Lessons


by
Kimnikki

Ebony awoke and sighed deeply in pleasure, stretching his arms, his legs, and his long naked body as well.  He was sprawled on his bed and after his stretch he folded his arms behind his head.  The bed itself was very large; it had to be to accommodate him when he was in his true form.

At just over ten feet tall he needed not only a large bed, but one that was much stronger than those his human slaves used, or one he would use when in his own human form.  His bedchamber was equally large and was very luxurious by most standards.  It was not as opulent as the one in his palace back home, but it would do.

Normally the room would be impeccably neat and tidy, kept that way by his household slaves.  Ebony disliked filth; he had been a solider for his Father for more years then he cared to count.  He had seen more than his share of battles, mud, and filth and (like soldiers everywhere) that had given him an appreciation of cleanliness when he had the chance.  But at this moment the room looked like one of those battles had begun by the divan, had advanced across the room and then made a determined assault on his bed.

And in a way, that was exactly what had happened, only the battle had been a protracted wrestling match, and the fight had been about pleasure and lust rather than blood and death.  Not that there hadn't been a little blood involved, Ebony thought, giving a satisfied smirk to the three women who lay exhausted in his bed.

Two of them lay curled up on either side of him, having been asleep in his arms, the girl on the left still having her hands bound together.  The third lay face down across the bed at his feet, her head hanging over the side, snoring quietly.

"Well," he said quietly to the sleeping women, "so much for yet another human myth.  Pretty women DO snore."  He chuckled quietly, and rolled over the bound girl to stand by the side of the bed looking down.  All three of them had small bruises, cuts, and bites on various places, and the one hanging over the edge had large purpling bruises circling her throat.

All three also had soft smiles of pleasure on their faces and the bed and sheets showed other evidence of pleasure as well as spots of blood.  Clothes lay scattered everywhere, his and theirs', as well as the final remains of a bottle of champagne.  He reminded himself to find out if any vintners were among his allotment of the slaves that would be taken to Soulworld.

He had been rougher than he intended but they had no reason to complain, Ebony thought.  The males of any race or culture are proud of their sexual prowess and this Prince of Soulworld was no exception.  All three women had had multiple orgasms and had finally passed out from shear exhaustion.  The last had passed out trying to scream in pleasure as her orgasm and his cum filled her, Ebony's massive hand around her throat preventing even the slightest sound from escaping.  He himself had cum five times.  He had needed to use his powers to restore his energy during this short sleep.

The sheer level of passion they had aroused in their audience had led him to believe that he could use them to take the next step with her, but he needed them awake and alert for that.  So he had used those same abilities to restore them, but it would take them another hour or so to wake up.

Even so, they had remarkable strength and endurance; most humans would need a full day of bed rest after such a night, even with a boost from his powers.  He picked the third girl up and placed her between her two companions; she would be no use to him with a strained neck.

These three were perhaps the most skilled of Therre's current crop of pleasure slaves.  Yhey had very nearly outlasted him and they where only humans!  He could have used their collars and left them lost and helpless in the throws of pleasure, but he took pride in the fact he had not needed to.  These women had been trained since birth to give pleasure to their lovers and he had managed to out do them.

"Just as well," he said out loud.  "I do have a reputation to maintain."  He chuckled again, able to relax and let the release of last night fill him now that Father would be well.  "And besides," he continued, "this was supposed to be a reward for them, not simply a night of lust for myself."  His voice was a deep bass, sounding very human but for a small hint of some strange metallic echo in it.  He was pleased that once again he could control his voice.

He had been "sneaking" small amounts of energy to Father during his weakness, but that had had its costs.  Rather than letting his powers weaken, he had sacrificed his voice for a short time.  While he knew his true voice was very intimidating to the Imps, it made working with skittish new slaves very difficult.

"Enough of this foolishness, Prince of the Blood" he said, glancing at himself in the mirrored wall beside the bed, "you have much work to do today."  Then, still naked, he walked over to the young woman kneeling beside the divan.

She looked tired, though not nearly as much as the three on the bed.  She wore a shimmering white J'mira silk robe and nothing else.  The colour made a startling contrast to her deeply tanned skin and the J'mira silk, cooler, silkier, yet stronger than any Earthly silk, clung to every inch of her body.

The robe was spotted with wine and food, as was the entire area around the divan.  The girl had made some attempt to clean the mess while he had been sleeping.  She looked both intrigued and frightened as he approached her.  He could feel both emotions from her and he savoured both, doing nothing to dispel her fear, at least for the moment.

"Well," he said, allowing his voice to become slightly more demonic, "I see you have learned your lesson about running away."  He gave her a smile, and felt her fear increase slightly.

"Y-y-yes my Lord," she replied, "I won't do it again.  I promise."  She looked very frightened now, and Ebony could feel her fear increase dramatically.  Her fingers unconsciously touched her collar as she straightened her robe and tried to fix her hair.  Just after he had first taken her from the slave pens, she had used the opportunity to run.  He had let her get about thirty feet then activated her collar.  She had screamed her head off for thirty seconds before he had released her.

She had tried once again a few weeks later when she thought she had been left unattended.  He had set a ward on the door, and it had set off her collar as she stepped through.  She had lain in the hall for several minutes before her screams summoned Therre, who deactivated the collar.  Ebony was quite impressed when Therre had told him that in spite of the pain, the girl had crawled several yards down the hall before Therre had found her.

Since then, while she had made several mistakes, and had been punished for them, she had not disobeyed an order.  This was the first time since her second escape attempt that he had left her with an opportunity to try again, and she had not taken it.  However, Ebony could feel that her spirit had not been broken.  She simply knew a direct escape would not work, she would have to get rid of the collar first somehow.

She always seemed very polite, but underneath (and despite her fear of the collar's pain) she still plotted and planned how to escape from him.  He knew Blood and Talon would have killed her by now, but he liked the spirit.  He enjoyed slaves, male or female, with fire and strength.  It made his victory all the sweeter.

"You have cleaned most of the spills.  Very good; I like a slave with a little initiative ... though only just a little."  He reached down and ran his long scaled fingers through her hair.  She had silvery hair, very rare in a human this young, that tumbled in shining waves down to her waist.  But unlike the hair of many older humans whose hair lost shine and health as it turned slowly silver, her hair glimmered when in sunlight, and it shone like polished metal in the lamps of the room.  It was her hair that caught his attention the first time he had seen her.

She also had a wonderfully fit body which was (and had been since his long lost youth) the first physical thing that attracted Ebony to a woman.  She appeared to be of the Nordic stock of humans, but she had lived in a desert environment.  This gave her pale skin a very deep tan which set off the light grey-blue of her eyes and made her silver hair stand out all the more.

The eyes themselves were unusual, for they were slightly narrow and angular, like those of oriental women, but not so pronounced.  Her face had high cheekbones, with a slim nose and full red lips.  Her chin was slightly pointed, tapering from her high cheekbones.  When she smiled she had very white even teeth.  She was tall for an Earth female, six full feet, with long athletic arms and legs and a spectacular figure.

While her looks were unusual, strange even, she was a stunning beauty.

Then, when he had reached out and touched her soul, he had been startled at the fire and spirit he had found there.  She would have made an excellent Gift for Father if she had the proper desires, which she did not.  He had decided that very moment to take her for a personal slave.  He had been very surprised to learn that at the time she was only seventeen years old.  She seemed far more mature.  She was very intelligent and had a self-confidence that lacked the arrogance of the young.

He looked down at her and spoke again.  "However, cleaning can be done by someone else.  Leave it for now; I have other things for you this morning.  Did you get any sleep slave?"  He kept his face neutral, but was secretly pleased that she did not flinch away from his hand; she had usually done so before.

"No my Lord, you ordered me to stay and watch.  You said to observe and see what you and the three pleasure slaves did."  The girl licked her lips as she said this, and Ebony repressed the smile that that brought to his own.  Despite her fear of him and the brutality she had suffered, she had been mightily aroused by what she had seen.  He also noticed that she was occasionally peeking at his penis and scrotum.

"Very good ... I did not tell you to sleep, and you didn't.  You may sleep later, I have plans for now."  Yes indeed, he had plans.  He had a long way to go yet, but last night and this morning were her first steps in a very special journey.  He kept running his fingers through her hair as he went to one knee so their faces were closer together.

"And were you surprised by what you saw Silver?  Do not lie little one ... you would not like the consequences."  She gulped, and Ebony could feel her fear spike again, but she answered truthfully.  "Yes my Lord, I... I... I didn't believe them when they told me they were going to... to... sleep... with you because they wanted to... not because they were ordered to.  But they were telling the truth.  And ... I could tell they enjoyed it."  The last was said with a mix of desire and disgust, and she pulled away from his hand at last.

Ebony did smile at that, and wondered idly whether her disgust was for him, Therre's pets, or directed at herself.  While he could have read her mind if he wanted, it would be a silly waste of his powers and time.  Besides, it would be more fun finding out the other way.

"Do not be ashamed of what you feel.  As I told you when I took you from the slave pens:  your life as you've known it is over.  You will have to embrace the new one that I am giving you.  I don't claim that it is fair or just... it is simply a fact.  This life can be very pleasant, Silver, if you have the strength and the courage for it."  He stared down at the young human, thinking of just how great a victory turning this one into his loyal and obedient slave would be.

He had changed her name to "Silver" the moment he saw her and had never once used her real name.  He knew it of course, Ingrid Fergusson, but the sooner she got used to the idea that she belonged to him the better.  But that did not mean that he used Blood's or Talon's methods.  No, it was far better to bend them to your will, not break them.  It might take much longer, but the results were worth the effort.

He had not taken a personal slave from another world in several years.  They were often very troublesome; they had not grown up with the idea of belonging to another, and thus found slavery hard to accept.  But it always gave him a deep sense of satisfaction to have some being eventually serve him willingly, even lovingly, when they had once been horrified or disgusted by him.

It was a special point of pride for Ebony that he was able to do it without breaking them, where as Blood and Talon would destroy the soul within.  To be able to entrap a person's soul and slowly meld it to your will and your ways without ruining the soul was, in Ebony's opinion at least, a true test of his power.  Anyone can smash glass with a hammer; it takes skill to make a stained glass window.  He would have been pleasantly surprised to know that his father agreed with him.

The trick, he had discovered, was not to try to hide the ugly side of life on Soulworld or the darker parts of his own nature.  No matter how hard you worked, some aspect of the darker side of this life would be seen.  The trick was to show that they were far lesser than the benefits of being one of his personal slaves.  It was also better to allow his "adversaries" to come to those conclusions on their own, without forcing them.

Then, when they had reached that stage, when despite their cultural norms and the lives they had led they were now willing to serve, then he could slowly begin to meld their very souls.  With care and patience he could turn many a freedom loving, independent person into a loyal and trustworthy slave.  But because they had given over themselves of their own free will, they still had the spark and fire and intelligence that attracted Ebony.

That mix of subservience and spirit was hard to find == still harder to create -- but was worth the investment.  He had been more than compensated for his efforts over the years.  He felt sure that this one could be such, but he would have to be most careful.  Of all the worlds he had encountered over the years, the humans of the Earth, male or female, gave self-determination and freedom more weight than any others he had ever encountered.  Of course that always made the slaves he created from Earth humans the greatest of prizes.

Unfortunately she had been treated rather badly when she had first been captured during the early months of this attack on Earth.  Her beauty and unusual looks had attracted the Imps as well.  While they had not hurt her too badly physically, the mental scars were deep.  When he had first brought her here, she had been prone to crying fits and bouts of deep depression.  It was a further sign of her inner strength that she usually bounced back from them in a short time.

He knew that part of that was a determination on her part not to show weakness in front of him.  He chuckled to himself, for in trying to show some limited defiance to him, she was actually showing him exactly what he wanted to see.  In those rare times when her fear and depression overwhelmed her, he had made sure Therre or one of the other slaves talked to her and gave her some solace.

She had quickly acquiesced to her new position; her intelligence realising that she was far better off here than back in the pens.  She was still a slave, but her work here was light and so long as she did a good job, she was left mostly alone.  She might have fewer chances to escape, but she was actually safer here than in the pens ... or especially than in the hands of the Imps.

Ebony felt a spurt of anger at the Imps, not for how they had treated her, but for how great a waste such treatment was.  He could care less what the Imps did with weaklings and cowards, and he himself had given over some of his tithe of slaves to the Imp barracks when he had found the cowardly or weak among them.  How the Imps treated such useless creatures did not concern him in the least.

But to purposely take someone with the fire and strength of this girl and to try to break it?  What an idiotic waste.  That would make his task harder, perhaps even impossible.  Some beings never got over rape, no matter how hard they or others tried.  He had found this to be true of almost all intelligent beings, not just humans.  He had also found over the years that male or female made little difference:  rape was rape, no matter who the victim or the aggressor was.

And one of the greatest wastes had been that of her maidenhead.  He would have preferred to take her virginity himself, but that was impossible now.  Hmmm ... now there was a thought.  If he were to have the Imps from that particular raid immolated in front of her, might it not make her see him more as a protector then she currently did?  Certainly an idea to ponder some more.

He had taken her from the slave pens close to a year ago, a month or so after the Imps had captured and raped her.  For that entire time he had simply kept her in his private quarters as a serving maid.  That had often kept her near him, and not only did she get used to his presence and his inhuman appearance, but she was also able to see that his slaves respected and, in some cases, loved him.

With her intelligence and curiosity, she couldn't help but wonder why this was so ... or least he hoped she couldn't.  He had left orders with his other slaves that they were to answer any questions she asked.  She had at first asked only about escape, for which she was correctly punished.  But after several months of being mostly silent, he had been told that she had recently begun to ask why they themselves never tried to escape and what life was like for them.

He had not even placed his own personal collar on her yet; she wore the common collar of a general slave.  He wanted her to be willing when he placed HIS collar on her.  He had rarely touched her and, unless it was to punish her, had given very strict orders that no one was to touch her, even if she seemed willing.  Now, after waiting for all this time, letting her own natural spirit and strength return, and because of her reaction to what she had seen last night, he felt that she was ready for him to begin the process of bringing her slowly to his side.

He would have liked to stay and see what would happen when Therre's pets revived, but for now he had to get ready for his new duties.  He had managed to save Father, and thus save Soulworld, by finding Father's Gift.  This also had salvaged his own precarious position, and once more he stood First among the Bloods.  That meant that he was now in command of the forces that Talon had brought to Earth, and he had to see to the withdrawal.

"Come, Silver," he said to her, taking her arm and pulling her to her feet, "I have much to do, and I wish to bathe before I begin my duties.  Follow me."  Without turning to see if she obeyed, Ebony strode from his bedroom, still naked.  He headed off down the many corridors of his House, eventually turning into his bathing chamber, which also served as his Place of Preparation.  He looked around a marbled chamber that was the size of many pools.

It was no deeper than his ankles at one corner, but gradually got deeper from there so that at the opposite corner it was deep enough that the water was to his chest.  There were several marble benches at various points around the sides.  Some of the benches had towels, small buckets, cloths, brushes, and other bath items.  The air was moist and warm, the water steaming in a few places.  He had never forgotten his trip to Rome, many long years ago, and had always appreciated their love of bathing in grand style.  He heard Silver walk quietly up behind him, where she knelt waiting for orders.

He rang a small gong by the edge of the water and almost immediately several of his slaves stepped into the room, wearing the black and silver of his personal household.  "I wish to bathe, you, you, and you ... wash me."  He pointed to various slaves, one male and two females.  They immediately took up soap and small buckets and headed towards the water.

"The rest of you begin packing my household, including yourselves.  We will be leaving as soon as I can arrange a proper retreat of Talon's troops.  And one of you find Therre; tell her that I wish to see her."  He gave his orders without malice, but also without any warmth.  This would show them how serious he was.  They bowed and began to leave the room, Silver joining the rest.

"No, Silver, not you.  I wish you to stay and wait for Therre's pets to arrive, help them bathe and then serve them as they break their fast.  Once that is done, you may bathe as well and then you are to eat.  Then you may sleep for as long as you wish."  He believed in rewarding good behaviour, and a bath here in his personal chambers, as well as a good meal and long sleep, was a favourite among his slaves.  He could feel the sigh of pleasure that she tired to keep deep within herself at the idea of all that warm water and then a good long sleep.  The next lesson he intended to teach her would begin now, and continue once Therre's pets arrived.

His slaves reached the bench he had chosen loaded down with filled buckets, brushes, towels, and several small bottles.  He lay back on the bench, his arms and legs spread wide.  He closed his eyes and sighed in genuine pleasure as he felt warm water being poured over his scaled skin.  He felt them rinse his body off first, then they poured soap onto him and began to scrub his skin.  The brushes felt very good against his scales, rubbing and scrubbing the nooks and crannies, getting under the edges and actually cleaning the soft skin underneath.

The warmth of the water, the satisfying scratching of the bristles and the feel of their hands soon had him aroused once more.  His penis quickly hardened, and was soon its full length again.  He felt a pair of hands begin to work on that area, and he opened an eye to see the male slave, whose name was Ratarn, washing his penis and scrotum.

He smiled slightly, for he remembered that when he first purchased Ratarn the man had been disgusted by homosexuality and by gay men and women.  Now he was eager to touch Ebony, and Ebony often had Ratarn to his rooms for a night's entertainment.  Not only that, but Ratarn had one of the serving girls living in his quarters and she was known to sleep with both him and his wife.  Ratarn's hands slowly ran up and down Ebony's cock, which had now reached its full length of ten inches.

Ebony carefully looked over to Silver, and he felt great encouragement when he saw her nipples slowly become visible through the silk as they hardened.  Only six months before, the sight of Ebony fully erect had started one of her crying fits.  Now, at least while she thought no one saw her looking, she stared openly at him.  She still was overwhelmed by disgust after a few minutes, her isolated and conservative upbringing telling her that what she was feeling was inappropriate.  But she was staring longer and longer as of late, and would peek more often when she was given the chance.

Except for its large size, it was much like a male human's penis, including foreskin, which had been circumcised, and a patch of dark curling hair at its base.  However, like the rest of his body, his prick was covered in scales, though the scales here where extremely fine.  They were closer packed than the rest of his body, like those on the backs of his knees and the insides of his arms.  They were also a bit softer and more flexible.  He had learned long ago how to please his bedmates, and not just human's either, with the subtly beaded texture of his cock and its long thickness.

Yes, he thought to himself, she was ready to start.  It would still take slow going and gentle treatment, and she still might not come to his side, but now she was ready.  Like an ingot of raw metal being turned into a sword, he first had to find and prepare the ingot, then he could forge it into a fine blade.  He had prepared her; he could now carefully begin to re-forge her soul.  If he moved too hastily, he would break the metal and be left with nothing.

Then he hissed in pleasure as Ratarn found one of the more sensitive spots on his cock, and his eyes snapped back to the handsome human.  "Ah, Ratarn," he said quietly as the man began to fondle his scrotum and slowly stroked him, "I am afraid that we do not have time for that today ... just wash my body."  Ratarn was a good slave and gave no sign of disappointment.  He simply moved further down his body, washing Ebony's legs, saying as he did so, "As you wish Master."  The two girls began to wash his chest and work their way up to his head.

He could see Silver watching from where she knelt and he could see, and feel, the excitement in her.  He knew it would soon be replaced by self-loathing, but at least the initial excitement was there at last.  Soon his body slaves had the results of last night cleaned off.  Ebony sighed again as he slipped into the waist high water at this end of the bath, leaning back against the side to soak while the women washed his hair and Ratarn gave his body a final scrubbing.

They had just finished, the two women rinsing the last of the soap from his hair, when Therre arrived.  She looked a bit dishevelled, which was unusual for her, and she was followed into the room by two of Ebony's personal bodyguards.  Both of them showed signs of hasty dressing and their faces were shinning with sweat.  She moved quickly to his side, straightening her robe and regaining her customary dignity as she reached him.  The bodyguards snapped to attention, giving Ebony a smart salute that was only partly marred by the erections that were poking tents in their robes.

"You sent for me, Master?"  Except for a slight sheen of sweat, she looked as calm and as self-possessed as the day, many years ago, when she had marched into his quarters and announced that she was ready to assume her dead mother's duties.

Ebony looked her still firm body up and down, then glanced behind her to the guards, finally returning their salutes and allowing them to stand at ease.  "Therre, Therre ... for shame ... he's young enough to be your grandson," Ebony was unable to keep the mirth from his voice as he indicated the younger of the two guards.

"Actually, my Lord, he is young enough to be my several times over great-grandson.  That way I can be sure he'll keep up to me, at least for the first hour or so."  She sounded perfectly serious, but her eyes, which only he could see from this angle, held a merry twinkle.  Ebony threw back his head and the room filled with his deep, booming laughter.  There were few beings in all the cosmos that Ebony felt safe and relaxed around, and his handmaiden, his long time friend and lover, Therre, was one of them.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!  Well said!"  He smiled at her, wondering again what might have happened two nights ago with Annette if Therre had not had the courage to stand up to his brothers.  Therre was a lineal descendant of a slave woman taken from Earth more than 1,800 years ago.  The same fire and intelligence and spirit that had attracted him to her ancestor so long ago were still present in this woman.

Proof enough for Ebony that all the effort of carefully crafting a slave was worth the end results.  Therre herself had not actually liked him when she first joined his personal slaves; she had simply followed tradition and taken her mother's place after her death.  It had taken almost three years to re-make her soul.  But that careful crafting had led to what she was today.  More than his Handmaiden, she was his trusted adviser, confidant, and most beloved of all his slaves.

He glanced over at Silver, wondering where she would be, and what she would be like three years from now?  The idea of bedding both her and Therre at the same time sent a surge of lust boiling into his loins.

"I have a task for your pleasure pets, Therre.  One to which they are uniquely suited."  He said this quietly so that his voice would not carry to Silver.  She glanced over at Silver, who knelt quietly ten feet away, a slight blush colouring her cheeks as she quickly turned away from looking at Ebony's crotch.

"Things went well last night, my Lord?"  Therre arched an eyebrow, knowing full well why Ebony had picked Silver as the serving maid for last night's reward to her pets.

"Yes and no.  I had hoped that the sheer amount of sexual energy in the air would have finally overcome her fears and upbringing, but it did not.  She did not join us, or even touch herself.  However, she did watch without disgust, at least until we slept, and she was highly aroused."  They both knew that only a few months ago watching Ebony's rather forceful lovemaking would have left her a crying, cringing wreck.

"I wish to see what she will do if given the opportunity to find out exactly what your pets felt last night.  I have ordered her to help them bathe and serve them breakfast while I see to organising the withdrawal back home."

Therre smiled, giving Silver a long look up and down that made the girl blush even more.  "Of course, Master.  I will order them to report here as soon as they awake.  How far do you wish them to go if she allows it?"  Therre continued to give Silver that same warm look.  Therre had made no effort to hide her love of both males and females from Silver and, while she could not hear what they were saying, the blush deepened to a warm rose as she realised that Therre was staring at her hardened nipples.

Ebony opened his perceptions and could feel the mix of sexual excitement and repugnance that Silver was going through.  Her isolated and conservative upbringing had told her that such desires were morally wrong.  The very fact that she was feeling anything other than loathing, especially after her first sexual encounter at the hands of the Imps, gave Ebony some hope.  He turned away, turning Therre with him so that their faces where hidden from view, breaking contact with Silver.

"I'll defer to their judgement in that.  I do not want her pushed ... if it happens, they are to give her as much love as she is ready for.  But I do not want her seduced against her will.  It will set her back months if she feels she was used."  Ebony thought of Silver and her incredible beauty and decided to drive his point home.

"I mean this, Therre.  Tell them that if they let their lust for this girl carry them too far, and they frighten her off, I'll have the skin off their backs.  I will not have any slaves, even yours, set me back."  He trusted Therre, but her pleasure pets had stated more than once what Silver really needed was a "good old-fashioned fucking" to relax her and show her what good sex could be like.

"I'll help you peel them to the bone if they defy me, Master.  They know better than to disobey me, let alone yourself."  Therre had risen to the highest level it was possible for a slave to reach on Soulworld.  She had more power as the Chief Handmaiden to a Prince of the Blood than most freedmen had.  She owned many slaves of her own and some had learned the hard way that she was a hard mistress to please, especially when she was following his orders.  They had also learned that she was generous in her rewards for excellent work.

In addition, Ebony knew that Therre had plans of her own for Silver.  He trusted her when she had told him that it was to be a surprise for him and he had not pried.  The anniversary of her collaring as his handmaiden was coming up and they both were planning on surprising each other.

He was reassured that her pets would behave themselves, if for no other reason than fear of her wrath, though he knew they would not knowingly do anything to hurt her or him.  He let his voice return to a normal level, so that Silver could hear him.  "Very well, Therre, I will leave this in your capable hands.  They should be awake by now, give them my orders.  And have meals brought here for them and for Silver as well."

Then Ebony suddenly heard Silver gasp in surprise.  A rich, deep, powerful voice echoed throughout the room and inside the minds of everyone present.  I WISH HER TO RETURN HERE WHEN SHE HAS ACOMPLISHED THIS TASK, MY SON.

Ebony quickly spun around to face the entrance of his bath.  As he turned he saw the two guards snap to attention and the three slaves as well as Therre fall to their knees, bowing until their heads touched the floor, Silver following suit.  A powerful presence filled the room as Ebony's Father, the mighty Lord Coil, slowly moved through the arch and into Ebony's bathing chamber.  His massive green and black snake body slid slowly across the floor, his scales shinning with health, his eyes glowing slightly.

"Of course, Father," Ebony replied after giving him a deep bow.  "It's good to see you this morning."  Ebony meant every word.  Unlike his brothers, Ebony truly loved his Father and it had been very nerve wracking and frightening to watch Father slowly get weaker and weaker as Talon and Blood failed again and again to find Father a gift.  Now, thanks to the courage and sacrifice of Annette, he was restored to his full might.  The sheer presence of Lord Coil, the aura that surrounded him when at his peak, could fill even the sturdiest of souls with awe.

GOOD MORNING, MY SON.  I AM PLEASED TO SEE YOU AS WELL.  I HAVE AWAKEND FROM MY SLEEP AND I WISHED TO CONGRATULATE AND THANK YOU.  I BID YOU GREETINGS AS WELL, THERRE.  I AM TOLD THAT YOU DESERVE THANKS AS WELL FOR THE WONDEROUS GIFT I WAS GIVEN.  While most people would be unable to read his Father's reptilian face for emotion, Ebony and Therre could see the pleasure in Lord Coil's eyes.

Therre gave Lord Coil a deep bow and her smile was very warm and beautiful.  "I did very little, Great Lord.  I simply helped your Gift to find her courage.  I am so pleased to see you restored once again."  There was no doubting the sincerity of her words or the love in her voice.

HELPING MY GIFT TO FIND THE COURAGE TO GIVE HER VERY EXISTANCE TO ME IS NO LITTLE THING, THERRE.  THAT MUST BE REWARDED WHEN I HAVE THE TIME.  BUT THAT MUST WAIT FOR NOW.  FOLLOW WHATEVER ORDERS MY SON HAS GIVEN YOU AND RETURN QUICKLY.  I WISH YOU TO ACOMPANY US.  Lord Coil had moved up to Therre, and his tongue flickered out to gently caress her cheek.

"Of course, Master, as you command."  Therre got to her feet at once, bowed to both Ebony and Lord Coil and then quickly strode from the room.

Ebony hopped out of the bath and gestured for his slaves to dry him off.  They all had to shake off the aura that Lord Coil was projecting before they moved.  "Ratarn," he ordered, "get my fatigues and my armour.  I will be inspecting Talon's front lines today, and I've no wish for some Earth sniper to poke a hole in me."  Ratarn bowed to them both and turned to leave.

HOLD! Ebony's Father barked.  Ratarn froze instantly, a worried look on his face.  YOU ARE TO GET MY SON'S CEREMONIAL CLOTHES SLAVE.  YOU ARE ALSO TO GO TO MY ROOMS AND TELL BELLERIA THAT I HAVE SENT YOU.  SHE WILL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO BRING TO US.  MEET US AT THE SPLITWAY WITHIN THE HOUR.  Belleria was Father's handmaiden; one of several, she was fairly new to the position but had served Father for twenty years.

"Yes, Great Lord," Ratarn said with a bow, then jogged out the door.

"Father?"  Ebony was more than a little confused.  What could Father want him for that would require full ceremonial robes?

I WISH YOU TO COME BACK HOME WITH ME, EBONY.  I WANT YOU TO PERFORM THE LINK FOR THE TRANSFERRAL.  THINGS ARE WORSE AT HOME THAN I HAVE TOLD EITHER YOU OR YOUR BROTHERS AND WE MUST MOVE SOON.  Father was now looking away from Ebony towards Silver, who was kneeling at the same spot, staring openly at Lord Coil.  YOU MAY RETURN TO OVERSEE THE WITHDRAWAL AFTER WE HAVE TRANSFERRED MY GIFT'S SOUL TO OUR WORLD.

"Of course, Father, as you wish.  But may I ask why you wish ME to perform The Link?  Surely one of your priests or priestesses should do that."  Ebony didn't understand at all.  Father had over a dozen priestesses and priests waiting at The Temple of the Soul.  Why would he want Ebony to do The Link?

I HAVE MY REASONS TO WISH YOU THERE, MY SON.  I HAVE JUST BEEN TOLD WHO WILL BE THE VESSAL.  Ebony was now more confused than before.  Father had linked the soul energy of dozens of Gifts to just as many Vessels and had never once shown the slightest regret.  He took great pleasure in the ceremony.  There was more to this then met the eye ... much more.  But Ebony had learned long ago not to ask Father for more information when he was being cryptic.  If Lord Coil wanted him to know, he would be told.

Lord Coil moved slowly towards Silver, his tongue flickering at the air, tasting her scent.  Ebony felt a bit of trepidation as Father got closer and closer to her.  Silver had seen Father several times, but she had never been close to him before.  If she panicked or bolted Father might well destroy her for such disrespect.  Even after more than two millennia Ebony still found his Father hard to predict at times.  And how he reacted to slaves who disrespected him was one of those.

STAND SLAVE... I WISH TO SEE YOU.  Silver got to her feet, slowly but without hesitation, her eyes glued to Father's.  He felt Lord Coil release a mere fraction of his power as he touched her mind and soul.  She trembled from head to foot, but made no signs of running.  Ebony reached out to her as well, but found that Father had blocked him out.  Lord Coil's tail moved around and, with amazing deftness for so large a creature, he used it to slide Silver's robe off her body.

Her body was as beauteous as the robe hinted.  She had long graceful curves, her height balanced by firm breasts, a slim waist, flared hips and long legs.  A life of exercise and hard living had given her a strong athletic body, with finely defined muscles that were not bulky and took nothing away from her femininity.  The small thicket of silvery hair between her legs accentuated her sex rather than hid it.  Her deep tan extended to her entire body, without any lines.

She was not perfect; there were a few tiny scars and marks such as anyone would get growing up in wild locations.  And then, of course, there were the marks left behind by the Imps.  Ebony's own punishments had left no permanent marks, but those that were there only served to highlight the beauty of the rest of her body.  And given time these imperfections would fade.

On the whole she was stunningly beautiful.  And from long experience Ebony knew that her beauty would only increase as she matured and the strength of her character emerged.

SO THIS IS THE BEAUTEOUS SILVER... WHO HAS CAPTURED MY SONS EYE.  Lord Coil reared up above Silver, his head a full three feet above her own.  Their eyes remained locked for several minutes and as Silver shook and trembled Ebony wondered whether the investment of a year was about to be eaten.

Then Silver's lips began to move.  She did not actually speak out loud, as she and Father were speaking mind to mind, but she was unconsciously moving her mouth.  This tableau held for quite some time, Lord Coil and Silver silently communicating, then suddenly Father's head lowered and his tongue flickered out to caress Silver's cheeks.  Her eyes were wide, but not in fear, more like in total awe and surprise.  Then Lord Coil's tongue flickered across Silver's lips in a gentle kiss.  MY BLESSINGS ON YOU, SILVER.  The other two slaves, who had finished drying Ebony, sighed quietly in envy.

MY COMPLIMENTS, EBONY; A MOST ... FASCINATING ... CHOICE MY SON.  Father's voice was filled with amusement and, as he turned to look at his son, Ebony heard that Father was chuckling quietly to himself.  'Now what does he know that I don't?' Ebony asked himself.

He looked at Silver who was still staring at Father even as she pulled on her robe, the fingers of one hand pressed to her lips where Father's tongue had kissed her.  Ebony once more reached out to Silver's soul and he found a confused babel of emotions running riot within her.  He was unable to decipher exactly what she was feeling and he doubted that she could either.  But one thing he was sure of was that she was not terrified.  In fact fear was one of the smaller components of what she was going through.  What in the name of the Eternal Flame had he said to her?

Then the scene was interrupted as Ratarn came jogging around the corner and through the door.  He skidded to a halt, his slippers nearly sliding out from underneath him as he tried to balance the load he was carrying.  He bowed to both Lords even as he spoke.  "Here are your robes, Master," he said bowing to Ebony and setting them down on a dry bench.  Then he bowed to Lord Coil.  "With your permission, Master, I will now get the package you asked for."  He was breathing heavily, obviously having run the entire way.

GO SLAVE; MEET US AT THE SPLITWAY.  DO NOT BE LATE.  Father did not add a threat of what would happen to Ratarn if he were late; he did not need to.

Ratarn didn't say a word; he simply bowed and then all but sprinted out the door.  Ebony knew that Ratarn would be on time at the Splitway if he had to grow wings to do so.

YOU, Father said to one of the other two women in the room, GO TO THE SPLITWAY AND TELL THEM TO PREPARE TO OPEN A SPLIT TO MY TEMPLE.

AND YOU, he said to the other, GO TELL EBONY'S OTHER SLAVES THAT HE WILL NOT BE RETURNING UNTIL TONIGHT.  Both women bowed to Father then left to follow their orders.

Father looked over at Silver.  SLAVE; HELP MY SON TO DON HIS CEREMONIAL ROBES.  Silver was still staring at Lord Coil, her face a confused welter of various emotions.  She seemed frozen, and Lord Coil raised his voice slightly, causing it to echo loudly around the room, and probably thunder in Silver's head.  I DO NOT ENJOY HAVING TO ASK TWICE, SLAVE!  MOVE!  NOW!

Silver jumped slightly, though she still did not seem afraid of Father.  Still looking somewhat bemused, she moved quickly, opening the black cloth covering and removing the robes and items underneath.  At first she looked a bit concerned, she was four feet shorter then Ebony.  Then she suddenly smiled and stood on the bench behind him, which gave her just enough height to reach up and slip his arms into the holes and then drape it over his shoulders.

EXCELLENT, SILVER, Father complimented her.  She bowed her head, but kept helping Ebony dress.

The robe was in black and silver, not that much different from the ones his personal slaves wore.  It was made of J'mira silk and was cool and made to fit loosely.  The sleeves billowed when he moved and he reached out to Silver for the two crystal bracelets that she was trying to puzzle out.

They had been shaped by Ebony's own will from rare elements, and as he slipped them over his wrists they shrank down until they closed over the arms of the robe.  This left the robe loose and flowing but ensured that the sleeves would not ride down and interfere with his hands.  The bracelets had been one of the first things he had made when he came into his powers, long long ago.

There was a belt made of links of onyx and pure silver that had been made by Ebony's long dead mother that Silver buckled around his waist.  The buckle was made of the same metal as the necklace that Ebony bent down for Silver to place over his head.  The necklace was made of links of the pure metal, and had a large medallion which was hollow and contained water from the Temple springs back home; water which Lord Coil had blessed when it was sealed into the medallion long ago.

The metal, called K'trish, existed only on Soulworld.  K'trish did not translate correctly to any human tongue, but roughly the word meant "The Fire's Children".  The metal was soft and could be hammered by hand into almost any shape.  But while it was soft and malleable, it could not be melted or burned or cracked, no matter how much heat or energy was applied to it.  It was formed in the heart of the volcanoes that gave it its name.

The final item was a black cloak and cowl of wool finer than any Earthly animal grew which was draped over his shoulders and closed with a fine chain made of silver links.

Ebony sighed slightly in anticipation as he adjusted the various pieces of his robes to get them in proper position.  He had not worn these robes in many months, and he enjoyed the old comfortable feeling of wearing them, despite the mystery of why Father wanted him to perform the Link.  He enjoyed his duties at the temple, and it had been too long since he had a chance to do so.  He felt both relaxed and keyed up at the same time.

Silver was staring at him and Father; that confused look back on her face.  She was obviously thinking deep thoughts and Ebony wondered again what she and Father talked about.

He might have actually been tempted to link with her and read her mind, but at that moment Therre and her three pleasure slaves entered the bath, all bowing deeply to both Lord Coil and Ebony.  "I have returned, my Lords," Therre announced, "the meals for these and Silver will arrive shortly."

"Greetings my Prince, and to you Great Lord," the three girls intoned in a chorus.  All three had on loose robes and nothing else and were moving somewhat gingerly.  The tallest of the three had a slight rasp in her voice; understandable enough considering the purple bruises surrounding her neck.

They smiled brightly at Ebony and gave him the slightest of nods to indicate that they understood their orders.

LET US GO THEN, MY SON.  THERRE, ACCOMPANY US... YOU NEED TO BE THERE FOR THE TRANSFERRAL.  Without further words, Lord Coil turned and slid towards the door.

"You have your orders, Silver, follow them.  I will return tonight.  Please have a large meal ready for me... I will need it."  Ebony ran his fingers through her hair once more as she bowed to him.

"Yes, Master, I will have it ready for you."  She looked up at him, a puzzling look that he had never seen before on her face.  It was not one of lust or fear or loathing... she looked as if she were seeing something she had never seen before.

Ebony did not have further time to figure it out... Father was already out the door.  "Very well then," he said, heading towards the door followed by Therre.  As he walked through the arch, several other slaves arrived carrying the meal that Silver was to serve to Therre's pets as well as one for herself.  The last thing he heard before Therre closed the doors behind them was her three pets bidding Silver a good morning and asking her how she was feeling after such a long night.

Father was silent as they moved through Ebony's House and into Talon's.  House was actually just a formal term for the private rooms of any of the Princes.  It was simply a section of the fortress that was considered private.  Because he had been the commander for the attack on Earth, Talon had chosen the layout and thus the Splitway was in his House.

As they turned the last corner and entered the chamber where Talon had the Splitway portal set up, Ebony looked quickly around the room and saw Ratarn standing at the foot of the Splitway itself.  He sighed in relief, for he half suspected that Talon or Blood might have found out about Ratarn's task and delayed him just long enough for him not to be here.

As they entered the room, the dozens of guards and soldiers that lined the room snapped to attention, and the lone female Niranni kneeled and bowed, her head touching the floor.  These were not Talon's, but Ebony's personal troops.  Ebony's first order after Father had consumed Annette and Ebony had been made First was to get his own troops in place at important locations.  And they didn't get any more important than the dozen or so Splitways that had been set up on the Earth.

In his arms, cradled as if it were one of his children, Ratarn held a rectangular box about four feet long made of inlaid woods.

VERY GOOD, SLAVE.  SINCE YOU ARE ALREADY HERE, YOU MAY BE THE BEARER OF MY JAKKAR FOR THE DAY. FOLLOW US THROUGH THE SPLITWAY.  WHEN WE ARRIVE AT THE TEMPLE, YOU ARE TO FOLLOW EBONY'S ORDERS.  DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

Ratarn's eyes were wide with surprise, but he answered immediately.  "Yes, Great Lord... and I thank you for this honour."  He held the box a bit more firmly and bowed so deeply to Lord Coil that he looked in danger of toppling over.  Father was asking Ratarn if he understood more than just the mere words, and it was obvious that he did.  As far as Ebony knew, Ratarn had never attended a ceremony at Father's Temple, let alone been given an honoured place in it.

Ebony was surprised that Father had brought his Jakkar to Earth.  It gave Ebony a hint of how desperate Father had been.  He had brought it in case the Gift was not found in time and he was forced to pass his duty to Talon.  Ebony thanked the Eternal that he had found a Gift for Father.  As soon as he was back home full time he would raise a memorial to Annette... his entire world owed that brave women their lives.

Lord Coil turned to Ebony and nodded.  Ebony in turn looked at the Niranni who was the controller of this Splitway and ordered her to open it.  She stood no more than 4'11", but she bowed with fluid grace and walked to her place in front of the portal with the regal air of a queen.

The Splitway was so named because it literally split time and space between where it was and where its destination lay.  It was not science, at least not as the peoples of most worlds understood the word.  It was Father who had discovered the proper incantations long ago, and he was also the one who crafted the first two Splitway portals themselves.

A Splitway could be created in two ways:  by the will and power of one who knew how (though there were only eight people on all of Soulworld who had both the power and knowledge to do so) or by a carefully controlled ring of force such as this one.  The advantage of this way was that neither he nor Father had to waste their own energy to open and hold the Splitway.  The disadvantage was that it could be captured.  And given enough time and will, those who captured it might be able to figure out how it worked.

In addition, a Splitway portal could only open a split to another portal; not so of the Splitway created by a living mind.  You could open those to any place in all of creation.  Well, almost any place... someone who knew how to make a Splitway could also block one from opening.

The Niranni stood in front of the portal, spreading her arms wide to shape the energy she began to release as she took a deep breath and sang.  The sounds that poured forth were startling and beautiful.  Her voice vibrated like a purring cat, but had a power that could be felt in the bones of everyone present, even Lord Coil.

Her voice, like that of all the Niranni, sounded like an angel brought down to earth, her multiple octave voice ringing out and around the room.  Despite her tiny size it seemed to fill the huge space of the Splitway room and thrum through the bodies of all present.

It also vibrated the living crystals of the portal at precisely the correct rates to release their stored potentials.  The energy flashed out, a coruscating curtain of fire in every hue of green and gold imaginable, seeking the source of the sound and pouring into the mind of the Niranni.  She in turn used her living mind and her will to shape that energy and then return it to other parts of the portal.  Soon the green flames rolling around her body were also circling around the portal in a curtain of brilliant green flame.

If she tried to support this much energy on her own, she would burn herself to a crisp long before the Splitway ever opened.  But with her level of skill, and the power of her voice, she could easily wield the power needed that was imbedded in the portal itself.

Humans, in fact any sentient being that could produce sound without mechanical aid, could produce and control what the people of Earth would call magic.  The vast majority would not be able to do much with it, but they could do it.

But the Niranni, with their ability to speak and sing in multiple pitches at the same time, were artists and the most powerful crafters in the empire.  The only better were the Lords of Soulworld, who had literally been born to use the power.  The Niranni had to be taught.

This was a large portal; it had been built into the back wall of a hanger on this former airbase.  It was big enough to allow large armoured vehicles as well as their supporting equipment to pass through.  It was a "portal" in name only.  It was actually a large rectangle, thirty feet high and seventy feet wide.  It took several minutes for the Niranni to balance the forces.  Then suddenly the fire that filled the Splitway suddenly retracted to from a blazing green and gold border.  The space left was considerably smaller than the gate, a semicircle about twenty feet across.  It defined the limits of the portal on the other side.

Through that border the night sky and land of Soulworld could be seen.  The portal on the other side of the Splitway was the one at Father's temple just outside his palace.

"The way is open, my Lord and Master," the Niranni sang in one voice, while she used others to hold and balance the power of the Splitway.

Father moved at once to the portal and slid through.  Ebony followed but, out of respect, allowed his Father to get all the way through before he himself stepped through.  The Niranni female, N'tallia, was his most skilled Splitway Master and there was no sense of transition as he stepped through the split.  He simply stepped from the soil of the Earth on onto the soil of Soulworld, crossing into another dimension and travelling billions of light years of relative space in a single step.

Therre stepped through next and Ratarn, carrying Father's Jakkar, followed her.

And at once Ebony felt just how far things had sunk hear.  The temperature, which was normally pleasant this time of year, was quite chilly.  The air felt dry and smelled stale and dirty... much like the air around Earth's larger cities. They were far from any city, and the air never got this bad even there.

He looked up into the night sky, seeing that all three moons where easily visible.  This was not a good thing however... by this time of night the sky should be filled with the lights and streamers of the Vessels.  But they were no where to be seen.

And there was the oppressive, frightened air that indicated that the Shield Father supported through the Vessels and the Gifts was beginning to fail.  The Dragon, his black evil heart determined to corrupt them all, was beginning to leech his horrid evil mind into the very fabric of the world.

Ebony immediately felt a strange anger build in his heart.  For no reason whatsoever he wanted to whip around and take Therre and Ratarn, and every single slave he owned and rip them limb from limb in shrieking agony and to revel in...

"NOOOOOOOOO!" he cried out, forcing the image and the burning hate out of his mind.

Lord Coil whipped around to stare at Ebony.  Ebony took several deep breaths before he trusted himself enough to answer the unspoken question in his Father's eyes.

"I'm sorry Father... I've never felt the Dragon's presence so strongly before.  Lord of the Flame I can almost see his hand touching my mind."  Ebony shuddered, struggling for an emotional control he was not at all used to losing.  It took him several minutes, and he had to create a shield around his mind far more powerful than he would normally need to, but he eventually gained control of himself.

Lord Coil watched his son as he fought for control, making sure that he indeed had control of himself.  When he was satisfied that Ebony was winning the fight he finally spoke.

NO NEED TO APOLOGISE, MY SON.  WE ALL FEEL IT, BUT YOU AND I AND THE OTHERS OF THE BLOOD ARE VERY VUNERABLE TO IT.  WE ARE, AFTER ALL, THE CHILDREN OF THE DRAGON'S CREATIONS.  BUT I THINK YOU CAN SEE NOW WHY I WANTED YOU TO PERFORM THE LINK FOR ME.  Ebony could feel that Lord Coil was himself struggling with the effects of the Dragon's diseased mind.

Ebony looked over to where Therre and Ratarn stood frozen, shaking with pent up emotions.  If they were effected, and they were merely his lovers, how much stronger would the effect be on Father's priesthood, who all had shared blood with Father?

"Yes Father... I see now.  Please, let us proceed, before the whole world erupts in evil."  Ebony gestured for his Father to proceed him thought the archway that led into the temple.

THERE IS ONE MORE REASON THAT I WISHED YOU TO PERFORM THE LINK, MY SON... IT IS ALSO THE REASON THAT I WISHED THERRE TO BE HERE.  Again Father sounded faintly regretful, and Ebony decided he had to risk asking this time.

"Father... who has given themselves as the Vessel?  What disturbs you so?"

I AM NOT DISTURBED, MY SON.  I WOULD TAKE YOUR SILVER AS MY VESSEL IF SHE VOLUNTEERED HERSELF.  I FEEL NO REGRET FOR WHAT I MUST DO, AND IN FACT FEEL THAT MY VESSELS ARE GIVEN A GREAT GIFT.  Father turned to look Ebony in the eye.

NO, I DO NOT REGRET THE THINGS I MUST DO.  I REVEL IN MY POWER AND I GIVE FAIR PRICE FOR WHAT I TAKE.  IF SOMEONE GIVES THEIR SELVES TO ME, I TAKE THEM.  AND I FEEL NO SHAME FOR THE COWARDLY WHO DIE AT MY HANDS.

BUT THAT DOES NOT MAKE ME EVIL, MY SON.  I DO WHAT I MUST TO SAVE OUR WORLD AND TO CARRY OUT THE DUTY GIVEN TO ME BY THE LORD OF THE ETERNAL FLAME.  I AM NOT "GOOD" BY ANY DEFFINITION, BUT NEITHER AM I "EVIL" OR UNNECESSARILY CRUEL.  Then Father turned to look at Therre and Ebony felt his heart turn to ice.  'Eternal no... please...  Not my handmaiden!' Ebony thought to himself.

AND I FOLLOW THE OLD WAYS.  I AM A BEING OF HONOUR.  I REPAY DEEDS AND SERVICE WITH REWARDS.  BUT THIS TIME I MUST FIRST PROTECT OUR WORLD BEFORE REWARDING SOMEONE WHO HAS MADE THAT PROTECTION POSSILBE ONCE AGAIN.  WORSE, I MUST CAUSE GREAT PAIN BEFORE I REWARD.

He loved Father, and if he wanted Therre as the Vessel Ebony would give her to him, but he did not wish it.  She was more than just a servant and slave... she was his lover.  He did not want to lose her.

I WANT YOUR HAND ON MY JAKKAR SO THAT THE VESSEL IS LINKED WITH LOVE AND COMPASSION... NOT HATE AND ANGER.  AND ANOTHER WILL NEED YOU WHEN THE VESSEL HAS RISEN TO JOIN HER FELLOWS.

Then they stepped though the arch into the inner circle of Father's Temple.  As Ebony saw the Altar, and the woman who sat calmly awaiting her fate, he realised why Lord Coil wanted both him AND Therre here.

She was naked, as the ceremony required.  Her wrists and ankles were loosely bound, not to keep her from running or moving, but as part of the ceremony itself.  She was calm and dignified, showing no fear and in fact looking somewhat excited.  Despite this, there was a deep sadness in her eyes, a sadness that touched even Ebony's often cold heart.

She was no more than thirty, with much life ahead of her.  But there was no doubt that this was her choice when she calmly, though with obvious effort, stood and bowed deeply to both him and Lord Coil, a smile crossing her face.

They were separated by several generations, but it was the smile that marked Sherria as a descendant of the three children that Therre had given birth to before she became Ebony's handmaiden.  She was also the last living member of Therre's bloodline, the last one in a family line that was 2000 years old.  While she was actually Therre's several times over great-granddaughter, Therre thought of her as a granddaughter.  And now she was going to die.

Therre stepped through the archway behind him and he heard her gasp.  "Lord of the Eternal Flame... no... please... not you... not you..."

"Hello, Grandmother," Sherria said quietly, holding her arms out to Therre for one last embrace.

As Therre took her loved one into her arms Ebony realised that Silver was not the only one who would be learning a surprise lesson today.


To Be Continued