Mors Funebris Ch. 1 P. 5

Mors Funebris Chapter 1 Part 5
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As before, a purple whirlwind formed, and within a few more seconds, another chocolate dildo appeared out of nowhere.
Andra was dumbfounded by the spectacle. She flinched when a subordinate reached out and placed a paw on her shoulder.
“What should we do, Dark-Sergeant?” implored a Red Oni.
Andra thought for only a second, then replied.
“Contact Command, tell them we have a situation.”
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So, after cleaning up the workshop area of his apartment, Arawn made himself ready for bed, which involved his performing his evening ablutions. This included brushing his teeth. Even though Arawn was Immortal enough to regrow his teeth on a regular basis, it didn’t mean that he cared to get cavities in the interim.
Afterwards, he settled down for a meditation in the middle of his living area. Increasingly of late, he’d found his self-control wavering, and concurrently he had an ever increasing need to soothe himself. Long ago, he learned that the best way to distract himself from his rage, was to distract himself with mundanities.
‘Bed clothes? Yes, or no?’ he thought. ‘On one hand, it’s too warm to need them. On the other hand, if a Mamono happened to ‘accidentally’ wander her way in here, my being nude could be construed as enticement.’ He pondered, then he realized something.
‘Faex!’ Arawn exclaimed mentally, ‘I forgot to set up the wards.’ He then began to make preparations for same. Soon his eyes roved around his rooms, estimating.
“Sixty square meters, married couple apartment. Secundus, have you checked the local dweomer?” Arawn asked, aloud.
‘Uh, not yet.’ Secundus replied, ‘Checking the Aetherial Resonance now, standby! (2)’
Arawn didn’t have long to wait for his Majin-Dominant personality to complete his examinations.
‘Our barrack neighbors appear to be comprised mostly of Elementalists. The Elemental Energy bleed-over from their collective love-making, has the potential to mask minute variations in the Eldritch background. I will endeavor a work around for same. Oh wait! I am getting some odd readings in the barrack’s Morphic-Field, but it should not be anything out of the ordinary. (2)’
‘Odd? How? (1)’ Arawn demanded.
‘I believe that I am picking up a large number of Exspiravit Sonitus in the area, possibly animalistic in nature. Based upon my predecessor’s experience, I deem that it should be nothing to be concerned about. (2)’
‘Very well then, recommendations? (1)’
‘Standard wards should be sufficient for all means of egress: the entrance, windows, and air vents. Shall I check for secret doors? (2)’
‘You mean you have not already? Do so now. (1)’ After a few seconds, Secundus replied.
‘No secret doors detected! Tutor Eludo Tueor! (2)’ Secundus invoked mentally.
Arawn, looked around and observed that every window, air vent, along with his front door, had an ornate Sigil shine into existence in front of each. After a couple of seconds worth of flare, the Sigil-wards faded from eyesight. Arawn knew that they were still there, just not visible.
‘Or at least not visible until someone decides to blunder into them.’ He smiled to himself.
‘Of which, any intruder will soon regret. (2)’ Secundus added smugly.
‘Safe enough to sleep in my small-clothes, then.’ Arawn decided as he began to disrobe, heading in the direction of his bed. Barely had his head touched the pillow, before he heard a knocking upon his apartment’s front door.
‘Such timing, does not bode well. (5)’ Quintus injected then.
‘Indeed not! Who is it? (1)’
‘According to the door ward, it is our mentor, Tia. She is alone. (5)’
With a growing sense of disquiet, Arawn swiftly got up and donned his kilt. He then went and answered her constant knocking upon the door.
“Yes, Tia.” He asked patiently upon opening the door. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Arawn, I need you to trust me.” Tia stated quickly then, glancing furtively over her shoulder with one of her side eyes.
“What is wrong Mentor?” he asked with a growing sense of alarm.
“Arawn, please get dressed and accompany me. There’s no time for questions.” Arawn hesitated. “NOW!” she added acerbically.
Leaving the door open for Tia, Arawn silently obeyed her and dressed himself quickly. Upon completion he noted, that at no time did Tia enter his apartment.
“Come with me.” She ordered him tersely, as she scuttled her way across the walkway to the stairs. She stopped out just before the barrack’s front entrance, and looked over her shoulder to ensure that Arawn was following. Once she had, she exited the building as soon as he came near her.
“Mentor!” he called out to her, but it was too late, she had left. Looking out the entrance, he saw that he could just barely make her out in the light of the moon, he saw that she was standing in the middle of the street, waiting with her arms folded.
Once he was outside and approaching her. She took note of him and raised a hand in a halting motion. Overhead a light flared on, flooding the street with illumination. Arawn found himself momentarily blinded.
‘Alert!’ Quintus warned. ‘We are being surrounded! (5)’ Blinking his eyes, Arawn was able to adjust to the sudden change in lighting. What he saw, angered him.
Both he and Tia were being surrounded by a band of Red Oni. Each of whom carried an oversized studded metallic club, in one of her hands.
‘A half-dozen Red Oni on either side of us! The clubs they are brandishing? I believe that they are called: Kanabo. (5)’ Quintus reported.
‘Noted. (1)’ Arawn answered.
“What is the meaning of this?!” Arawn shouted then. The tallest Red Oni there, stepped forward with a sneer.
“You,” she began, “are under arrest.” She smiled. Arawn could see that she had protruding canines.
“Under whose authority!?” Arawn demanded, frowning. “Yours Corporal Tia?” he snarled then at her.
“No. Arawn.” She frowned, shaking her head in negation. “Colonel Alenoth’s authority. She’s the officer in charge of Fort Eequor’s Mobility.” Arawn raised a questioning eyebrow. “Which includes the Teleportation Pavilion.” She added quietly.
“What am I,..” Arawn began but was interrupted by the lead Oni.
“Silence!” she shouted. “You are under arrest Majin Arawn! Allow yourself to be placed under custody, or,…!” she began speaking with a sharp toothed grin, while raising her kanabo. Arawn’s already growing ire flared with her display.
“Or what?” he demanded in a whisper, lowering his chin. The Red Oni’s response was to swing her kanabo around once in front of her in a figure eight pattern. Its passage through the air ruffled Arawn’s hair. The Oni’s leader finished the display with the kanabo poised over her head its point directed towards him, while she crouched into an attack ready position.
“Or, I and my teammates will have some fun pounding you into the ground.” She replied with her eyes flaring gleefully. Arawn raised his right fist, and prepared to summon up a Blast-Punch, his hand began to glow with the eldritch energies in response.
The Red Oni’s smile only grew wider upon seeing his fist. Uncharacteristically, she lowered her kanabo and placed it in between Arawn and herself.
“Please.” She said, “Proceed, show me what you can do.” Arawn wasted no time in banter.
‘Blast-punch, level-one.’ He thought, as he opened his fist. In a fraction of a second, Arawn’s magical energy jumped from the palm of his right hand to the Red Oni’s kanabo.
But, to Arawn’s dismay, instead of the kanabo being reduced to molten slag, as he had expected. The blast-punch’s energy was seemingly absorbed by it, with only a slight shudder on the club to show for it.
‘Quintus!’ Arawn demanded mentally, as his jaw dropped. ‘What the Hades just happened! (1)’
‘I am not sure Primus! I am endeavoring to find out, NOW! (5)’ he replied shouting mentally.
“Allow me to introduce myself Majin!” the lead Red Oni laughed at him then. “My name is Sergeant Shuten. I am the leader of the Ryusei Tetsu Guard. We are the first to be called in, when dealing with Order Majin!”
‘Wait!’ Quintus announced then. ‘Ryusei Tetsu is Zipangese for Meteoric Iron! (5)’ he explained.
‘Undoubtedly, the type of Meteoric Iron that negates nearly all forms of Mana. (1)’ Primus stated rhetorically then. He felt Quintus nod then.
‘What kind of Magic can it not affect? (1)’ he demanded.
“Now Majin Arawn, you have a choice.” Sergeant Shuten stated. “You can either submit now, and be bound.” She demanded with glee, holding up a length of meteoric iron chain.
‘QUINTUS! (1)’ Primus demanded, fearfully. Memories of his Demonic confinement flashing in his head.
“Or my sisters and I will be forced to beat you into submission.” Shuten replied.
“Be aware that we all find you comely in appearance Majin Arawn. But we will not let our appreciation for your looks, allow us to be swayed from our mission.” Shuten smiled sweetly as she took a step forwards and rattled the chain at him.
Arawn glared resentfully at Tia then. In quick response, she raised her hands as if to say that she’d been unaware of such an outcome.
‘One of the few magics that is unaffected by Meteoric Iron is: Altering! (2) Secundus piped up.
‘Very well then Secundus, standby to Alter Reality. (1)’
‘What do you have in mind? (5)’ Quintus demanded.
‘Increase the magnetic coercivity of all iron within range. (1)’ he stated, shakily.
‘Doing that will cost us an extraordinary amount of Mana! I cannot guarantee that will have sufficient energy in which to do battle, after. (5)’ Quintus warned.
“Arawn! Please stand down!” Tia pleaded, seeing his body language. “I had no idea that things would go this way!” Arawn ignored her.
‘Proceed. (1)’ he ordered.
‘Ready. (5)’ Quintus replied quietly within half a second. Sergeant Shuten and Arawn’s eyes met in that moment, and both understood the situation. Shuten allowed her binding chain to fall to the cobblestones at her feet in a snake-like clinking, and latched onto her kanabo with both hands then raised it over her head. Every Oni around Arawn and Tia, then copied her leader in preparation.
“SHINGEKI!’ Sergeant Shuten screamed her battle cry in that moment, as she charged towards Arawn. Tia cried out in fear as she tried to duck away.
Arawn’s remained where he was as he swiftly reached up with an open hand as if he were reaching for an invisible ball in front of his face.
‘EXECUTE! (1)’ he shouted mentally in that instant, as he seemingly grasped that invisible ball, and twisted it, as if in defiance.
The look on every Oni’s face, swiftly changed from one of triumph, to one of confusion, as every single kanabo in their hands began to violently vibrate.
Every Oni there, stopped and peered at Arawn with a mixture of anger and fear, as Arawn remained standing and clutching. Arawn’s eye locked themselves with Sergeant Shuten’s.
Suddenly, every Oni gasped in surprise when her kanabo-club was ripped from her grasp by an indomitable invisible force. In half a second, every kanabo collided near overhead Arawn’s clutching fist with a resounding series of ear-shattering clanging.
The collection of a dozen clubs, was then held poised over his head for several seconds. Arawn then released his ‘invisible ball’ and the collection of now heavily magnetized kanabo fell to the street in one collective mass. As they hit, a number of the street cobblestones broke apart with a prolonged crunching, causing a small ring of dust and aggregate to expand from the impact point.
In the quiet aftermath, Arawn noted that Sergeant Shuten and every one of her fellow guard members, were now looking at him with trepidation. No one there dared to speak. Off in the distance there was the sound of a pair of cats screeching in a fight.
“MANNERS!“, Arawn grimaced suddenly, shooting up a finger at Sergeant Shuten and pointing at her. She flinched in reaction when he did.
“I am not a garden-variety member of Order Majin. If you wish to take me into custody,” He patiently explained through clenched teeth. “you will find that I am much more accommodating to those who exercise proper manners.” He then took several calming breaths, and forced himself to relax, and turned to face Shuten head on.
“I hereby submit to your authority Sergeant Shuten, and I allow myself to be placed under arrest.” He spoke quietly as he raised both of his hands up, held together at the wrist, and presented them forward to Shuten. She looked uncertainly between his arms, and his face.
Keeping one eye on him, she slowly bent over and retrieved her binding chain that she’d allowed to fall to the ground several seconds ago. Quickly she wrapped several loops around his wrists and made sure that he was well secured. Arawn never resisted, all the while he kept his gaze strictly upon the Oni leader.
When she was done securing him, she gave a couple of tentative tugs of the chain. This caused Arawn to stumble forward. Shuten somberly noticed it and then looked around at her squad of teammates. All of whom were looking at her and Arawn with disquieted expressions.
One of the Red Oni moved forward and attempted to pull one of the clubs from the pile. Grunting with all of her strength, she was unable to remove hers. Shuten noticed, as did Arawn.
“It will be at least an hour before the effects of my Spell passes.” He explained. “Try again then.” His reply caused Shuten to become annoyed.
“Why can you not release the spell now?” she demanded loudly. Arawn stared up at her for several seconds before replying.
“Because my mana reserves are far too depleted to do so.” He replied, still staring. His admission caught Shuten off-guard. For several seconds she stood in front of Arawn and considered everything, looking between him, her squad, and the still magnetized kanabo clubs. Finally, she came to a decision.
Stepping forward, she took up Arawn’s binding chain and unlatched it, allowing it to fall to the ground in a clanking pile. Wordlessly, Arawn began rubbing at his wrists, and gave Shuten a single nod. Shuten, nodded once back, and turned away.
“Form Ranks!” she ordered, every Oni there surrounded Arawn and Tia. Then Shuten glanced back at Arawn.
“Proceed. Majin Arawn, you will accompany!” she stated respectfully then, almost, but not quite making it sound like a question. Arawn nodded once more and kept pace as Shuten and her squad mates started marching off down the street.
Tia remained a silent witness to all this, and walked alongside them all. Glancing up occasionally along the way, she noticed that nearly every window of every building there was occupied by a Mamono watching the procession.
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“Arawn.” Tia said after they’d passed several blocks. Looking ahead, she noticed that they were nearing the Fort’s inner guard wall entrance. Arawn said nothing in response, he kept his face blank and looked at her once impassively, then returned his attention forwards.
“Arawn.” Tia tried again. “Say something.” She said, biting her lip apprehensively. “Please.” Arawn glanced over at her again and replied.
“What is it you wish for me to say Mentor?”
“Are you angry with me?”
“Angry? Yes. Yes, I am. I am very angry.” He replied with a hint of fire. Tia noticed that he blinked slowly then. She looked away for several seconds.
“But, I am not angry with you Mentor.” She looked back at him sharply. “You did what you were ordered to do, I can see that, and there will be no recriminations from me.”
“Then what are you angry about?”
“I am angry with myself. This is not the first time, I have had the local constabulary come to pay me an unannounced visit in the middle of the night.”
“Arawn, I don’t understand the connection. What has that got to do with your being angry?”
“That display of mine with the Kanabo, is uncharacteristic of me. What I should have done instead, is to have submitted to Sergeant Shuten without a hint of protest. I am at a loss for an explanation for my behaving in this manner.” Arawn explained, hanging his head guiltily.
“Arawn? How did you do that? I’ve seen the Ryusei Tetsu guard go up against several dozen Order Majin and win every time! But you, what did you do to stymie them?” Arawn didn’t reply, and Tia couldn’t think of anything else to say or ask. So, they continued on with the rest of their journey in silence.
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After a long interval they arrived at their destination after passing through the Fort’s entrance gate, and on up the hill towards the Teleportation Pavilion. As they drew closer, Tia’s ears perked up at the sound of a near constant set of teleportations in progress.
‘That’s odd, the Pavilion is normally not operating this late at night. WAIT!’ she realized in alarm. ‘That’s not the sound of a normal teleportation! What’s going on?!’.
But before they could get close enough for her to see what was happening, the Red Oni security surrounding them, stopped a goodly distance away from the Pavilion.
The Red Oni Guard, remained impassive at full attention where they had stopped. Then, before she thought to start peering in between the Oni, Tia heard the sound of hooves clopping smartly towards them. As one, the Oni parted to reveal to Tia and Arawn, who it was that was approaching.
It was a Centaur. She, like the others of her kind, was dressed mostly in plate armor that covered her from her shoulders to her Dock. Looking down past her helmet, Tia automatically looked to the Centaur’s gorget to see what her rank was, and gave out an involuntary gasp in response.
“Who is that, Mentor?” Arawn asked her in a whisper. Tia swallowed nervously.
“That’s Dark Colonel Alenoth, Arawn. She’s third in command here at Fort Eequor.”
Arawn lifted his head for a thorough viewing of this officer. He had encountered the Centaur race many times in his travels through the Multiverse. They, like humans, seemed to be a constant there.
Like humans they varied in size and form. Some were as petite as the Dwarfs: the Falabella Centaur. Others, were almost giant like in stature: like  the Shire Centaur.
‘This one is closer in form to the Destrier Centaur.’ Arawn judged, noting that her fetlocks were unusually hairy. Col. Alenoth stopped a short distance away and barked an unintelligible order to Sergeant Shuten. A short conversation ensued.
Arawn noticed that even though there appeared to be no salutes offered between the two, there was a natural deference evident in Shuten’s body language. He had Quintus augment his hearing then.
“... the future you will insure that all prisoners will remain under restraint!” he heard the grating voice of Colonel Alenoth then. “Do I make myself clear enough this time, Sergeant Shuten?”
“Yes, Colonel, you do.” Shuten nodded warily.
“Very well. You and your squad will return and retrieve your clubs, then report back here.” As one, the Red Oni guard marched off back in the direction of whence they came, leaving Tia and Arawn alone.
“Corporal Helvetia!” Alenoth shot out then. “Report!” Tia then gave Alenoth the Maou’s Army salute: her right fist clenched into a fist and placed momentarily over her left breast.
“Yokai Basic Annwyfn Arawn, has been placed under arrest.” She began hesitantly, almost but not quite looking at Arawn.
“As per the orders that were given to me an hour ago.” Tia added. With a swift movement Colonel Alenoth chose to pull her steel helmet up vertically from her head
When she did, both of her ears popped out. Arawn noted that her left ear was almost long enough to be prehensile. However, he noticed that her right ear had been cut off halfway, as if in battle. She then placed her helmet primly under one arm.
Her face was round, with a widow’s peak at her hairline. Her ebony hair was cut short in a bob. She had one scar that ran from her hairline, down over her right cheek, just missing her eye. A pair of cold calculating eyes held Arawn for a moment, judging him harshly. Frowning she spoke.
“Majin Arawn.” She spoke the words with obvious distaste, as she clopped forward a couple of paces towards him, then stopped.
“Colonel Alenoth.” He replied, moving his right arm to imitate his Mentor in her salute. When he did, he caught sight of her grimacing in contempt. He paused for only a moment, then completed it. Her eyes blazed in fury when he did.
“I do not want you here Annwyfn Arawn! I do not know what blandishments you used upon the Great Maou in order for you to gain access to my Fort! Nor do I care!” she snarled at him vehemently. She continued to clop slowly around him, keeping one arm placed upon the hilt of a sword that was fastened at her side.
“Colonel,..” he began.
“SILENCE!” she shouted. “I did not grant you leave to speak!” she glared at him. With an obvious effort, he forced himself to calm down. Alenoth noticed it and for the first time, smiled. She continued walking, until she had placed herself squarely behind him, where he couldn’t see her. Arawn looked over at Tia with his eyes. She seemed steady, yet nervous.
“Majin Arawn, you wish to become a member of the Maou’s Army, do you not?” she asked in a seemingly pleasant voice then. Arawn didn’t answer.
“I give you leave now, Arawn. Speak.”
“Yes.” He replied.
“What?” she asked. “I cannot hear you.”
“YES!” he half shouted.
“Yes what, human bachelor?” she asked again with a bit of distaste coloring her voice.
“YES I wish to become a member of the Maou’s Army!” he stated woodenly, forcing himself to not rise to her baiting. He couldn’t see, but instead felt Colonel Alenoth smile behind him then.
“And why in the Maou’s name should I allow you to do so under MY Command?”
“Because I bring to your table a number of abilities that are without parallel.”  His reply made Alenoth giggle. It wasn’t a pleasant one.
“Oh yes! A number of abilities without parallel, unseen in any other Mamono!” she said, as she started clopping back to where he could see her. When she finally came into view, he saw that she was holding her hands together at the fingertips, rhythmically tapping them together from her pinkies to her thumbs.
“According to reports, you’re supposed to be able to do things that no one else under my command can possibly do.” She smiled a cold smile at him then, and then turned herself completely around to face him square on.
“Can you do that, Yokai Basic Arawn?”
“Yes, I can do that.” He replied warily, as she began to grin.
“Excellent!” she cried. “Because I am having a problem Yokai Basic Arawn.”
“My Teleportation platforms aren’t working properly anymore.” She waved a hand at the Pavilion a few tens of meters away. “In fact, they’ve not been working properly ever since you arrived earlier this morning, oh wait!” she exclaimed. “Excuse me! Ever since- Yesterday morning it is now.”.
“What an amazing coincidence, Majin Arawn! You show up, and my Teleportation Platforms start misbehaving. And they all started misbehaving, with the very platform that you ported in on.” Arawn licked his lips in realization about where this ‘conversation’ was headed.
Colonel Alenoth then clopped her way forward till her breast plate was pressing against Arawn’s face. He refused to back off, and was slowly forced to move his head back in response. After a few centimeters, he found himself arching his back into a painful position. Looking up, he noticed that Alenoth was staring back down at him disdainfully.
“All of the normal business that would have occurred has been placed on hold due to the malfunction.” She hissed silently. “Which now includes a delayed relief mission to the state of Alizharr. The Trolls there are in need of help. Help I cannot give them, Arawn.”
“None under my command, are able to do anything to fix this malfunction Majin Arawn. Since you, ‘bring to the table abilities that no others can possibly do’ I hereby order you to repair said malfunction.”
“I do not have any training in teleportation Magi-tech, Colonel.” Alenoth backed off then, and turned her head to Tia.
“Corporal Helvetia, are you not a Teleportation Technician?” she asked.
“Yes, Colonel, I am!” she replied sharply.
“You will now assist Majin Arawn in his endeavor. After all, you are his mentor are you not?” she asked with a tilt to her head.
“Yes Colonel, I am.”
“Good!” Alenoth replied, clapping her hands together once, and made to move off then stopped. She then turned herself around and faced Arawn and Tia once more.
“You now have a choice, Majin Arawn.” Alenoth smiled widely. “You can choose to either fix the teleportation platforms, or you can walk away.”
“Why would I wish to walk away?”
“Why indeed Arawn?” she replied. “Because, I see one of two things here. One!” she lifted up a finger. “You are a colossal fool of a Majin who inadvertently caused my platforms to unknowingly malfunction,… supposedly.” She then raised a second finger.
“Or Two, you are an Order saboteur.” She dropped her hand and frowned. “If you are in fact an Order saboteur, then it would behoove me to root you out with extreme prejudice.” She grimaced fiercely. She then breathed in several times to calm herself. “Thus I am willing to accept the fact that you managed to achieve your objective. Congratulations.” She frowned.
Arawn began to protest. Alenoth held up a hand to forestall him.
“I say again, Congratulations. I will allow you your one success and give you the chance to walk away, never to be seen again. If you do return, then I will do everything in my power to destroy you.”
“Make your decision, and make it now! Are you truly capable of extraordinary feats Majin Arawn? Or are you nothing more than a pawn of fate?” she glowered at him.
“Oh yes, I almost forgot.” She breathed in. “You both have until sunrise to fix the problem. If you do not, then I will hand both of you over to Colonel Herhes. Good Luck!” she spoke then, moving off in the direction of the pavilion.
“Who is Colonel Her,…” Arawn began asking Tia, then stopped when he saw her shrinking into herself. “Mentor! What is wrong?!” he asked concernedly.
“Colonel Herhes!” she began, her voice quavering. “She’s a monster! No, not like us! Not just a monster girl!”
“All right Helvetia, try to calm yourself down.” Arawn spoke then, waving his hands at her to get her settle. “What do you mean?”
“She’s a Dragon!” Tia replied, her whole body shaking.
“And how is a Dragon a problem? I know that they’re high-minded and arrogant, but I fail to see,…” he continued, but was interrupted.
“She’s a sadist!” Tia cried. “Let me explain.” She continued explaining. Arawn listened attentively.
Apparently, Fort Eequor’s ‘Ace-in-the-hole’ was Colonel Herhes, she was a Platinum Dragon with a number of unusual abilities. Her assigned task was to fly patrol, looking for any invading Order, Pirate, or Slaver ships. It was a task she took to heart.
“I fail to see how this is a problem.” Arawn stated.
“Six months ago, there was a report of a fleet of Order ships coming in from the North. There were over a hundred of them. She, single-handedly shredded the fleet to nothing. According to the few survivors, she apparently enjoyed playing with her kills!” That information made Arawn stand up straight in consternation.
Turning, he looked over at the Pavilion and began to wonder what he had managed to get himself into.
“Well,” he sighed, “it appears that we had best get started on repairs. First, let us find out what the problem is.” He stated as he began walking towards the Pavilion. Tia looked at his back as he walked towards the Pavilion, wondering he truly understood the situation they were in.
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Arawn and Tia walked in under the Pavilion roof’s edge, and stepped into Pandemonium. Well, not the Fallen God’s version at least. But something akin to it.
Corporal Tia was aghast at the sight that lay before her, where before she expected an orderly number of teleportations, both incoming and outgoing.
Instead, she saw that every one of the platforms seemed to be teleporting in the same thing: A cylindrical object that looked vaguely familiar to her. Every one of them flashed into being after a whirlwind formed around a platform, and a second’s pause it fell to the floor and was swiftly retrieved by a number of her fellow Porters, then it was carried off to the other side of the pavilion.
Sniffing, Tia noticed that there was the tang of ozone in the air, along with the deliciously sweet aroma of chocolate.
For his part Arawn noticed the display going on as well. The nearest platform to them, sprung into life on its own. It then duplicated the efforts of its sister platforms. This time, Arawn telekinetically retrieved the object that appeared without a second thought.
Tia was surprised to see the cylinder smack into his hand, and even more surprised to see that he thought nothing of it.
‘I will need to ask him about that.’ She thought.
“What is it?” she asked out loud, as she saw him begin to inspect it.
“It appears to be a form of sex toy.” He said holding it up. Tia noticed then that it was a dildo. She also noticed that the smell of chocolate had increased tenfold when the dildo came close to her nose.
Instinctively, she reached out and took ahold of it, and placed it under her nose. Arawn didn’t resist. But he was surprised at what she did next.
She took a bite out of it.
“Mentor!” he half-shouted, aghast. “We have no idea if that is even edible!” he protested.
“Don’t worry about it Arawn, it’s edible.” She replied around her mouthful. “In fact it’s quite delicious!” she said as she continued her chewing.
“There you are!” shouted a voice then. Both Arawn and Tia turned their heads to the source.
Tia recognized her immediately, and Arawn did as well after a second. It was Dark Sergeant Andra, the Salamander in charge of the Platform during the day shift. She looked harried, and considerably worse for wear, almost as if she hadn’t had any decent sleep since he’d seen her last. Which she hadn’t.
“Returning to the scene of the crime, I see!” the red-haired Salamander almost screamed at Arawn, as he stepped up to a platform control panel.
“We’ve been ordered to attempt a repair, Sergeant Andra.” Corporal Tia tried to explain. But Andra remained skeptical.
“And how do you propose to do that Corporal? Eat your way out of the problem?!” Andra growled, looking pointedly at Tia. Tia looked nervously at the chocolate dildo in her hand.
“Well, we cannot make things worse.” Arawn said, interposing himself between Andra and Tia.
“That remains to be seen!” Andra jeered, exposing her teeth at him.
“Sergeant, patience please! Colonel Alenoth ordered that we be allowed to make an attempt!” Tia inserted tightly. Andra sneered, but after a second, she stepped back.
“I will go and check your story. You’d better not be lying!” she replied snidely as she moved off.
“We are not.” Arawn replied as coolly as he dared. Andra ignored him.
“It’s bad enough that I can’t get ahold of Winnie!” Andra muttered under her breath, as she left.
Tia stepped to the malfunctioning platform’s console that Arawn was standing next to, and studied the icons that flashed across its surface. Arawn noticed her intent stare as she did, and chose to not interrupt her.
‘Quintus, are you following? (1)’ Arawn demanded then.
‘Affirmative, I have all of us studying the readouts. I shall report whatever information that we discover. (5)’ Quintus replied.
‘Good. I will endeavor to do my part to the best of my ability. (1)’
Just then, Arawn noticed that Tia had leaned back from her perusal of the console. He was chilled when he saw that she was shaking her head in consternation.
“What is the matter?” he asked.
“It makes no sense!” she replied, clutching her fists.
“What precisely does not make sense?” he pressed.
“These sigils!” she shouted in frustration. “I’ve not seen half of them before, ever!” she explained, “The ones that I have seen, are combined in ways that they’re not supposed to!”
“I do not follow you Mentor. I will need you to explain.” Arawn asked. Tia seemingly ignored him.
“This is hopeless Arawn!” she sighed, exasperated. “It took me years to learn these sigils and how they interact with the teleporter. There is no way for me to teach them all to you in the time we have left!” she grimaced, hitting a fist onto the console in frustration.
“There may be an alternate way for me to learn.” Arawn replied simply, quietly. Tia snapped her head around and glared at him.
“WHAT ALTERNATIVE?!” she demanded acerbically.
“You asked me earlier, how I was able to stymie the Ryusei Tetsu, yes?” She nodded.
“The answer is, that I have studied many forms of power beyond magic.”
“What other kind of power?” she asked.
“Psionics” he replied quietly.
“WHAT!” she demanded shrilly. “You mean to tell me that you’re a Thought-Thief as well!?” she shouted indignantly, pushing herself to stand up fully on the ends of her Tarsi, facing him with her teeth bared.
“No!” he shouted back vehemently. “I am not a ‘stealer of thoughts’!” he frowned back at her, standing eye to eye.
“I fail to see the difference!” she hissed, her eyes turning red.
“The difference, is that I cannot ‘read’ anyone’s mind without their permission.” He shot back. That comment of his caused her to lose some of her anger.
“How is this ability supposed to help in the here and now?” she demanded, folding her arms unhappily.
“If you allow me to access your mind, I can create a mental bridge. This would allow me to duplicate your knowledge of Teleportation. Thus, I can gain the experiences that you have, and interpret your memories in different ways.” She blinked her eyes several times as she thought about it.
“Are there any dangers?” she asked suddenly, staring at him in his eyes.
“Honestly? Yes, there are.” He stared back. “Primarily there is the danger of a permanent telepathic bond.”
“What would that mean?” she asked. Despite her fear, she found herself curious about the notion.
“That, would mean that either you, or I, could hear the thoughts or feel the emotions of the other.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad.” She decided.
“It can be, particularly when you consider that such bonds are usually instilled between married couples.” He pointed out.
“Oh!” she exclaimed, surprised and a little embarrassed. “Ummm, all right. So, we’d be like a married couple?”
“Without going too heavily in details, yes. But if I do the mental bridge carefully, there should be only a miniscule chance at best. I mention it, because you asked concerning the dangers.”
“Wait, married couples of what people?” she asked.
“My own, the Annwyfn did this. It allowed us to communicate more effectively.”
“Ummmmm,” she replied, suddenly nervous about the procedure.
“You are of course, free to refuse Tia. But if I may point out, we are rather pressed for time, and I do not know of any other way.” Tia didn’t know why, but Arawn’s mentioning that she was free to refuse, decided it for her.
“Go ahead Arawn. Do it.” She replied, afraid. “I’ll do anything to avoid becoming Colonel Herhes plaything.”  Arawn nodded once and raised his hands to her head. Her eyes widened in alarm when he did.
“What are you doing?” she demanded, pulling back to evade his hands.
“I will need to make a physical connection, in order to facilitate the psychic link.” He explained.
“Can’t you do it without?” she asked, swallowing.
“Yes, I can. However, it would make the process more difficult, and thus would require more psychic force to make it occur. More force, would raise the possibility of creating that permanent bond that we both wish to avoid.”
“I understand Arawn, but still…” she began, but stopped talking and cast her eyes to the ground. Arawn lowered his hands, and stepped back.
“What is wrong?” he asked, concerned.
“It’s just that with my people, the Spider-Mamono, we only allow physical touching between family,…or,…” she bit her lip and looked away momentarily. Arawn waited patiently for her to continue. She sighed and looked back up at him.
“Or lovers.” She finished. “Touching someone’s head is considered to be intimate, as being touched there requires one to be vulnerable.” Tia, paused and tried to calm her breathing. “Spiders don’t care to be vulnerable, Arawn.”
‘Few people do.’ He thought. “It is not my desire to become your lover, Mentor.” Arawn replied verbally. He noticed that she didn’t seem reassured.
“Try to think of me instead, as a brother.” He suggested. After a second Tia’s eyes brightened considerably at the thought. Then she smiled abashedly.
“What?” Arawn asked, curious. She looked away.
“It’s nothing.” She replied with a slight smirk. Then she got a serious expression on her face. “Raise your hands.” Arawn obeyed, getting her point by lifting them to her head level, but keeping them near himself. She hesitated for only a second, then she slowly began to lean her head in between his outstretched fingers. Arawn made sure to not flinch or make any sudden moves.
A few seconds later, he nodded to let her know that her head was in the proper position. But still, he didn’t make contact. Keeping his eyes locked with hers, he spoke.
“I will make contact,…now?” He whispered. She hesitated, then nodded. Slowly, he brought his fingers up to the appropriate spots on her head, and deftly avoided poking her in any of her side eyes. At the first whisper of her head fur he stopped.
‘Her fur is softer than I expected.’ Arawn judged. He felt Secundus formulate a snarky remark.
‘Silence! (1)’ Arawn ordered crisply. Secundus obeyed. Once he had the proper contact points set, Arawn closed his eyes.
Tia, still unsure of everything that had transpired, managed to soothe the rapid beating of both her hearts after a few seconds of concentration. She then closed her eyes after a short while. They remained like that for the better part of a minute.
“Wait! I forgot to ask, will this hurt?” she asked suddenly, alarmed at the thought.
‘If I do it correctly, you will not even be aware of the first meshing.’ He replied.
Another minute passed, and Tia started to become uncomfortable standing so long without some prey to stalk.
“Well, how long WILL it take to begin? I’m starting to think that you’re not doing anything!” she replied, vexed.
‘In actuality, we have already begun first contact, Mentor. Open your eyes.’ Tia did and stared back at him, his face centimeters from hers. ‘Now, tell me what you see.’
“Your face looks silly all naked.” She replied after a second’s search of his face.
‘Why? Because I don’t have any fur like you do?’
“Yes!” she giggled. “You remind me of my Fa,…Wait!” she gasped then at the oddity. “When you talk, your lips aren’t moving!”
‘That is because I am not ‘talking’, Tia. What you are hearing, are my thoughts.’ She gasped once more in realization.
“Oh Lolth!” she exclaimed, astounded, “You’re right! I had no idea!”
‘Now, I need you to stop talking physically, and instead start thinking mentally.’ He instructed.
“Why?” she demanded.
‘Because if I can get you to do that, then you will be able to teach me your memories at the ‘speed of thought’, he replied. ‘Or, to be more precise, at the speed of your thoughts.’ He finished.
Within a few minutes of patient instruction and practice, Arawn managed to get Tia to do as he wished.
‘How is this?’ she asked.
‘Excellent Tia, you are a quick learner.’ He complimented her honestly. The strange part was, that she could tell that he was being honest.
‘Now, we must build up a rapport, that way we can conclude the process quicker.’
‘Why the hurry? I wish this would take longer!’ Tia replied, deciding that she rather liked this curious set of sensations.
‘Unfortunately, the longer we take to do this, the more likely we would become ‘psychically bonded’, I can sense that such is not something you desire.’ That thought brought her mind back to focus!
‘What must I do?’ she asked.
‘Allow yourself to remember your training.’
‘Like this?’ she asked, concentrating on remembering her first set of instructional classes.
‘Yes, please continue. But, do not try to force yourself to remember, allow yourself to instead.’ Arawn requested.
Tia, following his instructions, soon found herself more and more relaxed by the minute. This was partially due to the fact that Arawn was a patient teacher, but also due to the sensation of it all was so enjoyable to her!
She found that she was remembering every single detail from all of her classes, the mentoring she received from every instructor over her, and every moment that she spent working on the equipment herself!  It was like experiencing a dream, but one in which she knew how things would go!
Deep down, she could also ‘sense’ that Arawn was reliving all of her experiences as well. For some reason it made her feel good that she was, in a way, teaching someone else about it.
Unfortunately, both she and Arawn were so deeply immersed in the Temporary Mental-Link, that neither of them noticed Sergeant Andra’s return.
Dark Sergeant Andra, was not in a good mood when she did. This was mostly due to her lack of sleep, but also because of her concern for the Teleportation Pavilion. She guarded the care and upkeep of it with an iron grip. Woe betide anyone, who didn’t treat it with the respect she felt it deserved.
Corporal Tia, she respected. But that newcomer, that Arawn person, was someone that grated on her nerves. She blamed him, rightly or wrongly, for the Platform’s current ‘Chocolate-Dildo’ problem.
A few minutes ago, she had received confirmation that she was supposed to allow that Arawn person full access to the Pavilion. Even worse, she’d been ordered to assist!
‘Assist?!’ she thought fiercely, indignantly, ‘ASSIST! Who in the hell is he supposed to be?!’ she fumed, as she walked back to where she’d left the two of them. Turning a corner, she stopped and gaped when she came across Tia and Arawn. To her, it looked like Tia and Arawn were about to kiss, what with him holding her head in his hands!
“Corporal Tia! What is of the meaning of this?!” she yelled demandingly as her face turned red with her ire. Andra’s tail flame popped into existence and flared up in response to her rage.
But, even with that display of hers, neither Arawn nor Tia seemed to be paying any attention to her. Andra stomped her foot claws a couple of times as she got closer to them, and tried again.
“Corporal Tia! NOW is not the time for a seduction! TIA!” she remonstrated her.
“Are you paying attention?!” she shouted into Tia’s face, but still she got no response. “Stop ignoring me Corporal!”
Normally, in such a situation Quintus would have been on guard to warn of any potential interference, such as the imminent threat from Sergeant Andra.
Unfortunately, he along with the rest of Arawn’s not-brothers, were collectively parsing through Tia’s memories in an effort to get up to speed with the Teleportation Magi-tech. Thus, Arawn was left vulnerable, as was Tia. In that moment, Sergeant Andra did something that would have repercussions for years to come.
She intervened.
“You!” She screamed, turning her attention to Arawn. “Whatever it is you’re doing,…STOP!” she continued, but it was as if he was ignoring her too. This, made her even more angry as a result.
Peeling her lips back in preparation for a ‘Drill-Sergeant moment’, she placed a hand onto Arawn’s shoulder and shook.
This caused all hell to break loose.
“AAAHHH!” Tia and Arawn screamed painfully in unison, then. Tia, jumped backwards in her natural fear reaction. All eight of her legs ended up underneath, and left her in a quivering pile upon the stone floor.
This action spared her much of the resulting psychic backlash. Even with such luck, she began crying with the breaking of the link. Her head felt as if someone had stuck a knife into her forehead, repeatedly
“Tia!” Andra shouted then over the noise of the Platform, concerned. Ignoring Arawn, she crouched down and attempted to render aid to Tia.
Tia, panting furiously, was clutching her hands to her head with all of her eyes closed, moaning with the pain of the interrupted link.
“Tia! What’s wrong?” Andra demanded softly, trying to get a handle on the situation. “What happened? What were you two doing?”  Tia’s first response was to grunt. Shortly, Tia spoke.
“We were in a psychic link!” Tia whined.
“What?” Andra demanded.
“To give Arawn a chance to help.”
“Help?” Andra exclaimed, confused. “How?”
“By sharing my memories!” Tia answered opening her eyes, her mind clearing rapidly of the pain.
“I don’t understand!” Andra replied.
“It’s complicated!” Tia half-shouted. “But Arawn should be able to,…wait!” she stopped worried. “Where’s Arawn?” she asked, looking about. Then, her eyes caught sight of him, and she froze. She was horrified by what she saw.
Arawn, in the scant milliseconds available, chose to accept the bulk of the Psychic backlash from Andra’s interruption. The result of which meant, that he was now in the midst of a Grand Mal seizure. Currently, he was more or less on his back, as his arms and legs were convulsing up and down repeatedly, while the rest of him was shaking violently.
“Arawn!” Tia yelled finally, slowly getting to her tarsi. Somehow, she managed to stumble her way over to him. But she didn’t know what to do. She saw then, that he was foaming at his mouth.
‘It’s like he’s been injected with Spider-Wasp venom!’ she thought to herself.
“Tia! Stay here and attend to him!” Andra ordered, as she got to her feet. MEDIC!” Andra shouted loudly, trying to get the attention of one.
“What can I do?” Tia yelled out as she crouched herself as close to Arawn as she dared. “I don’t know what to do!” she cried helplessly. Below her, Arawn continued to convulse mindlessly, rapidly approaching the point of no return.
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