Chapter 3- Wedding Gifts

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 14825

Meanwhile, Astra 9, Annafrid, and Jarlath awake in each others arms after a....er....long and happy night.

Ans so they awaken together the next day, and smile and rise to face a new day.

"We have a fun day ahead," Jarlath sums it up, helping the others up out of bed, "So let's get to it?"

They dress and freshen up. Annafrid washes the red dye from her hair, returning it to it's normal golden color. Being a red head had been fun, but after a while the dye had been making her head itch like mad.

They step out of their honeymoon suite and, after bidding Queen Astra's group a fond farewell, they settle down for the day's festivities. Usually, These festivities are held before the wedding day. Usually, gifts are given and entertainment done before the big day, but the three lovers could nor would not be swayed from having the wedding ceremony ASAP. So while the lovebirds were on their honeymoon night, arrangements were hastily made for the party to be given afterwards.

So Annafrid, Jarlath, and Astra enjoy the gifts given to them by those who had been able to come (and the presents sent via courier) as well as the festivity entertainment. Andrea 2 is providing a small "light show" with her magic while her friend, Joan, has slipped into her dancing outfit that she'd arrived on Terrra Prime in, and is dancing in time to the beat of Andrea's magic. Looking very much like the character from the Arabian Nights (Shaherazad perhaps for the more traditionalist....or like Jasmine from the Walt Disney cartoon), she was a lovely sight indeed and many appreciated her skill and beauty as she danced. Joan danced for many reason, including the shear thrill of it, but she'd grown very fond of being admired for her beauty (basically she was as human as the next person, and was allowed a bit of vanity now and then).

Soon came the part where the wedding gifts were to be handed out. Some were of the type one could expect at any wedding (that is, things like luggage that one would rather not own....but the gift recipient is too polite to say anything but "Now nice!" or something like that). Some was well thought out and heart warming indeed to the three. One in particular from Doctor Vincent Priceless (for once who's left the Bobos, those purple toaster headed gorillas, back home, wonder of wonders), draws gasps of amazement and perhaps a few mutters of jealousy.

For the last ten years, on the side, Doctor Vincent had been working on recreating the magical machine that had originally been able to pinpoint the reality that Astra 3 and Fred 3 with (re: 2933) so as to locate his (and their) homeland. Due t some technobabble reason that need not be gone into right now, the eccentric doctor had been able to locate the rather unique magical signatures of "his" Fred and Astra (due to the lingering after effects of "their" Crystallic). Truthfully, not even he thought that he'd be able to locate their home reality amongst the infinite versions, but it was a fun hobby. Truthfully, he wasn't sure what he'd really do if he found his old home ("old" because he'd grown rather fond of this new world where they didn't laugh at his ideas, but instead revered them!) Yes, it'd make a good hobby, and...he'd always been something of a maverick (everyone said it couldn't be done....so it seemed to ber an open invitation to attempt it). He'd branched out and tried to also find the home realities.....

Of course he'd not succeeded yet in finding any of the home realms, but he'd found some realities in this wizardly crystal ball that were really close looking. He doubted that he'd ever hit "pay dirt" and succeed before his few remaining years ran out and he passed on (he was getting on in years), but with a quirky thought he realized what his creation could well be.....

....it could well make the perfect wedding gift/vacation gateway. His friends were adventurers, and the relative peace and quiet (while nice) had been not sitting well with them. They wanted excitement....to feel the thrill of challenge.....daring do. Righting wrongs and all that good stuff!

"...and I've tested it extensively before hand so feel sure about it," Vincent finishes, "With the Key you and a few friends can return safely, when activated at the point of insertion, you will be returned. As for time differentials like you and the others experienced over in Annafrid's reality, that factor had already been eliminated over 80 years ago....."

He'd mated a surplus Military "Jump Unit" with his magical applications, and created a machine of science and magic that made him drool. Indeed, the Military had solved the tau problem (different comparative rates of time passage of different universes) without realizing it......

"So a week there will be a week here and such....." Jarlath nods, seeing it.

"I...don't know," Andrea 2 says, looking over at Joan, "It sounds......"

"It sounds like fun," Joan smiles back, and Andrea's fox tail sank, realizing that the siren call that Joan was hearing....was calling for her as well. She'd tasted adventure, and wanted more...and more....

"So tell me about this world you want to send us to," Astra 9 says softly, face aglow.

"See, from what I can tell it's like the world that Astra 5 and Fred 5 came from," Vincent explained. "While I rather doubt that....situations have....er....developed like they had with the Fred and Astra that might be there....."

Fifteen minutes later the three lovebirds, Joan, and Andrea 2 are one their way with Vincent to use his machine. This would be a perfect honeymoon trip for them (things there were less peaceful than Terra Prime....and if there were "relatives" in need of aid......).


(Author's Note: this next part is taken in part from episode 12107 by Time Warrior)

Laying unnoticed in the library room was a book. It was different from all the other books. It was much older, and was written in runes rather than in English like the rest of the books in the library. It contained immense magic power. It was also alive.

It had been created, millennia ago, to serve one purpose. It would record the lives of certain individuals throughout the multiverse, and in other multiverses as well. When the time came, it would pull into this reality the most heroic versions of these individuals into its own timeline so they could accomplish the task its creator had intended. The book did not know what this task was. It had been created merely to observe. To watch. And, whenthe time came, to act.

For many years, the book had watched. It had followed the lives of various versions of Fred and Astra and some others, recording them in the other books. Then, a signal had been sent. The time had come to act.

So the book had begun to collect versions of Fred and Astra throughout the many worlds it was monitoring. All the peices were in place now, almost.

Soon, the book's creator would arrive. Soon, the time would come.

Suddenly, if the book could blink, it would!

It sees the indicator that it had been looking for for all these centuries....but it's from a realm that it had only been recording from (but not found a suitable candidate for abduction). The potentials were right this second in route (somehow) to another realm. Why it didn't notice this final piece before is puzzling, but the book isn't going to ask needless questions and let this opportunity wait longer than need be. There was something....odd...about the mode of transport, but the opportunity was too great to resist for the book. It reaches out to snare them....and suddenly finds out that it proves to be a mistake! You see, while the book is perfectly capable at snatching people traveling by magic or by this strange, eldritch process called "science", this is different. It could have perhaps send out cohorts to herd the potentials to teleports once they arrived at their destination, but the book didn't want to wait. It proves to be a mistake, since the party it was trying to grab onto is being teleported by Doctor Vincent hybrid magic/science teleporter!

The book's powers go wild as it's intended target slips out of it's grasp, and several things happen. The power goes wild and drags forth several several unintended victims (depositing them in various locations on the world that the book's intended target was heading). The other thing is that what passes for the books mind gets majorly scrambled (causing it to sing dirty little limericks for the next few days aloud). It'll recover eventually, but not for a while....and while it's recovering it's left a trail of sorts......back to the pyramid......

It also deflected it's intended target's flight path so they land somewhere else.....slightly more "public" than originally intended. But first, the victims.....who'll find there have been a few changes beyond a change in location!


(Author's Note: this next part is taken in part from episodes 14100 and 14250 by JH and Bill L.)

"Oh, have no worries on that score, young lady," Count Yorga said as he stepped out of the coffin. "You have nothing to fear from me."

"Really?" Louise said, a touch sarcastically. "So despite the fact that you were sleeping in a coffin and the sunlight would have burned you to a crisp, you're not a vampire?"

"Oh, yes, I am a vampire all right," he replied as he lit a candle. "But I suggest you not believe everything you hear or read about vampires, my dears. Not all of us are as vicious and cruel as the madman Drakul."

Thelma looked at him sidewise. "So then you don't drain people's blood and turn them into your undead slaves and children of the night?"

Yorga laughed pleasantly. "I am sorry to disappoint you, but no. Oh, we must drink blood to survive, but it need not be human blood - blood from any warm living creature will do. I myself prefer a good sheep's blood, though an occasional dram from an ox or a bear is often quite invigorating." He smiled and produced a platter of bread and cheeses for the three sisters.

"Thank you," Sigourney said. "Listen, we're very sorry about the sunlight and entering the house and everything."

The count waved it off. "My fault, really. I should have made sure the door was locked before retiring from the sunlight."

The three ladies sat and talked to the Count for hours. He turned out to be a charming and entertaining man, far superior in every way (except for being undead) to the vain and boorish prince they had just left.

Finally, though, the count stood up. "Ladies, I can't remember when I last had such a pleasant afternoon, but in all fairness to you, it is getting quite late. You are welcome to spend the evening here in my abode if you like, or if you prefer, there is an inn about two miles down the road. I will be happy to lend you the money for a night's stay there if you'd like."

The girls agreed to accept his hospitality and spend the night there.

"Thank you." said Sigourney, "but we couldn't possibly accept a loan from you, since we have no idea when - if ever - we'll be in a position to repay you." "So you'll spend the night here? Excellent." Damn! thought Louise. It looks as though Sig has left us with no option but to stay the night. I'd have felt much happier if we'd gone to the inn.

The Count had two adjacent guest rooms, one with a double bed and one with a single. Thelma and Louise took the former and Sigourney the latter. Louise was not greatly reassured that the doors could be locked from the inside. "Can't a vampire turn into a cloud of mist and seep under doors?" she asked. "You've been listening to too many old wives' tales," Sigourney reassured her.

At midnight... "Thank you." said Sigourney, "but we couldn't possibly accept a loan from you, since we have no idea when - if ever - we'll be in a position to repay you." "So you'll spend the night here? Excellent." Damn! thought Louise. It looks as though Sig has left us with no option but to stay the night. I'd have felt much happier if we'd gone to the inn.

The Count had two adjacent guest rooms, one with a double bed and one with a single. Thelma and Louise took the former and Sigourney the latter. Louise was not greatly reassured that the doors could be locked from the inside. "Can't a vampire turn into a cloud of mist and seep under doors?" she asked. "You've been listening to too many old wives' tales," Sigourney reassured her.

At midnight...a horrendous sound echoes throughout the cottage, scaring the bejesus out of everyone. Frightened eyes look down at their bodies, and begin to see themselves fade away...and then flicker out to elsewhere!


(Author's Note: this next part is taken in part from episodes 9130 and 9197 by JH and Time Warrior)

From the diary of Lord Fredrigo D'Honaire

All seemed lost. There seemed to be no way of avoiding my transformation into a dragon. Astra could only think of two solutions. Cutting off my arm seemed too drastic, and it may very well not work. Going to the court magician, on the other hand, would take too long, and the transformation would probably be complete by then. But I had an idea...

"Wait a minute," I said. "Doesn't our route to Aquilaria pass near the Caves of Vantoris in the Shrekken Mountains?

"Yes, it does," said Astra. "Why?"

"Well, when the dragon's minions became free of his influence, and decided to form a nation of their own, some said that they should go there. It has been said that a rogue dragon lives there, a dragoness named Malachi who is benevolent, rather than malevolant the way most Dragons are. Perhaps she could help transform me back. And even if she can't, she was somehow able to transcend her Dragon nature, and she could help me do so. Even if I have to become a Dragon, I do not want to become a monster."

"That's a great idea!" said Astra. "Malachi it is then. We shall seek out her aid when we reach the Caves of Vantoris."

Astra seemed pleased that I had found another solution. I realized that she admired me as a noble knight, and was grateful to me for rescuing her sisters. She even seemed to be starting to care for me as a friend. She wasn't madly in love with me yet, but it was a start.

So we set out for the Caves of Vantoris...

From the Memoirs of Princess Astra of Aqualaria

Fred's idea was a good one, but even the Caves of Vantoris were three or four days away. We decided that Fred and I should take the swiftest of the horses and push on as fast as we could. There were enough in our party that Belinda and Carola should come to no harm without us. I suppose I could have let Fred go to find Malachi on his own, but I felt that I owed it to him to give him all the help that I could. Also, if the worst came to the worst and it became clear that we would not find Malachi in time, I was prepared to kill Fred as he slept to prevent his becoming an evil dragon. I knew that if it should be necessary, it would be by far the hardest thing I had ever had to do.

We told the rest of our group to make for the Aqualarian capital, and if all went well we would rejoin them later on in their journey. I kissed my sisters goodbye, and then Fred and I spurred our mounts into a canter. We made good progress that day. Fred's condition did not noticeably deteriorate, and by the time we made camp for the night we were feeling rather more cheerful.

That night..

...a horrendous sound echoes throughout the area, scaring the bejesus out of everyone. Frightened eyes look down at their bodies, and begin to see themselves fade away...and then flicker out to elsewhere!

Malachi's golden eye's are wide open as she something....severed. It feels like her link to her Hoard, but....that' impossible! If that had happened, she'd be dying right now......

She puts that question off for later to face the more immediate concern. Somehow, she's now aboveground, in the sunlight, facing several human beings (one who has the smell of being...one his way to becoming one of the People). The assortment is rather varied. There is an elegantly dressed (pale) man looking around and blinking, acting more surprised to be here than what the rogue dragonness thinks should be the case (as strange as circumstances are). For some reason, there is a slight stench of the grave on him and he keeps checking his teeth. If she didn't know better she'd swear that this man was one of the undead (like a vampire). Since he's not burning in the sunlight, that looked unlikely. There was a red haired warrior woman as well as two diminutive blonde twins.

They finally seem to notice her and the reactions seem to vary, again. The one with the smell of the People and the red haired warrior woman seems to recognize (and welcome) her. The others seem rather....frightened and afraid, per typical. Rogue good dragons are vanishingly rare, she sighs to herself.....

"My name is Malachi Dronocis...and you have nothing to fear from me," she says in a soft, gentle voice.


(Author's Note: this next part is taken in part from episode 14786 by WolfRun)

Captain Locke stared at the enchantress Oyael with frustration. He didn't like mages; nobody did. But now that one was actually needed, her power had proved useless. He had expected that once they had arrived here that Oyael would reveal Denom for what he truly was; a dark spirit, an evil doppleganger, or a pawn of wicked magic. But once they had been brought to Duke Hindsight rather than calling Denom out and ending this bizarre affair immediately, Oyael had instead called for the Lady Rowena. Duke Dred's daughter obediently answered the summons and was questioned, alone, behind the doors of the private chamber. Only after this did she call for Denom.

Denom proved to be both less than forthcoming and more than just a sinister liar practicing a macabre charade. But regardless of his performance Locke had assumed that Oyael's magic would expose him for what he truly was. Apparently it had not.

Oyael and Duke Hindsight then interviewed everyone else in the party. Each man was taken into the private chamber separately and questioned, like Lady Rowena, alone. First went his fellow members of the Guard D'Honaire, followed by the merchant man Pall, and then the Chanticleer, and finally himself. He did not think that they would discover anything he had not already learned himself. He knew that their only hope of learning the truth lay in Oyael's mastery of magic. But apparently her mastery was not much to brag about. She had learned nothing, or if she had she was keeping it to herself. The damn witch.

"You will take Denom to Duke Dred, Captain Locke," Duke Hindsight stated. "Those are your orders."

"But that's what he wants," cried Locke. "Whatever trick he is up to will be played upon my Duke, and I cannot allow that."

"You have your orders," repeated Hindsight. "Obey them." And with that Locke was dismissed.

*******

The guests' rooms in Duke Hindsight's palace are found on the second floor. And that was where Fred and Rowena could be found as Pall and the Chanticleer shared each other's company in the tavern. But Fred and Rowena were not allowed to share comfort with each other. Guards had been posted outside of Fred's room to make sure that he did not leave it. Guards had been posted outside of Rowena's room to make sure that she did not try to enter Fred's. It was clear that she believed he was her dead brother, but no one else believed that. And if the man named Denom had enscorcled her mind it would be best that the two be kept apart until they reached Suffex.

Fred looked out of his window at the dark grey sky. Evening was coming on and the autumn air was cold and wet. The guards who patrolled the outer walls of the palace and the city below wore thick sheepskins beneath their armor and as the days rolled on toward Winter's Night they would find it more and more difficult to stave off the cold that seeped into their bones. Fred had spent enough hours himself on patrol and knew how miserable it could get. But here in this warm room, brightly lit, he felt more miserable than he had ever in his life.

He had expected that once he reached Allaria he would be welcomed with open arms. He had been wrong. But at least they were now going to take him to his father. Surely his father would recognize his own son. And then all would be put to rights and Fred could let go of the terrible burden on his mind, the burden that weighed his soul.

He had seen so much, but what was it that he had seen? Dragons locked in war with each other, dead Races that were not so dead after all, evil spirits that tempted men's souls and offered strange messages from dark realms, madmen caught in the grip of unseen forces that glowed green in the night. What did all of this mean? And what of the White Lady and the Queen of Clubs? Had he been cursed? Certainly his arcane sword was proof enough of that. By the gods how he hated magic. He had thought that once he escaped from the shadow of the Goth he would be free of its taint. But it had followed him even here. Yes, he had been cursed and its reach included making him a prisoner among his own people, a man feared and hated.

******

Somewhere within a now defunct's dragon's cave, several small bodies that appeared to have been dead shiver, shimmer, and then disappear. They reappear within the womb that they were conceived in and a literally black skinned woman stirs uneasily in her fevered dreams. The amber dragon jewel pulses balefully, having finally gotten tired waiting for it's current holder to give an order. No matter, it could still do several things by virtue of needing to be whole.

The fetal units had a portion of the Crystallic inside them, and the jewel was not going to let itself be diminished. Soon, it would draw it's other portions to itself....and be whole once more.

****

Duke Hindsight lay back in a large, comfy chair and shook his head. He was not comfortable with the course of action they had decided to pursue. Oyael was lying on a couch, her eyes closed, a crystal goblet in her outstretched hand. It was half empty.

"I still don't understand," she muttered. "What is he? My magic clearly showed that he is Lord Frederigo D'Honaire. Or at least a part of him is. But other parts of him aren't even human, and he has a woman's pancreas for the love of Ganthet. What's he doing with a woman's pancreas?!"

"Well why don't we just ask him?" Hindsight suggested not for the first time.

"No!" Oyael shot back and sat up. "The White Hand has made their decision and you yourself have agreed that it is a wise one. They know everything we do. They will take it from here. Duke Dred is in no danger, regardless of what that captain may fear."

"Perhaps we should have told Locke that your Order will be waiting for them," Hindsight said.

"And that should come as a surprise to him? I'm sure Denom is expecting it,"Oyael replied. "Of course, he has no way of knowing just how many of them there will be, or what they are all capable of doing."

Hindsight shuddered slightly. "You and your magic... I'm just glad that the only sorcerer in my domain is you. The gods protect me if ever my home was overrun by spellcasters and witches!"

Oyael chuckled. "I'm sure you'll miss me when I move on. And who knows who I'll be replaced with. You might just wish I never left. But for now you are as stuck with me as I am with you. Now why don't you leave me be. I have much to think about and I prefer to do my contemplating within the comfort of a hot, steamy bath. As for you, go find that pretty wife of yours. I'm sure you two have something in common. Sometimes frankly I think you spend too much time with me and Lady Tabitha might be getting jealous."

Duke Hindsight laughed and with a nod of his head left the room.

The journey to Suffex was interrupted by the sudden arrival of a strange group of people. Their names were: Jarlath D'Honaire, Annafrid D'Honaire, Astra 9 D'Honaire, Andrea 2, Joan D'Honaire, and the very displaced blonde woman named only Thelma!

Fred, catching the sight of Astra 9, feels his jaw drop in shock!

  1. "But you're dead." he whispers.
  2. then the *&$!!!#$ hit the proverbial fan

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