Kuurii

 Kuurii

     Iriisii draws deeply within her mind and pulls forth the remains of the Kuurii that she consumed when she won her first High Duel. She rebuilds the image of what he looked like, how he moved, smelled, and fought. Once she had that in place, she moved deeper into how he thought, what he believed, and his loyalties and added them into the image.

     Then she sent out a seeking to find the closest one to her, thinking that one would be able to pass her along up their hierarchy, to one who could bargain with her. Even at the speed of thought, it takes a few minutes to locate one. Then rather than create a virtual vid-screen, she sends her aetherial self to meet with him.

     She looks around her new surroundings, a spare but solid ship. Built along utilitarian lines, more functional than ornamental. She passed by the lower workers and functionaries, but they did not have the ability to sense her. The ship's Captain however should be able to. She looks around as she progresses around to the 'bridge' and what she sees she does not like. However, where once she would have done something about it, now she realizes that she is no longer responsible for correcting these things, that responsibility has been passed to others.

     She does wonder though because of how they view their captives how this might influence her negotiating. She will just have to take things as they come. Eventually, she finds the 'bridge' and enters. The technology while adequate for their tasks is not as advanced as that of those who follow her. Something to keep in mind for later.

     Noticing the Captain, pausing in his berating an underling as he feels her presence. He looks around but cannot see her, but his finely honed predatory senses narrow down her position.

     Captain: "Who are you that enters my 'bridge'? Show yourself and explain why you are here."

     Iriisii concentrates and gathers enough dust and other particulate matter to form a surface image around her.

     One of the 'bridge' crew derisively mutters, 'just a female, maybe we can add her to the cargo'. Just then a large hand with claws barely retracted slams into the side of the crewman's head.

     Captain: "The next time one of you speaks out of turn, your head will be rolling across the deck. No common female like the ones in our cargo hold can do what this one is doing, so keep silent and learn. Maybe then you will live longer."

     The Captain turns back to Iriisii, "now will you inform me of why you trespass aboard my ship?"

     Iriisii: "I wish to speak with one of your clan leaders. I have a proposal to make that requires one of authority."

     Captain: "What kind of proposal could one such as you, ghost or spirit, make that would interest one of our leadership? For I will not pass on such a request unless it would be met with interest."

     Iriisii: "I understand your position, I have a proposal for one of your strongest and fiercest to engage in a duel against a Champion of the Shadow Assassins of the Shadow Lands."

     Captain: "And why should I pass this request along?"

     Iriisii: "Because I am more than just a ghost or spirit. Look within me and tell me what you feel and smell."

     She brings the soul and other remaining parts of the Kuurii she killed to the surface where the Captain can sense it. She notices that he hides his reaction well, but she still sees the telltales.

     Captain: "Put the ship on autopilot and clear the 'bridge'!"

     The crew begins to do as he has commanded, but is too slow for his liking. He takes a swipe at the crewman who earlier had displeased him and lays stripes across his back from his claws. The effect galvanizes the others into clearing out the 'bridge'. Once the hatch closes with a clang of finality, he turns back to Iriisii.

     Captain growling: "You are the one who caused the stir some time ago! Word of one of ours that was killed on a distant world while under contract to another spread like a raging fire among us. Not since Tarl of Ko'Ro'Ba killed one of ours being held by Cernus of Ar has such an outrage been tolerated! Cernus was killed by Tarl and protected from us by the Priest-Kings.

     While a Great Hunt was called to find you, it was called back by our leaders. The blame was laid at the feet of the one who contracted for the services of the one you killed. When asked 'why', our leaders only said it was their decision and if we dissented further it would mean our lives. I saw the vid-images of what happened just before our leader clamped down on its spread. Was it truly as depicted, a duel between equals? And if so why are you really here before me now?"

     Iriisii: "It was a duel, a High Duel, that I called and he accepted. The winner would consume all that the loser was, mind, soul, experiences, and knowledge. It could have gone either way, yet in the end, I was the victor and claimed my spoils. You saw the response from the one who placed him there to stand in my way."

     The Captain nods his wolfish head, "the fight was fair, there is no doubt of that. But why are you here now? What is your purpose now?"

     Iriisii: "I will explain that when I speak to your leadership and I will do that in person to show my respect rather than as an aetherial entity."

     She reaches back to her physical body and calls it to join her aetherial one. The Captain realizes she is far more than she was when the High Duel took place. And moves to the Comm station to create a secure link to the Clan Masters. Once the link is established, and the video display activated, a snarling visage steps into view addressing the Captain.

     Elder: "You had better have a good reason for this or it will be your last, now why do you interrupt me?"

     Captain: "I have found myself in a situation that has gone far above me. And so I bring this to you, Clan Elder, to take control and advantage for our clan."

     Elder: "What is it that could be that far above you? If this is not a certainty, you will pay with your hide adorning my walls!"

     Iriisii: "I am the situation he speaks of."

     The Elder explodes before he can regain control and see just who this female is to speak like this.

     Elder: "WHAT?! CAPTAIN! I WILL HAVE...WAIT! No, it cannot be, we were told...no, we were lied to, again! This will be the last time! Before I move to deal with the liar, what is it that would bring you back to us?"

     Iriisii explains what she made the contact for, explaining why she chose the Kuurii for this. The Clan Elder stands silent as he digests her words.

     Elder: "What you say meshes with other words that have reached us of what transpires outside of our reach. I cannot say that I understand why you have need of doing this in this way, but there is no doubt that we can benefit from this. Considering the level of trouble that I can sense out there, efforts must be made to protect us before trouble lands before us.

     You have undoubtedly seen what we have in our cargo hold. What have you to say about our activities in this regard?"

     Iriisii: "Although I dislike it on a personal level, I have come to know that much happens that I do not approve of, and yet it is not my responsibility to put my personal beliefs of right and wrong onto others unless the Great Balance suffers from it. Then I am empowered to do something about it, but only then, otherwise, I am required to pass it by as such things have their place."

     Clan Elder: "Honest and pragmatic, I can only assume that what I have heard of your observance of the balance between your good and evil is not simply false words but true actions. I believe you feel that we would win such a duel, therefore what do we gain from it?"

     Iriisii: "Because yours would be fighting on my behalf, the stakes are the same as if it would be me fighting and our levels were the same. The winner gains the soul, life, skills,  experiences, and abilities of the loser. As long as he would be acting on my behalf, yours would be able to shadow walk as this is one of the other's abilities. However if he ever attempted to shadow walk on his own outside of my behalf, the Shadow Lords' strictures would trap him in the Shadow Lands, just as the Shadow Assassins are forbidden to shadow walk outside of the Shadow Lands.

     If you wish, I would accept your clan in my service with all rights and protections that I extend to any other race. Your fighting prowess would raise you to a high level among my fighting forces. It would be interesting, I admit, to see how yours would stack up against the Yautja."

     Clan Elder: "Who are these Yautja, you speak of in the same breath as Kuurii?"

     Iriisii: "As your culture is Patriarchal, the Yautja culture is Matriarchal. Otherwise, they are as fierce a martial culture as your own. Their 'hunters' are 'blooded' against some of the most dangerous creatures known in any of our Realities. I have encountered some of them myself and can vouch for their fierce and deadly abilities. If a 'hunter' is killed, it is of no matter for he was not skilled enough to survive. But sometimes the prey can even overwhelm an entire group of hunters, then they are tasked with their last option. The last hunter to fall will detonate a charged plasma explosive that will eradicate all traces of their's and their prey's presence. And when the next group chooses that world to visit again, it all starts over again.

     I do not exaggerate their skills. I have fought beside them and they respect me for that. I believe you have the skills and fierceness to be their equal. And I would want that fierceness to fight with me. For you should also know, I do not sit behind my warriors and direct them here and there, I am at the front, side by side with them, drenched in the blood and gore of battle. The Jihad of Truth comes down the Streams of Time toward us, all will choose the side they will favor, and then the battle for the future of all Existence will begin. I and my Celestial Army will win that battle or we will die to the last one to raise a blade and fight. There will be no middle ground, no quarter asked or given. All will abide by their decision on which side they will stand with. Will you stand with us?"

     Clan Elder: "Yes, we will stand with you. You proved yourself to us in your duel. You have not sought us out to fight your way to the head of the clan as was your right under our law. And so we owe you a life debt, you have shown us how we can repay that debt and ensure we survive the coming troubles. I will send our best fighter with you to duel the shadow assassin, as well as a handful to witness this victory in your name."

     The Clan Elder makes his choice from those who volunteered to go back with her. He then picks a few others as witnesses.

     Clan Elder: "These will go back with you. From this day forward they are yours to command."

     Iriisii bows her head to the clan Elder for his magnanimous gift.

     Clan Elder: "When the day comes that you call for yours to join you, we will be ready. Until then we work to bring all Kuurii into our war band and be waiting for your voice to call us to battle."

     Iriisii: "I would ask of you about the one called Tarl of Ko'Ro'Ba. The Kuurii I fought also thought of him during the duel. Who is he that is capable of commanding respect from ones such as the Kuurii?"

     Clan Elder: "He is one who stands above the others who inhabit the world he lives on. They are protected by the Priest-Kings, an insectoid race, fewer in number than we are but more technologically advanced. He fought one of ours, given to Cernus, Master Slaver of the city of Ar. We do not know the details, except to say it was a fair fight. Even so, Cernus abrogated his contract by allowing Tarl to discover our brother.

     If Tarl had not killed Cernus himself, we would have. If you are thinking of recruiting the warrior caste to fight for you, that is your business. However, they will be more trouble than help to your cause."

     Iriisii: "Tell me why you believe so, I value your opinion, Clan Elder."

     Clan Elder: "Their entire world society follows the Path of Slavery. They generally enslave only females, males are usually too much trouble and so they are slain outright. Even their 'free' females are not above being captured by raiding parties and then enslaved. Once they are marked, they will never be free again. This behavior of their society and the Priest-Kings have kept their progress hobbled for a very long time. Why this is, we have no idea.

     We supply them with 'barbarian' slaves channeled through their major slave houses and we take the payment and build our fleet of ships. One day we will have enough to return to our homeworlds and be done with this."

     Iriisii: "What happened to cause you to leave your homeworlds?"

     Clan Elder: "The Leader we followed, he pushed us into space travel. And we began to see the benefit it could be to us. Then he was deposed and killed, we were outlawed, to be killed if we ever returned. Soon we will number enough to return and regain all we lost."

     Iriisii: "Then I would like for you to keep watch over this world called Gor. I agree they would be more trouble for me than help, but I would not see my enemies take and use them against me."

     Clan Elder: "We will do this for you, and should we see anything, we will pass the word to you."

     Iriisii: "I praise your clan's strength, fierceness, and wisdom. May victory walk with your clan in this duel and in your return to your homeworlds. It is time we go, there is blood that must be spilled this day."

     She gathers those who are to return with her to the Shadowlands. Reversing the seeking, she latches on to Rigmor, Dettlaff, and Elric, since they are the ones she uses most as her anchors, opens a portal, and steps through. Once on the other side, she closes the portal when all are clear of it. The Kuurii is a subject of inspection, for most here among those who came with her and definitely none who live in the Shadow Lands know of them. The shadow assassins look closely at the Kuurii, assessing them as they would any opponent.

     Iriisii: "Where is the duel to take place? Both candidates are now here, as are the witnesses, let this be done with."

     Shadow Assassin: "What are the stakes?"

     Iriisii: "The Kuurii fights for me as my Champion, the stakes are as if I were fighting."

     The Shadow Assassin takes a moment to reflect and gives thanks that he is not the one facing her Champion. The two to duel are equal in power and ability, but the assassin knows well that even between equals, there is not a definitive outcome within a fight. The targets they deal with are mostly weak and unsuspecting, easily surprised. And the few who are worthy and skilled also are at a disadvantage, for the assassin does not come at them head-on.

     The Kuurii fighter is the antithesis of the assassin, he is a frontline warrior. Skilled in field battles where anything can happen from any direction, making him extremely formidable. This may boil down to who is closer to their inner strengths and who is canny enough to find opportunity in what the other does to slip in the final strike.

     The Dueling area has been set aside close by, delineated by a visible red glowing line that encircles it, about three hundred feet across. The area inside is a natural landscape, nothing has been altered. Each is capable of utilizing whatever they find inside. As they look over the area, Iriisii is satisfied with what she sees, looks to her 'Champion', who nods his wolfish head and Iriisii gives her approval to the Shadow Assassin.

     The two combatants enter from opposing sides and instantly vanish into the terrain. Iriisii instantly withdraws her distance perceptions, relying only on sight and hearing. In order to not give the assassin any undue advantage to track the Kuurii through her reactions of his progress and position. Darkstar reads what she can through Iriisii's eyes and ears, giving her a running commentary on what is happening. Iriisii listens but allows herself no reaction to anything being told to her, her face and body as still a mask as any statue.

     She knows the first part of what both will do is position themselves where they feel most advantageous. Only then starting out attempting to locate where the other is. The assassin is a master of covert stealth. Moving slowly, quietly, taking advantage of cover in the form of brush, gullies, shadows, and his own ability to mask his presence through force of will.

     The Kuurii is also known to use stealth in tracking prey, knowing how to separate the smallest of sounds to distinguish the natural from those not natural. He can also distinguish smells, and having already sampled the smell that the assassins carry with them, can find those minute traces left by the assassins' passage.

     Iriisii settles herself down to await what comes when it will. Not allowing herself any sign of concern or apprehension as to what does or does not happen at any particular time. Those with her watch her reaction to everything and emulate her. Thus denying any advantage to the assassin from their reactions.

     The Kuurii witnesses watch her as much as they watch the dueling area. Their understanding of the predator nature gives them a glimpse of just what she can bring to them and reinforces their Clan Leader's decision in sending them with her. Now they begin to see how she could have beaten their brother in that duel that cost him everything. For they see where she took all that he was and absorbed it into herself, letting it become a part of her, not simply a skill or knowledge to be used and put away again until next time.

     They see that she has done this with the vampire she has taken as a mate, making her even more dangerous, and they sense the power of the Dragon within her as well. Yet, even as they know the words describing dragons, they have no experience with them, and this leaves them wanting to see and know these beings. For what they see of them in her, is beyond anything they have yet to meet, experience, or understand on an instinctive level.

     The first tentative strikes between the duelists take place. They test each other, trying to see the pattern of their attacks and defenses. How they each managed to get so close before striking out. The anticipation of each defeating the other grows, the assassin delving deeply into his training to find a course against this superlative beast. And so makes his first mistake, for the Kuurii are more than their beastly appearance brings to mind, and underestimating them is a short path to death.

     The Kuurii listens to what his senses and instincts are telling him. How to lure this assassin by playing the unreasoning beast, until the assassin gives the Kuurii the opening he desires to rip into the assassin and chew his still beating heart while he looks on with his dying breath and fading vision.

     The game continues as each tempts the other and each at the last second parries, turns away, and dodges, taking only minor cuts instead of the killing blow they anticipated. The witnesses grow eager for true blood to be spilled, for a victor to emerge. Only Iriisii remains stoic, waiting for whichever one to win, to see if her judgment and fate chose the same or if chance will win this battle.

     They are of different skill sets yet so evenly matched it is difficult to anticipate who will win. Physical traits may be the deciding factor here, how much stamina, do they have one versus the other, and how efficient are they at utilizing their skills to maximize performance while not exhausting themselves. And this battle has only been going on for about six minutes. In that world of flashing blades and sharp claws, an eternity.

     Then it happens, and the shadow assassin dips into shadow to conceal his movements. A mistake when fighting a Kuurii with very powerful natural senses. For the Kuurii do not depend on sight as their primary, they utilize hearing, smell, and physical sensation. To wit, they listen for movement, smell their prey on the slightest of breezes, and feel the air as it is pushed away from the prey as it makes the smallest of movements.

     When the shadow assassin comes out of his concealing shadows, the Kuurii is not where he was expected to be, but rather just a step away, and ready for the assassin. His strongest hand flattened into a knife, his claws its tip. He drives it into the assassin's midsection, under the sternum bone, and angles upward. He grabs the assassin's heart before he even begins to feel the initial intrusion. Then the heart is ripped out as the major blood vessels are pulled apart.

     The Kuurii raises his head and howls his victory, then takes a bite out of the still-beating heart. The assassin's last sight is the Kuurii standing over him, his heart's blood dripping from his fanged mouth. As the assassin's life leaves his body, it is pulled into the Kuurii's body. Infusing him with all his knowledge, experiences, skills, and memories. The Kuurii, never before experiencing this, bends over in pain and consternation. Iriisii knowing what is happening, steps to him, places a hand on him,`1`123    2         and helps him to deal with this. Showing him how to compartmentalize his mind, shove the new spoils into them and close the doors. Then tells him she will help him mesh all of it later when they have more time.

     Iriisii: "For now, you will come with me as we go to claim the Fortress that the Great Old One, Ithaqua, the Wind Walker, has taken residence in. You will go in with my fighting forces to battle with the Wendigoes, I will welcome seeing what you can do against them."

     She then looks to the Kuurii witnesses who came with her.

     Iriisii: "We go to the Wind Walker's Fortress, to take it from him, and to rescue one he has imprisoned within. I give you the choice to return to your ship or come with us and fight against the Wendigoes that follow Ithaqua."

     Kuurii witness: "What will our champion do?"

     Iriisii: "He is now my Champion, and he will go with me."

     Kuurii: "If we go with you, will there be more battles, more blood, more chances for glory?"

     Iriisii: "I can promise you that for certain. If you wish it, I will see just how far you can be pushed, how many enemies you can face, and how deadly you can be in a battle, both alone and as a group. I will work with you to increase your skills and find new ways to train you to add to the weapons you already have. If you want it badly enough, I will make of you the most feared and fearsome fighters the universe has ever known.

     For now, the ones I already have, that have begun down that path are two Kinja acolytes. They will begin your training. They are not to be challenged, for as your people live on your ships moving from world to world, the Kinja has established an extragalactic empire that eclipses even the one they had in their deep past before they fell. I found them and brought them back from the brink of extinction to where they are now. I can and will do the same with you if you will do as I command."

     Kuurii witness: "And if we refuse?"

     Iriisii: "I will send you back to your clan, to await my calling to battle. Then when the fighting is over, those of you who survive will be on your own. To find whatever fate awaits you in the future."

     The Kuurii witness confers with the others as the sounds of growling, snarling, and a deep sound like bark is heard. Suddenly the Kuurii who won the duel lashes out with extended claws and rips open the throat of the one doing most of the objecting. He looks hard at the others, who one by one, bow their heads to him in agreement with his decision.

     He then looks to Iriisii and says, "we will go with you, now and until the end of our lives, we are yours."

     Iriisii: "So be it."

     Looking at the duel winner she says, "you have earned your place at my side, proven your prowess and the truth of my decision to choose you. I now declare you to be one of my children, who I will protect, train, and arm for battle. I will see that your needs are met, and only ask that you fight with me when I call. Until the blood and bodies of our enemies grow high enough to blot out the light of the stars themselves from our sight."

     The duel winner screams out his acceptance into her service, even as an icy shiver runs up and down the spines of the Shadow Assassins still close enough to hear as they move away even faster lest they become the next to face the Kuurii.

     There are no further interruptions as they come to the first crossover point. Iriisii selects those who will be in the first group, sending two of the Kuurii with them. Having given them their instructions, she accesses the shadow gate here, opening it for the first party. As they go through, the howls of Wendigoes can be heard from the other side calling for others of their kind to defend against the intrusion.

     The second gate is but a short jump away, and she opens that gate, and the next party piles through. Soon enough the howls of Wendigoes are heard coming from the other side here as well.

     The third gate is a little farther away. Once she opens it, she tells Dettlaff and Rigmor to clear any Wendigo in the room and then position themselves by the door. She tells the last Kuurii and Elric to go through the door and clear the hallways, then stand by the outside of the door until she is ready to move on deeper into the Fortress.

     Dettlaff and Rigmor are first and immediately begin clearing the room as they enter. The Wendigo inside were fewer than expected due to some answering the calls uttered earlier. The ones left fall quickly. Elric and Iriisii's Kuurii Champion, dart through the door and they split directions taking on any Wendigo along their separate paths.

     Iriisii, Nodens, Kthanid, and the rest follow her through the Gate. As they seemingly appear out of nowhere in the room, Iriisii's eyes are drawn to one side of the room. She goes to it and examines the enchanted ice at least four feet thick that covers that entire side. She finds where Meria is entrapped inside. She probes the ice with her senses, looking for weak points. Finding nothing she can exploit, she moves to a spot not too close to Meria.            

     Gathering her knowledge and abilities, she constructs within her mind a complex combination of abilities. She uses the 'Fire Breath shout, channeled into a small diameter beam about an inch across. Overlays that with the strongest fire spell she has learned to date, a spell she learned from the killing of a Xamnat Dragon. She hopes she has learned enough control of this type of magic to keep it from escaping her intent. Lastly, she employs a needle-thin core of highly refracted light concentrated and given a vibratory rate that will allow it to harmonize with the flame spell and shout.

     Letting it go, its beam starts out red as deep flame, then turns actinic, until it is so bright everyone in the room has to turn away. It hits the enchanted ice, and the ice screams. Suddenly Ice Elementals begin extruding themselves from the wall. Dettlaff and Rigmor begin attacking and destroying them as Iriisii keeps the pressure on. Nodens and Kthanid take up positions on either side of her to stop any interference.

     The Enchanted Ice slowly begins to soften, but it will not melt. Instead, it sublimates directly into its component gasses, which causes Kthanid to use his magic to gather and bottle it up. Keeping it from spreading to stop its corrosive and poisoning effects as well as the possible event of it igniting from Iriisii's magic. 

     After what seems an eternity, the Enchanted Ice separates from Meria and from the rest of the wall. The ice around Meria collapses into a choking vapor that Kthanid quickly captures. Iriisii shuts down the magical flame construct and moves to help Dettlaff and Rigmor finish off the Elementals. Once they are taken care of she moves to Meria who still has not moved since being freed from the ice. 

     Dettlaff: "What is wrong? Why hasn't she started coming around?"

     Iriisii starts probing with her senses to see what is going on in Meria's body.

     Iriisii: "When she was first entombed in the Ice, her body utilized one of its inherited abilities and placed her in deep hibernation. She has been in that state for so long, she does not have the strength to rouse herself out of it. I am going to have to gradually restart her bodily functions and ease her out of hibernation. If not done right the shock could send her spiraling into either a permanent coma or death. It will take all my attention and concentration, so do not let anything interrupt me until it is done. You will know it is done when she fully wakes."

     Kthanid: "Nodens and I will shield her from any interruption, you and Elric watch for any loose enemies that might show up."

     Dettlaff: "Done, Elric take that side where you can see the door, I will take this side and watch to make sure no more Elementals pop in."

     Kthanid and Nodens position themselves to either side of Iriisii and Meria, raise their arms, and a silvery glow projects itself around all of them. Dettlaff walks up to it, placing a hand gently on it, then tapping it with his gauntleted hand. The sound the glow makes is solid as if he was knocking on metal or stone. He nods his head to Elric and they settle themselves to wait.

     Iriisii begins the delicate task of restarting Meria's body functions. Her being the product of a forced liaison between Ithaqua and a human female, a wonder that her mother survived to give birth to her and that Meria survived to reach adulthood, makes Iriisii want to be extra careful. Meria has had an exceptionally difficult life and she does not want to add to it, so she takes it slow, monitoring closely what happens as she feeds healing energy to her beginning with just a trickle.

     Meria seems to be quite strong as her body absorbs the healing from Iriisii and tries to reach out for more. As long as she senses Meria can handle it, she opens up and gives her more. Soon enough she begins to stir but has not truly awoken yet. A word from the others inside the Fortress indicates that the Wendigoes are almost irradicated from the Fortress, with just a few small groups of holdouts remaining. Dettlaff instructs those not needed in cleaning out those groups to begin clearing the bodies out. No need for that trash left around adding to the stink already apparent, but to leave those guarding the servants to remain where they are.

     Then Meria begins to regain consciousness, before her eyes open she calls out for Titus. Iriisii then for a second faces whether to tell her the current situation or not. She decides to wait until Meria is stronger, she does not wish to risk what she has accomplished so far. As her eyes finally open and she sees Iriisii above her channeling healing to her, she lays back and rests until she can find out what has happened.

     When Iriisii is satisfied Meria is out of danger, she asks Kthanid to drop the shield so that he can talk to his adopted daughter if he so wishes. When Meria hears his name, she turns her head as the shield drops and sees him. She immediately tries to lift herself up to wrap her arms around him but she cannot find the strength yet. Iriisii asks her to stay down until she is stronger as Kthanid takes her hands in his, to let her know this is real and not a dream.

     Meria: "Father, it is truly you! How...how were you able to rescue me? How did you find this place?"

     Kthanid: "It was mostly her doing, as he points Iriisii out. This is Iriisii Dovahkiin, child of my line, and recently elected Harbinger and Battle Mistress."

     Meria: "Child of your line? But you have not..."

     Kthanid: "Ages ago, when I fought and subdued Cthulhu, I and others shared our flesh and blood to save the lives of a clan of humans in a far world. Our battle had poisoned the land to where it would quickly have killed them all if we did not act. They were not at fault for what happened. They did nothing to attract Cthulhu's attention, but something drew him there anyway, and we could not lure him away.

     Iriisii is the product of my genetic heritage passing through their generations until gifts given to her by her own gods enabled mine to begin to express themselves in her. The combination of those, along with training, and life experiences have catapulted her up the Celestial ranks. She even now has established her own line and they along with the children of her body show promise of power and talent to match her own.

     If not for her, I would not even have been able to find you, much less correct the damage already done to you by Ithaqua. She has crossed borders, erased limits, and has already healed the mind of 'The Messenger', returning him back to us once more. We owe her more than we could ever think to repay, and thanks to her leadership, we are growing once more."

     Meria: "I am so happy to hear this, but what of Titus. What happened to him?"

     Iriisii: "I found his body entombed in a crystal sarcophagus beneath the City Of Irem. It was being looked after by the Pickman, who I had already met and befriended. It is a long story that brought me to that place, but I have spoken to his mind, still waiting patiently in his body for his soul to be recovered and reunited. Before I could do that, I needed to find out where you were and if you were still alive or not."

     Meria: "Why did you need me if you have his body, you should be able to recall his soul?"

     Iriisii: "I was not going to call him back only for him to find you unreachable. I know full well what the kind of love the two of you share will drive one to do to reach the other. I needed to find you first and see what your situation was before trying to call him. If you were dead and passed, I would bargain with him to rejoin both your souls together once he had helped me. And now as you are alive, I know what I must do to bring him back."

     Meria: "Will you tell me what you then intend?"

     Iriisii: "I will have to enact the Ritual of the Revenant."

     Meria: "NO!, would you give his soul to those who would torment him for eternity in return for making him a revenant?!"

     Iriisii: "I have no intention of using the ritual written in the Necronomicon. I understand enough of the ritual to do it myself with no involvement from any others. Once the need is passed, I will free him and if the two of you so desire, I will call upon Death to take you both through the Final Gate. Once on the other side, no one here can touch you ever again. You can live your own life once more in whatever way you wish. There are many on the other side who either know me or know of me, and they will help you in any way they can."

     Meria looks to Kthanid, who nods his head, "She can do all that she has said she can do. Already, she has exceeded all of us in power, even the 'Mother'. She has utterly refused the advances of the Blind Dreamer three times now and seeks to send him back to whatever nightmare spawned him. And she has already laid claim to two other Fortresses like this one, I understand there are two more existing, and if she can get to them as well. She can meld them into something never before seen in our Existence.

     The list of titles and accolades she has earned would fill a book, and she is just getting started. She has even found someone for me, someone who can teach me how to love another as you and Titus love, as I teach her how to be a goddess."

     Meria with tears in her eyes, "thank you for finding my father someone to love him. I have always felt him bury his loneliness in work and almost despaired of him ever finding anyone. Praise whatever higher gods sent you to him for this and for saving me and my Titus."

     Iriisii: "Now I need to locate the Guardian here. I know Ithaqua has not been able to reach him and take complete control of this Fortress. I do not know in what state he is likely to be, but I hope the other two can help me get to him before Ithaqua."

     Meria: "Is he still here?"

     Irisiii "No, he is wind walking to some other places at the moment, but I expect he will return as soon as he finds out something has happened here. If I can get to the Guardian before that happens I can lock this place against him, and forbid him ever getting back inside. Do you possibly know where the central control chamber is, that is where the Guardian will be found?"

     Meria: "I do not know specifically if this is what you want, but there is an area where he could not get into. He tried everything he could but something would not allow him to enter. It infuriated him to such a point that he would go through the Fortress tearing apart, limb from limb in some cases, any servants who he came across. Even his wendigoes were not immune from his wrath. Everyone quickly learned to find a hiding hole when he would storm through the place after being denied entrance."

     Iriisii: "That sounds like him alright, and I believe that is the area I need to get into."

     Meria: "How do you intend to do this? If he could not do it..."

     Iriisii: "I have two Fortresses like this one already, so I can call upon their Guardians to intercede for me. Together I can gain entrance. If I can get inside and talk to the Guardian before Ithaqua returns, I can merge this one with my other two and lock him out completely. He would never be able to get back inside.

     But I must do this before he comes back or I will have to face off against him. I do not want to seriously harm him, not to mention I am not ready to remove his insanity from him since I do not have his true mind in my possession to replace it."

     Meria: "May I offer an alternative if it comes to be needed?"

     Iriisii: "Tell me! Anything to offer other possibilities would help!"

     Meria: "Imprison him within this Enchanted Ice wall like he did with me. It would send him into hibernation until you could do whatever it is you want to with him. You would likely need to increase the depth of the Ice, but that should be no problem. I can give you how it is created so you could use it against him. It would be fitting for that to happen after the time I have spent encased in it by his hand."

     Iriisii takes Meria's hands in her own and Meria transfers the information to Iriisii.

     Iriisii: "I see what you are talking about, this could come in handy as a temporary holding measure, thank you for this. I think using it would be a better solution than letting him continue to roam about. I can put additional guards around the Enchanted Ice to make sure it is reinforced.

     Now I have to think of a way to get him back down here. And I will need to set up an illusion of you still inside the wall, so he does not suspect anything until it enfolds itself around him. Hmmmm, we will need to allow him inside, but not too easily. I would not wish him to suspect anything."

     Meria: "Taunt him when he comes, prick his pride, demean him until he can think only of capturing you, force him to chase you, then let him think he is luring you here to imprison you in this wall with me. When you get him in here, turn the tables and imprison him."

     Iriisii: "Yes, I see how to run with this. It will be dangerous, but not as dangerous as letting him continue to roam free. And with him imprisoned, the collective power of the Great Old Ones diminishes that much further. Father, how do you feel about this, can you think of any way we could change a part of it to strengthen our chances of success."

     Kthanid: "We could arrange the bodies of his wendigoes such that he sees them when he arrives. That will enrage him at the very beginning, making your task of taunting him more effective. And since the bodies will be real, any illusions you use later he will also see them as real."

     Nodens: "Yes, and we will need to get the servants out to where he cannot sense them. So that they cannot tip our hand to him. You will need to be seen by him trying to get into the control area so that he thinks he is in time to stop you. It would then be best if you can get in well before and possibly even have the Guardian ready to assist if needed."

     Iriisii: "Good, then we have a plan. What should we do with our own people? Of course, if I can get into the control area, they can be shielded from his senses in there. Then they would be ready to step in if needed as well. We are now ready to proceed. Meria, take me to where he has been trying to get into, I need to see what he has tried to do."

     They quickly move through the hallways, sometimes running across the body of a Wendigo, usually in a varying state of bodily dismemberment. They begin to notice that the walls and floors are showing scarring from unknown types of damage. Iriisii reaches out to analyze what happened and pulls up short, ordering everyone to back out of the area.

     Iriisii: "I am sorry to pull you back like that but it is exceedingly dangerous for you to go on. What he did in trying to get in, I honestly thought even insane as he is, that he had more sense than to do some of what he did. It is a testament to the engineering and construction skills of the Ageless Ones who built these Fortresses, that they could withstand the onslaught of what Ithaqua did here and show so little signs of damage. I am going to have to go on alone..."

     Rigmor: "Oh no you are not. I go where you go. If it cannot be made safe for me then it is not safe for you and we will find another way in."

     It is then that they hear a roaring, like a winter storm blowing off of an ice floe, as the edges break apart and fall.

     Meria: "He returns."

     Iriisii: "Kthanid, Nodens go and help the others keep him busy. I need a little time to work on a way inside here. Once I have something in motion I will call to you to let him through."

     Kthanid and Nodens turn to a side hallway and run toward the courtyard to add their power against Ithaqua.

     Meria: "What are you going to do?"

     Iriisii: "First call on the other two Fortresses, see what they can do, to begin with. After that, we will see. GUARDIAN, CUSTODIAN..."

     Custodian: "We are here, Goddess, how may we assist."

     Iriisii: "I need to get to the Control Chamber of this Fortress. Ithaqua is outside and I need to lay claim to this Fortress before he comes back in. I have a plan to deal with him, but I must let him in to do it. Before that, I must have claimed the Fortress to keep him from doing so."

     Custodian: "We understand. We will first attempt to speak with the Castellan. If we cannot reach him, we may be able to force a door to get you inside."

     Iriisii: "Very well, do what you must, I trust you to know what is best here."

     As they wait to find out what the result will be, they keep hearing the sounds of battle outside. At least for now, it seems Ithaqua can get no closer.

     Rigmor: "I hope they can hold out, the insane ones are the most difficult because they are not bound by the rules."

     Iriisii: "Indeed, if it becomes necessary, we will go and lend our power to the fight, but I would rather not unleash that kind of power unless all else fails."

     Custodian: "Goddess."

     Iriisii: "Yes, go on."

     Custodian: "The Castellan is amenable to your taking claim, however, he is not where he can help you. He is trying to mitigate the damage previously done by Ithaqua. It is taking all of his resources to do so. The Guardian and I will open a door into the chamber for you. If you could help him deal with the damage then he can commence the Claiming Ritual and all of us can then assist you with Ithaqua."

     Soon enough the door slides upward from the floor and opens. As they hurry through, they stop upon seeing the amount of damage that managed to be spread through the chamber. As Iriisii's eyes take in the details, she sees the Control Couch where the Castellan lies connected to the Fortress.

     And the shard of a broken pipe piercing what passes for his leg. She quickly moves over to him to see what can be done, but he is more concerned about the Fortress itself than anything else.

     Castellan: "Please do not worry for me, I have endured worse. We must work to clear the damage from the inner Fortress. You recognized some of what he did, once that is done then I will be able to repair the damage to myself. Once the cleansing is done, we will incant the Claiming Ritual, so that never again will he be able to do what he did to me.

     Please take the auxiliary couch and together we will do what we must."

     Iriisii moves over to the auxiliary couch, hidden inside an alcove inside the wall. Once she makes herself comfortable the connection to the Fortress is enabled as solid beams of light rise from the outer edge of the couch and connect to sensors embedded in the alcove ceiling.

     Iriisii feels drawn into a place where she can feel every inch of the Fortress, see every part of it with but a thought, hear everything being said, and able to isolate an individual speaking in the merest fraction of a second. She feels the Castellan next to her, guiding her to where the damage is greatest. The energies used caused very small rips and microtears in the fabric of the Fortress tieing it to several other existences, each equally inimical to the others. Luckily Ithaqua was not knowledgeable in temporal mechanics or he likely could have added time warps to this mix.

     Iriisii taps into the damage to see where and how to begin repairs. Deftly she begins to separate the connections to the other Existences, having her ancestral memories take notes of what is seen and observed in each one. Repairing each one before moving to the next, she does not wish for problems to occur in these other Existences because of her own sloppiness.

     Finally, they have separated themselves from the others and they can concentrate on this one alone. She begins to see and understand just how poisoned the land her ancestors lived on had become due to the fight with Cthulhu. There was no way her people would have survived a single generation without the intervention that she unknowingly instigated as she shared Kthanid's mind during that fight.

     She determines that she now has better tools than they had at that time and uses her ability to convert matter into its quantum particles to do just that to all of the energy traces left from Ithaqua's temper tantrums over not being allowed access. The energy poisons are consumed and used to physically repair the floors, walls, and ceiling of the Fortress. Returning it to what it looked like in the beginning.

     Once the work was done, the Castellan begins the Claiming Ritual while they are still joined and aware of the Fortress. It is a relatively easy task. The Castellan opens the entire Fortress to Iriisii, then guides her into placing her mark on every part of it. So that it will know and obey her very thoughts. He then swears eternal fealty to her as he confesses to her that this is what the Ageless Ones intended when the Fortresses were built.

     Iriisii: "You mean to say that they intended for me to lay claim to them? But how could they know?"

     Castellan: "Time has no meaning or hold on them. They were before the construct of 'Time' began, and so they remain outside of it. It is possible, should you locate and claim the remaining two, and tie them all together through your mind, that the Fortresses and all within be removed from time while they are inhabited. Should they leave at any point, they will suffer no ill effects, time will go on for them from that instant as if it had been paused and restarted. Your control over time and how it interacts with the Fortresses will be absolute. As you go forward, you will need what these Fortresses can do for you, can teach you, and prepare you."

     Iriisii: "Prepare me for what?"

     Castellan: "To know that, you must acquire another Fortress. The Ageless Ones allowed that only with all of them under your direct control would give you access to all of what they know, can do, and the purposes for which this is being given to you for. I would hazard an educated guess that they felt that only after you had progressed far enough to find them and claim them, would you be trusted with them. If you stop at any point, and progress no further, you will not sacrifice anything for what you have done and learned. But you will not be able to unlock their full potential.

     I do not know why this should be important to you, but it obviously is important to Existence. Or they would not have gone to this much trouble and involvement to build them, bury all of this knowledge within them, and set your feet on the path to acquiring them if it was not needful for it to be done. Why this way? I would again hazard a guess, that it was the only way to be certain these tools be available to be used by the one intended and not by any other. They could not place them here for you, and not expect others to..."

     Iriisii: "No need to continue, I see what they intended. And I have to agree, what being inside these walls could not be brought out before the proper time or incalculable damage if not outright total destruction would occur. Rest assured, I will find the other two, and when it is right, I will then use what I find in them to perform the task for which they were made. Now to deal with Ithaqua."

     Iriisii returns her mind to her body. As she rises, she informs the Castellan of what she intends to do with Ithaqua.

     Iriisii: "I will need a fairly straight path to the room where he had Meria entombed. It should not be too straight for I do not want him to start thinking about it. I want him to be focusing his attention solely on me. Show me the most direct route so that I can lay some illusions and some goads along the way. Once we get into the room, seal it off, I want no one to interrupt what I do there. I cannot stress this enough, if I am to trap him in the same Enchanted Ice that he trapped Meria, he must not see it coming."

     Rigmor: "How are you going to do that?"

     Iriisii: "What is the other major failing he has other than his anger?"

     Rigmor: "I have no idea."

     Meria: "His lust! You are going to hold his attention through his lust. Yes, it could work."

     Rigmor: "You are not going to do what I am thinking about, are you?"

     Iriisii: "No, but he cannot think that. He has to think that he has me trapped and that I am trying to use my female wiles to placate him. I just need for him to drop his guard for a single second."

     Rigmor: "And how is that going to happen? I mean even if you were to strip and abase yourself at his feet, he would not drop his guard. Even if he was..."

     Iriisii: "I know, but with judicious use of some illusions and a song I have been learning from the Sirens."

     Rigmor's face sprouts a huge grin, "you mean that song that they were singing to those possessed assassins? The one that had them eating out of their hands, willing to cut their own throats for them?"

     Iriisii: "Yes, that very one. I have been working with them to infuse it with the Thu'um, keeping it directed to a single target."

     Rigmor: "He gets an earful of that and he would be willing to set fire to himself."

     Iriisii: "I just need to get him close to the Enchanted Ice, so I can envelop him with it. He has a surprise waiting when he tries to unbind it. Let's go!"