Revelation (M/F) (F/M) - A sequel to Devastation

[GreyLord]

Now this is what I call a novel sized chapter full of interesting action, detail and of style. I’ve been happier then when you kindly added myself to the update information. Awesome as always,

To @Bandit666's comments, I can only add that I am in total awe, @wolfman.

[wolfman]

@Caesar73 @Bandit666 @GreyLord

Thank you gentlemen. You are most kind.

I have been playing with the use of fewer but longer chapters to tell beefier individual stories as part of a greater narrative and i am pleased it has been well recieved. I will do shorter chaters but the next few have some meat on the bones

[Bandit666]

Can’t wait whether the chapters are long or short as you never fail to entertain. Though if I may be so bold, despite not creating such myself. I find longer chapters, when the content is there to make them worthwhile reminiscent of the novels I read by should Authors and Clive Cussler which can never be a bad thing

[wolfman]

Can’t wait whether the chapters are long or short as you never fail to entertain. Though if I may be so bold, despite not creating such myself. I find longer chapters, when the content is there to make them worthwhile reminiscent of the novels I read by should Authors and Clive Cussler which can never be a bad thing

That is high praise indeed. I thank you for your kind words, however, i dont think i am at that level. I appreciate your comments with regard to the longer chapters and very kind words

[wolfman]

Two weeks later Atlantean time, Phlogiston Order treatment centre, Atlantis, Heamos Ring.


Angela looks down gravely at the patients chart and nods, “You were right to contact me about this man.”

She hold up the x-rays of the man’s spine up to the light and shakes her head in dismay. “What happened to him?”

The Sister sighs sadly, “No idea. We had word of his arrival two days ago from the Chancellor of Ecomantic Affairs, we have been sworn to secrecy under heavy censure. He is some kind of top brass. Indications are that he was wearing a sheath and arrester and was slowly crushed by something large. Most of the bones in his body are broken and his spine is in bits.”

“Do we have a name at least?” Angela asks, shaking her head.

“Oscar. He has is a tattoo of an eye on his left arm, with names of.” The Sister pauses, checking her notes, “Twenty three lost and mythical realms.”

“I have someone in mind who might be able to help. Is the patient stable?” Angela asks, thoughtfully.

“He has had a four Sister team cleansing him of extra dimensional taint since he arrived and is on heavy life support but stable for now.” The Sister says, with a nod.

“I need electronic copies of his file and scans.” Angela says, booking for a shuttle back to the priory through her neural interface.

She checks the file and heart sinks when she sees the photo of the Liberator Chief who brought the patient in.



Anya stands over the patient and recognises him, instantly. “This is the guy that Kim went with.” She thinks, “Oh God, please let her be ok.”

She closes her eyes and focuses on his body and the damage that has been done. She slows her breathing and starts from his lower legs, pulling together disparate bones and fusing them back together, stronger than before.

After only ten minutes, she stops and sends a massage to the Sisters on duty, requesting ice packs, before she calls Angela.

“Hi Anya, how are things?” Angela ash’s warmly.

“Good and bad. On the one hand I can reset his bones, however, in repairing the bones, it raises his body temperature. So far, I have set two bones and his body temp is up a couple of degrees.” Anya explains, “If I go too fast, I will kill him.”

“I was afraid of that.” Angela says, before her gaze fall upon a recent article she has been reading. “Let me make a few calls. In the mean time, take it slow.”

After the call, Angela looks at the article thoughtfully and then dials a number.

A friendly voice on the line answers, within three rings, “Chancellor Mika speaking.”




Anya takes a cloth and mops the back of her neck with cool water, before plunging her face into the bowl of ice water. She straightens up and slicks her hair back with some of the water, before placing her circlet back upon her brow and returning to the treatment room for the afternoon session.

She takes her seat by the bed and refocuses her mind. This time focusing her mind on the man’s other leg. She hears someone enter the room and ignores them thinking, “Can’t believe how often Sisters come in to check on him even though, I am in here.”

She gently squeezes the splintered bones of his ankle and fusing them with her mind. Feeling his body temperature begin to climb she opens her eyes and reaches for more ice packs, dimly registering someone else in the room.

Before she places the ice packs on his ankle, she realises that his body temperature has dropped back to normal.

Anya sits back in the chair looking curiously as the man “How did that happen and why is the Sister out of uniform?”

She closes her eyes and focuses on the broken bones just below the man’s knee noticing that they are slowly pulling towards each other. She begins to fuse the bones back together, but this time his body temperature doesn’t change.

Her eyes snap open in surprise and she checks the man’s leg and looks around the room, seeing the Sister’s face for the first time and realising it is not a Sister, but her sister.

With wide eyes and a look of shock she exclaims, “Tara?”

“Hey babe. Angela called my Chancellor and asked for a consult, so here I am.” Tara says, removing the blazer and waistcoat of her trousers suit and rolling up the lilac sleeves of her blouse. “There are some doughnuts in the bag.”

“I can’t believe you are actually here. How have you been?” Anya says, still feeling a sense of shock.

Tara smiles and winks, “I have been good, but real busy. How about you?” She bites, her lip for a moment, “I’ve missed you, babe.”

Anya gets up and walks around the table to give her sister a hug. Tara hugs her back and for a single moment, nothing else matters.

“It is so good to see you. Any word on how your dad is doing?” Tara asks, warmly.

“He is good thanks, his leg has grown back and he is walking with a cane. A few more weeks and he will be well enough for active duty.” Anya says, letting her voice trail off.

“Do you really think he will go back to active duty?” Tara asks, not needing a psychic connection to know what her sister feels.

“I don’t know. I don’t want to him to but at the same time, I want him to be happy. Just as he wants me to be happy.” Anya says, softly.

Tara passes her a bottle of sparkling water, chilled to one Celsius. “Are you happy?”

Anya cracks open the bottle and takes a deep swig, “That is so nice.”

Tara raises an eyebrow and eyes her sister. Anya smiles, “I am happy. I have found something I am really good at and have already committed to the Order long term.”

Tara can see how at ease she is and beams a smile, “That is awesome. I am so pleased for you.”

“Thanks babe. It has been a long road and I have done things, I never thought possible.” Anya smiles, warmly and pulls away from her sister playfully, “You are now looking at a Priestess Arcana, of the Phlogiston Order. Keeper of the Orders rituals and sworn protector of its secrets.”

Tara bows deeply, “Your Grace, it is an honour to meet you. Any hint about what that all means?”

Anya chuckles gentle and explains “I am on the sacred path of Alchemy. Learning and mastering the manipulation of matter, its states and composition with the end goal of the transmutation of flesh to become a higher being.”

Tara looks at her somewhat slack jawed, “For real? That is mad.”

Anya shrugs, “Yeah I know. But I am really good at it.” She says fishing in the bag and pulling out a raspberry jam filled doughnut.

Tara waves her hand, warming the doughnut, before her sister takes a bite, “They are better warm.”

Anya takes a bite and her eyes go wide as her pupils dilate, she chews slowly and swallows with a grin, “That is the best, I have ever had.” She wolfs down the rest of it with two ravenous bites, “So are you like a master of temperature.”

Tara chuckles, “And the rest.” She take one for herself and devours it hungrily and take a sip of ice cold sparkling water, “I learned telekinesis, cryo and pyrokinesis, aero, hydro and electokinesis.”

“I think I know a few of them but not all.” Anya says, with a growing feeling of respect for Tara.

“Erm, short version, I can control kinetic force and objects, gases and liquids in motion. I can also control objects on a molecular level to increase and decrease the energy present to heat or cool objects.” Tara explains, “Yeah I can also control electricity, even small level like nerve impulses.”

“Damn girl, you got game.” Anya says, feeling both impressed and happy for her sister. “I guess that is why your Chancellor sent you.”

Tara’s face turns a bright shade of red and she confesses, “Yeah. About that.”

Anya looks back at her, “Tara?”

“Mika is my Chancellor, but not how you think.” Tara says, reluctantly explaining, “I created a new discipline within Kinetics. Mika is my first student and the Chancellor of the new college of Biokinesis.”

Anya looks at her cock eyed “Seriously?”

Tara shrugs, “It started as a way of interacting with bodies using the other disciplines, but it is now so much more, with a sub discipline of Quintekinesis.”

“That is huge. You are epic, you know that right?” Anya asks, genuinely shocked and pleased in equal measure.

“Everyone keeps saying it, but honestly, I just connected the dots and let the logic grow.” Tara says sheepishly.

“Fuck it. I was planning to go to a club later with some of the other priestesses from the Order. When we are done here, you are coming and we will have a proper catch up.” Anya says, decisively.

“OK, but only if Mika can come. She has been a great friend to me and she loves a night out.” Tara says then hesitates, “I haven’t got anything to wear.”

“Behave, I got you covered. I have never met a college Chancellor, sounds like it would be cool. I can dress her too.”

“Hunh?” Tara asks confused.

“Repairing flesh is only part of what I do.” Anya says with a wink, “What say we get this guy back on his feet and get ready for a rager?”

Tara scoffs another doughnut and grins “I would like that.”

Over the next eight hours, Tara maintains the patients body temperature and pulls his broken bones together, while Anya fuses his bones whole again and between them, they mend his broken body.

Tara uses telekinetic sounding to feel for his nerves and maps out the severed sections between connected and disconnected tissue, keeping open channels in his flesh, while Anya regrows the nerve tissue.

Even without psi, they are in sync. Neither needing words to understand what they needed from each other. By the time they are finished, all his bones and nerves are fixed. Anya takes a slow breath and checks his whole body, “All the breakages are fixed and injuries mended. Probably best he stays on life support at least overnight.”

“Did we do a thing here?” Tara asks, trying to understand the magnitude of what they have just done.

“Yeah we did.” Anya smiles, “I need to brief the Matron on duty and set up a care plan for him. Then we are out of here. Tell Mika to meet us at my place.”

“Are you bringing anyone?” Tara asks, bright eyed.

“We’ll meet them there. Just a couple of Priestess Arcanas.” Anya says, with a smile.

“To be fair, I just have Mika. She was a twenty four seven instructor and then a full time student. She has been a rock for me.” Tara confesses.

“Angela has been good. There was a little trouble, but she has been awesome in supporting me and I wouldn’t be half as capable without her.” Anya says, thoughtfully.

“Give her a bell, see if she fancies it.” Tara says with a shrug.

“Not tonight, she has some official function to go to. But maybe I should sometime, just as a thank you.” Anya says, with a nod, “Right, briefing and then we hit it.”



“This is amazing. I have never dreamed of a dress like this.” Tara says, feeling the cool kiss of the white dress with a hint of pink and orange.

“I like that one, it is called sunrise on a winters dawn. Its made from the light of a sunrise reflected on a frozen lake.” Anya says, looking through her racks for a dress for Mika.

“Don’t make a fuss on my account, anything will do.” Mika says, sipping a bottle of water.

“No. I have a reputation, if you wear one of my pieces, it will be perfect for you.” Anya says, plunging her hand deep into the rack and plucking out a dress. “This one. This is crafted from the first lightning bolt of the first thunderstorm of the year.”

Mika gasps, as the dress flashes from purple, to blue, to yellow before her eyes. She heads to the bathroom to quickly change.

Anya turns to Tara and nods. She reaches out with her mind to sculpt the fit of the dress to perfectly match her sisters physique. “How does that feel?”

Tara sees herself in the mirror and does a twirl, “I look like a woman.”

Anya smiles, “We have changed a lot haven’t we?” She passes a finely crafted pair of strapped heels in white.

“Yeah, we have come a long way. However, I still feel you inside as my sister. I can’t even begin to tell you, how good it is to see you.” Tara says, hugging Anya.

“It’s good to see you too.” Anya says, hugging her back and donning her own dress with a click of her fingers.

“That is a good colour on you.” Tara says, admiring the halter neck dress mirroring the style of her own dress.

“The noonday aquamarine of the sea, as viewed from the Palace.” Anya says, with a wink.

Mika steps out of the bathroom, with tears in her eyes. Tara rushes to her side, “What’s wrong? Are you OK?”

“Ever since I was little, I have always hated the way I looked, but in this dress, I love the way I look.” Mika confesses.

“The lightning bolt, is sometimes a symbol of pure understanding. It appears, that you see yourself as you truly are.” Anya says, gently as she subtly adjusts the fit of the dress to fit Mika perfectly.

“Now ladies, we are dressed for a night out. What say we get this party started?” Tara says, playfully.



Dionysius is the most exclusive club in Atlantis, entry is booking only and the guest list is exclusive. Anya, Tara and Mika stand out from the crowd. They almost appear to be 4K in a 1080p world, drawing admiring looks and catwalks from many of the waiting patrons.

At around ten in the evening, the ladies reach the head of the queue where a warding hand from the security operative bars their path. “My apologies ladies, can you please wait a moment?”

“Is there a problem?” Anya asks, suspiciously.

“Not at all, a member of the team is on his way to escort you to your VIP suite, where the other two ladies in your party are waiting for you.” The man says with a disarming smile.

Even without psi, Tara and Anya have the same thought, “If this is a trick, I will tear this place apart.”

A smartly dressed man in a tuxedo arrives and smiles, “This way please.”

The club as packed and the wine flows freely among the revellers, who press the flesh and grind to the old skool dance, grime and kpop tracks blasting out.

Their escort strides forth, like an icebreaker, parting the crowd effortlessly. He stops before an ornate door opening it and bidding them enter.

Anya’s colleagues wave at them through the open door, she waves back and steps across the threshold into the immaculate room. Marble floors and walls have been polished to a shine. Sumptuous sofas line the outside of the room, while a large bar dominates the back. One side of the room is one way glass with a view of the main bar.

Music plays here, as in the club but at a lower level. Sisters Lily and Rose, dressed in elemental purple and black dresses, sip frozen margaritas and raise their glasses in a toast.

“Lily. Rose.” Anya says, introducing her colleagues with a sweep of her arm, “This is my sister Tara and her friend Mika.”

The all exchange warm greetings and take a seat off to one side of the room.

A waiter silently approaches the table and sets down a bottle of near frozen champagne and a tray of glasses, “Please let us know if you require anything. The meals for your party will be served at your convenience.”

“Why are we getting the red carpet?” Tara asks, sceptically.

“All I know is that the manager got a call from the Director of Special Events saying that they had reviewed bookings and that the Priestess Arcana Black’s party was to have the best of everything.” He explains, “The menu is high end. You will be served the food of only the utmost quality and we have reserved this room for your sole use, to ensure you are not disturbed.”

Anya shrugs, “OK, bring it on.”

The waiter signals to the bar and a moment later, the kitchen door opens and trays of lobster, crab and prawns are brought out with accompaniments too numerous to list. The waiter says, “When you are finished with the seafood course, we will provide the meat course.” Before departing.

The food is Michelin star level and every mouthful is more delicious than the last.

“Oh my God, this is epic. I have never had anything like this.” Tara says, before devouring a butter dipped lobster tail.

For the next few moments no one says very much, as they eat and drink, Lily breaks the silence, smiling at Tara, “So what do you do?”

Tara smiles sheepishly, “I am the Inceptor of Biokinesis and Mika and I are just setting up a new College to study the discipline.”

“I’ve heard of that. Don’t you have some kind of crazy control over the human body?” Lily asks, with a hint of admiration.

“Certain aspects yes. We can control certain functions and manipulate what is there, but cannot reattach or regrow, bones or tissue.” Tara says, dipping a crab cake into sweet chilli sauce, “Today proved that there is a lot my discipline can do to support the work you do within the Order.”

“To be fair, having you trouble shoot and maintain his heart rate and breathing was so helpful. Not to mention keeping his body temperature down and heart rate steady.” Anya raises a glass to her sister.

“Come on now, the way you were focused and on it, as you seamlessly repaired every broken bone and tear in his flesh was awesome to see.” Tara says clinking her sisters glass.

A waitress comes over and clears away the remnants of the fish course and Anya signals the bar for the meat course.



Platters of grilled meats of all kinds, flatbreads, salads and sides are placed on the table and more champagne is served by the waitress who sits down and pours herself a glass.

Tara looks at her quizzically and her mouth drops, “Really?”

Ali takes a sip of champagne and gives her a wink, “Evening. How is it going?”

Anya and Tara squeal and leap on her, they hug warmly and somehow Ali manages not to spill her drink.

“What are you doing here?” Anya asks wide eyed with joy.

“I saw your name on the guest list and thought as I had a night off, we could have a catch up. You could have knocked me down with a feather when Tara turned up too.” Ali says either a squeeze of Tara’s shoulder.

“We were told that the Director of Special Events arranged this.” Tara says curiously.

“Yeah, about that.” Ali says turning away from her sisters, “I am the Director of Special Events for the Glamour Ministry.”

“Damn girl, how did you manage that?” Anya asks, raising her eyebrows.

“Have you heard of a number of illusion based concerts across the realms?” Ali asks, loading a pitta bread with lamb and rocket.

“Yeah. I heard about them and couldn’t get tickets. Oasis, Elvis, the Beatles and Queen on one billing. They are the hottest tickets in the realms.” Tara says impressed.

Ali shrugs and says, “They are all me.” She takes a bite of the pitta and sighs. “I do concerts on the regular that bring in thousands of attendees. Biggest so far is half a million in the Steppes.”

“That is so awesome. But how do you do it?” Anya asks, slightly confused.

“I reach out and feel the minds around me. Then I tell each mind what they see in broad terms and their brains fill it in.” Ali explains, blithely. “Why do you think no one has asked you for proof of age?”

“Funny.” Tara says laughing.

“Believe me, don’t believe me. Your brain will do the work.” Ali says, as Lionel Ritchie walks into the room, somersaults and lands on the ceiling, before dancing.

Anya laughs, feeling genuine joy, “Could you do something with Johnny Cash?”

“Maybe.” Ali says as the man in black appears in the corner of the bar and Lionel starts dancing to ring of fire.

“That’s mad.” Tara says, before cramming a pitta filled with beef bulgogi into her mouth, “How are you though?”

“I’m OK. But I have done some mad things.” Ali says gently, not wanting to tell the whole truth.

Anya raises an eyebrow and takes a sip of champagne, “Come on, spill the beans. Maddest show?”

Ali smiles fondly, “Kharov plain in the Steppes. We start setting up at three in the morning and this plain is deserted. By the time the main stage is built, it is past four I’m the afternoon and the show is due to start at six. I get some kip and crawl out of my tent at about half five and there is no one there.”

Ali sits back in her seat and sips her champagne, “Then this rumbling starts. Kind of like waves crashing against rocks or a storm over the horizon. I look at Oberon and he has no idea either. Then he points to the west and there is a dust cloud heading towards us and we soon realise that the cloud is approaching from all sides. We both look up at the stage and think, there is no way to get it down before the storm hits.”

“I am stood there and I begin to sense the crowd approaching. Oberon looks at me like I have two heads, when I climb to the top of the stage and begin building the show. About three minutes later, the dust cloud arrives and it is about five hundred thousand men, women and children on horseback, that charge around the stage like a tornado.” Ali says, chuckling to herself. “I can create some mad illusions, but that was far more epic than anything I have made.”

She snags a sausage and takes a massive bite and continues between chewing, “Turns out the locals do everything on horseback. So I rework on the fly and from their perspective they are riding their steeds on clouds high above the plains, with eagles flanking them and dragons coming up behind them and diving down in front. I start pumping out a soundtrack from The Hu, leading with Yuve Yuve Yu and they are digging it. By the end of the show they are storming the gates of hell, flanked by charging elephants and lead by a massive pride of lions with AC/DC blaring.”

She chuckles to herself, maybe a little tipsy, “The mad part comes a month later, when we get word that of the women that attended the concert, almost seventy percent were now pregnant, in a phenomenon that is known there as the Hell’s gate babies.”

Everyone at the table chuckles and Anya playfully taps Ali’s arm, “That is pretty mad.”

“What about you guys? Any madness from your end?” Ali asks, finishing the sausage and going for a roasted chicken drumstick.

“Did a talk about Biokinetics to a group of academics and was challenged to a fight by the Kinesis Ministries Shockwave champion.” Tara says with a smile.

“No way. Perseus challenged you?” Rose says, her cheeks flushed.

“Yeah.” Tara says, awkwardly, before Mika pulls her phone and shows the video of the fight with her commentary.

Ali and Anya regard Tara with a newfound respect. “He is now a student of Biokinesis and he is really good. The mad part is, on day three of the training, he asked to speak to Mika and I. When he showed up, he was humble and respectful and he brought a tablet and asked loads of questions and made so many notes. Turns out that he had studied the disciplines from a very early age due to his family connections and he was asking me for advice.”

“What’s he like?” Lily asks, leaning in closer.

“He is super nice. Really down to earth and looks you in the eye when he talks to you, just like King Halpron does.” Tara says, remembering the way he made her feel respected.

“Is he as good looking in person as he is on TV?” Rose asks, chewing her lip.

Mika giggles, “He is like the statue of a god made flesh. He is so handsome.” She downs her drink and turns red, “If he would call me his monkey, I would climb him like a tree.”

Everyone bursts out laughing, with Tara slapping Mika’s arm playfully. However, as soon as the Macarena starts to play, they are on their feet and the bar staff crank the volume.



By one AM, the club has blasted through the greatest hits of Faithless, David Guetta, Tiesto, Dua Lipa and the best of Ibiza club nights. Mika, Lily and Rose have made their excuses and it is just Tara, Anya and Ali.

Tara kicks off her shoes and sighs, “This has been an awesome night.”

“Yeah.” Ali says, with a hint of sadness.

“I feel it too.” Anya says, sadly, “Kim should be here.”

The waiter sets down a plate before each of them and replaces the Champagne bottle, charging their glasses.

“Have you guys heard anything from her?” Anya asks, picking up the burger and taking a massive bite.

“No. Have been cloistered in the Kinesics ministry since I went off with Mika. Haven’t heard anything.” Tara says, with a sigh, before attacking a doner kebab with extra chilli sauce.

“Same here. I hope she is ok.” Ali says, swallowing her feelings, before devouring a chicken wing drenched in hot sauce.

“I don’t know why, but I think she is.” Anya says, washing her food down with more champagne.

“Our patient knows her.” Tara says between bites, “The tattoo on his arm is her right eye.”

“Yeah, it is.” Anya says in a moment of clarity, “He might be in a fit state to talk to in the morning. We could ask him.”

“Sounds good. Will you let me know?” Ali says, in a state of euphoria brought on by music, dancing, chicken wings, spice and booze.

“Nah, fuck that. Come with us. I am sure we can find you a medical coat and mask to smuggle you in.” Tara says, before wolfing the rest of her kebab down.

“It’s settled. Both of you back to mine. I have space and Ali needs a dress of her own.” Anya says, more than a little tipsy.

Ali summons the waiter and gives him her card. “Please let me know the names of everyone on duty tonight and I will place a commendation on each of their files for services to the Ministry.”

The waiter looks in shock at the card and nods, before scurrying away.

Ali turns to Anya, “Do you have booze at yours?”

“Nah, I am too young. But I can turn water into wine.” Anya hiccups, “Or beer, or Tequila.”

Ali takes her sister hands, gripped by a moment of sobriety, “It is so good to see you.” In her drunken state, Anya cannot pinpoint what she sees in her sisters eyes, but senses a pain there.



Anya pulls three bottle of water from the fridge and by the time she hands a bottle to each of her sisters they are filled with gin and tonic.

Ali takes a deep swig and coughs, “Woof. That is sharp.” Ali says, with a chuckle, “What time do we have to be up in the morning?”

Anya looks at the clock and shakes her head in dismay, “About four hours.”

“Urgh. That sucks. Even with PCS in my system, I am hammered.” Ali says, sadly.

“We good babe.” Tara says, getting to her feet and stumbling to the bathroom.

Unaccustomed to drinking so much, Anya begins to feel dizzy and sick. Ali senses her discomfort and sits next to her and rubs her back, for a few moments.

Tara returns, her movements precise, eyes focused. She take a bottle of water from the fridge and takes a couple of gulps.

She moves to Anya’s side and puts an arm around her, helping her up, “Come on babe, let’s get you to the bathroom.”

Ali supports Anya from the other side and they manoeuvre her onto the toilet, “Anya. Listen to me. In a moment, you will feel the urge to pee. Just relax and let it go. Can you do that for me?” Tara asks, gently. Earning a nod from her sister.

Ali and Tara sit on the sofa and Tara closes her eyes, for a moment. Ali watches confused, “What are you doing?”

Tara holds up a finger and her brow furrows for a moment, before she relaxes. A moment later the toilet flushes.

Anya emerges, sharp eyed and focused, feeling good. “What the hell?”

“I did a forced purge of alcohol from your system. Drink some water and we can get our heads down in a moment.” Tara says, to shocked gazes from her sisters, “Ali, you’re up. When you need to pee, relax and let it flow.”

Ali heads for the toilet and takes a seat. Less than two breaths later, her bladder feels like it is about to burst and she let’s go. As the pee flows, her head clears and by the last drop, she feels sober. After a flush and washing her hands, she splashes water on her face and she shakes her head, before returning to her sisters, “Damn girl, you need to charge for that. How does it work?”

“Alcohol in your bloodstream has a different density. I wrap a core of alcohol in a sheath of blood and stop it being absorbed by the organs until it gets to the bladder for release.” Tara says, before adding, “I have had a lot of nights out and managed to avoid being caught with alcohol in my system.”

“That is mental.” Ali says, with a smile.

“Thanks babe, I have spare clothes, if you need stuff to sleep in. I have a couple of blow up mattresses, you can use.” Anya says, with a smile.

“Awesome.” Ali says, before her bottom lip starts to tremble, “It is so good to see you guys.” By the time Anya and Tara have thrown their arms around her she is crying tears. Of joy? Of relief? Of grief?




Oscar feels like he’s disagreed with something that ate him. His body is a tapestry of aches and dull pains, however, he grins in the dim light of his hotel room. He takes a long slow breath and feels the exhilaration of being alive.

“Damn. Thought I was a goner for sure.” Oscar thinks, flexing his hands and tentatively moving his arms and legs.

Unable to focus enough to access the Life Sea, but coherent enough to know his surroundings, he smiles, “Good morning Chief.” He says, weakly, “The reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.”

“Oh my God. Oscar!!!” Kim says, tearfully, stepping out of the fade, “It is so good to hear your voice. How are you feeling?”

“I had two young ladies giving me their undivided attention, all day yesterday. Bit by bit, they put me back together.” Oscar says, “That is the good news. Bad news, I’ve been hallucinating.”

“Really. Are you alright?” Kim asks, concerned.

“Yes Chief. The women that worked on me both had your face, albeit with two eyes.” Oscar admits.

Kim looks both relieved and amused, “They were my sisters.”

“Hunh. I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe I am not going crazy.” Oscar says with a chuckle that he feels in each tender rib. “From what I can tell they did a number on me. I have aches and pains, but everything feels connected and I think I can walk.”

“Take it easy. It has been a rough month. I have stood everyone down, for a week, unless a new Annunakin incursion begins.” Kim says, trying not to think how close she had been to losing Oscar, “With yesterday’s Mother, that brings the total to four with a total of thirty three realms freed.”

“At this rate, we will need longer arms, to bear the marks of freedom.” Oscar says, with a hint of disbelief, “I can’t believe it Chief.”

“Still feels weird being called Chief.” Kim says, feeling hollow.

“It is justified and earned through your endeavour and leadership. You’ve earned it. The Liberators have done the unthinkable. We have freed a score of realms from Annunakin predation, with minimal injuries and no casualties.” Oscar says, with pride, “You keep saying you are not ready. You say that you are too young and that it is too much. However, time and again, you come through for us.”

Kim stifles a tear, and wipes her eye with the back of her sleeve, “I don’t know what I would have done if I had lost you.”

“Oh come now. You learned Ecomancy from me. I learned tenacity from you. I am not going anywhere and even if I do you will arrange a heroes funeral, with dancing girls and Chief Koph in a tutu and Chancellor Grey in a mankini.” Oscar says in mock seriousness.

Kim laughs through tears, at the image, “You daft sod.”

“No more tears, Kim. Be the leader the Liberators need you to be.” Oscar says, warmly. He sits up with gritted teeth and gives Kim a hug.

“Thanks man. I will be alright. Just come back safe when you are ready and not a moment sooner. I need you back in top form.” Kim says, warmly.

“You need to rest too. We need you on fire when we go live again.” Oscar days gently.

“You have my word. I need a break to be fair.” Kim says, feeling an ache in her bones for every Annunakin that has perished by her hand.

“Why don’t you visit your sisters?” Oscar says, earnestly, “It would do you good.”

Kim pulls back and closes her eye. “I am not ready for them to see me like this.”

“If this is who you wish to be, you must own it. The Liberators look to you as their Chief, for guidance and strength. If you walk this path, you will need to look inside yourself and make peace with who you are.” Oscar says, gently.




In the aftermath of the visit, Kim sits in the darkness of her cabin, thinking to herself, “Shit. He's right. I need to be the leader that the Liberator’s need. Time to stop wallowing and step into who I need to be.”

She gets up off of the bed and changes into a fresh Sheath in a black, white and grey camouflage pattern with rugged boots. She straps her cutlass and wedge axe to her back side by side and refills her water bottles and carrier.

Kim shifts to a cliff top and begins to run, the landscape races past at breakneck pace as she effortlessly shifts from locale to locale and realm to realm, patrolling every part of Peace and all the liberated lands she and her Clan of Custodians have freed.

Deserts, mountains, forests, plains, rainforests, fields, swamps, estuaries, rivers, seas, tundra, and everywhere in between feeling every life form under her care in turn and feeling their hopes and dreams.

“We have done so much good. However, it is just the start. The Custodians are spread far and wide. They are our eyes and ears, they hold the vigil.” Kim thinks, sprinting along a cliffs edge a thousand feet above the sea below.

She leaps, “The Raptors are fantastic and have performed so well both in and out of the water.” She thinks, feeling a sense of calm, in the moment she plunges into the water. With gills and webbed fingers she glides underwater, “The only problem is how ammunition hungry they are.”

She dives down and picks an oyster, cracking it’s shell, to devour it before kicking for the surface. “I don’t want to turn Peace into a military camp or a giant factory either.”

Kim shifts back to Peace realm and lays back on the sea floor staring up at the surface. “I need a source of iron, natural and abundant. Or, a way of converting scrap steel and iron.”
She kicks for the surface shaking her head, commanding a shark to swim away, “No, we need suppliers. We are not in manufacturing. Our focus needs to be on the job.”

Kim breaks the surface and shifts to a beach to bask in the sun. “I am approaching this all wrong. The Clan’s fixers are securing ongoing supplies for the Raptors.”

“This is bigger than just me and I need help. I can’t do everything and if I am not careful, I will get distracted and careless.” Her finger brush her eyepatch and the scars that peek it from behind it. “I have good people in place and need to trust them to do their jobs as they trust me to do mine.”

“You took a risk yesterday and Oscar nearly died.” She berates herself, “It was just lucky I was able to get him out of there.” She recalls the scene as she crawled into the dead Mothers mouth and carved through its cheek to pull her mentor and friend from under the corpses head.

She smiles, knowing he is OK and takes a deep breath, knowing in heart that Oscar is right. She needs to own who she has become.

[Caesar73]

My Favourite in this Chapter is the Night Out! It is fun - and among all the serious Stuff happening a bit lighthearted fun!"

[GreyLord]

As always with you, @wolfman, this was wonderful. Thank you.

[wolfman]

@Caesar73 @GreyLord

Thank you for your kind words gentlemen. I wanted a little light to enter this tale, before we visit the darkness again.