Chapter 9

With breakfast finished and the girls washing dishes, Danica returned to the lab to add to her work on the model for Ashley's cottage. She knew that as soon as the girls finished with the washing that they would track her down to work on their toys. The first two clay phalluses had fired perfectly, and now sat on a shelf awaiting glazing. Danica had decided to let the girls each glaze their own toys, thinking that the unique touches would make the items more personal for the girls.

The cottages weren't nearly as sophisticated as the manor, and so Danica was almost done with Ashley's after only working on the model for about half a day. Both Edna and Ashley's cottages would have a magical tub and chamber pot identical to those in the manor, offering comfort without the need for maintenance. The storage spaces would also contain magical enhancements based upon the bag of holding, which allowed them to hold far more than physically possible.

Once combined with the individual furnishings and choices Celes had asked the two women to outline, the cottages would be comfortable, functional homes for both Ashley and Edna.

Glancing up to rest her eyes, Danica saw Ashley walk into the lab. Smiling at the red-haired witch, Danica said, "Yours is almost done. I should be able to finish Edna's soon as well. I want to make sure that both of you are comfortable, because I'm not sure how long it's going to last."

"You'll have whatever help you need from me in your battles. It's the least I can do to thank you for what you've done for me. If you're right, we're helping each other no matter which set of problems we attack." Walking over to the table where she'd been working of late, Ashley peeked down into her cauldron and said, "I may have the means right here to track down any demon that Meckataur commands, if the spell worked."

Putting down her tools, Danica stood and walked over to Ashley's chosen work area. "How do they work?" She asked, looking at the earth-colored little beads in the bottom of the pot.

Pulling out one of the beads, Ashley explained, "It's a little like scrying, except it's instantaneous and more or less untraceable. It happens so quickly that even if a demon notices it, they can't possibly track it back to the source. These can tell you the numbers, strength, and location of demons on a map at the moment they're used.

"Why don't we test them and my theories at the same time, then? I'll go find everyone, and we'll try them out on the area around Zoraster's complex."

"That will only tell us if Meckataur's demons are nearby — not whether they're working together."

Danica shrugged her shoulders and said, "You never know. There may be clues that can tell us more, based upon where the demons are. I'll gather everyone up." Walking over to a shelf, she retrieved a map and handed it to Ashley. "I'll be right back."

A few minutes later, Danica returned with Andrea, Celes, and Marlena. Edna had chosen to remain with the girls to help reduce the damage to the dishes. With the map unrolled in front of her and ready, Ashley said, "Here goes," as soon as everyone reached the table.

Ashley tossed the pebble down at the map, creating a shower of deep purple sparks that cascaded upward in a fountain. When the sparkles settled back to the map, they coalesced into glowing points of red light.

Danica pointed at the largest, brightest spot on the map. "That's Zoraster's complex."

"And a very powerful demon," Ashley advised. "That is either a dangerous greater demon, a Devil that Meckataur has somehow subverted, or one of his spawn."

"There's no way that a demon could get into Zoraster's complex without someone knowing about it. They have to be working together," Celes declared.

"The rest of these dots are minor demons," Ashley said, as she looked at the dozen or so other points of light on the map.

"Three of those are in Montbank. I agree with Celes, they're working together. Even if they aren't, then they're using each other in some way and may as well be allied," Danica declared.

"So now we can track down the demons. What were you up to with those patterns, Danica?" Celes asked.

"The rune wands I gave Carolyn and Heather will let me find anything with that pattern on it instantly," Danica explained. "I told them to put the pattern on anything they made for someone who seemed suspicious. It's just a start, but I think we're going to have to mimic part of the way Zoraster operates. We need eyes everywhere."

"It all seems so hopeless," Marlena said with a sigh. "Zoraster, Meckataur, his spawn, the rift to the hells, armies preparing for war..."

"We do what we can," Danica said and smiled. She then twitched her eyebrows and said, "We've been in hopeless situations before. We're still here, so we must be doing something right."

"And we're all a damn sight stronger now than we were then, too," Celes added.

Hearing the sound of the girls approaching the lab, Danica chuckled and said, "For now, I think I know what I need to do, if we ever want any peace." Putting aside her model, she picked up the satchels of clay beneath the table as the girls filed into the lab.

Having wrung every ounce of information and exquisite agony possible from the woman, Thanatos at last unleashed his deadly touch. The witch died almost soundlessly, only a sigh caused by her last, shallow breath escaping her broke the silence.

An unearthly growl of triumph rumbled from within Thanatos as the demon felt the witch's powers swell within him. Though minor powers suited only for stealth and trickery, the abilities would serve him well.

The woman revealed tantalizing hints of what Ebonar truly sought, as well as the source of power that had allowed the witch's Master to break free of Meckataur's control. Already attuned to magic from birth, Thanatos knew that there was no need to report his discoveries to Ebonar. The man's magic in the room served that purpose well.

His Sire, however, was an entirely different matter. As if a subtle flavoring, Thanatos could feel intriguing touches of something in the witch's power — something significant. Meckataur would certainly demand to taste this power, and Thanatos was far from foolish enough to risk his Sire's ire — for now.

In a crackle of flame, Thanatos vanished from the cell.

Even as the flames died down, a flash of light revealed Ebonar in the demon's place. In the space of a single heartbeat, both Ebonar and the corpse of the witch vanished from the cell.

Upon appearing in his inner sanctum, Ebonar called up his powers, causing the woman's corpse to rise from the floor. Directing the magic, Ebonar caused the woman's limp body to float toward a sphere of magical energy housing a spot of black.

As the corpse neared the sphere, Ebonar let out a sigh of knowing satisfaction. His plan to force the woman into the Devil's hands now bore fruit. Within the sphere, the jet-black chip of skull-shaped stone vibrated violently — the energy growing stronger as the witch's corpse moved closer.

The ebon skull only reacted so to a very specific sort of power, the same power housed within Godsbane.

As he and his Master suspected, the Devil Tanarax had a connection with the power that Zoraster sought.

Edna stepped into the lab and announced, "Supper is ready. Wash up and come along, girls."

The clones erupted in a chorus of, "Yes, Gran," reluctantly leaving their work to prepare for supper.

Danica sat back in her chair with a sigh. "Four more. Only five to go. It's nice to have the extra help so that we don't all have to spend half the day in the kitchen like we used to."

Edna walked over to the table, examining the clay cocks there with an amused grin. "Give them a little more time and we can put them to work in the kitchen. Considering how your six seem to share most of your talents, they'll likely have your cooking skills as well, once taught."

Danica laughed, memories of her mother coming back to her. "Mom used to joke about that being the main reason to have children — to do all the work."

Edna shook her head and chuckled. "Come along, now. You need to wash up and come to supper too."

"Yes, Gran," Danica responded with a wink as she stood up from her chair.

"I haven't heard the sound of a single dish breaking," Andrea remarked as she sat with her friends at the table after supper.

"Well, damn me — you're right," Celes remarked with an amused snort. "If this keeps up, we'll be able to devote more time to our studies, and the work certainly seems to be doing them good." Tapping the table with her hand, she said, "Ashley thinks we should try to capture one of the minor demons," continuing the conversation Andrea had interrupted with her observance.

"We might be able to learn more about the rift, Meckataur, and the more powerful demons if we poke one enough," Ashley clarified.

"It sounds like a good idea to me," Danica agreed. "I haven't studied rifts much, but I know that a wide-open doorway to hell can't be a good thing."

"So we're off on a hunt tomorrow," Celes said with a wicked grin.

"Do you think your sister might be willing to teach me some of her original spells?" Marlena asked Danica. "The ones you've talked about are fascinating, and I think they might work with some ideas I have."

Danica smiled and said, "I'm sure she will." Her brow furrowed a second later as she considered the need to take Marlena to Devan's tower. "Hmm, I think I need to add some teleportation items to my list of things to make. I need to spend a few days with my bottom in a chair if I'm ever going to catch up."

Ashley tapped her finger on the table a few times and then said, "We still need to come up with a spell to contain a demon. Our books mostly deal with finding and destroying them. That will take a few days."

"I'll take Marlena to see Devan," Celes offered. "Just tell her that we're coming and teach me her pattern."

"And I'll chain myself to my table in the lab," Danica chuckled.

Edna walked back in from checking on the girls and said, "Soon, I should imagine. The girls are nearly done with the dishes."

"We all have work to do then, because Devan is going to want to see your original spells, too," Danica said to Marlena as she stood. "If anyone has remedies for aching eyes, fingers, and a sore bottom, be sure to let me know."

Celes leaned over to look at Danica's backside with a twitch of her eyebrows and a crooked grin.

Before Celes could say anything, Danica cut her off with a laugh and said, "Behave."

Shortly thereafter, the girls emerged to sweep Danica into the lab with a chorus of giggles.

Though only a few structures were complete, Zoraster could already feel the power of the invisible rune tattoos on his flesh. Once covered in runes of protection and power, his body would be a living weapon — as Danica had well evidenced.

Watching in his magic mirror, the Archmage admitted a rare feeling of surprise. The goblin dupe provided by his agent proved to very much have the ear of the goblin king. The cunning goblin, a rarity for the breed, whispered dreams of power into the ear of the equally cunning king. The first to reach the upper levels of goblin hierarchy in many years with such intelligence and ambition, he was easily influenced to seek the reclamation of his race's golden age.

Zoraster himself had participated in the battles to purge Normandal of the goblins that had overrun the castles and towns of the small nation some years before. For a few years, the goblin race had garnered more respect than any time in recorded history, repelling every assault upon their captured homeland with ferocious efficiency.

Led by Thakkor's formidable band, the hastily assembled army of Normandic patriots had managed to do what strike forces from both Egoria and Freeland had been unable to accomplish, striking to the heart of the goblin hordes through stealth and skill. Surgical strikes at the goblin leadership, culminating in the death of the then goblin king, caused the tribes to war with each other, allowing the citizen army to sweep the monsters from the borders.

A similar assault could likewise work against the humans now holding those lands, if Normandal was forced to stand alone.

Zoraster knew that so long as Thakkorias ruled Egoria and drew breath, Normandal would not stand alone against the goblin host.

"Run to the rescue, noble Thakkorias. That which is your greatest strength is also your greatest weakness."

Andrea waited outside as the girls followed Edna to their wing of the manor. Considering how excited the clones appeared, Andrea doubted that the older witch would have an easy time putting the girls to bed tonight. A sigh and a roll of Edna's eyes as the woman passed brought a smile to Andrea's lips, and revealed that Edna was hardly unaware of the girls' condition.

Finally able to get through, Andrea walked over to Danica at her worktable. Danica sat slumped back in her chair, tired but obviously satisfied.

"Done — believe it or not," Danica announced as her blonde friend approached. "The girls helped a lot. I'm going to let them each glaze their own however they want to. They shouldn't be able to mix them up then."

Eyeing the large toy designed for Damika with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, Andrea said, "I don't think that one is going to be difficult to pick out."

"Tempting and frightening at the same time, isn't it?" Danica asked, while running her finger along the flared tip of the toy cock.

Andrea shivered and hugged her arms around her. "More frightening than tempting, but yes." After a moment, she asked, "Do you feel odd?"

Danica shrugged her shoulders and then stood to pick up the large toy. As she transported the clay cock to the kiln, she answered, "Tired — but I don't feel anything unusual."

"I feel nervous — anxious. It's a little like when we met Alicia and the others on Darkni's island the first time. It feels like something important is happening."

Returning for two more of the newly completed toys, Danica noticed a glint of light from the medallion around Andrea's neck. After watching for a breath, she saw a similar wink of light. "Your amulet is glowing a little. Does that mean anything that you know of?"

Andrea looked down and noticed a sparkle of light, just as Danica had. After a bit of contemplation, she said, "It does feel a little like someone else's anxiety, and the feeling is stronger when I look at my amulet."

Danica picked up the two toys from the table and said, "I hope that's just a coincidence. I don't even want to consider that the gods are feeling anxious, and that you're feeling it coming from the Earth Mother through your amulet."

Andrea nodded her head in agreement and picked up the other two finished toys. "I hope so too. I'll help you put these in the kiln."

Floating in the central pool of her realm, Gaeaye indeed felt anxious. Nestled in the heart of her power, she leant her strength to that of the other gods of light. Left unchecked, the rift to the hells would only widen. The dark gods sensed the threat, but as many sought to exploit the results as to prevent them. Thus, with the quiet aid of the Mistress of the elves, the gods of light turned their power to a momentous task.

The Devil resisted with frightening strength, resulting in the anxiety of the gods. The power of the hells worked through Meckataur, granting the Devil unholy strength that would have torn any normal being apart.

Gaeaye felt a surge of strength, and instantly recognized the source. Elves throughout the world offered dual prayers to their Mistress and the Earth Mother, granting them both strength. Peoples of the plains sensed the wrongness in the world and sent their prayers heavenward as well.

The infusion of strength, both small and profound at the same time, lifted the Earth Mother's spirits, and her very body. Rising up from the water, she hovered with only her toes touching the surface and rivulets of water cascading down her nude form. The wind kissed her, whipping her wealth of dark hair like a banner in a spring breeze. In her surge of hope, the other gods found similar strength.

One instant, the hells held firm, and in the next, the damage was contained. Gaeaye sank back into the water of her pool, knowing that the danger was past — for now.

Meckataur's roar of frustration caused rockslides in the underworld for dozens of miles around Nightmare castle. The pounding of the Devil's fists upon the stone left a spider web of cracks surrounding the deep indent upon the surface of the floor.

Gathering his strength, the Devil rose to his massive legs once more. The rift stood open still, but weakened. Though angry beyond mortal measure, Meckataur took twisted solace in knowing that the next such attempt would prove far more difficult for those arrayed against him. Already, the strands of power closing much of the wound in reality weakened. Soon, those threads would fray.

In the meantime, power and demons would continue to come to his call. Even as he grew stronger, so would the rift grow stronger upon the anchor of his being.

In time, even the gods would be powerless to stop him.

"Sire," Thanatos said to announce his presence.

Meckataur turned upon his spawn, sensing something new coursing through the core of Thanatos' powers. Thrusting his power into the smaller Devil, Meckataur tasted the same faint, unique flavoring. Unlike Thanatos, the greater Devil recognized the source of that power. "You have done well. Speak," Meckataur commanded, drool dripping from the hellspawn's fangs in anticipation.

Danica looked up from her work to shake her head and quietly chuckle. All around her, the girls happily worked to glaze their toys, eagerly anticipating the magic that would bring them to life. The color schemes ranged from the realistic to the rainbow-colored.

With the girls busy, Danica had plenty of time to chat with Edna while she worked on the model that would become Ashley's cottage. The elder witch had pointedly told the three younger witches that they should work on their chosen endeavor together, without her guidance. I'll not be here to lead you around forever. The craft is within all of you. Let the magic speak to you, she'd said before sitting down to enjoy a long chat with Danica.

Much of the conversation between Danica and Edna took place silently, both women so comfortable with their mental powers that it took less energy and concentration to speak that way than to actually form the words. Edna reminded Danica much of her mother, which lightened her spirits. Once, such a reminder would have proved painful, but after seeing her mother and knowing that all was well, Danica was glad for the nostalgia in Edna's manner.

"If it wouldn't put more work on your shoulders, I'd ask you to make all the charms before Ashley, Celes, or Andrea blesses them with their powers. You do such beautiful work with so little effort," Edna remarked as Danica rolled her neck in a circle to relieve a tight knot at the back of her head.

"I'm almost done with Ashley's. I just need to put in a couple more touches, and it will be ready to enchant. I'll start on yours then."

"It will be nice to have a place to call my own again, but there's no rush. The couch is as comfortable as it was the day I first arrived."

Melanie — the younger looking clone of Marlena — approached with her toy to announce, "I'm finished."

Danica looked the toy over for a second, seeing that the redheaded clone had chosen a realistic appearance with a few embellishments here and there. "It looks beautiful. Just put it on one of the shelves in the kiln. As soon as all of you finish, I'll fire the kiln. Do you want to help your sisters?"

"I think I'll go take a nap," Melanie replied with a little color rising in her cheeks.

Danica felt the desire that accompanied that blush, fueled by anticipation for the clay cock the clone still held in her hands. Melanie might indeed take a nap, but she had other business to attend to first.

"That's fine, Melanie. You just call if you need anything. I'll be right here with Danica and your sisters," Edna responded, letting the slightly ashamed young woman know that she wouldn't arrive unexpectedly in the other wing of the manor.

Melanie nodded, and then hurried off toward her room.

"Back to work. I'm so close to finished now that I'm anticipating working my magic on this," Danica said, and then mentally added, Not nearly as eager as the girls are, though. Their anticipation is so strong that I don't think I'd need my powers to notice it.

True that, Edna responded in a mental chuckle.

Danica slid open a drawer in her worktable, and then another. After opening a few more drawers, she wrinkled her nose and said. "I'm out of balsa. I thought I had enough to complete both cottages and still have extra."

"I can go fetch it from wherever you have it stored," Edna offered.

Danica shrugged her shoulders and said, "That's the problem. All that I had was here. I'll have to go somewhere and buy some, or find it myself." Remembering a shop she'd once visited on a recommendation, she knew exactly where she would go to purchase what she needed.

The recollection of the shop also brought with it other memories. Although she'd spent little time with him during the last years of her enslavement to Zoraster, Danica couldn't help but fondly remember Damian. It was his guidance and encouragement that helped her release her ability to craft magic items. When one of the female servants had stolen his heart, Danica had reluctantly distanced herself from him. The older woman had felt threatened by Danica, which bothered both mentor and prize pupil.

"I know exactly where to go to get some. I might just be able to find out what an old friend is up to while I'm at it, as well," Danica announced with a smile.

"Go on, then. The girls are doing fine on their own, and I'm sure you'll be back in plenty of time to start the kiln before they grow impatient," Edna said with a wave of her hand.

"I'll hurry back. I'm going to go change into something that won't attract as much attention as my robe."

Shortly thereafter, dressed in a pretty but unremarkable dress, Danica teleported near the town where she wanted to shop. She had good reason to remain somewhat inconspicuous, because the shop was in Ferrartene, the heart of Zoraster's power. Although a border town far from his seat of power, she had little doubt that his grip was firm on the little hamlet.

None saw her magical arrival, which she considered a good start to the trip. A short walk brought her to the outskirts of town, and she was soon lost in the bustle of the villagers going about their daily business. Even though her dress was far from the most flattering she owned, several thoughts from men passing by about how good she looked brought a smile to her face.

While the shop's primary source of income was from those who worked the Art, it also catered to any number of more common needs, and thus didn't carry any stigma as a place for wizards only. A pair of village women exited the building even as Danica entered. The women greeted her with warm smiles, which she returned as she entered the shop.

The balding shopkeeper leaned against his broom as Danica entered, asking, "What can I get for you today?"

"I need balsa wood. I was so wrapped up in what I was working on that I didn't realize I was out."

"I just had some arrive only this morning. Come into the back and you can choose what you need."

Danica had little trouble finding exactly the sort of pieces she needed, in quantities large enough to finish the models and maintain plenty for future work. "I'm glad Damian recommended you," she remarked as the shopkeeper helped her carry the wood to the front of the shop once more.

As he sat his burden down on the counter, the balding merchant asked, "Damian Silverstone?"

"Yes. He told me that you would have nearly anything that a wizard might want to use for making magic items — or you could find it."

"Have you heard from Damian recently? I've not seen him for months, and he looked a bit out of sorts on his last visit."

Danica's brow furrowed, as she didn't like the sound of that. She had little feared for Damian's safety when she escaped Zoraster's compound, as she knew he possessed numerous artifacts that could protect him from nearly any form of attack. While any magical protection was finite, Danica had full confidence that the master craftsman would have more than enough time to escape to somewhere safe, if such was necessary. "I've not seen him in quite some time either. Maybe I should look in on him."

"Have him drop by here if you do. I've some things I'm sure he'll be interested in, and I miss his company," the shopkeep punctuated the last with a sigh. "Damian's visits are about all that encourages me to keep this place open."

Danica counted out her coin, paying far more than the wood was worth. Even spending lavishly, she'd barely made a dent in the vast fortune that she and Celes had stolen from Zoraster, which was in itself only a fraction of his horde. "I will. Please tell him that Danica would like to see him, if you see him first."

"This is far more..." The merchant started to protest, seeing how much coin Danica was pushing across the counter to him.

"Just accept it," Danica said with a wink. "The next time I come by, I might need something more exotic, and that will help you keep such things on hand without fraying your own purse."

"I thank you — Danica, was it?"

"Yes, and thank you. I'll be sure to think of you when I need anything, and recommend you to anyone who asks," Danica promised as she fed the balsa into her bag of holding.

"I surely appreciate it. Good day, and come again."

Danica smiled and nodded as she exited the shop, but her expression tightened almost as soon as she passed over the threshold. Mindless of appearances, she walked at a brisk pace toward the edge of town where she could use her magic without anyone seeing her.

Damian completed the mass enchantment of the arrow-repelling rings with a sigh. The work was beneath him, uninteresting, and a sign of the truth he still struggled to accept. He worked his fingers through his salt-and-pepper hair, sighing again and shaking his head.

A touch on his shoulder caused him to turn and smile at Branene, the lovely woman who had shared his life and bed for the last few years. Though graying even as he was, she had a vitality and life that kept them both feeling young.

"Damian, don't put on appearances. Your smile is half-hearted. What's wrong?"

"It is this work. Though I endeavor to repay my host for the many boons of my time here, the work is tedious." Damian prayed that Branene would not detect the lie, as he had no desire to let her see the chains now binding him.

"I understand," she said with a smile, and then leaned down to kiss him on the cheek. "Lunch will be ready in just a few minutes. If you aren't washed up and at the table, I'll come chase you out of here with a switch."

"Yes, Dear," Damian said with a genuine laugh.

Branene chuckled as she walked out of the room, letting her bottom sway to attract his eye.

Attract his eye it did, but his expression fell almost as soon as she passed out of sight. As he did several times daily, Damian pulled out the pendant around his neck to examine the enchantments upon it. Though a master of creating magic items, he could not decipher the dweomers around the cursed jewelry. Some were plain to his keen eye, but he knew that far more lurked beneath the surface of the enchanted device.

Slipping the hated chain back into his robe, Damian stood to join his lover and companion at the table.

Danica clenched her teeth and let out a despondent, "No," as she recognized the pendant around Damian's neck for what it was — one of Zoraster's slave chains.

Her mind whirled as she tried to find a way to spirit Damian away without sounding hundreds of alarms within Zoraster's complex. Though she knew that scrying through the Hellgate was undetectable, opening it — if she could even manage to do so — within her old prison would surely alert all of the mad Archmage's associates.

The only thing that she knew for certain was that she refused to leave her old friend, lover, and mentor trapped in Zoraster's clutches. She had endured slavery in the complex for far too long to consider leaving anyone else to the twisted whims of the place's inhabitants.

She had little doubt that the chain around Damian's neck would prevent him from leaving the complex without permission. Considering his skills, she doubted that whoever had replaced Zoraster would send Damian out into the world to perform tasks. She realized that she needed to contact him so that he could stand ready to leave on a moment's notice with his lover.

Her psionic abilities would allow her to do so, but she knew that attempting to do so over long distances would weaken her. She still owned several apartments close to Montbank, but assumed that agents of Zoraster and his magic were surely waiting for her to foolishly venture into one of them. She continued to pay necessary taxes on all the residences to foster that possibility in the mind of Zoraster's replacement.