The Fantasy Trove

“For the record, I still say this is a bad idea,” Shelly’s brother complained.

“You’ve said that already,” she reminded him. Shelly didn’t add that she wasn’t enthusiastic about the plan either. “I’m sure Marchosias isn’t as bad as he once was.”

They were winging their way over Water’s domain. The rain pelted them but didn’t affect the huge birds. The same couldn’t be said about their miserable riders. Nothing could be seen in all directions but blue water and gray sky. They had to yell to be heard while riding the two rocs, but the wind and rain wasn’t bad enough to make hearing too difficult.

“You don’t believe that anymore than I do,” Gloria yelled. She was holding onto Eldon, while Jessica sat behind Shelly. “Demons don’t change. At least, not very often. I ought to know.”

She didn’t qualify that statement, and Shelly chose not to press it. They all had their secrets.

“I don’t trust her,” Jessica muttered in her ear. “But I agree with Eldon about this plan. Isn’t there a better escape route than going through the human world?”

“That’s the closest portal,” Shelly said. “Unless you know of another one that’ll be closer to Varun’s castle?” No response came. “Or some better way to escape Varun once we have Aunt Brooke?”

“What about the birds?” she pressed. “Why can’t they take us out?”

“We’ll need to be out of Varun’s domain as soon as possible. The rocs are fast, but not fast enough to escape the Pillar of Water in his demesne or his wrath.”

“What about the demon?” Jessica pressed. “Can he really be trusted?”

“Can any demon?” Shelly shot back.

That shut the other woman up. The plan wasn’t perfect, no plan ever was, but it was the best one they had. Actually, it was the only one they had after hours of arguing about the best course of action.

Marchosias’s island came into view a few minutes later. It wasn’t large as far as islands went, maybe a couple kilometers across at its widest point, narrowing slightly in an ovoid shape. Trees grew thick on its surface. The center rose up in a gentle hill. Shelly knew that Marchosias’s cave and home was under that hill. Or maybe she should think of it as his lair.

It was also where the Cyclopes worked.

Their rides landed on the beach. The four companions were soaked to the bone from the incessant rain falling all around them. She ordered her roc to head for home and dry off, wishing she could go with the majestic bird. If it was possible, they became wetter as both birds flapped their wings, sending water off in all directions before they took to the air.

“Hey Shelly! Hey Sheldon!”

Shelly tried to hide her grimace as she turned to the new voice. It wasn’t that she didn’t like her brother/sister. Not exactly. She never felt comfortable around this sibling. She never knew whether to think of him/her as Brock or Bridget. It didn’t help that Brooke’s child could change gender at will. At least he/she was confined to the water, never able to leave for more than a few seconds.

“Hey, Brock!” Eldon waived. She knew he was just as uncomfortable with this sibling, but he played it off better. “I thought we were meeting up with you after we talked to Marchosias.”

“Areth said you’d be here,” Brock said. At least he was staying one gender. “Are we really going to go save my mom? I couldn’t do anything when they came to get her, but with your help I’m going to make them pay!”

“Areth?” Eldon groaned. “She’s here?” He glanced around as if expecting an attack at any moment.

“Someone has to keep an eye on you four,” the pixie tittered. She flew down from the tree line and joined them. “I remember what happened the last time Jessica and Eldon got together. Are you two going to do any more perverted stuff?” She didn’t even try to hide her excitement at the idea.

“Not likely,” Jessica said in a cold tone at the same time Eldon said, “I doubt it.”

The tension between those two grew by the moment. For her part, Shelly didn’t know how she felt about Jessica and her brother getting back together. When they’d fooled around at the fairy spring, she didn’t have any intention of doing more. Afterwards, as they’d talked on the way home, she found she got along with the other woman.

“Was it really a good idea to send you with us?” Shelly asked. She’d heard stories about Areth and the demon Marchosias. Bringing her along didn’t seem like the best idea.

Areth tittered as she fluttered about in the rain. Despite her only being four inches tall, the rain didn’t bother the fairy at all. It had to help that her element was water. “That’s the best part! Lyden doesn’t know. You won’t tell him, will you?” Areth flew to within a couple inches of Shelly’s face. She had to go cross-eyed to look at the winged woman. “Please!”

“Go home, Areth,” Shelly said in an even tone. It wouldn’t do to insult or upset her, but she was more likely to cause problems than to be of any help.

“Uh-uh,” Areth stated, placing her hands on her hips. “I’m a responsible adult. Besides, it might be fun!”

Shelly was about to argue further, but Brock interrupted. “Stop fighting you two. My mom is down there and we need to go get her. What does it matter if Areth comes along?”

Because having a fairy on your side can be as dangerous as having a dragon with a toothache watching your back. You never know what they’ll do next, she thought, but chose not to say. By the look in Eldon’s eyes, he wanted to say much the same, but for once he kept his mouth shut.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Shelly said after a couple seconds of tense silence.

Everyone nodded with her statement, and they headed towards Marchosias’s cave entrance. Dad told her where to find the shortcut into his cave, but when they arrived—without Brock, thankfully—it was nowhere to be seen. What they did find was a sign, pointing them to the main entrance.

“I guess he wants us to do things the hard way,” Eldon grimaced as he spoke.

“Um, are you sure we can’t just blast our way through?” Areth asked. She sounded uncharacteristically nervous. Shelly had never seen her aunt act anything other than curious and jubilant. To see her act this way made her nervous.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, trying to keep her voice level.

“Wrong?” Areth squeaked. “Nothing’s wrong. Why should anything be wrong? Brooke is in trouble. That’s it! I mean, that’s all. We should take the fastest way in so we can go save Brooke.”

“I’m sure Marchosias wouldn’t appreciate us breaking through his walls to get to him,” Gloria said, giving the fairy a doubtful look. “Besides, how helpful do you think he’ll be if we anger him?”

“But there are Cyclopes the other way!” Areth whined. “It’s not that I’m scared, or anything, but there is only one man here, and I’d hate to see any of you delicate women disturbed by those horrendous creatures.”

“That’s mighty altruistic of you,” Gloria said with a twitch of her lips. She wasn’t buying this act any more than Shelly was. “I’ll have to tell you some time about when I tried to seduce one of those horrendous beasts during the Trojan War.”

“You did?” Areth asked, shuddering and giggling with girlish delight at the same time. Areth landed on the succubus’s shoulder.

“Not my favorite day, I’ll tell you!” Gloria laughed as she started walking back to the beach. “He didn’t have much tact and smelled worse than an ogre’s armpit. What’s worse, with only the one eye, he had no depth perception. He’d go to grab my breast and either miss, or it felt like he was shoving them into my spine. You don’t even want to know about the fiasco when he tried to enter me. It’s a good thing succubae are resilient. As it was, I didn’t walk straight for a week!”

Shelly noticed Jessica glaring as Gloria spoke, and wondered again what her deal with the succubae was. It was obvious she detested them, but refused to say why. She hoped it wouldn’t become an issue on this mission. They needed to work together to rescue Brooke.

They entered the cave as Gloria continued to regale Areth with her sordid past. Shelly glanced at her brother, wondering if hearing this from his latest lover would bother him, but he was being a typical male, more interested in the sex than the fact that it was his lover’s past. Some of Gloria’s stories couldn’t be true. She even claimed to have seduced the Pillar of Darkness! Just how old was she?

They heard the hammers and raucous sounds of the Cyclopes at work after they’d walked a decent length into the cave. A hush fell on them, no one daring to speak. Shelly wondered how the Cyclopes would hear anything over their own cacophony, but her father warned them not to make a peep if they had to enter this way.

She glanced nervously over at Areth, but the tiny woman had somehow fallen asleep on Gloria’s shoulder. Gloria saw her looking and winked while placing a finger over her lips. Shelly laughed silently as they continued walking.

The next thing she noticed was the heat. The temperature was starting to rise into an uncomfortable level. She soon saw why. An opening in the side of the cavern revealed the tall, ugly, one-eyed monstrosities as they worked. Hammers lifted in thick hairy arms, only to come crashing down on white hot metal. The Cyclopes weren’t even using gloves to handle the hot metal, often using their meaty fingers to shape their creations.

Shelly didn’t realize she’d stopped to watch until Jessica tugged her arm to get her moving again. It was almost hypnotic, the way they worked, heating the metal, then pulling it out and either banging on it, or using their hands to shape it, and then shoving it back into the fires to heat it to a searing white color. Most of these items would never leave this cave. Only the Cyclopes would use them, but those that did make it away would sell for a high price. There was a healthy black market for such items on Earth.

The cave began to cool after that point, until they were almost shivering, though Shelly knew the cave was plenty warm. There was just that much of a difference between where the Cyclopes worked and Marchosias’s portion of the cave.

They knew when they’d entered the demon’s domain, as softly glowing white orbs dotted the walls. They’d been warned about this as well. The glowing balls of light were traps, set by the demon to catch the unwary. Touch one, and you were stuck to it until the demon released you, or you cut off the appendage keeping you fixed to the light.

They came to a large wooden door blocking their progress.

“I guess we knock,” Jessica said. The sudden voice was startling, considering no one had spoken since they passed the Cyclopes.

Areth sat up and stretched on Gloria’s shoulder, looking around in confusion. “How’d we get here?” she half mumbled, still trying to wake up.

“Most of us walked,” Eldon said with a grin. “Though there was one freeloader who insisted on taking a nap and making the rest of us do all the hard work.” He winked at Gloria, and she adopted his teasing tones.

“Next time I’m charging a ferrying fee. No free rides with me, young lady!”

“I’ll bet she’s given more than her fair share of free rides,” Jessica whispered in Shelly’s ear. Shelly found humor in the comment, but didn’t think Gloria deserved the rude remark. Thus far, Gloria had been the perfect companion, helping where needed and hardly complaining. The last couldn’t be said about Jessica.

To avoid saying anything in response, Shelly stepped up and knocked on the door. They waited, but nothing happened. Shelly knocked again, harder this time and the door creaked open.

“Hello?” Shelly called, sticking her head into the room. Her heart thumped in her chest and her hands grew slick with sweat. She didn’t see anyone. “Mr. Marchosias, sir? We need your help.”

Silence was her only answer. Where was he? Her dad had acted as though the demon always knew what happened in his area. He should know that they were coming for his aid, so where was he?

She took a cautious step inside, followed by her companions. The room was stuffy and crowded, despite its large size.

“Creepy,” Jessica muttered, looking around. Shelly felt the woman’s hand slip into hers. She didn’t want to admit to herself how thankful she was the feel Jessica’s firm grip, or the sweat in her hand also. She wasn’t the only nervous person here.

“Ooh, pretty!” Areth cooed, zipping past Shelly.

“Areth! No!” she shouted, but it was too late. One of the glowing trap balls sat on a table in the middle of the room. Areth shot straight for it before anyone could stop her.

As soon as the golden fairy’s hands came into contact with the light, it flared to a brilliant, blinding white. Shelly had to cover her eyes, or risk being blinded.

After a couple seconds, the light dimmed and Shelly dropped her hands to look around. Where the light had been, now stood a tall, powerfully built man. His strong jaw and sharp eyes fit within a face that was nothing short of perfection. If his body had been carved from marble, it wouldn’t look more chiseled. Where some men could be called handsome, or rugged, this man was gorgeous. The only flaw was Areth’s hands stuck to his cheeks.

Marchosias puffed, blowing out the side of his mouth and the fairy tumbled through the air, righting herself before striking the wall.

“You never learn, Arethusa,” Marchosias laughed. Even his laughter sounded perfect, resonating from deep within his chest. He turned to look at all of them, and a small frown marred his otherwise perfect features. Shelly got the distinct impression that if she ever had cause to see him angry, it would mean her death. “Forgive me for not being there in person, but your father and I have never been on the best of terms. While I have no fear of you, I don’t care to anger your father by destroying you.” His eyes glanced around the room, taking them all in, until they land on Gloria. “Lilly! Long time no see. I believe it was during the American Civil War. You were playing the part of a southern belle, and I was a Northern Yankee.”

“It has been a while, Mark,” Gloria smiled, “but I go by Gloria now.”

“Right,” Marchosias nodded, “I might have heard something about that. Well, it’s still good to see you. There aren’t many out there that are up to your caliber. Anyway, I’m sure you’re not here for a reunion, and I would like to return home as soon as possible. What is it I can do for you today?”

Shelly didn’t know if she liked the fact that Gloria and Marchosias had a history together, and from the way Eldon was glaring, he didn’t either. It didn’t bother her that Gloria had changed her name. She knew that many ancient creatures did that from time to time for various reasons.

“Brooke was kidnapped and we need a way to enter Varun’s demesne to rescue her,” Jessica said, stepping forward to face the demon.

“Ah, the prodigal daughter. Forgive me, but I don’t see why you of all people care?” The remark was said off hand, but Jessica stepped back as though slapped, releasing Shelly’s hand in the process.

“Because she was asked to by my father, Demon,” Eldon stepped forward to defend Jessica.

Shelly shook her head at her brother’s foolishness. If he understood women better, he’d know that the last thing Jessica wanted was to be defended. Though, glancing at the woman, Shelly was surprised to see a slight smile on her lips as she regarded Eldon. The smile slipped a moment later, and she shoved Shelly’s brother to the side.

“I don’t need you defending me,” Jessica turned on him. She squared her shoulders and faced Marchosias again. “Whether I care or not is no concern of yours. I was asked to come along, and I’m choosing to do so for my own reasons. Now, can you help us or not?”

A rumble came from the demon’s chest. It took Shelly a moment to realize that Marchosias was chuckling. “You have no secrets from me, little one. I see you for what you are, though you refuse to do so yourself. Yes, I will help you, though it’s not out of the goodness of my own heart. Lord Varun has become increasingly difficult to deal with lately. I can’t get involved directly, you understand, but if some thieves were to enter my domain while I’m away, steal a few potions, and leave—without touching anything else!—I can’t be blamed, now can I?”

Before anyone could answer, Marchosias shrunk back down into the glowing sphere.

“So pretty!” Areth squealed as she zipped across the room.

“Not this time!” Shelly snatched the fairy out of the air by her feet before she could touch the sphere again. She couldn’t be sure, but she thought she heard the orb chuckle.

“Drat!” Areth cursed as she tried to free her dainty feet.

“Well, that’s all well and good,” Jessica groused as she glared at the globe, “but how are we to know which potions we’re to steal?”

“Oh, I know!” Areth piped up. “I was there when Lyden needed it last time. You see, he needed my help because he’s colorblind and didn’t know which potion was purple… or was it blue? Anyway, he needed my help, so I know which potion to grab.”

Shelly released the fairy and she zipped to one side of the room where a door was visible only because that portion of the wall wasn’t cluttered. Eldon opened it for her and everyone followed her inside.

“It was right back here last time,” the fairy chattered as she zipped about what appeared to be some sort of storage closet. Various objects littered the room, from small skeletons—including a tiny hand— to gold coins, to half a cup of mold. Shelly noticed a sword in the ancient Japanese style that look very similar to paintings she’d seen of her father’s blade, Murasame, except the blade was dull gray instead of striped with black and chrome. “Hmm, let’s see. It’s been what… twenty years? Now was it the blue potion, or the purple? I was rather distracted at the time, because Lyden had just done something very perverted to me, and I—“

“I don’t want to hear about that,” Eldon snapped as he joined her in the back of the room. When Shelly joined them, she saw three neat rows of glasses filled with various colored liquids, all with stoppers on top.

“Which color is it?” Jessica asked. Her eyebrows were knit together with concern as she looked at the prospects before her. Shelly remembered what Marchosias had said to Jessica earlier, and wondered again what secrets she held. They each held their own, but Shelly was becoming concerned that there were perhaps too many secrets in this group.

“Purple! Yes, yes. Definitely… or was it blue?” Areth replied as she tapped on her chin.

“What happens if we drink the wrong one?” Jessica asked. She looked worried, and Shelly couldn’t blame her. She was the only one that would need to drink the potion. Sheldon could transform into a mermaid, having acquired that form years ago, and Shelly could become a sword for him, having no need to breathe. Gloria was a succubus and could become anyone’s fantasy. Well, Areth might have to drink it as well, unless they could convince her to stay behind.

“You’ll probably die a horrible death,” Gloria responded to Jessica’s question as though discussing what they were having for lunch.

Jessica glared at the succubus, but Gloria ignored her.

“The blue one,” Shelly said, remembering something she’d heard years ago. Dad liked to recall some of his stories, though she didn’t remember him mentioning doing anything “perverted” with Areth at the time. She suspected he’d edited it for her sake.

“Are you sure?” Jessica asked. Shelly couldn’t remember seeing the woman look so vulnerable.

“Absolutely,” Shelly replied, trying to put on her best smile. At least, she was fairly certain.

“I’ll trust you,” Jessica said, as though saying she wouldn’t trust anyone else there.

“Blue it is!” Eldon grabbed the two blue vials and they left the closet. Shelly was all too happy to get out of there. She couldn’t help but sigh as they stepped through Marchosias’s front door.

They hiked their way out until they could hear the hammers clanging again.

“No, not again!” Areth screeched and zipped past Shelly’s head.

Jessica was fast enough to catch her before she got too far away, and hauled her back. Areth fought frantically to get away, but Jessica hummed gently to her, until her struggles ceased and a few moments later, Areth was snoring in the woman’s hands.

“What’s wrong with her?” Eldon asked as he looked at the four-inch fairy.

“She had a traumatic experience with the Cyclopes once before,” Gloria said softly. “They didn’t take her maidenhead, but were very rough with her otherwise.”

Jessica cradled the fairy against her breast as they started walking again.

“You shouldn’t poke around her thoughts,” Jessica sneered. “It’s rude.”

Eldon gave her an odd glance, but Gloria just shrugged. “When someone shouts their thoughts like she did, there’s no way I could miss them.”

Jessica opened her mouth to say something else, but Shelly placed her hand on the other woman’s shoulder. Jessica glanced at her before turning away and walking ahead of them.

They reached the cave entrance without any further incidents and walked down to the beach. Bridget was there playing tag with a grindylow.

“You changed,” Eldon commented, looking as happy about it as Shelly felt.

“Yeah,” Bridget grinned. “I didn’t want to be outnumbered by women like Eldon is, so I changed.” Her hair had gone from Brock’s brown, to Bridget’s red to match her mother’s.

“I wish you wouldn’t have,” Eldon muttered, though it was too quiet for Bridget to hear.

Looking around, Shelly realized that her brother was the only male there. Any guy’s best dream, if more than half the women weren’t related to him.

“Did you get what you needed?” Bridget asked, hope filling her voice. “Did Marchosias have the potion you need?”

“We got it,” Eldon said, patting his pocket.

“Got… wha—“ Areth muttered as she yawned and woke up.

“Welcome back,” Gloria said with a grin.

“Back? Did I go somewhere?” Areth looked around, confused and dazed.

“That’s not important,” Eldon said as he handed her a vial. “Drink this, so we can go save Aunt Brooke.”

Eldon handed the other vial to Jessica, who immediately downed it. Within seconds, she began gasping, choking on the air.

Eldon slapped Areth’s vial out of her hands before she could drink it. It sailed through the air and shattered on a rock jutting out of the sand on the beach.

“Hey! What was that for?” Areth yelled. “I’m not into getting slapped around, young man.”

Eldon pointed to where Gloria was trying to help Jessica, but to no avail. Gloria was behind Jessica, trying to give her the Heimlich maneuver, but the other woman started turning blue.

“Well, duh!” Areth spat with her tiny fists on her hips. “The potion lets you breathe water, but it means you can’t breathe air. Get her in the water and she’ll be fine.”

Gloria must have seen the thoughts in Areth’s head as she was already dragging Jessica to the water. She heaved and Jessica splashed into the water a few feet out from shore. Shelly didn’t realize how strong the succubus was until that moment. A few seconds later, Jessica poked her head up and waved to them. She tried to speak, but gagged as water spewed from her throat. She dropped back down until her nose was under the water and gave them a thumbs-up.

Areth fluttered over to where the vial had shattered and looked down at the broken glass forlornly. “Now I can’t go with you,” she pouted.

Shelly wouldn’t admit it out loud, but she was secretly relieved the fairy would be staying behind. “Sorry,” she told Areth. “Why don’t you go back to dad and let him know what’s happening. I’m sure he’d love to do perverted things to you.” She twinged inwardly at that last statement. She knew her dad had sex, but that didn’t mean she liked to think about it.

“You think?” Areth’s mood brightened, switching from sadness to joy as fast as only a fairy could. When Shelly nodded, Areth zoomed off into the rain before another word could be said.

“Time to get wet!” Bridget called, splashing them with her tail.

“Do you want me to be a sword or spear?” she asked, turning to her brother.

“A spear might be too long to maneuver in the water,” he said after a brief deliberation. “Maybe go with a long dagger.”

She closed her eyes and felt her body shrink down to match the image of a dagger she’d touched a few years ago that she thought was pretty. It had a long thin blade that gleamed like silver, and a golden hilt with a blue sapphire set in the base of the hilt.

She felt her brother grasp her hilt a moment before water surrounded her. She allowed herself to see through the sapphire as Eldon swam towards Jessica.

“Were you just going to leave me on the beach?” Gloria asked, sounding cross as she swam up to them. Shelly could tell that she wasn’t really angry by the gleam in her eyes, but she doubted her brother could read the other woman as well. Not that it mattered though. Gloria had chosen to become a mermaid entirely, with not a stitch of clothing. Her grapefruit sized breasts hung full and round in the buoyant water, her nipples hard and pointing right at Eldon. Gloria was beautiful in this form, as she seemed to be in every form. Shelly felt a little jealous of the other woman, but tamped it down. They weren’t competing against each other.

“Sorry,” Eldon muttered, looking right at Gloria’s chest. Could he be any more obvious? “I’m glad Shelly was thinking enough to help you change forms.”

“I don’t need help,” Gloria smiled. “I’m old enough to change on my own whenever or however I want.”

Shelly once again wondered how old Gloria was. As far as she knew, only the oldest of the old succubae could do that.

“Mom’s not going to get any freer the longer we wait,” Bridget commented. She was naked from the waist up too, but at least Eldon wasn’t looking at her.

They followed her half sister deeper into the water. It grew darker, but Shelly had no problem with being able to see. It also grew colder.

“It’s getting close to nipple level seven down here,” Eldon muttered.

Pervert! Shelly thought. She could speak, but it wasn’t worth the effort. Was sex all men thought about?

“Mom says it didn’t use to be this cold, but after dad froze Varun, he’s kept it like this to remind himself that he isn’t invincible, and to make sure no one else will be able to draw the energy from the water and do it again,” Bridget said. Shelly noticed that her sister didn’t seem to be suffering from the cold.

After a little while, Shelly realized that it was growing light again. She noticed an old grizzled grindylow approaching them. Bridget saw it too and swam out to meet it. She swam back a moment later, grinning.

“Everyone, this is—“ she made a noise in her throat that sounded like a cross between a choke and a gurgle. It made Shelly’s nonexistent throat hurt just thinking about saying it. “But you can call him Gurgle if you want. He knows where mom is.

The small green tentacled creature swam over to Sheldon and looked him up and down.

“It is a great honor to meet you.” Its voice was definitely masculine. “Your father was a great hero.”

“Was?” Eldon asked, confused. “Do you know him?”

“No,” the creature looked terribly sad. “My great, great grandfather helped him out when your father came to rescue the Great Brooke last time.”

Shelly looked at the wizened and small creature, and wondered how old his great, great-grandfather could be, until she recalled how short grindylow’s life spans were. In the twenty years since her father defeated the Outsider, three generations of grindylows had come and gone. For them to revere her father so much meant that he’d made quite the impression on them.

“Can you get us safely to Brooke?” Shelly asked, wanting to get this mission over with. The creature swam backwards in alarm.

“A talking sword?” it screeched. “You must be powerful indeed, if you own one of those!”

“I’m not—“ Shelly said at the same time Eldon protested, “She’s not—“ They both cut off at the same time. Eldon looked at her, before shaking his head. “She’s not really a sword,” he continued. “This is my sister.”

“You’re related to a sword?” The poor thing asked, confused. “I had heard that the Great Lyden did some strange things, but how did he manage to mate with a sword?”

Shelly noticed that both Jessica and Gloria were laughing behind their hands. She couldn’t blame them. The little creature was funny in its own way, but they had more important things to do.

“Can we just get this over with?” she called out.

“Yes,” Bridget agreed. “Mom needs us!”

The grindylow gave Shelly one last look before turning and swimming for Varun’s city. It was still cold when they stopped outside the top of a tall tower but she was getting used to it.

“She’s not in a dungeon?” Eldon asked. “Isn’t that where dad rescued her last time?”

“No,” the grindylow said. He bowed as he spoke with reverence to Eldon. “She is being guarded in this tower. Lord Varun can see it at any time he is in court.”

Shelly looked down at the courtyard far below. As far up as they were, she could easily make out the imposing figure of a massive seahorse. Lord Varun, Pillar of Water and Lord of the Seas, was in court.

“How are we going to get her out of here?” Jessica asked. She was looking below as well and didn’t look happy.

“We stick to the plan,” Eldon said. He swung Shelly through the air as though she were a normal blade. She knew her brother was trying to act tough and unafraid for the ladies.

“How do we stay ahead of the Pillar of Water, though?” Gloria asked.

“We will distract him so you can get away,” the grindylow commented.

“We?” Shelly asked, but the small creature was already swimming away. Small dots formed in the water and swam towards their new friend. A swarm of grindylows formed up and dove for Varun.

“Let’s move!” Shelly shouted and vibrated in her brother’s hand.

They shook off their shock at what had to be a suicide mission and swam for the tower. Three guards swam outside a window set high in the edifice. They braced to meet the coming threat. Gloria had outpaced them all, and she transformed into a massive shark, swallowing one in a single bite. The succubus spat out a sword as the other two guards swam back to back.

Water rushed by as Shelly was brought to bear against the spear of a topless merman. For a couple moments, she lost track of what was going on as her brother wielded her. Water rushed by her smooth metal surface, jerking to a halt as she met with their opponent’s blocks. Sudden warmth blossomed around her, but vanished almost as fast as she was plunged into the merman’s chest.

Eldon wiped the cooling blood from her surface, and she was able to look around again. Two mermen sank through the water, dead. Jessica swam down and gripped one of the dead mermen’s swords before rejoining them.

Eldon swam through the window into a dimly lit room. It was empty.

“Was this a trap?” Shelly asked. There were no other doors or windows to this room, but it was the one the grindylow pointed them to, and it had been guarded.

“No,” Gloria spoke up while she tried to pick something from her teeth. She must have changed back to a mermaid after the fight. “She’s hidden behind an illusion.” Eldon’s girlfriend was scary. Shelly was thankful that the succubus was on their side.

“How do you know that?” Eldon asked, though Shelly had already figured it out.

“Because I can hear her thoughts on how happy she is to see all of us. Her mouth is gagged… and… yes, she’s over here.” Gloria swam forward and into the opposite wall. Only it wasn’t a wall. The succubus disappeared for a moment, and then reappeared with an attractive redheaded mermaid in her arms.

Eldon used Shelly’s sharp edge to cut her bonds as Gloria pulled the gag from her mouth.

“Mom!” Bridget yelled as she swam forward and hugged her mother.

“I’m so glad you’re safe,” Brooke cried, “but you shouldn’t have come. Varun won’t let me go that easily.”

“It’s an honor to meet you,” Jessica said, swimming forward. “We have a plan to get you out, but we’d better leave now.”

“That’s not going to happen,” a deep voice informed them. They turned to see a large merman, bigger than any Shelly had ever seen before, blocking their escape through the window. He had a long white beard and in his hands was a golden trident.

“That’s the guy that took mom,” Bridget screamed. That went far to explain how Brooke was taken in the first place. Brooke was known for her prowess with a blade, and Shelly had wondered how Brooke could have been taken against her will. This powerful merman exuded power and strength. He almost made Marchosias look weak.

“Poseidon,” Brooke groaned. “Why are you helping Varun?”

Poseidon? Shelly thought. The ancient Greek god of the sea is working with the Pillar of Water? That doesn’t bode well.

”It doesn’t matter,” Poseidon spoke. His massive barrel chest poked out and he pointed his trident at those in the room. “By order of the Pillar of Water, I sentence you all to death. Lyden Snow’s pain will be great when he learns that three of his children and one of his wives are dead.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Gloria swam forward to stand before the merman god.

“Who do…” Poseidon’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the succubus. “Aphro—no, I’ve heard you changed your name again.”

“I go by Gloria these days, Posy. Now step aside.”

“Do you really think you’re still strong enough to fight me?” the god asked.

Shelly wasn’t sure what was going on. She’d already figured out that Gloria was ancient, but who was she really? Poseidon had been about to call her Aphrodite, if she didn’t miss her guess, but hadn’t Marchosias called her Lilly?

“I am older than you,” Gloria intoned to Poseidon. “There are still more out there that worship what I represent, than they do you. Especially now that Earth knows of our world. Can you feel the weakness of years of neglect soaking into your ancient bones? I can’t. Don’t test me.” The look in Gloria’s eyes, or her tone of voice should have been warning enough, but Poseidon was a typical man and oblivious to his danger.

“Why are you with these mortals?” Poseidon didn’t like being challenged.

None of those ‘mortals’ spoke, letting the two powerful gods face one another.

Gloria smiled and glanced at Eldon. “I happen to find one of them to be rather cute and brave.” She faced Poseidon once again and Shelly realized that the succubus was gently glowing. “Brooke has earned my respect, though I think she’s a little too attractive for her own good. I sense great events occurring around these mortals, and this time I’ll be a part of them. I won’t sit out what’s to come.”

“You always were capricious.” Poseidon shook his head, but his trident never wavered. “I don’t care to fight you, but I can’t let the mermaid go. Varun wants her for his own purposes.”

“I don’t remember you being one of his boot-lickers. Or is it his tail you’re licking?” Gloria laughed as Poseidon grimaced and his face burned red. Shelly didn’t feel it was a good idea to anger the god, but she wasn’t in a position to chastise the ancient goddess.

“Varun is dying,” Poseidon said. His voice was deep and sonorous. “He has promised I will replace him when he goes.”

Stunned silence filled the tower room. One of the Pillars was dying? That… That…

“That’s impossible!” Gloria yelled. Her face was ashen and some of her glow had dimmed. “He is one of the Firsts. He can’t die!”

“So was TanaVesta and Fujin.” Poseidon’s voice had dropped an octave and it vibrated the very water around them.

“That traitor was killed for her crimes,” Gloria replied. Shelly saw that she was shaking, bothered by the revelation. “And Fujin died because of TanaVesta and the Outsider. Who is killing Varun?”

She didn’t know what Gloria meant by Varun being one of the Firsts. She knew of a number of beings that were immortal. They couldn’t die naturally, but could be killed if you knew how.

“The same person who killed TanaVesta. He mortally wounded Varun. It has taken years, but Varun has grown weak thanks to Lyden Snow, the so-called hero of the Chaos War. Have you not noticed the temperature of the water? Varun is no longer strong enough to manage his own realm. I will be the next Pillar.” Poseidon didn’t wait for a response before charging forward.

A golden magic girdle formed around Gloria’s waist. Shelly was certain that Gloria was about to die, impaled on the sea god’s weapon.

“No!” Eldon shouted, and dove for his lover, leading with Shelly in front.

“Stay,” Gloria turned to face the twins as she calmly spoke that single word.

Something washed over Shelly. Some power worked its way into her mind, and she had no desire to disobey this woman. How could she? Gloria was the most beautiful creature she’d ever seen. She would do anything for her. She knew her brother was under the same spell, but didn’t care. All that mattered was doing Gloria’s will.

They watched as Poseidon’s trident glanced off the impenetrable girdle, causing their mistress no harm.

“Come now, Posy,” Gloria’s voice was softer than silk as it caressed Shelly’s senses. “You don’t really want to fight me, do you?”

Poseidon shook, and Shelly noted that his face was turning red. “That won’t work on me, Aphrodite! I will become the next Pillar of Water, and I will stop you from taking Brooke from this tower.”

Gloria pouted, and Shelly thought it was the most glorious pout she’d ever seen. “Well, that’ll make things more difficult.” She turned to face the others in the room. “As soon as you can get by, leave. Get Brooke out of here. I will catch up when I can.”

There wasn’t a chance Shelly would disobey her mistress. She would do anything Gloria asked. Anything!

A long blade the color of pearl formed in Gloria’s hands. She met Poseidon’s next thrust with it and turned it aside.

Shelly split her attention between the window and her mistress. Gloria fenced with the sea god, slowly moving him away from the window. As soon as there was a large enough gap, Eldon carried her out into the open water.

None of them looked back, charging for Marchosias’s island and the portal to Earth. They had an order to follow, and none of them could disobey.

They were soon flanked by a group of Grindylows, but Shelly hardly noticed. Her mistress had commanded that they leave her and save Brooke. That’s all that mattered.

If they were attacked on their way out, the Grindylows must have taken care of it. She could sense her brother’s body weakening as he continued to swim, pushing himself for all he was worth. In the end, they had to be towed back to the island by the Grindylows. All of them, with the exception of Shelly, were beyond exhausted from the hard-paced swim.

Shelly wished that she could help in some way, but she couldn’t change into a boat, or a motor to move them. Those objects were too complex, with too many moving parts. Instead, she remained on her brother’s back as their small allies brought them to the surface. Small hands and tentacles projected them through the air and rain and through the portal to the Bermuda Triangle.

Before they went through, Shelly heard someone start gagging.

* * * *

Blackness swallowed them whole as they passed through the barrier between worlds. Shelly heard gagging sounds, muffled through the water, but couldn’t make out who it was. She couldn’t see anything.

“Oh, no!” Brooke’s voice sounded weary but concerned. “You used Marchosias’s potion to breathe underwater, right? I don’t think it works in this realm. We have to get her to the surface!”

Shelly tried to look around, but she couldn’t tell up from down. They were supposed to be at the bottom of the Bermuda Triangle. If that was the case, then they’d never make it to the surface before Jessica drowned.

“This way,” Brock’s voice pierced the darkness. When had he/she changed back?

“We’ll never make it,” Shelly said as she felt them start moving in the water again.

Jessica’s choking sounds grew weaker.

Shelly noticed a light above them. Were they getting close to the surface already? It seemed too dim to be sunlight filtered through the water. What time was it here? It was always impossible to know what time it would be when you traversed between worlds.

No, that wasn’t one light, it was two. In fact, it looked like headlights. Shelly cursed herself for forgetting this part of the plan. The stress of the mission must have worn on her, to have forgotten that simple detail. The Orange Bubble was waiting for them. It must have sensed their distress and come down to meet them.

Jessica was no longer choking when the old Volkswagen Beatle turned on its side and opened the door closest to them. Air remained trapped inside the large interior of the car. Somehow, none of the furniture inside moved. In fact, as Sheldon carried Shelly through the opening, gravity changed and she felt herself pressed against her brother’s back.

She wasted no time in changing back to her normal form and hauled Eldon inside. She hadn’t had to swim the distance away from Brooke’s tower and was fully rested. She pulled Jessica out of Brock’s grip and rolled her onto her back. She felt for a pulse but didn’t find it.

She wasn’t breathing. Eldon groaned as he crawled further into the car and Shelly started chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth.

Brooke joined her a moment later, taking over the chest compressions. After a few more tense moments, Jessica coughed up half a lake’s worth of water. Shelly rolled her onto her side and looked around to take stock.

Eldon was sprawled out on the floor. He still had his shirt on, but nothing below the waist. At least he’s on his stomach so no one else has to see his deformity, she thought.

Her brother was the only one wearing any clothing. Brooke had changed her tail into two slim pale legs, and her son’s head bobbed through the still open door. It looked odd to see the wall of water covering the door sideways.

Gloria, or Aphrodite, or whatever her name really was had saved them, and they’d abandoned her. It didn’t matter that they really didn’t have a choice in the matter. Part of her mind still felt the last vestiges of Gloria’s power. She shuddered to think how strong the woman must be, to so completely compel them to her will. No wonder the Greek Aphrodite had been revered as such a powerful love goddess.

Jessica groaned as she tried to prop herself up.

“You should rest,” Shelly said, trying to push her back down. She was too weak to fight and let Shelly press her back.

“What time is it here?” Jessica’s voice was barely above a whisper.

“Late,” Brooke said. “Sometime at night. We should all get some rest. Brock, son, come in and rest in the fountain over there.”

Jessica sat upright, fear pulsing behind her eyes as Brock crawled his way into the car and the door closed. “Late? How late?” she demanded, strength returning to her voice. “Is it past midnight, or before? We can’t be here when it changes.”

“I don’t know,” Shelly tried to calm her. “Let me go find out. What happens at midnight?”

“I—you don’t want to know,” Jessica shuddered.

Shelly moved to the front of the car and pulled out one of the cell phones. She turned it on and waited for it to power on.

“Nine fifty-eight,” Shelly called back. “Looks like it’s before midnight.”

Jessica relaxed a little. “We have a couple hours, then. How close is the next portal?”

“I think there’s one in Florida. With the Orange Bubble, it shouldn’t take more than an hour to get there,” Eldon sat up. He looked down at his nude body and limped into the back of the car where clothes were kept.

Shelly realized she ought to get dressed as well and walked back.

“Did your phone update to this time zone?” Brooke asked. “It should be a couple hours behind Atlantic time.”

Shelly looked at the phone again and frowned. She noticed movement at the door to the Orange Bubble, but ignored it for now. “Probably not. I don’t have any service down here. I guess it’s really…” She trailed off as the clock ticked to ten o’clock, meaning it was now midnight here.

The mood in the car changed. Shelly found her mind start to cloud as the temperature rose. Or was that just her body temperature rising? She felt flushed as heat suffused her, further clouding her mind.

Something trickled down her leg. She felt so… saucy. She couldn’t think of a better term for it. She took a step forward and tried to brace herself against the bed as her head spun and she lost her balance. Her bare skin tingled. She hadn’t been able to start getting dressed yet.

Someone groaned nearby. Shelly looked up to see a naked man on the other side of the bed. His cock was standing fully upright, though it was twisted and misshapen. Why did he look so familiar? Why couldn’t she think? Why couldn’t she look away from his manhood?

The sight of that cock sent a thrill down to her core. Her nipples hardened as she continued to stare, unable to look away. The man groaned again, and she tore her eyes away long enough to see that the man was looking at her. There was undisguised hunger in that gaze. Hunger for her. Fear and desire rushed through her in equal parts. This man wanted her in the most primal of ways. As her pussy continued to leak, all she could think about was getting this man’s huge cock into her.

She heard someone giggle. Despite the veritable stream that felt as though it was running from her sex, she felt something wasn’t right. If only she could think clearly enough to figure out what it was. The giggle sounded again, and she looked over. A very attractive redhead was looking at some fishboy lying in a fountain. She had a smile on her face, and he… he had a massive hard on in his hands as he looked back at her.

“What’s happening?” another woman asked, holding her head. She seemed to be just as groggy as Shelly felt, but was fighting it off better. “Something’s not… not… My body is on fire. I haven’t felt this horny since… Why can’t I think?”

Another woman cackled. Despite the flush of desire running rampant through her body, that laughter sent chills through Shelly.

“Relax succubus. Let it happen.” When had the succubus shown up? Shelly couldn’t identify the woman that spoke. Her long silver hair flowed down a slender back, ending above a set of perfectly round buns. She jutted her chest out, proudly displaying larger breasts that defied gravity in their firmness. “You can’t fight what you are. You can’t fight what your body wants.” She walked over to the other woman and cupped the succubus’s face in her hand.

“Oh, damn. What’s happening to me? I—I need…”

“Shh,” the unknown woman cooed. She was slightly shorter than the succubus and had to get up on her toes to bring their lips together.

All fight left the taller woman as she flung her arms around the stranger and kissed her back with passion.

Shelly stepped forward, wanting to join in the fun, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. That touch sent lightning into her stomach. Desire. Fear. Want. Need. A hollow pit formed between her legs that demanded her attention. It demanded to be played with and filled.

She turned to face the man with the amazing cock. That cock would fill the emptiness. It would fill the hollowness between her legs, even if she doubted it would fit in her tiny hole. It would sate all the emotions ravaging her psyche. But something was wrong. It was right there. She knew she wanted it, but she hesitated.

Do it, the thought intruded into her mind. The only thought that came through clearly. Perhaps it just needed some preparation.

She dropped to her knees. Her hand moved of its own volition as it gripped the man at his base. She pulled on him and he stepped forward. Her hand guided him to her mouth. She had to stretch her lips wide to get past the head. Pain in her lips told her to stop, but her hand forced him on. She wanted—no, needed—this.

With an almost audible pop, his head entered her mouth accompanied by a guttural moan from the man. A thrill went through her as she realized he was enjoying her mouth. She was enjoying his rod stretching her lips, and the taste of his precum as it leaked out onto her tongue.

He tried to move his hips back, but her free hand shot out and gripped his hard muscled ass. She used both hands to pull him forward. She had to breathe through her nose, but she managed to get another couple inches into her mouth. By the Pillars! This man is a monster!

She used her tongue to swirl around the head, eliciting more sounds of desire and pleasure from him. Carefully, she brought her teeth down, grazing the skin as she pulled back. She felt his hands on the back of her head, urging himself back in. She would have smiled if she could, but her lips couldn’t form the proper shape with such a delicious piece of meat in her mouth. Her jaw ached, but it was a good ache.

To reward him for his desire, she sucked hard while pressing and rubbing her tongue against the sensitive underside of his cock.

He erupted with a loud groan. Her mouth filled with his seed. It was slimy and salty, but there was no place for it to go but down her throat. She swallowed load after load, and still he kept cumming. Just when she thought she was going to drown, he finally stopped.

Her jaw was sore as she pulled her face off him, but it was a mark of how well she’d done. There was an errant drop of semen poking out of the prick’s single eye. She used the tip of her tongue to clean it up, resulting in a grunt from the man.

Why had she thought there was something wrong about this? Everything felt right. Well, almost everything. She still felt that hollow ache in her nether region. The man hadn’t grown soft. He would make the perfect key to her dripping lock.

There was no hesitation left in her as she stood up and shoved him back. The backs of his legs struck the bed and he fell. He didn’t complain as she climbed on the bed with her back to him and straddled his stomach.

A moan reminded her that she wasn’t the only person in the car. The redhead was in the fountain getting plowed from behind by Fishboy while they lay on their sides, his thick cock making squelching noises as he churned the woman’s cream into a frothy mess. The other two women were locked into a sixty-nine position, hungrily lapping at the other’s pussy.

She looked back at the couple in the fountain, at the look of complete abandon and contentment on the woman’s face as the Fishboy filled her up. She wanted that feeling, and knew how to get it.

Reaching between her spread legs, she grabbed the massive twisted phallus and aimed it for her cunt. She slid her body down until the head came into contact with her nether lips. She gasped at the sudden and intense orgasm that rippled from that contact. She’d never cum from so little stimulation before, but it only made her want more. The orgasm lubed her up, preparing her body for the pleasures to come.

She used her grip to rub him against her slit, lubing him up and delaying the end of her orgasm. When she felt it start to ebb, she used her powerful legs to move forward, impaling herself on the monster cock.

A wail of exquisite agony escaped her parted lips as he stretched her to the point of breaking. She’d never felt anything so large down there. Looking down at her poor sex, she gaped as she realized that she’d only taken a couple inches inside.

His hands landed on her waist and tried to force more inside. What happens when you fill a balloon with too much air? That’s how she felt as another inch slipped between her soaked labia. But instead of pain, she had another orgasm. This one washed through her body, making her toes curl and her nipples harden even more. Why had she chosen to face this direction? If she turned around, maybe the man would play with them? But then she couldn’t watch the others in the room.

She chose to lean back, grab the man’s hands and move them up to her underappreciated tits. He began to roll her nipples between his fingers as he thrust upwards with his cock. Her stomach felt distended as he somehow crammed more and more of his twisted rod inside her, but she didn’t care. She no longer felt empty or hollow inside. She felt deliciously, wickedly, sensuously full.

She turned her attention back to the others. The silver haired woman was looking right at her, her gray eyes flashing as she cried out in orgasmic bliss. She smiled, showing slightly larger than normal canines. Shelly thought she should be afraid of those teeth, but also wondered what it would feel like to have them nibbling on her clit.

That thought sent her over the edge again—she’d never cum so fast or as often in her life—and she clamped down on the steel rod splitting her in two. The man grunted and she felt a new fire fill her up, spreading from somewhere behind her navel and filling her with a wonderful warmth. She didn’t want to get pregnant, and so wasn’t worried about that coming to pass.

Fishboy started grunting in rhythm to his thrusts, and the redhead let out another wail of passion as he unloaded into her.

I wonder what their combined juices tastes like? she wondered. She pulled herself off the man below her, wanting to find the answer to that question. For a moment she felt free air up inside her, before her stretched muscles could close again. She walked—or it felt more like waddling—over to the other couple in the fountain and dropped her face to where the two were still connected as they lie on their sides.

She poked her tongue out, tasting the cream that leaked around Fishboy’s prick. Salty, but mixed with sweet. She wanted more. She pulled the cock out of the other woman and took a couple moments cleaning him off with her mouth, making sure to get every bit. She was disappointed when she couldn’t find any more, but then remembered where she could get some.

Ignoring the water that splashed around her, she dove into the redhead’s crotch, sucking the churned cream from the woman’s hole. She felt the woman’s hand on the back of her head, trying to pull her in. She sucked, and nibbled for all she was worth, wanting to taste every bit of them.

Someone started nibbling on her as she was bent over. She turned to see the silver haired woman’s head between her thighs. She was finally finding out what that woman could do with her mouth. The succubus was straddling the man that Shelly had been with moments before.

The redhead’s guiding hand reminded Shelly of her treat, and she returned to it with gusto. While the silver-haired woman’s mouth felt great, she started feeling empty inside again. It didn’t last long, though. Just as she was brought to a delightful orgasm, the mouth moved away, and the long cock of Fishboy replaced it. It wasn’t as thick or filling as the twisted cock she’d first had, but it sated her snatch’s hunger for the moment.

Fishboy thrust into her as he moved her body more into the fountain. When his hips struck her rear, her face was thrust into the redhead’s pussy, making them both moan and groan in delight.

She was beginning to feel another powerful orgasm coming on when the silver haired woman started speaking again. Only the voice had changed and a quick glance showed her silver tresses turning black.

“No. Not again! I’m so sorry.”

Shelly didn’t care what the woman could be sorry for. She felt wonderful as her orgasm crashed against her. She couldn’t think of anything she’d rather be doing at that moment as Fishboy filled her with his cream.

“I’ll fix this. Somehow I’ll… I’ll—sleep. Everyone sleep!”

Despite the satisfaction her body was receiving, she felt an undeniable weariness overcome her. She tried to fight it, to keep sucking and thrusting back against that glorious cock firing off deep inside her, but it was too strong.

As her eyes closed, Shelly’s face fell into the water of the fountain and oblivion took her.

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From the Author

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