Another Battle Fought, and a Destiny Contested

I'm somewhat disappointed that I lost to Frederigo--after all, this was supposed to be my big day to prove myself. I have a terrible thought--what happens if I fail this validation quest? What if I don't get to stay with Tarin? No, I can't let myself think like that. I'll have other chances to prove myself--but I'll have to be more careful next time. I didn't realize how hard concentrating on drawing the listener into the song while trying to keep my mind on the battle would be. It's a shame I lost to this particular Fred--he's a good fighter and a brave man, but he seems too narrow-minded. Well, the only way to learn that sort of thing is to keep trying. I hope I won't have to use my power against the Dragon or something... And I'm sure someone will defeat this Fred later--It'll be interesting to see how he handles his elven analogs.

Tarin is there for me as I leave the circle. "You put up a good fight, my love," he tells me, hugging me vigorously. "I got drawn into that spell a bit--I can't help it, you have such a beautiful voice"--(that's another potential problem to keep in mind, I think)--"and that snake would've fooled me. This Fred only wasn't fooled because he's such a paranoid maniac who won't even trust his own senses. I'm surprised he didn't actually think the snake would attack him or something..."

"Come on Tarin," I chide gently. "He's a noble man at heart, I'm sure, even if he is a bit paranoid. I can't blame him for not knowing what to make of us. I can only imagine what he'll think of you, Mr. "Zorro on Crack." Well, good luck..." I kiss him strongly on the lips, for good luck (heh)... I wish we could have spent more time together after our wedding rather than going off on another quest and having to trek through these dark, musty caves, even if we do get to do it together. I guess we'll have more time later...

What if we don't, though? What if I don't survive this mission? Come on, Jenny. You have no reason to be afraid of that. It's just nervousness. We've never lost, right? And even if we do lose this one, we won't die, we're still Eternal Champions... So why do I have this sense of foreboding that just won't go away? Well, my husband's fight is about to begin, I blow him a kiss as he enters the circle to face Astra 9...

Tarin Gazin vs Astra 9:

As Ferderigo and Jenny walk away from the circle, we take our places. Hmmm. This should certainly be an interesting fight--I'm even looking forward to it. Then again, I sincerely hope Tarin Gazin doesn't win--he's not exactly good at strategy and double- dealing, and if my estimation of this world's Belboz and Minestus is correct, we'll probably have to deal with quite a bit of that on this mission. At least I'm somewhat familiar with Tarin Gazin's fighting style. It's quite a sight to see--Jarlath sometimes calls him "Zorro on Crack." (What is it with him and his obsession with alternate-Earth pop culture, anyway?) He'll be very unpredictable, which gives him a significant advantage. But he's also fighting without his battle-axe, which gives him a significant disadvantage. So we'll see... I'll just give the best fight I can and let the Lord decide the outcome.

Good Forge, this is madness! How can people expect me to fight without my battle-axe--it's like cutting my arm off! And I can't even use my bulk to hold her back the way I might have as a dwarf--this Elven body is slim and flimsy. Not that I don't love it of course, especially now that I have Jenny. It's quite agile and fast and... what's the word again... oh yes, dexterous too. I'm looking forward to using it in bed with my Jenny as soon as we get this stupid mission over with! So if I move fast enough and strike hard enough, beating Astra should be no problem. Still, how can they expect me to fight without my battle-axe, damn it! Still, I'm not backing down--never let it be said that Tarin Gazin refused a challenge! At least even if I lose I'll lose to one of our own--I'd hate to lose to that idiot Fred from this universe--he acts like he stores his lance up his ass or something! I'd better move quickly once this world's Astra drops the necklace...

Hmmm, what would I do if I were Tarin? Well, I probably wouldn't think all that much about strategy. I'd probably scream as loud as I can and try for some outrageous feint, then grab the rope and try to tie it around my neck as quickly as I can manage-- Tarin's an elf, he's pretty dexterous even if he is a former dwarf. I'll move quickly--Tarin isn't going to think all that much beforehand--and keep most of my attention on the necklace, while keeping an eye out for Tarin as well--getting the necklace should be pretty easy, the hard part will be putting it on while fending off Tarin's attacks. Alright, she's dropping it now, here we go...

Astra's going for the rope, didn't think she'd jump in that fast... I scream a scream that would make the devil himself piss in his pants and grab for the rope, weaving under her punches...

What the... I had no idea Tarin wouldn't even try a feint. I can't believe I ended up giving him him too much credit for strategy. Well, I've been able to direct him away from the rope through my attacks, but I'll have to grab it somehow without letting his nimble Elven fingers get ahold of it... I slam down on the floor, on top of it, trying to knock him over with my legs, but he's too fast, and he's moving like a cross between a berserker and a concert violinist. And he's still screaming like a mad banshee, which isn't exactly striking fear into my heart--I know Tarin too well for that--but it is distracting... I manage to grab it, but it's almost too late, he almost plucks it from my grasp, I have to do something conclusive to stop him... It's hard trying to figure out what to do while still avoiding his attacks... Wait a minute, I've got it! I'm not going to like this, but sometimes you have to answer unsubtletly with unsubtlety... But I've also got to make sure he doesn't go outside the circle, so this isn't going to be easy, but I think I can manage it... There! I'm aligned just right, my foot slams into his crotch, hard enough to stun him through his armor but not enough to knock him out of the circle...

Wait a minute, why is she moving around as if she's aiming for a shot... Never mind, I've almost got it... YEARGH!

I'm going to apologize for this later... I've got it. I try to tie it around my neck before I can recover... There! Astra Transtrygia looks somewhat dubiously at me, but holds up her hand just as Tarin slams into me... I won! Perhaps there would be a rule against such a tactic if mixed-sex tournaments were more common in Aqualaria, but there isn't. I'm a little ashamed of it, but now there's no chance that Tarin can be the leader, which would only have brought him and perhaps all of us a lot of frustration. "You fought well and brought me honor," I say to Tarin weakly. Perhaps that wasn't such a good idea--I wonder what the others would make of it? "I'm sorry, but I didn't injure you permanently, right?"

"Holy Forge, woman, who pissed in your ale?" he shouts at me--I try very hard not to laugh at his high-pitched voice. "You could've injured me permanently! And this could be my wedding night! What if I can't perform?"

"Don't worry, I'll perform a healing spell if you want," says my husband. "Although I'd bet you'd prefer it if your wife did." Was that just me, or did the man almost blush? Well, at least Jarlath seems to not be absorbed in himself. He's been so distant lately... I'm sure he thinks that we think that it's just because of the natural tension in our marriage, which... Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Maybe Annafrid was fooled, but I knew Jarlath earlier than her. I know about his darkness. And I'll be damned if I'm going to let him drag it down... Well, the fight's over now. I sit down by Jarlath and Annafrid, putting my arms around their shoulders.

"Wow," says Jarlath, a little stunned. "I would've expected that from Annafrid maybe, but you?" Annafrid looks at him venomously. "There's nothing wrong with you of course, Annafrid,--but--Astra, what were you thinking?"

"I wasn't losing my temper--it was a calculated risk," I tell him. "I had to do what I had to do."

"Well, I sincerely hope you won't try that on me!" says Jarlath.

"You're a mage, not a berserker. I'd have to use a different strategy on you," I tell him. "Although I can't discount it completely..." He unconsciously winces a bit, and I kiss him on the cheek. I wonder who I'll face next...

Lord Frederigo D'Honaire:

This is insane! That elf didn't fight like what I've heard of elves at all--he was like some kind of drunken berserk dwarf! And that woman--she's no lady, that's obvious enough... I've heard things about Aqualarians, but by all the gods of the nether realms, she's utterly mad! She's certainly no sister to the other Astra! Well, I'll have no compunctions about beating her into the ground later on... It's clear that I can't trust these strangers at all!

Belboz:

As the self-styled dragon slayers continue to fight their petty battle, they have no idea that while they are fighting, I am observing them through telepathic contact with enchanted cave fungus. I wish I could understand more of the thoughts of the elves beside me--I could seek to read their thoughts without being observed under normal circumstances, although even if it succeeded it would increase their uneasiness, but they communicate at a spiritual level, far greater than my petty draconic telepathy. Light Elves make me sick. They're so self-righteous and rarefied and noble--well, except for the one who was whining for his battle-axe and who fought almost like a dwarf. Him I almost don't despise.

Ah, at last. I receive a telepathic communication I've been anticipating for some time. In my mind's eye appears the image of Castellan the Heretic against the background of the Void within the Chambers of Philosophy. [21038] I try not to concentrate on the Void-- even though I more or less created it with Castellan's aid using the Atlantean equipment, it still makes me feel... Profoundly disconcerted. And there is not much that I let disconcert me. "Ah, Castellan, what a delightful surprise," I think to him. "How is my project going?"

"Our project is within days of completion, Minestus," he tells me somewhat sniffily. No matter. His pride is a good thing to the extent that I can direct it to my ends. "The only thing that remains is to find a suitable power source. Even a thousand Crystallics wouldn't be enough for what we have in mind. My automatons have been sent through the slipgate to search for possible power sources, and are currently acquiring one as well as possible backups. All you need do is hold those humans off for a few days, if not hours, and then the project will be ready to commence. However, do not underestimate them. I've faced a few of these beings before--they're not like the last batch of Dragonslayers the Allarian government sent after you. They are much more noble and formidable--although if you are careful, it will still be possible to confound them for as long as we need. I doubt you will succeed in killing them so soon, though." Now this is interesting. Castellan doesn't seem to think I can kill them at all. He could very well be telling the truth about having met these strangers before, as although he's been involved in this project along with me for decades, elves are quite long-lived as well. Perhaps I shall subtly broach the subject when we begin our quest proper. I have always suspected the mage was hiding something from me, and I wonder if these strangers have something to do with it. Soon I will have collected enough cave-mushrooms to return and observe the battle directly--by setting up something that will delay them for so long, the humans and elves have played right into my hands.

Castellan, Dark Heretic of Vjorica:

I quickly break mental contact with Minestus--touching his mind is like eating rotten cheese. Still, his insights into the Slipgates and the other Atlantean technology have been quite incisive and fascinating, as the Black Prince gambled. Thankfully, as soon as the slipgates have done their work, I will be able to kill the overconfident fool once and for all.

I then feel the touch of a mind which is much more welcome to me. "Hello, Black Prince," I think. "It's good to, er, see you. Dealing with Minestus is starting to wear me down--he certainly is imaginative, but he's so utterly venal and he has no discipline. At least he's managed to keep the Champions away from me so far with his trickery."

"If you think Minestus is bad, you should try dealing with Happyman," thinks the Black Prince. "I've been spending the last few days sending him off on some mission or another. I can't even begin to tell you how depressing that is. It's such a relief to be dealing with someone I respect for a change. So how is the project? I take it you have found a power source after all?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. Actually, this power source appears to be a human with considerable powers, or maybe the power source was implanted in the human somehow. My automatons are closing in on it, as well as several backups. We might even be able to create another reaction after this one--although we'd have to find different equipment. I can't believe after all this time that this is almost over... If I tried to stay another decade in this accursed pocket of anti-existance, I'd probably go mad. You've fought enough of my insane analogs to know that that's something to avoid. So how are your plots going?"

"As well as can be expected. I'm not like you, of course, you're the kind of person who only has one goal at a time but throws himself into it with all his heart. I have at least hundreds of them at any given time. Some of my plans are always succeeding, and some are always failing. You'll know how it is if you ever get promoted to high-level demon. But I think the balance has been decidedly in my favor of late. The operation on the Starfleet earth is going particularly well--especially if our current plan here succeeds."

"Trust me, unlike you, I have no interest in playing at demon. I merely wish to free the minds of those throughout the multiverse from the tyranny that the Office of Good has imposed on them. So tell me, how is Helen?"

"Her operation is going quite well and she's quite enjoying it. As you can imagine, though, she's looking forward to its end so she can spend more time alongside you and me. The forces of the Office of Evil in Hypertime and Earth-616 are mobilized to our cause... Although Etrigan will prove a problem. Although not nearly as much of a problem as that 'Little Girl.' Nonetheless, even if we fail this operation, we have a good chance of winning the Shadow War."

"Excellent. The end of this quest is near, whatever the outcome, and I am excited to reach it. Goodbye, I shall see you again soon." And the Black Prince's presence leaves me. He is among the very few I count as an equal and even something resembling a friend. Of course, both of us know that one day we will have to face each other in a battle to the death. But he doesn't suspect how soon that battle will be. I know that the Shadow War is nothing to him. I know what his true plans are, and that part of the reason he went through so much effort to seek out this Minestus as an ally was to conceal how much he knows about Atlantean technology and the Crystallic himself. I know of his plan to set up one of his puppets as the Brazen Man. I may not have passed so far from mortality as to handle hundreds of plots at any moment, but I can watch things from the corner of my eye, as it were. I have been following the movements of the Frederigo analog he enlisted. I will seek to influence him myself and make sure that the spirit as well as the letter of the prophecies of the Brazen Man are fulfilled. And I know they will be. I have destiny on my side. I find it most interesting that however much the Black Prince hates the Office of Good, he cannot conceive of existance without it. For my hope is not merely to weaken the Office of Good but to destroy Good and Evil, Order and Chaos, all the artificial distinctions that only lead to oppression and unhappiness. The Black Prince and Helen shall die, of course, along with practically everyone who works for the Offices and doubtless the inhabitants of a million million worlds to boot, and likely myself as well, but... Well, you can't hatch an entirely new form of human existance without breaking a few eggs, as it were. And then... Who knows? It is inconceivable to human consciousness that exists now. But even if I do not live to see the result, I will at least have played a part in bringing about a new dawn for sentient life everywhere.

1. In the Caves, the next battle in the Challenge of the Necklace begins as Astra T faces Fertal, with Astra C referreeing...
2. In the city of Purgatory, the analog of Frederigo who may one day become the Brazen Man seeks Astra... [44292]

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