Triumph 13

 The realm was torrid, hot heat that was intense and flaming, the ground boiling as rock melted under the strength of it. The ruined rock changed into an ooey gooey mess, sticky tar that adhered itself to the bottom of one’s shoes, trying to hold one in place. Lezard let out a sigh, carefully lifting his foot, watching as the sticky strands stretched out, desperate to cling to the leather soles of his boots. He shook his head, feeling a flash of annoyance, not liking the sky’s sun beating down on him, making him sweat in this humid clime.

Lezard looked to the left of him, squinting as the horizon blurred in the heat, dimly making out a dark mountain in the far off distance. He held a hand up over his eyes, trying to block out the sun, peering at the large crop of rock, wondering if that was his destination. Lezard sighed, taking out a handkerchief, holding it to his nose. He breathed better for it, finding the very air arid and dry. It was barely tolerable to him with his divine blood, he couldn’t imagine surviving in this desolated place for very long as a mortal.

Desolation. He shook his head, thinking the realm of Musspelheim was living up to it’s claim to fame. He had yet to see any living creatures, not even the fabled fire giants said to guard this land. That was for the best, Lezard wanted to avoid confrontation until he located his quarry.

He began picking his way down the cliffside, hearing pebbles scatter and roll as he moved forward, careful in the placement of his feet. He reached out, touching withered tree branches, finding the charred limbs crumbling to soot in his gloved hands. He frowned, scattering the ash, wiping his hands together to clean them of it. Downwards he continued, until at last he reached lower ground, pausing to stare as red sand stretched out before him.

Steam wafted off bubbling streams, puddles of gray and orange crisscrossing each other’s paths, merging into larger pools. The liquid resembled molten lava, and upon closer inspection Lezard realized it was lava, trails of it coming down off his mountain destination. That was no harmless rock he sought to enter, but an active volcano! Once the thought of entering a live volcano would have been daunting, now it was merely a curiosity, a necessary hurdle to get by.

Still Lezard stepped carefully over the streams, making his way closer and closer to the volcano. As he walked he thought about what he hoped he would find, praying he wasn’t wasting his time with this little trip. When has the philosopher’s stone ever lied to you? He questioned in his mind. Never. It has proven itself time and time again. It will be there…HE will be there.

His thoughts turned to Lenneth now, thinking upon how scared and angry she had been when he last saw her. Of all the things he had done, or attempted to do, none had frightened her to the point that his latest plan did. He frowned, wishing he could make her understand the necessity of replacing Yggsdrasil, but knowing he could not. She will get over it. Lezard was trying to reassure himself with the thought. She’ll see and be amazed by my genius when the plan succeeds. We’ll even laugh at how silly her fears have been. He liked the thought of hearing Lenneth laugh, wondering how she sounded when caught in joy’s grip. So far the happier moments had eluded them, Lenneth finding little to laugh at or even smile over.

I’ve got to find a way to make her happy. Lezard realized. She never smiles for me. He sighed, wondering if perhaps a pet would be the key towards easing Lenneth’s depression. Lost in thought, Lezard quickly reach the volcano, up close seeing it was made up of cobalt stone, with rivulets of red dripping off the sides. He skirted around the edifice, seeking out an entrance, inwardly knowing there must be one. The necromancer traversed nearly the entire circumference of the volcano before finding it, a large cave entrance that was tall, taller than a man and wide enough for something the size of a small elephant to fit through.

This is it. Lezard thought with a grin, sneaking closer to the entrance. The soft glow of fire illuminated the inside, casting shadows on the wall, that of stalagmites and stalactites. He pressed himself closer to the stone, inching forward, peering into the cave. It would not do to just rush right in, especially if the one he searched for was at home. He considered a moment, weighing his options carefully, and then settled on an illusion.

He concentrated, forming the figure of a young girl, buxom and robust, clad in tattered white rags that showed off her arms and legs. The illusion girl lay tied to a stake, and tears streaked down her face as she stared into the cave. Still Lezard added to his illusion, bringing her to life, her voice raising in a high pitched scream, crying for help, begging for a hero to come save her. One last touch Lezard added, that of smell, letting her scent drift into the cave, enticing the occupant with her delectable aroma.

It worked all too well, a blood thirsty roar was hard, and then the whomp, whomp of a heavy tread coming forward. Lezard pressed against the stone, holding his breath as a larger shadow engulfed the smaller ones, something immense was coming, slow and cautious. Another roar, this one bellowing a challenge, and Lezard had the illusion girl scream accordingly. Thus encouraged, the creature moved forward, and Lezard saw a large reptile’s head emerge from the cave’s entrance. It’s green scales glinted as the sun hit it, and it curled it’s tiny front paws into claws. Powerful back legs hunched, muscles bunching together as the creature prepared to leap, and with one last cry it propelled forward.

Jaws snapped around the girl’s body, tasting nothing more than air, even as she screamed once more. The creature’s tail twitched in aggravation, even as it let out a confused sound. Lezard straightened, pushing away from the rock, calling out to the reptile. “Dragon Tyrant Bloodbane!”

The creature, Bloodbane turned, beady eyes looking this way and that, squinting as it tried to focus in on Lezard. His mouth opened, showing a row of yellow stained teeth, glistening with saliva. He roared, causing Lezard’s clothing to ruffle, his cape to flare out behind him from the force of the dragon’s breath. Jaws snapped shut and the creature was charging, Bloodbane running towards Lezard.

Lezard swore, gold ether drifting off his body, a shower of sparkles that swirled up to encircle him, teleporting him away. Bloodbane crashed into the side of the volcano, and paused, shaking his head angrily. He was slow to turn, not seeing Lezard materialize behind him. “Let me try this again…” Lezard said. “Dragon Tyrant Bloodbane I presume?”

The dragon turned slowly, looking at Lezard curiously.”Who…are…you?” The words came out slow, hesitant, the reptile’s tongue not suited for human speech. Bloodbane’s voice was deep, raspy and grated on the ears.

“I am Lezard Valeth, though I don’t expect you to know the name.” Lezard said, pausing to slide his glasses up his nose. “All that matters is that I have found you Bloodbane!”

“What…you…want…?” Bloodbane labored to ask, nostrils flaring as he snorted.

“Quick to the point I see.” Lezard smiled. “I like that! I’ve come for you…or rather…I’ve come for the treasure you stole. The fabled demon sword Levantine…you have it, I know you do!”

“MINE!” growled out Bloodbane, tail lashing about angrily.

“Not for very long…” Lezard said confidently. He held out his hand, forming a fist in mid air. White light poured out of both sides, spiraling outwards in loops. A touch of gold ether being added as Lezard eased apart the realities, grabbing hold of not just air, but the handle of his blade, tucked away in a dimensional fold. The divine lance solidified in his hand, and he twirled it then, letting the light shine off it’s silver surface, temporarily blinding the dragon.

A roar from Bloodbane, the beast recognizing the weapon. “Gungnir!” He cried, and he tensed, poised to leap.

“Yes.” Lezard nodded. “You’ve no hope of surviving. Give it up!”

“Never!” howled Bloodbane, even as he leaped forward, mouth opened wide. Lezard tsked, bringing his arm forward, thinking to parry Bloodbane’s teeth with the lance. A burst of light blazed forth when teeth connected with steel, blinding the two foes. Lezard took a step back, rotating his shoulder, feeling the strain in his arm from when Bloodbane had bit down on the lance.

“I’ll…crush…you…!” threatened Bloodbane, stomping forward once more. At the last second he was turning, the reptile swinging it’s heavy rump towards Lezard, tail lashing forth to swipe at the mage. Lezard hastily brought up Gungnir, blocking the tail attack at the last moment. He was pushed back several feet, coming perilously close to a lava stream.

Swearing, Lezard hastily threw up his left hand, casting runes in the air before him. “Icicle Edge!” Thick blocks of ice formed in the air, three in all, and the ice spears charged towards the monstrous reptile. But something strange happened, the beast flinching from the ice spell even as they melted, dwindling down to harmless little sticks that bounced off Bloodbane’s thick hide.

“Shit!” cried Lezard realizing the heat was too much for an ice spell to work in Musspelheim. With a thought he lifted up into the air, floating over the lava as he backed away from Bloodbane. The reptile charged forward, feet first into the lava, not showing any signs of slowing down. Lezard let out an angry growl, and flung Gungnir straight at the beast, Bloodbane hunching down low, in effect ducking under Gungnir’s arc.

Lezard stared in disbelief not having expected the reptile to be smart enough to duck his throw. Gritting his teeth in annoyance, he flew around the field, staying just out of reach of Bloodbane’s teeth. He desperately went through his repertoire of spells, trying to think of one to use on the beast. “Ye must desire respite from thy empty existence…” he began, fingers moving hastily in the air, casting the runes needed for the spell. “Thou shall have it!” The dark red of the sky seemed to lighten, the gray clouds parting to reveal the heavens. “Celestial Star!” Light rained down from the sky, slamming into the ground, pounding rock over and over again, some of the stray bolts striking Bloodbane, causing the creature to pause and take a tumble, crashing head first into the ground.

Taking advantage of the moment, Lezard flew towards Gungnir, hand outstretched towards it’s handle. Bloodbane roared behind him, voice calling out threateningly. “Feel…my…flame…!” His hand closed around Gungnir, even as Bloodbane’s mouth fell open, a ball of yellow light forming from deep within. With a loud scream of triumph, the energy slammed into Lezard’s back, knocking the mage to his knees, the tar of the melted rock sticking to his clothes, trying to hold him down.

Lezard hastily waved his hand, white light searing through the sticky strands of tar, and he shakily got to his feet. Bloodbane’s footsteps thundered closer, the beast running towards Lezard intending to finish him off. Lezard let out a wild laugh, and flew up into the sky, chanting, focusing all his power into Gungnir. “In my hand, the creator’s sword that calls eternal sleep! Honor our pact and hear my command!” Runes were being carved out onto the ground beneath the reptile’s feet, ancient and archaic, glowing with power, trapping the dragon in place. Bloodbane strained and roared, spitting out another ball of flame at Lezard.

It bounced off the shield of the prison the runes had formed, Lezard still calling out in a commanding voice. “Animate Earth!” He then threw Gungnir down at Bloodbane, the divine lance falling forward with the speed of a heat seeking missile. Bloodbane screamed, throwing himself against the invisible walls of his prison again and again to no avail. The spear crashed into the center, pinning his tail to the ground, even as the land split apart, pieces thrusting upwards over and over, jagged spears of rock that impaled the creature in several places.

Panting, Lezard slowly flew down to the land, watching as his spell slowly ceased it’s magic. He breathed a sigh of relief, looking at the limp dragon. “You fought a good fight…” He said, feeling some pity for his foe. “But in the end you were no match for my magic.” He walked towards the rear of Bloodbane, hand reaching out to take hold of Gungnir once more. It was then that Bloodbane struck, using the last of his strength to raise up and lunge at Lezard.

The wizard’s eyes widened in surprise, blood spurting from his mouth as he sank to his knees, hand weakly holding on to Gungnir’s handle. Bloodbane grinned around a mouthful of wizard, biting down harder, letting his teeth tear into Lezard’s arm and a good portion of his chest. Lezard gasped and he wheezed, and he raised up his hand, screaming out, “Explosion!”

Bloodbane let out a whimper, feeling his teeth shatter apart, Lezard also crying out, feeling bits of white bone stick into his flesh. With a pain filled cry, he turned even as Bloodbane was forced to let go of him. “YARGH!!” Lezard screamed, driving Gungnir into the center of Bloodbane’s forehead. The dragon’s eyes crossed, and he slumped downwards, tail twitching as he fell into his death throes. Lezard hung on to Gungnir, driving the spear in deeper, piercing what little of a brain Bloodbane had, watching as his eyes turned cold and lifeless. Only then was the wizard satisfied, slowly pulling Gungnir back out of his head with a sickening squelch of flesh.

“Stay down…!” gasped Lezard, still in a state of shock over the difficulty he had had facing Bloodbane. He slumped down to his knees, wincing at his injury, feeling the blood pour out of his wounds. With a small cry of pain, he reached towards one of the pieces of tooth sticking out of his chest, gritting his teeth as he yanked it free of his flesh. “AH!!” Lezard cried out, even as the hole healed over, smoothing over without a scar. He groaned, realizing he would have to pick out each piece on by one, in order to heal.

“I don’t have time for this…” Lezard muttered, forcing himself to get up. His whole body screamed in pain, protesting the movement, but he ignored the pain. He walked towards Bloodbane’s exposed belly, bringing the tip of Gungnir against the unscaled flesh. He pressed down, watching as blue blood poured out of the cut he made. Lezard slit the dragon’s stomach open, gagging on bile at the stench that followed such an action.

He knelt down before the open stomach, and with his uninjured arm reached into Bloodbane’s stomach, searching for something. His fingers quested past strands and strands of intestines, spilling them out into his lap, getting the blue blood all over his waist and legs. And still he pressed in deeper, until at last his fingers grazed against the pommel of a sword. Lezard sighed in relief, and begin pulling back his arm, drawing out the demon sword Levantine. It was a magnificent blade, a curved scimitar, it’s gold glided handle encrusted with a small fortune of jewels. It was unnaturally clean, considering where it had been, it’s silver blade showing Lezard his reflection, his face splattered with drops of his own blood.

Lezard couldn’t help but let out a laugh, giddy with relief, even as he wanted to cry out from the pain his body was in. But there was no time to delay. “Have to go..” He slowly got to his feet, using Gungnir for support. “Have to get back to Lenneth…” Ether whirled all around him, gold sparkles that showered over him from head to toe, and in an instant he vanished, and only Bloodbane’s corpse was left behind to show where he had been.

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

“What?!” Lenneth watched as Freya’s jaw dropped, her mouth gaping open as she stared at the Valkyrie in shock. “I…I can’t believe it…” Stunned, she took a step backwards, almost falling as her feet brushed against the bottom most step.

“Perhaps you should sit down.” Lenneth said, hands by Freya’s side, ready to catch her should she fall.

“I’m fine…” Freya shooed Lenneth’s hands away from her, blinking slowly. “I’m just…afraid I misunderstood you. Did you just say…the Goddess that Odin’s murderer loves, the very woman he has done all this for, is…is YOU?!”

“Well you don’t have to look at me with that expression on your face.” Lenneth frowned, hands on her hips. “I may not be a Goddess of beauty, but I’m not that unattractive…!”

“I…forgive me…I meant no disrespect…” Freya shook her head, her frown mirroring Lenneth’s. “Wait…I still don’t understand…how could you be his Goddess…I thought you said you merely reminded him of his love?”

Lenneth sighed. “I suppose I better tell you the whole story.”

“You mean there’s more?” Freya demanded, arching an eyebrow at Lenneth.

“Yes.” She nodded. “I left out the strangest part…I could hardly believe it myself, I thought it some trick, a demoness wearing my face.” Lenneth held up her hand, asking for Freya’s silence. “It’s all beginning to make a strange sort of sense to me now…When I arrived in his world, none of his creatures would fight me…they all died on my blade with nary a struggle, only voicing the slightest protest. I realize now they thought I was her…and didn’t want to harm me…I mean she…”

“Who?”

“My twin.” Lenneth said simply.

“You have no twin!” protested Freya.

“I do now. As best as I can understand, she is me from some other time…another reality…as is this Lezard.” continued Lenneth. “They both come from the same future, a future I take it he has invalidated with his actions here in this time. She followed him, came to stop his madness but failed. She has been his prisoner ever since, condemned to spend all eternity at his side.”

Freya was silent, just taking in her words. She was so quiet, it began to make Lenneth nervous, and she touched the Goddess on the shoulder. “Freya?”

“I heard you.” Freya said, shrugging off her hand. “It is a lot to take in.”

“There’s something else…something more the future me mentioned…” Lenneth was hesitating, and Freya nodded at her to continue. “She mentioned my sister, Silmeria. Said Lezard had captured her soul. What did she mean by that?”

Freya closed her eyes, sighing. “It would appear you are not the only one keeping secrets Lenneth.” She opened her eyes, the emeralds flashing in the light of the room. “I too have left out part of the story.”

“What is it Freya? Tell me…” urged Lenneth.

“The story did not begin at the top of Yggsdrasil as I originally told you. No…” Freya shook her head. “It started a few months earlier than that. In the Kingdom of Dipan.”

“Dipan?”

“It is country that is no longer important.” A wry smile from Freya. “Your sister Hrist saw to that, at Odin’s behest. She made sure to execute it’s king, and destroy the blasphemers who worked for him.”

“But what does this have to do with Silmeria?” asked Lenneth.

“Silemeria’s human host was the princess of Dipan.” Freya answered.

“Ah.”

“But something went wrong with the Sovereign’s rite. Silmeria shared her consciousness with the princess. It was two active souls in one body, and when Odin discovered Silmeria was still conscious, he sent Hrist to collect her.” explained Freya.

“By collect you mean kill the human host.” clarified Lenneth.

“Yes.” Freya was unperturbed at the thought of killing an innocent mortal. “Silmeria fought against her fate, and fled…she and the human whose body she shared went on a great journey, met many people, including Lezard. Gah!” Freya slammed her fist against her thigh, letting out a frustrated sound. “If only I had been more suspicious at the time…when the three mages of Dipan cast their unholy version of the Soveriegn’s Rite on Silmeria and Hrist…the mage Lezard was there…I should have realized sooner he was the anomaly I sensed!”

“What happened when they cast the Sovereign’s Rite?” An intrigued Lenneth asked.

“Hmm? Oh…I arrived, intending to trap Brahms’ spirit…Silmeria being in danger caused the Vampire Lord to reveal himself. I was successful in capturing Brahms, but Silmeria was lost. Odin had thought she had been successfully sent to slumber in another human’s body. But we soon learned different.” Freya let out a heavy sigh. “Lezard had captured her, and he used her spirit, her powers to help him defeat Odin.” She grimaced. “And the rest you know.”

“Is that really all of it?” Lenneth couldn’t help but be suspicious after learning Freya had kept so much from her. “What of Hrist, what happened to her?”

“Hrist? Your older sister was…also sent to slumber in the body of a human.” The lie slipped easily off of Freya’s tongue. “With Dipan destroyed, and Brahms captured we thought we had no need to wake up any of the three Valkyrie sisters.” She hung her head, ashamed. “Obviously we were wrong.”

“I see…” Lenneth blinked, slowly digesting all that she had learned. “You were wrong to keep this from me. But…I understand why you did it.”

“You do?”

“Yes…” She nodded at the blonde Goddess. “You must have feared disobedience and mutiny from me, the same as my sister Silmeria. But Freya…know this…I am loyal to you…loyal to you and Lord Odin, may his soul rest in peace.”

“…thank you Lenneth.” Freya clasped her hand. “It’s good to know I have you by my side. In these coming days I will need strong allies, and there are none stronger than you, the wisest and most powerful of the three Goddesses of Fate.”

Lenneth squeezed her hand, a solemn look on her face. “My sword is yours, ready to be commanded.”

“Good…Your sword will see much action soon enough.” Freya released her hold on Lenneth’s hand. “Go Lenneth…change and make ready to do battle…”

“Battle?”

“Yes…” Freya nodded. “We go to war with Lezard.” She hissed out his name, a grimace on her lovely face. “I will gather the other Gods…let them know of my decision. We won’t give in so easily to his demands.”

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

She lay on her back, Lenneth staring up at the ceiling, a heavy sigh emanating from her lips. I’m so bored. She thought to herself, a frown on her face. There was little to do when Lezard left her, the mage not having much in the way of entertainment. She really only had two options, to pace endlessly or to sleep, and right now neither one appealed very much to the Goddess.

She rolled onto her side, staring at the dark sheets of the bed, fingers plucking at a loose thread amidst the silk. Lenneth knew this was part of her conditioning, a calculated tactic done by her captor to make her look forward to his return. What’s worse was she found it was working. She actually was starting to look forward to Lezard’s return. At least then she would have some excitement, lively conversation, and the dangerous thrill of being in his arms.

Lenneth’s frown deepened, not liking the way her heart speeded up at the thought of being in Lezard’s embrace. She knew it was wrong, and yet she was finding it harder and harder to remember why. Because he’s evil. She reasoned to herself. Evil and insane! She scowled, recalling the last words he had spoken to her, how confident he had been over his latest plot. Lezard was truly mad if he sought to replace Yggsdrasil, uncaring of the danger he placed the nine realms in. I’m in the hands of a madman. She thought, letting out a choked sob of laughter. And there is no one who can stand up to him.

Especially now that he had gone to fetch the third treasure. She could still hardly believe it, Levantine was thought lost, along with the mythical tenth world. Once upon a time there had been a realm specifically for demons, those cursed creatures who now resided in Nifleheim, had had their own private paradise. The demon sword Levantine kept the balance of their world in check, kept it in harmony but then one day it vanished without a trace. And the demon world had suffered for it.

The other realms took note of this, seeing first hand what happened when a sacred treasure was removed indefinitely from the realm it guarded. Wars had broken out among the demon’s world, splitting the demons into four separate factions. It had been a bloody and violent time, and the number of demons dwindled down until only a few thousand remained. But that was not the end of the troubles. In fact it was only the beginning.

Earthquakes soon wracked the land, along with countless other natural disasters, plunging the world into chaos. Those who could see the upcoming devastation for what it hinted at, smartly fled the realm, leaving their brethren behind to perish. Some foolishly clung to their home, insisting on staying, and they vanished with the realm. The remaining demons then traveled from realm to realm, seeking a new home, each time turned away by the inhabitants of the land they sought to invade. Only Midgard and Nifleheim had accepted them, the land of the humans being ill equipped to fight off such monsters. As for Nifleheim, Queen Hel was all too eager to expend her ranks with the powerful demons.

Many theories had been brought forth in the wake of Levantine’s disappearance, scholars wondering what was the final fate of the demon’s realm. Even the name of the land had been lost to time, people speaking of the tenth world in hushed whispers. Perhaps Lezard used the remnants of the demon’s land to create his world. Lenneth thought, knowing that it was incredibly hard to make something from nothing. It was far easier to create when you had ingredients to pluck from the ether, even the process of creating new life was helped along by taking the souls of the dead who had earned the chance at reincarnation.

A sound drew Lenneth out from her thoughts, the Valkyrie slowly pushing herself up to a sitting position. Her eyes were expectant, staring at the center of the room, watching as gold ether fell in a shower of sparks onto the floor. With a mighty gasp for air, Lezard appeared, sinking down to his knees, hand weakly clutching at Gungnir. Lenneth immediately leapt to her feet, hurrying towards him, concern on her face.

“Lezard…” He didn’t look up at her, still gasping for air, and her nose wrinkled, smelling something foul. “Lezard…?” She tried again, going to her knees beside him, hands reaching out to cautiously touch his shoulder.

Lezard was not so far gone as to react without thinking, he managed to stay his hand, keep from lashing out at the unexpected touch. He turned wide eyes towards Lenneth, the purple shining with pain as he looked at her. “Lenneth…” He said in relief, smiling. He let go of Gungnir, reaching up to touch her face, seeing her flinch at the sight of blood on him.

“What has happened to you?” Her blue eyes were wide with shock, staring as he caressed her cheek, getting blood onto her face. The red was vibrant against the paleness of her cheek, and Lezard seemed mesmerized by it. “Lezard?” Lenneth touched his hand, hearing him let out a sigh. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

“Yes…” Lezard nodded, licking his dry lips. “I did. Levantine…” He held up the blade, proudly displaying it to her. Her expression darkened, Lenneth not at all pleased to see the treasure.

“Wherever did you find it?” She asked.

“In the belly of a dragon…Bloodbane…” Lezard coughed, flecks of blood coming up with the sound. Harder frowns from Lenneth, the girl reaching out to wipe the blood away from his mouth.

“He injured you…” Lenneth remembered the time she and her party of einherjar had faced Bloodbane in battle. It had been one of the toughest fights of her life, and her party had come perilously close to wiping out. She had no doubt that the dragon, his powers boosted by the treasure in it’s belly would give a God trouble in a fight.

“Yes…” Lezard chuckled weakly. “I didn’t think I was still capable of feeling pain. Bloodbane proved to me otherwise…” He sighed morosely. “The power of the four sacred treasures are strong indeed…”

“Yes…”

“Ah…let me send them away…send them to their resting place until I have need of them…” Lezard coughed again.

“You shouldn’t expend any more energy!” Lenneth said urgently.

“It will only take the briefest of moments…” His eyes closed, and his body glowed, aura flaring up. The two weapons vanished, disappearing in a shower of ether, and Lenneth sighed.

“You don’t trust me around the treasures…do you…?” She asked softly.

“…” He was hesitating, letting her know she was right by his silence. “It’s not that Lenneth…It’s just…”

“It’s just I haven’t given you a reason to be assured of my not betraying you.” She finished for him. Lenneth sighed, and began to stand, urging Lezard to rise as well. He wearily did so, nearly falling into her arms, shaking his head.

“I feel dizzy…” He complained, leaning on her for support.

Lenneth was staring at him, looking at the blue and red blood coating his clothing, relieved to note most of it appeared to be Bloodbane’s and not Lezard. She was startled by the thought, realizing she was glad Lezard was not injured more seriously, relieved he had come back to her in one piece.

“What…?” Lezard asked, noticing her stare.

“It’s nothing.” She shook her head, and began leading him forward. “Let’s get you into bed…”

“But the sheets…” Lezard protested weakly. “The blood…I’ll ruin them…”

“It doesn’t matter.” Lenneth said firmly, all but dragging him towards the bed. “You can replace them later.” He was nodding in agreement, following her trustingly. They reached the bed, and she eased him down onto the mattress. He sat straight up, face tilted in her direction, watching as she bent over him.

“Lenneth…” A smile on his face, his hand touching her face once more, blood dripping down her cheek.

“Yes Lezard?” She was working at the buttons of his jacket, unfastening them one by one. She heard him sigh, and shake his head.

“It’s nothing.” He said at last. “It’s just…you are so beautiful…”

She didn’t respond, opening the jacket, slowly attempting to ease it off his lean frame. She heard the material ripping, realizing it was stuck on something, and she carefully pealed the jacket off of him, tossing it onto the floor. She let out a hiss of air, seeing more of his blood drenching the shirt to his skin, seeing bits of white protruding from his body. “What…?” Lenneth said in wonder, touching the jagged pieces that were as long as her finger and three times as thick.

“Teeth.” Lezard supplied the answer. “Bloodbane’s…”

“That looks painful.” She stated the obvious, and he nodded rapidly.

“It is…”

Lenneth’s fingers hesitated over the teeth, as she stared, noting how they covered a good portion of his right chest, up to his shoulder and down his arm. “I’ll have to pull them out…” She said. “It’ll hurt…”

“Just do it.” Lezard ordered with a grimace.

“All right…” She closed her fist around one of the teeth, and without further warning was pulling it free in one swift yank. Lezard let out a cry of pain, fingers crushing the bed sheets as he gripped the silk. “I’m sorry!” Lenneth apologized, reaching for another.

“It’s not your fault.” Lezard said through gritted teeth. “I was careless…AH!!” He shouted as she pulled another tooth out of his flesh. The two fell silent except for the occasional cry of pain from Lezard, Lenneth laboring for the better part of an hour to pull each and every one of the teeth out of him. The floor was littered with the white shards, close to forty of them in all, though Lenneth eventually gave up counting them.

“There now…” She said, giving one last tug on a tooth that was embedded in the bend of his arm. “The last one.”

Lezard sighed in relief, and then was falling, laying flat on the bed. “Thank goodness!” His eyes sought out hers, and he smiled. “No…thank YOU Lenneth.”

“You’re welcome…” She replied. She climbed onto the bed next to him, hand reaching out tentatively to touch his shirt. “I’d like to see the extent of your wounds…” He was quiet, just staring up at her trustingly as she went to open his shirt, lifting the material up off the skin unto which it adhered too. She pulled the shirt open more, marveling at the sight of his skin healed over, flawless and smooth with no sign of the teeth’s marks upon them.

“Will I live?” Lezard asked, his eyes closed, his voice sounding tired.

“Yes Lezard.” Lenneth answered. “But I suspect you already knew that.”

“Yes…” He agreed as she released her hold on him. He shifted, rolling onto his side, placing his head in her lap. She started to stiffen up then relaxed with a put upon sigh. “I’m so tired…” Lezard murmured, cuddling his face against her thigh, hand reaching forward to hold onto her knee. “I haven’t been this tired since before I became a God…”

“Shhh…” Lenneth soothed, touching his brow. “Sleep Lezard…” His lips curled into a smile as her fingers wound their way into his hair, calming him with her touch.

“Yes…” he agreed, as he felt her ease back against the pillows, making herself more comfortable. “That sounds like a good idea.”