Triumph 07

 Trailing fingertips across Lenneth’s face, smoothing the hair back from her clammy forehead, the mage turned new God, let out a sigh. He was worried, a feeling the necromancer known as Lezard Valeth was not accustomed to experiencing. In truth he almost never worried, preferring to be calm and collected, level headed when things went wrong. Perhaps it was because he was so meticulous when it came to plans, to the point of obsessiveness, always having fail safes and numerous backup plans should something go bad that he never had need to let his practical demeanor slip.

But then he had never had to care about someone else before. People were generally a burden to him, to be used then tossed aside. How ironic now that he found himself ensnared, and willingly so, by his own hand, to the fate of another being. He looked down at his beloved Goddess, she who had caused him to feel many things, even made him despair on occasion, and now all he felt was worry and fear.

“Lenneth…” He called out softly, hands caressing her face, trying to rouse her from her slumber. She had been sleeping for hours now, unresponsive to outside stimuli,

her Godly aura flaring up, looking weaker and weaker by the minute. It was clear she was changing, and he had a pretty good idea to what. Lezard narrowed his eyes at nothing in particular, wishing he had someone worthy of taking out his rage on. This slumber of hers was an unforeseen side effect, unnatural and disturbing, a sign that some bit of paradox leaked in, even to this world he had created.

Lezard sighed, shifting onto the bed, hearing the mattress creak as he moved Lenneth into his embrace. He cuddled her close to his body, forehead resting in the crook of his shoulder, feeling the coldness of her skin against his. He wrapped his arms around her, trying to lend her his warmth, face resting in her hair, the platinum strands unsettled by his breath.

Even in sleep, Lenneth wasn’t completely quiet. Occasionally she let out a moan, the woman restless in his arms, arms flailing about, weak as a kitten. He merely held her tighter, trying to still her movements. Lezard wondered if she was aware of what was going on, did her arms lash out in an attempt to catch her fading power, to pull it back into her, futile though the gesture may be? He didn’t know, and she was in no state to tell him.

He could see her eyes moving under the lids, a frantic motion signaling she was dreaming. Lezard wondered what sort of images her fevered mind tossed out at her. Lenneth moaned again, her breath hot against his neck, the sound sad and full of pain. Her aura flickered, dimming for a moment and then stabilized, shining bright purple once again. Lezard sent out his own power, a testing probe, bringing the taste of her aura to him. He could feel it on his tongue, a zap of energy, brief and fulfilling, and lacking that extra edge of the Creator.

“So…” He murmured to himself, stroking her hair. “Sixth level once again…” He watched as her breathing evened out, chest rising and falling softly. Lenneth let out a murmur, snuggling close to him, wrapping an arm around his waist. That made Lezard smile, even as he mind raced with possibilities. He wasn’t that surprised that she had reverted to her former power level. It was to be expected after all. He had been playing havoc with the world’s time line, the assimilation of Odin rendering the events that would lead to Lenneth’s elf evolution null and void. His smile deepened, a hint of malice to it, as another thought came to his mind. Perhaps this was for the best, there couldn’t be two Creators after all…and she would be more manageable at a weakened power level. More…dependent on him.

Laughter escaped from his lips, deep chuckles that seemed to reach down to Lenneth’s very soul, the girl letting out a shiver in response. Yes. He thought in deep satisfaction, his hand on her hair. This suits me quite nicely.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————

Dipan…once a magnificent kingdom, a glorious empire that held all others in check, it was the trendsetter city that all others endeavored to copy. Now it was no more, laying in ruins before their feet, buildings looming large and empty. Already the ghosts of the people who had lived here haunted this place, the air filled with sadness over the tragedy that had occurred here.

The party of three silently walked through the empty streets, eyes open and alert for possible dangers. It was still too early for the jungle to claim this land, monsters still recalling the threat of humanity and staying far, far away. But soon they would learn that the humans were gone, and would descend upon this place, making the terrain dangerous to travel alone and unarmed.

Alice let out a sigh, rubbing her arms against a chill that only she could feel. She was the princess of this ghost town, the sole survivor of the Barbarossa regime, heir to nothing but bad memories and bloodshed.

“You okay?” She heard Rufus ask, placing his hand on her shoulder. She turned to him, trying to flash him a brave smile, but pain was in her eyes.

“I’ll be fine…” Alicia sighed. She had to be. There was nothing left except to push on, live her life as best she could. She could see the castle, looming close in the distance, a grand building with high turrets and made of smooth white stone. Stain glass windows of brilliant design gleamed in the sunlight, sending out rainbows of colors on the cobblestone before them.

Arngrim walked ahead of them by several feet, sword drawn and cautiously scanning the area. He approached the front of the castle, unsurprised at how easily the door creaked open at his touch. He nodded at them, then went in, soon disappearing from sight. She found herself staring at the door, memories coming unbidden of the last time she had been here. Of the time before claiming the ghoul powder, of when it all went wrong for them.

“Shhh…” She gave a start, feeling Rufus wrap his arms around her from behind. “Don’t think about it…” She reached up, touching the arm across her chest, wondering how he seemed to always sense where her thoughts lay. She let out a little sigh, leaning against his front, enjoying his breath against the side of her face. “You should let go of me…” Alicia said at last. “Arngrim won’t like it if he finds us slacking off like this…”

“Arngrim’s just jealous.” Rufus said with a muffled laugh against her hair. “He wishes he had a cute princess to call his own.” Alicia blushed, and asked, “Do you really think I’m cute?”

“Definitely…” He was glad her back was to him, so she couldn’t see the blush on his face. She went to move, and he squeezed her tighter, just enjoying the feel of her in his arms.

“Well isn’t this precious…” A harsh mocking voice said, causing the two to jump apart, a gasp on the princess’ lips. She whirled around, eyes scanning the area, “Dallas?!” She saw nothing, but heard a sound behind her. She turned again, hands hovering over the sheathe of her sword, fumbling to draw her weapon.

“Would you really pull your blade on an old childhood friend?”

“Over there!” Rufus cried, letting an arrow fly free of his bow. It arced over the roof of one of the abandoned houses, seeming to slam into thin air. A blur of black appeared, the figure of a man, stumbling as the arrow head embedded itself into his left arm.

“Dallas…” Her eyes were wide, and sad, staring up at the man with the reddish brown hair. His bangs were long, flipped to cover half his face, the other side being revealed to be grayish blue in color, with thick vein lines protruding on the surface. The mark of a victim given to the ravages of the full effects of the ghoul powder.

“Alicia…” His yellow eyes seemed to revert back to normal, for a second the man, not the undead fiend, was there before them, wanting to warn them, warn her. “You should leave this place…leave before they come back…”

“Who?” She asked, even as Rufus trained another arrow on the man.

“Walther and Gyne…” He answered, speaking of his undead brethren. “They’ll want revenge against you…against the Valkyrie that sleeps within you…”

“Sleeps no more…” She corrected him. “Silmeria is gone…”

“You think that would matter to them…to us?!” His eyes turned yellow again, and he howled, a blur in the wind. Rufus’ arrow missed him, the undead ghoul vanishing before their eyes.

“Dallas wait! We could help you…help each other!” Alicia called out, but there was no response.

“Let’s join Arngrim inside…” Rufus advised. “It’s too open out here…we’re sitting ducks…” He had to grab her by the arm, half dragging her behind him when she made no motion to move. With a push, he had her inside the castle, the half elf endeavoring to close the door behind him. With a struggle he managed to lower the iron bar of the door, locking it closed. He turned and watched as Alicia took a few hesitant steps deeper into the room, her footsteps muffled on the carpet.

“I wish he hadn’t run away…” She said with a sigh.

“Why?” asked Rufus bluntly.

“…he could have given us answers, told us if there was a cure…” She trailed off with a gasp, a horrible thought occurring to the princess. “Maybe there isn’t a cure…maybe that’s why Dallas still remains a ghoul!”

“Don’t think like that!” snapped Rufus. “There has to be a cure!”

“But why wouldn’t he use it?” wondered Alicia. “He didn’t choose this curse…it was forced on him, surely…”

“The ghoul powder ravages not only the body but the mind…” It was Arngrim, returning to their side, having heard the castle door slam shut. “At this point he probably doesn’t want to be cured.”

“But it might not be too late for him?” Hope was in her voice, and neither man wanted to dash it.

“I take it we have company.” The warrior in blue said, turning his attention to Rufus. The half elf nodded, leaning against the door. “Yeah, one of the three mages…He’s probably gone off to get the others.”

“Dallas wouldn’t do that!” protested Alicia. “He’s my friend.”

“Was your friend.” pointed out Rufus. “Now? Who knows…” He shook his head, sighing. “What have you found out?” He asked Arngrim.

“The castle’s deserted…no big surprise there…there’s been some looting.” Arngrim crossed his arms over his chest, looking disgusted. “Anything valuable that wasn’t nailed down has been taken. However…the basement and dungeons appear to have been left alone.”

“How do you know that?” asked Rufus. “You haven’t been gone long enough to scout out the bottom levels of the castle.”

“No monsters.” Arngrim rubbed his nose. “If anyone had risked entering the lower levels, they surely would have been slaughtered by the beasts down below.”

“If that happened…They’d have been let into the rest of the palace…” realized Alicia. She knew most monsters weren’t smart enough to work out how to open doors. Someone would have to let them out, either on purpose or accidentally.

“Exactly…” Arngrim smiled at her.

“So shall we go?” Rufus looked between the girl and the man. “I’m eager to get to the library, find the cure, and get out!” Alicia nodded. “Me too!”

“I have no objections to that…just be prepared to fight…” Arngrim looked eager, his beserker blood thirsting to let his blade taste undead flesh once again.

———————————————————————————————————————————————–

Lenneth woke up with a startled gasp, her body tense and leaping forward. It was only Lezard’s restraining arm on her waist that kept the Valkyrie from falling off the bed, the woman looking around in dazed confusion. He hauled her struggling body back onto his lap, surprised by the speed in which she had moved. The woman had given no sign she was close to awakening, just one moment asleep, the next dangling half off the bed in her desperate flight to get away from whatever nightmare chased after her.

“It’s all right Lenneth!” Lezard said, practically shouting at her, holding her arms down. She looked up at him, and for a second she appeared not to recognize him, blue eyes blank and staring. Her breath came out in short heavy pants, a fine sheen of sweat on her skin, her stare unsettling him. “It was just a dream…” He added, in a soothing tone, hesitant to let go of her arms. He could feel her muscles straining, wanting to lash out against something, and he wasn’t about to become a target.

“A…a dream?” Lenneth asked, the light slowly returning to her eyes, the woman becoming more aware of her surroundings. Lezard nodded, and felt her shudder. “No…more like a nightmare…” She murmured with a shake of her head.

“Do you want to tell me about it?” He asked, hands still on her arms, waiting to be sure she had control of herself.

“I…” Lenneth opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated. Her eyes showed her confusion. “I can’t remember…only bits and pieces…an unspeakable fear…something important lost…” She shivered, and he could feel her flesh goose pimpling under his hands. Lezard was quiet, thinking over her words, wondering how much of that dream had been prophetic.

“Lezard…” Lenneth was looking at his hands, lightly struggling against the firm grip he had on her. He didn’t offer an apology, but he did loosen his hold, sliding his hands down her arms, smoothing over the satin of her sleeves. From there he placed a hand on her hip, pressing down just enough to keep her from trying to move out of his lap. She settled back against him with a put upon sigh, leaning against his chest.

“Lezard?” She tried again, something clearly on her mind. “What happened…? What’s wrong with me?” Lezard was quiet, debating if he should tell her or not. He almost wanted to let her have her illusions, keep them from shattering. But that could be dangerous in another way. He let out a deep sigh, sad and frustrated to have to be the one to tell her this.

“Lezard?!” His silence was making her worry, and she reached up, touching the side of his face. Her gentle touch eased his face down to look at her, purple eyes grim. “Tell me…” begged Lenneth, feeling him lean into her touch. A hand came up to caress hers, holding her palm to his skin.

“What do you remember?” He asked instead, fingers caressing the back of her hand. He watched as her brow furrowed, the girl trying to remember as best she could. “I…I remember passing out…” By the faint flush on her cheeks, she remembered what they had been doing just moments before. “Of being dizzy…and seeing things that couldn’t possible be there…!”

“Seeing things?” He said surprised. This was news to him. “Like what?”

She gave him a look, sensing he was trying to change the subject. “It doesn’t matter…” She couldn’t admit that for a second he had seemed to change into Lucian, his mahogany locks turning yellow under her hands.

“Hmm…” Just a sound, the mage considering his next words. Lenneth called his name again, voice urgent in her need to know. She was surprised to hear him let out a deep sigh, his eyes seeking to avoid hers. “You’re not sick.” He said at last.

“Gods do not suffer from illness…” Lenneth frowned, a touch of doubt in the back of her mind. “But…”

“But you don’t feel right…” supplied Lezard, his hand nervously playing with the strands of her hair. He concentrated on those silver strands, watching the play of light reflect off her luxurious tresses. Anything to avoid looking at her.

“Just tell me!” Lenneth sounded impatient, fingers touching his chest, poking him slightly.

“It’s the time paradox.” He answered hearing her let out a gasp. “It’s catching up to you, changing you…”

“Changing me…how?” asked Lenneth, fearing she already knew. He confirmed her fears with his next words. “Your body is adapting to the new timeline, becoming what you were before Odin summoned you, before the events in the Weeping Lilies Meadow.”

Lenneth opened and closed her mouth, shocked by the news. She swallowed nervously, and said at last, “But it shouldn’t have caught up so quickly with me…There should have still been time…”

“Time? To do what? Stop me?” He smirked at her, watching her blue eyes narrow into a glare. “I take that as a yes.” He laughed, hand tightening in her hair. “I think…my world has accelerated events…there’s never been two Creators before…the power seeks to restore balance…”

“Why me and not you?” She wondered out loud.

“Take it as a sign that my new timeline is replacing yours…making much needed repairs and alterations.” Lezard said, fingers brushing against the back of her neck.

She didn’t like hearing that, her lips a stiff line of disapproval. “Don’t give me that look my love! It is for the better, you’ll see…!”

“Better for whom?” demanded Lenneth. “So far I have yet to see how anyone besides you benefits from this…” He flashed her another one of his infuriating smiles. “The humans for one…they will be better off without Odin interfering in their lives.”

“How easily you speak of humanity…” Lenneth sighed. “When we both know you care nothing for your fellow mortals!”

“My former people.” Lezard corrected her. “It’s true I don’t really give a damn either way, but I know they mean something to you. Your soft sentiments towards those lesser beings is really quite…endearing.” She was quiet in response, and he moved his hand up from her neck, sliding towards her cheek. She was still cool to the touch, and he was surprised when Lenneth leaned into his hand, the girl trying to steal some of it’s warmth for her own.

“What else will change…” It was a whisper from her, his ears straining to pick up her sad words.

“I can’t really say.” He gave an uncaring shrug, moving to lean back against the cushions of the bed. His hands were a guiding touch on Lenneth’s body, easing her to lie flat against him. “Minor things really…perhaps it will affect what humans are born and when they die…”

“What about memories?” Lenneth asked, staring at his chest. Her fingers were tracing lazy circles on his skin, and she felt him tense up at the question.

“Memories…” He let out a laugh, sounding excited. “They are a fragile thing…easily lost as time goes on…”

“So I might forget…forget everything…forget…him…” Her voice was heavy with sadness, her eyes wet at the thought of losing treasured memories. She held back her tears, kept them from falling even as Lezard smirked, satisfaction in that leer of his. “Yes, you truly may…” The thought that she could forget all about a former love truly excited him, she could see the glee in his eyes as he forced her to look at him, hands tipping her head up towards his. “Would that really be such a bad thing?”

His words distressed her, causing Lenneth to fall silent, with eyes that were wide and sad. It made Lezard sigh to see her look at him like that, and he frowned. “So sad…so unbearably sad.” Fingering her cheeks, he caressed gently with his thumbs, a light sensation under her eyes.

The touch did little to wipe that look off her face, the Goddess lowering her eyelids to hide her azure eyes from his intensely peering ones. “I wish you could be happy here…with me.” Lezard said, realizing he hadn’t seen her smile much since he had taken her into his new world.

“What if I told you, you ask for the impossible?” asked Lenneth. She felt him lifting up her face, forcing her to make eye contact with him. “I can’t be happy being your prisoner…”

“I already told you, your are not my captive, but a guest…” She quickly interrupted him. “Call it what you like, but we both know the truth. I can’t leave here…you won’t let me…”

“Next I suppose you’ll be crying out about how you want your freedom.” Lezard said this more harshly then he intended, her words putting him in a foul mood. Lenneth drew back as though he had slapped her, blue eyes looking wounded. The mage found himself sighing, reaching with a hand on the small of her back to keep her pressed onto the front of his body. “I’ll give you everything you could ever desire…food, clothing, jewels…my undivided attention…I’ll worship you in ways that mortal of yours couldn’t even begin to dream of…”

Lenneth hated to admit it, but she found his words seductive, the thought of someone being that devoted to her making her heart beat just a little faster. But still she argued, not wanting to give in to him. “You can’t buy my love…a few trinkets won’t make this right.” She shook her head, hair brushing against his chest from the movement. “You’ve stolen from me…yes you have!” She flared up in anger when she saw him open his mouth to protest. “My freedom, my Godhood, the life I had. All for your own selfish desires…”

“If it’s selfish of me to want what’s best for you, than so be it!” Lezard was rolling them over, so that she was pinned under his body. She stared up at him in wary surprise, placing her hands flat against his chest, struggling to squirm out from under his weight. “I suppose you think you’re what’s best for me…?” She scoffed at this, trying to be brave, even as she felt a tinge of dangerous excitement at being trapped underneath him.

“Yes…yes I do.” He said this with brazen confidence. “Everything I’ve done is so that we can be together…” He was leaning his face in close, she knew he was going to kiss her, and yet she didn’t turn away, letting his lips seal over hers in a searing kiss. She held herself in check, keeping her gasps to a minimal when he pulled away. She almost managed to sound convincing when she said, “I feel nothing for you.”

“Really?” The leer on Lezard’s face made her nervous, and she felt his hands moving around on her body. “That almost sounds like an open invitation to test that claim…” One hand was on her rear, squeezing her rump trying to make her cry out, even as his other hand found her breast. Fondling her through her bodice, touch firm as he leaned in to nibble against her ear. She felt a blush on her face, as she let out a moan, embarrassment in her eyes as she arched into his touch.

The sound seemed to satisfy him, and he whispered into her ear. “Such a shame I don’t have time to play with you now.”

“Wh…what?!” She was confused as he pushed up off her body, going to leave the bed. Lenneth raised up on her elbows, watching as he adjusted his clothing, his blue coat appearing as though by magic over his shirt. “Where are you going?”

“Just something I have to check on my dear…” He was cocky arrogance as he smiled at her. “Do try not to sound so…disapointed.” She was grabbing a pillow, Lenneth letting out an infuriated yell as she threw it at him with all her might. It passed harmlessly through his body, as he faded from the room, leaving her to be surrounded with his echoing laughter.

——————————————————————————————————————————————–

They fought their way through the castle’s lower levels, encountering all manners of beasts. From goblins to skeletons, even suits of living armor, their weapons constantly on the move. Arngrim eagerly leaped into the fray, proclaiming the monsters weak and hardly worth the effort of killing. But he had a smile on his face, laughing as he told the goblins over and over, “You will die!”

Alicia and Rufus were more reserved, keeping an eye on each other, the princess blade hacking through bone, the archer’s arrows flying to pound and pierce into tender flesh. Occasionally the girl was called on to heal her comrades, using what little magic she possessed to shout out a healing spell.

Down they went, through three flights of stairs, creeping lower and lower. They even passed by the room with the time machine the three mages had constructed. For a moment Alicia toyed with the idea of destroying it, preventing Lezard from ever using it again, now or in the future…But there was a magical barrier on the door, and try as she might, she could not get through.

“Damn it!” She kicked at the barrier, and nearly ended up on her rear for her troubles. The princess glared at the door, angry and sullen. She had harbored the hope that destroying the machine might prevent Lezard from ever coming to the past in the first place.

“It seems that stinking wizard was here…” Arngrim noted gravely. “Making sure no one else could utilize the time machine.”

“He thinks of everything, doesn’t he.” Rufus said, disgusted.

“He can’t possible…” said Alicia practically. “No one is that good…not even the Gods!” No one shushed her or accused her of blasphemy, the two men having low opinions of the Asgardians due to the ordeals they had experienced in their lives.

“Well if he does mess up, we’ll be there to take advantage of it…” Arngrim grinned, liking the thought of getting a chance to pound on the mage once more. Rufus stifled a groan, the half elf thinking his companions mad to want to go up against Lezard again. “Let’s keep moving…” He suggested, fingers checking to make sure the string of his steel bow was still tight.

“Right…” Alicia groaned, not wanting to face more monsters. But on the bright side, the ones they slaughtered stayed dead, and with no one around to work the machines, no more were regenerated. It looked like it would be smooth sailing on the way back, an easy rest for the trio.

Eventually they reached the laboratory, footsteps echoing loudly in the empty room. It seemed like a lifetime ago that she and Rufus had been here, alone and somehow managing to best the wizard’s prized pet, that of a primordial ooze. It’s bloodstains were still on the floor, dark and grimy, the only reminder left that it had once been here.

Past the long thin, silver tubes, coffins really, of frozen monsters, and bodies of fallen Dipan soldiers, both being used in twisted experiments, they walked. Until they reached a door, the one that led into the small library, cramped with bookshelves, and one thin table. The trio split up, each taking a different part of the library as their own. Hours must have gone by, the three lost in heavy research, searching, searching for anything and everything to do with ghoul powder.

“Damn it! There’s nothing here!” Rufus exclaimed, throwing a book down on the ground. His lips curled back, the half elf wanting to spit.

“We haven’t searched all the books…” Alicia said, barely glancing up from the tome she read. “You just have to be patient…”

“How can I be…” Rufus let out a groan, brushing back his long green hair. “All I keep finding, IF I find anything on the powder, is stuff on how to make it, and how to…” He trailed off, and she looked up at the silence. “How to what?” She asked, curious.

He looked away from her, not wanting to say. “Rufus, tell me…”

“There’s suggestions on how to kill one who is afflicted by the powder.” came Arngrim’s harsh voice. “Really gruesome stuff…I’d stay far away from those books if I was you princess…they’ll just give you nightmares…”

Rufus shot him a glare. “I would have liked to have not told her about that if you don’t mind.”

“I can take it…I’m a big girl.” She frowned at them both, not liking that they sought to protect her by withholding information. “It sounds like useful knowledge…to use in case we encounter Gyne and Walther…”

“And Dallas?” prompted Rufus. Her blue eyes turned away from his, not wanting to think about killing a beloved childhood friend. “Let’s keep looking.” She said instead, turning back to the books. Rufus sighed, thinking it was pointless. He leaned against the bookcase, and nearly fell over when it suddenly moved with a loud clacking noise. Books clattered to the floor, one after another, hitting the ground with large thumps.

“What did you do?!” demanded Arngrim, a large green tome in his hand.

“No…nothing…it moved on it’s on…” Rufus turned, surprised to see the wooden bookcase had swung inwards, a narrow passage revealed in it’s place. It was dark, lit by a torch that had it’s flame dimming. “A secret room…” Alicia was hardly surprised. There had been many such rooms built into the castle. Even her mother had used one, when hiding from the dark valkyrie Hrist. MOTHER! Her eyes closed, for a second they felt wet. Why didn’t you wait just a little longer for me…?!

“We should explore it.” Arngrim stated.

“No, really? You think so?” Rufus said, highly sarcastic. The blue clad warrior rolled his eyes at the half elf, annoyed by his tone. “Sorry…” Rufus held up his hands in a placating manner. “Guess I’m a little on edge…”

“Understandable…”

“We all are…” Alicia said. For different reasons. She added in her mind. “Shall we?” She reached up, taking a fresh torch from the library’s wall.

“After you…” Arngrim gestured with his hand.

“Ladies first.” agreed Rufus with a smile.

Alicia shook her head, stepping forward. She was a bit surprised they hadn’t insisted on checking out the room ahead of her. But it made her glad that they trusted her enough to go first. She drew her sword, torch held in her left hand. “Let’s not waste another minute then.” She said, stepping into the passage way.