Part 17A

Danica arrived in her rooms back at Zoraster's complex and immediately left for Marlena's room. She knocked and heard Celes bid her to enter from somewhere inside.

Marlena lay on the bed, covered by sheets, and Celes sat next to the bed looking worried. Celes had placed several of her scented candles in the room and lit them, filling the air with a light, relaxing scent. Marlena lay very still, and she looked pale.

"What's wrong Celes?"

Celes gave Danica a grave look and stood, grasping the sheets and pulling them from Marlena's body.

Danica's teeth clenched when she saw the rings pierced through Marlena's flesh. Large silver rings adorned her hood, nipples, and labia. "Garthak and Camilla," Danica growled.

"You need to watch out for that woman too. I found her in your rooms when I went to get some pain potions. I looked around, but nothing seemed to be out of place or missing. She just scowled at me, acted like she had every right to be there, and left as soon as I came in."

Danica growled, "I'll be warding my rooms as soon as I have the chance. The ones in Beniopolis gave Zoraster pause, so they should stop that bitch."

"Poor Marlena's made some sort of mistake and the madman let them have her. Zoraster ordered me here as soon as I got back. It was worse when I got here. She had burns all over her body. She was split and bleeding from between her legs and her bottom."

"She hasn't awakened yet?"

Celes shook her head. "I got a healer in here and he did what he could. She hasn't even stirred in the slightest. I've tried a few spells, but I can't reach her at all. I can sense her, but it's like she isn't really there."

"I can understand why."

"There's more," Celes said and pushed to roll Marlena up on her side.

On Marlena's right buttock was a brand in the image of a whip, still angry red from the recent press of the hot iron to her smooth flesh.

"Dear gods," Danica gasped.

Celes gently lowered Marlena back to the bed. "Zoraster told me to bring her around and get her back in shape. He seemed irritated. I think Garthak went too far this time. I thought maybe you could reach her."

"I can try."

Danica cast a telepathy spell, letting part of her mind concentrate on it while she used her mental powers to reach out to the woman. Marlena's mind seemed to be shrouded in fog. As Celes had said, Danica could tell she was there, but it was so faint as to be almost unnoticeable. Danica felt an urge to push forward, and followed that instinct.

After a disconcerting jolt, Danica found herself in Marlena's mind. Looking down, she saw that she appeared much as she had when she had astral projected. Otherwise, all Danica could see was a thick red-tinged fog.

Danica reached out with her mind, trying to peer through the fog. It didn't seem to have any effect. Something inside Danica told her she had to take control of the situation, force the environment into another frame of reference, one of her choosing. It was the only way she would have any chance of success.

She concentrated, bending her will to force away the fog. The fog vanished, replaced by a maze made of high walls. Danica ignored the walls and flew over them, unbound by the laws of nature here where she was in control. She flew over the maze, now able to sense better where Marlena was hiding within it. As she soared over the maze, she saw little pieces of Marlena walled up inside her. Memories of happy times, fears confined in tight boxes, favorite things sitting in places of prominence — everything that made her who she was, all carefully hidden away in the maze.

Marlena was lying in the center of the maze, her astral body nude and curled into a fetal position. She was repeating the words, no and stop in a constant monotone.

"Marlena, it's me, Danica."

The stream of words continued uninterrupted.

Danica bent down and touched the other woman gently. Marlena screamed.

Danica's astral body vibrated painfully. Regardless of her changing the environment, this was still Marlena's world, and her scream shook everything in it. "Marlena, listen — it's Danica. Let me help you!" She said through chattering teeth.

The scream died down and the stream of words returned, broken by sobs this time, however.

Danica softly stroked Marlena's back as she spoke to her, "Marlena, I've been through this too. I know how cruel Garthak and Camilla can be. They whipped me and beat me, violated me, and made me pee with that horrible violet wand. They pierced me too, driving needles into my flesh and laughing at me. I know what you went through. Talk to me, let me help you."

Marlena's litany slowed, even as the frequency of her sobs increased.

"You can't surrender, Marlena — that means they've beaten you. Garthak... That bitch Camilla... Fucking Zoraster... You have to face their torments and spit in the face of them. Be strong. Remain true to yourself. They'll pay someday. I'm going to make them pay someday."

Marlena peeked up at Danica, her eyes wide with fear and streaming tears, "They... They..."

Danica could see that Marlena's astral form had the same piercings and brand as her physical body. "It's okay — take your time. Marlena, this is your place. They can't have you here. Make their marks go away. This is your body and they can't hurt you here."

"I-I can't," Marlena sobbed.

"Let me help you," Danica said and then knelt down close to Marlena, wrapping her arms around the illusionist. She whispered words of comfort to the woman and sent strength flowing through her skin where it contacted Marlena's, lending her will to the illusionist.

Danica felt a shift in reality around her. She looked down and saw that the brand was gone from Marlena's buttock. "That's it — make it all go away and put on something that makes you feel pretty."

Danica felt cloth under her cheek and rose back up to her knees. Marlena uncurled and sat up, still choking off sobs.

"You see — they can't beat you. They can't break you. They may be able to force us to do what they want by threatening those we love, but they can't take away your spirit. You have to give that away."

"H-how have you endured this so long?"

Danica's brow furrowed. "By thinking about how I'm going to make Zoraster pay for what he's done to me... To you... To Celes... She's here, watching over us both. She's worried about you, and probably starting to get a bit worried about me too. Can you come back to us, Marlena?"

Celes voice from the real world drifted in, "Danica, she's stirring a bit."

Danica smiled as the maze vanished and Marlena's mental world started to feel less ominous and chaotic. Danica withdrew to give the woman her privacy.

It took several minutes, but Marlena eventually regained consciousness. Danica managed to get a little food and water in her, and then a pain killing draught to lessen the pain of her brand.

"I can get those damnable rings out of you, if you'd like," Celes said when Marlena started to look like her disorientation had passed.

Marlena looked at Celes with confusion obvious in her face. Danica was worried for a moment, and then realized what had caused the reaction. "Celes, she's never heard you talk without your put-upon brogue."

Celes shook her head, smiled and said, "I'm sorry, Marlena. I don't usually talk normally except with Danica. I don't like how my voice sounds coming from this old throat."

"It's much easier to understand," Marlena replied, still sounding a little monotone.

"I took those damnable rings out of Danica when they did this to her. Would you like me to remove them for you?"

Marlena scowled where she could see the impression in the sheet of the rings through her nipples. "Yes, please."

Celes pulled the jar of salve from her robe pocket and Marlena pushed the sheet down off her body.

"You won't feel a thing. Whatever that is, it completely numbs you skin so you don't feel more than a tug," Danica assured Marlena.

Marlena looked over to Danica. "Did he pierce your hood?"

Danica nodded. "I decided I liked it, but I got a new ring as soon as possible. It's mine now, and I don't associate him with it at all. It's useful, because I have a lot of magic in it. You only have so many fingers and toes."

Marlena looked down at the ring and flicked it with her finger, an almost mirror image of the action Danica had taken when she was considering keeping her hood ring.

"Thinking of keeping that one too?" Celes asked.

Marlena nodded her head, but still appeared indecisive.

"If you decide to keep it, I'll have Damian make you one. You'll have hidden magic with you all the time then," Danica offered.

"I think I'll keep it," Marlena said with a smile.

"Okay — well let me get the rest of them out and loosen that one up so you can remove it," Celes said and spread the salve over Marlena's right nipple.

Marlena crinkled up her nose. "That smells terrible."

"It works, though. You'll want to get in the bath as soon as I'm done. It will probably make you feel better too," Celes informed her.

"You can talk about it if you need to. I know what you went through," Danica offered.

Marlena acknowledged the offer, but stiffened, obviously not wanting to remember what had happened to her — let alone relive it.

Celes removed all the rings save the one in Marlena's hood, and then loosened that one so the illusionist could remove it. Thinking about the rings reminded Danica that she needed to take the time to recharge hers. Some of the enchantments needed regular attention to ensure that they didn't fade. The most important of those magical powers was the spell turning enchantment. That enchantment failing because she had neglected to restore its power could prove a deadly mistake. It could only turn aside so much magic anyway, and any weakening could allow a spell she was unprepared for to strike her down.

Danica drew a bath while Celes worked, and Marlena sank into it with a sigh when Celes finished. As Marlena soaked in the bath, she did open up about what she could remember. Most vivid was Garthak raping a teenage clone of her right before her eyes — and the branding.

"Not much we can do for that I'm afraid," Celes said after Marlena finished relating what little she could about the branding.

"I bet an Erotine Priestess could get rid of it. Perhaps a Venissan could as well," Danica said as she thought about the possibilities.

Marlena cringed a little. "I don't know about the Erotines. They make me feel uncomfortable, and you have to be naked in their temple."

"Well, I almost guarantee they can get rid of that ugly thing. They have a temple in the city as well. I could go with you, if you like," Danica offered.

"I do want it gone."

"That's your best option then. Finding a strong Venissan priestess isn't going to be easy, and they will be harping on you to get pregnant. Sometimes they won't do something like this unless you're with child."

Danica smiled when something she saw in the maze of Marlena's mind demanded notice in hers. Marlena's favorite foods were crab legs and strawberry shortcake. A quick inventory of the places she could visit and the seasons told her she could probably acquire everything she needed to make it.

"I'm hungry, and I'm sure you are too. Would you like some crab legs and strawberry shortcake?" Danica asked with a knowing smile.

Marlena's bright smile was exactly what Danica had aimed for. "Those are my favorite things."

"Make enough for three, if you don't mind. I haven't eaten in hours, and that sounds really good. I'll stay here and keep Marlena company."

Danica winked and left the room, teleporting to one of Zoraster's outposts near a seaside market almost as soon as she had closed the door behind her.

"Was there a man with her — a wizard?" Devan asked Cheron once the Heraklan cleric had finished describing Danica.

"There was a man with her and Celes, but he was no wizard. He was trained at the Forge — man by the name of Brandon. Good with a sword, and quick," Cheron replied.

"You're sure her hair was blonde? Everything except that sounds exactly like my sister."

"Oh, she was blonde alright, above and below," Cheron replied with a shiver and a slight moan.

Devan raised an eyebrow, "Above and below?"

"I'm positive of that. It was certainly tickling my nose often enough to get a good look," Cheron said and licked her lips.

Devan let out a sigh. "Okay, that can't be my sister. She would tense up and do anything in her power to change the subject any time I started talking about another woman. She still has this ridiculous notion of love and propriety."

Vladamir reached out and patted Devan's hand when the woman reached for her wine glass again. "You will find her, Devan. I'm sorry that unfortunate circumstances reminded you of exactly what you came here to forget. You shouldn't give up on love. It is the greatest blessing of the gods upon man."

"You can keep love — I'll stick with lust. Lust at least does something. Love just equals pain. Where in the hell is Danica?"

Cheron slipped off Vladamir's lap and moved over to Devan to stroke her arm. "You came here to relax and forget your troubles for a time? Why don't you let us help you with that? I have lust aplenty to go with my love."

Cheron's words and her touch lit a fire in Devan's loins that soon burnt away her worries about her sister — for a time.

It took some time, but Marlena steadily recovered from her ordeal. Danica commissioned a hood ring from Damian for her, which she paid for over his protests. He received his preferred method of reimbursement as well, Danica unable to resist having him explode in her mouth and depths.

Marlena loved the beautiful ring, crafted of gold and set with an emerald. She was also glad for the numerous spells cast upon it by Celes and Danica. The magic of her ring would now help protect her from danger and offer her magical powers she did not possess herself. Just as with Danica, it became a reminder and a warning, but also something that was truly hers, a source of joy and comfort.

The three joined Andrea into their small circle. Andrea was a woman with diverse interests, and it seemed she shared something with each of them. Danica discovered that Andrea had planted flowers near the waterfall and the hedge maze, and was astounded by the woman's skills when she went to see the flowerbeds. Danica thought it was beautiful, but it was a passion for Marlena. The illusionist soon joined Andrea in her care of the flowers, and it did much to help her recovery.

Celes and Danica both grew closer to Andrea as well. Danica found that she spent as much time just talking with Andrea as she did coupling with her. Often, they just lay together and enjoyed the contact, talking quietly and gently teasing each other to soft shivering orgasms.

Andrea spent the most time with Marlena, because Danica and Celes found to their irritation that they were constantly sent on relatively meaningless little missions that involved no more skill than teleporting to locations. Zoraster himself seemed all but absent. Neither had seen nor heard directly from him since he had ordered Celes to tend to Marlena.

The two friends started to feel like pack mules and letter carriers. They tried to meet and push aside the ever-present reminders of their enslavement in pleasant company whenever possible, but they had still not found the time for all four of them to be together at once.

Danica and Celes both felt as if someone else was ordering them about. Their orders still came from sources Zoraster had used when he didn't deliver them personally, so they had little choice but to assume the orders came from him.

Celes shook her head in amazement as Danica finished the last of the runic wards on her room. "Danica, I think the gods themselves would get burned if they tried to get in here. Even when I had a body that could handle all the magic I know, I couldn't have done this."

Danica wiped sweat off her brow. "It's not easy. My whole body aches and my head feels like dwarves are marching on it."

"I'd have been that way halfway through. Let me get you a drink." Celes looked toward a glass of water on a table nearby and concentrated, making a little beckoning gesture with her right hand. The glass of water appeared sitting atop her left hand. Celes quickly steadied the glass and then handed to Danica.

"You've been practicing, I see," Danica said with a smile and then took a drink.

"I have to. I could accidentally hurt you or someone else if I don't get this damn power under control. I'm stuck with it now."

"I can understand why you do, but you'll have to get past your resentment of that power. You can't change what you are. It's a part of you."

Celes sighed, "I know. My love always told me that I couldn't escape my destiny, and I guess she was right. I wish I had my mother's grimoire, so I would know more about being a witch. I feel a little lost, because all I have is what my mother taught me before she died."

"What happened to it?"

"Once my powers were sealed, I buried it in my mother's tomb."

"It's lost then, I suppose."

"Only because I won't show the bastard Zoraster where my mother is buried. I tried to destroy that book in fits of rage several times. I doubt anything can really harm it. It should be sitting right where I left it, on top of my mother's sarcophagus."

"You could go..." Danica began.

Celes shook her head. "No, I'll not give that bastard and his bone wizards a chance to torture her as well. He'll never know where she rests."

Danica nodded, "I understand, and I don't blame you."

"I was planning to go see Marlena — she wanted some of my herbal tea. What are you doing today?"

Danica smiled. "I went and picked up some more bottles from Heather yesterday. She took my advice and has been making a stockpile of them. I think she has enough to open a shop now. I found a nice house with a storefront near the sea. Heather and Grant have always talked about living by the sea. I was going to go buy it and get everything they need to set up shop."

Celes sent her thoughts to Danica, Trying to get them away from Zoraster? Use the Hellgate to get them there. He can't trace that if you don't step through the portal on the other side. It might help hide them from him. She then said aloud, "Let me know when you get home."

Good idea. Thank you, Celes. Danica thought back, and then said, "I will. How about you, Andrea, and Marlena come here tomorrow and I'll roast turkey. I found one and had a taste for it. I'll never finish it all before it goes bad."

"I'll let them know. Maybe we'll finally all get together for once."

"See you tomorrow then."

Celes left for Marlena's room and Danica teleported to the seaside town of Suthpaeral in Agreseus.

Zoraster sat receiving reports both magical and mundane. He was near to planting the first seeds of his conquest, and there was much to do in preparation. He had remained secreted in his study doing exactly that for several days. Everything demanded his attention, because he trusted no one to do it for him.

Currently, the most critical necessity was to ensure that his dupes and agents throughout the world were prepared and knew their role when the time came. As the reports came in, Zoraster was pleased to see that all appeared to be in readiness or proceeding toward such on schedule.

This night would see another critical part of his plan set into motion. There were many with similar goals to his who could prove troublesome. Most he had found ways to ally with or neutralize. There was one threat yet remaining, and he planned to deal with that tonight.

It had proved difficult and annoying to arrange the meeting with Meckataur the Destroyer. Zoraster would have preferred to simply teleport into the Demon's presence and begin his negotiations, but that would have precipitated a battle that was counter-productive to his plans.

It would also have forced the removal of the Demon's wards, which would prevent Darkniciad and others from spying on him. Arranging the meeting allowed him to negotiate under the Demon's magical protections that were already in place and effective.

Meckataur could prove to be an irritation if working against him, and a valuable asset working with him. An item he possessed was Zoraster's true goal, however. He had only just learned of the artifact, a welcome addition he had thought denied to him. The demon had no use for it, but it would serve as the final catalyst for a spell that would cause ripples throughout the world. It would also prepare the way for his greatest magic, opening a path to the stone at last.

Once the stone was in his possession, those ripples would become a tidal wave that would destroy any who opposed him, be they man or god.

Zoraster didn't have an outpost in Suthpaeral; it was on the sea just as the couple wanted, and had many other factors that made it the perfect location for what Danica had in mind.

There was a magic school here that catered to the wealthy, the perfect clientele for the couple's wares. There was no glassblower in town, which was fair sized, but not too crowded. Many wealthy merchants had winter homes here, so the population was much more diverse than common in the region. The presence of those merchants had also prompted a local to make a very wise investment, constructing a large meetinghouse that served snacks and coffee around the clock. The place was dispelled, and had lead lined walls that prevented scrying. It had become a hub of merchant negotiations almost immediately upon opening for business.

Since nearly all business in the town was conducted there, Danica could make her purchases inside, and Zoraster would be none the wiser. Because she had purchased apartments in so many places, preferring to have a place to call home when she was outside the complex, her meeting would not appear odd. She had actually purchased a small dwelling to aid in covering up her true motive of getting Heather and Grant away from Zoraster's influence. This meeting would look like a follow up to seal that already completed transaction.

Danica had already observed the house she planned to buy for the couple inside and out through the Hellgate. She shook her head and chuckled as she considered that she hadn't even thought to send the couple through the Hellgate alone in her effort to hide them, until Celes had suggested it. She had noticed the place was for sale while exploring the town, and had instantly thought of Heather and Grant.

Danica went to the meetinghouse and found the man who owned the dwelling after only a few inquiries. He was in negotiations with another for that very building, and Danica had to bargain hard to attain it. She ended up paying a tidy sum of coin for the place, but decided it was well worth it.

Upon sealing the deal with a handshake, the merchant asked what sort of business was going to be conducted there. When Danica explained the nature of the couple's trade, he immediately recognized the lucrative opportunity, just as Danica had. He expressed interest in investing in the business, as he had some interests that could prove mutually beneficial with such a shop.

Danica promised to bring it up with the couple, thinking it would be a good idea upon hearing what he was offering. His suggestion would open up the potential for more wares in the couple's shop, and provide them with plenty of extra coin to get things going.

Another session of negotiations set into motion the construction of the equipment Grant would need to ply his trade. With that done, it was time to visit some of the shops in the region for typical purchases.

Danica bought what furnishings and other necessities she needed for her apartment, noting the wares of each shop so that she could point Heather and Grant toward them when it came time for them to furnish their home. Danica planned to cover that cost as well with a large gift of coin that she was not going to let them refuse.

She had already spent a large amount of coin purchasing her apartments, the home for the couple, and furnishings for her dwelling. When the cost of furnishing the couple's home that she had reached in her head was taken into account, it was a small fortune. The cost didn't really put a dent in Danica's finances, however. In addition to the coin she had available from Zoraster, Danica had began to make money enchanting common magic items for the wizards of the complex. Her reputation had spread as more of these items circulated.

Damian was still the master, but he rarely took common projects, so Danica reaped most of those benefits. The enchantments were simple and well documented, so it took Danica little time to complete the requests, and brought her a lot of coin.

Shopping done, she ate at a nearby Inn, and then went to her new apartment to arrange the items that were delivered that day. The rooms were still sparse at the end of the day, but at least they were now livable.

Danica lay back on her new bed, one that she would eventually replace with something more to her liking. The bed was comfortable, and because it was ready to be delivered today, Danica purchased it so she would have a place to sleep immediately.

Looking around the room, she was thinking about how she would decorate the place. She always tried to decorate in the local style — with her own unique touches — in each of her apartments. She was glad of the times she lived in, because only a decade or so before, it would have been impossible to find places like this. The business had been born of ingenious innkeepers who realized that numerous wandering sellswords and bachelors would like to have a small place to call home. Once the first few buildings filled to capacity, word quickly spread and they were springing up all over the continent.

With only one or two rooms, they offered more space and comfort than the room of an inn, but were much cheaper than purchasing or building a home that would have more space than a single person could use.

Here, Danica had a kitchen that was fully separated from the common room that also served as a bedroom. The owner of this establishment had also invested in a bathhouse for the tenants, one that rivaled the larger ones in the city for comforts and amenities.

Such bathhouses had originated in this region, and the ones here offered unique experiences not yet available elsewhere. Thinking about the baths, the likes of which she had not experienced in quite some time, sparked Danica to rise.

Leaving her rooms, Danica walked down the hall toward the back of the building where the bathhouse was attached to the complex by a short covered walkway. The small exercise yard at the other end of the walkway was empty, which gave Danica hope that the baths would not prove crowded. The locals engaged in light exercise before bathing, something that Danica had never fully understood. The whole point of bathing was to get clean, and the locals took time out to cover their bodies in sweat and dust before entering.

Walking into the bathhouse itself, the heat of the place hit Danica just before she reached the door. The intensity of the heat stole her breath at first, but Danica knew it was very relaxing once the initial shock passed. She walked toward the loincloth-clad servant who greeted everyone in the baths, accepting a pair of wooden soled sandals and a large towel from the man.

She located an empty cubicle in which to place her belongings and removed her clothing. Men and women bathed together here, though a few segregated bathhouses had emerged with the influx of foreign merchants. Nudity and sexuality had almost no stigma attached to them in this land, so the changing room was a wide-open space directly in view of the door, which didn't disturb Danica in the least. She was unashamed of her body, and anyone inside was going to see it soon enough.

Wrapping the towel around her, Danica was pleased to note that it at least did cover her completely. On occasion, she had found that the towels in the bath houses were simply not sized for a woman with breasts as large as hers. This caused the towels to feel uncomfortable and constantly threaten to come untucked and fall to the floor. She slipped her feet into the sandals and turned back toward the man who had provided her with them.

The servant was there to protect the bather's belongings as well as hand out the sandals and towels, but Danica warded the cubicle in which she placed her clothes anyway. She handed the man a coin from a small purse she carried, as was customary. The gesture also served to avoid offending him by the use of her magic to protect her possessions. Once the man accepted the coin, Danica passed through the doorway behind him.

The heat and humidity grew more pronounced as Danica walked down the short hallway toward another doorway. Clouds of steam drifted out of the doorway ahead, a signal of what she would find upon entering.