| After the ex-black Astra had finished her story...
Several of the members of the audience are just looking at her.
At the very beginning of the story they already knew that whatever was
revealed by the ex-black Astra, it would be sufficiently strange.
Several times Astra found that she had to stop herself from correcting
the other Astra about getting several things wrong about Allaria, Aqualaria,
and such. It was becoming apparent that at least this one believed
it to be the truth AND....perhaps this doppleganger's story was
true?
While a servant (albeit unwilling) of the Dragon of the Northern (by
Aqualarian reckoning) Cavern, she'd heard the weird wyrm speaking about
strange things about other realities that were things were the same but
different. That was one source of dopplegangers besides the more traditional
source like that of the fey. Just as real as you....you....but not
you.....
She'd laughed (privately) at such nonsense.
But......it just seemed to fit, now. But unlike all those bard tales
and folk tales about how upon meeting your double ending in the death of
one or the other (usually through violence and bloodshed brought on upon
murderous rage)....she didn't feel anything negative towards this
double. Point in fact, there was just something so.....likable about her
that Astra just couldn't explain.
Well, at least "her" Fred and she weren't developing anything between
themselves romantically.
The last part brought a twinge of....regret....from Astra. Fred wasn't
bad looking....and was a brave and loyal comrade in arms......
The double finishes her story, then "her" Fred speaks....and what he
says makes Astra do a double take.
"Why in God's name....would I....he.....do that.....thing with
a fox woman?" Fred gags, "A kitsune? Why do such an dishonorable thing
with....."
Fred just shakes his head.......besides himself.
Which gods' name does he call upon? ex-black Astra absently thought
to herself as she paused to burp her little girl infant.
"I fear I can explain the reason why, Lord Frederigo." Count Yorga says
from the side, "The fact of the matter is that if I guess right from what
our guest is saying is that the other Fred mistook Astra, while in her
demifox form while....er...under the influence, as a kitsune?"
"Correct," ex-black Astra nods.
"Well," Yorga says, flushing a little, "Frankly, if the other Fred hadn't
complied and let's say for the sake of argument Astra had been a
low ranking kitsune from this mysterious land of Nippon (or Japan as I've
heard it). Well, the kitsune might have taken it out on Fred. That is,
the refusal could have angered her and.....well.....that Fred would never
be able to bear children again.....in quiet a painful manner! Frankly,
he wouldn't be able to....urinate....afterwards......"
"I'm afraid that the count is correct," Malachi says softly, "The kitsune.....are
somewhat related to the fey folk. The most powerful being the ‘nine tail'
kind, with their social standing and power lessening as the foxtail count
goes down.....but even the one tail are...dangerous. Some are good. Some
are bad, but all can be dangerous to mortals....including mortals like
dragons."
Sigourney and Louise look at each other, then the others. All look a
all that.
There were other things and issues surrounding this subject, but.....the
sisters weren't feeling like exploring this subject much more.....
"Anyway, after the vision I had of from Artemis herself," ex-black Astra
finishes up, pausing to smile down at the infant in her harms....who drools
and smiles back up at her, "I was told several things by Her.
"One is that I would find eventual redemption for myself and my brood
by finding Malachi," she begins, "How, exactly, remains to be seen....but
thank the Gods I've found her. Otherwise, I and my children have
no future, period. Two is that the way through redemption will halt a great
forming evil in the lands of Allaria and Aqualaria....and surrounding lands....and
the way lays in a crimson pyramid. Something must be done else darkness
will fall and countless numbers of innocents shall die. Third....was that......."
Ex-black Astra flushes and smiles, looking down before continuing.
".....that Fred....my Fred was in love with me.....and that I
was destined to love him back," she sighed, "And I fear that it's well
and true. I....still feel him, here."
She taps her heart and looks up into the sky with a far off look, smiling.
"I know that he loves me," she says softly, "Just as much as I see that
you and ‘your' Fred are in love with each other. That is.....if I am correct
in what I seen as you keep peeking at each other....."
"What?!" both Fred and the other Astra gasp, looking shocked.
"Come now," ex-black Astra chuckled, "Surely.....It's obvious, by Atremis'
bow! Frankly, if it got any more obvious I'd be performing marriage rights
right now!"
They look at her, then at each other.
"You....didn't know?" ex-black Astra blinks.
Oops, she gulped, waiting for the ten tone anvil to fall on her
head.
"Uh....we'll...talk later," Fred coughs into his scale covered hand
hand.
"Yes, let us do that," the other Astra says, suddenly smiling.
"Uh, right," ex-black Astra coughs, embarrassed at her social stumble,
"Anyway, the last thing that she said to me before awoke and escaped from
that damn dwarf was....my name was no longer Astra Thessamer. It was Astra
5a.....Thessamer and I, if I was to be redeemed along with my....lovely
children and my lovely Fred.....I'd soon be joining my other sisters.....in
a world some call Mirror 1723."
"Mirror 1723?" Louise echoes blankly, "What kind of name is that? A
world? What other world is there than The Land?"
"Don't you mean Abode?" Malachi asks blankly.
The next few minutes are a babble of questions, finally ended by the
crying of three rather upset infants who'd been slipping off to sleep after
their meal...until the grownups disturbed them.
"Shhh, it's alright," Astra 5a coos to them, "Mommy's here. It's alright."
Though....she had a feeling that for some things weren't "all right"
by a long shot!
She'd be feeling unwell herself about this business of other worlds
(and the sudden creeping suspicion some had that they were in a land farther
than they ever dreamed in being....probably too far to even dream of returning
from!) However....her Goddess had blessed her at giving her a new name
to symbolize a rebirth of sorts. She'd died in her old world. She had no
future in her old world. In going to a new one (this Mirror 1732), the
process would be complete and she would live again.
Yet....something told her that this new life was....going to be a LONG
one. Something......
"Uh, one thing at a time," Malachi whispers, calming down. "One thing
at a time. Flying off in a million directions at once in a panic isn't
serving us well at all."
The others blink and nod, seeing the wisdom in that.
"Well, what should we do first?" Fred finally asks, at a loss.
"First.......I feel we must take care of Fred's condition," Malachi
begins, "While not all dragons are necessarily evil--since I am
not, my fellow travelers–and the transformation itself doesn't necessarily
produce evil dragons....the shock can sometimes be too much for the mind.
It can cause a psychotic break which could eventually lead to a loss with
reality for the victim....finally leading him to believe he or she's always
been a dragon. Human stories being what they have of my kind, their only
example being of evil dragons....."
Malachi just shakes her human forms head sadly.
"During the Dwarf/Dragon war dragonkind was so pressed that the blood
curse was seen as an effective form of revenge as well as a way to continue
our race," she mutters, "But the curse was too powerful to get out of dragon
blood once unleashed....and so it's continued effects on other humanoid
races besides dwarves, alas.
"And while we won the war...and the dwarven race was pushed to nearer
to extinction than they did us, that doesn't help us here and now," Malachi
says, getting back to the subject at hand, "The curse hasn't gotten to
his Core, yet. I must start soon on lifting the curse....or not at all."
All look at each other, and nod.
"Okay," Malachi sighs, shifting into dragon form, "After we take care
of that, I would like to run a few magical tests on myself and everyone
else here. Don't know about you folks....but something....inside me doesn't
feel.....the same as usual. I'll even see if I can do anything about our
mystery women's loss of memory."
The lack of memories in Louise and Sigourney had come up in conversation.
Things like why I can't feel my Hoard! the dragoness adds to
herself, worried.
"Yes, that would be appreciated," Yorga smiled grimly, "I'm sure they
would like to know a few things about their past....as well as I......"
"....why I'm still alive," the former vampire finally sighs.
"I'll explain later," Louise promises, holding off the questions from
the others.
Dependant on the answers will form how to broach the delicate subject
of Yorga having been one of the living dead....before coming here.
Where ever here was.
That was the next order of business, finding that out.
Mayhaps a red pyramid would show the way.
-
 After awhile
(after Fred's curse is lifted), Malachi finishes the last magical examination
(herself), and turns back to human form to give the final verdicts on everything
she's found......
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