"But what we do ‘bout them?" Fre' asks, pointing a hairy finger at the
still slumbering evil Amazons and their queen.
"Usually.....we'd have welcomed the flame haired one into the family," Anina said softly, with a trace of sadness, "But I can tell from here.....that she's not somebody I'd want as a daughter....nor the Queen a sister."
All spirits of nature like Anina. and even Belboz the nymph, can feel certain personality characteristics....certain inclinations from human beings.
Anina had not clue one how this analog of Astra could have become such a.....mess of murderous impulses....such a callous disregard for life of others, and quiet frankly didn't want to try! Point in fact, Queen Astra, never niave, had ordered that if she or others ever came across an "evil" version of herself.....to not hesitate to do justice! She and the other sleeping Amazons were the worst possible example of what Amazon society could have developed into since the Hercules Incident!
But Anina loathed to kill another Amazon in their sleep.....
While the Crystallic can alter the form of a being, and perhaps it would be just indeed to inflict the same process on them as they had inflicted on these new females......Anina loathed to do that. She'd had her form altered against her will, and whilst she was now comfortable with it (indeed now preferred it).
But there is also the fact that those like Astra 5 and such got teleported HERE by way of Crystallic. Even without the slipgate system around, it only takes a silent command to exile each them to realities with few other humans indeed!
Not a perfect solution, but as humane as Anina can be....given the circumstances. Amongst other things as her new station in life entail, it means that she must sometimes be judge, jury, and executioner. In other words, on her head does doing justice does it fall.
"Now you," Anina says, looking over at the nymphly Belboz, "You already said that you don't wish to return to your old self, correct? You know that without much research beforehand....."
"Yes, I understand....and I don't wish it," Nymph Belboz sighed. "Though....uh, what do you have in mind?"
"Being a nymph gives one a short leash to roam around on," Anina smiles, "But while I see you wish to remain a nature spirit....what say you to being a hamadryad? It would give you a much wider area to roam indeed!"
"And I believe I can do something about what you and the others who are here who shaped the magical aether before your bowing to Prophecy," Rule 1 put in.
"Aye, no matter what the outcome of everything else.....we'd forevermore be 'girls'," the Amazonian Belboz says softly, "Being target of powerful Prophecies as such....."
"Locks us in as females?" Centauress Fred chuckled, shaking her head, "The how do you explain that I was a male centaur just moments ago before coming here?"
The Belbozs are at a loss at that one.
"That....would have been remedied soon enough," Rule 1 answered, "Your maleness was only a temporary thing. Indeed, your companion back where you came from is in the slow process of transforming from male to female."
"Is there anything.....?" Anina asks, looking over at the Rule.
"Asked before I could even come here....and.....no," Rule 1 sighes, "And even I daren't try to defy....."
Interoffice relations would have gone to blazes if he or the Others did such. The mortal realms DID have to look after their own affairs, after all. Couldn't have Others help in everything....even if it was just.
"So Belda' and this other Centaur Belboz....aren't going to recover their rightful memories," Anina sighs, looking down.
The others look less than happy, also.
The discussion soon drifts to speculation to why Elaine of one world had chosen to teleport the Hamadryad Fred and Nymph Belboz to Terra Prim. Turns out, as theory goes, that Tera Prime was in the middle of vast Burn Zone. A Burn Zone was an alternate time lines where a Mirror Earth (or Terra) was destroyed by some means (atomic warfare, failure to shut down a Slipgate, or something else). While a Hamadrayd had more leeway in travel in how far away she could go from her host tree, a jump to another reality would cut them off instantly and kill them....almost instantly .
Fre' then looks over at Rule 1, then the "no magic" Belbozes.
"But how you here help with mage?" Fre' asks, suddenly seeing something.
The others look over at the ogress, amazed.
"Sharp question," Anina says softly, impressed (and surprised she hadn't thought to think of that question).
"Well....that's a kind of....sticky situation," Rule 1 says, looking uncomfortable, "Seems that the ones who've arrived here on Terra Prime.....well, they are Eternal Champions! That is, they are like Moorecock's Elric kind of Eternal Champion instead of the usual Champion. Instead of regenrating from all injuries....not able to be killed.....you....."
"They get reincarnated each and every time they die," Ghostly Belboz whisperes, remembering the story from the Outsiders he'd read.
"Sad state of affairs....what one gets when you get.....well....Inducted by a Drone instead of a....well.....what some can call a free willed Entity like mystelf," Rule 1 chuckled, ruefully, "Just rectifying the situation as best I can."
Inded, this group would be the last group. All the others had already had their situation improved. And with one young person in particular it would be a most happy duty and privillege to.....
"I want to come along as well," Jack protested, looking over at his adopted mother, "I want to be a Champion as well! Can I, please?"
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11/14/2000 12:05:08 PM
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