Chapter 16

ENURRUA

DAY THIRTY-EIGHT

"Tarifa?" Aihola's voice was soft in the early morning, as the sun began to filter into the many natural holes in the top of the mountain cave.

Tarifa moved her head slightly from where it rested on Aihola's firm chest, her Drow Mistress's arms holding her tightly. Their bodies were pressed close together, sharing warmth and sensation even through their clothes, but while it felt glorious to be in her arms again, Tarifa felt like something was missing.

"Yes my love?"

"What are you thinking?" Aihola asked pulling her body closer, relishing in the feel of her heat against her.

"I'm ... I feel betrayed Nya Istel." Tarifa spoke softly, "Angry and stupid. I have no tears left in me to cry." She lifted her head and turned to look at Aihola. "What do you feel?"

"All of those things." Aihola spoke. "We ... you and I ... Martin left us in charge of so many people. He trusted us with Earth. I ... how could we not have seen it? He could have..."

Tarifa shook her head quickly. "No Nya Istel! We must not do that! We must not think like that!" She sat up slowly looking at her. "I refuse to second guess what we have done. Martin would berate us for such a thing Aihola you know this. Martin trusts us because of who we are ... because of what we share and because of the experiences we have had. He would be the first one to tell us this is not our fault. Dekton ... whoever he was ... he fooled us ... he used us for his own purposes. How he did it is not important now. We must not let what he did change us my love."

Aihola sat up as well now looking at her. "It was ... it was no different than rape Tarifa."

Tarifa nodded. "I don't disagree with you Aihola. But you and I have been raped before. We have survived and we have gone forward. We have come to this point in our lives better for it. We have found each other ... we have found Is..." Tarifa stopped when she realized what she was going to say and her eyes went wide, "Isra?" She said softly.

"Who is this man who calls you mate Tarifa." Aihola spoke taking her hand. "He is one of those who kidnapped you from Earth ... yet he treats you as his mate. You..."

"He protected me Aihola." Tarifa spoke meeting her gaze. "He saved me from a fate I do not want to contemplate."

"He forced himself on you Tarifa." Aihola spoke.

Tarifa shook her head quickly, squeezing Aihola's hand, "No my love, he would never do that." She said realization filling her eyes. "I understand now. That ... that is why he affected me so."

"What do you mean?"

"This ... Dekton ... he was a clone. He may ... he may have been able to change me but ... that is why I feel what I do when I am near Isra. That is why I am so drawn to him." Tarifa spoke.

"You lay with this man willingly Tarifa?" Aihola asked surprised.

Tarifa nodded slowly. "I am part wolf now Nya Istel, half Lycavorian." Tarifa spoke. "Isra ... Isra is pureblood Lycavorian, wild and untamed ... yet so gentle and caring. He calls to me in a way Dekton never did. Aihola he would not even stay in the same room with me as we came here. He would lock me into his quarters and make sure I was safe and then he stayed with a friend. He saved my life twice and was grievously wounded both times, once by me." Tarifa spoke almost wistfully as the memories of their nights together filled her thoughts; the feel of his arms around her, how they made her feel. How his aura pulsed through her, filling her with love and warmth and desire. How she so willingly returned it to him with barely a thought. Dekton never even entered her mind when Isra was filling her so completely, and she should have felt guilt or something so soon after his death. She had felt only desire and love for Isra. "I can not explain it Aihola ... it is like my body calls to him. He resisted ... he fought it Aihola. I fought it. His aura ... it is nothing like Dekton's was, and now I know why. Dekton wasn't even real. Isra ... he is alive and strong and..." Tarifa looked at her. "I wanted him to take me as his mate Nya Istel. I wanted it so much. And it was unbelievable when he made me his, my love. He smells like the deep timber, so fresh and pure."

Aihola nodded slowly. "Yes ... even I can smell that, and I am only part wolf." Her tone of voice was one of worry and not jealously.

Tarifa looked at her. "Don't you dare do that Aihola of the Drow? I am yours ... I will forever be yours and you will be mine. No one will come between us ever. Isra knew of us Nya Istel ... he said he would not come between us. I will not let him come between us."

"But ... but you have feelings for him?" Aihola spoke softly.

Tarifa looked at her. "Do you expect me to lie to you Mistress?" Tarifa said lifting her eyebrows. "I will always tell you what is in my heart."

Aihola brought Tarifa's hands to her lips and kissed them softly, "Usstan zhaun vel'bol zhah wun dosst xukuth ussta ssinssrigg." (I know, my love, what is in your heart.) She spoke in the ancient vampire language.

"Dos ph' mal'rak wun ussta xukuth Nya Istel, neitar guu'lac nindel," (You are forever in my heart Nya Istel. Never doubt that.)

"And this Isra ... what of him? I know you Tarifa and for you to give yourself to him freely my love, that must imply feeling." Aihola asked.

Tarifa nodded. "It does Nya Istel. But I don't know if it is because I am wolf ... or because there might actually be something there. And even with what we know now of Dekton ... part of me still feels I have betrayed him somehow. Betrayed what we shared so willingly with him."

"Tarifa ... he used us. He took from us what we gave to him willingly and he abused that. I can not bring myself to feel as if I have betrayed him. It makes my vampire blood burn ... my wolf blood burn." Aihola spoke.

Tarifa nodded. "It makes my wolf blood burn as well Mistress."

"It should not surprise us Tarifa." Aihola said shaking her head. "You, me, Selene, Lynwe, we have all seen what the Coven is capable of first hand."

Tarifa nodded. "I know but I can't bring myself to the point where I feel nothing Aihola. We have spoken of this often my love. What we wanted in our future together, a home Nya Istel, and our own children to rear." Tarifa took Aihola's face in her hands. "I will not give up on that dream Nya Istel. We can not give up on that dream. It is our dream together no matter what happens."

Aihola kissed her then, kissed her hard, pulling her close and feeling Tarifa's arms encircle her head as she returned the kiss. After a long moment they parted and Tarifa looked into her amber eyes and gently caressed her finger across Aihola's moist lips.

"I so want to strip you naked and feast on you Mistress, every delicious portion of you." She said huskily.

Aihola grinned seductively. "Well I can't argue that with you my slave, for I want to do the same thing." She spoke. "I don't think here is the proper place however."

Tarifa grinned and kissed her quickly. "You are such a curmudgeon Mistress." She chuckled. Tarifa got to her feet and pulled Aihola up with her. "Come ... Isra's mother makes the most wonderful biscuits."

Tarifa pulled her along out into the main cave tunnel and they saw it was mainly deserted of men. This caused Tarifa to stop and her sapphire eyes to narrow. When Tarifa turned and looked to the spot where Aricia and Isheeni slept when they were here and saw nothing, alarm bells began to go off in her head.

"Tarifa ... what's wrong?" Aihola asked feeling her tense, and smelling the spike in her scent even with her weaker wolf sense of smell.

"It is never deserted like this in the morning." Tarifa replied looking at her. "There are dozens of men and women who are always here."

"They have gone." Gallais's voice spoke from behind them.

Tarifa turned quickly and looked at her as she came up carrying the basket of biscuits. "Gone ... where have they gone?"

"The black Heavyhorn returned early this morning." Gallais told her. "Joric is leading a large force south and he had entered the tip of the mountain range late last night. Isra, the Guardian, Aricia, Golna and the others went to attack him. He ... he did not want to wake you."

"Wake me?" Tarifa snapped angrily. "I am his mate Gallais!"

Gallais nodded slowly. "Who did not share his embrace last night, as you have for these last weeks?" She spoke with no malice in her voice. She moved closer and looked at Aihola. "I am much older than my son Tarifa ... Lady Aihola. He is still very young ... do not think ill of him for emotions he can not explain."

"He is older than me Gallais!" Tarifa exclaimed, "Older than Aihola."

Gallais nodded. "In wolf years yes he is older; in matters of the heart ... no he is not. He has been fighting all of his life Tarifa ... and he will face any enemy, any foe that would do you harm. He thought perhaps he could accept it ... but seeing you in Aihola's arms last night ... he is afraid he will lose you. It is a battle he knows he can not fight ... and he will not force you to choose between him and Aihola ... so he has decided to remain away from you."

"Away from me ... Gallais ... I..." Tarifa started to speak; suddenly feeling like a part of her was being chipped away once more, like so many times in the past.

Gallais shook her head. "Speak with him when he returns Tarifa. He will not attempt to come between you and Aihola ... he will honor his word to you." She said softly. "Speak with him when he returns and tell him what you feel. That is all I ask." She took a deep breath. "Golna has asked that you and Aihola form the others. Hundreds are coming here over the next few days, and he has instructed them that you are the ones they should seek."

"Me?" Tarifa gasped.

Gallais nodded. "Word spread quickly that The Guardian of the Line and the Queen of the Drow warrior elves arrived here. They already knew of your presence Tarifa. Many say..."

Aihola looked surprised. "Wait ... I am known among your people here? How is that possible?"

"Word has begun to leak out about the King's battle on Ukwav. It is being said that elves with white hair and amber eyes are the ones responsible for the initial attacks being so successful. It is said they are half vampire. Isra told me you are their Queen."

Aihola nodded slowly. "Yes."

Gallais nodded. "My son thinks highly of your skills Aihola of the Drow, regardless of what he might say and do. They will come here and seek the two of you out so that we can finally begin to fight this barbaric life we have been prisoners too. Many say it is a sign that others will come soon and finally help us to be free." Gallais held up the basket. "I have made biscuits and there is strong tea nearby. Come ... the first ones will be arriving soon."

UKWAV

"Wake up boy!" The voice carried to his ears.

Martin's eyes sprang open and he quickly closed them against the harsh light above him, his arm instinctively coming up to block the light. He groaned in pain, biting his bottom lip as the pain lanced through the entire left side of his body. He grabbed for his ribs with his right hand and nearly doubled over and lost whatever food he had in his stomach as the pain of the rib bones grinding together caused him to see stars.

"You need to shift to heal boy! Do you know nothing?"

Martin looked up, blinking his eyes rapidly to clear his vision. As his dark brown eyes focused her saw what appeared to be a medical bay of some sort. There were half a dozen empty beds, and banks of medical equipment lining the walls. Martin looked down and saw that the upper portion of his armor had been cut away, leaving just the armored and padded legs and combat boots. He tried not to breathe too deeply, clenching his teeth against the waves of pain as he sat up.

"Are you piegn boy? You need to shift to heal your wounds!" The voice sounded out again.

"Nubou forn!" Martin growled as he sat up, the voice sounding familiar to him somehow.

The laughter was genuine and hearty, "Alda, forn puli vada nimerd rie terit cafna." The voice spoke, "Lon coi svan." (Good, you know the language of your people. That is a start.)

Martin concentrated and shifted quickly, letting out a small yelp as the bones of his ribs knitted back together during the change. He remained in wolf form for a few seconds catching his breath and then shifted back, dropping to his knees as his body rebelled against the exertion.

"Impressive!" The voice spoke and Martin turned to see the man walk around the corner of the large computer. "I have not seen a wolf of your size since Resumar himself. You are larger than him boy, though not by very much. More muscles to impress the female wolves no doubt. Ah ... but you don't need to do that do you ... you have four of the finest young female specimens I have ever seen already, and the stamina to keep them all extremely happy. That is very impressive indeed!"

The man looked to be seventy human years of age, with a full head of graying hair, the beard and mustache neatly trimmed. His ice blue eyes were alive and bright, and he looked in good shape despite his advanced age.

"I know your voice!" Martin spoke as he kept his hand on his rib cage as he staggered to his feet slowly, leaning against the bed. "You ... you were in my head!"

The man nodded and came up to slowly stand next to him. "Yes ... and I must say ... it was not an easy task. You are even more gostin con that your grandfather!" (Pig headed)

"Am ... am I dead?" Martin asked as he eased himself back onto the bed.

"I don't know ... do you feel dead?" The man asked with a grin.

"I ... I feel like someone shot me a hundred times and then tossed me off a mountain." Martin replied leaning back on the edge of the bed.

"Thirty-one times actually." The man answered, "If the bruises are any indication. That is an amazing piece of clothing you have there. Not one of them penetrated the armor you wore, even from point blank range, incredible. Of course the Immortal's swords were a different story, and the computer console you hit after sliding down that tunnel like a fool did not appear to agree with you either."

Martin watched him as he pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat down. "Who ... who are you? Where is this place? And how were you able to penetrate my shields."

"The where is easy son of Leonidas," The man spoke. "This ... all around us ... this is my prison. And it has been for nearly ten thousand years ... that is of course until you popped in and promptly brought everything down around you. You really must learn to harness that temper you have. How was I able to penetrate those incredible shields? That is a bit more complicated to explain Martin Leonidas ... but I used what is called a Hatan Relluir ... a psychic projection of the one thing that has the power to crack that marvelous black wall you have around your mind. When your shields detected that projection ... I was able to slip in because they lowered."

"Who are you?" Martin groaned out.

"My name is Canth son of Leonidas." The man replied.

Martin looked around the room once more. "It doesn't look like much of a prison." He spoke.

"No ... but it is." Canth replied. "It is a psychic prison, though the facilities you are using were built for the sixty three Immortals tasked to guarding me. They were expecting an attack after your laser burned through into this facility. However the manner in which you arrived I believe confused them. Did you not think about what you were doing before you stepped into the abyss young King?"

"No ... I suppose I didn't." Martin spoke.

Canth nodded. "Given your mental state I am not surprised." He said.

"Are they..."

"Are they dead? Oh yes son of Leonidas. Let's just say you went through them like sibfla through a Norebonian plains weasel. It has been over nine thousand years since I have seen someone move like you." Canth spoke, "The combination of speed and power and grace. It was quite the spectacle."

"I saw fire ... explosions." Martin spoke.

"I directed you to the power control panel Martin. I had you destroy it and that severed the power grid from the fourth garrison that held the final lock in place on my prison. Your Spartans are even now sweeping through that garrison. You have fine leaders that follow you boy ... use them well in the future. You have achieved a great victory here Martin Leonidas ... in your misguided attempt at killing yourself."

"Stop calling me boy!" Martin snapped.

Canth laughed. "Compared to me you are a boy!" He spoke shaking his head.

Martin looked at him, his eyes narrowing. "Who are you?" He asked again.

"I told you my name is..."

"Canth ... yes you said that." Martin spoke. "Now who are you really?"

Canth looked at him a twinkle in his ice blue eyes. "Insightful ... that is a good quality in a King."

"I am no King." Martin said softly. "I don't want to be anyone's King."

"And that Martin Leonidas, as your mother has already told you, that is why you will one day surpass your grandfather in greatness." Canth spoke. "You are more like him than you even know Martin ... instinctual and passionate ... strong willed and stubborn as a rock."

Martin glared at him. "How do you know that?" He demanded. "You weren't there!"

"I said this was a psychic prison Martin Leonidas ... I did not say it was foolproof." Canth spoke. "Come ... let me show you something."

Canth got up and began walking towards the door, and after a moment Martin shrugged and got to his feet to follow. Things couldn't get any worse than they already were he thought. Martin followed him slowly out of the medical bay and down several corridors. He took notice of the large drying puddles of blood on the decking under his feet, the ruptured and twisted metal from small explosions and several points where he had plunged his Nehtes into the steel of a door or wall.

"I used this physical manifestation to remove the bodies into one room. They were beginning to stink more in death than they ever smelled in life." Canth spoke from in front of him as he walked. "And they smell foul in life."

Martin followed him into the large room with what appeared to be a central core of some sort. "What is this place?"

Canth moved to the large computer console and pressed several times on the multicolored console. There was a low rumbling and the large circular metal container began to lift up. Martin watched as the table was revealed, and on it was the body.

Canth's frail body.

"As I told you ... it is a prison ... my prison." Canth spoke.

"Who the hell are you?" Martin snapped.

"What you see standing before you Martin Leonidas is the psychic projection of my body from inside that chamber. Much the same as those wonderful diamonds you toss from your hands, it is a physical manifestation of my mind." Canth spoke turning to look at him. "Veldruk imprisoned me here over twelve thousand years ago ... exactly three days after he killed Resumar and Eliani. He is a powerful Mindvoicer Martin ... just as you are, with thousands more years of experience and control to call upon. He placed me here, and then built the garrisons above to keep anyone from ever freeing me. Until you arrived that is."

Martin looked at him, his eyes wide. "You are ... you're..."

Canth nodded, "The First Oracle. The one Dustha mentioned to you briefly in Sparta many months ago."

"How..."

"I fell next to my King and Queen and their concubine." Canth explained. "But Veldruk in his arrogance did not kill me. He brought me here and imprisoned me, thinking he could use me to help him over the years to complete his goals of conquest and domination. When he realized I would not do that, he left me here, and built the garrisons above in such a way that no one would be able to free me without destroying this enter complex. The previous attacks against this fortress were ill thought out and hastily put together. And none of them were able to determine the one weakness of these garrisons until you came along. A fine guess that was by the way."

Martin gave him a lopsided grin. "It was just a guess." He said.

Canth smiled at him. "Yes I know." He spoke. "The garrisons above were designed to be interconnecting in every way ... each garrison designed to channel power down here to maintain my prison. When you conducted your first attack and ruptured the outer tunnel, the vacuum of the sealed air sucked everything into the tunnels as you know. If the tunnels were ever breached each garrison would send a concentrated surge of power down here effectively destroying my cell and killing what remained of my physical body. When the vacuum your tactic created sucked death through the tunnels above, it also killed the only Immortal officer with the codes to activate that surge. All four codes were needed, and when he was killed, the others were rendered useless. You saved my life without even knowing it. At least for the short while I will be able to maintain this body that you see."

"What do you mean?" Martin asked moving closer.

"My physical body is dying Martin Leonidas. Veldruk introduced an antigen into my body that does not allow me to shift and heal my wounds. The Immortals here injected me with just enough serum every day to keep my body alive. Now ... now that they are all dead ... I will die within three days." Canth spoke.

"I ... I killed you?" Martin gasped.

Canth looked at him with a smile. "Killed me? No my King ... you have freed me. Now that the psychic deadening fields no longer exist I will be able to pass on my knowledge to my successor, and our people will not be without an Oracle with the knowledge to guide them, to guide you."

"Helen?" Martin asked.

Canth nodded with a smile. "She is young and strong and has atoned for the mistakes of her past concerning your father many times over. She is also the only one strong enough, outside of you of course."

"She ... she is injured." Martin spoke. "She was injured badly on Earth. Someone tried to kill her."

"Yes I know." Canth answered. "Her physical wounds have healed thanks to your friends and the support they gave to her. Her mind is in a state of rest right now, a period of psychic regeneration that she taught herself many centuries ago and she will come out of that soon enough. It is enough time for me."

Martin looked at him. "Enough time for what?"

Canth looked at him, "Time to teach ... and time for you to learn. You have a power within you Martin Leonidas. A power that many have ... but a power on a level only one other besides you can reach. I must teach you to harness that power so that you can pass on what you have learned."

"Pass on to whom?" Martin asked.

"You are a rock head ... just like your grandfather boy!" Canth spoke, "To your Queen fool, your Queen of pureblood. And to your firstborn son."

"I ... I have no ... I have no Queen of pureblood." Martin said softly.

"That pendant around your neck says otherwise." Canth spoke. He watched Martin reach up and wrap his fingers around the coral red pendant.

"I ... I betrayed her." Martin said. "I ... I didn't follow my instincts ... I didn't do what she called for me to do. She chose someone who would. Aricia is no longer my Queen, by her own choice. A choice I forced on her with my inaction."

Canth stepped closer to him and nodded. "That you are now able to admit that my King tells me you are ready to learn."

"I don't want another Queen Canth." Martin spoke softly. "We were ... we were Soulmates."

Canth nodded his head in agreement "Bound together in the most sacred fashion of our people, yes I know. Something the two of you did completely by instinct, which makes the bond between you even stronger. The pureness of her blood nearly matches your own Martin Leonidas. You need to get her back. You were destined to be together Martin, all of you ... including For'mya. All of you are tied to each other, and you will not be complete without each other. And the others that will follow."

Martin looked at him. "How do I do that?" He asked pushing off the side of the console not seeing Canth smile when he didn't realize or understand what Canth had just said. "She has chosen another mate! She followed what her instincts told her to do! She was right in what she did. I was wrong. For me to force her to come back ... that would go against everything my grandfather taught our people. That is something I can never do! Something I would never do!"

"He taught our people much Martin." Canth spoke nodding his head. "But after he died and in the years that have passed since, they have lost their connection to our past, to our very instincts. That is not what Resumar intended. There is a balance that can be nurtured Martin ... and you alone have walked that balance every day. You have struggled against your instincts all of your life, not knowing who and what you are. You have surrendered to them at times and you have not. That is what you must pass on to those who follow you."

"I have to get back up top." Martin spoke now. "They'll be wondering if I am dead or alive now."

Canth reached out and put his hand on Martin's shoulder. "Everything is not always as it appears my King. Now you feel empty and your soul aches for Aricia. When the time comes ... you will know what you must do. For now ... I must teach you what I can Martin Leonidas ... and then you must remove my body from this foul place and insure no one ever uses this planet ever again." Canth pulled him along. "Come son of Leonidas ... let me show you a little of what I have seen in my life."

APO PRIME

"Will not allow some pup to dictate to me what I will and will not do!" Deia snapped from behind her desk. "I have seen and done more in a thousand years then that fool has done in all four thousand of his years!"

L'tian and Olalla sat quietly letting her rant. Olalla had offered that they part after Asomus had made his declaration and allow both parties to absorb the information. Olalla knew Deia well enough to know she was very close to ripping the face from the smug young wolf and while Asomus did not see the signs, he did and had acted accordingly.

"Deia ... no one is suggesting that we allow him to do what he proposes." Olalla spoke calmly.

"Step down and name him my successor!" Deia continued. "I'll string him by his ankles before I allow that to happen."

"Deia ... you must remain calm." L'tian spoke.

"I will not remain calm!" Deia barked as she rose from her chair like a shot. "I want to tear his smug face to pieces! And his father with him! My mate was so frightened of me last night he wouldn't even sleep in the same bed with me. My instincts are telling me too..." Deia stopped speaking and stood up straight, her eyes opening like a she had just seen something wondrous.

L'tian leaned forward. "Deia?"

"He ... he was right." Deia spoke softly.

"Who was right?" Olalla asked.

"Vistr ... he was right!" Deia exclaimed turning to look out her window. "By the gods I am such a fool!"

"What do you mean?" L'tian asked in his calm impassionate voice, yet inside he felt a thrill deep down as he saw something in Deia he had not seen in millennia.

"The King ... Martin?" Deia spoke with an animated voice. "All ... all of these years he has acted on instinct, controlling it ... making decisions based on what his instincts told him. He is not an animal ... he is not barbaric. That is what Vistr meant L'tian. We have forgotten what it means to be Lycavorian. We have forgotten what it means to be ourselves."

L'tian smiled gently and got to his feet, "And the light of recognition blossoms." He spoke softly. "This is why my people have followed yours Deia. This is why we took Resumar as our King, and this is why an elf concubine was chosen to be bound to your King. The Lycavorian people are the first, best hope for all that is good in this universe. You have gathered hundreds of species together, many by will alone. Not by political posturing or alliances, but by following your instincts. That is what King Leonidas had brought back to your people, and that is why I so pushed my daughter to take her station at his side. Not for some political gain, or to gain favor ... but because I knew the circle needed to be complete once more." L'tian stepped closer to her. "Queen Anja is his compassion and temper, Isabella the extension of his force of will, Dysea ... Queen Dysea..." L'tian shook his head. "Not only is she the most beautiful elven Queen to have ever lived she is his sense of profound justice and she will be his political anvil. And you the hammer. Aricia ... Aricia was his warrior soul ... is his warrior soul. She will be just as powerful as him Deia ... and together they will be devastating to our enemies. We just have to find a way through all of this that blinds us."

"Then perhaps this will help." Anja's voice echoed from behind them.