Sooner

Doooood! You are TOTALLY cheating by posting it up this early!

:mad face:

I shall wish him happy birthday on his actually birthday.

Cheater.

Cool thread idea.

I have a mutt, when asked, I tell people his breed is "Purebred Oklahoma Black Dog."

<----- That's him.

Also, a little, wicked calico cat.

At one time, I had three dogs, 2 cats, and an entire business of ferrets.

Book III part VI is up.

Book III - Part VI

Ciara's Prison
Emotions were a human weakness, nonetheless, Conall was battling his. His mind whirled, his emotions tumbled. He was angry, he was grief-stricken, hopeless, frustrated, and bitter. His mind could not grab hold of what he'd learned. The last pure thing he could remember was loving Sadb. The last honorable thing he could remember doing was avenging her death. All the years - all the centuries - of being bound to Ciara, all the torment, all the things he'd done in her name.... he'd had the solace of knowing he'd done it to right a horrible wrong. The things that had been done to his Sadb... but, no. Those things had never happened. The warm, soft, sweet woman he'd loved had never truly existed, which made the endless centuries since then a horrible and cruel waste.

His grief and confusion slowly fed on themselves and became an emotion he was much more familiar with: rage. Lying, deceitful devil! To play on his emotions, to make him a fool. He'd fallen for her like a love struck pup, like a foolish youth. And Ciara... the conniving *****! She'd taken advantage of his grief, of his need to avenge himself on a stronger enemy. She'd taken his freedom, taken his very will from him, and remade him in her own image.

He glared at the young woman hanging in his grip. Frightened and helpless, but still seeking a way out. She was calling on her friend Rory, she thought there was a part of him that might care for her. She thought she could manipulate him to her own ends. Foolish girl! His heart and his life had been toyed with by demons and devils! This human girl... would find nothing left there but shreds.

Her green eyes widened as his grip tightened, her body twitched with the pain from his grip. Human fool! He'd handed her and her sisters their victory on a platter! He could not have made it easier! He did not know what those stupid women had done to his portal, how they had managed to misuse his simple spell, but they had ruined all his work, all his plans and effort. Everything for naught. "Rory, please," she whispered. His eyes flicked to her red-gold hair, hair so very similar to Sadb's... the woman who had never really existed. Her Rory was no more real than his Sadb had been.

It was all for naught.

He didn't allow himself to think of what it meant for him. What his eternal life would be like.

With a single resolute sigh, he struck. He slashed at Cerise's belly with his free hand, his claws slicing her open, rending her flesh. He slashed first from the right to the left, then turned his hand and stuck again, left to right. She let out one shocked shriek and jerked, but then his hand moved again and things that were never meant to see the light glistened in the torch's flickering fire.

He turned back to Ciara. "It is done."

He dropped Cerise to the floor where she crumpled into a bloody mess. Her eyes were wide and her face pale. She whimpered once and then went still. Her life ran out onto the stone around Conall's claws while he watched. It was his life bleeding away as well.

When Cerise drew her last breath, when her heart shuddered and stopped, there was a long moment of stillness, then the magic began to move and swirl around them. The magic that been trying to get to Cerise was lost. It filled the space like a frantic twisting wind, then it found a familiar target, the cabochon sphere that powered and focused one third of the spell that had bound Ciara for centuries. The magic slammed back full force into that weakened and cracked sphere, but it was no longer strong enough to hold that much magic. The sphere sputtered, flared and then exploded. The magic was free.

Ciara reached her hands up as if to gather it in. She laughed and spun in her moment of triumph. "Isn't it beautiful, my pet!" she crowed. "Finally!"

Conall waited. He knew she wasn't through yet, and he wasn't fooled by her good cheer when she flopped into her throne and called, "Come stand before me, my Conall." She was silent, watching him with a little smile playing over her lips as he limped his way back to her.

"Enough, Ciara..." he growled when he stood before her. "Enough games."

"Perhaps it is not yet enough for me, my troublesome pet. Your betrayal hurt me, wounded me. My dreams to have you at the head of my armies, crushed. My Conall... You hurt me."

"I have never been yours. Forced to comply, yes. But loyalty cannot be coerced. I am not now yours, and I will never be."

She gazed at him in silence, a long moment that stretched out. He could almost see her considering her possible responses and ticking them off one by one. Finally, she stood. "Perhaps you are right, Conall. The time for games is over." This time, when she reached out her hand to stroke his face, he pulled away from her. It was over for him. She would already do her worst, a small rebellion at this point wouldn't make a difference. Besides, he wasn't sure he could tolerate her touch right at that moment.

Her face twisted with anger, then returned to its facade of sweet reason. "This is a joyous day, Conall, and I will not allow you to spoil it with your petty behavior. As soon as I find that one's sisters, I will be free and I will possess the power I have sought for so long. And you, my pet, will tell me after a few centuries whether or not you are mine!"

Conall realized just a moment too late what she was about. The slithering sound behind him was too subtle for him to take notice of it until the chains attached to the pillar had already grabbed him. He roared with fury as they clamped onto his wrists and ankles and dragged him stumbling back. He lunged for her, but snapped to a stop against the magical chains. "Ciara!" he roared, but any further threats were cut off when his back slammed into the pillar on which Na'rul had hung for her unknown years of punishment. His body, still injured from his beating, flared into new heights of pain from the impact. He twisted and pulled, but he was held fast. The position of his wings was already uncomfortable and he couldn't imagine what it would feel like as time passed.

She advanced on him, triumph and cruelty clear on her face. "Shall I shut you away now? Or leave you to watch the last of your hope die?" She pondered for a moment. "I think I would like your last sight in this world be when I destroy the last sister ó Floinn and your hopes of ever being free of me with her." She patted his cheek and walked away.

He roared, too full of fury to even speak as Ciara turned away from him. She spied Excruciatrix still hiding in the shadows and waved her hand in an airy gesture at Cerise's body. "Take that away," she instructed. "My imps can tell you where the refuse goes." Excruciatrix let out a quiet mournful howl as Ciara glided out of sight.

---

Caryn pushed the pace as they ran through the maze of halls. Ahren ran beside her and Ben vanished and reappeared ahead of them, guiding them through. Her gut roiled with anxiety and fear for her sisters. It was all wrong. It had all gone so very wrong. Her eye caught sight of Ben, flashing into sight and then vanishing again. She smiled. At least one good thing had come of it. She'd found Ben again. Even if they never got out of there alive, she'd at least have that.

"It's this way!" Ben called, but that was when Caryn stumbled, cried out, and collapsed. She pulled her hands from her belly expecting to see blood, but her hands were clean.

"What happened?" Ahren demanded, poised for a fight.

"Caryn!" Ben appeared beside her, looking her over anxiously. Soothing energy washed over her, and she smiled at him sadly.

"It's Cerise... I think. She-" Caryn broke off, looking at the world with her magical vision. She'd never seen the colorful swirls so agitated. "I think Ciara just killed my baby sister." She put her face in her hands and struggled for composure. "Oh no... no... Cerise is-" The magic erupted into frantic sparks. Something profoundly important had just happened.

"Are you sure?" Ahren asked, his own face a bit pale.

Caryn pushed to her feet. "As sure as I can be. Come on. Let's get there."

Ben took her elbow and pulled her to face him. "I thought it would take all three of you to defeat her."

"Yep," Caryn answered shortly. "That's the way the story goes, anyway. But I'm not going to sit on my *** in this prison and wait for her to come kill me."

Ahren nodded, "Ok. Ben, lead the way."

"I'm sorry you guys got dragged into this," she said, and that was the only admission she intended to make that they were going to lose that fight.

"Wouldn't have missed it," Ahren responded.

"I'm just glad we got to see each other again, Caryn," Ben smiled.

"Ok, then. Let's go."

Caryn didn't let herself think about anything but the fight ahead. She couldn't think about her baby sister or the bad things that were going to happen when Ciara was free. All she could think about was slamming a foot into that *****'s face.

They resumed their sprinting journey, and if the urgency wasn't there, a new intensity had replaced it. The hallways gave way abrupty to carved stone tunnels, and Ben kept leading them onward.

"We're close, now.... Hold up!" Ben put up a hand and urged Caryn and Ahren to stay back. "We've got company."

With a quick flare of light, Ben faded into invisibility.
---

Cydney, watching the mirror raptly, felt the blow as if Conall's claws had raked through her own skin. She screamed, from the pain, from grief, and from the realization that they had lost. They couldn't win without Cerise. She crumpled to the floor with her cape covering her. She could barely hear the conversation between the two demons over the roaring in her ears. Her breath came fast and hot, her heart pounded, her thoughts circled uselessly around memories of her baby sister and worry for her mother - one dead, the other might be dying at that very moment.

It's all over but the dying, she thought with a resigned headshake.

She shook her head once and grit her teeth. This was not the time to give in to grief, to let emotion make her helpless.

She pushed back to her feet and let out a startled yell. Ciara Banenighe stared into the mirror, satisfaction in her fiery eyes, confidence in her smile. Cyd's eyes narrowed and her emotions focused into bitter, pointed anger.

"Come to me, Daughters ó Floinn," the demoness crooned. "It is time we were done with this game. You've lost. Let us finish it, now." She threw her head back and bellowed, a roar that vibrated through the walls. "COME TO ME!"

"Oh, you hellish *****... I'm on my way," Cyd murmured.

I'm in.

As you may have notice from another thread that was briefly there, I already have a costume.

Except, now it won't be a surprise... hmm...

Perhaps a different character... Quinlan as a man, maybe?

Well... I posted this BEFORE I noticed MI had posted his TF thread.

So.. in order not to ... um... steal his thunder, it's back down.

Move along... move along....

Have a great one, dads!

I'll be there, with nukes.

Book III Part V is posted

Book III part V

Ciara's Prison
Trix cowered behind the enormous throne while Conall Cian slumped where he knelt on the floor. On another occasion she might have spent the time thinking about what she had just overheard and trying to find a way to make it best benefit her, but now was not that time. She had seen more than enough of how Ciara treated her minions and she wanted no part of it.

She peeked around the high back of the throne. The recently-freed devil wept, her head down, the red-gold hair of her human form falling in waves around face and body. Ciara stared at Conall with cruel triumph clear on her face. No one was interested in the actions of a frightened imp. Trix scurried through the scattered shadows to the human girl laying on the floor and watching everything. The girl's green eyes flicked to Trix and alarm flared over her face.

"What are you doing?" she hissed. The human wiggled, trying to push herself away from Trix, but succeeded only in smearing her own blood across the stone floor.

"Shh..." Trix cautioned urgently. "Do not draw her attention." Trix did not allow herself to be distracted by the human's injuries or blood, though it was sorely tempting. Instead, she cocked her head, examining the magic bonds on the girl's wrists and ankles. For Trix to be free of Ciara, Conall must be free. And if Trix understood correctly, for Conall to go free, this human must be freed and able to act.

"You... you were at the carnie house!" the human whispered suddenly. "I saw you! I remember you! Why were you there?"

"Shhhhhh!" Trix hissed again. She glanced at Ciara and back at the human's wide eyes and answered, "I was helping you. I am trying to help you now. Please! Be silent!"

Trix studied the magic, the shape of the spell. It was a far more detailed crafting than Trix could do, and more powerful as well. The barrier keeping the human from her magic was smooth and flawless and strong, like thick glass. The bonds holding her helpless were woven of pure dark magic and Trix did not have the power to break them. But the girl... Trix knew the girl could control significant power, if she could get to it. Perhaps giving the girl the strength to fight them off herself would be enough. But when Trix tried, when she lifted her hand and tried to give power to the human, nothing happened. The compulsion to obey Ciara - You are forbidden to use your magic to aid him in any way - prevented her. She left out a furious hiss of frustration.

"What's wrong?" the human asked her.

"I cannot free you." Trix said.

"Try! Please! She's going to kill us! Please try again!"

Trix hissed. "Human! I cannot. You have to be silent. Perhaps there will be another chance.... unless you bring her wrath down on us both!" Trix scampered away and left the human to watch Ciara once more.

---

Ciara paused to savor the turmoil she'd caused among her minions. Her lips spread in a broad smile and she chuckled softly.

"Na'rul, my lovely one. Are you ready for your second task?"

Given permission to speak again, Na'rul turned to Conall and reached out her hands, "Ruadh*!" she called to him, "Please! I-" ["Ruadh" is pronounced "Roo-ah"]

Ciara slapped Na'rul, a hard blow that spun her around. "Do not speak that name! EVER AGAIN!" Her voice rose to a thunderous, furious roar. "His name is CONALL! He is MY Conall Cian!" Whether it was the power of her voice or the surge of her anger than accompanied it, the room itself seemed to shake with the force of her roar.

Na'rul pressed one hand to her face. Her dark eyes pleaded with Conall, but he would not look at her. Finally she lifted her eyes to Ciara and straightened.

"My pet failed in the last task I gave him, my sweet. I need you to complete it."

"What do you need me to do, Ciara?" she asked quietly.

"Go and KILL Colleen Nation!" she growled.

"NO!" Cerise screamed, shocked. She resumed her fruitless struggles against her bonds, twisting frantically. "No! She has nothing to do with this! You don't need her death! You have me!"

Ciara turned and looked directly at Cerise for the first time since she'd been bound. "You foolish child! I don't need her death. But I do want it." She smiled. "And I want you to know that she is going to die at the hands of my pretty Na'rul here."

Ciara ignored Cerise's protests and turned back to Na'rul. "You still have the pets I gave you so long ago?" Na'rul nodded, and Ciara went on. "Then go, now. And bring me back her heart. Do not fail me, Na'rul."

"No... no Ciara. I will see it done."

Cerise screamed a furious denial as a magical portal opened and Na'rul, still wearing her human form, stepped through and vanished.

"Ah, my Conall...." Ciara said, turning back to the motionless demon. "Do you see. You have always been mine. You will always be mine. You will never be free of me. Your attempts to escape have lead you only to this: pain and punishment."

He lifted his head and stared up at Ciara. His voice was flat and utterly devoid of emotion as he spoke. "You will die screaming, *****. Someday, you will die screaming. I swear it. And if I have to move the earth itself, I will be there for it."

Ciara threw back her head and laughed. "I suppose this sort of thing is why I am so very fond of you, my pet. If you could be easily tamed, I would not find you nearly as entertaining. Now." her voice changed to raw command. "Get up, my faithless pet." Conall pushed himself to his feet and stood before Ciara, slumped and defeated. And Cerise saw something familiar in his stance, she had a flash of recognition that faded before she could grasp it. "I know you regret your failure, Conall, but rest assured, our little Na'rul will correct your mistake. She will not risk displeasing me again for at least a few centuries. I'm not sure how much longer she could have stayed in there without going completely mad, really. I suppose, for her sake, it is just as well that you failed." Ciara began to stroke her hand over his shoulders and back, his head and his cheek.

Crowne Memorial Hospital
Na'rul arrived in the human world and quickly darted for cover. While she might look human to their eyes, her body was barely covered and she needed time to find her way. She could feel her target like a beacon calling to her, but she would take the time to make sure the task was properly completed rather than rushing in and risking failure.

Devils are creatures of discipline and control. Though her body and spirit were still reacting to the trauma of her unexpected freedom, her confrontation with Ciara and Conall, and now her sudden entrance into a vastly changed human world, she put it all aside. She would not risk allowing Ciara to punish her further, and once this was done, perhaps she would have centuries to find another chance to talk to Conall. He knew only a part of the truth. But that... was for another day. For this day, she needed to put her concentration on the task at hand.

She watched from her hiding place, the people that came and went. Who was supposed to be there? Who did the humans pay attention to and who did they ignore? They were all so strange to her, the clothing and behavior so very different from what she remembered. But she watched, she observed, she learned. When she found what sort of human could travel the halls of this healing place unnoticed, she would take on that guise, she would behave as they did, and she would complete her task.

Ciara's Prison
Cerise laid her head on the stone, feeling rather defeated herself. They had thought their mother was safe. She pulled again at her bonds, desperate to rush to save her mother from whatever Ciara's devil might do.

"Now, you failed with the mother, but let's see, my pet, if you can succeed with a bound and helpless little girl." She took Conall's chin in her hand and turned his face to hers. "Kill her, Conall. Make her dead. Spill her guts on the floor.... Is that clear enough?"

Cerise froze as Conall sighed one time, then turned to face her. "Yes, Ciara." he answered woodenly.

He began to move toward her, one slow, shuffling step at a time. She fought against her bonds, reaching for her magic, but it wasn't there. He took another step, a slow shuffling old man's gait. "No!" she cried out. Heroes know they can die, but she'd never anticipated it being like this. Like a slaughtered animal, a helpless victim. "No!" she screamed again.

She stared up into his face. He was tired, hurting, beaten in both flesh and spirit. And suddenly recognition flared. "Rory! You're Rory!" She had a moment of hope again, because she knew Rory wouldn't hurt her, but then she remembered the line she'd heard so many times in her dream, you must trust your enemy, though he will kill you. "Rory, are you really going to kill me?" She asked, a sob choking her throat.

He crouched beside her, and she saw heat starting to come into his eyes, his shoulders straightened, his tail began to flick. She didn't know why he was suddenly angry again, but the brief resemblance to her friend Rory fled before the wrath of the demon. "I have no choice, child," he growled.

"But... if you kill me, she wins," Cerise pleaded.

Flames roared from his eyes, and suddenly it was the face from her dream, the demon that would kill her. He grabbed the base of her skull in one hand, clenched his fist in her hair and dragged her to her feet. She cried out in pain, pulling and fighting, but as helpless as a kitten in his grip. "I know." he said.

Book III part IV is up

Book III part IV

Cerise was not a quitter. She'd never given up in her life. She couldn't get herself free, she was cut off from her magic, and couldn't do anything to help herself. So she lay still and quiet on the floor while the demons appeared to ignore her, and she watched and listened, carefully, to everything they said and did. Perhaps something would help her.

Ciara moved across the floor with a sway in her hips like an exotic dancer. She kept glancing over her shoulder at Conall with a sparkle in her eye and a secretive smile on her lips. Cerise craned her neck to keep her in view. The outer edges of the room were bordered by rocky outcroppings. Some were small, just the right size to trip over but not useful for anything else, others were of a size and shape to be used as shelves or pedestals, and many did serve that function. However, a few were enormous, and the one Ciara approached could have hidden an armored car.

Cerise wiggled forward. All she could do to help herself was watch and listen. So, she wanted to see everything. Ciara trailed her fingertips over the rough edges of the stone while Conall watched her. His expression spoke clearly. He did not want to see what Ciara had planned. His eyes flicked to the floor and back up over and over again, while that tiny female demon inched closer to him as if seeking comfort.

The demoness smiled. "Oh, I think you will find this interesting, Conall." With a gesture, a panel in the rock appeared and slid open. Cerise gasped. Inside was a small room, featureless except for a pillar of rock extending from floor to ceiling. Chained to the pillar was a woman with blue skin and black hair and tiny black horns. Ah, not a woman, another demon. Except... this one is different. The chains were not tight, but they held her arms overhead and her feet at shoulder width at the base of the pillar. Black wings were pressed flat against the pillar and held in place by the position of her arms.

Her head snapped up. Pitch black eyes opened wide and fixed on the demoness's face. "Ciara!" she breathed.

"Na'rul, my sweet," Ciara soothed. "Come out and say hello to Conall. Conall, are you surprised to see Na'rul?"

Na'rul's dark eyes flicked to Conall. "Conall. Hello," she breathed. She was panting, her eyes flicking about frantically. A narrow black tail wrapped itself around her leg while her hands opened and closed.

"Surprised? Yes," he answered shortly. "I assumed she was dead. Or took better advantage than I did of your imprisonment."

"And are you pleased to see her, then?"

Conall sighed, "I have not wasted a thought on her in centuries, Ciara. I am neither pleased nor displeased."

Ciara's smile spread. "Ah, my poor Na'rul. All that time, and he has not thought of you."

With another airy gesture, the pillar began to move forward out of the tiny room. The rumbling roar filled the enormous space. Na'rul let out a small shriek as she began to move, then was still and trembled. The pillar slid smoothly until it came to rest just a few feet from Conall. "No. My little devil was not dead, and she did not escape me. She was trapped here with me. Until one day she angered me and I locked her away to think about her actions and her loyalty to me." Ciara reached out and twirled a lock of Na'rul's raven black hair between her fingers. The devil shuddered and closed her eyes. "And did you Na'rul? Did you think about it?"

"I am so very sorry I displeased you, Ciara." she answered quietly.

Ciara tugged gently on Na'rul's hair. "You would like me to release you then?"

"Yes... please."

Conall's face was dark and grim as he watched.

"I have two things I will ask you to do after I release you, my sweet," Ciara said. "You will do them for me, will you not?"

"Yes, of course," Na'rul answered anxiously. "I'll do whatever you wish"

"You see, Conall, my pet, what a few...." she paused. "How many centuries has it been, Na'rul?"

"I do not know," Na'rul answered, and tears began to flow from her eyes.

"Do not fret, my lovely one." Ciara soothed, and stroked the long black hair. "I am afraid I don't even recall how many centuries our little devil has been chained to this stone pillar inside that tiny room. At any rate, you see what a bit of discipline can do for a minion's disposition?"

Conall nodded sadly. "I see that you have broken her, Ciara."

"No no, she merely grieves now that she understands how she disappointed me and she longs to do better." Ciara tapped the chains with a bit of magic and the blue-skinned devil fell free. She collapsed to her hands and knees and was still there for a moment. "Stand up, Na'rul. It is nearly time for your first task."

The devil stood, obeyed Ciara instantly.

"Conall, my darling pet, my once favorite. Do you remember how you came into my service?"

Conall Cian flinched. Cerise watched, eyes wide, as he stared at the floor then flicked his gaze back to Ciara. "Of course I do. I was a fool."

"Your brethren in the host denied you when you asked for their help, did they not?"

Conall's eyes began to burn, flames licking from the sockets. "They said it was not their place to get involved."

"You needed your revenge, and so you came to me-"

"You came to me and offered your help, as I recall it," Conall answered with heat in his voice.

"...and you accepted it!" Ciara spat at him.

"To my regret. Yes."

"Na'rul. How did you come to be in my service?"

Something flicked over Na'rul's face, and her skin faded to a slate grey.

"Ciara... I...." Conflict was clear on the devil's pretty face. "I displeased my master, and he gave me to you."

Ciara reached out and stroked Na'rul's hair again, twirling it and combing her claws gently through it. "Such a pretty thing you are, Na'rul. How could you have displeased him?"

Cerise felt sorry for the devil. Evil she might be, but she was obviously in conflicted misery over whatever was going on.

"I betrayed him. He set me to a task.... that I did not want to finish. In his anger, he gave me to you as my punishment."

Ciara turned back to Conall. "and, Conall.... Why did you need my help?"

Conall's face was a study in suspicion. He knew there was a trap somewhere, but he couldn't see it yet. He frowned when he answered. "I had a need for revenge that I was not strong enough to pursue alone."

"Ah, my sulky ones. Perhaps there is an easier way to drag answers from your reluctant lips."

Na'rul cowered. "Please, Ciara!"

"Shhh... pretty Na'rul. Shhh. It is not your turn. Conall.... for what offense did you seek revenge? Answer me."

Conall glowered at her, but answered, "For the death of my human love."

Cerise gasped, shocked. The little one, Excruciatrix was the only one that seemed to notice. Her eyes flicked to Cerise, and wore an equally surprised expression.

"Conall, my poor bereft pet. Who killed your human woman?"

"The devil Cad'strum."

"Now, Na'rul. Who was the master you displeased?"

Tears were flowing freely down the devil's cheeks, but she answered. Her voice was reluctant, but she answered. "Cad'strum."

Conall's head snapped up. "Was it you then, Na'rul, who murdered my Sadb?" he growled. "Did I kill the wrong devil?" ["Sadb" is pronounced Siev]

Ciara laughed. It was the delighted bell sounds of a happy girl. "Oh, Conall. I will miss our chats and your temper. We have played this game long enough." She whipped back to Na'rul, so fast the cowed devil flinched. "Show him!" Ciara barked.

"Ciara! Please, don't." Na'rul pleaded.

"You'd prefer another century chained inside a rock, perhaps, Na'rul?"

Na'rul hung her head, defeated. In moments her shape shifted, her skin paled, her hair flowed like water. And in just a few seconds, the blue-skinned devil was replaced by a human woman. Her skin was pale, her hair, hanging down in shining waves to her hips, was a red-gold surprising similar to Cerise's own, her eyes a jewel-like blue. Her face was sweet and pretty, her body was full and curved. She hung her head, shame clear in every line of her body.

"Sadb?" Conall choked out. "I don't understand..."

"What was your task that you failed, Na'rul?"

She began to cry, sobs that shook her body. "I was to take on the form of a comely human woman and seduce... " she gasped for the words. "Seduce... him." she pointed at Conall. "But I fell-"

"Enough." Ciara said. "You have done well. Be silent now." Na'rul's jaw snapped shut, though she still weeped. Ciara turned back to Conall, cruel triumph on her face. "So, Cad'strum caused you to fall in love with this deceitful devil who you thought was a woman, then made you believe she'd been taken, abused, and killed. And because of that, you gave yourself to me for the power to defeat him."

Conall didn't answer. His eyes were wide, his teeth set in an expression of pure fury, but his body told a different story. He was defeated. His wings sagged, his shoulders drooped.

"Your great love, Conall. The love for which you gave up everything was a lie. And her death... for which you gave yourself to me, well.. that was a lie as well."

Cerise was brought nearly to tears herself as she watched Conall's head bow.

**************
Editorial comment: one of the downsides of posting up a story in a serialized fashion like this - where I start posting the beginning before the ending is finished- is that the beginning is set in stone. Normally, if you were writing a story, and you suddenly hit upon a new idea, you could then go back and edit the first parts to lay the groundwork for the cool new idea. Then when - say, the blue-skinned devil suddenly popped up in the story, the reader can say - Oh! Of course! It's Na'rul! They kept talking about her. I had no idea she was there all along! However, if you come up with the idea well after the points at which you would ordinarily have started laying the foundation have passed... well.. you're left with a couple options. One is to frantically and rather awkwardly start establishing the new idea, the other is to continue the complete silence on the subject. The first option just seemed rather clunky to me. So, I took a cue from Conall's statement that he hasn't thought about her in centuries. If that's true, then he wouldn't have talked about her. So, all I can say is this: If I HAD taken the time to write this whole thing before I started posting it, Na'rul's existence would not have been a surprise. Her prior relationship with Conall would have been hinted at. But... since that wasn't possible..... SURPRISE!!!!
---Sooner

Book III part III is posted.

Book III - part III

Caryn and Ben jogged along the stone halls. With her flying and him teleporting, they couldn't hold hands, and they desperately wanted to hold each others hands, so... they jogged.

"But, Ben... if you could just teleport out of there, why are you still here?" Caryn made a broad gesture encompassing all of the demon's prison.

Ben shook his head. "There's a barrier, a magical barrier of some kind I can't get past. Believe me, I've tried. But besides that, I've had to be very careful in my explorations. I couldn't risk that she would discover I could get out my cell." He squeezed her hand, "But... I know my way all around here pretty well. I can get you wherever you need to go.

She paused thoughtfully. "Well, I need to get to Ciara Banenighe, but we've got to find Cyd and Cerise first. We have to be together... or... at least, that's what the story says."

"We should head towards her throne room, then," Ben said. "Your sisters would head the same way, don't you think?"

"Probably, ya." She stumbled suddenly. "Cerise?" Her legs tangled and she tumbled to the ground.

"Caryn? What's wrong?" Ben hovered over her, protective and concerned.

"It's not me..." Caryn said. The magic was in turmoil. She could see it - it wasn't the peaceful swirls of color she was used to... it was a maelstrom of confusion and chaos. Something was seriously wrong. "It's Cerise. We have to find her. She's in trouble!" She scrambled to her feet and began to run, a long legged sprint toward the trouble she sensed.

"No, Caryn! Not that way! The imps live there!"

She skidded to stop, filled with urgency. She stood in the archway to a large, domed room. At the center was a huge pit and she could see frantic swirling motion - a sea of tiny red bodies.

"Ok ok! But we have to hurry!"

Ben frowned into the room. "Something's going on in there," he said. "Could it be your sister?

Caryn whipped back around and raced into the room. "Cerise! Cerise!' She called.

From deep within the pit, a broken imp came flying. "Guess again!" called a deep male voice. A pair of hands reached up over the edge of the pit and Ahren managed to pull himself up just far enough that they could see his eyes, then he cursed as the hoard of imps dragged him back down again.

"Ahren! C"mon, Ben, it's Ahren! We've got to get him out of there!"

Caryn dived into the pit like it were the deep end of a swimming pool, landing hard on the tiny creatures and tumbling back to her feet in a graceful move that left Ben's jaw hanging open. He didn't waste any time, however, and within moments Grandfather and a trio of Uncles and Aunts joined the Heroes in the pit. Once Mother-in-Law began her shrieking wail, the imps not already engaged with Ahren or Caryn or the glowing spirits shrieked and cowered away. Ahren was able to shrug off the last of the imps trying to chew through his shields.

"Ahren! Thank God!" Caryn smiled.

The pair of heroes flew out of the pit and landed near Ben.

"Caryn, you didn't tell me your friend here was a hero," Ahren said, offering a cursory hand shake to Ben.

"It's a recent development," Ben answered.

"Ahren! We have to go. Somethings really wrong with Cerise, but I don't know here she is!"

"What about Cyd?" Ahren asked.

"I don't know where she is either, but it's Cerise who's in trouble."

"Ok... let's go find baby Sooner."

---

Cyd continued flying through the endless hallways, alternately frantic and resigned. She had to find her sisters, but could they even win without that ring? It didn't matter now, she'd dropped it. They would just have to figure out a way to win.

What does she even DO with all these rooms? she wondered. She paused just long enough to glance into each room before passing it, in case there was something important - a clue, a weapon, one of her sisters - in them, and then kept going. Mostly they were empty of anything but basic furnishing. The demon did seem to have a fondness for mirrors, hard wood chairs, and carpets, along with the occasional opulent bedroom. But nothing of any use was apparent in any of them.

Cyd stepped into a large, rectangular room with an enormous mirror on the wall, glanced around the room quickly and was headed for the door when the disturbance in the magic hit her. She crumpled to the floor, weak and nauseous. "Cerise!" she called. She didn't know what had happened... but something was seriously wrong with her baby sister. She pushed to her feet, weak and shaky but filled with frantic urgency.

She shook her head and headed for the door - and then the mirror flared to life like a big screen plasma TV. She frowned at it, then suddenly recognized Cerise laying on the floor, wrists and ankles bound. Cyd took a step towards the mirror. The female demon looming, that must be Ciara. And there.... in the same room with her helpless sister... Conall Cian.

"Oh no..." she whispered. She took a step closer to the mirror and reached out her hand. Cerise was clearly terrified, and Cyd was terrified for her. Then Ciara glanced at her through the mirror and smiled.

---

Cerise pulled and tugged uselessly at the magical bonds. She was torn between hope - remembering all the stories she'd heard of the Ghosts Reborn finding a way through at the last minute and arriving like the cavalry to save one of their one - and doom. Here she was trapped, trapped and helpless with not one but three demons, and her dream kept recurring to her - a dream in which a demon killed her. She finally gave up struggling to get free and rolled herself onto her side so she could see what was happening more clearly.

"That's enough, little imp," Ciara sneered, and the tiny one stopped pouring her red healing energies into Conall, though it was obvious that Conall was still quite injured. "Come here, my pet. My once favored pet. Come to me."

Conall Cian straightened himself as best he could. He flared his wings, winced, and then folded them tightly against his body. His stride was stiff and awkward, and he held his body hunched slightly to the right, but he complied. He stood before her, head bowed.

"At my feet, pet, the way I prefer you." Cerise was surprised to see him comply. One of the most feared enemies of The Ghosts, and he knelt at the feet of the demoness. "And there you will stay, Conall, until I order you otherwise. Is there any room for you to twist my words in that command?" She waited for an answer, then roared, "Answer me!"

"Your wishes are clear, Ciara," he answered finally, his deep voice nearly a growl.

"I think, perhaps, there might be others in my home who would be interested in the show," Ciara said suddenly. An airy gesture, and the enormous mirror mounted nearby flared with magic. "There... now... every mirror in my home will reflect this room." She turned a smile at the mirror then her dark gaze fell back on Conall. Her hand fell onto his head and she stroked him gently, like a master with a favored hound. "Conall, my Conall. You have always been mine. Your childish rebellions, your petty tantrums... they were amusing to me. But your betrayal... this hurts me." She grabbed one of his horns, a horn still bleeding at the base, and twisted his head so he looked up at her. "You have never understood how thoroughly I own you. You were mine long before you even knew it."

She stood, a thoughtful express on her face. "Perhaps it is my own fault. Perhaps I gave you too much leash. But this!" Her voice, previously a rich,sultry purr, twisted into a furious screech. "This pathetic attempt to betray me, Conall! I think, perhaps, it is time you learned something."

---

Ben led them out of the caves and into carved stone hallways. Doorways and arches lined the hall, but Caryn was so focused on getting to Cerise that she never even glanced into one of the rooms until Ahren called out, "Woah! Wait!"

Caryn impatiently stalked into a room decorated like a medieval brothel - one where the certain darker interests might be indulged - and then her gaze was fixed on the mirror. "Oh my God..." she gasped. "Cerise!"

Ahren felt a knot of ice form in his stomach. There was his young friend and partner helpless and frightened. And there was Conall Cian.

Caryn raced to the mirror. "No!" she screamed at it. She drew back a fist and landed a punch squarely in the center of the oval mirror. It shattered, but then the scene was just repeated over and over again in the shards of glass.

"C'mon, Caryn," Ahren encouraged. "We're not going to help Cerise by assaulting a mirror." She looked up at him, her eyes haunted. "Move it, Ghost!" Ahren yelled.

The trio raced out of the room. "This way...." Ben encouraged. "But this place is huge. We won't get there fast."

Just let me know if you want me to bring the pain or the bots, Kid, and I'm there.

That was AWESOME!!!

I was having massive internet issues throughout, but we got it down. It was pretty cool.

Book III - part II is up.

Book III - part II


Ciara's Prison
Of the four heroes yanked through the portal, Cerise had the easiest ride. Hers was the only drop of blood to activate the design and she most closely followed the path originally intended. But it was still not a smooth and easy trip and she was disoriented and confused when her boots finally hit ground again. She stumbled forward a step, then another, then her shaky legs went out from under her and she dropped to her knees. Where am I? she wondered, where is everyone? What happened? She shook her head, trying to make the world stop spinning, and trying to get her senses back.

The stone floor was surprisingly warm, as was the temperature in the room. Cerise lifted her head to glance around and was relieved she could do so without nausea. The room was enormous. It was lit by sconces all along the expanse of the wall, casting a warm, yellowish glow over the room. Near the center , the furnishings would have been at home in an ancient, opulent castle - the kind of castle where a cruel despot lived and enjoyed his luxuries paid for from the money stolen from his oppressed subjects.

Cerise pushed to her feet, still weak and shaky, and reached for her radio. Her hand was on it when she heard a sound that froze her in place. A deep, highly satisfied chuckle began to reverberate through the room. Malice and cruelty and profound satisfaction dripped from the slow laugh. Cerise pivoted her head and the demon in the room suddenly popped into focus.

"Welcome, young daughter ó Floinn. I have waited far far too long for you to visit." She didn't know what she'd expected from Ciara Banenighe once she saw her, but this wasn't it. The demoness was shaped like a beautiful, voluptuous woman, one who was eight feet tall, with red skin, horns, claws, wings, and a barbed tail. Her body was lush and curved and barely covered with leather straps and scraps of draped cloth. Her hair was black and long and flowed over her like a living thing. Her eyes were a blazing, fiery red, and her lips were full. She cocked her head at Cerise and her lips spread wide, revealing sparkling white fangs.

"Ah, this is a nice surprise," the demon said. "Though I'd hoped to save you for last, really. You are special to me, little girl. You are the one who made all this possible."

Cerise was reminded of a moment a few years earlier when she'd been riding as a passenger in a car going a bit too fast on an icy road. The wheels had skidded free and the car began a long, looping spin toward a concrete barrier. Cerise sat in the warm car, in the comfortable seat, knowing that in just a heartbeat or two they would collide with the barrier and possibly be badly hurt. But in that moment... the incongruity between the warmth and comfort and the injury towards which they helplessly skidded had left a profound impression on young Cerise. On that occasion, neither Cerise nor the driver had sustained more than a few bruises. Cerise didn't think she was going to be that lucky this time.

It was supposed to be all three of them, with the magical ring, and with their friends to back them up. But instead, it was just Cerise against her family's personal demon. The dread that settled into her gut, the certainty that within a few moments she'd be in pain, or dead, spread over her, made her cold and pale. She took a step back and was awash in a sudden feeling of déjà vu. Her dream. She hadn't had it in.... months, but now, the smells, the feeling.... oh... this is very bad. Nothing that reminded her of the dream where a demon killed her could possibly be good in this scenario.

A movement and a moist sound drew her gaze downward. There on the floor at Ciara's feet was... something. She couldn't quite figure out what it was until it moved, then she realized that it was a living thing. A horribly beaten and broken living thing.... And it was looking at her. Red eyes fixed on her, and she could feel it trying to communicate something to her in the intensity of its gaze. Another movement and her eyes flicked to see a third demon hiding in the shadows. This one was female also with an expression that could only be described as a sulky pout on her face, but was as tiny and dainty as Ciara was enormous. And it looked strangely familiar.

"I have always been so very fond of you," the demon went on. She began to slink closer to Cerise. "You live because of me."

Cerise began to move. She didn't know much about what was going on, but she did know that if beating the demon would require all three sisters and a magic ring, Cerise had no business taking her on by herself. She moved, her red magical blades popping into her hands, always looking for something to keep between them, always looking for a way out.

The demon chuckled. "It was so very simple to arrange your conception and birth. I arranged to duplicate the orders that would allow your father to return home for a few weeks, and simple enough to perform a bit of sabotage to ensure your mother was... ah... fertile at that time.

Cerise refused to respond, unwilling to get pulled into a game of words. She just kept moving and circling, keeping an eye on the tiny demon and making note that both it and the bloody mess on the floor tracked her every move. Ciara was closing in, and Cerise was still just trying to buy time, to keep distance between them, but still that feeling of doom was closing in on in her.

Ciara stalked even closer. "And once I was sure she'd quickened, I arranged for his death. And now here you are."

Cerise's eyes flicked back to Ciara, filled with anger for the father she'd never gotten to meet. "Here I am, you *****," she agreed, but she kept moving. Cerise glanced away from Ciara as she noticed a shadow along the wall. An exit.. she'd found an exit from the room. She crouched, preparing to fly, to flee.

Ciara smiled even more broadly. She stopped moving and cocked her head at Cerise. "Did you think I was not prepared for this day?" she asked.

There is a moment of stillness that occurs just before great violence. Everything seems to slow down and go quiet. That moment occurred as Cerise glanced back to Ciara. The demon was in mid-throw, and Cerise dodged as something silver and reeking of evil magic shot towards her. Cerise launched herself into flight and shot at full speed toward that exit. The spell hit Cerise and skittered over her shields like dozens of tiny spiders trying to find a way in. She could feel the magic trying to grab her and bind her. Whatever it was supposed to do, Cerise was profoundly happy that her shields were strong enough to resist it.

Ciara roared angrily when the spell didn't work and charged after Cerise. She cut Cerise off from the looping tunnel that was her goal and forced her to flee high into the air. Cerise dived and whirled and spun, determined to keep her distance from a fight she couldn't win, and always looking for an opening to escape down that tunnel, even as she was constantly being driven back from it. She had to find Cyd and Caryn, then they could fight this ***** together.

Ciara stopped abruptly and shouted down to the little female demon below. "No! I forbid it!" she bellowed. "You are forbidden to use your magic to aid him in any way unless I command you otherwise!"

The little demon hissed angrily and Cerise realized that it had been trying to heal the injured being on the floor. However, the distraction provided her with the opportunity to escape. She put everything she had into flying at top speed. She raced for the tunnel, but even then she didn't feel hope. Just that sense of doom closing in on her.

She nearly made it. She was close enough to the tunnel to see its first curve when Ciara hit her. The demon crashed into her from above, wrapped her arms around Cerise and powered them both into the stone. Cerise took the impact for both and it knocked the air from her. She twisted and turned, scrambling away, but Ciara had no intention of playing any more cat and mouse. No matter how Cerise fought, the demon was always there. At first, Cerise's magic deflected the worst of the blows, and healed what got through, but eventually Ciara wore her down. The claws began to leave marks, the bites wouldn't stop bleeding. Cerise tried and tried to get some distance between them, but Ciara always managed to be there to block her. And Cerise still hadn't managed to get a blade on her yet.

Ciara smiled again, her full red lips parting over white sharp fangs. She reached out to drag a single claw across Cerise's cheek, leaving a gaping and bloody wound behind "You're done, little girl," the demon taunted.

"NOoooo!" Cerise screamed at her.

"Oh, yes.... yes you are." Ciara slashed at an exhausted Cerise. Her wicked claws cut savagely across Cerise's body.

Cerise dodged frantically, but she was too exhausted. She wasn't fast enough. The claws missed her shoulder, but they bit into flesh right under her heart and dragged straight down. Cerise flinched back, pulling herself off the claws. She glanced down to see that her magical healing was trying, but failing to close the wounds. She looked up into Ciara's face and saw raw triumph writ large there.

Determination made Cerise lift her glowing red magical blades again, but determination wasn't enough to save her when Ciara tossed that same silvery evil spell at her. She wasn't fast enough to dodge and didn't have enough magic left to fight it. The spell sank into her and Cerise screamed. It hurt... but that wasn't what frightened her. The spell cut her off from her magic. It was there, it was trying to get to her, but there was a wall between her and it. She might as well have been a normal human in that moment. Her blades vanished, and the pain from her wounds suddenly hit her full force. She coughed and collapsed, unable to fight as the magic formed bonds restraining her wrists and ankles as well.

"There now," Ciara smiled. "Now... where is that little imp..." she mused. "Imp! Come to me!"

The little demon howled, but darted out of the shadows to stand before Ciara. She stood there, trembling, her tail lashing, her wings wrapped protectively around her body. Her eyes flicked to Cerise, blinked once, then back to Ciara.

"What is your name, little pet?" Ciara asked.

The imp clenched her jaws and trembled with the effort not to answer, but then spat out, "Excruciatrix!"

"Excruciatrix. Delightful." Ciara cocked her head, considering. "You tried to help my naughty pet, Excruciatrix." The demon drew back her powerful clawed hand and Trix cowered in anticipation of the blow, but Ciara didn't strike. "You do not want to displease me, Excruciatrix. Do you understand?"

"Yes, yes, I understand," Trix hurried to respond.

"Good. Now, get that on it's feet." Ciara said with an airy gesture at the beaten creature on the floor.

Cerise lay helpless, struggling futilely against her magical bonds, watching as the imp scurried over and began to pour red energy into the injured creature. The moist, wet , crackling sound of bones reknitting and wounds closing was horrifying. Slowly it reformed into yet another demon, red skinned and horned.

"Get up, my pet." Ciara called.

Cerise gasped. She'd seen pictures, she'd heard stories. Now that he was somewhat healed, she could recognize Conall Cian. The demon who'd beaten her mother near to death, the demon who'd beaten and tortured Ahren and others, who had nearly killed Six-Four on several occasions. He was among the Ghosts worst enemies and he was here. She struggled, but without her magic, there was no freeing herself. Helpless, injured, and alone in the lair of demons, her certainty grew that the doom from her dream was coming fast.

Happy Birthday!

Ty ty!

An acquaintance of mine who used to play has asked me if I have an "invite them back" code... I assume he's wanting a code to give him time on his actual account rather than a code that will open a new trial account.

Anyone familiar with such codes and have any idea where I could acquire one for him?