Strand of Nightmare

"Snap out of it, Exotica!" Diana demanded, slapping the Allarian princess hard with the back of her hand. "There's your lover right there! Fred - look at him, bare chested, his toned, sweat-shimmering knightly muscles rippling in the sunlight like those of an ancient God. How can you give all that up for some undead freak-job from the hellsphere?"

"Stop, Diana," Fred giggled. "Cant you see she is under a spell and has been ever since we entered the city? She has been drawn here by destiny to play her role in whatever is to unfold."

"What is wrong with you people?" Sara said. "Sitting around chatting like we're at a picnic! We've got to get out of here! That... horror could return at any moment!"

"I cannot leave," Sofia said wide-eyed, hugging Imelda, who was sobbing quietly. Her lilting Califian accent was laced with fear. "I am not going back out there. I am - not - going back out there. If you leave go without me, I am staying here."

"Not you too," Sara groaned.

"She is right." Diana nodded. "Out there we're easy prey for the undead. This temple seems to be protected from the evil of this city, at least to some extent. Its the perfect location to make a stand. If Fred is right there is nowhere we can run anyway, until whatever is meant to transpire here is finished."

"And how does Fred of all people know these things?" Sara said angrily. "Is he a wizard now, or a fortuneteller? Can he foresee the future? Well I tell you I can foresee the future, and I see all six of us dead or worse unless we get the hell out of here right now!!"

Fred smiled wistfully. Despite all that had happened he felt strangely at peace, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. His wound throbbed in agony and his vision alternated between a dizzying blur and startling crystal clarity, every detail of his surroundings sharply in focus. Closing his eyes, he thought he could see the flames that raged outside in the city, spreading from building to building. Opening them again he saw the five ladies he was with - their thoughts, feelings and emotions, dancing like a radiant, frantic aura around their naked bodies. Looking at Exotica he realized her aura was entwined with a dark thread that seemed to connect outward to this entire city. He suddenly wanted to reach out and snap that thread with his bare hands when suddenly his wound throbbed and vision blurred again, and he wondered if he was just hallucinating.

"Be quiet, Sara!" Diana was commanding. "I wont broach any disagreement with my authority at a time like this! You'll do as you are told! Now, help me shut and bar the gates - it wont help but at least it will buy us some time."

"The hell I will! Who appointed you our leader anyway? I am getting out of here and damn you all for a pack of fools!" Sara snapped angrily, rising to her feet. "Alone, I can survive better than any of you can together."

"You're not going anywhere," Diana said, taking a menacing step toward the MalBonctonite. "If you try, we'll see how far you can go on broken legs."

"Are you threatening me, Amazon?" Sara hissed. "No one threatens a woman of MalBoncton!"

"Please stop!" Sofia was crying. Fred snapped back into focus for a moment and realized he had to do or say something. Finally he decided to say something, since getting up and moving seemed an intolerable proposition.

1. "Let her go. She may indeed have a greater chance of survival on her own, since she has no part in what is to occur."
2. "You cannot leave, Sara, if you do you are as good as dead and all of us will be placed in even greater danger."
3. "Wait. I see something. Deeper in the temple. There is something that can help us. We have to... aargh... move deeper into the temple..."

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