K-9's and Astra 9's Explanation, Wrapups, and New Quests...

"Greetings....Queen....Titania......," Zerm whispered in Fey speak, beginning to rise and bow....only to faint dead away as the last of his strength vanishes.

The Atlantian Mages is caught by a half a dozen hands before he can hit the floor. As Zerm is lowered slowly to the floor, Queen Tatiana softly clutched to herself, shaking her head ruefully.

"Will Friend Zerm be alright?" the new male pixie now known as Triakoth asks in Fey speak.

Ama'lis D'Honaire, the other pixie present, looks at her new "brother" oddly. Then she chides herself at being silly. If all that this man hadn't been enough for such an honorary title, then nothing would do!

At least I took a shorter time at adjusting to the idea of a non-evil Zerm than the new Synizns! the blue haired fairy woman thinks to herself, remembering the look of utter astonishment the dragon mages had when Zerm had enlisted them in important positions in this curse breaking ceremony that had left the dragons in utterly perfect positions to strike down the mage if they'd felt like.

Goes to show you that if you travel far enough, you'll see everything. That's what they say, anyway. In this case, one can not argue with the results, eh?

Zerm at their feet, helpless and defenseless as a newborn and the formerly accursed were cured (albeit out cold on the stone slabs that the mages had placed them upon at the very beginning of this evolution) was proof towards somebody who was trustworthy.

Now, this said and done, after Zerm is attended to to make him more comfortable (still out cold, but comfortable) AND it is determined that the guy will live, the Fey Folk royalty finally turn to what is of most interest on their minds. Basically, each has the same question, stated in various elegant and rich manners. Still, it's the same question. The question is "What is going on here?"

They already have some idea of what is going on here. Certain decrees from the clergy that they had never heard until relatively recently with the now defunct Oracle's shenanigans provided clues, but....

Having nerves of steel (one in particular almost literally) and being a bit quicker to the draw at answering, K-9 and Astra 9 proceed to answer the royal Fey Folk.

"He'd said he had perfected a means of stopping the Unseelie Curse at such a late stage," Queen Titainia said softly to herself, remembering the last time she and Zerm had met under similar conditions.

"Yes, dear wife, it appears we have much to discuss with him soon after h recovers," King Oberon agrees with her, reading the implied comment underneath.

"Indeed, now all is clear, we have the next tad of business to attend to first, now." The Queen of the Light Elves finally says. "That of the deposition of our newest subjects and such."

Indeed, as before with Ama'lis and the other new High Elves present (Ia'adoire and Lueoth), the elfin Doctor, elfin Romana, Triakoth are...well...ceded over to their new Court (i.e. Infinity Incorporated) and that was that. Was for the best, really. If left as it was, they would forever be outcasts in the Seelie Court, despite all their heroic qualities. Alas, by need the Seelie (and Unseelie) Courts were highly regimented in certain things and these newcomers just couldn't fit in.

That done, the adventurers suddenly find themselves returned to the places that Zerm had picked them up at, only seconds having passed back on those realities (i.e. a bit of time traveling was involved here). Dr. Vincent would soon find that all records of the coordinates to Zerm's world had somehow mysteriously vanished (Zerm liked his privacy). Upsetting, but the eccentric scientist/mage hadn't really expected anything different.

So, the new elves return to either Terra Prime or to Mid-world while the Fred, Astras, and the other accursed (along with the adventurers) to....

Later, back on Nantucket Earth, mainland....

Jarlath D'Honaire

Clang!

Bang

Oomph!!

Those sounds can be heard even above the shouts coming from Astra's sisters as I and the others look on as my Astra and her evil twin fight to....well, not to the death for Astra, but to what would be a sure death for her twin and a very....very painful set of injuries (would be mortal if she wasn't a Champion) for Astra.

Oh, I understand in my heart just why she must do this....but I just have to be somewhat thankful that I have not met any analogous version of myself so far. Oh, I'm not happy that my analogous brothers died in fires (hmm, there is an irony in them being named "Charles" in that on Roland's world that name is a form of the word that means "death by fire" or something like that)....but I....just have to wonder sometimes about all this. Then again, never having been faced with such a situation.....I guess I'm hardly in a position to speak.

Can speak hours and hours upon the irony of my name (I am named after a saint who'd been prone to prophetic visions). Can talk about being forced down a path with not choices (well, the few times I tried to resist the visions....I....it was.....painful and leave it at that). Can talk about insanity (been there, don't want to do that again, feel much better now, thanks). But not the hatred that drives my love to this.....

If you ask me, I'd not even give this bi....er....woman the honor of combat. I'd let ol' Zerm turn her into a female griffin and have her spirit forced out and replaced with a much more worthy soul..... One who'd make better use of that body than the current owner has been putting it to....but that's just me.

Urk!

"And it is done," Astra 9 says without a trace of pity as she withdraws her blade from her evil twin's belly. The evil one has fallen to her knees as she drops her sword, clutching at the wound. She is too busy trying to shove her organs back in. A trickle of blood leaks from her mouth as she coughs.

"Whoever taught you the way of the sword sure didn't teach you the last attack counter you needed," as she beheads her foe.

A simple spell from me and the still warm body bursts into intense flame that only strays an inch from the corpse (wouldn't do to start a forest fire). No eulogy. No gloating.

But oh my! How Astra looks so much.....calmer now that her twin is now gone. No Astra I know of has any qualms about killing those who'd inflict pain and death on others. Her evil twin had done that and much more.

All the same I'm happy that the people back in Nantucket hadn't seen this. They....just wouldn't understand.

"Of that I'm sure," I say softly as I take my wives in my arms and kiss each in turn passionately.

Triakoth D'Honaire

"It was a good and just fight," I whisper to myself, satisfied at the end result and basking in the warmth of the love I feel from my....my....new family and friends. Friends and family who shall make the melancholy of not being able to return home again bearable. Terribly sad, but bearable.

From this I shall build myself a new life and a new home.

They are honorable....and.....

I can't help but love them, I admit to myself.

Odd that I should so soon, but then much has happened... That and it is going to me so much easier to handle this displacement with those who understand it all too well!

"Speaking of happening....this armor isn't," I mutter to myself, calling forth a phrase that that air headed nymphomaniac would perhaps use to describe this armor.

It might look good on me in my olden form, but.....I'm not going back....nor do I wish to do so any more. I am Fey now and forevermore. Best to rework the armor into something a bit more....stylish to reflect the new me.

A spoken spell and a flash of light, and I reweave the armor into something a bit more suitable for one such as I. Armor and equipment that is more than a costume to anchor me to my now non-existent humanity, but something that also will be suitable and stylish enough for this knight of the Fey.

From the whistles and approving looks tell me I've accomplished what I've set out to do.

Later, back in Nantucket....

Demifox Fred

"Now what do we do?" I ask, holding "my" Astra as her tail twitches along with mine in curiosity.

"Help finish those who we can complete their quests," Jarlath says, smiling, "Come along with those who can return to their worlds and aid them, or go in ourselves and finish it for them."

1. "Let's start with our 'sister' who they only call Astra as a nickname," Astra 9 says to her sister who's finally gotten that nudity curse broken, "That and her respective Fred as well...."

Add New Option

Go Back

View Forward Story Tree
View Back Story Tree