Part 18C

When Danica awoke the next morning, she took a quick bath and pulled on a comfortable blouse and skirt. Just as she prepared to leave, she looked at the bed with a sigh. Brandon had been in rare form the previous night, in a mood to be gentle. Danica was amazed at just how soft his touch could be, and at the depth of the release that the slow lovemaking had given her.

Danica shook the thoughts out of her head, realizing that they were a bad idea. If she started getting even closer to Brandon, he would be in danger, another weapon for Zoraster to use against her when the whim struck him.

Arming the wards and defenses of the room, Danica cast her spell and teleported to her room in the Forge. She had only been there for a few minutes when Bear approached her with a wide smile.

Danica returned his smile. "Hello, Bear, it's good to see you."

"I have good news as well, Janelle is with child," Bear said, pride and anticipation obvious in his expression.

Danica immediately wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "That's wonderful. It looks like Nara's prediction is coming true. How long?"

"Four months, if we have guessed the time correctly. It feels like an eternity. She is with the Commander now, making arrangements for another to take over her training duties."

Danica made a gesture in the general direction of the front door of the building. "I'm going down to the beaches near Port Varn to find some conch shells for my magic. I'll come see you both when I return. Are any of the others here?"

Bear shook his head. "Nara and Mara are out there somewhere, Venaru is in his homeland for a holy day, and Terran is away at a conclave of wizardry. We have received word that Griffith and Feros are enjoying their time amongst their own people, and they have promised to visit soon. Cheron visited recently, although she was here before we knew for sure that Janelle was pregnant. You are the only one who knows."

Danica offered a mischievous smile and a wink. "You can tell me all about it when I get back. See you then?"

"We have a house in the city now. The Commander can tell you where it is," Bear replied.

"I should visit with him for a while as well, so that will work out perfectly. I'll see you later today." Danica then waved and made her way out of the building.

Although she had visited the city of Port Varn on the coast before, Danica did not have any location she could remember well enough to teleport to, or a pattern there that she could use as a focus for the spell. That left her with two options, walking or flying.

It was hardly a choice.

Danica soon soared amongst the clouds in the general direction of the city. She planned to avoid the city itself when she got closer, going to one of the nearby beaches instead. The miles flew by quickly, and she saw the city on the horizon in only a few minutes. Not long after, she scanned the shoreline for a wide stretch of beach.

Finding what she was looking for, Danica settled to earth not far away, but far enough not to alarm the people nearby who were bathing or fishing. A short walk brought her to the beach, and she found a small conch shell almost immediately. Picking it up, Danica walked down the beach gathering more, discovering a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.

Danica had picked up dozens of the shells when she heard a scream. Looking in the direction from which the sound had arisen, she saw a woman screaming and pointing out into the surf. Danica looked and saw a frightened young man glancing in all directions at the water around his small fishing boat. He held aloft a small oar in both hands like a club.

Danica barely noticed something break through the waves several feet from the boat and cursed. Even though she had never actually seen one, she knew how the creatures known as fishmen stalked their victims, and what they looked like. What she had seen was the finlike crest that adorned the heads of the fishmen.

As she watched, she could see several of the crests occasionally peeking above the waves, continuing to maintain their distance from the boat. Danica determined that the creatures were far enough away that she could attack them without risking the teenager in the boat.

Danica knew that electrical spells could be devastating against creatures that lived in the water, but also knew that the effects would travel far from something like a lightning bolt, which could harm the boy she was trying to save. Thinking quickly, she pulled a small packet of amber bits tied inside a square of wool from her bag and began to chant.

Rubbing the packet between her fingers as she gestured and chanted, Danica completed the spell and hurled the packet toward the fins in the water. The magic hurtled forth, a spell known as sparkstrike, the tiny sparks that left her hand expanding to the size of apples as they approached their target.

When the sparks reached the area where the fishmen were lurking beneath the waves, they burst upon contact with the water. The water boiled as the creatures writhed in pain, several of them coming to the surface and flopping about. Two floated to the surface, unmoving, having been either stunned or killed by the electrical current.

Danica cast the spell a second time before the water had even calmed. Another creature floated to the surface this time as well, the lack of movement from the two already floating creatures indicating that they were indeed dead and not just stunned.

Danica pulled a small crystal from her bag, whispering words of command and bringing it in front of her right eye. Looking to where the creatures had been, she saw them through the magical lens swimming rapidly out to sea. She breathed a sigh of relief and scanned beneath the water's surface around the boat to see if there were more of the creatures in the area.

She dropped the crystal when she saw one of the fishmen approaching the boat from behind. It exploded out of the water in a great splash and grabbed the boy by the clothing, jerking him into the water.

Danica didn't even consider what she was doing. She simply ran into the water and dived when it began to impede her progress. The boat was not far from the shore, and she soon could see the young man struggling with the creature below the surface.

There were few spells she could use with the fishman holding the boy, and so she lashed out with her other weapon, her mind. Heedless of the possibility that Zoraster might be watching, she held her breath, dunked her head beneath the water, and assaulted the fishman's mind with a burst of mental energy. It had the intended result, causing the creature to release the boy and clasp its head. Danica immediately concentrated and pulled the boy toward her with her telekinetic powers. She had to strain due to the strange sensation of using her powers on the young man in water, but managed to pull him to her and the surface.

The creature looked toward them again, swimming in their direction. Again, Danica lashed out with her mind. This time the burst was fueled by fear and anger, because the young man was not moving. The creature stiffened and floated to the surface.

Danica raised her head from the water, sucking a gulp of air into her burning lungs. The boy in the water next to her floated face down, and he was not moving. Using her telekinetic powers, Danica lifted the teen up out of the water and deposited him in the boat. Speaking a word of command, she used the power in one of her magical rings to rise up above the water as well. She had never tried to move herself with her mental powers, and didn't want to risk experimenting with it now.

Settling into the boat, she found the young man was not breathing. Remembering how a friend of hers had been saved from near drowning when she was a child, Danica tried to duplicate what she had seen the man do.

Taking a deep breath and pinching the boy's nose, Danica opened his mouth and locked her lips over his. She blew the breath into his lungs, watching his chest rise. When he didn't respond, Danica sucked in another breath and offered it to him. Danica cursed, her eyes filling with tears, when the young man again didn't respond. Danica refused to surrender, taking another deep breath and locking her lips over the boy's again.

She was rewarded by the boy coughing up salty water into her mouth. Danica rolled him onto his side as he coughed and vomited up the seawater, stroking his back and trying to comfort him.

When he managed to catch his breath, he rolled over and his eyes opened wide. Danica looked at him with concern, wondering what was wrong. After a moment, she realized what it was and looked down. Her blouse was soaked, clinging to her, and the saturated material was utterly transparent.

Chuckling, Danica asked, "Are you alright?"

The young man's face turned bright red and he tore his eyes away from her breasts. "I guess so. What happened? I just remember being in the boat, and then I woke up and you were kissing me."

"It wasn't exactly a kiss, but close enough. A fishman pulled you out of the boat into the water. I've managed to chase them away with my magic and pull you back into the boat."

The teen sat up then and glanced with alarm toward the beach, seeing the woman standing there, he breathed a sigh of relief. "I was worried they might have gotten Mom too."

"She's fine. It was her screaming that let me know you were in trouble. I have no idea how to work an oar, so I'm going to get us back to shore with my magic. Hold on tight," Danica instructed, and then cast a spell that summoned a gust of wind that pushed them toward shore.

The woman on the shore ran toward them and grabbed the boy in her arms with a sob as soon as the boat was close enough for her to reach. Danica sat on the seat of the boat smiling as the woman kissed her son repeatedly despite his protests.

The woman turned to Danica and said, "I don't know how to thank you."

Danica waved a hand and, still smiling, and said, "I only did what anyone with a heart would have done."

Noticing that the boat was starting to drift away from the shore again, Danica swung her legs over the side and pulled it up onto the beach. Mother and son both stepped out of the boat, the young man saying, "Thank you, Ma'am. You saved my life."

Danica smiled at him and said, "You're making me feel old, calling me Ma'am."

"You're not old," the teen replied, and Danica chuckled when she saw him pull his eyes away from her breasts again.

His mother thumped him on top of the head, saying, "Mind your eyes, boy."

Danica smiled and said, "It's alright – he's young and it's natural. You should really look at a girl's face when you're talking to her, though. We're not really fond of having a man talking to our boobs."

"I think it's high time I had the talk with this one," the woman mused.

The young man made a face and exclaimed, "Mom!"

"First things first, at least let me make you something to eat as a way of thanking you," the woman said to Danica.

"It's not necessary, but I won't be rude and refuse your offer. Besides, I'm hungry."

"Mom's a good cook," the young man offered.

"Let's be off then," the woman said and gestured for them to follow.

The woman was indeed a good cook, and Danica was stuffed when she finally walked out the front door. The young man she had saved followed her out and said, "Thank you again. I don't know how I could repay you."

Danica smiled and replied, "Listen to that talk your mom is going to give you, and remember to respect girls, not look at them like something good to eat. That is, until they let you know that that's how they want you to look at them. You'll know." On impulse, Danica leaned forward, putting her hand on the young man's cheek and kissed him full on the lips.

He stared at her in wide-eyed wonder when she pulled her lips away from hers. Danica smiled and said, "Now, that was a kiss – a real one. Be careful the next time you're out in a boat, please?"

He nodded his head and said, "I will," still looking stunned from the kiss.

Danica waved to him and started walking away, looking for a good place to cast her teleportation spell to return to the Forge. Stepping into a narrow alley behind a large building, she decided the location was secluded enough, and rode the wings of magic.

Back in her room at the Forge, Danica changed out of her still slightly damp clothing and headed toward the Commander's suite. She was greeted warmly at the doorway and immediately ushered to where he was studying a letter of some sort.

He looked up when he sensed her presence in the room and put down what he was reading to greet her. "Welcome, Danica, it has been too long since you visited."

"I'm kept pretty busy. No monstrous hordes coming out of the woods recently, I hope?"

The Commander scowled slightly. "No, although I wouldn't be surprised. I'm receiving reports from everywhere that foul creatures are boldly attacking in places they have always avoided."

Danica pursed her lips for a moment and then commented, "I guess I'll have to add to those reports. I just ran off a large group of fishmen – killing four – down by Port Varn. They were attacking a boy in a fishing boat that was close to the beach."

The Commander sighed and shook his head. "Justarius says it has something to do with a convergence of some sort."

Danica arched her eyebrows and tried to think of where the stars and planets would be aligned at this time of year. She realized that there would be a convergence soon, a rare one. "I haven't been paying much attention, but he's probably right. The bad omens should vanish after it's over in a couple of weeks."

"Justarius is not so sure. He says that his divining magic is revealing something dark on the horizon, and that it is linked to this convergence."

"What do you plan to do?"

He brought his hand to his chin and rubbed it for a moment. "There is little I can do, other than have all here on an elevated alert status in case something dark does occur."

"If you need help, just call. Ring that bell in my room and I'll know you need to talk to me," Danica offered.

"I wish I could keep all of you here, all the time," the Commander responded with a smile.

"I wish I could stay too. Speaking of all of us, I wanted to go congratulate Janelle, but there is the little problem of them having moved. Bear said you would be able to direct me to their new house."

He smiled and picked up a pen. "It is wonderful news. Although her skills will be sorely missed, it does my heart good to see two such fine people bringing a new generation into the world. That child will be a rare one."

While he sketched, Danica said, "I just wonder which one he'll take after. They're very different people, except in their hearts."

The Commander finished and offered the piece of paper to Danica. "You know of the Boar?"

Danica nodded, recognizing the name as that of a tavern in the city. "I know it – I've had a few glasses of wine there. This will work fine, I can find this easily from the Boar."

"I'm glad to help. I need to get back to this, and I won't delay you any longer, but do feel free to stop by any time. I would be glad to share my supper table with you this evening."

Danica smiled and replied, "I wish I could, but I have too many things going on right now. I'll need to get back as soon as I've visited with Bear and Janelle."

"Another time then?"

"Of course, thank you," Danica replied, and then offered a salute, which sparked a laugh in the Commander. Danica then waved and exited his suite, heading toward the Boar, and then the house Bear and Janelle now shared.

Zoraster opened the lid to Camilla's crèche and smiled. "Feeling better, are we?"

Camilla's eyes were still a little wild, and she looked groggy, as she was still returning to full consciousness from her magical stasis. "What happened, Master?"

"You allowed your arrogance to stifle your drive, and your jealousy to overshadow your sense. You attacked Danica, and I seized the opportunity to teach you both a valuable lesson."

Camilla cringed, pushing aside the memories of her horrific death that tried to assault her again. "I'm sorry, Master."

"Do not apologize, learn from your mistakes and serve me well," Zoraster instructed, offering his hand to the woman. As he helped her rise, he continued, "I have provided you with a gift, in anticipation of your continued loyal service. You will find that your new body is free of some of the ravages of age that had begun to touch you, and that it will resist the passage of time as well. You will also heal quickly."

Camilla swung her legs over the edge of the coffin-like enclosure, continuing to hold Zoraster's hand as she placed her feet on the floor. Memories of her death vanished as she ran her hands down her body. "Oh, Master – I'm so firm, so young. Thank you."

Zoraster smiled and drank in the sight of Camilla fondling her body. "There is one final gift you have been given. Through it, you may offer your gratitude, as well as affirm your desire to serve me. Your new body has never been touched, and thus your maidenhead is intact."

Camilla smiled and glided over toward the Archmage. "Virginity is such a burden to bear. Free me from that burden, my Master."

Zoraster chuckled as she pressed her nude body against him, caressing his erection beneath his robes. "It will be my pleasure."

Danica rubbed Janelle's tummy, and then looked up into her eyes and smiled, saying, "This is one fast growing baby. I don't envy you when it comes time for him to escape."

Janelle laughed. "Taking after Bear, it seems. I eat everything that I come across, and I've barely put on any weight other than this," she said, laying a hand on her stomach.

"Most any woman who has ever had a child is probably jealous of you. You still have a waist after five months," Danica replied.

"It feels like I'm carrying around a full pack on the wrong side, and way too low. Speaking of which, I need to sit down."

Bear and Danica both assisted Janelle to sit down on a couch. Janelle then cupped her breasts and added, "Well, two places actually. I'm going to be walking bent forward for the rest of my life."

"Try carrying these around," Danica countered, lifting her own heavy breasts.

"I'll be glad to help," Bear offered.

Both women slapped him playfully. Janelle then said, "That's another thing I seem to have an insatiable appetite for, and it's getting more awkward and difficult by the day. I'm starting to have trouble even getting a hand down there."

Danica laughed. "I'm sure you can both figure something out."

Janelle laughed with her. "Oh, we do. How are Celes and Brandon, and have you heard from anyone else?"

"They're both fine. I haven't caught up with any of the others, and they're all away from here so I won't get the chance today, either. I'll let Brandon know, he might want to come visit. He's feeling a little stifled in the barracks back home, and he could probably use some time with more than just the four of us."

Bear grunted and said, "It will be good to see Brandon again, and it has been too long since we sparred. With Janelle feeling slow lately, I would do well to face someone with his speed."

"I'll be sure to tell him, and I'll get him here if he can get away to come visit," Danica informed them. She then sighed and added, "I wish I could stay longer, but I have a lot of things going on and I'll have to go back today."

"You're welcome any time, of course," Janelle responded, "Busy with your studies?"

"Other things actually. I'm helping two couples move, although I plan to do some extensive study on magic to combat demons."

Bear and Janelle both looked at each other, and then Bear turned to Danica and said, "You should go to the college. If you have encountered a demon, you may want to know about a vision one of the seers had recently. It concerns demons, and is really troubling. Terran mentioned it just before he left for the conclave."

Danica could see the concern in the couple's eyes and replied, "I will. I should probably get going now, in fact. I want to give you something I made a while back." Danica dug into her bag and produced a glazed clay bowl.

Janelle remarked, "It's beautiful."

Danica winked. "Useful too. If you put a letter into it and touch this rune here," Danica explained, pointing out the rune, "It will send it directly to me. I can use mine to send things to you too. That way, we won't be so out of touch. I'm going to leave one each for you to give to the others as well, including one for the Dwarves and Cheron, if they come this way."

"That's a useful bit of magic, indeed," Bear grunted.

"There's more," Danica continued, "if it is filled with water, we can actually see and talk to each other when we're both using the bowls. That way, even if I can't get away for a while, I can see the baby. Just send me a letter with a time if you want to talk, and I'll be there."

"We'll do that, and we'll be sure that you're one of the first to see the baby," Janelle said with a wide smile.

Danica sighed and rose. "I should get to the college and then back. I have so much to do."

"It was good to see you, Danica, come again any time," Bear said, rising to walk her to the door.

Danica recognized what he was doing and laughed. "I won't be using the door. I'm going to teleport back to my room at the Forge so I don't have to walk so far."

"That's cheating," Bear grumbled with a frown.

"It's better than walking."

Danica then gave Bear a peck on the cheek, and leaned down to do the same for Janelle, kissing her tummy for good measure. A few words and gestures later, she vanished in a flash of light.

Celes lay quivering, her hands tightly clasped over her sex, both pulling hard against the two fingers buried in her depths. Her eyes were closed and her back was arched, gasps of pleasure escaping her as her orgasm gripped her, refusing to let her go.

When her muscles at last relaxed, Celes collapsed back to the bed and her arms fell heavily to the mattress. She panted for breath, her wetness seeping from her in a stream running from her nether lips to the bed below, which was soaked in her juices.

Her head rolled to the side, and a moan escaped her. Her body jerked as a sudden jolt of pleasure moved through her. Her breath was hot, warming the pillow to an almost suffocating temperature where her mouth and nose rested against it. Rolling her head back toward the ceiling again, she sucked in a breath of air and smiled, basking in the afterglow of her pleasure.

Her toy lay on the bedside table, unused. For the first time since Zoraster's magic had aged her, Celes had used her own fingers to bring on a peak of pleasure. Danica's toy was wonderful, and gave her orgasms that always left her breathless, but the image summoned by the item was one of Andrea.

It was Danica that filled Celes' mind.

Celes could not escape the memories of the woman's taste and scent when Danica had lowered her aching sex to her mouth. The thoughts of Danica reaching her peak on Celes' lapping tongue caused another shiver of pleasure to run through her body.

The thoughts also caused the warm glow of her pleasure to turn bittersweet. How she wanted to feel Danica do it for her, to feel her friend's lips on her, softly caressing her to the heights of pleasure. Of late, not a moment went by that she didn't think about it. Ever since the time inside the Hellgate, when she had been young and Danica had moved toward her with obvious desire, the thoughts consumed her. She couldn't escape the need to feel Danica between her legs, and it only grew stronger by the day, especially when she was near her friend.

Celes sighed, the pain in her back caused by it arching in ecstasy reminding her pointedly of why it could never be. She was cursed into a withered, old body, and regardless of how Danica saw her through some odd combination of magic and mental powers, one touch of her aged flesh would destroy the illusion.

A sob choked her as tears filled her eyes. Clenching her teeth, Celes summoned up her will and sucked in several deep breaths. One breath quavered as another sob tried to fight past her resolve, but she triumphed over her emotions and rose from the bed to clean up and change the bedclothes. Immediately thereafter, she poked her nose in a book to try to chase away the thoughts of Danica in study.

It worked – for a time.

Danica greeted the doorman when she entered the college, and when she mentioned why she was there, she was almost immediately taken to the seer.

The blind woman raised her bandaged eyes toward the doorway when Danica entered. "I have been expecting you."

"I guess you know why I'm here then," Danica responded as she walked closer.

The woman smiled. She was young and shapely, and Danica thought it was a pity that she sat here hidden away in the darkness.

"Though I have not mentioned it, I saw you in my vision as well. It is your aura of power that identifies you. I can almost see you, because I can sense where you are and the image of you from my vision replaces the darkness. A great threat arises from the one called Meckataur, and those demons over which he holds thrall. The devil has spawned, implanting his foul seed in mortal women, and I foresee that some of those he has chosen as brood mares will bring his hellish progeny to term."

Remembering her conversation with Celes about the demon, Danica asked, "That means that they won't be able to be banished back to the lower planes, because their place is here, doesn't it?"

The seer nodded, "Few women can conceive through demon seed, but this one is different because he was once a man. His brood will be more dangerous by far, because they will be able to appear as a mortal, just as Meckataur could if he felt the need. They can walk amongst us, and only the most sensitive will know them for what they are. They will have drive and cunning beyond that of most hellspawn, because they have goals beyond gaining prestige in the hells."

Danica shrugged, and then felt foolish because she knew the seer couldn't have observed the gesture. "So what do we do about it? How do we stop them?"

The seer smiled. "You follow the correct path already. Find the magics that will combat them, and keep your friends close and dear. Warn those who you can, wherever they are, because the devil's designs know no boundaries."

Danica asked, "Why did you see me in your vision?"

Danica chuckled quietly when the woman shrugged just as she had done a few moments earlier. Obviously, she had not always been blind to have developed that bit of body language. "I saw your confrontation with Meckataur. There is also something about you, your future is cloudy and tied to many others. Remember my words, and never discount what you may believe are the ravings of a madman. Many who are afflicted with madness have been touched by the gods, and they may reveal secrets that only the gods know."

"I'll remember."

The seer then picked up a bundle of scrolls at her side. "This will aid you. I have asked that the wizards here provide what knowledge they possessed of combating the evil of demons. What is here should provide you with a foundation that will allow you to defend against them, and cause them pain."

Danica stepped forward and accepted the bundle, seeing that there were over a dozen spell scrolls within the tied cloth sling. "Thank you, Seer."

"Now, go – time is precious. Learn what is here, and seek always more."

Danica started to leave, but on impulse, turned back to the seer and said, "You are beautiful. You shouldn't hide away here in the darkness. Just because you're blind and have visions doesn't mean you shouldn't have a life."

The woman laughed. "Does it appear that way? I fear I may play just a little too much into the mysterious seer image. Worry not, I am married and my husband is a good man who understands my visions and makes me happy."

"I'm glad. Thank you again, and goodbye."

The seer nodded and Danica immediately cast her spell to return to her rooms in Zoraster's complex.

Over the next three days, Danica spent most of her time studying the spells given to her at the college. She took the seer's warning and her encounter with the demon to heart, learning all she could to combat the denizens of the hells.

The third day, when Danica stopped by their home, she found Andrea helping Grant and Heather finish the last of their packing. They were excited about moving now, and couldn't wait to get to their new home.

Andrea said, "I have to work today, and I'm not sure if I can handle a long goodbye anyway." She went up and hugged Heather, and then Grant, her eyes misty with tears. "I'll miss you both, and I hope it won't be too long until we see each other again. I'm going to go now before I start bawling."

"We'll miss you too, Andrea," Heather said, here eyes no drier than Andrea's were.