red basketball sized orb appeared in Rhulan’s hand with a fire like symbol in its core, yelling out “Fire Sphere!” Rhulan slams it into the ground with a massive explosion, just missing Fira as she flies out of the way. A risky maneuver that got Hollia flinching as she watched from her now levitating above the palace position with Rhoan nearby. Pan, Lucy, and Big-Bad however are left standing alone awkwardly with the Queen of Thorns looking now directly at them.

 

    Outside high in the air Fira has finally caught her wind yet can’t seem to stay ahead of Rhulan whose’s strikes and kicks keep hitting their mark. Fira in desperation fills the entire area with a purple mist and flies like a rocket into the air leaving a massive purple cloud in the area. Amidst the mystically charged cloud Fira notices a blue light behind, turning to face an assault she is surprised to see nothing, from the corner of the eye she sees the light behind her again, finding its source in the form of a hex-mark on the small of her back. With a wave of her prehensile tail she slaps the mystic sigil from her back and curses under her breath, “fuck, no wonder she could hit me, damn witch put a trace hit on herself to make sure she hit me.” She starts to giggle, “Oh, I wont let you have all the fun.”

 

    Fira’s wings grow to full size, and her arms morph into red demonic blades. With a mighty scream the cloud vanishes and Fira bears down on Rhulan. Her slashes and stabs are dodged however by the sorceress. Who flies back and begins to chant as purple energy flows around her hands.

 

   “Oh no you don’t” screams Fira dashing forward, “You think I’ll give you time to chant a spell?”

 

    As Fira comes in close she is thrown back by a purple spiral cone of energy. Opening her eyes Fira is just in time to see Rhulan fly above her, grab her short black hair and tumble forward pulling Fira free from the energy blast and now in Rhulan’s grasp flying down back towards the roof of the palace, their exit hole still visible, yet not where they are going. They crash through making another on the other side of the throne room. Rhulan smashes Fira’s face into the marble floor cracking it along its entire length, splintering the stone as though it were wood.

As Fira tries to stand Rhulan stomps on her back smashing her back into the floor. Rhulan unleashes bolts of green electric like energy into the downed demon, an evil smile and eyes set to kill overtaking the beauty of her face.

 

    “Rhulan!” screams Hollia coming back down into the hall. “Rhulan!!” she screams again, this time the voice rousing Rhulan from her mad state. She huffs as Fira tries to raise herself. Rhulan grabs her by her hair and raises her up with a single tug and whispers in her ear with a dark voice, “No…one…plays…me.” She lets go of Fira letting her drop to her knees and coughing.

 

    The Queen of Thorns rises demanding to know who these people are, Rhulan can see the three people from Earth standing near the way with guards pointing glowing spears at them. Rhulan stands proudly, chin, “I am Rhulan! The slayer of elder gods, destroyer of armies and worlds, and the one who speaks for those three people.”

 

     She gestures to Fira, “this twisted bitch kidnapped them from their world. Tricked that impudent Black Kain freak into summoning me and my companion.” She gestures to Hollia who had run over to Rhulan and is crying. Rhulan pats her head saying, “Its okay Hollia, sorry if I scared you. I promised didn’t I? I promised you before I wouldn’t do that again right? So don’t worry. This demon just needed to a little fear in her is all.”

 

    Hollia sniffs and looks up into her eyes, “I…I just…I’m just glad your back.” she starts to bowl for a moment again before regaining her composure and standing next to Rhulan.

 

    Hollia stifling her tears says in an aggravated tone “and besides”. With this and a wave of her wand a white archaic sigil appears on the ground under Fira, the rims of it causing small flames to burn in the air. Fira stands and finds she can’t leave the circle.

 

   “I could have just did that.” says Hollia actually rolling her eyes at Rhulan, “I am a white magician after all remember? And this lady is a demon.”

 

    Rhulan a little embarrassed shrugs it off and turns to the Queen of Thorns as Rhoan levitates down into the palace and stands in front of The Queen of Thorns, “hear me!” he says, “I am Rhoan, general of the fifth legion of the army of the Empress. I command you, queen of this realm, to release my three companions, and forgive any trespass by my sister,” he made sure to emphasize the word sister to let it sink into the queen’s head, “and her companion. They cause to bring pain to this chaos demon. Her games interfered with their lives.”

 

    The Queen of Thorns stands, Rhulan and Hollia ready to fight, but simply waves to her guards to release Pan, Lucy, and Big-Bad. She bows her head to Rhoan, “of course M’Lord, I also apologize that my nephews could not found a more peaceful means to find your favor other than in death. As an apology for their…inconvenience to you, as well as that caused by the Hell demon I summoned to this world, Fira, I will of course give you and your guests’ rooms for the night; for proper rest and presentation for the Empress when she arrives tomorrow.”

 

    Rhoan dips his head and says, “Very well, we will accept your modesty and grace, however, remember any attempt to appease the honor of the three…Kain brothers will result in you’re having to deal with our wrath, or failing that, the wrath of the Empress herself.”

 

   Fira begins to laugh, “Okay, I lost.” She shrugs her shoulders, “but I can’t send anyone home. The Empress is the one who really had me coming and going here. She wanted those three Earthlings kept her. She wanted to talk to them. They were supposed to travel the desert and gain strength and unlock some hidden potential or something. Guess I messed up royal bring the great slayers of elder gods, mighty Dah-Hoth and demons, Rhulan and Hollia here.”

 

   Pan, Lucy, and Big-Bad are genuinely alarmed as they are shown from the throne room and out to the halls, passing Fira with a broad smile in her face. After they leave Hollia performs a banishment spell, causing the sigil to glow blue and a portal open up in the bottom, showing a window to a sandy world. Fira shrugs, “fine back to my world of Abstractive. Not like Its some fiery hell. See you guys later.” She waves to them as she willingly falls into the portal.”

 

   “Well that was new.” says Hollia genuinely surprised.

 

   “Don’t think about.” says Rhulan as she ushers Hollia from the room with her hand gently on her back. Rhulan looks back to where Fira was with a flash of green briefly going over her red eyes.