THE BOY HEROES FROM THE LAND OF ERIK (A Series of Epics)

Epic no. 2 -

Journey to Aranathra

Authors note: Always appreciate the favs, messages, etc. Thank you for the support and hope you continue enjoying the story! Here comes the climax of the story! There's some kinky stuff, but most of this is plot and intense stuff. After this, there will be one more chapter left.

by DamiJon

Email at damijon123@gmail.com

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Journey to Aranathra

CHAPTER NINE

 

Hunter lays on his back in the tent he shares with his husband. Toby stretches and yawns and begins undressing. "Wow, I'm beat. After the excitement of today, losing River and then getting him back...can you believe it?" He glances over and notices the Hunter watching him intently. Toby grins. Slowly he peels off his tunic and undershirt, stretching his arms to the ceiling and holding them high. He knows how much Hunter loves his pits. Pretending to yawn again, Toby continues to undress slowly. Stretching and stopping to let Hunter get full views of his body. It works, as Toby notices Hunter's bulge grow and harden. "I'm so tired. I may just fall asleep as soon as my head hits the ground." He watches Hunter from underneath his eyebrows, his tongue pressed against his lower lip as he waits to see what Hunter will do.

"Oh? No, not yet! That's too early!" Hunter rushes to his bag, finding a small jar of coffee beans that he hasn't used since earlier on in their trip. Using a set of tools he bought from a demons coffee shop, he brews some coffee and fills it with one cup worth for both of them to share. "Here, hun. There's a strong vanilla and honey flavor at the backbone of it with a hint of strawberry."

Hunter strips naked and begins to shapeshift back to his human form for the first time since before they left. His red hair is longer than before, drooping to his eyebrows and starting to cover his ears. He leans forward to kiss his husband without noticing his erection poking into Toby's belly button. "You're so beautiful, hun."

Toby returns Hunter's kiss with a passionate kiss of his own. As he does so, he leans backwards, pulling his husband along with him. They end up with Hunter on top of Toby, their mouths joined as one and their tongues engaged in one prolonged wrestling match with each other. Their cocks both harden and the boys slowly grind their erections against each other. "So, what do you have in mind?" Toby brushes the red hair from Hunter's face. "I like your hair long like this..."

Hunter moves the mug of coffee so that he can better hold his hubby. He moves downward, kissing each nipple, then down further as he reaches for Toby's cock. "Well, do you think you have energy to fuck me?" He moves to his knees and kisses the tip, stroking him gently.

"Mmmm...that feels wonderful." Toby moans. He holds the back of Hunter's head with both hands, taking and releasing handfuls of long, red locks, almost like a cat kneading its paws when contented. "Do you want to ride my dick or have me fuck you?" He spreads his legs, giving his husband more room.

"Well, I know I'm a boar, but do you think you could do me doggy style?" Hunter opens his mouth, closing his lips around the very bottom and sucking his way up before moving his head faster. His other hand rubs against his right thigh while the other strokes him as his head rises up.

"Are you sure? Wouldn't that be boaring?" Toby laughs at his pun. He moans and pulls on Hunter's head, pulling him all the way down on his cock again. "Do that a few more times and I'll do anything you want, babe."

"Mhhmmm." Hunter spends a few minutes sucking him off just like that without ever coming up for air, simply breathing in and out through his nose. Once his mouth is tired he moves to the jar of grease, examining it for a moment. "Is this one really ours? Have we really been fucking that much?" He laughs, then takes a sip from the coffee before handing it to Toby. The ginger kneels on one leg, his erection pointing toward his love as he begins to finger himself in front of him. "If you want, we could always switch positions every now and then."

Toby climbs to his knees. He watches Hunter finger himself. He grabs Hunter's cock and shimmies forward, bringing their dicks together. Slowly, he moves his hips forward and back, holding their cocks against each other. "Mmmm...that would be nice. We shouldn't overdo it, though. We still have to get River and Asher to the shrine tomorrow. We're close, but River didn't look very good at supper. We may have to bring him along unconscious." He looks serious for a moment. Then he slaps Hunter's ass, smiling. "I just want us to be ready for anything and not to count our chickens until our eggs hatch. Now, get that ass up higher so I can fuck it good and hard, husband."

After Hunter is done preparing himself he begins greasing up Toby's cock and responds back to him, "Fuck me good enough and I'll pass out real fast after we're done. Honestly, I agree though. We should leave early and if River is asleep, we'll just have to let sleep on the horse. We've made it this far, hun. Nothing is going to stop us." They kiss and Hunter rubs his messy hands over Toby's stomach before getting on all fours.

Toby takes his position behind hunter. He slaps his husband's ass two or three times, bringing a pink tint to the flesh. Gently, he uses his thumbs to spread the cheeks and moves his cockhead against Hunter's hole. He grabs his dick and move the head in a circle, tickling and teasing Hunter's hole. "Ready, babe?" When Hunter nods, Toby pushes in. They've fucked dozens of times, if not hundreds of times. After some initial resistance and tightness, Toby slides all the way in. Hunter's ass is hot and welcomes Toby's dick like a long lost friend. "Gods, I forget hot you are inside. You feel so good." Toby pushes deep into his husband, pulling back halfway, then pushing in again. He starts slowly, but builds up speed and force, fucking Hunter harder and faster. "So fucking good..."

"Fuck yeah. Fuck that ass." Hunter licks his lips, resting his head on his arms as he moves his ass into Toby's cock. Pre-cum drizzles out of his tip as Toby grinds against his prostate. "Slap it again."

"Oh yeah..." Toby slaps Hunter's ass again. And again. He switches hands, slapping the other cheek loudly. And again. "Unnggh...Your ass tightens up on my dick when I slap it. Feels incredible. I'm gonna fuck you until you cum, mkay?" He smacks the ass once more, then grabs on to Hunter's hips with both hands. Holding tightly, he leans forward, fucking more rapidly and more forcefully. The sound of their body's slapping together excites them both. "Fuckkkk....yeahhhh."

"Don't stop! Ffffuuck." Hunter shakes his head, almost laughing at how good it feels to get fucked by him. If he could, he'd be the bottom every time, but he knows that sometimes Toby likes to get a thick cock in him as well. The ginger warns, "I'm gonna cum soon."

"You'd better. I won't cum until you do." He slaps Hunter's ass again, before returning to holding him with both hands. He slides his hands up Hunter's back, grabbing his shoulders and pulling him back every time he thrusts forward. He can feel the tip of his cock jabbing Hunter's prostate with every thrust, and his husband grunts and moans each time. Their combined moaning and the sound of their flesh smacking together fills the tent. "Cum for me, baby. Cum for me and let me see you eat it..."

"Ah, fuck! Here it comes!" Hunter quickly cups one hand over the head of his cock, spilling his load into it. There's so much of it that some leaks out of his palm. I'ts been a while since he's came this much. He brings his hand over to his mouth, slurping it all into his mouth with one lick before eating it.

"Fuck yeah." Toby grips Hunter's shoulders tightly, his fingers digging into the muscles. He throws his whole weight into his forward thrusts, driving his cock deep into his husband, his head slamming against Hunter's prostate again and again. The sight of Hunter eating handfuls of his own cum is enough to tip Toby over the edge. "Fuck yeah, fuck yeah, fuck yeah! Here it comes! Aahh!" The first explosion of cum jets inside of Hunter, who can feel it coating his insides. Five more ropes of cum are fired into Hunter's ass before Toby halts his thrusting. Leaning forward, he lies on Hunter's back, wrapping his arms around his chest. He holds on, keeping his cock deep inside his lover.

Semen slowly drips from out of Hunter's hole. Eventually, Toby's cock softens and pops right out. The two of them rock together, as they laugh and kiss. "That was amazing. Think of the sex we're going to have to have after we save River and the prince. Think of the sex we'll have when we're finally back home in our own beds again."

Toby cuddles with his beloved husband. He kisses his face, pulling him into his neck. "Speaking of home, maybe we should get our own house. . . I mean, I know your parents and mine support us and all, but we get kind of loud sometimes." He strokes Hunter's hair and back as he talks, thinking out loud about their future together. "We'd have to learn to clean and cook and all that. I guess we could hire a servant to do that, depending on the reward for getting River and Prince Asher cured."

"A servant? Bah!" Hunter grunts, then kisses his cheek. "I'll do the dishes if you do the laundry. Heck, we could build our own house! Should be simple and take no more than a month." Hunter breaks out a long yawn, which is contagious to his husband. Toby rests his head on Hunter's chest as he pulls up the blanket. "Let's get some rest, hun. Long day ahead of us tomorrow."

Soon, both boys are sleeping deeply. Dreaming dreams of building houses and cascading piles of dishes and laundry chasing them through their dream home. They hold each other, happy, with their mission nearly complete and their future bright.

By morning, the husbands are the first to awaken. Hunter is quick to work with the dogs to find dinner and have it made. By the time that Ythl, Tomas and Garellan wake up he has dinner complete. Toby does the honor of getting the horse ready, along with gathering everyone's bags and having everything set out for their trip.

Asher comes out of the tent and warns Ythl. "He's still sleeping. Thing is that he's not in pain. Should I wake him up?"

"No... If he's not in pain, then he should sleep for as long as he can. All of the boys eat their dinner." Toby saves some in a container just in case River does wake up before they make it to Aranathra. Garallen carries the sick boy to the horse, while Ythl rides it. They move out while the sun is still rising.

The boys, man and animals, are silent for most of the trip. They're too focused on getting there as soon as possible. Nature is obnoxiously loud, but as friendly as it usually is, as if it senses they're all anthros and mean no harm. Four hours pass quickly before they find themselves at the sacred space leading to the shrine. Tomas is the first to notice the signal that they're where they need to be. "There it is! The owl!" He points up to a tree. There it is, the hooting 'owl', which is not an actual owl, but a magical hologram. Tomas kicks at the ground until he finds the spot. "You know what to do, Ythl."

"Yes, I do." Ythl jumps off the horse, waking up River in the process. The tired boy stretches out a yawn. He smiles when he see's the prince. Meanwhile, Ythl taps his staff on the weak spot in the ground and beings a chant that opens up the ground, revealing a descending stairway. The tip of his staff lights up as he leads the way. "River and Garallen. Use your light to guide us. It's a long way down." The prince helps River step off of the horse. Both of them help it carefully tread down the stairs. Once all of them are inside, the doorway shuts. Hunter beats at the top of it, assuring that it truly is closed.

"We're almost there, River." Asher locks hands with River. The blue haired boy blushes.

The stairway ends in a large, square room. The stone walls and floor are barren and smooth. There is no door. Tomas looks around, then looks at Ythl. "Right. Find us the door. I'm anxious to meet the guardian and see our friends healed!"

Ythl looks at the walls for a moment, before moving to one. He holds his staff out, walking slowly along the wall. "I'm not sure how to proceed beyond this point. Every shrine is different. Even the same shrine can change over the years if a new guardian is empowered. Garallen, do you have a suggestion?"

Garallen holds out his staff, gnarled and less refined than those of River or Ythl. The tip glows for a moment. "Hmm. Bear with me as I try something. He moves to the center of the room and raises his hands high. In a booming voice he calls out. "Guardian of Aranathra! River, wizard of wind and student of Ythl, and Asher, Prince of Aigua seek the healing of this shrine! Allow us entry that they may be healed!" He stops and looks around.

There is a sound, that of stone grinding against stone. From one wall, in the center, a portion of the stonework moves and shifts. A shape begins to form and pull away from the surrounding wall. A warrior emerges, made of stone carrying a stone club. There is no telling where the warrior ends and the club begins, they seem to be of one piece.

The stone guardian moves slowly towards the group. Tomas pushes Asher behind him as Hunter and Toby step forward beside him. Tomas holds out a hand, palm towards the living statue. "We come in peace for healing. With Prince Asher and River, who's auntie is guardian here..."

The stone man stops. Its blank face seems somehow to regard them. A soft voice emanates from the thing. A female voice. "Come and be welcome, nephew and nephew's friends. The door is open." The section of the wall from where the stone man emerged shifts again, forming a narrow hall. Torchlight is visible at the far end.

Cautiously, Tomas leads the boys and man into and through the hallway. Toby, bringing up the rear, see the stone man follow them. Once they are all in the hall, the man faces back into the room and become one with the surrounding stone. In the front of the party, Tomas gasps as he sees the inside of the shrine.

The group enters to the main room of the shrine. The ceiling is high, cylinder and made of bricks, and the room is huge like a stadium. Torches hang from the walls, keeping the room constantly lit at all times. A demon had been to this shrine when it was first built to seal flames that will never vanish over time. Further against the wall is a large pool with steam rising from the water. Another side of the room has a selection of books and scribes. At another side rests a wide dinner table. A woman walks out, seeming to be young and in her mid-twenties. She wears a light blue robe that compliments her long sea blue hair. Her staff is tall, like her, being the tallest in the room at six foot four. "River, my nephew." She rushes forward, stepping down on one foot to kneel and hug him. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. Better now that we're here." He squeezes tightly around her.

The woman holds her hand to his head. "You're running a fever and I can tell that you're not doing well by the way you walk. Don't lie to me, River..." She rolls her eyes. "Luckily, you're here." She looks to the rest of the crowd and bows to the prince, kissing his hand. "My prince. Allow my wife some time to prepare the ritual." She stands. "My name is Lorelai. Please, make yourselves comfortable. Let your pets free. Just make sure to clean up after them."

Tomas bows awkwardly. "Thank you, Lady Lorelai. Is there anything we can do to help you prepare? We're all anxious to see Asher and River healed."

Another voice calls out from the far side of the room. "The tall one can assist me, Lorelai. He seems familiar to me." A figure approaches. A woman, but smaller in stature, like a young girl, but shapely and comely, as a beautiful woman. Gossamer wings carry her into the air, and she flies closer, landing in front of Garallen. She stands perhaps four feet tall, but perfectly proportioned with skin the color of a green leaf. Her hair is long, with small blossoms woven within. She wears a dress of darker green leaves and is barefoot. "You, tall-one. Show me your staff."

Hunter giggles and Toby smiles, nudging him in the ribs. As Garallen holds out his staff, she glances at the husbands. "Oh, be still, children. Lest I lay a curse upon your dirty selves."

Hunter stops immediately and the smile disappears from Toby's face. "We're sorry, ma'am. Please don't curse us."

She waves dismissively. "Accepted. You treat your dog well and he speaks well of you. You are forgiven." She peers closely at Garallen's staff, then nods, her eyes twinkling as she smiles. "The Raven-Mage! Garallen, yes? I remember your wood." She glares at Hunter and Toby before the can react, silencing them before they can say or do anything. "I am Lilia, Dryad of the Aranathran Grove. Come, Raven, you can assist me well. Tell me, what have you seen since last we spoke?" She leads Garallen towards the pool. They speak quietly together.

Ythl looks at Toby and smiles. "Dryads are wood spirits made flesh. She will recognize us more by our staffs than our faces. Probably your bow, too, Toby. And she could have cursed you terribly."

"What's her problem? We were just joking around." Hunter spanks his husbands butt.

Lorelai takes River's hand, noticing how the prince is affectionate to him as she does so. "You can come with, my Prince. I'm just going to help him a bit." The others move towards the table. River is the first to sit down. His aunt goes forth into a different room, returning a few minutes later with a bowl of fresh salad. Asher moves his chair closer to him and leaves one hand on his leg while he begins to eat. Again, the aunt comes out, this time with a tea. "I've had these herbs for about a year now. This medicine is specifically crafted for anthros like you who are sick and in need of a shrine. I'm sure the white mages gave it to you when you were in deep pain. Will you be able to hold on for a bit? The prince will need to go first."

River nods. "Of course. I'm sure it'll be faster for him anyway."

Tomas shuts his eyes for a moment and remembers when he had visited the shrine and first met the aunt. She doesn't seem to recognize him. "Maybe she's helped too many people at this point."

Garallen and the dryad move towards the table. Lilia speaks first. "Everything is ready. You can all come with if you'd like."

Asher looks to River and makes a sudden bold move on him. He quickly kisses his lips before stepping up. The others 'ooo' and whistle. "Stay here and take care of yourself. Chat with your aunt. The two of you haven't seen each other in a while, have you?"

Lorelai wraps an arm around River's shoulders and leans down to kiss his forehead. "We'll catch up later. My wife and I must attend to the ritual for the Prince. Even though he's not as ill as you, both of us needs be present."

Tomas stands. "I'll come, too." The guardian looks at Tomas, cocking her head to one side. Her brow knits together. He takes a few steps towards the healing pool. Prince Asher is my responsibility. "I swore an oath to his father to see him through this. And he's my friend. Where he goes, I go."

Lorelai stares at Tomas for a moment. "Very well. As his friend and protector, you can assist." She studies him for a long moment. "You're the wolf, aren't you? Yes, I remember you now. You look older, more confident, more mature." she smiles. "Handsome young man. Garallen has good taste."

Ythl gulps and chokes on his wine, dribbling it down his chin onto his robes. He coughs as River laughs and pats his back. Toby and Hunter giggle.

Lorelei leads Asher and Tomas to the pool. The others watch from their seats at the table, absentmindedly nibbling at the fruits and bread. A small, lizard like creature flies out from a side hallway, circling around the guardian as she leads the boys. It then flies over the table, circling twice. It lands in front of River, it's head bobbing slowly up and down as its dark eyes stare at the young wizard. He and Ythl recognize the creature, a tiny dragon-like thing the size of small fawn, from the vision they shared before they began their journey.

The creature looks at each of the others for a split second each, then extends its wings and leaps into the air, flying towards the pool.

"You think that little guy lived here at one point?" River sits up, finishing his tea and smiling to Ythl.

"Well, I don't think this is much of a dragon cave." As they wait, River casts a variety of spells on Toby's arrows to kill time. Eventually, they look forward to the pool as they notice the prince stripping down to his undergarments. Beneath the table, the younger wizard sports an erection, albeit nobody would be noticed anyway since he's so small.

"You think he will be a black jaguar like his father? Or a regular spotted one?" Hunter holds his face up with one hand, calm and thankful that they made it here safely.

Ythl shushes the table. "I want to watch. This is something rare and special. We should all pay attention."

At the pool, Asher strips to his unders. He stands just to the side of the pool, on a flat, round rock. It's not smooth, just rough enough under his feet so that he's in no danger of slipping. Lorelei and Lilia stand nearby, newly dressed is small gowns of white gossamer. Tomas kneels off to one side, his sword removed and lain on the ground beside him. Next to him, Garallen also kneels. In front of them are several bells and chimes of different sizes and shapes.

Lorelai looks at Asher. "Everything, Prince Asher. You must be naked." Asher blushes and slides his unders off, kicking them away from the pool. The women move closer, Lilia carrying a silver flagon. Her wings flutter and she flies up, hovering over Asher and pouring a steady stream of scented oils from the flagon. Lorelai rubs the oils all over Asher. His chest, his arms and legs, his butt. Yes, even his privates. He blushes terribly as he grows hard from the attention. She whispers to him. "I've seen them before, Highness." Even the soles of his feet are anointed.

Lorelai looks at Garallen and nods. He takes up a striker from beside the bell, handing a second one to Tomas. "When I point at a bell, strike it once. Firmly." With his direction to Tomas, he and the young captain intone a slow melody on the bells and chimes as the women anoint Asher and begin chanting.

Tomas does as told, striking the bells accordingly; the sounds echo and vibrate the walls loudly, even though the instruments are quite small. Of course, there's some sort of magic attached to them and the melody combined with the song. It's one that he hasn't heard for a while, but is still familiar with. At some point he stops following Garallen's orders and plays the exact tune as if it were lodged somewhere in the back of his head and impossible to forget.

Hunter squeezes his husbands hand under the table as they watch. Ythl has seen it all before, but it's different with the prince, almost a holy moment.

Once Asher is fully anointed, Lilia takes his hands. As she hovers above the water, she leads Asher into the pool. Lorelai drops her gown to the floor and steps onto the same rock where Asher just stood. She takes a small amount of oil, and places a single, firm hand on her forehead, throat, over her heart, over the belly button, and on her genitalia. She steps into the pool, following Asher.

As the ladies chant, the small dragon creature rests on a wooden perch. It watches the ritual, at times adding its own tongue clicking to the bells.

Asher is instructed to lay back. Lorelai holds his shoulders, Lilia his hands as they dunk him beneath the waters of the pool three times. "We bathe you in the holy oils and in the healing waters of Ipkos, the Wandering Moon. We bathe you in the holy oils and healing waters of Scilkos, the Seeking Moon. We bathe you in the holy oils and healing waters of Ythkos, the Gaurding Moon. By their powers and through their secrets, Asher Cadigan, Prince of Aigua, your health is restored. Aigua, the Kingdom of Nature, Blessed foremost by the Three Moons, shall have Her Prince healed that he may server Her, Her Peoples of all Races and Creeds, and defend Her from all foes. In their names, the People of Aigua call upon you to change!"

Garallen and Tomas cease their playing. The chamber is silent, save for the echoes of the bells. Ythl stands, leaning forward with hands clenched on the table. Under his breath he mutters. "Change, Asher. . .Do it." Hunter and Toby lean forward in anticipation. River feels his heart beating like a drum. His hands are clenched into fists as he pulls on his robes, nervously trying to will his love to Asher.

A loud beaming sound clashes out a single time as the color of the waters changes into a kaleidoscope of different colors. The steam rises higher, mystifying and clouding the pool. Garallen looks to Tomas and winks an eye, assuring him that the ritual will work. A single tear slides down the blonde's face as he looks into the mist.

The Dryad floats out first, landing beside Garallen. She holds one hand, urging for the others to come closer. A minute later, Lorelai steps up to the stone, holding her hand out. The prince follows her and steps onto the stone leading to the pool, revealing himself as shifted into his anthro form. Everyone bows accordingly, smiling and even cheering with excitement. He's a jaguar like his father, but instead of having the black fur, his coat is white from his snout and down to his genitals. The rest of his body is yellow and spotted. His tail is almost a foot long, but seems soft and sways as he blushes, looking at the others. "You may stand." Asher walks over to River, hugging him tightly. It doesn't even cross his mind that he's still naked. He kisses him anyway and the others clap. He looks to Lorelai. "Can I get dressed now?"

"Yes. That is if you can..." Both of the female lovers help him put back on his armor. His tail sticks from out of his pants, uncontrollably moving in excitement. "It'll be a while before he can learn to completely control it."

The mist settles and sinks into the air, vanishing but leaving the room warm and humid. Lilia and Garallen begin to set up for the second ritual.

"You did great!" Tomas hugs his student and prince. "I feel so honored right now to have witnessed this. Well, I think we can all agree on that." Everyone else nods.

Tomas kneels on the ground. He pulls a small crystal globe from his pouch, setting it carefully on the ground. He takes his dagger, twirls it in his hand a couple of times. He smiles at Asher. He brings the pommel of his dagger down hard on the crystal, shattering it into dust. There is a bright, white glow for a moment, which streaks towards the ceiling and disappears. Tomas sits back on his heels and sighs.

"What was that about?" Hunter gawks at him, befuddled in surprise.

Tomas looks up at Hunter, then he winks at Asher. "That was a signal to the King. It lets him know that Asher is healed and has found his form. It lets the King know that we've succeeded with his son."

"Oh. Of course." The redhead laughs.

Ythl looks to Lorelai and asks, "How much longer before River can enter?"

"Soon." She doesn't look up to him and is fully concentrated on cleaning and preparing the ointments. "You may stay, Ythl. The others should walk back. We're almost ready." River steps forward, looking back to his prince before waiting by his aunt. She whispers to him. "Have the two of you become boyfriends yet?"

"No... Not yet." The blue haired boy speaks even quieter, even though Ythl can hear. "But I love him and yesterday he said he loves me, so I think that's a step up. We're practically boyfriends at that point, right?"

Lorelai looks to her wife and smirks at her. "Practically, yes. You might want to confirm it after all of this is done."

River blushes and grins as he watches Asher and the other return to the table. Asher is stretching and jumping, crouching, and tumbling, finding out how his new form works. Like a child with a new toy, he giggles and laughs at each new sensation. His joy is infectious and soon, he's arm wrestling with Hunter to test his strength. Tomas watches, beaming like he's the proud father.

Ythl and Garallen help Lorelai and Lilia prepare the second ritual. Candles are lit and placed around the pool. Incenses are lit, their fragrant smoke spreads throughout the chamber. River stands on the rock step, leaning on Ythl as the excitement of Asher's change dissipates. He feels tired and the pain is beginning to return.

"Ythl, help him disrobe. We're almost ready." Lorelai speaks gently to Ythl, running her hand protectively through River's blue hair. "Soon, baby. Just stay strong a few more minutes."

RIver smiles back. "I'm not a baby!" He giggles as she rolls her eyes.

Ythl helps River remove his robes and undergarments. Standing naked, River leans heavily on his staff as Ythl kneels next to Garallen. The wizard and mage take up their strikers, waiting for the ritual to begin.

Lilia flies above River, pouring the scented oils over him. Lorelia rubs the oils into his skin, anointing him as they did Asher earlier. The women chant, their language unknown to their guests, although the small dragon seems to click and his in time with their chants.

Ythl wonders if it is a female, too. He looks back at his friends at the table. Hunter, Asher, and Toby are still playing around with Asher's new form. Tomas watches proudly. Baltus and Alphonse seem to have wandered off. As Lilia takes River's hands, leading him into the pool, Ythl hopes that the animals aren't making a mess somewhere.

"Here we go." Lorelai steps into the pool, taking him by one hand and ready to lead him in. Out of nowhere a loud boom echoes from out of one of the hallways. Everyone suddenly stops and goes quiet, trying to find out what the sound was. The aunts heart beats faster, almost as if she knows what it is. As she speaks, something leaps unbelievably fast and right towards them. "River! Move out! QUICK!"

It's too late. Crayus's lieutenant, the cursed werewolf, lands at the stone, reaching out with one paw and tearing it into River's chest. The boy screams as blood sprays out of him before he falls into the pool. Ythl and Garallen look up, dropping their strikers as they notice the monster dressed in military grade clothes. It stands, letting out a bestial growl that hurts everyone's ears. Soldiers of Crayus sprint out from the hall and spread out. The corrupted wizard marches out slowly beside Crayus.

The other boys stand up and immediately pull out their weapons. Asher's face is terrified, shocked, on the verge of sobbing. He doesn't know whether to run towards the pool or towards the men. Before he can choose, the werewolf leaps out again, this time pulling the dryad down into the waters with him. Lorelai immediately throws a bolt of black magic towards him, but its counteracted by the old wizard, who slowly walks towards them.

"Well, look what we have here." Crayus wields his monolithic sword. His armor shines as he moves in circles. "Mhmm. Yes, it really is you! I can tell even through your shapeshifted form. Shame we didn't make it here earlier. Well, it doesn't matter since we will be leaving with all of you dead. I still remember what you looked like when you were a wee boy. Oh, and I also remember how it felt to plunge my sword into your mothers stomach, ripping her apart and leaving her face unrecognizable."

Ythl stands, immediately shifting into his fox form. The pool is filled with blood. Suddenly, the werewolf jumps out of the water, tossing the dryad towards the center of the room. Her wings have been torn off and her legs are broken.

"Men! Women! You know what to do." Crayus smiles under his heavy armor.

Hunter shapeshifts into his boar form and wields his sword. Tomas stands beside him. The blonde bites his lip, thinking quickly. "You're with me, ginger. We're taking this piece of shit down once and for all." Hunter nods, looking at his husband once more. Ythl, Garallen and River's aunt will fight the wizard and werewolf. "Asher, Toby - take out the men. Let's go!" He yells out. The boys get into formation, motivated by the rage rushing into their veins.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Was that your friend? Maybe even your brother?" The werewolf reaches behind him, pulling out a knights sword. "You'll be with him soon enough." He launches fast like an arrow towards the young wizard. Ythl is quick to immediately block it.

Lorelai steps closer to her wife. The dryad cries but mutters out to her. "Leave me... It's ok. I love you, Lorel..." The dryad still lives and readies herself to perform her last few spells. Lorelai looks to Garallen, who is facing towards the corrupted wizard.

Garallen crouches, glaring at Charictux. He makes a few sharp, quick gestures as the ancient adversary holds his staff in front of him. The old Dark Mage smiles. "My friend, Garallen Montejoy! However did you end up with these mangy mutts?" He gestures quickly, extending a clenched fist towards the raven-mage.

Garallen braces himself as a red mist coalesces around his enemy's fist before speeding towards him. The orb of mist is blocked and dissipated in a brief flash of brown light. Garallen gestures with his free hand and his staff, sending a flurry of thorns erupting from his staff towards the Dark Mage. "I have learned much since I studied with you, Charictux. I no longer fear you as I once did. I've seen how you crawl on your belly before your master, sniveling and begging for his scraps." The thorns are stopped by some invisible force, mere inches from their target, where they fall harmlessly to the floor.

Ythl stands for a moment in shock. He feels water on his face. Touching the back of his hand to the wetness, he realizes that he's crying. "River . . . No. . ." As the werewolf draws his sword, Ythl's mind snaps back. He hears his own voice, instructing River time and again, "Don't let emotion paralyze you. Stay in control. Anticipate. Counter. Dead men can't cry." He spins his staff, uttering words of power.

Woltot spins and flourishes his sword, his lips pulled back in an obscene grin, blood and water dripping from his face. He cries out suddenly, dropping the blade which falls clattering to the floor, the handle and blade glowing a deep, ominous crimson as steam rises from the weapon.

The werewolf howls, brandishing its claws towards the wizard. Lorelei looks up from a mortally wounded Lilia, first at Woltot, then to Charictux. She gathers blood from her wife's wounds, rubbing her hands together furiously, chanting in the ancient language of the forest spirits. She stands, raising her hands, palms upward, looking from one for to the other.

Cracks appear beneath the werewolf and the Dark Mage's feet. Scores of ants, each a half inch long, black as night with mandibles sharp and shaped for cutting, swarm out the cracks. They flow at incredible speed, covering the feet and legs of their targets, their mandibles making tiny cuts and gouges. Woltot laughs at first, while the mage frantically counters. Woltot's laughter turns to cries of pain as one cut becomes ten become one hundred. Blood begins to flow as the voracious ants work their way into the freshly made cuts of the fellows, themselves cutting deeper and making a path for more ants to cut even deeper. Suddenly, a blast of cold sweeps down Woltot's legs, from the waist, freezing and killing the pests. Charictux immediately begins casting another spell as Woltot leaps for the guardian, his teeth barred and his claws extended.

From the far other side of the room, Prince Asher is put to the test in a battle against more than fifty men and women. Toby stands with his back against him, firing arrow after arrow. Each one of them hits a target, but not all of the are critical hits. He doesn't want to use the magic arrows that River bestowed to him, because he knows he will need those when things become more critical. Asher jumps out, slashing one person's throat, then hurries to the right to cut off another's arm. Toby shoots towards ahead of time towards the people that the prince is aiming his next attack at so that they're twice as disabled as them. As strong as they are, they have the numbers and the better armor.

"Fuck. This isn't looking too good." A woman with a large axe swings her blade right at Toby. He's beyond quick as to pull out his dagger and lodge it right into her forehead. Asher tosses him an arrow that he pulls out of someone's chest.

Hunter is the first to clash blades with the infamous traitor of Aigua. The much taller and stronger man pushes forward with his sword that's just as large as the red-haired boy, while every attack by Tomas is blocked by the man's other armored hand, which isn't even wielding a sword. Crayus opens the palm of the hand, firing out a bolt of electricity. The blonde is quick to roll and dodge it, slamming his blade against his upper foot. It does no damage. It's then that the boy realizes that the armor had been stolen from one of the temples. The only way they can truly defeat him is to wear the armor down until it finally shatters, which seems impossible for them now.

Back towards the pool, Woltot leaps towards Lorelai and claws her arm. She uses her staff to whack him in the face, but it's no ordinary hit; she used a spell that causes the spot she inflicted to burn after contact. A small explosion bursts against his right cheek, causing the lieutenant to scream. His fangs grow longer, sharper, almost as if the pain inflicted on him only makes him stronger. The monster leaps again and lands on top of her, but Ythl uses a spell that throws him back. At the same time, Charictux is quick to use the same kind of spell with even more strength, launching Ythl into the air and hitting him against a stone wall.

"It'll take more than that to kill me." Ythl beats the bottom of his staff into the ground before he stands. A loud rumbling sound rushes from underneath the ground and rises with heavy wind, tossing Charictux up. The evil wizard finds himself stable floating in the air, slowly falling down as a strange dark mist surrounds him. "Look how defeated all of you already are. Crayus has yet to even show his strength. There's no doubt that all of you will soon die."

"You first!" Garallen points his staff at him, launching white embers that tear through the mist and make him fall into the ground. However, when the mist settles, he's nowhere to be seen. "Coward! Show yourse—" The old man is hit in the back by the wizards staff, throwing him a few feet in distance.

Garallen rolls and comes up on his knees. He flings his free hand towards the enemy wizard. Thin, green needles fly from his hand streaking towards the old man. Most are stopped by his energy shield, but two of them do manage to lodge in the man's left arm. He yowls in pain as his blood dots the floor.

"The old Garallen would never have even wounded me! I am impressed. Join us, or die. The true power of Aigua lies not with a weak and fading king and his whore of a son rutting his way through the nurseries of the kingdom." The Dark Mage catches a few drops of his blood on his staff, then swings it about. Though he is several yards from Garallen, the raven mage feels a blow to his ribs, as if his foe were striking him, and another to his head. Garallen instinctively casts a spell to absorb further blows, which rain upon him as the old man swings his staff, laughing.

Woltot Thrace, werewolf knight, howls in delight as he digs his claws into Lorelei's stomach and flings her across the room, where she crashes into Ythl. Both of them fall to the ground in a tangle. Without hesitating, the werewolf launches himself at them, his claws sweeping down as he land. Lorelei spins away from his landing point, pulling Ythl with her, as they both narrowly avoid the beast's claw. Gouges appear in the stone where they were second before as the werewolf cleaves through the living rock.

Tomas moves behind Crayus, but the large, inhuman fiend, maneuvers around the battlefield like a dancer. In seconds, he has Hunter and Tomas in front of him, his attacks pressing the boar and easily dealing with Tomas' blows. Tomas tosses his shield under Crayus' feet. As the giant warrior loses his footing for a moment, Tomas draws his dagger, making a series of thrusts against Crayus' Shrine Blessed armor, nicking it repeatedly, though he is unable to land a telling blow.

"Foolish boy!" The few feet of flooring around Crayus shocks with bolts as he jumps and lands. He swings at Tomas but is stopped again by Hunter's blade. The redhead leans further in and counteracts the attack. Both of the boys continue to fight him. Despite his height and the weight of the armor, Crayus is much faster than expected. Tomas has already taken a guess that his speed is a result of some other armor beneath the special metal he's already wearing, possibly a simple tunic or piece of cloth that gives his abnormal abilities.

A man with a scar over his face hits Asher right in his stomach with his own forehead, sending him pummeling towards the ground. As he raises his blade, Toby fires an arrow into the man's throat. The prince beheads him quickly, moving to the next person. A wall of men rush towards them. Toby runs forth, taking note of what Asher wants him to do. The young cub jumps landing on Asher's hands, then uses the second jump to fire three arrows at once, each of them hitting targets. He unsheathes his dagger as soon as he lands and begins to attack a set of people surrounding him. There's not enough distance for him to be using his bow right now, so he will have to hope that his training with a dagger is good enough until the others can join in and help the two of them take on the larger army.

Crayus grabs at Tomas's sword and throws him five feet in distance. The blade shatters into pieces. As he hurries back up, prince Asher sees him without a sword. Asher pulls one out of a corpse and tosses it to Tomas in perfect timing for him to block an attack. The man in armor continues to be blocked by the boar, growing in frustration that he can't cause damage to the boys sword. "What's with that blade? Why can't I destroy it?" He focuses less on Tomas and uses his powers to fire out a single bolt right at the sword. It has no effect. It's then that he begins to notice the carvings on it of ancient anthro boar warriors. "Bastard son of Zephran!"

"You know his name?" Hunter laughs, continuing to block each attack. Even though he hasn't been harmed yet each attack physically drains his energy more and more. "Oh, that's right! Did my father use this sword to send you fleeing when you tried to attack my village? Before you fled for your life like the coward you are that hides behind armor he steals from shrines?"

"RAHHH!!" Crayus's sword rips into the ground with great strength and cuts through the cobblestone before rising up with bolts of electricity straining to the ceiling. He aims his attack at Hunter but aims for the boy himself instead of the blade. This time, his aim is true and jolts the boar down to his knees. Right when Tomas thinks that it's his chance, Crayus is able to whack his arm at his new sword, rustling him a distance. The wolf lands on both feet and runs in again for another attack.

On the other side of the shrine, Ythl and Lorelai face off against Woltot, who brushes off every attack, dodging everything before it can hit. As he does so, he continues to enrage them by speaking out on his crimes. "Oh, how great it felt to kill that boy of yours! By the taste of his and your blood, I'd say he's related to you! You're not crying much though. How do you think he would feel knowing that nobody cried over him? Sure makes my meal less interesting. It'd be better if you'd curse me as I sunk my teeth into his heart." He spits some sort of venom at Ythl, which burns into his robe. The wizard tosses it off, fighting in his undergarments as last resort. "Damn child! At least let me broil you before I eat you."

Charictux continues to wield his staff, bludgeoning Garallen from afar. He moves more quickly than before, the aura of the old man replaced by the vigor fueled by his cruelty and blood lust. A particularly strong blow doubles Garallen over. Coughing and spitting up blood, he holds his staff out, trying to shield himself from the Dark Mage's onslaught of blows.

"Fool! Bird brained fool! You had the potential to be a Dark Mage, perhaps even a notable member of the order. You lack the courage to do what needs be done. . .and now you pay for your weakness." The old man raises one hand, curled into a claw, palm towards the ceiling.

Garallen is grabbed by some invisible force, his arms and legs squeezed against his body. He rises into the air, higher and higher. He can see the whole battle. Ythl and Lorelei standing against Woltot Thrace, the werewolf fiend. Tomas and Hunter being beaten back by Crayus. Crayus cowardly minions threatening to overwhelm Prince Asher and Toby by sheer numbers. He tries to summon a counter spell, to break free of Charictux's ensorcellment, but he cannot. The Dark Mage's power is too great. Garallen grunts and screams, trying to break free. He was so close; he thinks to himself. So close.

Ythl quickly spins his staff in front of himself and spits on the glowing tip. Woltot inhales deeply and spits an enormous gout of venomous acid at the wizard. Ythl's eyes are steel as the venom hits his skin and slides harmlessly to the ground. "You won't eat me, you mangy, flea-bitten raccoon!" He spins his staff again, weaving a pattern in the air as the green gem in the tip flashes brightly leaving trails of aether behind it. He flips the tip at the werewolf and a gout of water erupts from the pool, forming a translucent fist which strikes his enemy in the back of his head. The werewolf stumbles forward before regaining himself.

He growls at Ythl. "That hurt! You'll pay for that."

Crayus notices how all of his warriors are focusing only on two of the boys instead of the entire group at hand. While blocking several attacks, he yells to them. "Spread out! Don't give them room to think of their next attacks!" He kicks at Tomas's sword, knocking him down and almost squashes him, but the blonde boy is quick to roll to the side just in time.

The army spreads further into the crowd, forming circles around Ythl and Lorelai, along with Asher and Toby. What seemed to be the better advantage for them works out for Toby, because he has enough room to use his bow again. Seeing that Garallen is helpless, he quickly fires three arrows into the back of Charictux. The dark wizard is quick to see it happen and lodges an orb towards him that incinerates a hole in the wall. As he rolls to the floor, he quickly stabs his dagger into one person's foot, rises up with the blade ripping open all of the way into their back, then stabs them in the back of the head. Blood spills into a puddle, causing others surrounding him to grow fearful of the boy. Asher presses his sword into the back of a man that's still stunned from the violence, then moves on to the next person. He smiles to his friend. "Show no mercy for these bastards! They'd do just as worse with us."

Lorelai sprints towards the werewolf with incredible speed that matches him and hits him in the back of the head with her staff. At the same time, Ythl casts a mystical fist that punches him in the gut. As he falls forward to the ground, he does a cartwheel, grabbing the staff with both of his feet and tossing it to the other side of the room. It ricochets back towards him but misses him. As fast as Loreali might be, she knows that she can't quite keep up with his speed for too much longer.

Charictux's eyes sparkle with glee as he begins closing his fist. The force holding Garallen compresses and squeezes him into a ball. Frantically, he tries to shift into his raven form, hoping that he'll be small and quick enough to elude the Dark Mage's spell. He cries out in frustration as he finds that he cannot change. The Dark Mage cackles. "No flying away from me, Garallen. You will die as a man when I crush you into the same size as your raven form."

A weakened voice calls out. . . "No. . .You won't." Forgotten and thought dead, Lilia summons her waning strength. With one hand she holds her guts, keeping them inside of her, and stopping them from spilling out onto the floor. With the other, she casts. Green tendrils of energy flow from her towards the Dark Mage.

They move astonishingly fast, covering his feet and climbing up his legs. As they move higher, the ones lower on him change from green energy into brown, hardening into sticks and branches. Up over his waist they grown, over his chest and down his arms. Panic momentarily fills his eyes as he is nearly overwhelmed. He releases his hold on Garallen, allowing the mage to fall to the ground with thud, breathless and dazed Garallen is no threat. Charictux summons forth the powers of his own blood, causing the branches to wither and blacken before falling off of his body.

Glaring at Lilia, he casts again. You should have played dead. Dryads. He shakes his head, reaching out to her, he closes his fist and pulls it back as if he were throwing a rock. Lilia screams, her cry of agony piercing the cavern, sounding above the din of sword and shields and the cries of the dying. Her organs fly from her torso, speeding across the chamber to splatter against the wall. Blood and tissue stick to the cavern walls for a moment before slowly sliding down the wall. Charictux moans and purrs to himself. "Beautiful! Beautiful!" He looks at Lilia, her eyes open in death, her torso ripped open and empty. "A vision of true loveliness!"

Lorelei sees her wife and screams. Her first instinct is to go to her love, to cradle her head and close her eyes. But her shrine is in danger. No matter the personal pain, her duty is the shrine. The healing waters of Aranathra cannot fall to Crayus. Through tears, she casts spell after spell, as rapidly as she may. Bolts of energy, balls of fire, daggers of ice, clouds of thorns fly at the Dark Mage. He easily blocks them all, the missiles falling harmlessly to the ground, joining the remains of Lilia and Garallen's previous assaults.

Garallen coughs and spits blood. He drags his hand across his mouth, smearing it with his blood. He smiles and summons his strength for one more enchantment. No one has noticed the thorns and pine needles from his first spells drifting across the floor to rest at Charictux's feet, joining the thorns and branches from the spells of the dryad and the guardian. Garallen finishes his spell. He watches the Dark Mage gloat over the death of Lilia.

The thorns, the branches, the needles all quiver, almost as one. They soak up the blood on the floor, drinking in the power from the few drops of Charictux's blood and the raw energy from the blood of the others. Without further warning, the thorns burrow through the leather of the Dark Mage's shoes, the needles launch upwards into his robes, the branches follow the holes made by thorn and needle.

Charictux's laughter stops as he feels the first piercing of his flesh. He's confused for a moment, his brow furrowed as his hand instinctively begin a counter spell. Before he can finish, his eyes widen and he screams. Frantically, he rips at his clothes, trying to cast again and again, but as pain wracks through him he jerks and twitches, losing his focus and his spell. The pain, so much a source of power for his magic previously when it was the pain of others, is now clouding his mind, forcing spells from his memory. He stammers and jerks in fits and starts. His body undulates and blood shoots from his nose and mouth. He screams. "Nooo! It can't. . .be . .. Not me! Not meeeee!"

Charictux Anrast explodes. Pine needles, rose thorns, birch branchs erupt from his skin. The man dissolves on cloud of red mist and torn flesh. The vaguely human shaped cloud holds for a moment, then falls to the ground. A disgusting squelching sound marks his flesh as it lands on the stone flooring. The pool of what was a Dark Mage and is now so much chopped and torn meat and blood slowly expands.

"Fuck you, you old son of a bitch!" Garallen looks to Ythl, then to Asher, trying to decide who is more in danger.

The army assembles even further out, surrounding Garallen as well. It's him against around fifteen of them. "Dammit. I need to get through."

Asher and Toby are being cornered to the walls as a means of trapping them. The prince pulls a sword of a corpse, handing it to his friend, then wipes his own blade off on his arm. "You have a better chance going for the slow ones with battle axes. I'll go for the ones with swords. Ready?" Toby nods. They just forward, screaming out as they attack.

Charictux growls as he sees the remains of the dark mage that once took care of him and made him as strong as he is now. His blood lust grows, making him vengeful and even more dangerous. Ythl and Lorelai cast spell after spell against him, but somehow, he's even faster than before. Right as the wizard is beginning to set another spell the werewolf jumps on top of him, biting into his arm, then leaps onto Lorelai. She hits him in the back of the head with her staff again, then allows it to shift into a spear, which pierces his chest. Laughing manically, Woltot raises himself further on it and claws her chest. As she falls, he quickly leaps backwards as a set of soldiers move forward towards them.

"We can't let him get away! Fuck!" Ythl raises his staff. A set of green orbs fire out of them and rain down on the soldiers, which tire their muscles and have them slump into each other. The spell helps the other boys but leaves him breathless. "He's going towards the prince! Lorelai!"

"I know. I'm almost there." She smashes one soldiers skull apart with her staff as she stands and slowly walks towards the prince. Another soldier swings and almost cuts her down. There's too many of them to face off against and they're stronger than the ones they encountered earlier on in the forests.

Garallen is able to make his way to Ythl, but only after shapeshifting and flying towards him. Now the wizard and mage are surrounded by swords. As beaten down as they are, the older mage is positive that they can pull it off. "Stay close. Try copycatting my spells to the best of your knowledge as I go along."

The prince notices Woltot leaping towards him and runs to the right, almost impaling himself into someone else's sword. Toby fires an arrow that kills the man that was about to kill Asher, then runs towards Asher with his sword. "Prince Asher! Step back! You must live!" Right as Woltot lands he grabs a sword of his own, striking blades with him. Before Asher can step in and help, he ends up surrounded and completely helpless. He remembers that he can also jump quite high, so he does so and leaps just as far as the werewolf had and finds himself closer to where Ythl and Garallen are. However, he just realized the horrifying mistake he made by leaving Toby to fend by himself against thirty men and women, including a werewolf. There's no room for him to jump in and fight back.

"You're no match for me! Stop fighting and die already!" A circle of men stop fighting and force Toby to fight off against the werewolf. It helps that Lorelai had injured the bastard earlier, but he's still better with a sword then him.

"Dammit," Toby groans, noticing every mistake that he makes. "Fuck! Hunter... I don't know if I can do this. Please, save everyone. I love you." Toby dodges a long attack, then whirls himself like a cyclone to cut off Woltot's left arm. The boy raises his blade to make the finishing blow, but a sudden piercing pain strings throughout his whole body. Looking down, he sees Woltot thrusting his sword further into his own heart. Toby falls to his knees, spitting blood out as the man pulls out his sword and allows him to fall to the ground in a puddle of blood. Woltot lets out a horrifying laugh that echoes throughout the place, then leaps away. All of the other soldiers move away, focusing themselves on the other three that are still alive.

"No... No no no no no!" Hunter looks away and sees his husband on the ground, dead and alone, still holding his sword and with the bow and arrows on his back. His heart feels as if it's being pulled as the tears spill down his cheeks. "You bastard! I'll fucking kill you! I'll kill all of you!"

"Then go on and do it, Hunter! Don't just stand there and leave me to end Crayus myself!" Pushing every bit of strength out of him, Tomas swings his sword forward and prevents the both of them from being cut down.

Hunter tightens his grip to the handle of his sword. A delirious madness rushes through his blood as he feels the rage building up. Tomas notices him beginning to change - not just to his boar form, but almost as if he's becoming a different person. "Now you die, Crayus!" The blade on the sword transforms from silver to gold as he runs forward. The boar lands a direct hit against his armor and cracks it. Crayus is shocked and falls on one leg, forming a strong shield of electricity around him as he pulls himself up. "RAHHH!!!!!!!!!!" Hunter shrieks out a mournful cry twice as loud as what Woltot did. Suddenly, the floors and walls begin to rumble. The bookcases fall over. Water from the shrines pool rises and a strong mist form above it. Black and lavender embers dress around the edges of the pool as something comes to life in it. Everyone in the entire room stops what they're doing and looks forward in confusion.

"Oh, Gods. He's like his father." Lorelai gasps, her eyes filling with her own tears as she comes to understand before anyone else what's happening. The veil of mist dissipates into the air. At the center of a pool, a dragon around forty feet tall and thirty feet wide rises from his belly from out of the water. One foot steps out with a loud thump. The guards near it step back, not sure what to do. It speaks with a forcefully destructive, yet strangely childlike voice. "You killed my aunties wife and one of my friends." It looks at Woltot, who almost looks ready to apologize to the beast. Boiling water spills out of his mouth as he speaks. "And you killed Ythl's mother and both of my parents. AND YOU!" Bricks falls from out of the walls as he speaks louder, focusing his energy at Crayus. "Killed the prince's mother. For this, you will all perish. But there is more. Killing thousands of innocent people, cursing forests and villages. They will rejoice knowing how you suffered before death."

"Holy fucking shit..." Ythl taps his staff to the ground. "River's a fucking dragon. That's why his body couldn't handle it all." Garallen nods. He was almost right about his theories, but not even he had any clue that such a young, charming, and soft soul could be a shapeshifting monstrous water dragon. "His father never revealed what kind of shapeshifter he was out some fear. This must be why... Wait." He laughs, noticing how everyone is still staring at the dragon. Ythl looks at Garallen and Lorelai, winking to them. With the others in shock, now is the perfect time to attack.

Lorelei kneels to the ground, whispering her spell to the stone floor. Ythl leans heavily upon his staff, quickly bandaging his cuts and wounds. Garallen quickly pulls a jar from his pouch, handing it to the young wizard. Ythl opens the container, recognizing the smell of mint and damp earth. He takes two fingers full of the gel, smearing it over the worst of his wounds. He hisses as the healing salve goes to work. His flesh knits and heals, but it burns and stings as well.

The guardian continues her low chanting. From the crack in the floor, whether caused by Crayus' blows against Tomas and Hunter, or from the spell battle between the casters, vines spring forth, growing at incredible speed. Lorelei pours her energy into the earth and the vines, causing them to grow and spread. Garallen grins and begins his own spell. The vines sprout thorns. Ythl does a doubletake. In addition to thorns, the vines sprout tiny, barbed mouths.

"Ahhh!" I understand. The youngest wizard begins his own spell, imbuing the vine creatures with a caustic venom.

The three spell slingers combine their magicks and Lorelei releases the vines. They wrap and climb the legs of Crayus' forces, seeking bare skin. Thorns poke and scratch, the mouths bite and rip and the vines encircle and immobilize those men closest to Asher.

The water dragon growls and begins stomping on the poor wretches trapped by the hungry vines. Alone and in pairs, the warriors of Crayus are crushed and smashed. Their screams muffled as the vines close in over their mouths or ended as Dragon River stomps their lives away.

Crayus is not as awed as his men. He takes advantage of the moment when Hunter's grief takes over and with the confusion over the appearance of a dragon combine to slow him just a fraction of a second. It's all Crayus needs to land a telling blow with the back of his hand.

Hunter feels his jaw give way. White flashes accompany searing pain. He flies across the room, landing with a thud against the wall. Dazed, in agony, he slides down the wall, slumping on the floor. His axe falls from his hands as he spits blood. He struggles to stand but falls to one side. The floor seems unsteady and moving and his vision brightens and fades again and again.

Crayus turns to Tomas. "You're turn now, captain."

Out of nowhere, River spreads out his wings, landing near Crayus, and then whacks him with his scaly tail against the wall. Crayus slams into it while yelling. The crack in his armor spreads further out. Behind him, Hunter holds himself up with his sword and spits out a few teeth. His vision is too fuzzy and he falls again even as he tries to stand. While the wizards and mage work on the vines, Garallen notices the boar in pain. He sprints forward, already reaching into his pouch as the dragon blocks Crayus from attacking.

"Fucking stupid dragon. Begone!" He lets out a heavy bolt of electricity that jolts him. River's senses force him to screech out a loud sound. Boiling water showers out of his mouth and onto some of the soldiers, burning through their armor and flesh to the bone. They cry out loud as the dragon jumps at them and uses its smaller front arms to throw them against the walls. "Fine! I don't need my soldiers anyway. I'll kill you all myself."

Woltot rips through vines with his one hand holding onto his sword and charges at Lorelai with great speed that still hasn't diminished. However, the blood spilling from his severed left arm shows that he finally has the disadvantage.

The sight of the dragon rising from the healing pool along with the death of the Dark Mage caused a ripple of fear and doubt to spread among Crayus' forces. Some stand, uncertain what to do now. Other's back away, eyeing the corridors as escape routes. Crayus' shouts and Woltot's roar restore some measure of their courage. River's cries of pain from Crayus' attack bolster them more.

Those remaining against Asher move to encircle him. Others go to block the dragon from reaching the prince. They dodge in quickly, stabbing and slashing at River quickly before retreating beyond his reach. Time and again, his claws swing at soldiers who dodge out of the way. River's movements as a dragon are slow, ponderous.

As a boy, even as a sickly boy, he was quick and fast. But as a dragon. . .everything feels different for him. Towering above the battlefield is different. Moving the gargantuan body is different, slower, less precise. When he is able to catch one of the enemies with his tail or claws, the damage is tremendous. He easily squashes those he grabs. But too often, his blows meet only air. He roars in frustration. "Aarrgghh! Stupid giant body is too slow."

Garallen weaves his way across the chamber. He avoids some enemy soldiers, one or two he strikes with his staff, knocking them unconscious. He reaches Hunter, whose eyes stream with tears. His mouth is broken and ruined. His jaw is shattered, he's lost teeth, and his nose bleed like a fountain. Garallen grabs clean cloths and healing herbs and salve from his bag. He can see some of Hunter's teeth embedded in the boys lips and cheek. But Hunter's eyes, swelling and blackening, are fixed on the lifeless form of Toby. The raven mage moves so he blocks that view. "Hunter! Stay with me. Focus on me. Don't give up! We will avenge Toby."

His medicines sooth Hunter's pain. Tomas dodges under a sword swing, disemboweling the soldier who made the strike. He moves next to Hunter and Garallen. His face is worried. "Garallen, can he fight? Gods' bane! If I can get past his armor, I can end that son of a bitch. . ."

"Ufffhhh... Rivee failed you all. Weak and fuffidd." Hunter tries to speak, drooling blood from his mouth as he does so. His face is a mess of blood and tears. The defeated boy drops his sword and looks to Tomas. "You ca-ca-can risroy his aror wif fis." Garellan holds him, gritting his teeth as he leans him forward. The blonde boy takes his friends sword, which is still shining golden on the blade.

"Okay. This is going to hurt a lot. Scream as loud as you need to." Garallen pulls out a special ointment that he spreads on a leaf, then lathers over the wounds on his face and in his mouth. Slowly, he begins chanting a powerful and complex song known by skilled white mages. He continues to rub the ointment against his gums, lips and cheek. New sets of teeth begin to rip through his gums, gushing blood. Hunter screams in extreme pain that he's never felt before. It's the price of being quickly healed. "A few more minutes. We're almost there. We need you back on your feet to fight."

The dragon is able to clear some space for Asher to run off and grab Toby's body away from the other lifeless corpses. He drags him with all of his weight towards the wall, shutting his eyes before he continues fighting. There's not many of them left now and it feels as if the end is finally near for their enemies.

Ythl remembers a random spell off the top of his head that he feels would be useful and begins to chant. He kneels down, touching the ground with one hand and tapping his staff against it with the other. Lorelai knows what he's doing and continues avoiding every attack from the psychotic wolf. Swords from the ground rattle and begin to flutter. The young wizard chants in his head; once it's complete he stands and yells out. "Move!" Three swords race through the air like arrows and pierce Woltot in both legs and into his chest. As much as he tries to fight back, his attempts are worthless at best.

"Damn you... Damn you all!" Woltot screams as he tries to stand. Lorelai pierces him between the eyes with her staff, then says a short death spell used by dark mages. His entire head beings to melt, even the skull molds away into his shoulders until there's nothing left. It's a spell that she's read about, but never used before.

"Come on. We have to help the Prince!" Ythl runs forward, then suddenly stops as he see's River breathing out some sort of mist towards a set of warriors. All of them turn to ice, fall to the ground and shatter. There's only two men left.

"It was an accident! I didn't know I could do that." River slowly steps closer to the center of the room, watching as Tomas and Crayus spar off. "Do I help them? I know I could kill him, but I'm afraid I'd accidentally hurt everyone over there too."

Garallen puts his bag under Hunter's head and lets the narcotics do their magic. "You're fine, just relax now." His face has already healed, but the pain had overwhelmed his mind. He's only barely there. As Garallen begins to move closer to them he doesn't notice the boar secretly move to the back of the shrine, behind the pool, all of the way back to where his husband rests.

Crayus guards with his sword as he surveys the chamber. The huge space is in shambles. Bodies are strewn across the floor. Debris of broken weapons and the remains of the many plants summoned by the defenders litter the floor as well. Cracks, some huge, some less so crisscross the floor. Chunks of floor, wall, and ceiling are scattered. He has faced few foes as tenacious and powerful as this group. Yet, he knows that he will win. They cannot defeat him. He smiles. "I am impressed. Your little band of protectors and ragamuffins has killed my Dark Mage and my werewolf. Not to mention two score of my soldiers. But, I still live. And I will prevail"

With the last word, he focuses his gaze on the dragon, River. He quickly utters a spell, once against shooting lightning from his free hand into the dragon. The lightning maintains this time, a current running from Crayus to River. The blue arcs or electricity scatter yellow sparks through the air, sparks that sizzle and burn into the stone for a few seconds when they land. River bellows in pain, suddenly unable to move.

Tomas charges Crayus, wielding Hunter's sword. Crayus blocks the blow, realizing too late that it was the Golden Blade of Cantos. Even as he maintains the current running into River, even as the electricity and sparks turn darker and darker until they are finally black, like tar, he screams in rage as his armor, stolen from a holy shrine years ago, is rent and split. Plates and rings of metal fall from his suit. He glares at Tomas, backhanding the boy and sending him flying through the air.

Before Tomas has landed, Crayus cuts off his spell, releasing River. The dragon slumps to the floor. Steam rises from the leather skin of his wings. Several of his armor like scale are split, oozing blood. Pain racks through River, more severe than his illness had ever caused. It is all that he can do to manage not to collapse on to his friends. He looks at Ythl, his dragon eyes glazing over. "Help . . . please. . . ."

Tomas rolls into his landing from Crayus' blow. He looks to River, cursing to himself but putting thoughts of River and Toby and Lilia out of his mind. Crayus' armor is destroyed. Tomas looks at the sword in his hand and nods. "I pray you were right, my King." Quietly he crouches and moves closer to Crayus.

Stripped of his armor, Crayus is a much older man, broad and extremely muscular with long black hair hanging in the back down to his hips. He lets out a horrifying scream - suddenly his entire body becomes an embodiment of electricity, which he then tosses out like a web towards Tomas. The boy is shocked and almost falls into a seizure as his body spazzes on the ground. Somehow, he's still able to hold onto his sword, but he still needs more time...

Behind him, the prince himself lands a blow that slits open the skin of Crayus's back. As the much taller man spins around, he slams his blade like a hammer against Asher's sword, literally throwing him into the air. He's still in his jaguar form, which helps him land without any trouble. But that isn't to say there's no trouble. Crayus is sprinting right at him and ready to cut him down.

Lorelai casts out a shield that blocks his attack, but his sword manages to break through it a few seconds later. Asher is quick to move to his right, continuing to clash blades with him. As much as he wants his revenge, he knows what would happen if he were to let his rage take over him. Hunter, who is arguably stronger than Tomas, failed to kill Crayus due to his own emotions. Now all he can think about is everything he's lost because of the bestial figure in front of him.

Finally, Tomas is able to stand on his feet again. A strange aura of intense concentration cleans all of his previous attacks from his mind and all of his next attacks are set out in front of him. "You're going to die, Crayus." He says it in a normal tone, but more out of honesty than confidence. "I'm going to kill you now."

Crayus turns his head, kicking Asher against the wall and walks carefully over to him. Lorelai and Garallen attempt to cast a spell but are shot down by an even larger web of electricity that seizes them for minutes on end. Ythl, further away, looks at the wounds on River's skin. The wizard places both of his hands on him and begins to cry as he sings. Warm lavender hued embers rise and dress the space around the two of them as the younger boy slowly shapeshifts back into his human form. Naked, River moans, tired and unable to fight any longer. What were once cuts as large as Crayus's entire body are now small and feeble like papercuts on his shoulders and chest.

Crayus turns towards Tomas. "Are you? Are you really? I think not." He moves towards Tomas, his sword at the ready. Tomas waits, ready to fight. With his off hand, he digs at his belt.

Asher stands, intending to strike at Crayus as Tomas attacks him. Searing pain drops him to his knees. Tears form and the pain forces him back into his human form. He coughs and his spittle is stained pink. He tries to think what that means, panicking before remembering those are the signs of broken ribs and one of them has punctured his lung. He tries to call out to Garallen or Ythl. But he cannot gain the breath to yell.

The chamber echoes with the sound of steel against steel as Crayus attacks Tomas. Each of Crayus' blows is blocked or parried. Tomas gives ground slowly, passing up opportunities to counter-attack. Instead, he taunts Crayus. Dodging, parrying, commenting on Crayus' failures in the past. "Ten years in rebellion and you rule a few acres of unwanted forest? Your most loyal followers are flea-bitten rabid opossum and a has-been hedge wizard... Weren't you supposed to be king by now?"

Tomas draws forth his off hand, rapidly moving away from Crayus, opening the space between them. He throws a small glass globe onto the floor. The globe, filed with some sort of yellow substance, shatters. The yellow substance, some sort of dust, explodes into a small cloud. Crayus steps back. "Poison? From a captain of the Royal Guard of Aigua."

Tomas remains motionless. The dust begins to swirl and coalesce. It solidifies, assuming a human form. The details begin to clear. Ythl gasps and stands. "A transport ritual! Gods, it's the King!"

Crayus screams in rage as the yellow dust is replaced by the King of Aigua, Geralt Cadigan. The King draws his sword as Crayus charges him.

"Father!" Asher screams, forcing himself to his feet. He takes a step towards his father before falling into a coughing fit. He spits pink spit onto the floor.

Ythl and Garallen stand and begin summoning shields and protections for the king. Ythl is beside himself. "This is madness! The strain of the transport may be too much for him. But to throw him into battle against Crayus?! Garallen, we have protect the King!" Both wizard and mage spin their staffs and their hands fly in desperate effort.

They are too slow. Asher screams, reaching out towards his father. Crayus brings his sword down as the king raises his blade to block a half-second too slowly. Asher's heart stops as Crayus' sword swings by the attempted block.

And through the King's body without meeting flesh or bone. The visage of the King quivers and dust puffs from the path of Crayus' blade. "A trick!" Crayus turns towards Tomas. And sees nothing.

"A trick that worked. King Geralt sends his regards." Tomas stands behind Crayus. The Golden Blade sticks out of Crayus' chest, the tip dripping blood. Crayus looks down, disbelieving. He reaches with one hand, feeling the blade, as he coughs a great gout of blood onto the floor.

"How?" Crayus struggles for breath. His mind cannot process his defeat. "How?" He turns his head towards Tomas, trying to grab the boy, but he cannot.

"This is for the Queen." Tomas pulls the sword from Crayus' body and with a sweeping motion draws it across his body. Crayus head tumbles to the ground, the question why upon its lips for a few more seconds.

The room is silent for a moment. Ythl stands stunned. Garallen stands next to him, trying to put the puzzle pieces together. Asher looks on at Crayus' body. The Prince begins to cry. "Mother. . .be at peace."

Tomas moves quickly to Asher. "Ythl, the prince is hurt!"

"Be still, okay, River? Don't move. I'll be back in a moment." Ythl rushes forward to the Prince, feeling his ribcage and the rest of his body. He's quick to know what's happened but doesn't have the skills needed to treat him. "Garallen! I need your..."

Garallen and Lorelai whispers to each-other quietly. The other boys can see their eyes darting from the deceased dryad and then over to Hunter, curled up and sobbing with his husband. The red-haired boy is helpless, his soul ripped open, not even the Hunter they knew anymore. River stands, taking his staff to hold himself up and walks to the prince before giving in and falling over.

"Are you sure?" Garallen holds one hand to her back. The woman nods, proceeding to walk right towards Hunter. As she does so, the raven goes the opposite direction in order to help the prince.

"Please, please. Bring him back." Hunter sobs into his bloody tunic. His eyes are blood red and loss of any sense of hope. Their victory means nothing to him with his husband gone. Nothing matters anymore to him. "I'll do anything. You must."

Lorelai kneels down, wiping the tears from his face. She knows of a single spell that can resurrect the dead, but it only works if the wounds aren't too damaging to be fixed and arranged. Looking over the wound, she nods, knowing that she can perform the task, but can't do it for her own wife. It wouldn't be right either - bringing a dryad back from the dead would go against their own nature. Toby, however, still had life to live. With him gone, Hunter too might perish. "The cost is twenty years less of your own life. Swear to it with your blood and he will live."

"Take it all. Twenty years, fifty, a hundred, all of it! Kill me if you have to!" Hunter begs, almost screaming at her for help. Lorelai nods, reaching down to carry Toby's body towards the sacred pool of water. It was once drenched in the blood of her own nephew and wife, but now it has cleansed itself. Hunter walks with a limp as he follows behind her.

River squeezes his princes hand. His lovers hand. "She's going to bring him back. Not even a hundred white mages could match her magic or connection to the shrine. She was born to grace this place." While they watch, Garallen applies medicines to the prince's body. It'll be a few days before he can walk again and possibly a week before they can start their trip back home. That's not mentioning how much everyone else needs help.

Tomas stands over Crayus' body. He looks around, taking stock of the damage to the shrine. Taking stock of his friends.

Asher and River sit together, Ythl tending their wounds. The two boys are holding hands. They both look exhausted, beaten, and bruised. Tomas smiles sadly. What he once had with Asher is changing, as he knew it would someday.

Hunter sobs as Lorelei carries Toby's body into the waters of the healing pool. She's lost her wife, but she tends to Hunter's pain before her own.

Tomas shakes his head, in awe of her strength and sense of duty. He can't imagine Hunter's pain, or hers. He's glad that Garallen is helping her, them. It was a great stroke of good fortune that they were befriended by the raven-mage.

Slowly, Tomas walks over to Crayus' head. He picks it up by the hair. The dead eyes still hold hatred as he looks into them. The warrior boy spits in the lifeless face. He returns to the body, kicking it ferociously. He takes a cloak from another corpse, wrapping the head in it.

He looks at Asher again. His heart aches. His prince. Tended by his ex-boyfriend. He sighs. Duty comes first and he lost a soldier. That's where he's needed. Tomas slowly walks to the pool.

Hunter is on his knees, no longer sobbing, but still suffering from the wounds to his body and his heart. Tomas kneels next to him and wraps an arm around the red boar's shoulders. He hugs him tightly. "Without you, he would have killed me. Without your sword, I couldn't have killed him. Without Toby, we would never have made it this far. I am so sorry, Hunter. So sorry. Tomas begins to weep."

"I knew you would end him." He sheathes his sword after Tomas hands it back to him, shutting his eyes and staring further into the pool. Lorelai sinks her body below the water with Toby. "I'm sorry I was too weak. My emotions took over me."

Garallen takes a blanket from one of the boys bags, walks over to the dryad and places it over her body. He carefully picks her up, taking her with him towards the table, then through one of the hallways. A minute later he returns, kneeling down across from Ythl. "River, Asher, we're going to take you into one of the other rooms. Your friends will join you soon enough." He nods to Ythl. The older man picks up the prince with both of his hands, while Ythl wraps one arm around River and helps him walk.

They enter a dimly lit room, which is wide and cold with a haunting aura. There's six different beds in there. The wizard and mage place them both on separate beds that are side by side with each other. On the other side, there's dozens of cabinets and spell books, along with other tools for performing many sets of rituals. Garallen explains. "Before the time of Crayus's rebellion, every bed in this room would be occupied. Many others would sleep on the floors. The sick that still needed healing slept in here. Maybe the shrines can be of more use now that we anthros don't have to worry about some cult out to kill us and curse the magic of our shrines." Garallen uses his hands to urge Ythl to come to him. They begin to dig out different herbs and medicines to use for the boys. "All of us will need to rest and heal at some point. You've taken quite a beating as well, Ythl."

Ythl shakes his head. "I'll be fine. First priority is Asher and River." He looks back at River. "A dragon. A water dragon. It seems obvious now, but I had no idea. Absolutely no idea. What a fool I was." Ythl sighs. "What can I teach a dragon? The King will want him close to the palace. Where he can be watched and protected, depending on your point of view. When word gets out, and it will, representatives from Harath, Cruiberg, all the civilized lands will come to see him. To know for sure that he's real. They might try to kill him or recruit him to their causes. He's so young, still. I'm not sure I can protect him..."

Garallen begins to wash the prince's stomach and chest as he delves into his thoughts on the matter. The blue haired boy has already drifted back into sleep due to the extremity of his pain. "You'll need to use some medicine to heal the nerves in his body after the attack he got earlier. River will no doubt have automatic protection now. In fact, he just became the kingdoms strongest weapon. If anything, he will be the third most protected person in all of Aigua, right next to Asher and the King. Now you have to consider if the king would use him or not. Is that morally right to do? Using a ten-year-old boy as a weapon of destruction? What if River doesn't want to do such a thing? And what if he does? Time will tell..."

"Protected as an asset for the kingdom. A weapon, as you say. The dragon, River, will be protected." Ythl runs a hand over River's cheek and lightly over the bandaged wounds. "But who will protect the boy River? Who still needs to grow up, still needs to find his true self. He has a sweet soul, Garallen. Who will watch out for and protect that River?"

 

Back in the main room, Lorelai rises from out of the water, carrying Toby with her. The wound that once went through his heart has vanished, but he's not alive yet. Lorelai rests him down on the stone next to the pool. She looks at Tomas. "Your pocket knife. I'll need it."

Tomas nods, unsure of what's going on. He respects Lorelei too much to question her, though. He reaches into his leggings, handing her his knife.

"Ordinarily, Lilia would assist me in this." Lorelei looks down. She is quiet for several minutes. When she speaks, it is in a whisper. "Tomas, will you help me with what must be done?" Tomas nods. She smiles at him, then glances at the spot where Lilia was killed. Her blood and bits of her wing still stain the floor. A tear flows down Lorelei's cheek. "Hunter, you will need to be naked and lie next to Toby, here in the pool."

Hunter wipes his eyes and stands. He quickly strips off his clothes, wincing in pain several times. Tomas gently, reverentially, takes Toby and places him in the pool near the stone platform. Holding on to Tomas he lays down in the shallows, next to his husband's body. Tomas removes his armor, re-entering the pool. At Lorelei's direction, Tomas kneels beside Hunter. The guardian enters the pool. She places a palm on Toby's forehead and on Hunter's. After a moment of quiet, she begins softly chanting.

Hunter feels himself drifting. The water and the pool fade away. Without thinking he reaches out, taking hold of one of Toby's hands. The hand is cooling, but not cold. Soon, he feels only the water. The cavern has faded. His own pain has faded. Tomas and Lorelei have both faded. Her chanting seems like a memory. Surrounding him is gray mist or fog. He walks, slowly, unsure of himself. He hears a voice. Toby's voice.

The boar looks down at himself, seeing that he's in his anthro form. Looking forward into the pitch black, he continues to walk. "Hunter.... Are you there? Where am I?" Tracing his voice, he begins to sprint out faster towards him. A light comes into view. Closer and closer. Suddenly, he stops, finding Toby in his cub-form and sitting down in the center of a circle of lanterns. As he stands, Hunter takes out his hand and grips his husbands. The boy opens his eyes, back in the pool of water and gasps out for air. His friend grabs him by his back, helping him stand, while Lorelai helps Toby to stand.

"Thank the Gods. Toby... You're... How?" Tomas is in shock and awe at everything. The boy that was once dead has now come back to life. Toby looks confusedly into Tomas's eyes, then back at his husband, putting together the pieces of the puzzle faster than most others typically would.

"Did I... Die?" Hunter begins to cry again as he kisses his husbands shoulders. "I did, didn't I?" Tomas nods. He's frozen in shock. The boy has never heard of anyone ever returning from the dead. Still, the last thing he remembers was Woltot's smile as he killed him. "Hunter..." The redhead kisses him deeply. It takes him a moment before Toby responds, kissing him with just as much power. Lorelai is sobbing and wiping away her tears, thankful that she could bring Toby back, but also hurt that she will most likely never see her wife again. Tomas cries as well, unable to hold how he feels about his new friends from Cantos inside of him.

Back in the healing room, Ythl massages his students back with a lotion that he's made with several different potions while Garallen continues his work on Asher's ribs. Before the older man can speak and direct him with more jobs to do, he notices the others walking in. Ythl's jaw hangs open wide to see Toby alive." TOBY! Oh Gods, you're alive!" His yelling wakes up Asher first, then River. Both of them smile, although River of course is less surprised than the prince.

"It worked... I knew it would." Aunt Lorelai is one of the most knowledgeable healers in all of the Aigua lands. "Well, next to you too, Garallen." He blushes, pulling up the blanket to hide his privates.

Hunter guides Toby to a bed with him that they share. They sit up on it, holding hands as if they were permanently glued together. "Yes, River. I owe your aunt greatly." Toby is saddened after being told on the way to the room what Hunter had to give in order to let his husband live. Twenty years of his husbands life. Does that mean twenty years he won't be with him? If only he could give twenty years of his own. That's all he can imagine. No doubt, he knows that he would have made the same sacrifice.

"Lorelai, can you come with me?" Garallen walks with his staff, nodding to Ythl. "Let them know what's going on. We'll be back in a moment." The raven guides Lorelai with his hand on her shoulder as they walk further down the hallway and into a separate room. The floor is filled with black soil with a rich earthy smell to it. Tombstones stick near the walls, saying who is where. At the corner right of the room, Lilia rests with the blanket over her body. "We should hold a service for her tomorrow. I'll be the one to bury her and give the service. I've done funeral services many times before under circumstances like this. You know, what you did was noble... Lilia would have wanted you to do that. If you believe in reincarnation like she did, then you must know that there's a possibility you might meet her again in this life. If not this, then the next... Love is forever. You and her were meant to be. Keep your faith, Lorelai. Remember, you still have family that needs you. Now more than ever..."

She walks further down, then falls to her knees and begins to pray. Garallen smiles sympathetically, tapping the floor with his staff, then exits to leave her be for a moment.

The rest of the day is long and full of much work to do for the elders. All of the boys are put into beds, including Ythl, so that they can heal. All of them are being treated by a mage and priestess who are also injured and have to heal each other when they're not focusing on the boys. Even more so, they have to make food for a large party, including the animals, which they find hidden in Lorelai and Lilia's bedroom. Further into the night, Garallen takes it upon him to move all of the bodies from the shrine room into a pile, which he sets on fire with a spell that leaves no trace or smell of their bodies. By night, Garallen is beyond tired and sleeps on the ground in the healing room with his wolf. Lorelai is awake the longest, resting beside River on the small bed, but eventually falls asleep after running her hands through his hair for hours.

The next morning, Garallen takes charge. Breakfast is a simple porridge and fruit. Everyone is quiet, still trying to come to terms with the events of the last days. Toby and Hunter hold hands through the entire meal, not letting go of each other at all. River sits between his aunt and his Prince, both of them attentive to his every cough or shudder. Tomas and Ythl sit and watch, knowing that much remains unsaid between them.

After breakfast, everyone gathers to lay Lilia to rest. Lorelei cries openly as she buries her wife and lover, assisted by Garallen. As a group, they recite prayers and chants. Lilian is buried in the sacred soil of the shrine, with Lorelei planting creeping ivy and moss on the grave. Watered with the sacred water of the shrine, the plants will flourish, taking nourishment from the dryad's remains.

After the service, Garallen starts on lunch. River and Toby already feel tired and are ready to lie down. Tomas gets to work cleaning and repairing his gear. Ythl and Asher assist Garallen in the kitchen, peppering him with questions. Lorelei lays next to her nephew, stroking his hair as he rests. He doesn't sleep, just lies with his eyes closed, enjoying her tenderness.

He looks up at her. "Can I ask you a question, auntie?"

She smiles down on him. "Of course, sweet River."

"Well, I guess that I have a lot of questions, but I wanted to start off by asking about Lilia if that's ok." He looks for her approval before continuing. "Did you meet her shortly after you started working for the shrine as a priestess? I know we haven't seen each other in a few years, so I had no clue... I'm sorry you lost her. I can tell that she was a kind soul and the two of you loved each other dearly."

Lorelei smiles sadly. She slides down, wrapping her arms around River, holding him and resting her head against his. "We were married, in the eyes of our traditions if not in the eyes of your king. I met her when I was still learning my duties here under the previous guardian. She would bring us acorns and we would grind them into flour." She smiles at the memory. "We would talk. She was fascinated by anthros and humans but terrified of them at the same time. But she would come once a week and we would talk for hours. Soon, she was visiting more and more often. Always with some excuse." Lorelei laughs. "It was my master, Kalten, who told me the Lilia had fallen in love with me. He who told me that I had fallen in love with her. After he left and I became guardian, she more or less lived here with me. She was very excited to meet you when I told her you were coming."

River smiles, thinking back on what Lilia looked like and imagines how happy the two of them must have been. A tear rushes down his face, which his aunt wipes away. Tears have been shed all morning between the two of them, along with some of the others still weighing heavy on the emotion from yesterday. The blue haired boy sits up to drink some water before continuing. "I wonder... If Asher and I can really stay in love or as boyfriends if he becomes king and has to have children. He's gay like us, i think. At least that's what he seemed to be stressing to me."

She squeezes him tightly. "Kings can do many things other may not. He could marry and have children and still love you and be with you. It would be . . . difficult. But that's many years off. You and he are still just boys. Don't let such things worry you. I will tell you this, he will always need friends who will love him for his heart and soul and not for his title. He will always need you. As you both get older, you may forget, but he will need you."

"But that's love, isn't it?" River looks over, seeing Toby asleep and Hunter cuddled up with him. He can't tell if the ginger is awake or not. "All of us have made new friends over this journey and I think we'll hold onto that for our entire lives. After all, we're the future of Aigua, right? Ythl is really worried about what will happen to me when they find out that I'm a shapeshifting dragon. I'm guessing that... My father was too, wasn't he? That's why he kept it secret, right?"

"Your father loved you so much." She looks sad for a fleeting moment. "He was a dragon, although I don't know that he ever changed into his dragon form once he had discovered it. He was afraid of what people would do to him. He feared that one king or another would try to possess him or kill him. That there would be an endless parade of people seeking to use him or destroy him to prevent others from using him." She runs her fingers through River's hair. "He feared that for you, too. He made me promise that once you had discovered your form, that I would allow you to stay here with me. Away from those who would hurt or use you. And you are welcome to stay here and help with the shrine, if you so choose."

"But... Asher." He frowns, then looks back at Lorelai. "He wouldn't let anything happen to me. I want to be by his side, with my friends, still studying with Ythl. It doesn't matter to me what happens in the kingdom when they find out. I'll be their weapon if I have to." There's a hint of sadness in his voice. "Now that Crayus and his rebellion have come to an end, do you think I'll be able to visit you more often? Maybe I could visit every season for a few weeks."

"As I said, River, the choice is yours. If you want to stay, you are welcome. If you want to go back with your prince and your friends, you may." She narrows her eyes and shakes her finger at him. "After you have rested and healed properly. After you have regained your strength. Your friend Toby will have to stay and rest a few days as well. Even with the power of the shrine, coming back as you both have, takes time to recover."

River nods. "You know, before we came here, I fell off of a bridge. Anyone else would have been swept away and drowned. I wonder if the fact that I pray to the water Gods and Goddesses or that I'm a water dragon makes any difference in that. I'm really glad that I lived to see you. You're my only piece of family left."

Lorelei looks away, biting her lip. She wipes her eyes before turning back to River and kissing his cheek. "I think your devotion to the water gods and your form as a water dragon are intertwined. Perhaps your spirit sensed it and tried to point you in the right direction. The river incident just adds more evidence to your choice of following the water-powers. Somehow, you knew and followed your gods before you even knew they were yours."

"You perhaps have a drawing or painting of momma and Dad? I still remember what they look like, but it's been so long." He frowns, relaxing as Lorelai continues playing with his hair.

"I do. Perhaps while you recover, we can make one for you somehow." She rises from the bed, walking bare foot across the room and out the door. She returns a few minutes later with a painting, no more than three foot long and not that high. She positions it on an empty bed, lying down again with River. She holds him as they stare at the painting.

The painting shows River's parents holding what must be an infant River, wrapped in swaddling clothes. Some sort of faire takes place behind them. The artist managed to capture the couple's joy and pride in their baby. Their faces look so happy.

"Wow... That's them alright. I don't like standing still while artists paint me, so I only have one picture of me at Ythl's home. It's with him, his other student and I together. He wanted to record that we were students of his." River smiles as a strange nostalgia comes to his mind. Even though he can't remember much from his life back then, he can sense that they were deeply in love. River sighs. "One last question." River blushes. "Is it true?"

Lorelei crinkles her nose and tilts her head to one side. "Is what true, dear?"

"Well, I remember seeing Dad's..." His face reddens even more. "Is it... Is it true all of the men in my family have small, you know what's?"

River's aunt throws her head back and laughs loudly. From across the room, Hunter and Toby look over quizzically before returning to their rest. Lorelei tickles River's ribs for a minute. When she stops, she shakes her head. "Let me see it. I saw your father's and other men of our family, let me see yours."

"Uhm, ok." He blushes, pulling down his fundoshi. The coldness of the room makes it even smaller than usual. "Not much bigger than his, is it?"

"His was a little bigger." She giggles. "It's so cute! It looks like your father's that's for sure. River, baby, you won't get much bigger, I'm afraid." She holds out her hand, curling it into a fist, except for one finger. Her index finger stays extended. "I would bet good gold that you end up almost the size of my finger. But whoever loves you won't mind. There are other ways to give pleasure. Believe me. Many other ways."

He quickly pulls it back up, putting the sheets up as well. "Thanks, auntie."