Part 40 (1/2)

”So where is the guard that did it?” Breanna asked.

Che focused on that, and soon found the traces. The guard was hiding under another flush stone in the floor. They hauled up the stone and tagged him before he could get out. Another enemy down.

They quickly explained their new strategy to Sim: to eliminate the guards, then go after Fornax, expecting to find Justin/Earth in her vicinity. To take control of the situation, rather than reacting to false trails.

But as they made their way back through the dungeons, the enemy surprised them. Supposedly locked and empty cells burst open and five guards charged out, converging. ”It's the blitz!” Breanna cried. ”Watch your tails!”

Che tried to, but three guards were coming at him. He tagged one, and blocked the hand of another, but the third one caught him on the flank. He lost volition. He could still see and hear and think, but could not act; he had been nulled. Beside him, Sim tagged a guard, but fell to a second. Behind him Breanna managed to tag the third guard with her foot. But now the two remaining guards were advancing on her. She might get one, but the other would get her. Then all of them would have been nulled, with no one to rescue Earth.

Breanna realized as much herself. ”I gotta get out of here!” she cried, fleeing. ”Sorry, fellows!”

The guards pursued her. Che could not turn his head to look, but knew she was agile on her feet. Then the torches started getting doused. She was making the dungeon dark, so she would have the advantage. She could see the guards, but they could not see her.

Sure enough, she soon nulled them both. Then she returned to Che and Sim. ”I guess I'm it,” she said. ”Just the luck of the draw I didn't get tagged.” She hugged Sim where he stood. ”Don't get into any trouble, Birdbrain.” Then she hugged Che again. ”Same to you, hoofer. I'll be ba-a-ack.” And she was gone.

”Luck of the draw,” Mars repeated angrily. ”We should have been the ones to survive.”

”I know she'll do her best,” Che replied. ”She has a fighting spirit.”

”Venus is a cunning thing.”

”But she's in love with love.”

Overall, the prospects seemed chancy at best.

CHAPTER 14: DESIRE.

Fornax paced with Jaylin's body. ”Where is that courier guard? It's time for his hourly report.”

Jaylin tried to conceal her private glee, but of course that was impossible. Fornax's mind was right with hers, and knew her thoughts. So she had to speak. ”You know you lost five guards. The rest must have gotten nulled too.”

”Charging three enemies together? That is unlikely.” But the Demoness's desire was strongly tinged by doubt. The Swell Foop had given her one emotion, but she was picking up others from Jaylin. The mortal filter not only softened the prime emotion, it relayed a minor symphony of lesser emotions.

Again Jaylin tried to hide her thought, but could not. ”Breanna of the Black Wave can see in darkness. That gives her an advantage in the dungeon.”

Fornax made a mental picture of two huge black holes colliding and transforming into a single super-quasar that blew out a quarter of the universe in a shower of ferocious implosions. Jaylin wondered what the image would have been had her Fooped emotion been rage instead of desire.

”Then we shall have to act,” Fornax said. She got Jaylin's body up and marched into Justin's cell.

This did not look good.

”Earth, do you not find me interesting?” Fornax demanded as Justin stood before her.

”I hope you have decided to release me,” he said. That would be Demon Earth, rather than mortal Justin.

”I desire to keep you with me. We can do much together.”

”I hope only to go home.”

Fornax opened her robe enough to show a bit of unharnessed breast. ”Perhaps, after this.”

He averted his eyes. ”That is not your body.”

”It will do.” Fornax stepped toward him. ”Look.”

”Unhand that man!”

Both Fornax and Jaylin were startled. They turned. There was Breanna of the Black Wave, or maybe Demoness Venus. She had won through!

”Breanna!” Justin cried gladly.

”Justin-Demon Earth-come with me. We're leaving this castle.” Breanna stepped toward him.

Fornax moved to intercept her. ”No. He remains with me.”

”Don't let her tag you!” Justin cried.

”Be quiet, or I'll freak you,” Fornax snapped, flipping her hem up partway.

”That's right,” Breanna said. ”You can tag me, but I can't tag you, because you're a king.”

”A king?” Fornax asked, perplexed.

”The lead piece in a chess game,” Jaylin explained. She spoke aloud, because in the distraction of blocking off Breanna, Fornax had left the voice connected. ”The pieces can be taken and removed from play, but the king can't. He must be checked-threatened-and warned. Only when he is cornered and unable to escape check does the game end.”

”Then what is Earth?”

”He is the other king. Kings can't tag each other.”

”But I will prevent his escape, and win the game,” Fornax said. ”Then I will be able to use him in the manner I desire.” She flipped the hem again. She was really intrigued. She had some embarra.s.sing ideas about what to do with their mortal bodies, before proceeding with the next stage of her nullification of the universe. Jaylin would have blushed, had she had sufficient control of her body.

”The bleep you will!” Breanna said. ”I'm taking him out of here, and you can go soak your steaming b.u.t.t in a watery nebula.”

”Not if I tag you first.” Fornax lifted Jaylin's hand. It was an uneven contest, because Breanna could not tag back; all she could do was block.

Breanna tried to get around her, but Fornax maneuvered to stay between her and Justin. ”Have it your way, then, canine,” Breanna said, and grabbed Jaylin's hands, preventing a tag. She tried to heave her to the side, but Fornax countered, trying to throw Breanna to the side instead.

They struggled, each shoving the other forth and back. Their bodies came together, hands still locked. They were in a kind of dance, but it wasn't friendly.

Then it changed. Demoness Venus was with Breanna, and she was suffused with love. That love transferred, making Fornax feel it too. She loved Venus.

”Feel that desire!” Venus breathed. She kissed Fornax on Jaylin's mouth.

Fornax kissed back. ”I love you,” she whispered.

Then Breanna pushed her violently away. ”The bleep you do!” She retreated, breathing hard.