Into the Fire
Eight
Quiet pandemonium reigned in the Sanctuary High Council Building. No official word had been released, but rumor ran rampant through the halls as council members and their attendants formed groups and mongered, only to break apart and form new groups when their curiosity as to what actually was the truth remained unsatisfied.
Things finally reached a critical point two days later, during the council’s normal meeting times. The morning’s agenda had been finished and the leader of the council had been ready to call a break for the midmorning meal when a junior member raised her ceremonial Chocoboob feather fly whisk to signal that she wished to speak.
The Mistress of the Council frowned. As far as she was aware, the junior member had nothing to introduce, but they had a few minutes to spare if she wanted to pontificate about something. “The Mistress recognizes the member from Pretoria.”
The junior member rose and looked around the chamber as the other Sanctuary Goths perked up. “I wish to thank the Mistress for her recognition. Sisters, I have heard disturbing things over the last few days and, as we all know, there is only one person who can make these murky stories clear.” The Mistress’ heart sank as the junior member turned to face her with an expectant look on her face. The entire chamber seemed to shiver as all the other faces turned towards the Mistress’ dais. “Mistress, are the rumors true? Has Mother Jenova returned to us?”
The Mistress suppressed a sudden urge to order the Dameosaur guards to tear the junior member limb from limb for thrusting this on her. It was for reasons like that which had mandated that the chamber’s security was drawn from the personal retinues of each of the councilors. She gritted her teeth and tried to keep her voice from being filled with hate. “It is.” Hopefully that would be enough.
It wasn’t. “Mistress, are the rumors that she is severely injured also true?”
“No.”
“That’s good to hear, Mistress,” the junior member began but was brusquely interrupted.
“She’s dead.” The look on the junior member’s face was one that the Mistress would treasure to her dying day.
There was complete silence for exactly two seconds before the chambers erupted with stunned shouting. Finally the junior member, who was still standing, managed to be heard over the tumult. “Mistress, please tell us what happened to our mother!”
The hall instantly fell silent again and the grinding of the Mistress’ teeth could be clearly heard. With an effort, she stopped it. “She was murdered by Kerrik Wolf.”
The chamber exploded in bedlam. The Mistress tried to shout them back into order and finally waved to the Sergeant at Arms to clear the chambers and let them know that they’d reconvene in two hours. Then she got up and went to her office for something to calm her anger.
Waiting outside her door was another Sanctuary Goth, this one a councilor she’d worked with for over two decades. They’d been political enemies, allies and occasionally lovers. However, what never changed was that they had been best friends since childhood. “What are you doing here?”
Her friend smiled broadly at the growl in the Mistress’ voice. “I figure you need to yell at me. If you do that, you’re much less likely to arrange an accident for a certain idiotic bitch from Pretoria.”
The Mistress snorted as she swept past her friend and into her office. “Was I that transparent?”
Her friend shut the door behind her and moved to the bar set up on the sideboard. “Only to those who love you, Desiree.”
Desiree dropped into her chair and took the glass of brandy her friend poured her. “Then you’re the only one on the council who knows, right Kirabo?”
Her friend chuckled. “Some of your guards know, but otherwise you’re probably right. So, do you want to yell or do you want to talk?”
The Mistress sighed. “There’s not a lot to do or talk about, Kirabo. He’s in the Blue League and well beyond our reach. Oh, I’ve sent word to our agents there to be on the lookout for him, but if they break cover just to go searching for the bastard, the league will figure out what’s going on pretty quickly. Besides, he’s been in our grasp twice and both times he’s managed to get away. And the second time he left a deep cover agent in the tender mercies of the Blue League.”
“Something else does come to mind, and it’s so devious that you’d love it.”
Desiree stared at her friend over the glass. “Kirabo, please stop being so clever and spit it out.”
“Arrange for Macavity to find out what happened and, more importantly, who killed her lover. She’s free to hunt anyone the length and breadth of Blue, and it so happens that’s her old stomping grounds. If we get lucky, she’ll kill him for us. If we get really lucky, she’ll flush him out so we can recapture him.”
The Mistress held up her glass and watched light play through the amber liquid while she thought. “That’s definitely a two edged sword, but I like it. You do know Macavity has no particular love for us, and her sisters hate our guts.”
“Sexmet hates more than that, and you know it. She hates us down to our very atoms, and for what, wanting border security that can’t be exploited by outsiders? She’ll burn in hell eventually, just like she deserves. Bastit,” she shrugged. “Bastit follows Sexmet’s lead. If there was no Sexmet, she probably wouldn’t bother us.” She smiled slightly. “Speaking of no Sexmet, how is Orpheus doing?”
Project Orpheus was an experiment to infiltrate a specially trained Titto masquerading as a Sphinx into Sexmet’s stronghold long enough to use a custom designed spell to wipe the Legendary’s mind completely. Desiree returned her friend’s shrug. “Oh, the researcher promises the moon, but so far we’ve seen little return on our investment. The spell still doesn’t do what we want and she’s still looking for a Titto that can eat solid food for long enough to get to Sexmet. I’ll go ahead and keep the project going in the hopes that something will come of it. That and it gives our sister councilors something to hope about.” Her eyes narrowed. “However, Sexmet could prove the perfect conduit to get word to Macavity about what happened to Jenova. We can arrange for her spies to intercept a communiqué with the information in it. Sexmet won’t really care about Jenova’s death, but she’ll want to trumpet our discomfiture so she’ll run straight to Macavity. Even if she doesn’t, Bastit is an inveterate gossip.” She sneered. “Even if most of it is pillow talk.”
***
Eve came upright and grabbed the figure crawling into the bed. She rolled over, pinning the interloper beneath her and summoned a light globe. Kerrik sat up as the Megami-sama almost growled at the person underneath her. “Dominique, what the hell are you doing here? It is not your night and I’m not in the mood to share.”
Kerrik touched Eve on the shoulder. “Let her go and take a good look at her.”
She did, noting the sweat covering the Archmage’s face and her strained expression. “Are you ok?”
Dominique shook her head and whispered through clenched teeth. “I’m being summoned and it’s really hard to fight.”
Kerrik dragged her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. “Marcus.”
She curled up and shuddered. “Yes,” she whispered. “He’s using my oath of service to summon me to the Order. I can’t fight it forever, but I wanted to tell you what was going on before I left.”
Dominique gave him a shocked look as he dumped her in Eve’s lap. “Hold her and don’t let her get up.” He slid out of bed and began getting dressed. “He still thinks you’re a Dark Elf. That’s why he’s calling you at night.”
Eve’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “I don’t know how to stop this.”
“You can’t.” Kerrik pulled on his boots. “It’s a very specialized spell and she’s going to have to go to him or she’ll die.” He reached out and touched Dominique’s cheek. “But you’re not going alone. I’m going with you.”
Crimson eyes widened. “You can’t.”
“I am your tamer and therefore the spells won’t keep me out like they will Eve and Scheherazade.”
“I meant that it’s too dangerous. You can’t go.”
Eve nodded at him over Dominique’s shoulder. “She’s right. You can’t.”
“I can and I will. This is not open for debate. Yes, it’s dangerous, but I have something that Marcus would give his eyeteeth for. He’ll definitely give up Dominique’s oath for it.”
Dominique watched him as she tried to crush the sudden surge of hope that he could protect her. “What is it that you have?”
“I know the command words for Eoghan’s undead Dragonesses. I can give Ygerna’s throne room to Marcus by removing those Dragonesses from their guard post in front of it. He craves that throne as a sign of his true legitimacy and it would allow him to proclaim himself the undisputed king of the Order of Pendragon.”
Dominique’s mouth dropped. “Those command words died with the Eoghan the Usurper.”
“Remember, I know things that nobody else does. I made lots of notes about Eoghan’s rule because I was considering an assault by Shikarou and his family on the Order and their hidden base. However, things worked out differently and I really preferred tricking him into putting himself where Ygerna could kill him. Considering their history, it was poetic justice.”
Dominique blinked. “Their history?”
“It’s a long story, but essentially she’s the reason he wiped out the sidhe except for her.”
“I would like to know this story.”
“Someday, when things calm down, I’ll tell it to you.” He flashed a grin. “Presuming we live through this of course.”
She rolled her eyes. “If we die, it’ll be hard for you to tell me anything.”
He nodded. “That’s right. Eve, you and Scheherazade be ready if I have to call you to fetch us.”
The Megami-sama folded her arms around the pokegirl in her lap and glared at him. The fact that she was nude didn’t detract from her obvious anger in the slightest. “I don’t like this.”
“I don’t either, but the spells protecting the keep will keep out anyone but members of the Order and their tamers. Marcus can summon Dominique from anywhere on the planet. I need him to release her from her oath so we don’t have to worry about him playing fuck-fuck games and calling her when we need her the most. Besides, she’s mine and I’m not going to share her with anyone.”
Dominique looked surprised and then gave him a shy smile. “I like the way you said that.”
He reached for her hand. “I’m glad you do. Is there anything you need to get before we go?”
“My cloak is necessary to get through the defenses. It’s in my room.” She let him pull her from Eve’s lap. “I was afraid that if I went there first, I might not be able to return to tell you where I was going.”
Eve frowned. “The spell is that strong?”
“It is.” Dominique tightened her fingers around Kerrik’s. “It is like a pull that becomes almost unbearable if you try to move away from the keep and relaxes if you move towards it. My room lies in the direction of the keep from here.”
The Megami-sama slipped from the bed and created a dress for herself. “This keep, where is it?”
“I can’t tell you the location. Nobody can.”
Eve looked at Kerrik. “Since you know everything, would you care to explain?”
“The keep that the Order lives in is in and at the same time is made of a special hyper-dimensional space and doesn’t really exist in reality. For access, it has contact points that intrude on this realm. Most of those use the ley lines for access since they exist in all dimensions that they cross, including artificial ones. This hyper-realm is a product of sidhe magic from before the rise of Alexander the Great. It’s an ingenious piece of work, no matter whether I envisioned it and thus created it or if I only observed what they’d already done. It’s also why the Blue League is no closer to finding the keep than they were before they knew the Order existed and they never will be.”
“How do we get to it if you need rescued?”
“We’ll have to make it to a ley line and get outside the keep before I can contact you for aid.”
Eve folded her arms. “The more you talk, the less I like this idea.”
“I’ve already said I don’t like it either, but I don’t have a choice if we want Dominique free from the Order.”
“Scheherazade is going to have a fit about this.”
“Yes, I am.” The Dread Wolf stalked through the wall and stopped in front of Kerrik. “I also understand that it’s something that you need to do.”
“Not you too.”
“Sorry, Eve, but he’s right. I don’t want him to go even more than you do, but it’s a tactically sound decision and we can’t go. If he gets hurt, however, I’ll spend the rest of my days finding and killing members of the Order in revenge.”
“Let’s not anticipate my getting hurt just yet. Delta bonds will reach beyond the hyper-dimension’s borders, so you’ll have a general idea of what’s going on.” He looked at Dominique. “Eve is willing to argue with us forever as an attempt to delay us for as long as we’ll let her. Let’s get that cloak.”
Eve and Scheherazade followed them to Dominique’s room and watched wordlessly as she retrieved a green cloak. Then they headed outside, where Dominique led them away from town and into the forest for a hundred yards before halting. “There’s a ley line here.” She glanced at Kerrik. “Can you see it?”
Eve was staring into nothingness. “It’s pretty. I can feel the power inside it.”
Scheherazade nodded. “I feel it too.” They both turned expectantly to Kerrik.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I feel something that makes my skin prickle.” He opened his eyes and slowly looked around. “To me, it’s like a light fog composed of multicolored lights. We’re inside the leading edge of it and it makes your skin sparkle.” He lifted his hand and looked at it. “Mine too.”
Dominique moved her hand in an arc and within the ley line an opening formed. To anyone not able to see the line, the doorway would not have been there, but to the four people it was easily visible. “We will enter the door and walk the ley line to the keep. If Eve and Scheherazade were to enter with us, as we approached the keep the defensive wards would force them out of the line at a random location somewhere inside the Blue League, even if they were inside their pokeballs.” She looked at her alpha. “I wish you could come with us to help keep him safe, but I pledge my life to his protection.”
Eve glanced at Kerrik and back to Dominique before speaking in a formal tone quite unlike her previous unhappy tenor. “Will you accept my aid in that?”
Scheherazade started in surprise and became very still.
“What do you mean?”
“Will you accept my blessing? It will grant you additional powers to help keep him safe. One of these is a holy fire that burns the wicked and heals the good.”
Dominique smiled slightly. “Is he good enough to be healed?”
Eve didn’t seem to find the question humorous. “I believe that he is or I would not offer my blessing to you.”
“Then I freely accept your blessing, Eve.”
The Megami-sama stepped forward and gently kissed her harem sister on the lips. “I bless you with the grace and divinity of the true celestials, Dominique the Archmage. Use this power and may it protect you and our male and whomever you also find worthy of the holy fire you now possess. I must warn you, however, that if you misuse this gift, I will have no choice but to strip if from you, never to be yours again.”
Dominique hugged her. “Thank you, Eve.” She took Kerrik’s hand. “It’s time to go.” Then she led him into the opening, which sealed behind them.
Eve looked at Scheherazade. “Do whatever you have to do to prepare while I make us some breakfast. If he needs us, I want to be able to react instantly.”
“I agree with your assessment and I’ll be ready.” Scheherazade smiled grimly. “Neither one of us will be happy until he’s back with us.”
***
The ley line began to glow and the guard snapped to readiness. A line spread down it and opened to reveal Dominique and Kerrik. The guard pointed a wand at them. “Identify yourselves or be destroyed!”
“I am Dominique, Knight Page in the Order of Pendragon and this is my tamer, Kerrik Wolf. I am here to answer the summons by Lord Marcus.”
The guard eyed Kerrik as his Dark Maiden circled around behind the newcomers. “And what about you?”
“I’m here to have a word with Lord Marcus.”
“And what would you have to say that he would want to hear?”
“I am a mage starting his training in the arts and he might want to recruit me. I also have some information that he wants.”
“What is this information?”
Kerrik smiled. “It is only for the ears of Lord Marcus and that only if he truly wants the trappings of the kingship that he claims.”
The knight sneered. “Lord Marcus is a busy man.”
“So am I, and yet I am here. However, so you’ll stop being petty, I’ll say this. My information involves the Legacy of Eoghan.”
Dominique turned wide eyes on him as the knight’s mouth set. “You know things you should not, Kerrik Wolf. Apparently your pokegirl has a big mouth.”
Kerrik shrugged. “I am a mage and your mind isn’t that heavily guarded, Quincy, Knight Master of the Order.”
Quincy’s eyes went wide and he made a motion to ward off evil. “You stay out of my mind, whelp.”
“Perhaps you should leave Marie here to guard us while you go inform the Knight King that we are here.”
Quincy paled. “Marie, watch them closely. At the first sign of trouble, call for help.” He quickly left the room while the Dark Maiden moved in front of them and at the same time put herself as far from them as possible.
The room was stone, and where torches used to be there now were steel rods whose tips glowed with the color of the sun. Kerrik was looking as closely as he could at them without going over to pick one from the wall when Dominique’s mind touched his. Can you really read his mind?
No. It’s all from my notes on the potential assault. There are three guardians of the front door and only Quincy has a Dark Maiden.
Dominique turned a neutral smile on Marie. “How have you been?”
The Dark Maiden was eying her closely. “I’ve been well. When did you evolve to Archmage?”
“Just recently.” She jerked her head at Kerrik. “It’s his fault.”
Marie’s eyes widened. “You have been gone a long time, Nikki. You need to remember your manners or you will be reminded of them.” Her eyes flicked in Kerrik’s direction. “I mean no insult, sir.”
“None taken, Marie.” Nikki? You’ve never mentioned that nickname.
Dominique’s eyes glanced at him. I have never met a Nikki that I liked and for that reason I do not like that name.
Then I will not use it.
Thank you. “I haven’t forgotten my manners, Marie. It’s just that Kerrik doesn’t require I call him sir with every breath I take. I know what the knights require and I’ll give it to them.”
“When you announced who you were, you did not call Master Quincy sir. You’re fortunate he didn’t notice your lapse.”
Dominique nodded. “I am a page and he cannot discipline me for something so minor, but you’re right. I’ll keep my tongue under control during my stay here.”
“Lord Marcus has instituted new rules, Nikki. Not only can Quincy discipline you for anything he wishes to, if you were still without a tamer he could use you as he willed. Any knight who outranks you can, and since you’re a pokegirl, that would be any human knight or page. If you are bonded to one of them, you become theirs. Most of the free pokegirls who return are claimed by someone. In one case she was restrained and tamed repeatedly until she acknowledged one of them as her master.”
Dominique blinked and murmured to Kerrik. “Suddenly I’m very glad you came along.”
Before he could respond, Quincy returned. He wasn’t alone; a High Elf came in behind him and came to attention near the doorway. “You’re to go with Renee. She’ll take you to Lord Marcus.” He looked Dominique up and down. “It’s a pity you’ve come back with a tamer.”
Dominique looked down at the floor. “Yes sir.” She jumped when Kerrik grabbed her wrist and tugged.
They were headed for the door when Marie spoke up. “Master, he has a firearm.”
Quincy blinked at them and then grinned. “You can’t go see him with that. Give it to me.”
Dominique started to say something but paused when Kerrik shrugged off the shotgun and flipped the ready round out of the chamber. He casually tossed the weapon to the knight. “Keep it safe for me.”
“Oh, I’ll take care of it.”
Dominique stayed very close as Renee led them to an ornately decorated door. The High Elf stopped and turned around. “Dominique, I have to search you and your tamer before you can see the Knight King.”
“I understand, Renee.” She looked at Kerrik. “It’s customary for outsiders and I’ve been gone long enough that I qualify as one.”
He nodded. “Renee, if you cop a feel I’ll break your nose.”
The High Elf reddened. “I won’t, sir.”
Dominique frowned. “That’s rude, Kerrik.”
“So is grabbing a man’s dick without warning. I’m sure Renee is a good person, but she reminds me of a civil service pokegirl and they’re often a tad horny. She has that air of neglected helplessness.”
“Renee?”
The High Elf shrugged. “Master Kerrik got it right. I’ve been without male company for five months. It’s been nothing but other pokegirls the whole time.” She expertly frisked Kerrik and moved on to Dominique. “I probably would have taken the opportunity for a feel since most men like it.” She stepped back. “Let me see if the Knight King is ready to receive you.”
Dominique waited until the door shut. Would you have really broken her nose?
I would have indeedy. She’s not mine, and therefore she has no right to take liberties with me. Ask Scheherazade about how we first met and what happened if you doubt me.
I will.
The door opened and Renee looked at them both. “He will see you now.” She stepped aside as they entered.
The room had originally been some kind of auditorium, but Marcus had fitted it out as his throne room. It was decorated in what he apparently thought was a kingly fashion, with gold leaf hammered onto the walls. Dominating the room was a solid looking throne made of black rock or wood. He wore a crown of gold with small spikes on it as he lolled back on the throne. A Bramage watched them from beside her master.
Dominique bowed. “Knight King Marcus. Mistress Brisane. I have come in answer to your summons, my lord, and I have brought my tamer, Kerrik Wolf. When we are done with the business for which I have been summoned, he wishes to speak with you.”
Marcus didn’t look pleased. “You said he’s your tamer. Is he magic capable?”
“He is, my lord. He has already mastered some spells.”
The Knight King looked Kerrik over with an air of someone looking to buy a horse. “Have you?”
“I have.”
The Bramage stirred. “I have, my lord,” she said sternly.
“With all due respect, Brisane, I have sworn no oaths to the Knight King and to arbitrarily elevate him above me would put me at a disadvantage in any discussions with him.”
Marcus laughed. “You’re a wily one, I’ll grant you that. Why have you come here?”
“Perhaps the business with Dominique should be concluded first, Knight King Marcus.”
Marcus waved a hand in the air. “I had decided that it was time for her to have a new master, but as you are her tamer, apparently you have already solved that issue. And the fact that she evolved into an Archmage indicates taking her away from you would prove rather troublesome, at least while you live and the pair of you are delta bonded.” Dominique’s eyes bugged and he smiled, obviously enjoying her discomfiture. “As an Archmage, she’d be a welcome addition to my own harem, but it’s apparently not to be.”
His Bramage’s face went carefully blank, but a hint of anger flared in her eyes.
“No, it’s not, not while I live.”
Marcus’ smile made Dominique’s hands clench. “Yes, while you live. So, what business do you think you have with me?”
“I wish to bargain for the release of Dominique from her oath to you.”
His eyes widened. “You are here demanding a great boon from me. Her loss would be a great wound in the Order’s rankings. What would you offer to make such a loss less, as you could not make it entirely whole?”
“I have come upon the knowledge necessary to remove the Legacy of Eoghan and give you access to Ygerna’s throne room. It would allow you to truly proclaim yourself king of the Order and dispense with the Knight King substitution you have been forced to endure.” He smiled at the stunned look on the faces of both Marcus and his pokegirl. “In return for the release of Dominique from any obligations to the Order, I’ll remove the problem.”
Marcus leaned forward eagerly. “Tell me.”
“Not until we have an agreement.”
The Knight King’s face set. “Brisane.”
Kerrik stopped Dominique as she started to move in front of him. “Killing me will not solve your problem.”
The Bramage grinned. “I will find the information in your mind.” She winced suddenly and a thin trickle of blood began to run from her nose and down her chest.
“I should warn you that the last psychic who rooted around in my mind died from the attempt. Her first sign was a nosebleed just like yours. Then her brain exploded.”
“Stop.” Marcus looked at his pokegirl. “Heal yourself and clean up.” He turned a glare on Kerrik. “I don’t appreciate you harming my property.”
“I didn’t do anything to her. What I have is not an offensive ability. She did it to herself. Now, about our agreement, do we have one?”
“What do I get if you fail?”
Kerrik shrugged. “You’ll probably get to watch me being ripped limb from limb and then the pieces incinerated.”
“I will not release Dominique until you succeed.”
“I figured you’d say that. I don’t see where I have a choice. I agree to your terms. I will remove the Legacy of Eoghan and you will release Dominique.”
“Agreed.” Marcus pushed to his feet. “Shall we go, or will you find a reason to delay your demise?”
Kerrik gave him a flat look and promptly wiped it from his face. “I am ready now.”
Marcus looked surprised and then grinned. “Then let’s get your life over with.”
As they headed down a hall to some stairs, Dominique stayed close to Kerrik. Can you really do what you say you can?
If I can’t I’m about to die. He smiled at her frightened expression. I’m sorry for teasing you, but I know what I’m doing and I do not intend to die today.
They proceeded down the stairs for several floors and came out in a grand hallway that led to a hastily constructed wall with a door in it. Stationed by the door was a knight. Nearby was his Elementalist, standing patiently. Both came to attention when they saw Marcus.
The Knight King stopped in front of them. “Open the door. Master Wolf here is either going to remove the Legacy or die trying.”
The knight fumbled with the lock and finally opened the door. A horrific stench rolled into the room and everyone gagged. Kerrik took a deep breath and let the odors fill his lungs until his nose adjusted. Then he took a glow rod and headed through the door into the darkness that waited. As she moved to follow, Marcus put a hand on Dominique’s arm. “You wait here. If he’s unsuccessful, I still have a place for you in my harem, Nikki.”
The Archmage turned her eyes towards the floor, where Marcus couldn’t watch as they blazed with anger. “Yes sir.” Be careful.
The hallway continued on the other side of the security door for another dozen meters before ending at a huge set of ornate double doors. Liquid on the floor made wet sounds beneath his boots as Kerrik moved confidently forward. He stopped three meters away from the double doors and looked at the pile of broken bones and rotting clothing in front of the portal before turning his attention to the skeletal Dragonesses standing on each side of the door. These were the Legacy of Eoghan.
Although they’d been standing here since before Eoghan went on his fateful rendezvous with destiny at the hands of Ygerna, both Dragonesses were still wet and decomposing in a magical process that had continued for the decades since they’d been stationed at their posts. It was their fluids which had slowly crept down the hall and through which Kerrik had walked.
Their last orders had been to keep out all unauthorized intruders and without Eoghan here, anyone coming within a yard of the door had been killed as they carried out their duties. Due to their very nature, they were immune to anything the Order could muster against them. It had quickly been discovered that anyone attacking would be pursued and quickly slain by one of the Dragonesses while the other remained here. Marcus had spent over a dozen lives to prove that they could not both be lured away from the door at the same time.
Anyone trying to randomly guess if they had a command word would be treated as an attacker and most of the bones in front of the doors were from people who’d tried that tack, usually at their king’s orders.
Kerrik watched them in the glow of the rod and dropped his voice until it was barely audible. “I am called Kerrik Wolf. Nyclioch ameloth zalestiel rholaeipt.” The heads of both Dragonesses swung to focus on him. “Kalieth lhurept.”
The smell instantly grew worse as the liquid on the floor flowed backwards towards the Dragonesses and climbed up their bodies to reform muscle and tissue. In seconds, both guardians looked like dark gray feralborne Dragonesses with dead white eyes.
Without hesitating, Kerrik stepped up. “Let me enter.” The Dragonesses reached out and each opened the door closest to her. He smiled. “Thank you.” He glanced into the room and headed back the way he’d come. This time the floor was merely tacky.
Marcus gave him a look of mixed disappointment and eagerness. “Will they let anyone in now?”
Kerrik nodded. “That they will. Care to see your new throne room before we conclude our agreement?”
“I do, but you go first.”
Kerrik nodded. “Dominique, care to walk with me?”
“Yes, master.” She fell in beside him before Marcus could say anything. They quickly walked together down the hall and into the throne room. Magic had kept the dust at bay and the room gleamed as it had when Eoghan strode out of it for the last time. An ornate throne dominated the room, but it showed damage where both arms had been ripped off and never repaired. The room smelled of life, and living plants covered the walls. Softly glowing lights lined the room and filled it with a warm light that lulled the senses into relaxing and accepting the decrees from the person on the throne. All of it was a legacy from Ygerna, since Eoghan hadn’t had the time to remake the room over in what he thought proper for his rule.
Marcus pushed past them and ran a hand down the seat of the throne. “We’ll have a splendid coronation and then I’ll be king in truth!” Brisane watched him with pleasure as his eyes sparkled happily. He settled onto the throne and yelled with joy.
Dominique touched Kerrik on the arm. “Now is the best time to remind him about releasing me.”
He nodded. “Lord Marcus?”
Marcus spun on the throne and smiled at Kerrik. “Yes? Are you ready to be the first to swear an oath of fealty to King Marcus the First?”
“I’m afraid that my path will take me far from here very soon and so I cannot. I would like you to release Dominique from her oath, as we agreed.”
Marcus nodded. “Yes, you had an agreement with Knight King Marcus, but I am now King Marcus the First and we’ll have to renegotiate. You may know other things about the Usurper and I can’t allow Dominique to leave until you tell me all his secrets.”
Kerrik’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Kill Marcus and Brisane.” He jerked Dominique to the side as the Dragonesses raced into the room, one going for the Bramage while the other smashed into Marcus, shattering the throne as she tore him in half at the waist while shearing off his face in her jaws.
Brisane got off a lighting bolt that played over her attacker’s body. The Dragoness ignored it and drove her claws into the Bramage’s torso, disemboweling her in a spray of offal. Then she tore out Brisane’s throat while in the process of chewing her head completely off.
Dominique squeaked when the Dragonesses both turned and started for them, only to stop a handful of feet from Kerrik. He nodded once. “Good job. Dominique, get anything of value from the corpses. Please hurry.”
The Archmage murmured quietly for a moment and began removing all the magical items her spell revealed on the bodies. “How did you do that?”
“There was only one way to get the Dragonesses to stand down. I had to take control of them with the same words Eoghan would have given to Germanicus if he’d ever needed them. They don’t have an off button and they’re now mine to command forever. I wasn’t sure if I was going to take them with us when we left or leave them on either side of the door to enhance Marcus’ status, but he doesn’t need them anymore so it looks like they’re going with us now. Are you free from his oath?”
Dominique didn’t look up from looting the bodies. “My oath to him died when he did. Now only my queen can summon me and she’s not on this world if what you said is true.”
Kerrik nodded. “That brings up an interesting question. I know where one Ygerna is, but she’s probably not the one that you gave your oath to. However, she’s still Ygerna and the question arises as to whether or not any Ygerna can release you.”
“That is an excellent question. I look forward to finding the answer to it.”
He grinned. “Me too. Are you done?”
“Just about.” Dominique pulled Marcus’ boots off and put them in her pokepack. “Done. Now what do we do? How’re we going to escape? When the Order finds out what you’ve done, they’ll try to kill us both.”
“We have an errand before we go, but I think we’ll get away. I just hope I don’t have to kill too many more people while we’re leaving.” He looked at the Dragonesses. “Ladies, neutralize the sentry and his pokegirl. Don’t kill them unless necessary, but above all don’t let them escape.” He glanced around as the Dragonesses silently ran from the room. “It’s a good thing this place has magical soundproofing and vision blocking even with the door open or they’d be long gone already.”
The Dragonesses appeared, carrying the limp forms of the knight and his Sorceress. They dropped both on the floor and turned back to Kerrik. “Dominique, make sure they’re not dying and then we’ll leave.”
His Archmage gave him an odd look before checking them over and healing the Sorceress. “Her ribs were shattered and a lung was punctured. Why do you care if they live?”
Kerrik’s eyes were grim. “I ordered them to kill Marcus and Brisane, so their blood is on my hands. I do not want to kill anyone I don’t have to and these two were just doing their jobs.”
“Death comes for everyone eventually.”
“I know that, but I choose if I’ll kill or not.” He pointed at a Dragoness. “You lead us to the doorway.” He turned to the other. “You take up the rearguard.”
“What doorway?”
“The one to the lair Eoghan constructed within the keep a thousand years ago.” They followed their guide as she trotted past the sentry point and headed down the stairs. “How else do you think he kept such a close watch on everything Ygerna was doing?”
The Dragoness led them to a broom cupboard in the lowest levels of the keep. She touched the back wall and it opened up to reveal four more Dragonesses standing and watching impassively. Dominique grabbed Kerrik and tried to drag him out of the cupboard, only to have him chuckle. “Eoghan had six of them. It was his idea of a joke, them being his harem. They’re all under my control.”
He stepped into a darkened chamber and Dominique watched as the door sealed shut behind them and vanished to leave them in total darkness. “This is Eoghan’s audience chamber. Lights.” The ceiling began to softly glow, revealing a sparsely decorated chamber. Two doors were on the far wall. Kerrik headed for the left door and opened it. “Don’t touch the other door. It’s a trap and will kill any mortal who touches it.”
The room he led Dominique into as large as the audience chamber, but in stark contrast was warm and inviting, with a fire burning in a fireplace large enough to roast a whole cow in. Books lined the walls on every side except the one with the fireplace. Scattered throughout the room were heavy tables with open tomes on some and what looked like chemistry experiments on others, everything waiting for the return of a master who never would. Several chests were lined up on either side of the fireplace and Kerrik stopped in front of one. He stared at it for a handful of seconds before sighing and turning around. “I need to get into this one and I don’t know how to bypass the death trap. Perhaps I was a bit creative when I came up with this one, but then I’d planned on Circe or Stardust being with Shikarou so he could avoid it.” Suddenly he grinned. “You, open the chest.”
“What? Me?” Dominique stopped her protest when one of the Dragonesses stepped around her and tore the top off of the chest. Energy flared over the undead pokegirl and Dominique’s nose wrinkled at the sudden smell of cooking meat. “Oh, her. That’s fine then.”
The Dragoness stopped and turned to face Kerrik, holding up her hands to show they’d been turned to stone to the elbows. She whirled and smashed her arms against the chest, shattering them into stone that bounced around the room. The Dragoness stepped back and joined the other five, bone showing where her arms were already starting to regenerate.
Dominique shivered. “That’s some trap.”
“You could make something like it if you wanted to.” Kerrik looked into the chest and pulled out a small wooden box. He opened it and turned to show Dominique that it held six diamonds, each the size of a baby’s fist. “Ladies, form a line with the one regrowing her arms in the rear.” They quickly moved to obey and he stepped in front of the first Dragoness. “Take yours.” She carefully reached into the chest and picked up one of the gems. Then she placed it in her mouth and swallowed. He nodded. “Next.” The Dragoness moved out of the way and the one behind her moved up. This continued until the last Dragoness stood in front of him. Her arms were still regenerating and so Kerrik fed her the last gem.
Dominique jumped and moved towards Kerrik when she realized that the first Dragoness had started breathing. She stopped in front of him protectively. “What did you do?”
“I restored their minds and, with it, a part of their free will. They’re much more dangerous now, which is what we’re going to need.” He returned to the chest and pulled out a heavy looking leather belt. “Everything else is made for undead to use, which means it’s useless to us.” He grinned. “It’s a cheap way to pad treasure without letting the heroes have it. And now it’s time to go.” He looked at Dominique. “There’s supposed to be a ley line in this room, but I think I’m not good enough to detect it yet. Can you feel it?”
“I feel a very weak one.”
“Then we have our exit. Let’s get the hell out of here before some knights come looking for us.” As Dominique opened a door in the ley line, he turned to the Dragonesses. “Link hands, ladies, and one of you take mine.”
Crimson eyes flicked in his direction. “Why are you doing that?”
“Undead can’t travel ley lines in a normal fashion. You have to be alive to do it. I know a technique that allows me to mask their presence with my own. It’s not one known here, as far as I know it only exists in my notes.”
“Eve isn’t going to like that?”
“The Dragonesses? To be honest, I’m not too keen on them myself, but we need the help and if I leave them here, the Order will try to destroy them and they’ll defend themselves. With their minds back, they’ll sterilize the keep to prevent their destruction, even though the Order has no idea how to finish them off. By giving them back their minds, I’ve made it so a necromancer cannot override my orders to them.” He frowned. “I’ll have to teach someone how to take command of them if I’m killed.”
Dominique whirled and grabbed him by the shirt. “Enough of that talk, mister. You’re not going to die because we’re not going to let you.”
He ran his hands up her arms and stroked her chest. She glared and pushed away from him. “I don’t intend to die, but the other guy will be expecting to win just as much as we will. Sometimes things happen.”
“They’d better not happen to you. The only way you’ll die is if you’re the last one standing.”
“I’m glad you care.” He reached out and took the closest Dragoness by the hand. “Let’s go.”
“Wait, I forgot about your shotgun. We need to get it.”
He shook his head. “We’ll replace it. I’m not going to put our lives in danger fighting our way back up to the entrance chamber. They can keep it as a memento. Now let’s get the fuck out of here.”
***
The portal in the ley line opened and Dominique stepped out, followed by Kerrik and the Dragonesses in a line, still hand in hand. He released the one holding his hand and shivered as he rubbed the hand. “Gods but they’re cold.”
“Who are they?” Eve dropped out of the night sky and hovered in front of him.
“NO!” Kerrik shouted the word as the Dragonesses lunged at the Megami-sama. The stopped in mid step and turned to look at him. “This is Eve and she’s my friend and alpha or maharani or whatever. You will not attack people unless I order you to.” He waved around the area. “Now hide yourselves until I summon you.”
Eve watched with wide eyes as the Dragonesses quickly dug into the ground, pulling the dirt in behind them. In seconds there was no sign they’d ever been in the clearing. “What’s going on?”
Dominique grinned behind Kerrik’s back. “Ok, Kerrik, how are you going to explain this to her?”
“Eve, several years ago, the queen who ruled the Order of Pendragon was driven out of power by an undead druid. He had six undead Dragonesses that were his servants, mainly functioning as killers and bodyguards. When he was destroyed by Shikarou Urufu, they remained where they were. I went with Dominique to remove the threat they represented to the Order in return for Dominique’s freedom, but Marcus decided to play stupid political games and broke his word, so I brought them here.”
Dominique laughed. “You forgot the part where you instructed them to tear him into bits.”
“I was getting to that.”
Eve gave him a worried look. “You did what?”
“I made an agreement with Marcus to do something in return for which he’d release Dominique. I fulfilled my end of the bargain and he reneged, claiming that he needed to know what other secrets I had about Eoghan and so we needed to renegotiate what it would take for him to let Dominique go. I’d already taken control of the Dragonesses and rather than play his game I killed him with them.”
“You had an agreement and you fulfilled what you said you would?”
“That’s right.”
“He decided it wasn’t enough, so you killed him.” Eve sighed. “While I can’t disagree that you were justified, I do have to ask if there was another way.”
“Marcus would never be completely sure that I’d given him everything I knew, since his Bramage couldn’t read my mind. There was no other choice. He’d have kept us there until he managed to have me killed so he could claim Dominique.”
“He wanted Dominique, too?”
The subject of their discussion nodded. “That’s the reason I was summoned to him. He was collecting all the free pokegirls in the Order and having them raped until they bonded to someone. He wanted me for himself, especially after he realized I’d become an Archmage.” She looked from one to the other and grimaced. “To be honest, while it shocked me at the time, I’m not sure I can see any other way for us to be here. Even if Kerrik had made another deal, Marcus would not have wanted him to leave until he’d done whatever it was they agreed on. And he wouldn’t have let me go until he was satisfied.”
“That’s if he ever intended to release you.”
Dominique blinked. “Kerrik, I hadn’t thought about that. You might be right.”
Kerrik shrugged. “It’s a moot point now. Where’s Scheherazade?”
“She’s at the house, pretending to be asleep. We planned to rotate keeping watch until you returned or called for us.” Suddenly she darted forward and hugged him hard enough to make him gasp. “Don’t you ever do that again.”
Dominique smirked. “Which part? Don’t kill anyone again, don’t bring home the undead again or don’t lose your shotgun again?”
“Don’t go away without me again. I was frantic about what might be happening to you,” Eve said quietly as she rested her head on his shoulder. “I am your alpha and my place is always by your side.”
“She’s right, if only about the frantic part.” Scheherazade trotted out of the darkness. “That’s why I let her go first. She was so anxious for you that there’s no telling what she’d have done at the house.” The Dread Wolf plastered herself against his back. “I, on the other hand, can remain still no matter how worried I am.” She reached out and pulled Dominique in against his side. “I even worried about you a little.”
“You’re concern is ,” Dominique started to say snidely but paused when she saw the look Kerrik was giving her. She continued in a warmer tone, “surprising, but appreciated. Thank you.” He smiled and nodded and she returned the smile.
Eve finally let him go. “So what happened to your shotgun?”
He shrugged. “It was the price of freeing Dominique. Scheherazade, I picked up six undead Dragonesses. I thought they’d make nice shock troops, freeing us up to give them covering fire.”
The Dread Wolf’s ears flattened for a heartbeat. “But I like melee combat.” Everyone laughed at her childish whine. She lolled her tongue in a smile. “I’d like to see them in action before we decide where they should go.”
“You will. I’ll show you their interesting secrets, too.” He took Dominique’s hand. “Now that I’m back with my entire family, let’s go home.”
***
Kerrik looked around at the ebb and flow of humanity around them and pulled the hood of his cloak up against the light rain. “I hate cities. I’m a country boy,” he muttered softly.
Eve overheard him anyway and shrugged. She had her hair up and wore a broad brimmed hat and rain jacket against the weather. “What you want is here, so here we must come. Besides, Dublin’s not that bad.”
“Then why do I feel like there’s a target painted on my back?” He took a deep breath and held it for ten seconds before slowly releasing it. “I’m worried that I’ll be spotted by an agent before I spot them. I think it’s a logical concern, but I can’t let it rule me.” He pulled his pokedex from under his cloak and shielded the display against the rain as he pulled up the mapping function. “We head down this street and cut through that alley to get to Conner Avenue. Then we turn right and go half a kilometer. That’s where the Weapon Emporium is.” He put the dex away and looked at his alpha. “Let’s go.”
“Should I walk ahead or behind you?”
“What’s wrong with right next to me?”
“People will feel that I’m putting on airs.”
“Fuck them.”
She smiled. “Can I pass on that?”
He laughed. “All right. I still want you beside me.”
Her eyes glinted impishly. “I can’t disobey my tamer when he gives me a direct order.”
“Don’t tempt me to test that.”
She looked into his eyes and nodded. “All right, I won’t say that again.”
“Thank you.” They headed down the street.
“You don’t like me teasing you?”
He glanced at her. “Actually, I do, I just don’t want you to even pretend to act slavishly towards me. I don’t want it and thankfully you won’t actually behave like that, so find another way to tease me.”
“I will. Just don’t expect me to flash you a nipple in public or something like that.”
He started chuckling. “With all the clothes we’re wearing, I’d know what was going to happen long before you got to the flashing part.” He glanced at the sky. “Is this winter or spring?”
Eve turned into the alley and moved ahead slightly as she looked for danger. “It’s the end of winter.” She glanced at him as her lips curved in a slight smile. “Or perhaps it’s the beginning of spring.”
“And you have the temerity to make fun of my bad jokes?”
“Of course I do. My jokes aren’t bad at all.”
“Then why aren’t I laughing?”
“You’re a prune.”
He couldn’t help it and laughed quietly as they turned onto Conner. “I think my opinion of you just dropped.”
Eve frowned at him. “Why?”
“You’re having sex with a prune. It’s hard to respect a girl who does that.”
“Do you think I should trade up?”
“I do.”
“I can’t leave my tamer. What’s a pokegirl to do?”
“Perhaps you should find a way to make him less of a prune.”
She gave him an amused smile. “Perhaps I should.”
He blinked. “Wait a minute. Did I just give you permission to try and improve me?”
“No, you didn’t.” He relaxed until she grinned. “You told me to improve you.”
“Oh, fuck.”
“Don’t worry, sir, it won’t hurt much.” She looked at him critically as he groaned. “But I think you do need a haircut before we leave Dublin.”
He sighed. “And here we are.” The Weapon Emporium was a solidly constructed four story building that happened to house the premier weapon supplier in the entire Blue League outside of the military. It had started out as a supplier for police and expanded to tamers when the league decided to allow them to carry firearms.
He opened the door and waved Eve in ahead of him before he stepped inside to find himself in a small room. On the other side of the room was a remotely operated door that led into the shop proper. One of the walls was filled with a security checkpoint that consisted of an armored glass front. Behind the glass stood a domestic born Psivyx. She gave him and Eve a professional smile. “Welcome to the Emporium. Please state your name and present your pokedex for verification.”
“I’m Kerrik Wolf.” He pushed his hood back and held out his pokedex. “I’m a tradesman licensed to carry firearms and I want to get one.”
The Psivyx raised a wand connected through a cable to the desk in front of her and scanned his pokedex through the glass. “Well, sir, if everything checks out, you’ve come to the perfect place for that.” She looked at her display. “Well, sir, everything looks good.” She pressed a button on a microphone. “Open the front door for two.”
Eve gave her a curious look as the door clicked. “How do you control things if someone is leaving at the same time that another is entering?”
“You won’t leave through this door. The exit is another checkpoint where we make sure that you’re not leaving with anything you didn’t buy. The league holds us responsible for thefts.”
“Come on, Eve.” Kerrik took her hand and pulled her through the door. The interior of the building was divided into two large areas by a half wall. The one they entered was rows of racks that were filled with civilian weaponry. A doorway that went through the half wall had another security station and a sign stating that civilians were not authorized in the police weaponry room.
A slender man with silver hair and a lined face hurried forward, his hand outstretched. “Welcome, Tradesman Wolf. I’m Joshua and I’m here to help you figure out what you need.”
Eve’s eyes flicked towards Kerrik. The Psivyx either shared the data on your pokedex or Joshua was monitoring and listened to what you said in the entryway. In either case it’s both very efficient and slightly worrisome.
Yes, it is. He took the hand and shook it firmly. People, especially men, judged character in a handshake, and a firm one was the best way to go. “I’m looking for a semiautomatic or fully automatic 12 gauge shotgun with at least an eight shot capacity. I want it to be fully rifled and I’d prefer a long barrel with a Picatinny rail on it if possible.”
Joshua’s eyes widened slightly and then he smiled warmly. “You know exactly what you want, sir. That’ll make the search a lot shorter. I presume with the rail you’d be looking for a laser rangefinder?”
“That’s definitely an option. I’m a pokegirl hunter and anything that shortens target acquisition time is to be appreciated, as long as it doesn’t draw them to me. I don’t intend to wade into a fight, but the only thing certain about war is its uncertainty.”
“We have a very nice ultraviolet laser designator that also functions as a rangefinder and targeting laser that pokegirls can’t see. I’ll show it to you after we pick out your shotgun.”
“That sounds good.”
Is this plus selling, like you mentioned earlier?
Yes, Eve, it is. He’s probably on commission and therefore he wants to get us to buy as much as possible. However, a rangefinder/designator/targeting laser could be rather useful.
Joshua led them to a rack and pulled down a weapon. “This one is semiautomatic and has a selector switch to fire three round bursts. It can use a ten or twenty round box magazine. The police use it too, since it can fire explosive rounds.” He smiled. “Sadly, you can’t purchase them.”
Kerrik nodded. “Maybe I’ll have to look into becoming a reserve police officer.”
Joshua handed him the weapon and nodded towards Eve. “You’ve certainly got the right pokegirl for a career in law enforcement.”
Eve’s eyes narrowed. Me, a cop? I don’t think so.
If we stay here after dealing with Sanctuary, becoming a reservist would get us access to their information sources as well as military grade weapons. He cycled the shotgun and dry fired it a couple of times. “I don’t suppose you have a range where I can test fire this thing before I buy it?”
Joshua spread his hands apologetically. “I’m sorry, sir, but no. It’s also the best fit for what you require.”
Kerrik nodded. “I’ll take it. I want ten twenty round magazines and ten ten round mags. I’ll also take a thousand rounds of slug ammunition and that laser you mentioned, along with a carrying case and a tactical sling. And I don’t want anything else.”
“Very well, sir.” Joshua retrieved the weapon and headed for the checkout. “If you’ll come this way, Shelly will take care of finalizing the paperwork and then you can be on your way.”
***
“The area looks clear.” Scheherazade landed next to him and folded her arms. Her ears flattened for a heartbeat. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“Can you really be certain about anything? Of course I’m not sure about it. Now please wait here.” He stepped into the clearing and relaxed a little as he felt the ley line thrum through him. He looked around carefully. “Ladies, time to come out.”
The Dragonesses quickly burrowed out of the ground and moved to stand in front of him. He nodded towards the Dread Wolf. “That is Scheherazade and she’s also in my harem.”
One of the Dragonesses stepped forward a step. “We in harem?” Her voice was scratchy and rough and seemed to echo around him from a vast distance.
“Usually a pokegirl has to be alive to be in a harem.” He swallowed thickly at a repulsive thought. “Are you trying to say you need tamed?”
“No. Never need. Never want. Why give mind?”
“Eoghan,” he broke off as the Dragonesses all dropped their heads and hissed menacingly. “Eoghan didn’t want your minds awake because he was afraid of the potential you have. I’m not. In fact, I need that potential so I and my harem can survive what we’re going to do. After we’re done, I’ll release you from your existence and let you die for good.”
“Cannot. Eoghan stole us from queen and made us without chance for release. You master now, forever.”
“Well, shit. I’ll try to take good care of you. What do you need from me?”
“Orders.”
“Those I can give. Now that you have your minds back, are you trained mages again?”
“Yes.”
He nodded. “I’m trying to learn magic, but I’m having difficulties with it. Are you willing to teach what you know?”
“Yes. I speak for all. We teach.” There was a pause. “You know what happen Eoghan?”
“He’s forever dead. So is Germanicus.”
One of the Dragonesses spat something green on the ground. The dirt hissed and smoldered briefly. “Good.”
“I want all of you to wait here until I call for you.” He frowned. “Can you sense if I’m in danger?”
“See your eyes hear your ears when made yours.”
He blinked. “I don’t think I’ll mention that to Eve.” Scheherazade snickered and he spared a glare for her. “If I’m in danger, you will obey Eve. If she’s incapacitated, you will obey Dominique.”
“We obey master. No obey others. Danger we come.”
“All right. As you get more of your minds back, hopefully you’ll get some latitude in that, but if that’s what I get now; then that’s what I get. Hide yourselves until I summon you.” He blinked when they wavered like mist and were gone. “That’s different.”
Scheherazade watched him, her ears flicking slowly. “I am not sure I like their presence, but it sounds like you can’t get rid of them. Will they attack us?”
“Not without orders or if you attack me.”
She suddenly grinned toothily. “It’s a pity you didn’t have them around on the pirate ship.”
“That’s the truth. Well, we will have them when we go up against Sanctuary.” Kerrik frowned when his pokedex chirped. “I thought I silenced all that crap.” He pulled the dex from his belt. “That’s all I need is this damned thing making noise where a feral can hear it.” He played with it for a moment. “Oh. I didn’t know to silence the mail notification. It’s not like I ever expected to get any. I don’t know anyone that’s on speaking terms with me.”
“Who sent you mail?”
“It’s a message from the Blue League. It looks like one of their blanket emails.” He grinned. “I got league spam.”
“What’s spam?”
“Spam is bulk unsolicited messages sent out pretty indiscriminately to everyone that the sender can think of. It appears to have survived the Revenge War quite well if governments are using it.”
“Oh. It’s not called spam now. It’s called Damsel-mail. It’s useless mail that nobody wants.”
“Man, that’s mean to Damsels. They’re nicer than that.” He pulled up the message. “Holy fuck.”
Scheherazade frowned. “What?”
“It’s a reminder about Sadie Pokens. Apparently it’ll be happening in a week.”
The Dread Wolf frowned. “Really? I’ll have to tell Eve. Maybe you should go.”
“What did I do to you?”
“All of us think you need more pokegirls.”
He frowned as he put the pokedex back on his belt. “Apparently I’ve developed memory problems because I don’t remember that discussion.”
“You weren’t there.”
“So I’m not part of that all of us you mentioned?”
“Oh, sorry. No, you’re not.”
“So you go to Sadie Pokens and I’ll stay home.”
“Did you deny the request? If not, you have to go.”
“Shit.” He ripped the pokedex from his belt and pulled up the message. “Oh, good, it’s still waiting for me to reply.” He touched a key. “There. Wait, what the fuck. I didn’t say yes, damnit! You stupid piece of shit.” He smacked his pokedex several times and looked up. “It says I said yes.”
“Then you have to go. You can’t change your mind.”
“Why can’t I change my mind?”
“It’s set up so that you can accept no matter how many times you decline so pokegirls who want to leave a harem and can get to her tradesman’s pokedex can force him to go. That’s also why you can’t decline once you accept.”
“Bloody hell.”
She patted him on the back. “I am glad you accepted right away. It’s good to see you agree with us.”
“Son of a mother fucking bitch.”
Kerrik Wolf - Tradesman
Eve - Megami-sama (alpha)
Dominique - Blessed Archmage
Scheherazade - Dread Wolf